How to Become A Tour Operator In South Africa

A Tour Operator is a person or company that thinks up ideas for holidays, researches the ideas, designs the holiday itinerary and content, contracts the services needed for the holiday, accommodation, transport, guides, tour leaders or resort reps etc and then markets the resultant package.

What is the role of a tour operator?

Tour operators are responsible for organizing and preparing holiday tours. They follow trends in the popularity of destinations and packages, and adjust company plans accordingly. Skills in other languages would be a big advantage in this role.

What is tour operator with example?

A tour operator does not always sell flights, they can also be purely ground-based. Cycling holidays, yoga retreats, wellness holidays, detox retreats, skiing holidays, hiking breaks, theatre breaks, cookery escapes are all examples of tour operators.

How does a tour operator work?

A Tour Operator is a person or company that thinks up ideas for holidays, researches the ideas, designs the holiday itinerary and content, contracts the services needed for the holiday, accommodation, transport, guides, tour leaders or resort reps etc and then markets the resultant package.

Responsibilities of a tour operator vary according to the time of year and size of employer, but generally include:

deciding how many holidays to sell each season and the resorts/countries to use

visiting resorts to ascertain accommodation quality and suitability

liaising with coach operators, airlines, hoteliers and resort reps

agreeing service levels, contracts and costs

confirming customer names with airlines/hotels

collecting, evaluating and responding (as appropriate) to customer feedback

using market research information to guide decisions

producing brochures and internet-based information

providing pricing information

marketing holidays to clients via travel agents, websites, brochures and television advertising

handling bookings, invoicing and issuing of tickets

predicting profits or number of bookings

working with travel consultants from different travel agencies to put holiday packages together

combining travel, accommodation and services such as sightseeing arrangements to create holiday packages.

Typical employers of tour operators

Private touring companies

Small specialist organisers

Major international tour operators

Bespoke tour designers

Cruise liners.

Vacancies are advertised online and in trade publications including Travel Trade Gazette and Travel Weekly, as well as their online equivalents. Networking and speculative applications are advisable. A few larger companies operate graduate training schemes. Paid summer vacation jobs may be available with some employers.

Qualifications and training required

A degree is not a standard formal requirement for this role, though it may be an advantage. Degrees in leisure, travel, tourism, management, marketing, IT, business, languages or hotel and catering management are particularly likely to be relevant. Relevant professional or vocational qualifications, such as NVQs and HNDs, may also be beneficial.

Pre-entry experience gained working with the general public or within the hotel, tourism or travel trades (particularly overseas) will strengthen your applications and improve your chances. It may be possible to start work in a tour rep, tour guide or travel agent role and then move on to a tour operator position.

Key skills for tour operators

A demonstrable interest in travel

Knowledge of key holiday destinations

Foreign language skills

Excellent interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Customer service skills

Organisational skills

IT skills

Commercial awareness

Good time management skills.

TOUR OPERATOR CAREER PATHS

In addition to switching up your job search, it might prove helpful to look at a career path for your specific job. Now, what’s a career path you ask? Well, it’s practically a map that shows how you might advance from one job title to another.

Our career paths are especially detailed with salary changes. So, for example, if you started out with the role of travel agent you might progress to a role such as agent eventually. Later on in your career, you could end up with the title regional sales manager.

What qualifications do you need to be a tour operator In South Africa?

This area of work is open to all graduates and entry without a degree or diploma is possible, though it can take time to build up the required level of experience. Graduates with degrees in leisure, travel, tourism, management, marketing, IT, business, languages or hotel and catering management may have an advantage.

How much do tour operators earn in South Africa?

Tour Operator

These professionals are specialists in providing their specific experiences to visitors. The average salary for a South African Tour Operator is ±R196,000.00 annually. Salaries can also reach ±R500,000.00 a year with more experience and opportunities secured at top-line companies.

Do you need a license to be a tour operator In South Africa?

In NSW, there is no Tour Operators Licence – but a permit is still required to use public land for a tour for profit. It is usually a licence requirement to be a member of a trade association. Trade Association membership confers ATAS accreditation.

How does a tour operator work In South Africa?

A tour operator is a business that typically combines and organizes accommodations, meals, sightseeing and transportation components, in order to create a package tour. They advertise and produce brochures to promote their products, holidays and itineraries.

What is an example of a tour operator In South Africa?

A tour operator does not always sell flights, they can also be purely ground-based. Cycling holidays, yoga retreats, wellness holidays, detox retreats, skiing holidays, hiking breaks, theatre breaks, cookery escapes are all examples of tour operators.

What is the difference between a travel agent and a tour operator In South Africa?

A tour operator sells the product that they themselves create. They do not sell anybody else’s packages, they sell only their own creations. A Travel Agent offers the consumer a range of holiday packages that have been put together by a tour operator.

What is the important role of a travel agent and tour operator?

Travel agents are private retailers that provide their customers with services on behalf of hotels, airlines, car rental companies, and tour companies. A tour operator is a company that provides customers with activities and travel to and from these activities.

What skills do you need to be a tour guide In South Africa?

Here are qualities a great tour guide should possess:

Knowledge of the Tour Area.

Ability to Communicate Effectively.

Strong Empathy and Understanding.

Charismatic Personality.

Keen Ability to Improvise and Adapt.

Focuses on Building Rapport.

Engaging Storyteller and Actor.

Flexibility.

What is the importance of a tour guide In South Africa?

Tour Guiding. Guides are tourism professionals that lead their guests through the most interesting parts of their region. It is their task to entertain visitors to their region and to help them to interpret the sights that they are visiting.