Travel - Career Options

Job Prospects & Career Options
Being a very wide field, the scope of employment in tourism sector is very bright and the potential is still largely untapped. Career opportunities exist both in the public and private sector. In the public sector, there are opportunities in the Directorates and Departments of Tourism of the center and the state as Officers, information assistants, Tourist guides etc. Another good prospectus for qualified tourism professionals are in the private sector with travel agencies, tour operators, airlines, hotels, transport and cargo companies etc. The opening up of the skies to private airlines and their emerging tie-ups with foreign airlines has removed bottlenecks in the transport and communication network resulting in easy flow of domestic and foreign tourists in the country. Since this is a new area of employment, not many qualified and experienced people are available and the promotion prospectus are also very bright and rapid. After a few years of experience, One can also start their own business by handling all travel requirements of a client and gradually building up business, taking on additional employees.
Career Options
Tourism Department :
In the Tourism Department there are jobs as Reservation & counter staff, Sales and marketing staff, Tour Planners and Tour guides. Officers in the Directorate and Departments of Tourism are recruited from among the candidates who have done civil service, drawn from the Civil/administrative services of the State and Central governments. They are involved in the planning and promotion of tourism activities. A degree in travel and tourism is required for operational jobs in government organisations. Information assistants at the office of the Tourism departments are selected through competitive examinations held by the Staff Selection Commission. The eligibility is graduation with knowledge of Indian history, art and architecture, besides proficiency in English. These vacancies are advertised through the employment news. Information Assistants give out information regarding tourist spots and services available and help to plan the itinerary of the tourists. The Ministry of Tourism recognises three types of guides, regional, state and local. A regional guide gets a two year renewable license from the Ministry of Tourism endorsed for life by the Archeological Survey of India. Guides give detailed information on the various monuments and artifacts and about the countries traditions and heritage.
Airlines:
Working in an airline, whether on the ground staff or in flight is an exciting option for many people these days. In the airlines, one can work as Traffic Assistance, Reservation and Counter Staff, Airhostess and flight pursers, Sales and Marketing staff and customer services. A course in travel and tourism or a qualification on Hotel management helps to get in. The jobs in airlines though challenging are glamorous and afford the possibility of traveling to exciting destinations. Free tickets for the family offered by some airlines are an added advantage. Domestic and international Airlines such as Air India, Indian airlines, Jet airways, Air Sahara, Aeroflot, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Singapore Airlines etc offer employment opportunities with attractive salaries and numerous benefits.
Tour Operators:
Tour operators organise conducted tours to the various tourist spots and manage the travel and stay of the tourists. There are many companies operating tours for the domestic as well as the international tourist. Some may be for the usual destinations like hill stations but others are for unusual activities like river rafting, hang gliding, rock climbing and camping. Tour operators need people for selling the concept and then to accompany the groups to the destinations. For foreign groups, the agencies prefer girls, who are friendly and helpful. For domestic groups, males are preferred. Again, the qualities required are a pleasing and outgoing personality, knowledge of the activities and often participating in them with the tourists. A person hoping to work with a tour operator must be able to travel with the groups and know people at the destinations to make the tours pleasant for the client. Though one may do a course of tourist guide for this purpose, people with a knowledge of the activities can easily join as tour operators. The jobs could be seasonal in some cases.
Travel Agencies :
Travel agents assess the needs of tourists and businessmen and help them make the best possible travel arrangements from the many travel options available. Many resorts, travel groups use travel agents to promote their tour packages to travelers. They deal with almost everything connected with travel including the shortest route to the destination, travel mode, the important documents that will be required (visa, passport, vaccination certificates etc.), suitable places to stay, current exchange rates, tourist attractions to visit, climate and they will plan the trip keeping in mind the clients' preferences, budgets and special needs. In travel agencies there are openings for reservation and counter staff, Sales and Marketing staff, Tour escorts and tour operators, cargo and courier agencies etc. A short tem course or a diploma in travel and ticketing of 3-6 months duration will help gain entry into an agency. Several large travel agencies also offer short-term training programmes, and tend to absorb most of the candidates. Some agencies take in fresh graduates and train them on the job. Most travel agencies demands persons have a pleasing personality and the ability to deal with customers. A knowledge of destinations and procedures help a great deal.Hotels :
The hotel Industry is basically a service industry providing food and accommodation to the Visitors. It is one which requires a large amount of manpower, with a wide variety of skills. In India alone, about 1, 80,000 vacancies are expected to be filled within the next decade. An hotel offers career opportunities in its various departments such as Operations, Front office, House keeping, Food and Beverages, Accounting, Engineering/ Maintenance, Sales, Public relations and Security etc. One can enter this field through direct entry in some departments or through hotel management institutes. There are many institutes that offer hotel management courses. Many hotels also offer overseas training opportunities, which allow young people to gain promotions rapidly.
Transport :
Besides airlines, Travel facilities include rail services, coach operators, car hire companies. etc. Whatever that takes Tourists from one place to another - by air, road, railway, sea etc. comes under Travel and tourism. Tourist use almost all these travel facilities.


Jobs in the travel and tourism industry offer good remuneration and perquisites, which include free travel for employees and their families. Salaries may vary within the industry and are higher in foreign airlines and agencies.
Basic Pay scales at different levels are approximately:Counter Clerk Rs. 1,500-2,000 Assistant Rs. 2,000-2,500Junior Executive Rs. 3,000-3,500 Regional Manager Rs. 3,800 -4,500 General Manager Rs. 5,000-6,000Air Hostess- Rs 6,000 basic salary for domestic to Rs 40,000 in international airlines
Regional guides : Their charges may range from Rs400 and above for an eight hour day. They may earn between 30,000-40,000 Rs or more in the three to four months of the tourist peak season.


Travel and Tourism
Basic / Certificate Course
Airlines Management CourseBasic Course in Air and Sea Cargo Service ManagementBasic course in Airline Travel, Fares & Ticketing ManagementBasic Course in Computer Application & Software StudiesBasic course in Computerised Reservation SystemBasic course on Airlines Travel Agency & Tour Operation ManagementCertificate course in Airlines ticketing & Tour planningCourse in Domestic, International Ticketing & Airlines with ComputerCourses in Airlines, Tourism, Tours & Travel Management with Marketing & TicketingFoundation & Consultant Course in International TourismLanguage Training courseTravel & Tourism Management Courses
Bachelor Course
Bachelor in Tourism AdministrationBachelor of Hotel & Tourism ManagementBachelors Degree in Tourism and Hospitality ManagementGraduate Integrated Course in TourismVocational Programme in Tourism & Travel Management
Diploma Courses
Diploma Course in Multimodal Transport (Containerisation) & Logistics ManagementDiploma Course in Rail Transport & ManagementDiploma course in Transport Economics & ManagementDiploma in Hotel & Tourism ManagementDiploma in Tourism & Destination ManagementDiploma in Tourism & Travel ManagementDiploma in Tourism Management (DTM)Diploma in Travel & Tourism Industry Management
PG Diploma Courses
PG Diploma in AirlinesPG Diploma in Business Administration (Tourism)PG Diploma in Cargo Operation & ManagementPG Diploma in Destination ManagementPG Diploma in Guiding & Destination ManagementPG Diploma in Tourism & Hoteliering ManagementPG Diploma in Tourism and Hotel ManagementPG Diploma in Tourism ManagementPG Diploma in Travel Management (PGDTM)
Master Courses
Master of Tourism Administration (MTA)Master of Tourism ManagementMaster of Travel & Tourism Management


Tips for Success in Interviews
First impression is the best impression. You will be judged by ; the way you dress, your educational qualification, work experience, body language, manners, ability to absorb the information and interpret it intelligently and clearly. So take care to be at your best.
Carry your relevant documents in order - like certificates, copy of application sent, bio-data etc. in a folder so that it can be easily shown when asked. Take a pen also.
Present the documents only if the interviewer ask for it.
Never be late for an interview.
Greet the interviewers as soon as you enter.
Sit down only when you are asked to. It is better not to pull the chair, either lift it or move it and always enter from the right side of the chair.
Say 'please and thank you' whenever required.
Listen carefully and pay attention to the question. If the question is not clear to you ask politely for a repeat.
Reply confidently and immediately to the point, keeping your answers short unless asked for a longer description.
While answering, look directly at the person asking the questions and try to be pleasant.
Replies connected to any details regarding your bio-data should be authentic.
It is better to admit if you don't know something.
Remember to say 'sorry' if your opinions or answers are rejected.
Avoid indulging in certain mannerisms in your speech or behavior.
You can ask when you can expect to hear from them before you leave.
Don't forget to say "Thank you" at the end of an interview to every interviewer before leaving.
Shake hands only if the interviewer initiates the gesture.
Walk out confidently without looking back.
Gently shut the door behind you as you leave.


Going places
TRAVEL AND TOURISM, as an industry, has been slow to take off in India, as compared to the tiger economies of Southeast Asia, it has only been in the last two decades or so that this sector has witnessed massive expansion and improvement. Though its growth rate is still lower than many smaller countries in the region, the industry is emerging as one of the largest foreign exchange earners, providing direct employment to more than 80 lakh people.
Travel and tourism industry operates both in the public and the private sector. The trend, in the last few years, has been gradually shifting towards the private, corporate sector with the government role getting confined to monitoring and facilitation of tourism-related activities. The promotion of tourism in the country is now the focus of the public sector. The public sector organisations connected with tourism not only run a network of hotels, information centres and other facilities, but are also involved in development projects aimed at improving the infrastructure and expanding the industry. But now, most of the ITDC-run hotels are gradually being sold to private parties.
The Department of Tourism is responsible for formulating and initiating plans for improvement of the industry. The India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), an autonomous body, looks after the publication and distribution of promotional literature on India, information brochures for tourists, organising cultural programmes, and running a network of hotels and restaurants and duty-free shops among other things. The State Tourism Development Corporations facilitate travel and promote tourism at the state level. Their functions are similar to the ITDC, albeit confined to the state.
In the private sector, tourism activity is divided into two different sections.
Travel agents: These people are solely into marketing the concept of travel. They plan and `sell' trips to individuals and groups. They book tickets - for air, rail, sea or road travel, arrange hotel reservations or guest houses, hire taxis etc. Besides domestic, all travel agents undertake international bookings and special business tours or conferences.
Tour operators are mostly into travel management. They organise and put together package trips and holidays. These could be for incoming tourists from abroad or outbound tours or even domestic travellers. They can offer special packages, which could include such diverse attractions as deep-sea diving, snorkelling, Himalayan trekking or even camel safaris in the Thar Desert.
Nature of Work: Working in this field means dealing with people directly on a daily basis. Helping people plan their itinerary, providing ticketing services to company executives, co-ordinating with the airlines, railways or transport company staff, arranging passports and visas, booking hotels - all these require not only a great deal of mobility but also regular contact with representatives of the various services. One must be up-to-date on rules and regulations governing foreign travel, documents required, hindrances if any; so as to correctly advise the clients. All the staff, be it in marketing, counter sales or guide services must be knowledgeable about the places their clients intend to visit - the best way to reach your destination, places to visit, facilities available etc.
Major areas of work in a travel agency include counter work, marketing and management. Counter work involves helping clients with their itineraries, chalking out travel routes, procuring tickets, arranging for passports and visas, making hotel reservations, organising cargo transport and the like. Counter clerks must be able to have easy access to timetable information and be extremely accurate with the information provided to clients. A small slip on their part could result in embarrassing or even disastrous consequences.
Marketing in this area includes advertising and an aggressive promotion of the agency to potential customers. Procuring steady business for the company is their major job. The management staff deals with the administration of the agency. The managers co- ordinate and streamline the work of the clerks and select brochures of the various tours and packages available with them, among other things.
Functions of tour operators:
Planning: The planning of the tours is done by the tour directors or once-in-a-while by experienced counter clerks. Planning involves chalking out the tour programme, working out the cost, confirmation of accommodation and other facilities like food and entertainment, and consulting tourist officials.
Sales and reservations: The staff has to ensure that travel brochures are on display at agencies. They also take bookings from travel agents or individuals.
Representatives/guides: These are freelancers mostly whose job involves accompanying tourists to their destination and looking after their needs while travelling. A smattering knowledge of different languages can be useful as well as a general awareness and history of the place visited. This job can be easily done by students or even office workers and others who are interested in travelling. Tour operators or local tourism departments often employ professional guides who have a thorough knowledge of the history and cultural significance of a place. Many tour operators, nowadays specialise in areas such as adventure tourism, beach tourism, mountain holidays etc.
Entry - A basic diploma in travel and tourism management can be advantageous to a person seeking to work in this field. Advertisements appear from time to time for jobs available in travel agencies and tour operating companies or for a position in a government department or corporation. In general, the minimum requirement for entry into this industry are: (i) 10+2 and fluency in the spoken language up to tourist guide level. (ii) for higher positions, a graduate degree in any discipline with a specialisation in history and architecture or geography and archaeology can be a great asset as is the knowledge of one or more foreign languages. If one is applying for a government post, he/she has to clear a written test, a personal interview and a medical examination. On-the-job training is provided to all new entrants.
Training: With the demand for trained people increasing by the day, it is wise to gain some insights into the field through professional training. There are a number of institutions in the country which offer training courses on different aspects of the industry. There are equally good correspondence courses too.
Career prospects: A career in travel and tourism can be exciting and full of fun. Not only is it flexible, but certain jobs in the field can provide excellent travelling opportunities. Job prospects include working in: travel agencies as tour operators, in airlines (domestic and foreign) transport and cargo companies, travel consultancy services and in the government run tourism departments. With enough experience and capital, one can even start one's own travel consultancy.
The tourism industry is thus a high-growth industry which can only expand with time, what with more and more people finding the means and the inclination to discover new places and seek new adventures. At the rate the industry is growing, it is certain to be the industry of the 21st century, providing ample job opportunities to all kinds of people at all levels.


Skills: International Ticketing & Reservation, Fare Filling, Itenaries & Visa Processing. Working with Galileo & knowledge of Amadeus.