Travel agency manager to tour operator manager
A travel agency manager already meets 49% of what the tour operator manager role asks for. The move turns on 17 required skills not yet in the profile.
60.6/ 100
1 How much of what a tour operator manager is expected to do is already part of a travel agency manager’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the tour operator manager role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A tour operator manager role treats 13 of its required skills as things a travel agency manager already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- build a network of suppliers in tourism
- build business relationships
- comply with food safety and hygiene
- manage budgets
- manage distribution channels
- manage staff
What stands in the way is 17 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 28 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A tour operator manager role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a travel agency manager background worth leading with.
- already held prepare travel packages management skills
- already held build a network of suppliers in tourism communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held self-service technologies in tourism information and communication technologies (icts)
- already held manage visitor flows in natural protected areas information skills
- already held develop working procedures management skills
- already held create annual marketing budget management skills
All 28 carried skills, including the 13 the tour operator manager role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 23 missing skills fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn translate strategy into operation required
- still to learn develop revenue generation strategies required
- still to learn oversee the printing of touristic publications required
- still to learn develop strategies for accessibility required
- still to learn oversee the design of touristic publications required
- still to learn plan marketing strategy required
- still to learn plan medium to long term objectives required
- still to learn select optimal distribution channel required
- optional, not held identify suppliers optional
- still to learn negotiate tourism rates required
- still to learn develop tourism products required
- still to learn maintain customer service required
- still to learn manage contracts required
- still to learn provide customised products required
- optional, not held develop tourism destinations optional
- optional, not held manage distribution of destination promotional materials optional
- optional, not held manage production of destination promotional materials optional
- optional, not held negotiate tourism experience purchases optional
- still to learn handle personal identifiable information required
- still to learn oversee quality control required
- still to learn tourism market required
- optional, not held property management software optional
- still to learn sales strategies required
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a tour operator manager role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 negotiate tourism rates practise this
- 02 translate strategy into operation practise this
- 03 develop revenue generation strategies practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 28 skills that carry over
- already held build a network of suppliers in tourism skill
- already held build business relationships skill
- already held comply with food safety and hygiene skill
- already held manage budgets skill
- already held manage distribution channels skill
- already held manage staff skill
- already held manage visitor flows in natural protected areas skill
- already held maximise sales revenues skill
- already held measure customer feedback skill
- already held perform market research skill
- already held prepare travel packages skill
- already held recruit employees skill
- already held set up pricing strategies skill
- already held augmented reality knowledge
- already held coordinate operational activities skill
- already held create annual marketing budget skill
- already held develop working procedures skill
- already held ecotourism knowledge
- already held educate on sustainable tourism skill
- already held engage local communities in the management of natural protected areas skill
- already held improve customer traveling experiences with augmented reality skill
- already held manage conservation of natural and cultural heritage skill
- already held promote virtual reality travelling experiences skill
- already held self-service technologies in tourism knowledge
- already held support community-based tourism skill
- already held support local tourism skill
- already held use e-tourism platforms skill
- already held virtual reality knowledge
6 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held develop tourism destinations optional
- optional, not held manage distribution of destination promotional materials optional
- optional, not held manage production of destination promotional materials optional
- optional, not held negotiate tourism experience purchases optional
- optional, not held property management software optional
- optional, not held identify suppliers optional
24 held skills the tour operator manager role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role apply strategic thinking skill
- not needed by the target role conduct search engine optimisation skill
- not needed by the target role develop inclusive communication material skill
- not needed by the target role geographical areas relevant to tourism knowledge
- not needed by the target role handle customer complaints skill
- not needed by the target role identify customer's needs skill
- not needed by the target role implement marketing strategies skill
- not needed by the target role implement sales strategies skill
- not needed by the target role implement strategic planning skill
- not needed by the target role maintain relationship with suppliers skill
- not needed by the target role manage online content skill
- not needed by the target role monitor financial accounts skill
- not needed by the target role motivate staff to reach sales targets skill
- not needed by the target role negotiate supplier arrangements skill
- not needed by the target role oversee all travel arrangements skill
- not needed by the target role participate in tourism events skill
- not needed by the target role perform services in a flexible manner skill
- not needed by the target role plan digital marketing skill
- not needed by the target role promote the use of sustainable transport skill
- not needed by the target role seek innovation in current practices skill
- not needed by the target role supervise crew skill
- not needed by the target role tourist resources of a destination for further development knowledge
- not needed by the target role train employees skill
- not needed by the target role use global distribution system skill
3 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn sales strategies required
- still to learn tourism market required
- optional, not held property management software optional
Common questions about this move
Can a travel agency manager become a tour operator manager?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A travel agency manager already covers 49% of what a tour operator manager is expected to do: 28 skills carry over, 13 of which the tour operator manager role treats as required.
What skills does a travel agency manager need to become a tour operator manager?
17 required skills are missing, plus 6 optional ones. They fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by management skills. The single most important is negotiate tourism rates.
How hard is the move from travel agency manager to tour operator manager?
Its learning distance is 60.6 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.