Travel agent to tourist information officer
A travel agent already meets 51% of what the tourist information officer role asks for. The move turns on 13 required skills not yet in the profile.
56.6/ 100
1 How much of what a tourist information officer is expected to do is already part of a travel agent’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 tourist information officer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A tourist information officer role treats 11 of its required skills as things a travel agent already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- apply foreign languages in tourism
- comply with food safety and hygiene
- distribute local information materials
- geographical areas relevant to tourism
- identify customer's needs
- maintain customer records
What stands in the way is 13 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 26 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A tourist information officer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a travel agent background worth leading with.
- already held produce content for tourism brochures communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held quote prices assisting and caring
- already held apply foreign languages 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 distribute local information materials communication, collaboration and creativity
All 26 carried skills, including the 11 the tourist information officer role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 21 missing skills fall into 6 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 build a network of suppliers in tourism required
- still to learn coordinate efforts of stakeholders for destination promotion required
- still to learn demonstrate intercultural competences in hospitality services required
- still to learn develop tourist information materials required
- still to learn communicate with customers required
- still to learn respond to customers' inquiries required
- optional, not held sell souvenirs optional
- optional, not held apply social media marketing optional
- optional, not held build business relationships optional
- optional, not held ensure client orientation optional
- optional, not held perform services in a flexible manner optional
- optional, not held sell tickets optional
- still to learn provide directions to guests required
- still to learn assist visitors required
- still to learn handle personal identifiable information required
- still to learn collect tourist information required
- still to learn process reservations required
- still to learn devise special promotions required
- optional, not held organise cultural events optional
- still to learn local area tourism industry required
- optional, not held integrate content into output media optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a tourist information officer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 build a network of suppliers in tourism practise this
- 02 collect tourist information practise this
- 03 coordinate efforts of stakeholders for destination promotion 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 26 skills that carry over
- already held apply foreign languages in tourism skill
- already held comply with food safety and hygiene skill
- already held distribute local information materials skill
- already held geographical areas relevant to tourism knowledge
- already held identify customer's needs skill
- already held maintain customer records skill
- already held maintain customer service skill
- already held process booking skill
- already held produce content for tourism brochures skill
- already held provide tourism related information skill
- already held quote prices skill
- already held augmented reality knowledge
- 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 manage visitor flows in natural protected areas skill
- already held process payments 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
- already held work in a hospitality team skill
8 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held integrate content into output media optional
- optional, not held organise cultural events optional
- optional, not held sell souvenirs optional
- optional, not held apply social media marketing optional
- optional, not held build business relationships optional
- optional, not held ensure client orientation optional
- optional, not held perform services in a flexible manner optional
- optional, not held sell tickets optional
32 held skills the tourist information officer role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role achieve sales targets skill
- not needed by the target role advertise travel insurance skill
- not needed by the target role coordinate events skill
- not needed by the target role develop inclusive communication material skill
- not needed by the target role ensure the privacy of guests skill
- not needed by the target role execute email marketing skill
- not needed by the target role follow ethical code of conduct in tourism skill
- not needed by the target role handle customer complaints skill
- not needed by the target role handle financial transactions 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 maintain relationship with customers skill
- not needed by the target role maintain relationship with suppliers skill
- not needed by the target role manage database skill
- not needed by the target role manage digital archives skill
- not needed by the target role manage time in tourism skill
- not needed by the target role measure customer feedback skill
- not needed by the target role office software knowledge
- not needed by the target role oversee all travel arrangements skill
- not needed by the target role present reports skill
- not needed by the target role promote the use of sustainable transport skill
- not needed by the target role provide customised products skill
- not needed by the target role search databases skill
- not needed by the target role sell tourist packages skill
- not needed by the target role social media management knowledge
- not needed by the target role upsell products skill
- not needed by the target role use communication techniques skill
- not needed by the target role use customer relationship management software skill
- not needed by the target role use global distribution system skill
- not needed by the target role use microsoft office skill
- not needed by the target role use presentation software skill
- not needed by the target role use spreadsheets software skill
1 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 local area tourism industry required
Other moves recorded from travel agent
- travel consultant 71% covered · moderate
- tour operator representative 65% covered · moderate
- hospitality establishment receptionist 53% covered · moderate
- hotel concierge 53% covered · moderate
- tourist animator 51% covered · moderate
- hotel butler 49% covered · moderate
- travel agency manager 46% covered · substantial
- hospitality entertainment manager 45% covered · substantial
Common questions about this move
Can a travel agent become a tourist information officer?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A travel agent already covers 51% of what a tourist information officer is expected to do: 26 skills carry over, 11 of which the tourist information officer role treats as required.
What skills does a travel agent need to become a tourist information officer?
13 required skills are missing, plus 8 optional ones. They fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is build a network of suppliers in tourism.
How hard is the move from travel agent to tourist information officer?
Its learning distance is 56.6 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.