Career Overlap Transition record Edition 1 · ESCO v1.2.1
Table 1Transition record

travel agenttotravel consultant

A travel agent already meets 71% of what the travel consultant role asks for. The move turns on 6 required skills not yet in the profile.

From travel agent
71%
Overlap1
To travel consultant
31 Skills carried over
6 Required, not held
39 Difficulty2
Career overlap Strong match

71%

Learning distance Real move, short list to learn

39/ 100

1 Share of the travel consultant role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the travel agent profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Why

Why this move works

A travel consultant role treats 20 of its required skills as things a travel agent already does. These are the ones it depends on most.

  • advertise travel insurance
  • apply foreign languages in tourism
  • ecotourism
  • educate on sustainable tourism
  • geographical areas relevant to tourism
  • handle customer complaints

What stands in the way is 6 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 31 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A travel consultant role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a travel agent background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held advertise travel insurance communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held sell tourist packages communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held oversee all travel arrangements management skills
  • already held follow ethical code of conduct in tourism assisting and caring
  • already held use global distribution system working with computers
  • already held apply foreign languages in tourism communication, collaboration and creativity

All 31 carried skills, including the 20 the travel consultant role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 17 missing skills fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier
01 communication, collaboration and creativity 3 required, 5 supplementary
  • required, not held customise travel package required
  • required, not held build a network of suppliers in tourism required
  • required, not held devise tailor-made tourism itineraries required
  • optional, not held demonstrate intercultural competences in hospitality services optional
  • optional, not held assist clients with special needs optional
  • optional, not held build business relationships optional
  • optional, not held perform services in a flexible manner optional
  • optional, not held use different communication channels optional
02 management skills 1 required, 3 supplementary
  • required, not held plan measures to safeguard cultural heritage required
  • optional, not held oversee the printing of touristic publications optional
  • optional, not held oversee the design of touristic publications optional
  • optional, not held plan events optional
03 assisting and caring 1 required, 1 supplementary
  • required, not held guarantee customer satisfaction required
  • optional, not held plan measures to safeguard natural protected areas optional
04 information skills 1 required, 1 supplementary
  • required, not held measure sustainability of tourism activities required
  • optional, not held read maps optional
05 working with computers 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held manage online content optional
Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a travel consultant role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 31 skills that carry over
Skill Type
  • already held advertise travel insurance skill
  • already held apply foreign languages in tourism skill
  • already held ecotourism knowledge
  • already held educate on sustainable tourism skill
  • already held geographical areas relevant to tourism knowledge
  • already held handle customer complaints skill
  • already held identify customer's needs skill
  • already held maintain customer records skill
  • already held maintain customer service skill
  • already held maintain relationship with suppliers skill
  • already held oversee all travel arrangements skill
  • already held process booking skill
  • already held process payments skill
  • already held provide tourism related information skill
  • already held self-service technologies in tourism knowledge
  • already held sell tourist packages skill
  • already held upsell products skill
  • already held use customer relationship management software skill
  • already held use e-tourism platforms skill
  • already held use global distribution system skill
  • already held augmented reality knowledge
  • already held comply with food safety and hygiene skill
  • already held develop inclusive communication material skill
  • already held engage local communities in the management of natural protected areas skill
  • already held follow ethical code of conduct in tourism skill
  • already held improve customer traveling experiences with augmented reality skill
  • already held manage conservation of natural and cultural heritage skill
  • already held promote virtual reality travelling experiences skill
  • already held support community-based tourism skill
  • already held support local tourism skill
  • already held virtual reality knowledge
11 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
Skill to acquire Tier
  • optional, not held demonstrate intercultural competences in hospitality services optional
  • optional, not held manage online content optional
  • optional, not held oversee the printing of touristic publications optional
  • optional, not held plan measures to safeguard natural protected areas optional
  • optional, not held assist clients with special needs optional
  • optional, not held build business relationships optional
  • optional, not held oversee the design of touristic publications optional
  • optional, not held perform services in a flexible manner optional
  • optional, not held plan events optional
  • optional, not held read maps optional
  • optional, not held use different communication channels optional
27 held skills the travel consultant role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role achieve sales targets skill
  • not needed by the target role coordinate events skill
  • not needed by the target role distribute local information materials skill
  • not needed by the target role ensure the privacy of guests skill
  • not needed by the target role execute email marketing skill
  • not needed by the target role handle financial transactions skill
  • not needed by the target role implement marketing strategies skill
  • not needed by the target role implement sales strategies skill
  • not needed by the target role maintain relationship with customers skill
  • not needed by the target role manage database skill
  • not needed by the target role manage digital archives skill
  • not needed by the target role manage time in tourism skill
  • not needed by the target role manage visitor flows in natural protected areas skill
  • not needed by the target role measure customer feedback skill
  • not needed by the target role office software knowledge
  • not needed by the target role present reports skill
  • not needed by the target role produce content for tourism brochures skill
  • not needed by the target role promote the use of sustainable transport skill
  • not needed by the target role provide customised products skill
  • not needed by the target role quote prices skill
  • not needed by the target role search databases skill
  • not needed by the target role social media management knowledge
  • not needed by the target role use communication techniques skill
  • not needed by the target role use microsoft office skill
  • not needed by the target role use presentation software skill
  • not needed by the target role use spreadsheets software skill
  • not needed by the target role work in a hospitality team skill
Index
Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.