If you dream to travel, and planning holidays to unique and exotic destinations comes naturally to you, a career in the tourism sector will be your best bet
The travel and tourism industry is expected to have a high growth trajectory in the coming years. If you love to travel, planning holidays or keep a tab on exotic destinations, this is a job for you. Working in the travel and tourism industry can be challenging but at the same time exciting and interesting. You may get to travel across the globe, and the best part is, you will even get paid for it. In India, the travel industry will hopefully create 46 million jobs by 2025.
The industry offers a plethora of opportunities for the aspirants. Most of the job roles will be in sales, operations, products and contracting, ticketing, tour management and support functions.
DREAM TO EXPLORE
Depending on one’s interest, individuals can look at careers in inbound or outbound tourism. Irrespective of the choices, aspirants need to have a lot of confidence and energy along with strong interpersonal skills besides a strong passion to make dreams come true for the travellers.
Someone who is looking to be a part of the tourism industry must have a hunger to learn new things every day, along with the knack for staying updated with the latest news, socio-economic trends and a strong knowledge of geography.
To go on a great vacation is a dream most people have and the responsibility of every travel and tourism expert is to make this dream a reality in the best way possible for them.
TOURISM COURSES
Individuals aspiring for a career in travel and tourism can opt for educational courses by way of a diploma, certificate, undergraduate or postgraduate programmes as a qualification to be a part of this industry.
The minimum eligibility criteria for taking admission to a tourism course at the undergraduate level is 10+2. All postgraduate programmes require graduation from a recognised institute in any stream. Several institutes enrol students based on the performance in entrance test and/group discussions (GD) and personal interviews (PI). Distance learning programmes in Tourism and Travel Management are also offered by many institutes along with degree courses, certificate courses, PG diploma etc.
It is also important to keep updated with the latest in this sector, for which one must regularly participate in workshops and webinars organised by prominent industry players.
KNOWLEDGE OF TOURIST SPOTS
This is an industry where one can excel by being imaginative. For instance, knowledge of a less popular spot holding historic or religious relevance can be an interesting destination. Similarly, there are several unusual places in a city that can be of interest to a traveller. All one needs is an eye to spot it and help a traveller reach there. Besides, one must have an ability to multi-task as planning a trip to a place within or outside India requires a lot of paperwork, coordination with various offices, ticket booking and planning.
The sector comprises of many sub-sectors, including areas such as travel agencies, visa services, currency exchange, tour operators and tourist boards. It also covers passenger transport, which means making arrangement for a coach, aviation, rail and waterways and spotting visitor attractions such as museums, theme parks, zoos and heritage sites. With an increase in online tour operators, several opportunities are coming up in the e-business area. There are many online players working in the hotel and hospitality industry.
In short, there is no dearth of opportunities in this sector, what is needed is a supply of well-qualified resources. It is important that the aspirants keep themselves updated on the bustling online platforms to remain relevant and increase the business.
SKILLS NEEDED
Those who want to be a part of this industry must have the following skills:
Ability to analyse, synthesise and interpret information besides interpersonal communication (oral and written)
Ability to interact and understand diverse cultures/groups, ability to do detailed research
Planning and management
Critical thinking and above all, the ability to work well under pressure It is no secret that the industry thrives on exploring authentic opportunities to make memorable travelling. Being transformative has become a buzzword in the industry, but, it is about more than just about taking a less traditional, off-the-beaten path experience.
In their search for these serendipitous experiences, more and more travellers, especially millennials, also care deeply about purpose-driven travel.
Today, travel is not about just going from one destination to another. It is a collective set of experiences that a customer is looking for. It can be purchasing their favourite souvenir from a local artist, eating local cuisine at a Michelin star restaurant, visiting a historic monument or even staying in one of the local villages at a destination to learn the culture of that place. One thing is sure — you will find a career in this industry an extremely rewarding experience.
(The author is president and group head, Human Resources, Thomas Cook India)
Skills needed to succeed in the travel industry
• Good interpersonal skills to handle customer service, ensuring customer satisfaction
• Sensitivity to customer expectations is key to create unique customer experiences
• Desire to learn new things and keep oneself up to date with the latest global developments/trends
• Knowledge of global culture and destinations
• Depending on the line of business you choose to join, knowledge of computer reservation systems such as CRS-Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre and Abacus; foreign currencies, airfares, ticketing, reservation and booking are very important
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