Tour operators. Tour operators vary in size from the local coach company selling a dozen short tours a year, up to the giants such as the German company TUI and the Swiss

Part 1

Tour operators vary in size from the local coach company selling a dozen short tours a year, up to the giants such as the German company TUI and the Swiss company Kuoni which send millions of clients to all corners of the world. Many jobs exist in the Outgoing Tour market, e. g. a British tour operator sells tours to British people who fly off to holiday in Greece, Spain, Italy or a hundred other countries. For the general market they will employ staff selected in Britain principally because package tourists often prefer to be looked after by a compatriot and also the selection process is so long and involved that it is just not practicable to employ nationals of the destination countries.

Most tour operators interview in their country and send the selected staff out at the beginning of the season to stay in the resort for the duration of the season. Although this means that the majority of staff do not speak the language fluently, most tour operators do not consider this a priority. As one major operator says, perhaps a trifle optimistically, " Anyone who speaks one foreign language will find it easy to learn another; and anyway most locals in a resort speak English."

Because of price wars, the mass-market operators make little or no money on selling holidays. Instead their profits derive from selling excursions and, to a lesser extent, duty-free goods on their chartered aircraft.

If you don't feel comfortable with this emphasis on selling, you will have to try to find work with a more up-market operator who does not rely on excursion sales.

Some tour operators advertise a training course for which you have to pay. To ensure that applicants are serious about the work, these companies insist that they put their money where their mouths are. Normally this training fee will be refunded after you have worked for the company for a certain length of time.

In many cases the recruiting departments of tour operators are open only during recruitment period. Then when they have chosen the required number of staff close the department down and go to work in the reservations departments or wherever needed.

Large companies like Thomson Tour Operations and Airtours employ so many people to service their estimated three million customers that they publish a large-format brochure about their requirements, which can be requested from the Overseas Personnel Office. As is the case with most of the major companies, Thomson and Airtours employ reps, entertainers and ski resort staff. Their reps must have all the usual qualities (flexibility, diplomacy, etc.) and preferably knowledge of French, Spanish, Italian, Greek, German. There may be an assumption that you have a commitment to make tourism a career, though this is not essential.

Acting as a company rep in a foreign country gives you a unique chance to meet locals and become part of the local scene. The most important thing a company needs to know about new reps is whether or not they fit in with the profile of a team. Knowledge of a European language is always requested. But even if the language requirements are not very rigorous, candidates should show that they are at least interested in learning about foreign cultures including the language. As you progress up the company ladder and are offered jobs as a senior rep or manager, then you will need to speak the local language.

Part 2

A tour operator needs staff that can be flexible. No company wants their staff to have outside interests which might interfere with their work. Once trained in the company ways, e.g. to send in correct company paperwork, sell the company excursions and work the way the company wants, a rep can be transferred from one resort to another, sometimes one country to another, at short notice. Once you have a season or two of experience you should be given a say in where you go. Reps are expected to work six or seven days a week between seven and fourteen hours every day depending on whether transfers, hotels check-ins, welcome meetings, excursions, client visits, etc. are scheduled. Time off is seldom enough to do much independent travelling. Most reps spend their day off catching up on a beach. The industry demands total dedication.

If there is a strike and 40 clients are suddenly rerouted to another airport you will just have to miss the party to which you had been looking forward. If there is a crisis, you could end up working up to 36 hours at a stretch, and are expected to be smiling at the end of it.

Considering the rigours and pressures of the job of package tour company representative, wages are low, though of course accommodation, travel and some other perks are provided. It is self-evident that reps look after holiday-makers, remaining aware of the consequences of giving bad advice. Obviously medical emergencies are the most serious problem which reps may face. For instance, if an elderly client has a heart attack or a young tearaway has a serious accident on a hired moped. The situation becomes even more difficult if your employers have told you to do anything apart from summon help for fear that relatives may later sue if the rep had taken the wrong steps.

For your peace of mind, try to take a reputable lifesaving course before taking on a rep's responsibilities.

The person who accompanies a group of holiday makers on a packaged tour is variously known as tour guide, leader, manager, director or (US only) escort.

The tour leader may be an employee of the tour operator, a freelancer or (less usually) someone who is operating (i. e. designing, marketing and leading) his or her own tour.

Company employees are expected to project the company image. Officially the job of tour guide consists of representing the company, meeting and/or accompanying a group (usually on a coach), providing commentary, reconfirming accommodation and activity arrangements (which should have been put in place by the employing tour operator), helping with luggage, sorting out problems and generally creating an enjoyable atmosphere for the clients. This is quite a tall order, but first it is necessary to understand the range of possibilities in the world of tour leading and guiding. The rewards are those which attract most people into the tourism business in the first place: the chance to travel, a desire to work with people and the chance to take responsibility. Many prominent members of tourist industry started out as guides or reps as their first step on the career ladder.

Task. Answer these questions:

1. Which of the above jobs seems most attractive to you? Why?

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each job?

3. Why are tour operators so particular about selecting their employees?

4. Why do they offer training for their employees?

5. What qualities are required for a job of a rep?

6. What makes it a difficult job?

7. What does a job of a tour guide involve?

8. What rewards are offered to those who become committed to their careers in tourism?