« Our recruitment needs are recurring, primarily for sales advisors, due to a natural turnover inherent to tourism », explains a HR manager within a network of distribution agencies.
This difficulty is amplified in certain geographic areas that are less attractive. « In some sectors, notably in the East, we receive very few applications », confirms Aurélie Hébrard, administrative HR assistant within the Salaün group.
The lack of experienced profiles sometimes significantly lengthens recruitment timelines.
This difficulty is amplified in certain geographic areas that are less attractive. « In some sectors, notably in the East, we receive very few applications », confirms Aurélie Hébrard, administrative HR assistant within the Salaün group.
The lack of experienced profiles sometimes significantly lengthens recruitment timelines.
Attractiveness of the profession, volatile youth and inadequate training
Beyond the simple lack of candidates, agencies face a deeper issue: the attractiveness of the job. Young generations struggle to envision themselves in a sedentary role at an agency.
“Today’s youth have trouble wanting to stay eight hours a day behind a desk. They need space and mobility”, observes Aurélie Hébrard.
Another major hurdle is the mismatch between initial training and field realities. The Tourism BTS, often cited, is considered too general and not sufficiently professionalizing.
“Young people discover the profession only once on the job and some abandon during the probationary period, because they did not expect a job that complex,” testifies Céline Gleizes, HR manager of the Eden Tour network. Today, we have to teach them everything, even after a BTS, a bachelor’s degree or a master’s.
The lack of understanding of the profession remains strong: demanding customer relations, mastery of destinations, administrative constraints and commercial skills form a package often underestimated by candidates.
“Today’s youth have trouble wanting to stay eight hours a day behind a desk. They need space and mobility”, observes Aurélie Hébrard.
Another major hurdle is the mismatch between initial training and field realities. The Tourism BTS, often cited, is considered too general and not sufficiently professionalizing.
“Young people discover the profession only once on the job and some abandon during the probationary period, because they did not expect a job that complex,” testifies Céline Gleizes, HR manager of the Eden Tour network. Today, we have to teach them everything, even after a BTS, a bachelor’s degree or a master’s.
The lack of understanding of the profession remains strong: demanding customer relations, mastery of destinations, administrative constraints and commercial skills form a package often underestimated by candidates.
Training, diversifying channels and elevating the professions
In response to these findings, companies are implementing multiple strategies to attract and secure recruitment.
« We have implemented a welcome pack with specific bonuses for positions open for more than six months in tight zones », explains the HR manager of a large network. The brand also relies on specialized job boards such as TourMaG to obtain more targeted applications.
The brand also invests in visibility of the professions: presentations in schools, job dating, career videos featuring employees and a referral program, convinced that « employees are the best ambassadors ».
For its part, Eden Tour has chosen internal training, despite the time investment that this entails. « It takes between six months and a year to be fully operational, depending on profiles », notes Céline Gleizes. The network also favors professional training, such as those from Selectour Academy, deemed closer to the needs of agencies.
In a market that remains tight, tourism players share a common conviction: recruitment will rely as much on adapting training as on a better valuation of a demanding profession, often idealized but still too little known.
« We have implemented a welcome pack with specific bonuses for positions open for more than six months in tight zones », explains the HR manager of a large network. The brand also relies on specialized job boards such as TourMaG to obtain more targeted applications.
The brand also invests in visibility of the professions: presentations in schools, job dating, career videos featuring employees and a referral program, convinced that « employees are the best ambassadors ».
For its part, Eden Tour has chosen internal training, despite the time investment that this entails. « It takes between six months and a year to be fully operational, depending on profiles », notes Céline Gleizes. The network also favors professional training, such as those from Selectour Academy, deemed closer to the needs of agencies.
In a market that remains tight, tourism players share a common conviction: recruitment will rely as much on adapting training as on a better valuation of a demanding profession, often idealized but still too little known.
Published by Caroline Lelievre Journalist – TourMaG.com See all articles by Caroline Lelievre
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