A holiday representative, or holiday rep, is responsible for looking after groups of holidaymakers at resorts, ensuring they have a safe and enjoyable trip. The role involves greeting guests upon arrival, organising activities and excursions, handling complaints or emergencies, and acting as a point of contact for travellers. Holiday reps must have excellent communication and organisational skills, as well as the ability to remain calm under pressure. The job often involves working abroad or in popular UK holiday destinations, and fluency in foreign languages can be beneficial.
Holiday representatives in the UK typically earn between £15,000 and £23,000 per year, depending on experience and location.
There are approximately 1,500 to 2,500 holiday representative positions available in the UK each year, often with peak demand during the summer holiday season.
Holiday reps often work unsociable hours, including evenings, weekends, and public holidays, with shifts sometimes lasting up to 12 hours.
Works specifically with families in large resorts, organising activities and ensuring guests have a memorable holiday experience.
Supports holidaymakers at ski resorts, helping with accommodation, ski passes, and organising après-ski events.
Looks after guests onboard cruise ships, organising entertainment, excursions, and providing information about destinations.
Finish your GCSEs, focusing on subjects such as English, languages, or travel and tourism if available.
Most employers require a minimum of GCSEs including English and Maths. Subjects like foreign languages or travel and tourism can be particularly useful for this line of work, as they demonstrate communication skills and an understanding of the industry.
Pursue a college course or diploma in Travel and Tourism, Hospitality, or Customer Service.
While not always essential, further study at college level can give you an advantage. Courses cover topics such as customer service, travel operations, and event planning, all of which are valuable in this role. Many colleges offer BTEC or NVQ qualifications in Travel and Tourism.
Learn one or more foreign languages to help communicate with international guests.
Holiday representatives often work in countries where English is not the primary language. Being able to speak a second language, such as Spanish, French, or Greek, is highly valued by employers and helps you stand out from other candidates.
Work in a customer-facing role, such as retail, hospitality, or volunteering.
Experience in dealing with customers helps you develop communication, problem-solving, and conflict resolution skills. These are all crucial when looking after holidaymakers and ensuring their experience is positive.
Look for job opportunities with travel companies, tour operators, or holiday resorts.
Major employers include well-known travel and tour operators like TUI, Jet2holidays, and Thomas Cook, but you can also find roles with smaller, specialist companies. Job adverts often appear on company websites, job boards, and through recruitment agencies.
Write a CV and cover letter highlighting your qualifications, language skills, and experience.
Tailor your application to each employer, focusing on your ability to communicate, your enthusiasm for travel, and your commitment to excellent customer service. Include examples of when you have solved problems or gone the extra mile for customers.
Take part in interviews, group assessments, or role plays as required by employers.
Employers may use assessment centres to test your teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills. Be prepared to answer questions about how you would handle difficult guests, emergencies, or complaints, showing your ability to stay calm under pressure.
Travel agents help clients plan and book holidays, including flights, accommodation, and activities, often providing advice and support before and during trips.
Tour guides lead groups of visitors around tourist attractions, providing information, answering questions, and ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience.
Hotel receptionists manage guest check-ins and check-outs, handle reservations, and provide information and assistance to visitors staying at hotels.
Explore relevant apprenticeships that can help you kickstart your career in Holiday Representative. Apprenticeships offer hands-on experience and training while earning a wage.
A Holiday Representative and a Resort Representative both involve working in holiday destinations, providing customer service, assistance to tourists, and ensuring clients have an enjoyable experience. The roles often require similar skills in communication, problem-solving, and knowledge of the resort's facilities and services.
You can get into this job through:
You can do a college course in travel and tourism or customer service, which may be helpful when looking for work.
If you want to work with children on their holidays, for example organising activities, then doing a childcare qualification at college could be useful.
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
To apply directly for resort representative jobs, you'll usually need:
If you apply for a job as a children's representative, you may need a qualification in childcare, though companies will often give training to successful applicants.
It's important to check job descriptions carefully when applying to make sure you know exactly what skills are required. For example, as a winter sports activities representative, the ability to ski may be needed, though for ski resort hotel reps, this may not be the case.
It can be helpful if you have a working knowledge of one or more foreign languages, although tour companies may offer training in basic language skills for the country you'll be working in.
Many jobs are seasonal, so salaries and hours can vary. Often, you can top up your monthly pay with commission on products you sell to holidaymakers, for example extra day trips or passes to attractions. Your accommodation may also be included as part of your contract.
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