tour operators are responsible for organising and preparing holiday tours. They follow
trends in the popularity of destinations and packages, and adjust
company plans accordingly.
Vacancies are advertised online, in newspapers and trade publications
including Travel Trade Gazette and Travel Weekly as well as their online
equivalents. Networking and speculative applications are advisable, for
which the Travel Trades Gazette Directory may be helpful. A few larger
companies operate graduate training schemes. Paid summer vacation jobs
may be available with some employers.
Qualifications and training required
There are routes into becoming a tour guide for both university graduates and school leavers.
Advertise here
Graduates with degrees in leisure, travel, tourism, management, marketing, IT, business, languages or hotel and catering management may
have an advantage. 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) are
advantageous.
To find out how to get into a career in this area via a school leaver route, visit the hospitality and travel section of TARGETcareers, our
website aimed at school leavers.The idea of booking an itinerary with a
specialist tour operator is something we tend to consider without
question when the destination we are dreaming of is far-flung or hard to
visit without assistance. But we may be less prone to call the experts
when we are planning a break on domestic soil.
With this in mind, McKinlay Kidd’s triumph in this year’s Specialist Tour Operator category is a tribute to its continued excellence. Based
in Glasgow, the company only came into existence in 2003. Initially, it
focused on Scotland, attempting to show holidaymakers a side of the
country beyond cliché.
It expanded its vision to take in Ireland in 2010, and has subsequently added England to an increasingly rich stew. Its “Trips of a
Lifetime” include a 12-night “Borders & North of England Explorer”
which wanders on both sides of Hadrian’s Wall, splicing the Lake
District to the Tweed Valley to winning effect.
If McKinlay Kidd’s success could be taken as evidence of a growing appetite for home comforts in turbulent times, the commendable second
place for Selective Asia shows there is still a travel hunger for the
Far East – this Brighton operator is a trusted source of getaways to
everywhere from Sri Lanka and South Korea to the Philippines.
The presence of London outfit Wellbeing Escapes in the joint runners-up spot, meanwhile, demonstrates that there is always a desire
for spa escapes and yoga retreats. The company has built its reputation
on selling relaxing jaunts to countries as diverse as Canada, India,
Portugal and the Maldives.
