Travel agent to travel consultant
A travel agent already meets 71% of what the travel consultant role asks for. The move turns on 6 required skills not yet in the profile.
39/ 100
1 How much of what a travel consultant 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 travel consultant role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A travel consultant role treats 20 of its required skills as things a travel agent already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- advertise travel insurance
- apply foreign languages in tourism
- ecotourism
- educate on sustainable tourism
- geographical areas relevant to tourism
- handle customer complaints
What stands in the way is 6 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 31 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A travel consultant 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 advertise travel insurance communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held sell tourist packages communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held oversee all travel arrangements management skills
- already held follow ethical code of conduct in tourism assisting and caring
- already held use global distribution system working with computers
- already held apply foreign languages in tourism communication, collaboration and creativity
All 31 carried skills, including the 20 the travel consultant role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 17 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 customise travel package required
- still to learn build a network of suppliers in tourism required
- still to learn devise tailor-made tourism itineraries required
- optional, not held demonstrate intercultural competences in hospitality services optional
- optional, not held assist clients with special needs optional
- optional, not held build business relationships optional
- optional, not held perform services in a flexible manner optional
- optional, not held use different communication channels optional
- still to learn plan measures to safeguard cultural heritage required
- optional, not held oversee the printing of touristic publications optional
- optional, not held oversee the design of touristic publications optional
- optional, not held plan events optional
- still to learn guarantee customer satisfaction required
- optional, not held plan measures to safeguard natural protected areas optional
- still to learn measure sustainability of tourism activities required
- optional, not held read maps optional
- optional, not held manage online content optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a travel consultant role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 customise travel package practise this
- 02 build a network of suppliers in tourism practise this
- 03 guarantee customer satisfaction 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 31 skills that carry over
- already held advertise travel insurance skill
- already held apply foreign languages in tourism skill
- already held ecotourism knowledge
- already held educate on sustainable tourism skill
- already held geographical areas relevant to tourism knowledge
- already held handle customer complaints skill
- already held identify customer's needs skill
- already held maintain customer records skill
- already held maintain customer service skill
- already held maintain relationship with suppliers skill
- already held oversee all travel arrangements skill
- already held process booking skill
- already held process payments skill
- already held provide tourism related information skill
- already held self-service technologies in tourism knowledge
- already held sell tourist packages skill
- already held upsell products skill
- already held use customer relationship management software skill
- already held use e-tourism platforms skill
- already held use global distribution system skill
- already held augmented reality knowledge
- already held comply with food safety and hygiene skill
- already held develop inclusive communication material skill
- already held engage local communities in the management of natural protected areas skill
- already held follow ethical code of conduct in tourism 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 support community-based tourism skill
- already held support local tourism skill
- already held virtual reality knowledge
11 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held demonstrate intercultural competences in hospitality services optional
- optional, not held manage online content optional
- optional, not held oversee the printing of touristic publications optional
- optional, not held plan measures to safeguard natural protected areas optional
- optional, not held assist clients with special needs optional
- optional, not held build business relationships optional
- optional, not held oversee the design of touristic publications optional
- optional, not held perform services in a flexible manner optional
- optional, not held plan events optional
- optional, not held read maps optional
- optional, not held use different communication channels optional
27 held skills the travel consultant role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role achieve sales targets skill
- not needed by the target role coordinate events skill
- not needed by the target role distribute local information materials 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 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 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 manage visitor flows in natural protected areas 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 present reports skill
- not needed by the target role produce content for tourism brochures 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 quote prices skill
- not needed by the target role search databases skill
- not needed by the target role social media management knowledge
- not needed by the target role use communication techniques 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
- not needed by the target role work in a hospitality team skill
Other moves recorded from travel agent
- tour operator representative 65% covered · moderate
- hospitality establishment receptionist 53% covered · moderate
- hotel concierge 53% covered · moderate
- tourist animator 51% covered · moderate
- tourist information officer 51% covered · substantial
- 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 travel consultant?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. A travel agent already covers 71% of what a travel consultant is expected to do: 31 skills carry over, 20 of which the travel consultant role treats as required.
What skills does a travel agent need to become a travel consultant?
6 required skills are missing, plus 11 optional ones. They fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is customise travel package.
How hard is the move from travel agent to travel consultant?
Its learning distance is 39 out of 100, which is the moderate 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.