Working in the Travel & Tourism industry can bring a whole host of exciting opportunities. You could find yourself travelling abroad on a daily basis, working internationally or meeting people from all over the world when they visit your home country.
“According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the industry already is responsible for more than 10 percent of global employment,” and “around two million people work in tourism in Britain, making it one of this country’s most important industries.”
Below are just some of the exciting roles your Travel & Tourism qualification could bring you:
Air Cabin Crew – if you want to travel the world, are good with languages and take pride in your customer service then this could be the ideal role for you. Air Cabin Crew are not only responsible for the comfort of their passengers but also their safety. The role involves dealing with security and emergency situations, administering first aid, doing security checks and reassuring passengers throughout their flight, as well as greeting passengers, serving food and drink, selling duty free items and generally making sure that customers’ needs are met.
Airline Pilot – this role takes a lot of hard work, commitment and responsibility, as airline pilots have ultimate responsibility for the passengers and crew aboard the aircraft. The role involves making sure systems are working properly, creating a flight plan including the route, altitude and amount of fuel required, making regular checks on the aircraft’s performance, communicating with passengers and crew, monitoring weather conditions and reacting to environmental changes and emergencies. And of course, taking-off and landing. The rigorous training requires a lot of dedication, as standards are tough, and you will have to undergo further training and a medical examination every 6 months in order to maintain your licence. Being an Airline Pilot can involve irregular working hours and long haul pilots in particular have to spend a lot of time away from home. However it’s may be worth it for such a rewarding career and the thrill of seeing the world from the cockpit.
Events Manager – a Travel and Tourism qualification gives you the skills you need to embark on an exciting profession which could see you planning and running events as varied as conferences, exhibitions, music festivals, parties, weddings, promotional events, product launches, cultural events and more. Your responsibilities could include liaising with clients, suppliers and contractors, producing proposals, researching venues, negotiating prices, managing staff, customer service, budgeting and dealing with last minute surprises. It’s a fast-paced, diverse role that’s all about getting the details right to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Cruise Ship Steward or Stewardess – if you want to travel the world and hospitality is your passion, then why not explore opportunities as a Cruise Ship Steward or Stewardess? It’s a key part of the housekeeping team and all about customer service. Your mission is to make the stay of your customers enjoyable by servicing the rooms, showing guests to their cabins, and depending on the role, serving in the restaurant or bar, helping out with entertainment or even being a croupier in the casino.
Hotel Manager – managing a hotel is a hugely varied role that requires excellent customer service skills, professionalism, organisation and the ability to stay calm under pressure. Responsibilities include managing the staff and directing all services of the hotel, such as reception, concierge and reservations, food and drink, housekeeping, budgeting and finance and in some cases marketing and sales. You are the face of the hotel, often required to troubleshoot unexpected problems and deal with customer complaints. Despite the stresses and often unsociable hours, your job satisfaction will come from making your customers happy, getting to take on a lot of responsibility, decision-making, and having creative input into the running of the hotel. There’s also the chance to travel – once you’ve progressed in your role, you can work anywhere in the world.
Tour Guide – as a Tour Guide your role is to introduce people to new places and helping them experience it in the best way possible. Your role could be freelance or you could work for a tour operator or holiday company, and you could specialise in historical tours, nature tours or leisure excursions. Tour Guides are the ambassadors to some of the best attractions either nationally or around the world, with responsibilities including planning and organising tours, offering commentary, sharing knowledge and valuable information to tourists, as well as being responsible for their safety and comfort. As a Tour Guide it is vital that you are a people person, a good communicator and good at holding an audience’s attention whilst you share your passion for your subject matter.