Tour organiser

Description

Tour organisers are in charge of managing and supervising the itinerary of a touristic voyage and provide practical information to tourists.

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to tour organiser:

excursion leader
tour escort
travel and tourism tour manager
tour leader
excursion escort

Minimum qualifications

A high school diploma or equivalent is generally the minimum required to work as a tour organiser.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Tour organiser is a Skill level 2 occupation.

Tour organiser career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to tour organiser.

travel consultant
tour operator representative
guide
park guide
tourist information officer

Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of tour organiser. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of tour organiser with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

tourist information centre manager
mountain guide
tourism contract negotiator
travel agency manager
sports instructor

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of tour organiser.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of tour organiser.

  • Oversee travel arrangements: Make sure that travel arrangements run according to plan and ensure effective and satisfactory service, accommodation and catering.
  • Maintain working relationships: Ensure effective working relationships with colleagues and others. Maintain them over long periods of time.
  • Manage health and safety standards: Oversee all personnel and processes to comply with health, safety and hygiene standards. Communicate and support alignment of these requirements with the company’s health and safety programmes.
  • Welcome tour groups: Greet newly arrived groups of tourists at their starting point to announce details of upcoming events and travel arrangements.
  • Inform tourist groups on logistical times: Brief groups of tourists on departure and arrival times as part of their itinerary.
  • Handle personal identifiable information: Administer sensitive personal information on customers securely and discreetly
  • Assist at check-in: Help holidaymakers with their check-in and show them their accommodation.
  • Organise entry to attractions: Arrange the enrolment in activities and attractions. Arrange payments and pre-bookings and distribute information leaflets.
  • Maintain customer service: Keep the highest possible customer service and make sure that the customer service is at all times performed in a professional way. Help customers or participants feel at ease and support special requirements.
  • Coordinate performance tours: Schedule planning for a series of event dates, plan timetables, organise venues, accommodations and transportation for longer tours.
  • Organise transportation of tour groups: Arrange the rent of cars or buses for groups and schedule timely departures and returns.
  • Liaise with guest facilities providers: Communicate with hotel personnel, transport companies and other relevant services well before arrival and ensure everything is accurately planned beforehand.
  • Assist clients with special needs: Aid clients with special needs following relevant guidelines and special standards. Recognise their needs and accurately respond to them if needed.
  • Handle veterinary emergencies: Handle unforeseen incidents concerning animals and circumstances which call for urgent action in an appropriate professional manner.
  • Apply foreign languages in tourism: Use the mastery of foreign languages orally or written in the tourism sector in order to communicate with collaborators or customers.
  • Build business relationships: Establish a positive, long-term relationship between organisations and interested third parties such as suppliers, distributors, shareholders and other stakeholders in order to inform them of the organisation and its objectives.
  • Perform services in a flexible manner: Adapt service approach when circumstances change.
  • Check travel documentation: Control tickets and travel documents, allocate seats and note food preferences of people on tour.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of tour organiser. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of tour organiser. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Read maps: Read maps effectively.
  • Maintain relationship with suppliers: Build a lasting and meaningful relationship with suppliers and service providers in order to establish a positive, profitable and enduring collaboration, co-operation and contract negotiation.
  • Use different communication channels: Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.
  • Participate in tourism events: Take part in tourism fairs and exhibitions in order to promote, distribute and negotiate tourism services and packages.
  • Plan medium to long term objectives: Schedule long term objectives and immediate to short term objectives through effective medium-term planning and reconciliation processes.

ISCO group and title

4221 – Travel consultants and clerks


References
  1. Tour organiser – ESCO
Last updated on December 9, 2022

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