Tourism agent profession. The profession of a travel agent: where to study, what are the salaries of travel agents. Responsibilities of a travel agent

Choosing a profession is like choosing a destiny. It is important to weigh all the "pros" and "cons", as well as to get as much information as possible regarding the field of interest. The profession of a tourism manager seems romantic, filled with traveling around 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 generalized job title for an employee of a travel company. The list of tasks in the job description in different agencies does not always match. The main task of the manager is to organize the client's vacation at a high level, taking into account all the wishes. In some firms, the tourism manager is a generalist who manages 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 insurances;
signing contracts;
payment acceptance and much more.

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

Vacancies in the field of tourism

To navigate in 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 executives of large firms. These can be field seminars, corporate events or tourism. The manager must be qualified in servicing business travel and speak English at least a conversational level.
A tailor-made tour officer caters to VIP clients. Its tasks include: development and organization of personal tours, reservation of places in hotels, visa processing, search and rental of exclusive transport. This position requires presentable appearance, diplomacy and a good level of English, especially business and writing.
The air travel manager organizes the intermediary booking and ticketing services for air travel. You need to know booking systems, and some companies require a certificate.
The vacancy of a ticket booking agent is suitable for beginners with no experience in the tourism industry.
An ecotourism manager selects tours to national natural parks and protected areas. This is a relatively new direction in the field of tourism, gaining popularity.

Is the profession in demand now?

How promising is the profession of tourism manager? Financial fluctuations and the development of technology affect many areas of activity, and tourism is no exception. Increasingly, potential customers of travel companies prefer to search and select tours on their own. This is due both to the desire to save money and to the fact that there are a large number of resources that allow you to organize the 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 oversupply of candidates on the market who want 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 place in a travel agency.

First of all, the manager needs the skill of working with a large amount of information. You need to remember the dates and times of flights, the tourist areas of many countries, what kind of vacation is available in a particular resort. Since one of the duties 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. The initial knowledge of psychology will not interfere here.

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

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

Manager's Responsibilities

As already mentioned, tourism in different companies may be different. We list the main functions:

communication with clients, providing information about services;
search for clients and sale of company services;
formation of routes;
booking hotels and buying tickets;
organization of charter flights;
registration of visas and insurances;
cooperation with the host;
selection of excursions and entertainment;
preparation of contracts;
resolving 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

Jobs are provided by travel agencies and tour operators. There are vacancies for an assistant tourism manager and a ready-made specialist. Salaries will vary depending on assignments. As a rule, the payment consists of the main rate and a percentage of the sales of vouchers. The average salary in Russia is 34 thousand rubles. The work of a tourism manager in Moscow is paid the highest - 49 thousand rubles.

Work specifics

A career in tourism begins as an assistant or account manager. Having established yourself well here, you can apply for the vacancy of a tourism manager. In a company that organizes tours, and not just sells ready-made vouchers, the manager will gain more experience in the field of tourism. Having mastered the intricacies of work, you can further open your own business.

Profession benefits

Choosing this or that profession, we want to realize creative and business potential. If you like to communicate with people and travel, then work in the field of tourism will appeal to you. In order to successfully sell the services of a travel agency, you will have to personally visit those countries where future customers will go. Forward-thinking executives arrange study tours for managers to hotels and resorts 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 overall impression of the client depends on this and whether he wants to book a ticket in this particular company. Travel agencies often send tourism managers for training and education. Constantly growing and developing in the profession is another indisputable plus.

Cons of the profession

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

Great 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 beyond your control and force majeure. Flight delays, hotel staff errors or an unscrupulous host - the manager will be responsible to the client 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.
The impossibility of vacation in the "hot" season. Working in the field of tourism, you can forget about summer holidays, as well as holidays in May and September. This is the time of the greatest activity in the tourism sector.

Where to get trained?

Of course, a 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 completed in courses. They last from 1 to 3 months and give a concise program, paying attention to 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 tuition, then look for free courses and webinars on the same Internet. Now they are widespread and are a good help in mastering new skills.

Educational institutions in 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 universities and colleges. The passing score in the specialty "Tourism" is from 72 to 86. The average cost of education 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?

To become a good specialist in the tourism field, you need to master many skills. Here's what you need to know and be able to beginners:

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.
Know how to draft contracts.
Know the geography of countries, the location of hotels and resorts, the list of attractions, the features of entering a particular country.
Know the rules of insurance and visas.
Be a confident user of PC and office programs.

You need to understand that you will need 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 a travel company requires a specialist with experience, then the candidate must have knowledge of booking programs.

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

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

Recently, tourist routes in Russia have been popular.

Tourism manager is a specialist in the tourism industry who organizes tourist trips for clients. It is currently one of the most in-demand jobs in the leisure and entertainment industry. The profession is suitable for those who are interested in foreign languages, geography and social studies (see choosing a profession for interest in school subjects).

The salary

Salary as of 06/06/2019

Russia 15000—100000 ₽

Moscow 30000—130000 ₽

Short description

The travel manager makes our dreams come true for the vacation that each of us looks forward to. From the outside it seems that this is the most romantic and interesting profession - a holiday every day, the opportunity to travel to distant countries on duty.

But these are different things - to relax on your own or to competently organize a hassle-free vacation, which depends on many people and circumstances.

Tourism manager is a generalized name for a profession that is multifunctional. There are generalists who are able to organize a tourist’s journey from start to finish on their own, but most often in travel companies (tour operators) a division of labor is practiced by specialization: customer service manager, ticket manager, destination manager, visa processing manager and insurance, business travel manager, etc. Each of these specialties can be handled separately by a tourism manager without work experience under the guidance of a more experienced specialist. In large companies, the organization of a tourist trip resembles the work of an assembly line: at each stage of the organization of the tour, different specialists are connected to the case.

The specifics of the profession

The functional responsibilities of a tourism manager depend on where he works: in a tour operator or in a travel agency. In a tour operator, managers are engaged in the development and formation of tourist routes, and in travel agencies, as a rule, they sell tours to customers.

Responsibilities of a tourism manager working in a tour operator:

route development;
preparation of excursion programs and entertainment;
hotel reservations;
redemption of tickets for regular flights;
organization of charter flights;
negotiations with the host;
registration of insurance and visas;
formation of tour packages;
conclusion of contracts with travel agencies;
conducting advertising campaigns;
resolution of conflict situations with representatives of the host country.

In travel agencies, the job of a tourism manager is to:

receiving calls;
Consulting potential clients (in person and by phone);
provision of guides, catalogues, maps;
study of offers on the market and the optimal selection of the tour at the request of the client;
interaction with managers from tour operators;
drawing up a contract with a client.

There are travel companies that combine the functions of a travel agency and a tour operator.

Pros and cons of the profession

pros

the prospects of the industry as a whole and the constant demand for personnel;
the opportunity to visit many countries as part of work or on last-minute trips and special offers on vacation;
high level of salary;
the versatility of the profession of a tourism manager allows you to work with any level of education and experience, there is a job for anyone; when applying for a job there is no strict educational qualification.

Minuses

high responsibility;
frequent stressful situations in case of production inconsistencies and force majeure circumstances (an airplane may be delayed, a natural disaster or war may begin, tourists may not be released by customs, etc.);
trips to different countries are of a production nature and it is impossible to completely relax and enjoy your vacation;
tourists can disturb with calls at any time of the day, and the manager must calmly respond and answer questions that have arisen, solve problems with the host in favor of the client;
seasonality of work and dependence on this salary level.

Tourism manager training (Education)

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It gives an opportunity to get a new profession in the direction of "Domestic and international tourism" on the basis of the existing higher or secondary specialized vocational education without interruption from work and place of residence. Programs have state accreditation, therefore state documents are issued.

Colleges

Education for a tourism manager in the specialties "Tourism", "Management (by industry)" or "Management of an organization" (with a specialization in "Tourism") is presented in more than 20 Moscow colleges, including:

at the Humanitarian College of the Russian State University for the Humanities
Humanitarian College of Innovative Technologies
College of Small Business No. 48
College of the International Academy of Business and Management.

Upon completion, graduates receive a diploma with the qualification "Specialist in tourist services"

Place of work

travel agencies
tour operators

Personal qualities

high stress resistance;
iron endurance and self-control;
sociability;
organizational skills;
personal organization;
eloquence;
diplomacy;
charm;
good memory;
the ability to convince the interlocutor;
responsibility;
flexibility of thinking.

Career

An aspiring tourism manager can apply for the position of assistant manager, whose duties include working on the phone or talking to customers. In the future, he can become a customer service manager. The average salary of a tourism manager is made up of a fixed part and percentages. Specialists with five years of experience and having their own client base can count on twice the salary. In the future, a tourism manager may become a deputy director of a travel agency and even a director. Tour operators provide a richer experience in tourism than travel agencies. Here you can master all the specializations of the profession in the organization of the tour from start to finish. With due diligence and the desire to master all the secrets of the profession, you can grow to the position of a top manager who actually manages the tourism business and is responsible for increasing the profits of the enterprise, developing and expanding the market. His responsibilities include signing important contracts, negotiating, conducting a competent advertising policy, marketing research. As a result, their salaries are high.

A high status in tour operators has a travel manager (travel manager) or tour coordinator, whose duties include the development of individual and corporate tours. They, as a rule, should know perfectly well resort places, hotels, modes of entry into different countries, be able to work with accounts, credit cards, book hotels and air tickets. Travel managers enter into agreements with the host, so they must be fluent in at least English, have the skills to prepare commercial offers and negotiate, know and follow the rules of business etiquette.

Elite specialists are also business travel managers who have to deal with businessmen who are accustomed to high standards of service, clarity and punctuality, regardless of even force majeure.

Over time, many successful managers who have mastered the technology of promoting destinations from start to finish can open their own business.

How to become a travel agent?

The fastest option that does not require higher education would be specialized courses. It is budgetary, does not take much time and in a few months will give the first fruits.

But there is a side effect here: in such a short period of time, a huge amount of information is given - not all people are able to absorb it in full. Upon completion, you receive a certificate of completed courses and the opportunity to work in entry-level positions.

Of course, if you want to move further in this field, you should go to college or university.

Another opportunity to get the profession of a travel agent is given by various colleges of service and tourism. Faculty name: tourism manager. Such institutions create a more complete picture of the future specialization in the head of a young student.

The study lasts an average of two to three years, it happens both on a paid and free basis. At the end of the study period, the college usually guarantees the student employment, which is a good help for specialized courses.

The third option is higher education. Faculties: tourism manager, travel agent and others. In universities, students get a complete picture of the tourist destination, study management and marketing, without which there is little sense in this profession.

This is the longest and the surest way to become a travel agent. Specialists with higher education are always in demand and have every chance of getting a good salary, because the main income of a travel agent is a percentage of sales.

Work as a travel agent

A tourism manager or travel agent sells and arranges tours, advises clients on various issues: from the peculiarities of a particular country to the availability of wi-fi in a hotel room.

Here it is important to be able to find an approach to each client, to understand and take into account their needs, to be stress-resistant, and most importantly, to have information. A good travel agent is the most erudite person who knows the most important and up-to-date information about different countries.

How much do travel agents earn?

The salary of a travel agent consists of a rate and a percentage of sales. The assistant tourism manager has the lowest salary, on average in Moscow it is 20-35 thousand rubles, and in Russia 15-20 thousand rubles. A novice tourism manager earns 35-45 thousand in Moscow and 20-30 thousand in Russia per month - it all depends on sales.

A good agent with experience and a well-established base can earn from 50 thousand and more, it all depends on him.

In the field of tourism, people who know how to sell tourism products are valued, forming a circle of regular customers, which will later generate income.

The prospects for this profession are the director of a travel agency or his deputy. With the successful mastery of these professions, a top manager follows, he manages the tourism business and creates the direction of its development. The top manager monitors the increase in the company's profits and bears a huge responsibility.

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For friends!

Reference

Currently, the tourism business is constantly developing. There are more and more new organizations involved in completing tours and providing services for those who want to relax. In our country, before starting to provide tourist services, it is necessary not only to organize the work of the company, but also to obtain a special number in the Unified Federal Register of Tour Operators of the Federal Agency for Tourism. Such a permit gives the full right to work to tour operators. Among the famous Russian tour operator companies are Intourist, Russian Express, TEZ Tour, Pegas-Touristik, Capital Tour, Natalie Tours, Neva, S7 Tour, Mostravel , Anex Tour.

Description of activity

What is the activity of a tour operator? It is worth clarifying that the tour operator is a twofold concept. This may be the name of the organization providing services for tourists, or a representative, an employee of this company. In order for the client to be satisfied with his trip, the tour operator establishes contacts with transport companies, hotels and restaurants, excursion companies and sports organizations. The whole complex of these services is called a tourist product.

Job responsibilities

Features of career growth

Naturally, the more famous and larger the company where the tour operator works, the more opportunities for career growth. A professional specialist in the future can become a direction or booking manager, that is, perform a certain range of work, or be promoted to a director or head of a department.

Employee characteristic

What tour operator would like to see in front of the client? Naturally, it should be a responsible, polite, sociable and competent specialist. But in addition to interacting with clients, he conducts business negotiations with various organizations providing related services. Therefore, the tour operator needs to know the etiquette of communication, initiative and organizational skills. The ability to concentrate and scrupulousness will be useful in the preparation of travel documentation.

I got into the tourism business thanks to my love of travel and the negative experience of cooperation with some travel agencies in Krasnodar. At that time, I already had business experience in the service sector: first I ran a law firm, then a tanning studio. The term "customer-centricity" understood very well.

The Kuban has a peculiar mentality, our people are less trusting than, for example, the inhabitants of Siberia. Kuban people are picky in details, they require attention, an individual approach. I myself have been living in the Kuban for a long time, all this is close and understandable to me. Therefore, opening a travel agency in those years when the tourism business was at its peak and there were agencies in every quarter, I immediately set myself a goal: to give people not only a service, but also value.

We are not intermediaries, we are - first of all - experts who help to find the optimal format of recreation for everyone. In our profession, we need to develop all the time, to know what is relevant today, to read the needs of the audience.

I constantly communicate with the heads of travel agencies in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan - these are more than 300 companies - we have our own secret chat, where we exchange information every day, this allows us to minimize errors and offer customers really the best.

The future of intellectual travel

In tourism, there is also the concept of "mass market" - the most popular destinations for recreation, available to most people. Basically, this is a beach holiday - Turkey and Egypt. Turkey is more popular among the inhabitants of Kuban. But gradually the circle of requests expands, the trip becomes not just a vacation, but also an adventure.

In winter, people want to go to the heat, top requests with flights from Krasnodar: Thailand and the Emirates, more expensive Israel. From Moscow: Dominican Republic, Cuba, Goa, Sri Lanka. The second most popular in winter is ski holidays: Bulgaria, Italy, France, Krasnaya Polyana. In third place is an excursion: the Czech Republic is in the top, China, Lapland are popular; in Russia - St. Petersburg, Kazan.

Recently, future newlyweds contacted me, they are going on an expedition to Iceland, we help them organize an unusual tent tour, draw up a route, and think over logistics. Yes, something can be found on the Internet, but how to check this information? There is not always time for a detailed search. Our task is to get real first-hand recommendations.

I find my partners in the country, collect information directly from local residents, ask them questions, take into account all the nuances: from the weather forecast to the necessary vaccinations. Even if the agent cannot physically visit the country, he must provide the client with comprehensive information and think through everything to the smallest detail.

Some time ago, people began to actively explore the "scooter" - they discovered search engines, booking sites, began to plan tours on their own. I think that this is not bad, because the approach to relaxation is becoming more conscious.

In practice, only a few tourists, finding themselves in a foreign country and often not knowing languages, can make a convenient route and not miss anything. As a result, they manage to visit all the same main sights, and the character, history, culture of the place remain undisclosed.

Point tours and intellectual travel are actively developing now. This story is very close to me - let the list of places be limited, but you can completely immerse yourself in the region and the theme of the tour. Only the north of Italy or only Burgundy, wine, gastronomic, literary, historical tours - trips that combine leisure, education, and sometimes business, are gaining popularity.

Staff shortage

Regional travel agencies are often one or two people, more than four are already large. There are about ten of them in Krasnodar. We currently employ 8 people. The personnel issue for our industry is a very sore subject. It is difficult to put together a strong team: often a person comes with a desire, his eyes are burning, he is ready to learn, but in the process of work it turns out that there is no understanding of the tasks, the employee does not pull.

A travel agency is a sales business, there is not as much romance and adventure in it as it might seem from the outside. Courageous people are in demand here, not afraid of responsibility, without the position of a victim, ready to work for the result.

Much, of course, depends on the leader. If you yourself are late for work, how can you demand punctuality from others? I believe that employees need to be raised and trained, although many colleagues do not share my opinion, because this is direct competition in the future. Often employees leave while still on probation and open their own agencies. Therefore, they do not like to teach in tourism, everyone wants professionals with work experience.

I rely on personal qualities, on the willingness to constantly learn. Now I have excellent training and adaptation programs for staff, and I can consider candidates who have never worked in tourism if I see that there is motivation, a desire to work and an ability to listen.

Fanatics remain in tourism

Tourism is a low-margin business, we work on the commission of tour operators, and the cost of the service is high. Salaries in tourism, contrary to popular belief, are small. Therefore, few remain here, these are fanatics of their business who are ready even at night to answer calls from customers and resolve any issues.

Different agencies calculate salaries differently. If there is a salary, it is 10-15 thousand rubles plus a percentage of profit from 5 to 15 percent. The higher the salary, the lower the percentage. There are companies where there is no salary, and managers receive a high percentage of profits. And vice versa - only a salary, but this option is not common. The manager should have an incentive to work: on a salary, people feel more relaxed and relaxed.

It's important to understand that tourism is not the aggressive sales that popular coaches are now teaching. This is an environmentally friendly approach: you need to correctly capture the customer's need and select the product. If a person is not satisfied with something - figure it out. Clients come to us ready to travel. Our task is to hear them and offer the best options.

The main work begins after the sale. We must accompany the client on vacation so that he wants to return to us. People have no idea what a tour package is made up of. Often they think that the agent is an extra link that makes the trip more expensive. But the meaning of our work is not only in selection, but also in competent support.

For example, we organized round-the-clock support for tourists: managers are on duty according to the schedule, people call at three in the morning - we solve the problem. Somewhere the hotel does not want to settle, somewhere the flight was canceled. Recently, a tourist in Zanzibar fell ill, the insurance company refused to reimburse the treatment. Despite the day off, we decided everything as quickly as possible, the girl was provided with medical assistance. All of this builds trust and loyalty.

In the tourism business, not only sales specialists are in demand, but also content managers who deal with websites and social networks, find interesting offers from partners, and write sales texts. In small agencies, these responsibilities are often distributed among managers, but this is not very effective: it turns out the content "who is in the woods, who is for firewood."

I think everything should be done by professionals. Yes, it is difficult to find funds to officially keep a content manager on staff, but such a person can be a freelancer, this greatly simplifies the work.

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