Who is a tourism agent. Profession Tour operator. Who is a Tour Operator. Description of the profession. We teach to travel and sell travel

Posted On 05.05.2018

A tourism manager is a specialist who organizes tourist trips. The profession of a tourism manager is one of the interesting fields of activity.

It gives you a chance to visit different parts of the world and earn good money at the same time.

The main task of a tourism manager is to help a tourist choose a country and a voucher, as well as organize a good rest. The specialist advises clients, prepares required documents, makes insurance, a visa, buys plane or train tickets, book hotels and solves other problems for the client.

Places of work

The position of a tourism manager is always in travel agencies and from tour operators.

History of the profession

At the beginning of the 19th century in France in the explanatory dictionary the concept of "tourist" was formed - a person who travels to various countries of the world in order to kill time, or out of curiosity. In the same period, construction began railways, shipbuilding was actively developing, the first aviation began to appear, and hotels and sanatoriums began to be made from estates and other houses. As a result, at the beginning of the 20th century, tourism became a mass phenomenon, and the profession of a tourism manager was a prestigious and necessary activity.

Duties of a tourism manager

The duties of a tourism manager are as follows:

Attracting new customers and selling travel vouchers (processing online applications, incoming calls);
Client consultation, selection of optimal tours;
Registration of insurance, visas, passports and other documents;
Hotel room reservation;
Purchase or booking of tickets (air, railway, buses, etc.);
Booking services for clients (excursions, meeting at the airport, car rental, meals, etc.).

The responsibilities of a tourism manager also include resolving conflict situations with clients and contractors.

For example, if the plane is canceled, the customs will not let tourists in, the airline will place the child and the parents on different planes, and much more.

Requirements for a tourism manager

The main requirements for tourism managers are:

Experience in tourism;
PC ownership;

Sometimes additional requirements are put forward such as:

Knowledge of major tourist destinations and resorts;
Knowledge of the market of tour operators;
Sales experience;
Knowledge of a foreign language (most often, English).

Resume sample

A sample resume of a tourism manager.

How to become a tourism manager

If you want to become a manager in the field of tourism and if you love travel, even without work experience, you can easily get a job in a travel agency as an assistant manager. However, in order to run a separate tourism destination or organize serious tours, a tourism manager must know foreign language, be able to sell, resolve conflicts and have more than 1.5 years of experience in tourism.

Tourism manager salary

The salary of a tourism manager usually consists of a set rate and a percentage of package sales, and therefore depends on the number of tours sold out and the season. The income of a qualified tourism manager can be 80 thousand rubles, with a salary of 15 thousand. average salary a tourism manager is 35 thousand rubles a month.

Where to get training

In addition to higher education, there are a number of short-term studies on the market, usually from a week to a year.

Interregional Academy of Civil Engineering and industrial complex and her courses in Tourism Manager.

Modern scientific and technical academy and a number of its courses in the direction of "Tourism".

Unified qualification reference book of positions of managers, specialists and other employees (CEN), 2017
Section "Qualification characteristics of positions of workers in tourism organizations"
The section was approved by the Order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation of 12.03.2012 N 220n

I. General Provisions
II. Qualification characteristics of the positions of employees of organizations carrying out excursion activities
POSITIONS OF MANAGERS
Director (manager) of the excursion bureau
POSITIONS OF SPECIALISTS
Translator (in the field of tourism)
Guide-translator (in the field of tourism)
Guide
Excursion organizer
POSITIONS OF EMPLOYEES
Excursion booking agent
Office Administrator
III. Qualification characteristics of employees engaged in travel agency activities
POSITIONS OF MANAGERS
Travel Agency Director
Head of Marketing and Sales Department, Travel Agency
POSITIONS OF SPECIALISTS
Tourism manager (outbound, inbound, domestic tourism)
Booking and Sales Manager
Tourist Group Leader
Booking agent
Tourism agent (outbound, inbound, domestic)
Assistant for the formation of excursion (tourist) groups
IV.

Qualification characteristics of workers engaged in tour operator activities
POSITIONS OF MANAGERS
Director of the tour operator organization
Head of the department for booking and sales of tourism products of a tour operator organization
Head of the Department of tourist products tour operator organization
POSITIONS OF SPECIALISTS
Tourism Product Formation Manager
Tourism products manager for tourism directions (outbound, inbound, domestic tourism)
Exit Visa Manager
Corporate Account Manager
Culturologist-animator
Order processing specialist
Tourism Methodist Instructor
Tourism Consultant
V. Qualification characteristics of workers performing hotel activities
POSITIONS OF MANAGERS
Hotel director
Head of Hotel Fund Service
Head of Reception and Accommodation Service
POSITIONS OF SPECIALISTS
Floor Duty
Reception and Accommodation Service Manager
Concierge
Receptionist

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. Section "Qualification characteristics of positions of workers in tourism organizations" of the United qualification handbook positions of managers, specialists and employees (hereinafter - TSA) is intended to address issues related to the regulation labor relations, ensuring an effective management system for employees of organizations in the tourism sector, regardless of their organizational and legal forms and forms of ownership.

2. The section "Qualification characteristics of the positions of workers in tourism organizations" of the EKS contains the qualification characteristics of the positions of workers in tourism organizations that carry out excursion, travel agency, tour operator and hotel activities (hereinafter referred to as qualification characteristics).

3. Qualification characteristics are applied as normative documents or serve as the basis for the development of job descriptions containing a specific list job responsibilities employees, taking into account the peculiarities of the organization of labor and management, as well as the rights, responsibilities and competence of employees. If necessary, the duties included in the qualification characteristics of a certain position can be distributed among several performers.

The qualification characteristic of each position has three sections: "Job responsibilities", "Must know" and "Qualification requirements".

The section "Job responsibilities" contains a list of the main labor functions, which can be fully or partially entrusted to an employee holding a given position, taking into account the technological homogeneity and interconnectedness of work, allowing to ensure optimal specialization by employee positions.

The section "Should know" contains the basic requirements for an employee in relation to special knowledge, as well as knowledge of legislative and other regulatory legal acts, regulations, instructions and other documents, methods and means that the employee must apply in the performance of job duties.

In the section "Requirements for qualifications", the level necessary for the performance of job duties is determined vocational training employee, certified by educational documents, as well as requirements for work experience.

5. When developing job descriptions, it is allowed to clarify the list of jobs characteristic of the respective positions in specific conditions.

6. In order to improve the organization and increase the efficiency of workers in tourism organizations, it is possible to expand the range of their responsibilities in comparison with the established corresponding qualification characteristics. In these cases, without changing the official name, the employee may be entrusted with the fulfillment of duties provided for by the qualification characteristics of other positions that are similar in the content of work, equal in complexity, the performance of which does not require another specialty and qualification.

7. The TSA does not include the qualifications of derived positions (senior, leading specialists).

Tourism Manager Job Description

The duties of these workers, the requirements for their knowledge and qualifications are determined on the basis of the qualification characteristics of the respective positions.

The official title "senior" is applied provided that the employee, along with the performance of the duties stipulated for the position held, manages the performers subordinate to him. The position of "senior" can be established as an exception and in the absence of performers in the direct subordination of the employee, if he is entrusted with the functions of managing an independent section of work.

Employees with the official title "leading" are assigned the functions of a manager and a responsible executor of work in one of the areas of activity of a structural unit or responsibilities for coordination and methodological guidance of groups of executors created in structural units, taking into account the rational division of labor in specific organizational and technical conditions. The requirements for the length of service of such employees are increased by 2 - 3 years in comparison with the requirements provided for employees who do not have the official title of "leading".

8. Persons who do not have special training or work experience established in the section "Requirements for qualifications", but who have sufficient practical experience and perform qualitatively and in full their official duties, on the recommendation attestation commission are appointed to the relevant positions in the same way as persons with special training and work experience.

The job description of a tourism manager regulates the relationship between an employee and an employer. It contains a list functional responsibilities, the rights of an official. The document describes the responsibility of an employee of a travel agency, establishes requirements for his qualifications, the procedure for subordination, appointment and dismissal.

The regulations are developed by the heads of departments. Approved by the head of the organization.

І. General Provisions

1. The tourism manager belongs to the "executives" category.

2. The tourism manager reports directly to the general director of the organization.

3. Appointment and dismissal of a tourism manager is carried out by order of the general director.

Staff planning

A person who has higher education and work experience in a similar position for at least one year.

5. During the absence of a tourism manager, his rights, functional duties, responsibility are assigned to another official appointed in accordance with the established procedure.

6. Tourism manager is guided in his activities:

regulatory, governing documents of the organization;
internal labor regulations;
the legislation of the Russian Federation;
given job description;
orders and orders of the management;
The charter of the organization.

7. Tourism manager should know:

historical, natural, cultural sights of the countries of the world;
ways of transport communication with foreign countries;
rules of work of consular and visa offices;
rules of customs, currency control;
tourist insurance rules;
the procedure for issuing insurance policies, vouchers;
hotel classification system;
the procedure for working with hotels, hotels;
organizations providing excursion and language translation services;
establishments catering, recreational, entertainment, sports direction;
reference information, travel catalogs;
supply and demand for tourist market;
principles of advertising, marketing;
norms business communication and etiquette;
principles of establishing business contacts, conducting negotiations;
regulations of the organization;
methods of information processing, database maintenance;
rules of fire protection, labor protection, safety measures.

II. Job responsibilities of a tourism manager

The tourism manager has the following job responsibilities:

1. Looking for tour operators at a given cost, the quality of the services provided for accommodation, excursion services for tourists.

2. Collects, analyzes, studies the requirements of clients for the services provided.

3. Establishes business contacts with hotels and institutions providing transport and excursion services. Concludes contracts with them for the provision of services, discusses their conditions.

4. Participates in determining the cost of travel services.

5. Prepares lists of tourists.

6. Draws up schedules for staying in hotels.

7. Instructs clients on the observance of transport safety measures during excursions, accommodation. Informs about the rules of conduct, first aid.

8. Provides clients with the necessary information.

9. Advises clients on:

the order, timing of visa processing;
rules of entry and stay in the country;
date and time of the beginning, end of the trip;
customs, currency control;
the procedure for providing visa, excursion, transport services;
accommodation of tourists;
stay program, travel routes;
safety measures during the trip.

10. Maintains the information base of the tours carried out.

11. Forms accounting documents.

12. Receives information about the time, place of arrival of clients, contributes to the timely arrival of the tourist group at the designated places.

13. Notifies the head of the organization, interested persons about emergencies with tourists.

14. Establishes and maintains long-term cooperation with key clients.

15. Collects, analyzes comments and wishes of clients.

ІІІ. The rights

A tourism manager has the right to:

1. Submit proposals to the management to improve the organization's performance.

2. To act independently, within the limits of their competence.

3. Possess information about the decisions of the organization's management related to the work of the department.

4. Improve professional qualifications at training events.

5. Communicate with the organization's divisions on business matters.

6. To demand from the management the formation of conditions for the performance of their functional duties, ensuring material values, safety of documents.

7. Sign documents within their own competence.

8. Do not start performing work tasks when there is a threat to life or health.

9. Inform the management about the identified deficiencies in the organization's activities, send proposals for their elimination.

IV. Responsibility

The tourism manager is responsible for:

1. Completeness of informing clients about travel services.

2. The quality of the trips.

3. Violation of the norms of communication with counterparties, clients.

4. Safety trade secrets, confidential data.

5. Completeness of customer information bases.

6. Registration of reporting, documentation.

7. Violation of the provisions of the governing documents of the organization.

8. Mishandling of Personal Information.

9. Consequences decisions taken, independent action.

10. Execution individual plans activities.

11. Damage to the organization, its employees, the state, contractors.

12. Improper performance of their duties.

13. Violation of the norms of etiquette, business communication.

14. Violation of the provisions of the internal labor regulations, safety standards, labor discipline, fire protection.

Be smart!

Feedback: Courses “Tourism Manager. Agent for the organization of tourism ”at the Institute of Industrial Personnel Training (Ukraine, Kiev) - I was very pleased!

Advantages:

a lot of useful information, especially advice, many examples from the teacher's experience, really give knowledge, structured presentation of information, interesting, good price

Disadvantages:

i haven't found any minuses for myself

Honestly, I am delighted with the tourism manager courses at the Industry Training Institute. And there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for this.

Firstly, all the information that the teacher gives is very useful for those who really want to understand how tourism functions.

Job responsibilities of a travel agent

Secondly, the lessons are well structured. We went exactly according to the program, everyone finished on time. The teacher gives the maximum of the necessary information, and then throws off more notes on which he is giving a lecture already for independent study, there is more information there. I personally really like it when the educational process is arranged this way. There is an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the material in the lesson, and then re-read, add some more information to your notes and thus consolidate the result. Everything is shown clearly on the big screen. For me personally, visualization is a huge plus, since perceiving information only by ear is at least boring and difficult.

Thirdly, the teacher is very good, professional in his field. Everything was chewed, explained several times until everyone sorted it out. Each aspect that we studied was necessarily accompanied by some examples from the teacher's personal experience - this is very interesting and very instructive. In addition, it was always possible to address any question of interest that the teacher did not ignore.

Fourth, I really liked the lectures on tourist destinations and the hotel base. A lot of necessary and practical information, I learned about how different regions of the same country differ among themselves (for example, which region of Turkey is for budget tourists, where is it better not to send tourists to Egypt in winter, where to send tourists who are interested in diving, etc.) ... There were a lot of practical advice, which are learned, as a rule, on their own mistakes, and so, thanks to Mikhail Stepanovich, I will no longer make them.

Fifthly, before the courses, I did not understand very much what a responsible job a tourism manager really is. During the courses, we covered the topic of what a tourism manager should be like, watched a video about how a manager should behave with clients, and how he shouldn't - this is very important for future work, as your salary usually depends on how you behave with the client.

Sixth, a very cool practice system. The teacher told us right away that there are two types of practice - one can get a job in an agency, the second - his practical assignments, but as a rule, if you get a job at an agency, all that you will be allowed to do is shift papers from heap to heap and as such there is no practice will be, therefore practical tasks are the very thing. There is a specially designed training booking system for students, which works on the basis of real tours of tour operators in real time. The process of a manager's work with a tourist is fully modeled, a tour is selected, booked in the system, visa processing, document verification, and the like. It is very interesting, and most importantly, a useful practice for future work.

Before completing the courses, I got a job in tour operator Coral Travel. As soon as I passed the first stage of the interview and I was given a practical task, I turned to Mikhail Stepanovich for advice and he helped me. The main priority of hiring a company, as a rule, is the presence of a tourism education, which I did not have. But they hired me because they thought that the knowledge that I own was quite good. (and this is all thanks to the courses). Having started work, I myself realized that the courses gave me very good base! My colleagues were surprised that I, in fact, not only understand, but can also explain what a charter flight is and how it works, under what conditions a tour operator and an airline work, I can explain how they work different types insurance and in general what they are, I can name tourist regions main directions and characterize them and the like. Many people asked about my courses. The girls who just recently graduated from the tourist specialties said that what they taught me in the courses, they do not teach at the university, they practically do not understand tourist destinations, they do not go through the hotel base, they give a lot of unnecessary information, and there is no practice. There, too, guys come to practice, sit in the accounting department stamping pieces of paper all day.

Conclusion - the courses are very good and the price is nice. The important thing is that after the courses, knowledge remains and there is not a single bit of regret that the money was wasted.

Choosing a profession is like choosing a destiny. It is important to weigh the pros and cons, as well as obtain as much information as possible regarding the area of \u200b\u200binterest. The profession of a tourism manager seems romantic, filled with traveling the world, meeting new interesting people. But is it really so? Let's try to understand all the nuances of this profession.

Description of the profession

Tourism Manager is a generic title for the job title of an employee of a travel company. The list of tasks in the job description in different agencies does not always coincide. The main task of the manager is to organize the client's rest at a high level, taking into account all the wishes. In some businesses, the tourism manager is the one-stop-shop for organizing all aspects of the tour. This includes:

conversation with the client;
choice of direction;
search and booking of tickets and hotels;
registration of visas and insurance;
signing contracts;
payment acceptance and much more.

In other firms, different employees perform different stages. In addition, responsibilities depend on the direction of the company. Thus, tour operators organize travel routes, and travel agencies sell ready-made tours.

Vacancies in the field of tourism

To navigate the positions in the field of tourism, we list what other vacancies exist:

A corporate client service agent organizes business trips or vacations for employees and managers of large companies. These can be traveling seminars, corporate events or tourism. The manager must be qualified to serve business travel and speak at least a conversational level of English.
An individual tour organizer serves VIP clients. Its tasks include: the development and organization of personal tours, reservation of places in hotels, visa processing, search and rental of exclusive transport. This position requires a presentable appearance, diplomacy and a good level. of English language, especially business and writing.
Air Freight Manager will arrange intermediary services booking and selling tickets for air travel. You need to know the booking systems, and also some companies require a certificate.
The ticket booking agent vacancy is suitable for beginners with no experience in tourism.
The ecotourism manager deals with the selection of tours to national natural parks and protected areas. This is a relatively new area of \u200b\u200btourism that is gaining popularity.

Is the profession in demand now?

How promising is the profession of a tourism manager? Financial fluctuations and technological developments are reflected in many areas of activity, and tourism is no exception. More often potential clients travel companies prefer to independently search and select tours. This is due to the desire to save money, and to the fact that a large number of resources appear that allow you to organize your trip yourself. But not everyone does this, and many prefer to trust a specialist in this matter in the old fashioned way.

Another important point is the surplus on the market of candidates willing to work in the field of tourism. With high competition, the requirements for applicants become quite high, and it is difficult for a tourism manager without work experience to find a job in a travel agency.

First of all, the manager needs the skill of working with a large amount of information. It is necessary to remember the dates and times of flights, the tourist zones of many countries, what kind of rest is available in a particular resort place. Since one of the responsibilities of a tourism manager is to promote tours, knowledge of sales technology will not hurt. In addition, you need to be sociable and diplomatic, be able to "talk" the client in order to offer a suitable tour. Basic knowledge of psychology will not interfere here.

Often employers require knowledge of foreign languages, preference is given to English. If geography was your favorite subject at school, then consider yourself lucky. This knowledge will be very useful in your work. If you are a beginner tourism manager with no experience in this field, then a higher education in this specialty will not hurt.

The profession is considered to be quite stressful. You will have to simultaneously control several processes, while being always polite and attentive to customers. You need to be ready for irregular working hours and business trips.

Responsibilities of the manager

As already mentioned, tourism in different companies can be different. Let's list the main functions:

communicating with clients, providing information about services;
search for clients and sale of company services;
formation of routes;
hotel booking and redemption of tickets;
organization of charter flights;
registration of visas and insurance;
cooperation with the host;
selection of excursions and entertainment;
preparation of contracts;
settlement of conflict situations.

If you are applying for the position of assistant tourism manager, then your tasks will be routine tasks that do not require high qualifications. Good computer skills and the ability to use office equipment will help here.

Place of work and salary

Travel agencies and tour operators provide jobs. There are vacancies for an assistant tourism manager and a ready-made specialist. The salary will be different depending on the tasks. As a rule, payment is made up of the basic rate and a percentage of the sales of the packages. The average salary in Russia is 34 thousand rubles. The highest paid is the work of a tourism manager in Moscow - 49 thousand rubles.

Work specifics

A career in tourism begins as an Assistant or Account Manager. If you have established yourself well here, you can apply for the vacancy of a tourism manager. In a company that organizes tours, and not only sells ready-made vouchers, the manager will gain more experience in the field of tourism. Having mastered the subtleties of work, you can open your own business in the future.

Profession benefits

Choosing a particular profession, we want to realize our creative and business potential. If you like to communicate with people and travel, then work in the field of tourism will be to your liking. To successfully sell the services of a travel agency, you will have to personally visit those countries to which future clients will go. Forward-thinking executives organize study trips to hotels and resorts for managers at company expense.

If a modern office equipped with everything you need is important to you, then, as a rule, travel agencies do not skimp on the equipment of the manager's workplace, because the general impression of the client depends on this and whether he wants to issue a ticket in this particular company. Often, travel agencies send tourism managers to trainings and trainings. Constantly growing and developing in the profession is another indisputable plus.

Cons of the profession

Need to know and be prepared for some negative aspects in the profession:

A large degree of responsibility. All stages of the client's journey and rest depend on the manager. You need to keep a lot under control and be prepared for factors and force majeure beyond your control. Flight delays, mistakes of hotel employees or an unscrupulous host - the manager will be responsible for all this.
Irregular working hours. The working day will last as long as necessary to complete the paperwork, send important letters, and negotiate with the embassy.
Impossibility of vacation in the "hot" season. Working in the field of tourism, you can forget about the summer vacation, as well as the rest in May and September. This is the time of the greatest activity in the tourism sector.

Where to get training?

Of course, specialized higher education when applying for a job will be a plus, but even without it, you can get a job in a travel agency. Training for a tourism manager can be taken on courses. They last from 1 to 3 months and provide a concise program, focusing on important aspects of the specialty. In order not to miscalculate when choosing courses and not to waste time and money, study the reviews of the educational institution you are interested in on the forums on the Internet. If it is not possible to pay for the training, then look on the same Internet for free courses and webinars. They are now widespread and are a good tool for learning new skills.

Educational institutions of Russia

If you seriously decide to study this specialty, there are many higher educational institutions to choose from that train future workers in the tourism sector. There are both universities and colleges. The passing mark in the specialty "Tourism" ranges from 72 to 86. The average cost of training is 187 thousand rubles per year.

It is possible to combine training as a tourism manager with employment in a travel company, being in the last courses of the university. In this case, you can get a job as an assistant manager or courier.

How to become a tourism worker?

There are many skills you need to master to become a good travel professional. Here's what a beginner needs to know and be able to do:

Understand the difference between tour operators and travel agents and have a clear understanding of what they do.
Own search and booking programs.
Know the technology of sales and be able to sell.
Be able to draw up contracts.
Know the geography of countries, the location of hotels and resorts, a list of attractions, the specifics of entering a particular country.
Know the rules of insurance and visa processing.
Be a confident user of PCs and office programs.

You need to understand that you will have to study constantly, because changes in the field of tourism occur frequently. You will have to read and study a lot on your own, attend specialized trainings and seminars. If in travel company a specialist with experience is required, then knowledge of booking programs is mandatory for the candidate.

Before applying for a travel agency, even for a position that does not require work experience, study the information on popular travel destinations. Here is some of them:

Turkey (Antalya).
Greece (Crete).
Egypt.
Thailand.
Spain.
Italy.
Bulgaria.
Croatia.

Recently, tourist routes across Russia have been popular.

Download job description
travel agent (.doc, 80KB)

I. General Provisions

Tourism agent belongs to the category of technical executors.
Travel agent should know:
- 2.1. The Law of the Russian Federation "On the Basics of Tourist Activities in Russian Federation», Other normative legal documents regulating the implementation of tourist activities.
- 2.2. Geography of the countries of the world.
- 2.3. The procedure for the execution of contracts and the conclusion of contracts for the implementation of tours.
- 2.4. Rules for booking tickets and services.
- 2.5. Schemes of work with hotels, hotels, carrier companies (air, rail, bus, cruise, etc.), other organizations.
- 2.6. Fundamentals of Tourism Law.
- 2.7. Foreign language.
- 2.8. Rules for processing tourist documentation (travel vouchers, vouchers, insurance policies, etc.).
- 2.9. Information processing methods using modern technical means communications and communications, computers.
- 2.10. Reporting techniques.
Appointment to the position of a tourism agent and dismissal from office is made by order of the head of the organization.
The tourism agent reports directly

II. Job responsibilities

Travel agent:

Offers the client the available choice of options for recreation, gives recommendations and advice on the choice of places of rest, advises the client about the peculiarities of the socio-demographic and natural-climatic conditions of the place of rest.
Conducts mini-advertising of the selected place, describes its advantages and benefits.
Provides guidebooks, maps, diagrams, area plans.
Concludes an agreement for the provision of tourist services.
Organizes interaction with transport companies, hotels and travel agencies.
Gives the necessary recommendations for observing safety rules in the host country (region).
Prepares the necessary travel documents.

III. The rights

Tourism agent has the right to:

To get acquainted with the documents defining his rights and obligations in the position held, the criteria for assessing the quality of the performance of official duties.
Submit proposals for improving the work related to the responsibilities provided for in this instruction for the management's consideration.
Require the management to ensure organizational and technical conditions and the execution of the established documents necessary for the performance of official duties.

IV. Responsibility

The travel agent is responsible for:

Per improper performance or failure to fulfill their duties stipulated by this job description - within the limits established by the current labor legislation of the Russian Federation.
For offenses committed in the course of their activities - within the limits established by the current administrative, criminal and civil legislation of the Russian Federation.
For causing material damage organizations - within the limits established by the current labor legislation of the Russian Federation.

Olga Grafskaya, general director tourism bureau "Bonjour Travel"

Looking for a traveler job

Working in tourism lures job seekers with the opportunity to see the whole world. I almost always hear this from novice employees. Experienced staff we are willing to bet that not everything is so fabulous. Any, even the most expensive medal has a downside. Our foreign partners arrange so-called information and study tours for travel agency employees. I must say right away: there are never free tours, and the conditions are completely non-royal! The meaning of such trips is to see with our own eyes what we offer our clients, to gain personal experience and to express an opinion that is far from phrases from an advertising booklet.

These tours are organized out of season, and these trips are very difficult. Every day the agent inspects several hotels, and in the countries of mass tourism it reaches several dozen. Your head is spinning and you start to get confused. Experienced specialists make notes, comments for themselves, someone is taking photos or videos. And newcomers just walk, watch and admire. And in the end they can't remember anything. One day is usually left for rest, the rest of the time is working. Partners watch who behaves in such tours, and if they understand that the agent is incorrect, he can be blacklisted and will not be invited to the next round. It is possible to travel around the world, but if an employee is constantly on trips, when will he work ?!

Who works in tourism and why

The labor market in tourism, like many others, is also experiencing staff shortage... It is divided into two parts: these are young girls with no experience, who believe that there is nothing difficult in this area, and experienced specialists who have worked in the industry for more than one year. The disadvantage of the former is not even a lack of experience, but the fact that many do not want to learn.

People from the second category do not need to be trained, they come with a client base, which is good for the head of the agency, but there is also a minus here. Such an employee wants to receive exclusive working conditions. They may not bring direct losses to the director, but the profit for the agency will be zero, since all of it will be received by the manager who brought the client.

Fabulous salaries in tourism are rare. The situation on the market is twofold: on the one hand, supply is oversaturated, on the other, the industry as a whole is shrinking. Therefore, the salary fork for a tourism manager is from 20 to 60 thousand rubles. But it all depends on the person and his desire to earn.

The perfect travel agent resume

The most important thing in a resume of job seekers in the field of tourism is work experience. But this does not mean that I will not accept a person without experience. It is important for me that the employee is interested in earning, not receiving.

In the resume, they often write template phrases: dedication, responsibility, career opportunities. You can look through dozens of profiles and not find a single worthy candidate. How can you talk about something serious career growth at a travel agency? This work is very interesting, despite all the difficulties that one has to face every day. The increase in wages in tourism depends not only on the management, but also on the employee himself. During the interview, I ask the question: “Are you ready to make an effort to attract new clients? If so, which ones? If not, why not? " Many job seekers are willing to receive a small flat fee and do nothing else. I will refuse such an employee.

Personal qualities for professional growth

In tourism, attentiveness is very important, because an insignificant mistake only in writing the personal data of tourists can lead not only to a fine, but also to the threat of disrupting the trip.

An important role is played by punctuality, the desire to develop independently and constantly learn. Explore new countries, excursion routes - isn't that interesting?

And, of course, responsibility is extremely important! Here is an example, or rather, my nightmare, which, I really hope, will never happen in practice. The tourist must fly away on a long-awaited vacation and he needs to get a visa. The employee scrupulously fills out all the documents and takes them to the delivery. On the way, he loses the tourist's passport. You can borrow money and pay for a tourist, but what to do with a lost passport ?! To say that after that the trust will be lost is to say nothing!

We teach to travel and sell travel

A travel agent can get education in specialized higher educational institutions... When there was a boom in tourism, there were many tourism education courses. Now the industry is in decline - not only travel agencies are being closed, but also educational institutions... But the presence of a diploma, unfortunately, does not mean anything.

Tourist routine

In fact, a travel agent has a lot of responsibilities: from keeping the workplace clean to being ready to respond to clients at any time of the day or night. The motto of our agency is “Your personal consultant 24 hours”. The agent's schedule is irregular, especially during peak seasons. In the off-season, the load is less. I do not force all employees to be in the workplace when there is no workload. Someone is engaged in self-development, someone comes up with methods to optimize their work and attract new customers. I welcome and encourage this.

Each agency has regular customers, and we keep their dossier. We store all the data in order not to ask you to send the same documents every time. We keep a history of trips, wishes, comments. Our regular customers do not need to explain what they want to get from their vacation. They only say dates and wishes for the choice of the country. Everything else is our job. Moreover, this part of routine duties is the most creative, it provides an opportunity to please and surprise the client, to guess his desires.

Hide nothing

In other industries, the practice of non-intervention of a specialist in a client's decision is adopted. It's the opposite with us. If we are talking about regular customers, then I already know what they need, and I advise based on their preferences. But if a client chooses a country or a hotel himself, I am sure to talk about the nuances that can ruin a vacation or upset a tourist. But at the same time I never insist. This is a personal choice of a person, and must be reckoned with.

For example, a couple of years ago, several of my clients wanted to New Year go exactly to Egypt. I did not refuse them and lose clients. The result, I think, is well known. The Egyptian direction was closed, and it was necessary to resolve the issue of the return money... You could say: "Do it yourself, you have chosen this country, now these are your problems." But I cannot afford it, and for several months I fought with partners to get my tourists' funds back.

Nervous work

Difficult clients were and will always be. It is very difficult with people who are used to criticizing everything and seeing bad things even where there is none. It is difficult with those who first of all ask a question about the amount of a discount without even saying what they want. Any work should be financially rewarded.

Now the situation in the tourism market is very difficult. The crisis, sanctions, imperfect legislation and, unfortunately, dishonesty and financial untidiness of partners have a very negative effect on the agent's position in the market. After all, a tourist comes to the agency and trusts us, but we are not the last resort and cannot control or influence all the links that are involved in this process. Unfortunately, this cannot always be explained, and some colleagues meet with their clients in court, although the agent has done his job 100% and even more. But the argument is simple: "We have come to you, so you are responsible for everyone."

A profession without a career

The job of a manager is a little bit technical from a technical point of view. But it is very diverse: new clients, new requests, new countries, new hotels. Career development takes place horizontally. There is no step-by-step promotion from an ordinary employee to the director of your own agency. Can't name it career prospects, I consider it rather a transition to a new level. For the director of an agency, knowledge of tourism alone is not enough, he must understand both accounting and legislation, and know the work of a manager. It is possible to hire employees who will be responsible for a certain segment of work, but this is materially expensive. I know several examples former directors agencies that closed their companies and again went into hired employees, because they did not want a huge responsibility on their shoulders.

Sometimes employees leave. Someone - to larger agencies, someone - to a tour operator, and someone, completely disappointed, is generally from tourism. Some don't even want to hear about tourism anymore, others remember this experience with warmth!

One of my partners had a travel agency in another country. Everything got tired, and she closed it. I went to rest in Georgia, and fell in love with this country so much that I stayed there and opened ... yes, yes, a travel agency! She studied the history of Georgia and herself, being the director, often accompanies the groups as a guide.

“Work for the Young”?

Many people think that a tourism manager is a job only for young people. But I disagree that in tourism, employees over forty are rare specimens. In one information tour, I met an agent who was 72 years old! She has more enthusiasm and energy than some young girls. I really respect such people.

A tourism manager is a specialist who organizes tourist trips. The profession of a tourism manager is one of the interesting fields of activity. It gives you a chance to visit different parts of the world and earn good money at the same time.

The main task of a tourism manager is to help a tourist choose a country and a voucher, as well as organize a good rest. The specialist advises clients, draws up the necessary documents, makes insurance, a visa, buys plane or train tickets, reservations hotels and solves other problems for the client.

Places of work

The position of tourism manager is always held by travel agencies and tour operators.

History of the profession

At the beginning of the 19th century in France in the explanatory dictionary the concept of "tourist" was formed - a person who travels to various countries of the world in order to kill time, or out of curiosity. In the same period, railways began to be built, shipbuilding was actively developing, the first aviation began to appear, and hotels and sanatoriums began to be made from estates and other houses. As a result, at the beginning of the 20th century, tourism became a mass phenomenon, and the profession of a tourism manager was a prestigious and necessary activity.

Duties of a tourism manager

The duties of a tourism manager are as follows:

Attracting new customers and selling travel vouchers (processing online applications, incoming calls);
Client consultation, selection of optimal tours;
Registration of insurance, visas, passports and other documents;
Hotel room reservation;
Purchase or booking of tickets (air, railway, buses, etc.);
Booking services for clients (excursions, meeting at the airport, car rental, meals, etc.).

The responsibilities of a tourism manager also include resolving conflict situations with clients and contractors. For example, if the plane is canceled, the customs will not let tourists in, the airline will place the child and the parents on different planes, and much more.

Requirements for a tourism manager

The main requirements for tourism managers are:

Experience in tourism;
PC ownership;

Sometimes additional requirements are put forward such as:

Knowledge of major tourist destinations and resorts;
Knowledge of the market of tour operators;
Sales experience;
Knowledge of a foreign language (most often, English).

Resume sample

How to become a tourism manager

If you want to become a manager in the field of tourism and if you love travel, then even without work experience you can easily get a job in a travel agency as an assistant manager. However, in order to run a separate tourist destination or organize serious tours, a tourism manager must know a foreign language, be able to sell, resolve conflicts and have more than 1.5 years of experience in tourism.

Tourism manager salary

The salary of a tourism manager usually consists of a set rate and a percentage of package sales, and therefore depends on the number of tours sold out and the season. The income of a qualified tourism manager can be 80 thousand rubles, with a salary of 15 thousand. The average salary of a tourism manager is 35 thousand rubles a month.

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