 |
It could be a coach load of Japanese tourists or a young Perth family holidaying in Margaret River needing tourist information. Tourist information officers are our front line officers in all tourism matters. Working in tourist information centres around the State, they are able to promote tourist attractions and provide information and reservation services for sightseeing, travel, accomodation and tours.
Just A Typical Day
A tourist information officer (also known as visitor information services officer) helps holiday makers make the right accommodation and tour choices.
Each day before the queues start growing and the questions come flying at the tourist information centres, tourist information officers are busy replenishing their supplies of brochures, pamphlets and visitor guide booklets, promoting various services and attractions in the area.
Computerised booking systems are set up and e-mail queries from various clients are answered. Those handling the souvenir retail area may stock the shelves with items associated with the region, such as postcards, caps, and tea towels.
Once the doors are open, it's just a matter of dealing with the wide range of queries.
''We ask people how we can help them and give them a visitors guide, outlining attractions. We can ask questions so that we can match the person to a suitable tour. Do they enjoy bush walking? Maybe they want to go four wheel driving. But nine times out of ten, they already have an idea of what they want to do,'' says Belinda, Former Manager of the Bunbury Visitor Information Centre.
Selling The Sights
Being involved in tourism isn't simply a matter of chatting about the interesting sites. There is a strong marketing focus in this job and often the information tourist officers need to not only promote or 'pitch' a region but to actually 'onsell' tour packages. Most visitor centres receive a commission for tour, accomodation and travel sales and so staff are set sales targets. Excellent communication skills come to the fore here, when trying to get someone to book a dolphin cruise tour at the same time as they book accomodation.
As any good saleperson knows, it's vital to know your product. For the tourist information officer, they have to be familiar with all the tour operators and the various attractions and services in their region, including everything from canoeing to horse riding tours. As part of ongoing training, they do industry familiarisations, going to hotels or motels to personally evaluate the accomodation.
The Right People Skills
Tact, diplomacy and great interpersonal skills are a must in this job. Dealing with the general public can be challenging at times, especially when they don't speak English very well or their holiday hasn't gone according to plan.
''The people you get to meet are from all walks of life and different countries. Sometimes you get weird requests, such as a person who thinks they can catch a taxi from Geraldton to Perth,'' says Belinda.
At the Perth Visitors Centre, staff are expected to have a strong retail background or qualifications in hospitality and tourism. The ability to speak a second language is also highly desirable. Staff work with computerised travel reservation systems, for example Galileo or Travwest, and proficiency in these is essential.
At other centres, such as the Bunbury Visitors Centre, there are no computerised accomodation booking systems and everything is done manually (vouchers). However, there is still the need for a proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel, as well as using other booking systems such as the Westrail system.
Work Opportunities
Tourist information officers are found in a variety of state, local and shire tourist information centres, depending on the region. Job opportunities are dependent on the type of funding which is available to operate the centres. Some, for example, are run on a voluntary basis or are self funded. Jobs in these centres are rarely advertised and are filled usually by word of mouth.
Industry representatives advise prospective tourist information officers to gain as much work experience in the retail trade as possible and to complete relevant tourism courses. A lot of people start as casuals in the industry which can lead to contract employment. With time, tourist information officers can progress into managerial positions or may progress into the related field of tourism marketing.
Salaries vary according to the sector and region in which you work. At the WA Visitors Centre, an employee under 21 years of age can expect to earn between $17,000 and $29,500. An adult can expect to earn between $32,500 and $40,500 per year.
|
