Career options in Travel & Tourism
“Travel and Tourism” is travel for leisure, recreational and business purpose. Tourists can be defined as people who travel to and stay in places outside their usual surroundings for more than twenty-four hours and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes by the World Tourism Organization.
OK so this is theory. And let us face today’s reality. COVID has put this industry in question marks. Not that it has spared any other industry but then tourism is badly affected. Though people have started travelling but that is mostly necessity. However as mentioned in my previous blog, humanity stands for LIFE, people will slowly embrace this new normal world and start touring again. So an industry which was booming and perhaps one of the most interesting one as a job option will again resume its place in the corporate world. Tourism industry has always helped growth in other sectors as diverse as horticulture, handicraft, agriculture, construction and even poultry. Both directly and indirectly, increased tourism in India has created jobs in a variety of related sectors. Almost 20 million people are now working in the India’s travel & tourism industry.
So let us look at the courses you can pursue to join this industry:
Bachelor of Tourism and Travel Management [BTTM]:
Higher Secondary Certificate or 10+2 from any stream from a recognized board with 50% marks.
Course fee: INR 30,000 - 1.5 lacs (around)
Admission Process: Based on merit
Duration: 3 years
Master of Travel & Tourism Management [MTTM]:
Completion of B.T.S. / B.H.M. / B.A. in Tourism degree or Bachelor’s Degree in any field with 50% marks.
Entrance exams: CAT, MAT, XAT, GMAT, CMAT
Course fee annually: INR 3,000 to 12,000 (around)
Duration: 2 years
Post Graduate Diploma:
Graduation in any stream from a recognized university with 50% marks.
Admission Process: Based on merit
Course Duration: Ranges from 1-2 years
Fee Structure: INR 50,000- INR 1,00,000 (around)
Next let us understand the job roles in this industry. In fact this industry has several options for you to choose your role depending on your personality type and intelligence. Now in case you are looking to apply for some look at MyCoolGuru.com MyCourses section and complete the free courses on aptitude questions.
Travel Agent:
Plan and sell transportations, accommodations, insurance, and other services
Arrange and reserve a spot for planned travel, including airlines, transport, and hotels.
Catch up with customers about business travel plans and make modifications as required.
Corporate Travel Manager:
Plan, develop, implement and manage corporate travel policies.
Administer and handle all the activities and operations of travel arrangements for example air tickets, lodgings and so on.
Advice the customers on travel records, documentation, import/trade regulations, insurance and so forth.
Manage travel budget with the project manager.
Travel Consultant:
Assess, explore various options of travel destinations.
Examine the travel cost, currencies, climatic conditions, customs and so forth.
Research on clients specification and propose reasonable travel options that best suit their needs
Plan, probe and arrange travel packages and organize travel plans.
Book tickets, reserve conveyance and arrange rental transportation.
Flight Attendant:
Provide pre-flight briefings on details of the flight.
Make sure that sufficient supplies of refreshments and emergency equipment are ready.
Take care of hospitality
Responsible for the passenger’s safety and comfort and provide extraordinary customer satisfaction.
Check tickets, IDs, and passport of the passenger at the time of boarding.
Airline Pilot:
Ensure that the flight schedule and plan are made properly according to the right altitudes, the number of passengers, and correct flight operations.
Determine any potential risks during the flight and discuss them with the authorities.
Ensure safe flight by pre-checking any faults, weight limits, radars and navigation systems.
Monitor flight engines, fuel consumption, weather conditions, and other aircraft systems during flight.
Salary:
· Average Starting Salary: Rs. 35,000 – Rs. 60,000 (around per month)
· Expected fee annually: Rs. 2,50,000 – Rs. 10,00,000
Key recruiters in India:
Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation
Thomas Cook (India) Ltd
Thomas Cook (India) Ltd
East India Travel Co
MakeMyTrip
Cox & Kings Ltd
RedBus
SOTC Travel Ltd
EaseMyTrip
Yatra
Air Asia
India Healthcare Tourism
Adventure Nation
Ibibo Group
Goa Tourism
Kerala Tourism
International Travel House
Jet Airways
So these are some job roles and salary which have been there for quite sometime now. Traditionally speaking these are some of the things you can do in travel and tourism. However thanks to internet and social media, we have some amazing opportunities today. In case you are an avid traveler you can become an avid blogger. And if your content is authentic and helps people who look for information, your blog site traffic will increase leading to a good earning opportunity through affiliate marketing and advertising.
You can get invited by several international tourism departments to promote them as an influencer. So free travel and free tours are additional perks along with your consultancy fee.
You can earn money by video blogging through your YouTube channel.
If you know your city well, you can organise small walk tours to shoe people places and structure of historical and cultural importance.
You can learn international languages like Spanish or French etc. and entertain international guests.
Even if you have a vehicle you can give it on rent to tourists.
And I can go on an on. You just have to explore a little more into this industry and you can find the riches hidden.
Conclusion:
“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” _ Bill Bryson
Booming IT industry and outsourcing industry has led to growing number of business trips made by foreigners to India, who often add a weekend break or longer holiday to their trip. Foreign tourist spends more in India than almost any other country worldwide. So opportunities are manifold and this slump I believe is just a temporary phase. The travel and tourism industry is here to stay with few maneuvers around this new normal life.
