Work in tourism without experience. Travel agency - no experience

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).

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 organizing a tourist trip resembles the work of an assembly line: at each stage of organizing a 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)

On this course, you can get the profession of a software engineer remotely in 3 months and 15,000 rubles:
— One of the most affordable prices in Russia;
– Diploma of professional retraining of the established sample;
– Education in a completely remote format;
— The largest educational institution of additional prof. education in Russia.

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

Invites to receive a diploma in the specialty at the courses professional retraining. The Academy specializes in continuing education programs and offers a convenient format distance learning, individual approach to the needs of listeners and flexible prices.

The Russian Institute of Vocational Education "IPO" - recruits students to receive a specialty through a remote program of professional retraining and advanced training. Studying at the IPO is a convenient and fast way to receive distance education. 200+ training courses. 8000+ graduates from 200 cities. Short deadlines for paperwork and external training, interest-free installments from the institute and individual discounts. Contact us!

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 language have the skills to prepare commercial offers and negotiating, 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.

Instruction

The position of a software manager can combine a variety of functions. The larger the company, the more narrow circle responsibilities of each individual employee. Tour operator firms suggest working options for the formation of an agent network in the regions, and in travel agencies, most of the time the staff communicates directly with customers.

A beginner should consider it - they open there more often. Might be worth starting with lower office, having tried himself, for example, as an assistant manager or an intern. Unfortunately, most trainees do not receive wages- they work only for interest or seniority.

If you want to be a manager, don't settle for being a courier. Being in the status of an intern or assistant, you learn the necessary skills - communicating with clients, working with objections, completing tours, studying special computer ticket programs. The courier spends most of his time outside, and has practically no chance to improve his skills. In addition, a line indicating such a position is unlikely to decorate your resume.

Select the appropriate ones and send your resume to the address indicated in them with the obligatory indication of the position for which you are applying. It is a good idea to attach a cover letter and a photo of yourself. A couple of days after sending, call the company and ask if your papers have been received.

When preparing for an interview, find out as much as you can about the company you want to work for. Visit her website, study the programs offered, read customer reviews. It is good to look at other sites dedicated to tourism. When talking to an employer representative, be sure to mention what you have learned.

During the interview, behave as politely and correctly as possible, do not argue with your opponent. Please note that correctness, non-conflict and confidence are important qualities for a future tourism manager.

If you've been offered less than you expected, find out under what terms and when you can count on an increase. Do not overestimate requirements if you do not have experience in the tourism industry. To dictate conditions, you must have your own base and certain developments. But in a year you will be able to claim more - in this company, or with its competitors.

Related videos

Sources:

• how to work in a travel agency

A job interview is always a very sensitive moment. Especially if this is not the first attempt to get the desired position. The main thing is to make it clear that you are a confident and knowledgeable person.

Instruction

Write a resume. It should contain all the information you need about you. Indicate your personal data, address and contact numbers, marital status and places of previous work. The resume left after the conversation will not be left without attention, as it indicates your serious intention regarding the position, readiness for the work process.

When making the first impression relevant in Lately is the visual factor. If a person is purely outwardly pleasant, then it will also be pleasant to work with him.

Try not to be too assertive, but you should not be too modest and quiet either. Otherwise, you will simply not be noticed among other candidates. Standard requirements for a position in a travel agency: experience in tourism, knowledge of the industry, ability to work in the master tour system, knowledge of basic tourism technologies, English - a level sufficient to conduct business correspondence and communication with partners. Significant when applying for a job are also personal qualities - goodwill, attentiveness and accuracy.

Try to show your attitude to work, desire for professional development and how important this job is to you. And you will surely take the desired position and move from the status of an applicant to the status of an employee of a travel agency.

Work in the field of tourism is an exciting and creative activity that requires versatile knowledge and high professional training. Successful activity in this area requires communication skills, responsibility, knowledge of foreign languages ​​and appropriate education.

You will need

• - Internet access;
• - phone;
• - photo 3x4cm;
• - summary;
• - reference materials (on geography, document management, etc.).

Instruction

To get a job while traveling, study the entire job market. Look through vacancies in newspapers, on bulletin boards and on specialized sites (for example, superjob.ru, rabota.ru, vakant.ru, etc.).

Call the phone numbers listed in the ads you are interested in. Keep a diary and a pen with you to record meeting times.

Often at the end of an interview potential employer utters a frightening phrase for unprepared applicants: “Leave your resume, we will contact you.” To be fully equipped, prepare a detailed resume in advance and print it out.

This document should include full name, date of birth, address, purpose (indicate what position you want to get), education, work experience, additional information, personal qualities.

In order to get settled in tourist agency, pay special attention to filling in the last two paragraphs. Most applicants have a specialized education and some work experience. Various related skills, certificates of completion of advanced training courses, knowledge of foreign languages, etc. will help you stand out from the crowd.

Take some standard 3x4cm photos and attach them to your resume. Considering all the candidates, the manager will look at the photo and immediately remember you and your positive traits.

Indicate as much information about yourself as possible - if you do not pass the selection for one vacancy, then you may be offered an unexpectedly vacant place in a related specialization.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the preparation for the interview. Repeat basic geographical information (countries and capitals, main resort regions and their features). Restore in memory the list of documents that the client must provide in order to issue a ticket. The employer can ask you any question, so be prepared to improvise.

Related videos

Managers are specialists who perform various production and management tasks for personnel. These employees are required in almost any company, so the demand for the profession is quite high.

Instruction

Decide for yourself in which area you would like to work as a manager. It can be both a company with an economic focus, and, for example, an institution Catering, service maintenance and others.

Decide what kind of manager you want to be. There is such a position as junior managers, who are junior employees, they regulate the activities of ordinary and other employees. These include sales managers, masters, heads of departments, etc. Middle managers include those who are in charge of lower-level representatives - heads of departments, directors of branches, deans of faculties, and others. The smallest group of managers are top managers who manage the entire organization - CEO, rector of the university, and others.

Get the education you need for your target position. For lower-level managers, secondary specialized education is usually sufficient. Managers of the middle class must necessarily have higher education in the field of economics and management at the enterprise. To become a senior manager, you may need to obtain additional higher education, for example, in the field of jurisprudence, as well as the passage of special advanced training courses.

Research available vacancies in your city on the Internet or in newspapers, contact employers and send them your resume, indicating your education, work experience and relevant skills. You will be asked to sign up for an interview, upon successful completion of which you will receive the desired position. Make up full list companies you would like to work for and follow their news to keep abreast of vacant vacancies.

Sources:

• how to get a job as a manager without experience in 2019

Tourism Manager is an interesting and promising position. If you want to communicate with clients, learn more about other cities and countries, try to get a job in a travel agency.

Instruction

Keep in mind that a tourism manager must have a certain set of personal qualities. These include, for example, the ability to find contact with people, a good memory, patience, responsibility, organization. It is desirable that you yourself have experience in . So it will be easier for you to advise other people on the choice of tours.

It is not mandatory, but desirable, to have a high school diploma. Specialties such as tourism manager, hotel business or a foreign language are especially welcome. In general, knowledge of English, German, French or another language, albeit at an average level, will allow you to apply for a better position and a higher salary. You should also be proficient in office computer equipment and basic programs. After all, mostly booking tours and hotels occurs via the Internet.

Be prepared for the specifics of working as a tourism manager. First of all, it is worth noting the lack of a clear work schedule. 'Cause you can't leave workplace at the end labor day if you have a client who needs advice. Sometimes employees in the tourism industry need to go to work on Saturday or Sunday. Sometimes floating weekends are scheduled. It is advisable to always be on the phone, both before the start of the working day and after. After all, customers can call you, on the number of which your income depends.

A tourism manager can expect a decent salary, but he will have to get used to the seasonal fluctuations that the tourism market is subject to. At the time of holidays, as well as during long holidays, you can expect a higher income. But in those periods when only expensive tours are available for tourism, the salary level will be lower. Remember that the tourism manager's income is made up of salary and interest from transactions. As a rule, the salary itself is not very high.

Find a job as a Tourism Manager. If possible, choose an agency that deals with the official employment of its employees. At first, take a closer look at which direction of activity is closer to you - booking hotels, issuing visas, external or internal tourism.

Develop as a tourism manager. Study information on other countries, their features and traditions. Know how to advise clients on which hotel is better to choose, which attractions should be visited. Surely you will have to take an information tour from the agency in which you get a job. During it, you need to carefully examine the hotels in which you happen to visit, in order to then form your opinion before the buyer of the tour. Attend various lectures and introductory seminars to learn more about the areas in which your company operates.

The profession of a tourism manager is not just hard work but also a way of life. At any time of the day, anxious tourists can disturb you on a personal phone with a request to help you find a voucher for accommodation or return a plane that has flown a few minutes ago. If you love people, you are not embarrassed by sales, and tourism itself evokes good associations, then this profession will bring you good luck and success.

If you are new to, then try to get a job in a tour agency - a company that sells vouchers for tour operators. As a rule, these are small enterprises where 5 people work. Getting a job as a manager here is easy if available vacancies especially if you have your own travel experience. But even if you have not traveled anywhere, you can still interest the director of the company. The main thing is that you give the impression of a polite, competent and self-confident person who is able to tell interesting things. Earnings will be small, but learn how to sell well and gain valuable experience in tourism, which will be useful to you for further development careers.

Mixed travel agencies - tour operator / tour agent - a great way to start small and achieve heights. Here it is possible to get a job as an assistant manager, as well as a manager for the sale of agency tours, that is, tours of other travel agencies. By selling tours of other companies, you are less responsible to tourists and your company. And that's just a plus initial stage careers. When you begin to navigate well in each component of the tourist package - the main destinations, transfers, flights, hotels, and of course, documents for traveling abroad, you will be offered a more difficult, but interesting, in every sense, occupation and decent pay.

note

The old stereotype that a tourism manager's career starts as a courier has long since become obsolete. The courier is constantly on the road and is rarely in the office. So he does not have to observe the work of specialists. His work is completely different from that of a tourism manager.

Useful advice

Learn English. It is necessary for business correspondence and communication with foreign partners of the travel agency.

Learn to use not only the Internet, but also basic office computer programs for working with documents.

Smile at the interview.

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).

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)

On this course, you can get the profession of a software engineer remotely in 3 months and 15,000 rubles:
— One of the most affordable prices in Russia;
– Diploma of professional retraining of the established sample;
– Education in a completely remote format;
— The largest educational institution of additional prof. education in Russia.

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

The Russian Institute of Vocational Education "IPO" - recruits students to receive a specialty through a remote program of professional retraining and advanced training. Studying at the IPO is a convenient and fast way to receive distance education. 200+ training courses. 8000+ graduates from 200 cities. Short deadlines for paperwork and external training, interest-free installments from the institute and individual discounts. Contact us!

Invites you to get a diploma in your specialty at professional retraining courses. The Academy specializes in additional education programs, offers a convenient distance learning format, an individual approach to the needs of students and flexible prices.

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.

Olga Grafskaya, General Director of the tourism bureau "Bonjour Travel"

Looking for travel job

Work in tourism attracts job seekers with the opportunity to see the whole world. I almost always hear this from novice employees. Experienced employees are willing to argue that not everything is so fabulous. Any, even the most expensive medal has a reverse side. Our foreign partners arrange so-called information and study tours for employees of travel agencies. I must say right away: there are never free tours, and the conditions are completely unroyal! The meaning of such trips is to see with your own eyes what we offer customers, to get personal experience and express an opinion that is far from the phrases from the advertising booklet.

Such tours are organized out of season, and these trips are very difficult. Every day, the agent inspects several hotels, and in countries of mass tourism it comes to several dozen. Your head is spinning and you start to get confused. Experienced specialists make notes, comments for themselves, someone takes photos or videos. And newcomers just walk, look and admire. And in the end, they can't remember anything. For rest, one day is usually left, the rest of the time is working. Partners look at who behaves on such tours, and if they understand that the agent is incorrect, he can be blacklisted and next round no longer invited. It is possible to travel around the world, but if an employee is constantly traveling, when will he work?!

Who and why works in tourism

The labor market in tourism, like many others, is also experiencing a shortage of personnel. It is divided into two parts: these are young girls with no experience, who believe that there is nothing difficult in this area, and experienced professionals who have worked in the industry for more than one year. The disadvantage of the former is not even in the lack of experience, but in the fact that many do not want to learn.

People from the second category do not need to be trained, they come with a client base, which is good for the head of the agency, but there is a minus here too. Such an employee wants to receive exclusive working conditions. They may not bring direct losses to the director, but the profit for the agency will be zero, since the manager who brought the client will get all of it.

Fabulous salaries in tourism are rare. There is a twofold situation on the market: on the one hand, there is a glut of supply, on the other hand, there is a reduction in the industry as a whole. Therefore, the range of salaries for a tourism manager is from 20 to 60 thousand rubles. But it all depends on the person and his desire to earn.

The perfect travel agent resume

The most important thing in the resume of applicants in the field of tourism is work experience. But this does not mean that I will not accept a person without experience. It is important for me that the employee was interested in earning, not getting.

Template phrases are often written in the resume: purposefulness, responsibility, career opportunities. You can look through dozens of profiles and not find a single worthy candidate. How can you talk about some serious career growth in a travel agency? This work is very interesting, despite all the difficulties that you have to face every day. The increase in wages in tourism depends not only on the management, but also on the employee himself. At the interview, I ask the question: “Are you ready to put in the effort to attract new customers? If so, which ones? If not, why not? Many job seekers are willing to take a small flat fee and do nothing else. I will refuse such an employee.

Personal qualities for professional growth

In tourism, attentiveness is very important, because an insignificant mistake only in writing the personal data of tourists can lead not only to a fine, but also to the threat of disrupting the trip.

An important role is played by punctuality, the desire to develop independently and constantly learn. Exploring new countries, sightseeing routes - isn't it interesting?

And, of course, responsibility is extremely important! Here is an example, or rather, my nightmare, which, I really hope, will never happen in practice. A tourist must fly away on a long-awaited vacation and he needs to get a visa. The employee scrupulously fills out all the documents and takes them to change. On the way, he loses his tourist passport. You can borrow money and pay for a tourist, but what to do with a lost passport?! To say that after this trust will be lost is to say nothing!

Learn to travel and sell travel

A travel agent can get an education in specialized higher educational institutions. When there was a boom in tourism, there were many educational courses on tourism. Now the industry is in decline - not only travel agencies are closing, but also educational institutions. But the presence of a diploma, unfortunately, does not mean anything.

Tourist routine

In fact, a travel agent has a lot of responsibilities: from keeping the workplace clean to being ready to answer their clients at any time of the day or night. The motto of our agency: "Your personal consultant 24 hours." The schedule of the agent is irregular, especially during peak seasons. In the off-season, the load is less. I do not force all employees to be at the workplace when there is no load. Someone is engaged in self-development, someone comes up with methods to optimize their work and attract new customers. I welcome and encourage this.

Each agency has regular clients, and we maintain their files. We store all the data so that each time you do not ask to send the same documents. We keep a history of trips, wishes, comments. Our regular customers do not need to explain what they want to get from the rest. They only say dates and wishes for choosing a country. Everything else is our job. Moreover, this part of the routine duties is the most creative, it provides an opportunity to please and surprise the client, to guess his desires.

Nothing to hide

In other industries, the practice of non-intervention of a specialist in a client's decision has been adopted. We have it the other way around. If we are talking about regular customers, then I already know what they need, and I advise based on their preferences. But if the client chooses a country or a hotel himself, I will definitely talk about the nuances that can ruin a vacation or upset a tourist. But I never insist. This is a personal choice of a person, and it must be reckoned with.

For example, a couple of years ago, several of my clients wanted to New Year go to Egypt. I did not refuse them and lose clients. The result, I think, is well known. The Egyptian direction was closed, and it was necessary to resolve the issue of a return Money. You could say: "Do it yourself, you chose this country, now these are your problems." But I can't afford it, and for several months I fought with partners for the return of the funds of my tourists.

nervous work

Difficult clients have always been and always will be. It is very hard with people who are used to criticizing everything and seeing the bad even where there is none. It is difficult with those who first ask a question about the size of the discount, without even saying what they want. Any work should be financially rewarded.

The current situation in the tourism market is very difficult. Crisis, sanctions, imperfection of legislation and, unfortunately, dishonesty and financial dishonesty of partners have a very negative impact on the position of the agent in the market. After all, a tourist comes to the agency and trusts us, but we are not the last resort and cannot control or influence all the links that are involved in this process. Unfortunately, this cannot always be explained, and some colleagues meet with their clients in court, although the agent did his job at 100% and even more. But the argument is simple: "We came to you, so you are responsible for everyone."

Profession without career

The job of a manager is a bit of a chore from a technical point of view. But it is very diverse: new clients, new requests, new countries, new hotels. Career development occurs in a horizontal plane. There is no step-by-step promotion from an ordinary employee to the director of your own agency. I can’t call it a career prospect, I think it’s more like a transition to a new level. It is not enough for the director of an agency to have knowledge of tourism alone, he must understand both accounting and legislation, and know the work of a manager. You can hire employees who will be responsible for a certain segment of the work, but this is financially expensive. I know a few examples former directors agencies that closed their companies and went back to hired employees, because they did not want a huge responsibility on their shoulders.

Sometimes employees leave. Someone - to larger agencies, someone - to a tour operator, and someone, completely disappointed, - in general from tourism. Some do not want to hear about tourism anymore, others remember this experience with warmth!

One of my partners had a travel agency in another country. Everything got tired, and she closed it. She went to rest in Georgia, and fell in love with this country so much that she stayed there and opened ... yes, yes, a travel agency! She studied the history of Georgia and herself, as a director, often accompanies groups as a guide.

"Jobs for the Young"?

Many people think that a tourism manager is a job only for young people. But I do not agree that in tourism, employees over forty years old are rare specimens. On one information tour, I met an agent who was 72 years old! She has more enthusiasm and energy than some young girls. I have a lot of respect for these people.