Travel & Tourism
Travel And tourism is an amalgam of industries it connects all industries in various stages. The tourism industry is completing its body with all sectors in economic areas such as medical, traditional medical, education etc.
According to books and reference ‘‘tourism is the activity between travel and stay and the duration must be at least 24 hours and not exceeding one year”
The travel and tourism industry in India is currently experiencing unprecedented growth. This is one of the largest and most profitable industries in India and contributes significantly to the foreign exchange earned. As per various studies, the industry is expected to create over 45 million jobs in India by 2025.
There are a lot of opportunities in this fast growing industry of travel and tourism. Candidates looking to pursue their career in the industry can choose to work for travel agencies, government tourism departments, tour operations, immigration and customs services, airlines, hotels, and the list continues.
Courses
There are many types of courses coming under travel and tourism. Some of the courses are mentioned below.
Undergraduate Courses: Course duration is three years.
- BA in Travel and Tourism Management
- BA in Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Management
- B.Sc. in Travel and Tourism Management
- BA(Voc) Tourism Management
- B.Sc. in Hospitality and Travel Management
- BBA in Travel and Tourism Management
- BBA in Hospitality and Travel Management
- BBA in Air Travel Management
- Bachelor of Tourism & Travel Management
- Bachelor of Tourism Studies
- Bachelor of Tourism Administration
- B.Com. Travel and Tourism Management
Post Graduate Courses: Course duration is two years.
- Master of Travel & Tourism Management
- MBA (Tourism Administration)
- MBA Tourism and Travel
- MBA International Business (Tourism)
- Executive MBA in Tourism, Hospitality and Aviation Programme
Diploma Courses: Course duration is 6 months to 2 years according to the course.
- Diploma in Travel and Tourism Management
- Diploma in Hospitality and Travel Management
- Diploma in Tourism Studies
- Diploma in Aviation Hospitality and Travel Management
- Diploma in Tourist Guide
- Diploma in Tourism and Ticketing
Certificate Courses: Course duration is 6 months to 1 year according to the course.
- Certificate in Travel and Tourism Management
- Certificate in Travel Management
- Certificate in Tour Guide
- Certificate in Tourism Management
Other courses:
- PG Diploma in Travel and Tourism: Course duration is one year
- Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Tourism
- PhD in Travel and Tourism
Required Skills and Aptitude
The skills and aptitudes required for a career in the Travel and Tourism field include the following.
- Confidence
- Leadership skill
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Diligence
- Fully Dedication
- Good administration and management skills
- Hardworking
- Good research and planning skills
- Organisation skills
- Strong networking skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Pleasant and well-groomed personality
- Problem-solving skills
- Punctuality & Time management skills
- Adaptability
- Enthusiasm
Eligibility Criteria
Basic requirements for admission such as aggregate marks, eligibility etc will vary according to institutes/ universities. The eligibility required for different levels of courses are as mentioned below.
Undergraduate Courses: Candidates should clear Class XII in any stream from a recognised board with a minimum aggregate percentage (usually 50% – 60%).
Post Graduate Courses: Candidates should clear graduation from a recognised institute/ university with a minimum percentage (usually 45% – 60%). Preference for admission is usually given to candidates who have proficiency in any of the foreign languages.
Diploma Courses: Candidates should clear Class XII from a recognised board with minimum 50% – 60% aggregate marks.
MPhil: Candidates should clear post graduation in relevant fields from a recognised institute/ university.
PhD: Candidates should clear post graduation in relevant fields from a recognised institute/ university.
PG Diploma Courses: Candidates should clear graduation from a recognised university with minimum 50% – 60% aggregate marks.
Certificate Courses: Candidates should clear Class XII from a recognised board with at least 45% – 50% marks.
Entrance Examination
Admission to most of the Travel & Tourism courses are generally merit-based. However, certain courses required entrance tests at national or institutional level.
IGNTU IITTM Admission Test (IIAT): Entrance exam for admissions to Indian Institute of Travel and Tourism Management
MBA related to Travel & Tourism course admission is based on the scores of different Management Aptitude Tests like CAT, CMAT, IBSAT, IIAT, IIFT, SNAP, TISSNET, XAT etc or individual entrance exams from the institute. The syllabus for all these exams are quite similar which include reasoning (both analytical and logical), English language based aptitude section(essay. error based questions etc), numerical ability or quantitative section (algorithms and mathematics questions) and general awareness .
It is advisable to study Travel & Tourism courses abroad because you will experience first-hand all aspects of the tourism industry in your destination of choice. Also there will be vast opportunities in giant companies, attractive salaries, good placements etc who studied abroad.
Job Profiles
Followings are some of the popular job profiles in travel and tourism. Also other small areas are there in the tourism industry to work. This industry’s revenue mainly comes from commission so there are many possibilities to make income from this career.
- Holiday/ Travel Agent: A travel agent evaluates the requirements of tourists
- Travel Executive: A travel executive is responsible for managing different aspects of a travel
- Tourism Manager: A tourism manager promotes tourism
- Travel Officer/ Coordinator: A travel coordinator finds best prices on hotels, flights and rental cars etc..
- Airlines/ Ground Staff: The ground staff plays a crucial role in areas such as commercial activities, running of airports, airline operations
- Tourist Guide: A tourist guide helps tourists visiting different tourist places and provides them information
- Transport Officer: A transport officer is typically appointed by a state government or local transport body
- Travel Counselor/ Consultant: A travel counselor has the responsibility of providing complete guidance on travel
- Tour Operator: A tour operator is a professional who organises tours and manages the travel and stay of tourists.
- Travel Writer: A travel writer is responsible for writing an array of stories related to travel
Top Recruiters
Travel & Tourism is an attractive field for the career and lots of job opportunities under both government and private agencies. Candidates can explore their career in forgin countries. These are some well known firms and all travel agencies, airports, airlines, hotels, resorts, ships & cruise, event managements, transportation companies are main recruiters in the travel and tourism industries. Followings are some of the firms which are offering jobs in the Travel & Tourism field.
- American Express Global Business Travels
- Balmer Lawrie Travel & Vacations
- Cox & Kings Ltd
- Flying Fox
- India Healthcare Tourism (IHCT)
- MakeMyTrip (and GoIbibo)
- Multiple Airlines
- SOTC India
- Thomas Cook (India) Ltd
- Yatra, ClearTrip
Institutions
There are many institutes providing travel and tourism courses all over the world. Following are some famous institutions in India:
- AITT: Amity Institute of Travel & Tourism, Noida
- Delhi University
- IIHM: Indian Institute of Hospitality and Management, Pune
- IITTM, Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and is one of the premier institutes in the country offering education, training, research and consultancy in sustainable management of tourism, travel and other allied sectors. The Campuses are at Noida, Gwalior, Bhubaneswar & Nellore, Goa, Ghaya and Shillong.
- Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi
- KITTS: Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies, Trivandrum
- LPU: lovely Professional University, Punjab
- Panaché Academy, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Questions & Answers
Q) What are the duties for a tour guide?
A) Tour Guides are responsible for helping people to visit unfamiliar areas. They usually make special trips with groups of tourists in order to show them important tourist places. Tour Guides usually perform many of the following tasks: The duties of a tourist guide includes greeting tourists groups, escorting groups of people, providing safety guidelines and direction to tourists, describing places to people,
Q) What are the duties for a travel counselor?
A) A travel counselor is a certified agent that assists clients in planning trips and travel. These professionals advise clients on interesting vacation destinations and attractions. They also handle airline, hotel and rental car bookings and explain local customs and conditions to their clients.