Home » Working Women » Careers - Travel & Hospitality » Tour Operators Who are tour operators?: They organise and put together package trips and holidays. These could be for incoming tourists from abroad or outbound tours or even domestic travellers. They can offer special packages, which could include such diverse attractions as deep-sea diving, snorkelling, trekking in the Himalayas or even camel safaris in the Thar Desert.
A career as a tour operator can be exciting and full of fun. Not only is it flexible, but certain jobs in the field can provide excellent travelling opportunities. Job prospects include working in: travel agencies and also in the Government run tourism departments. With enough experience and capital, one can even start one's own travel agency.
Functions of tour operators:
Planning: The planning of the tours is done either by the tour director or once-in-a-while by experienced counter clerks. Planning involves chalking out the tour programme, working out the cost, confirmation of accommodation and other facilities like food and entertainment and consulting tourist officials.
Sales and reservations: The staff has to ensure that travel brochures are on display at different travel agencies. They take bookings from travel agents or directly from individuals.
Entry : (i) A basic diploma in travel and tourism management can be advantageous to a person seeking to work in this field together with a basic degree. (ii) For higher positions, a graduate degree in any discipline with a specialisation in history and architecture or geography and archaeology can be a great asset. (iii) For a tour operator knowledge of one or more foreign languages is compulsory. If one is applying for a government post, he/she has to clear a written test, a personal interview and a medical examination. On-the-job training is provided to all new entrants.