Careers in Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Management

Career Opportunities

The Tourism Industry is diverse and includes many sectors including: accommodation, transportation, food and beverage, attractions, events and conferences, adventure tourism, travel trade, and tourism services.

The Tourism and Hospitality concentration integrates general management concepts with the professional knowledge that is required by the tourism and hospitality industry.

Graduates acquire knowledge and skills in communication, research, analysis, problem solving, and organization. These abilities will prepare them for professional management careers in the expanding tourism industry in both private sector businesses and public sector organizations.

So what exactly can you do upon graduation?

Adventure Travel Guide

The Job

* Organize and lead trips to exotic locations around the globe.

* Make all travel arrangements, incl. reserving lodging and dining, scheduling activities and arranging for visas.

* Responsible for educating the group on cultural customs, coaching individuals on the basics of various adventurous activities and overseeing all participants' well-being and safety.

* Adventure travel may include activities such as mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, skiing, horseback riding, diving, sailing, cave exploration and white-water rafting.

Education

As a relatively new career, there is no accepted standard for training. Universities and travel companies are just beginning to offer programs. While there is no specific certification required for adventure travel guides, some of the activities involved require certification that can be obtained through intensive programs.

Related Careers: Camp Counselor, Naturalist, Park Ranger, Tour Guide.

Events Planner

The Job

* Design, organize and coordinate conferences, conventions, meetings, seminars, exhibitions, trade shows, festivals and other events.

* Responsible for participants' accommodations and transportation, facilities, catering, signage, displays, translation, audio-visual equipment, printing and security.

* Establish and monitor budgets to support these ventures.

Education

Event planners typically possess bachelor's degrees in business administration, marketing, tourism or hospitality administration.

Related Careers: Administrative Assistant, Executive Assistant, Marketing Professional, Public Relations Manager, Sales Representative

Flight Attendant

The Job

* Provide personal services to ensure airline passengers' safety and comfort during flight.

* Greet passengers, verify tickets, explain the use of safety equipment, and serve food or beverages.

* Keep passengers safe and evacuate them in an emergency. They may also give first aid to passengers who become ill.

Education

Airlines require a high school education for flight attendants. One or two years of college or experience working with the public are helpful for getting a job. Attendants on international flights must be fluent in a foreign language. Most large airlines give new flight attendants four to six weeks of intensive training, including practice flights. Trainees learn emergency procedures, flight regulations and duties, and company operations and policies.

Related Careers: Travel Agent, Tour Guide, Waiter.

Market Research Analyst

The Job

* Concerned with a product or service's potential sales. They study past statistics to predict future sales, gather data on competitors, and provide the necessary information for deciding how to promote, distribute, design and price products or services.

* Devise methods and procedures, including telephone, personal or mail surveys, to assess consumer preferences.

* Conduct opinion research to determine public attitudes on various issues.

Education

A bachelor's degree with a major in economics or marketing may not be enough to obtain some marketing analyst positions, but it is excellent preparation for entry-level jobs as research assistants, administrative or management trainees, marketing interviewers or professional salespeople.

Candidates holding master's degrees in economics have much better employment prospects than those without. Because of how important quantitative skills are to economists and marketing researchers, courses in mathematics, statistics, econometrics, sampling theory, survey design and computer science are extremely helpful.

Related Careers: Economist, Mathematician, Statistician.

Cruise Reservations Agent

The Job

* Informs prospective customers about the types of cruise vacations and accommodation options available and guides them to the cruise most likely to meet their desires.

* Provide information on customs regulations, passports and visas, certificates of vaccination and money exchange rates as required.

* Use computers to get information and to keep up with changes in package offers, pricing and schedules.

Education

Cruise representatives need, at a minimum, a high school diploma or equivalent. Technology has had a profound effect on all travel-oriented activities, and there is some specialized training available from vocational schools, adult education programs, community colleges and even four-year schools. Courses in accounting and business management are important, especially for those who want to start or manage agencies.

Specialized travel courses and certifications are available from a number of professional associations that serve the travel industry.