How to start a career in travel and tourism? - The Definitive Guide

Ever since ancient times, mankind has been exposed to travel and tourism. What started off as a getaway for just the rich, became something much more common towards the middle ages, with travel writers and pilgrims coming into the fore. Eventually, in today’s world, it has developed into being a whole new industry. A career in travel and tourism has become a much sought after line of work for people around the world.

What is travel and tourism?

Tourism is when someone visits another place and returns back or moves on to another place. Travel, however, is a term that defines a movement from one place to another. Since travel and tourism go hand-in-hand, the term 'travel and tourism’ is quite often used to refer to the industry. According to the United Nations, a tourist is defined as “someone travelling abroad for at least 24 hours, and a maximum of 12 months”. With several countries and regions surviving on the sole revenue from tourists visiting them, the travel and tourism industry is quite the flourishing domain. Along with this, the advancements in technology and travel has made the world a much smaller place thereby making it easier for people to explore the world. For a large number of people, travelling is a way of life or even a hobby. People are willing to spend fortunes just to visit other places on tourism. As a result, the number of job opportunities in travel and tourism is stupendous. With the industry still in the developing phase, it sure does need plenty of well-trained professionals.

Why Travel and Tourism as a Career?

Gone are the days when people took up careers following the crowd. The current generation is known to follow their heart and passion. As they say, “Do what you love, and you will never work another day in your life”. If travelling makes your heart skip a beat, a career in travel and tourism industry is what you deserve. One thing about a career in this is that you will be having fun and are likely to never get bored. Being one of the most developing industries in the world, every country or region has started numerous initiatives to promote tourism. With a wide range of paths to follow, you will always find something you like. You can take up a job in this industry by studying a course in the same. You can follow a career in travel tourism after 12th, or even take up a career in travel and tourism after graduation with several available courses.

Travel and Tourism scope :

The travel and tourism scope is something that is ever-expanding. This billion dollar industry has its reach into almost every field. No matter which part of travel and tourism interests you, there is always a corresponding domain. Casual sightseeing, adventure travel, pilgrimage, medical travel, hospitality, telecommunications, eco-tourism, etc are just the tip of travel and tourism. The field goes much deeper than this with things such as doom tourism, dark tourism, and even the latest space tourism. With its effect on social, cultural, educational, and even the finance sector, you can find travel tourism in almost every corner.

Even in our own India, the potential in the domain of travel and tourism is far from being fulfilled. With over 8 lakh crores of revenue from tourism alone in 2015, the Indian government is solid about its interest in travel and tourism. Several government initiatives have been started in the form of Incredible India, IITTM, and several others. The jobs in this industry can be found in both the public and private sector. The public sector consists of opportunities in the Department of tourism at national as well as state level. The private sector deals with airlines, hotels, agencies, etc. No matter what field, unlike other jobs, a job in the travel and tourism industry requires skills that will eventually develop your creativity, imagination, orientation to a large extent. As per the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

Travel and Tourism Career Opportunities

A good reason why you should take up a career in this field is the vast number of job opportunities. Career options in travel and tourism are plenty. Be it public or private sector, there is a serious need of trained and skilful professionals. The basic requirement is a friendly, outgoing person with interpersonal skills and verbal fluency. As long as you possess these, and have done a course in the field, you will easily find a suitable job. Some of the areas where you can expect to work include the following -

• 1. Travel agencies: These are organizations that facilitate in travel and tourism related to vacation or even business. Possible positions include Travel agent, travel consultants, travel insurance consultant, sales reservation agents, visa executives etc.
• 2. Tourism Department : A government organization focusing on travel planning, reservations. Sales and marketing to assist tourist. These include positions such as tour guides, public relations manager, etc. The public sector is present both at the state level and national level.
• 3. Hotels : Involves the day to day activities of a hotel with respect to food, accommodation and service. A course in hospitality or hotel management is the right path to this career. The jobs can include front office manager, chef, etc.
• 4. Road transport:Transport plays a vital role in the industry. Drivers, car rentals, etc have been a key part of this industry for years.
• 5. Aviation industry : The biggest field in the industry, this deals with travel by air. From ticketing staff to the ground staff, there are several opportunities in this domain. The other roles may consist of operation manager, ground staff officers and so on.
• 6. Tour operators: These are organizations that deal with tour planning and facilities related to that for the customers. These can include planning of stay, food, as well as leisure activities. The positions usually include itinerary planner, international travel consultant, travel product designer, tour manager, etc.
• 7. Entrepreneurship: Among the latest form travel and tourism management job opportunities is the entrepreneurship. These include new startups such as event management that require professionals with knowledge and understanding of the travel and tourism industry.
• 8. Freelance Writer or Travel Blogger: These are the self-employed domain where you can blog about your travel experiences, or write content related to these for an organization.
• 9. Banks: Banks require professional to assist customers in travel insurance, foreign exchange, and other financial functions.

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• There is no lack of travel and tourism job opportunities in India and the world. However, it is one’s dedication, hard work and passion that determines how successful he is in the field.This is one of the sectors where you can climb up the ladder in a flash.

• Salary in Travel and Tourism Industry -

• The amount someone gets paid in this industry depends on the role and the field they work in. It also depends on the level of the course you have completed. Even though the travel and tourism career salary in India usually starts between 8000-10000 per month for people at the lower spectrum and can increase significantly with respect to the experience, position, and education. The travel and tourism salary in India per month for someone at a good position like a destination manager can go higher.

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  What is more attractive than the salary is the perks attached to it. Most positions will give you access to free travel, discounted rates for family members, commissions, bonuses, and much more. When coupled along with the pay, the jobs in this industry is quite attractive monetary wise too. These again vary depending on the different sectors such as aviation, hotels, etc.
  It's not just in India, you can find a job in other countries too. There are countries that pay great salaries for the field. Depending on the country’s investment in tourism, and the economy, you can expect to be paid well. On average, tour managers earn more than 5000 dollars per month.
  Even though the money and the perks attached with it are quite tempting, something that’s a more important factor is that a career in travel and tourism is an enjoyable and fulfilling job. The first and main step in pursuing a career in this domain is to enrol in a course related to your preference.