Road managers, also called tour managers, are responsible for everything that happens on tour. They get everyone and everything from point A to B, booking flights and hotels and arranging for the tour buses, trucks and limos. They rent, fix and transport equipment and make sure it's set up and taken down.
Decision-making skills: Tour managers must be ready and able to make quick decisions whenever necessary, especially when responding to emergencies.
Tour managers are responsible for advancing tours and ensuring everything runs smoothly while bands are on the road. It involves handling logistics like travel, accommodations, finances, and more. It's a challenging but extremely rewarding job.
It's worth noting that tour managers often double as personal managers. This means that they not only oversee the logistics of the tour but also manage all aspects of an artist's life. They are responsible for not only ensuring a smooth-running tour but also ensuring the artist's happiness and well-being.
Road managers can be confused with tour managers. Generally speaking, though, tour managers work with upper-mid to large scale tours and are often granted a much greater degree of authority in tour operations.
A tour manager or tour leader plans and accompanies a group of holidaymakers on a tour, within the UK or abroad, making sure everything runs to plan. The tour, lasting days or weeks, is usually by coach, but sometimes includes travel by train, plane or boat.
Tour managers are involved in budgeting, scheduling, transportation, accommodations, dealing with vendors, and sometimes even managing the artist's personal needs. They are the main point of contact for venues, promoters, and production crews, coordinating everything from soundchecks to after-show wrap-ups.
Key skills for tour operators A demonstrable interest in travel. Knowledge of key holiday destinations. Foreign language skills. Excellent interpersonal skills. Communication skills. Customer service skills. Organisational skills. IT skills.
A tour manager (or concert tour manager) is the person who helps to organize the administration for a schedule of appearances of a musical group (band) or artist at a sequence of venues (a concert tour).