Tourist information officers provide advice to tourists about the attractions and accommodation available in their local area. They work in visitor information centres in popular tourist destinations throughout Australia, where they help tourists from all over Australia and the world. They help with matters such as booking accommodation, arranging tours and recommending restaurants and popular entertainment activities. Most visitor centres also distribute brochures and sell souvenirs, so tourist information officers will also have to maintain stock levels and prepare displays. Some tourist information officers may also be involved in running local, national or international campaigns to promote tourism in their area.


ANZSCO ID & Description: 451611: Provides travel and accommodation information to tourists. May work in a call centre.

Alternative names: Tourist Adviser, Visitor Information Officer

Knowledge, skills and attributes

A tourist information officer needs:

• good communication skills

• to enjoy working with people from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds

• excellent interpersonal and customer service skills

• excellent knowledge of the local area

• the ability to maintain a friendly and helpful work attitude

(Source: Adelaide Tourism)

 

Duties and Tasks

 

Tourist information officers may perform the following tasks:

• answer questions from tourists, visitors, local residents and other tourism industry colleagues, in person, over the phone, via email or online

• make suggestions on tours, travel routes, accommodation and local attractions

• provide literature and information on local, interstate and international tours and places of interest

• maintain literature and brochure stocks

• sell souvenirs and other merchandise

• discuss transport, accommodation and tour availability and cost

• arrange bookings and documentation for travel and accommodation, and collect payment

• assist travel agents and tour operators in preparing itineraries for tourists

• undertake general clerical and office duties

• coordinate volunteer or part-time staff

• put together statistics concerning the number and nature of enquiries

• be responsible for overall presentation of the information centre

 

Working conditions

Tourist information officers work in popular tourist destinations all over Australia. They usually work in dedicated visitor information centres, which are run by local governments or shire councils. These centres are typically open standard business hours during the week, and may also be open on weekends. Tourism is a seasonal industry, so tourist information officers tend to be busier during the warmer months, though this can vary depending on which part of the state they work in.

Tools and technologies

Tourist information officers use brochures, posters and guidebooks, as well as their own personal experiences, to make recommendations and answer tourists' questions. In larger visitor centres, particularly in the metropolitan regions, they may use online booking services to arrange travel, tours and accommodation for visitors. In smaller regional centres bookings may still be made over the telephone, though staff will still need to be familiar with using computers. Tourist information officers also use cash registers, EFTPOS and credit card machines, barcode readers, pricing label guns and step ladders for stacking or arranging displays.

Education and training/entrance requirements

You can work as a tourist information officer without any formal qualifications and get training on the job. You will generally need to be very familiar with the local area and its attractions. Entry into this occupation may be improved by obtaining a qualification in tourism or a related area. The ability to speak a second language may improve your employment prospects.

The Certificate III in Tourism (Visitor Information Services) and the Certificate III in Tourism are offered at TAFE Colleges and other registered training organisations throughout Australia.

You can also complete a traineeship. The visitor information officer traineeship takes 18 months to complete and is available as a school-based traineeship.
 

Did You Know Australian tourism facts •8.8 million arrivals to Australia in 2017 •$41.3 billion total international visitor spend in Australia in 2017 •1004 people arrive into Australia every hour •1.4 million travellers from New Zealand arrived in Australia in 2017 •New Zealand was the most popular travel destination for Australians in 2017 Year on Year arrivals 2007 to 2009 saw a very slight decrease in international visitors landing in Australia. Since 2009 Australia has seen a steady increase in international arrivals, with dramatic growth observed in each year from 2012 onwards. This growth is expected to continue with projections estimating the number of international arrivals will increase to 15 million by 2026-2027. (Source: BudgetDirect: Australian Tourism Statistics 2018)

 

 

Tourist Centre Manager - manages a tourism information centre, which includes business management, staff supervision and development, office systems management and the provision of services.

Tourism managers may also act as the executive officer for the local tourism committee and make sure services are in place to respond to day-to- day tourism enquiries. They check and regularly report to management on the status of the tourism marketing budget and on tourism awareness or new initiatives on behalf of the employers to industry, media, community or interest groups.

They may also contribute to the planning, development and implementation of tourism marketing strategies and encourage community involvement and awareness.

   
ANZSCO ID: 451611

Education and training/entrance requirements

• IT skills

• Good local knowledge

• Excellent interpersonal skills

• Organisational skills

• Communication skills

• Energy

• Resourcefulness

• Confidence

• Commercial awareness

• Enthusiasm

• Adaptability
  

Duties and Tasks

• Design press kit for media

• Keep up to date on local events

• Respond to customers' inquiries

• Manage medium term objectives

• Recruit employees

• Apply foreign languages in tourism

• Maintain customer records

• Manage staff

• Create solutions to problems

• Comply with food safety and hygiene [if needed]

• Build business relationships

• Design materials for multimedia campaigns

• Manage budgets

• Maintain customer service

• Handle touristic quantitative data

• Oversee the design of touristic publications

• Develop tourist information materials

• Build a network of contacts with suppliers of tourist services

• Assess an area as a tourism destination

• Distribute local information materials

• Have computer literacy

• Oversee the printing of touristic publications

• Provide tourism related information

• Present reports

• Develop strategies for accessibility

• Analyse data about clients

• Handle personal identifiable information

• Develop financial statistics reports
  

Working conditions

Tourist information managers work in popular tourist destinations all over Australia. They usually work in dedicated visitor information centres, which are run by local governments or shire councils. These centres are typically open standard business hours during the week, and may also be open on weekends. Tourism is a seasonal industry, so tourist information managers tend to be busier during the warmer months, though this can vary depending on which part of the state they work in. They oversee a team of Tourist Information Officers.

Tools and technologies

Tourist information managers use brochures, posters and guidebooks, as well as their own personal experiences, to make recommendations and answer tourists' questions. In larger visitor centres, particularly in the metropolitan regions, they may use online booking services to arrange travel, tours and accommodation for visitors. In smaller regional centres bookings may still be made over the telephone, though staff will still need to be familiar with using computers. Tourist information managers also use cash registers, EFTPOS and credit card machines, barcode readers, pricing label guns and step ladders for stacking or arranging displays.

Education and training/entrance requirements

You can work as a tourist information manager without any formal qualifications and get training on the job. You will generally need to be very familiar with the local area and its attractions. Entry into this occupation may be improved by obtaining a qualification in tourism or a related area. The ability to speak a second language may improve your employment prospects.

The Certificate III in Tourism (Visitor Information Services) and the Certificate III in Tourism are offered at TAFE Colleges and other registered training organisations throughout Australia.

You can also complete a traineeship. The visitor information officer traineeship takes 18 months to complete and is available as a school-based traineeship. Managers will have strong experience to gain promotion.

 

 

 

Tour Guides escort visitors on sightseeing, educational and other tours, and describe and explain points of interest. Tour guides lead tourists and visitors around cities, museums, art galleries, gardens or places of historic significance.

ANZSCO ID: 451412

Alternative Names: Tour Escort or Tour Leader.

Knowledge, skills and attributes     

To become a tour guide, you would need:

• excellent oral communication skills

• a passion for the places or exhibits you are guiding people through

• patience, and good people skills

• the ability to adapt the information to the interests and ages of your group

• a good memory for facts, figures and events

• good organisation skills

• an ability to deal with problems quickly

(Source: Adventure Tours Australia)

Duties and Tasks

As a tour guide, you would:

• Meets and greets visitors.
• Controls visitors' access to exhibits.
• Plans and rearranges schedules and itineraries.
• Plans, organises and conducts tours.
• Arranges transportation and accommodation for visitors following planned itineraries.
• Arranges entry to places of interest.
• Answers questions, provides commentaries, issues brochures and tour literature, shows audio-visual presentations, and explains components and procedures at tour sites.
• May assist with installing and dismantling exhibits.

Working conditions

Tour guides may work a standard number of hours per week, or work seasonally. Most tour guides work at weekends and some evenings. If you are leading a group for several days or weeks you would work long hours.

You may be leading groups outside in all weathers or standing all day inside at a museum or art gallery. The working conditions vary greatly depending on where you work.


Education and training/entrance requirements

You can work as a Tour Guide without formal qualifications, however, they may be useful. A course in tourism or guiding might be helpful. Many people become tour guides because they have a passion for travel, or for the places or objects they are guiding people through. You would get some informal training on the job. A VET qualification in tourism, travel and tourism, or guiding may improve your chances of employment in this occupation.

Relevant experience in the hospitality or the tourism industry may also add to your employment prospects.

Employment Opportunities

An increasingly mobile and affluent population is travelling more, and this creates opportunities for tour guides. Inbound tourism in Australia is showing strong growth, and job prospects are likely to be best for those with experience, and /or who can speak more than one language.

COVID has affected the tourism industry and it may take some time to recover.

 

 

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Material sourced from
Jobs & Skills WA [Tourist Information Officer;]
Careers Online
I23Test
Target Jobs [Tourist Information Manager; ]
CareerHQ [Tour or Tourist Guide; ]
Your Career [Tourist Information Officer; Tour Guide; ]