Travel agency manager

Travel agency managers are in charge of managing employees and activities of a travel agency. They organise, advertise and sell tourist offers and travel deals for specific regions.

The following job titles also refer to travel agency manager:

tourism sales manager
travel sales manager
tourism agency manager
travel call centre manager

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as travel agency manager. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

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.

Travel agency manager is a Skill level 3 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to travel agency manager.

accommodation manager
tour operators manager
department store manager
hospitality entertainment manager
retail department manager

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

destination manager
tourism product manager
hospitality revenue manager
tourist animator
online sales channel manager

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of travel agency manager.

Tourist resources of a destination for further development: The study of touristic resources in a specific area and its potential for further development of new touristic services and events.
Geographical areas relevant to tourism: The field of tourism geography in Europe as well as the rest of the world in order to point out relevant tourism areas and attractions.

These skills are necessary for the role of travel agency manager.

Comply with food safety and hygiene: Respect optimal food safety and hygiene during preparation, manufacturing, processing, storage, distribution and delivery of food products.
Use global distribution system: Operate a computer reservations system or a global distribution system to book or reserve transportations and accommodations.
Implement marketing strategies: Implement strategies which aim to promote a specific product or service, using the developed marketing strategies.
Oversee travel arrangements: Make sure that travel arrangements run according to plan and ensure effective and satisfactory service, accommodation and catering.
Set up pricing strategies: Apply methods used for setting product value taking into consideration market conditions, competitor actions, input costs, and others.
Manage budgets: Plan, monitor and report on the budget.
Handle customer complaints: Administer complaints and negative feedback from customers in order to address concerns and where applicable provide a quick service recovery.
Monitor financial accounts: Handle financial administration of your department, keep the costs down to only necessary expenses and maximise the revenues of your organisation.
Manage staff: Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff.
Prepare travel packages: Make holiday and travel packages ready and arrange, travel, accommodation, logistics and services such as chartered airplanes, taxis, car rental or excursions for clients.
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.
Recruit employees: Hire new employees by scoping the job role, advertising, performing interviews and selecting staff in line with company policy and legislation.
Create annual marketing budget: Make the calculation of both the income and expenditures that are expected to be paid over the coming year concerning the marketing related activities such as advertising, selling and delivering products to people.
Identify customer’s needs: Use appropriate questions and active listening in order to identify customer expectations, desires and requirements according to product and services.
Apply strategic thinking: Apply generation and effective application of business insights and possible opportunities, in order to achieve competitive business advantage on a long-term basis.
Plan digital marketing: Develop digital marketing strategies for both leisure and business purposes, create websites and deal with mobile technology and social networking.
Measure customer feedback: Evaluate customer’s comments in order to find out whether customers feel satisfied or dissatisfied with the product or service.
Supervise crew: Supervise and observe the behaviour of employees.
Maximise sales revenues: Increase possible sales volumes and avoid losses through cross-selling, upselling or promotion of additional services.
Conduct search engine optimisation: Execute optimal marketing research and strategies on search engine processes, also known as search engine marketing (SEM), in order to increase online traffic and website exposure.
Coordinate operational activities: Synchronise activities and responsibilities of the operational staff to ensure that the resources of an organisation are used most efficiently in pursuit of the specified objectives.
Implement sales strategies: Carry out the plan to gain competitive advantage on the market by positioning the company’s brand or product and by targeting the right audience to sell this brand or product to.
Negotiate supplier arrangements: Reach an agreement with the supplier upon technical, quantity, quality, price, conditions, storage, packaging, send-back and other requirements related to the purchasing and delivering process.
Build a network of contacts with suppliers of tourist services: Establish a widely spread network of suppliers in the tourism industry. Prepare the best possible package and tourist services.
Motivate staff to reach sales targets: Stimulate your staff to achieve sales goals set by the management.
Implement strategic planning: Take action on the goals and procedures defined at a strategic level in order to mobilise resources and pursue the established strategies.
Seek innovation in current practices: Search for improvements and present innovative solutions, creativity and alternative thinking to develop new technologies, methods or ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Perform market research: Gather, assess and represent data about target market and customers in order to facilitate strategic development and feasibility studies. Identify market trends.

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

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

Manage distribution channels: Oversee distribution channels with regards to the requirements of customers.
Participate in tourism events: Take part in tourism fairs and exhibitions in order to promote, distribute and negotiate tourism services and packages.
Manage online content: Ensure the website content is up to date, organised, attractive and meets the target audience needs, the requirements of the company and international standards by checking the links, setting the publishing time framework and order.
Develop working procedures: Create standardised series of actions of a certain order to support the organisation.
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.
Train employees: Lead and guide employees through a process in which they are taught the necessary skills for the perspective job. Organise activities aimed at introducing the work and systems or improving the performance of individuals and groups in organisational settings.
Perform services in a flexible manner: Adapt service approach when circumstances change.

1439 – Services managers not elsewhere classified

 

 

---

 

 

References

1. Travel agency manager – ESCO