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Tourist information centre assistant

Help visitors to get the most out of your local area by telling them about transport and things to do.

Also known as: tourist information officer, tci

About skillsGetting in

About the job

Salary

Source: National Careers Service

Weekly

£288

Entry level

£481

Experienced

Monthly

£1,250

Entry level

£2,083

Experienced

Yearly

£15,000

Entry level

£25,000

Experienced

3,500

people are currently employed

Low growth

100 more jobs in 5 years

These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics

What it's like

You would help visitors to get the most out of your local area by telling them about transport and things to do.

You would:

  • Answer customer queries in person, and by phone and email

  • Give information using computers, leaflets, timetables, guidebooks and national Tourist Information Centre (TIC) reference kits

  • Make bookings, for example for coach travel, theatre performances and accommodation

  • Set up displays within the centre, and keep the place tidy

  • Keep up to date with local accommodation, places to visit, activities and events

  • Restock literature

  • Sell goods like guidebooks, postcards and stamps, local craft items, gifts and souvenirs.

You may get the chance to visit local attractions so that you can recommend them to visitors.

Hours

Your working hours would vary depending on your location. A lot of TICs open daily in peak periods, so you may work weekends and bank holidays. Many jobs are part-time, and some TICs only open for the summer season.

Environment

You could work in a separate TIC building or in places like local authority offices, libraries, museums, ports and airports.

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Related industries

Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.

  • Tourism
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Top skills

Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!

It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.

Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:

  • recalling
  • attention to detail
  • respecting
  • empathising
  • verbal communication
  • supporting
  • cooperating
  • positive attitude

Your skills are important

Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.

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Getting in

Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.

You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.

Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.

Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:

  • Administration and Information Technology

  • Cantonese

  • English and Communication

  • French

  • Gaelic (Learners)

  • Gàidhlig

  • German

  • Italian

  • Mandarin

  • People and Society

  • Social Subjects

  • Spanish

  • Skills for Work: Travel and Tourism

  • Urdu

There are no set entry requirements but a good general education is useful.

Due to the competitive nature of entry, studying for a Higher National Certificate (HNC) (SCQF level  7) or a Higher National Diploma (HND) (SCQF level  8) or a degree (SCQF level  9/10) in tourism may be useful.

For entry to an HNC or HND in tourism you usually need one to two Highers For some HND tourism courses you may need Higher English. 

For a degree in tourism you will need three to five Highers. For some degree level courses you may need Higher English and National 5 Maths.

Subjects that demonstrate your employability such as Skills for Work Travel and Tourism (SCQF level  4/5).

A qualification in sign language may be helpful but is not essential.

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