RetailISCO 4221
Tour operator representative
Tour operator representatives act on behalf of the tour operator to give practical information, provide assistance, handle services and sell excursions to tourists while at their destinations.
Check yourself in a minute: tour operator representative
Rate 5 of the 28 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.
create solutions to problems
handle customer complaints
upsell products
process booking
engage local communities in the management of natural protected areas
European Skills Framework
Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential (28)
ecotourismecotourismThe practice of sustainable travel to natural areas that conserve and support the local environment, fostering environmental and cultural understanding. It usually involves the observation of natural ...self-service technologies in tourismself-service technologies in tourismThe application of self-service technologies in the tourism industry: performing online bookings, self-check-ins for hotels and airlines, allowing clients to perform and complete reservations by thems...create solutions to problemscreate solutions to problemsSolve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising informat...communicate with customerscommunicate with customersRespond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require.handle customer complaintshandle customer complaintsAdminister complaints and negative feedback from customers in order to address concerns and where applicable provide a quick service recovery.upsell productsupsell productsPersuade customers to buy additional or more expensive products.process bookingprocess bookingExecute a booking of a place according to client's requirement in advance and issue all appropriate documents.engage local communities in the management of natural protected areasengage local communities in the management of natural protected areasBuild a relationship with the local community at the destination to minimise conflicts by supporting the economic growth of local tourism businesses and respecting local traditional practices.manage conservation of natural and cultural heritagemanage conservation of natural and cultural heritageUse revenue from tourism activities and donations to fund and preserve natural protected areas and intangible cultural heritage such as crafts, songs and stories of communities.manage health and safety standardsmanage health and safety standardsOversee 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.develop inclusive communication materialdevelop inclusive communication materialDevelop inclusive communication resources. Provide appropriate accessible digital, print and signage information and apply the appropriate language to support the representation and inclusion of peopl...handle personal identifiable informationhandle personal identifiable informationAdminister sensitive personal information on customers securely and discreetly.maintain customer servicemaintain customer serviceKeep 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 requ...support local tourismsupport local tourismPromote local products and services to visitors and encourage the use of local tourism operators in a destination.make logistical arrangementsmake logistical arrangementsCooperate with coach operators, transport providers and accommodation providers in order to schedule transport, accommodation and activities.educate on sustainable tourismeducate on sustainable tourismDevelop educational programmes and resources for individuals or guided groups, to provide information about sustainable tourism and the impact of human interaction on the environment, local culture an...support community-based tourismsupport community-based tourismSupport and promote tourism initiatives where tourists are immersed in the culture of local communities usually in rural, marginalised areas. The visits and overnight stays are managed by the local co...measure customer feedbackmeasure customer feedbackEvaluate customer's comments in order to find out whether customers feel satisfied or dissatisfied with the product or service.work in a hospitality teamwork in a hospitality teamFunction confidently within a group in hospitality services, in which each has his own responsibility in reaching a common goal which is a good interaction with the customers, guests or collaborators ...provide customised productsprovide customised productsMake and develop custom-made products and solutions for customer's specific needs.provide performance feedbackprovide performance feedbackProvide performance feedback and observation remarks to third parties with regard to quality.assist clients with special needsassist clients with special needsAid clients with special needs following relevant guidelines and special standards. Recognise their needs and accurately respond to them if needed.manage visitor flows in natural protected areasmanage visitor flows in natural protected areasDirect visitor flows in natural protected areas, so as to minimise the long-term impact of visitors and ensure the preservation of local flora and fauna, in line with environmental regulations.process paymentsprocess paymentsAccept payments such as cash, credit cards and debit cards. Handle reimbursement in case of returns or administer vouchers and marketing instruments such as bonus cards or membership cards. Pay attent...build a network of suppliers in tourismbuild a network of suppliers in tourismEstablish a widely spread network of suppliers in the tourism industry.collect tourist informationcollect tourist informationGather and compile relevant touristic information from a variety of sources.apply foreign languages in tourismapply foreign languages in tourismUse the mastery of foreign languages orally or written in the tourism sector in order to communicate with collaborators or customers.devise special promotionsdevise special promotionsPlan and invent promotion activities to stimulate sales.
Optional (13) — show
virtual realityvirtual realityThe process of simulating real-life experiences in a completely immersive digital environment. The user interacts with the virtual reality system via devices such as specifically designed headsets.augmented realityaugmented realityThe process of adding diverse digital content (such as images, 3D objects, etc) on surfaces that exist in the real world. The user can interact in real-time with the technology by using devices such a...ensure infrastructure accessibilityensure infrastructure accessibilityConsult designers, builders, and people with disabilities to determine how best to provide accessible infrastructure.implement marketing strategiesimplement marketing strategiesImplement strategies which aim to promote a specific product or service, using the developed marketing strategies.prepare travel packagesprepare travel packagesMake holiday and travel packages ready and arrange accommodation, logistics and transportation services such as chartered airplanes, taxis or rental cars for clients and additional services and excurs...manage the customer experiencemanage the customer experienceMonitor, create and oversee customer experience and perception of brand and service. Ensure pleasant customer experience, treat customers in a cordial and courteous manner.use e-tourism platformsuse e-tourism platformsUse digital platforms to promote and share information and digital content about a hospitality establishment or services. Analyse and manage reviews addressed to the organisation to ensure customer sa...promote virtual reality travelling experiencespromote virtual reality travelling experiencesUse virtual reality technology to immerse customers into experiences such as virtual tours of a destination, attraction or hotel. Promote this technology to allow customers to sample attractions or ho...improve customer traveling experiences with augmented realityimprove customer traveling experiences with augmented realityUse augmented reality technology to provide customers with enhanced experiences in their travelling journey, ranging from exploring digitally, interactively and in more depth tourist destinations, loc...negotiate service with providersnegotiate service with providersArrange contracts with providers concerning accommodation, transport and leisure services.implement sales strategiesimplement sales strategiesCarry 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.maintain customer recordsmaintain customer recordsKeep and store structured data and records about customers in accordance with customer data protection and privacy regulations.negotiate supplier arrangementsnegotiate supplier arrangementsReach 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What does a tour operator representative do?
Tour operator representatives act on behalf of the tour operator to give practical information, provide assistance, handle services and sell excursions to tourists while at their destinations.
What skills does a tour operator representative need?
A tour operator representative needs 28 essential skills, including ecotourism, self-service technologies in tourism, create solutions to problems, communicate with customers, handle customer complaints.
Will AI replace tour operator representative jobs?
The AI disruption score for tour operator representative is 39/100 (moderate risk). Skills most exposed to automation: process booking, process payments, maintain customer records. Most resilient: engage local communities in the management of natural protected areas, assist clients with special needs, work in a hospitality team.
AI Replacement Risk
39/ 100
Moderate Risk
Low riskHigh risk
Quick Facts
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