Profiles from retail, education, events, or tech… the gateways to tourism are multiplying. An evolution first driven by shortages.
“We sometimes recruit profiles from outside tourism when we can’t find anyone.”, summarizes Céline Gleizes, HR manager at Eden Tour.
Valérie Dufour, head of the employment section at TourMaG, notes, however, that recruiters remain attached to specialized training: “I still have a majority of recruitment staff in travel agencies who favor tourism training among candidates, with the BTS Tourism minimum and experienced professionals for tailor-made trips.”
But she also observes “a small revolution” in HR practices within the sector. The Covid crisis deeply weakened tourism attractiveness. Demanding hours, salaries sometimes deemed insufficient, high operational pressure: many professionals left the sector without necessarily returning.
“Tourism companies do not hire from outside out of sheer resignation, analyses Valérie Dufour. They must respond to an historic talent shortage, but also to a profound transformation of professions.”
Tourism has become digital, client expectations have evolved, and the sought-after skills are now sometimes found outside the sector.
Yet this openness does not mean that “everyone can do tourism”. “Many candidates think that organizing their own vacations is enough, notes Céline Gleizes. But when they discover the complexity of agency work, some realize it isn’t for them.”
Valérie Dufour recalls that some jobs remain highly technical. “Knowledge of destinations, insurance, air tariff pricing or tools like Amadeus cannot be improvised.” she emphasizes.
“We sometimes recruit profiles from outside tourism when we can’t find anyone.”, summarizes Céline Gleizes, HR manager at Eden Tour.
Valérie Dufour, head of the employment section at TourMaG, notes, however, that recruiters remain attached to specialized training: “I still have a majority of recruitment staff in travel agencies who favor tourism training among candidates, with the BTS Tourism minimum and experienced professionals for tailor-made trips.”
But she also observes “a small revolution” in HR practices within the sector. The Covid crisis deeply weakened tourism attractiveness. Demanding hours, salaries sometimes deemed insufficient, high operational pressure: many professionals left the sector without necessarily returning.
“Tourism companies do not hire from outside out of sheer resignation, analyses Valérie Dufour. They must respond to an historic talent shortage, but also to a profound transformation of professions.”
Tourism has become digital, client expectations have evolved, and the sought-after skills are now sometimes found outside the sector.
Yet this openness does not mean that “everyone can do tourism”. “Many candidates think that organizing their own vacations is enough, notes Céline Gleizes. But when they discover the complexity of agency work, some realize it isn’t for them.”
Valérie Dufour recalls that some jobs remain highly technical. “Knowledge of destinations, insurance, air tariff pricing or tools like Amadeus cannot be improvised.” she emphasizes.
Travel as a Common DNA
At Prêt à Partir, Fatima Faivre fully embraces recruiting atypical profiles, with one essential condition: « The person must have a traveler’s profile. Be passionate about travel. »For the regional director, the decisive criterion isn’t so much the diploma as the travel culture.
« A person outside tourism who has never traveled is very difficult. On the other hand, seasoned travelers know what they are talking about. »
Some tour operators specializing in tailor-made travel now prefer to train enthusiasts rather than recruit only travel technicians.
Valérie Dufour cites notably the example of Voyageurs du Monde, which has taken a bold gamble: « It is easier to learn the technique of selling trips to someone who knows a country by heart than to learn the passion for a destination to a tourism technician. »
The group thus hires former expatriates, journalists, historians or avid travelers before training them in professional tools and sector rules.
At Flash Voyages, Ghislaine Homond recounts hiring a former Russian primary schoolteacher. « I rely a lot on intuition. In two weeks, I saw that she had potential, » she recalls.
Seven years later, this employee is still with the company.
Soft Skills Have Become Priorities
What recruiters look for today goes far beyond mastering a GDS or fare strategies.
“What interests me is character, insists Fatima Faivre. Whether she can do B2B or not isn’t important. She’ll learn it very quickly with us.”
The most sought-after qualities now are adaptability, listening, stress management, and a sense of service.
Valérie Dufour even speaks of a shift in HR priorities: “In a sector where technique is learned more and more quickly, behavioural skills make the difference.”
She emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence, the ability to handle the unexpected, and the “spirit of hospitality.” “That natural generosity, that ‘care,’ is probably the most difficult skill to teach.”
At Eden Tour, the primary criterion being sought remains often commercial.
“When the candidate does not come from tourism, we primarily look for a good seller.”
The rise of generative artificial intelligence is accelerating this evolution.
“The travel advisor becomes an augmented profile, AI handles part of the repetitive tasks, but the human added value becomes central: listening, personalization, the ability to reassure and to narrate the journey.”
According to her, the job is evolving toward a role of “trusted expert” rather than a simple reservation agent.
“What interests me is character, insists Fatima Faivre. Whether she can do B2B or not isn’t important. She’ll learn it very quickly with us.”
The most sought-after qualities now are adaptability, listening, stress management, and a sense of service.
Valérie Dufour even speaks of a shift in HR priorities: “In a sector where technique is learned more and more quickly, behavioural skills make the difference.”
She emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence, the ability to handle the unexpected, and the “spirit of hospitality.” “That natural generosity, that ‘care,’ is probably the most difficult skill to teach.”
At Eden Tour, the primary criterion being sought remains often commercial.
“When the candidate does not come from tourism, we primarily look for a good seller.”
The rise of generative artificial intelligence is accelerating this evolution.
“The travel advisor becomes an augmented profile, AI handles part of the repetitive tasks, but the human added value becomes central: listening, personalization, the ability to reassure and to narrate the journey.”
According to her, the job is evolving toward a role of “trusted expert” rather than a simple reservation agent.
Find all articles in our series “Very Special Agent – The Practical Guide for the Pro” by clicking this link.
Experienced Profiles Are Not Always the Easiest to Integrate
Published by Caroline Lelievre Journalist – TourMaG.com See all articles by Caroline Lelievre
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