So you want to work in tourism?Over two million people work in travel and tourism in the UK. They are employed by a wide range of travel and tourism enterprises. These include tour and coach companies, travel agencies, tourist information centres, holiday parks and centres, ferry companies and tourist attractions. What type of jobs are available? There is a wide range of jobs in this area. The majority are frontline jobs – dealing with customers and other business colleagues for most of the working day. Some people market and promote their area and provide information, like tourist office and information centre staff. Others make bookings for holidays and tours from travel agencies, by direct phone line bookings or over the internet. Holiday representatives and tour managers or leaders look after visitors during their stay away and often arrange activities for them. Other careers in the industry include providing foreign exchange, helping to run tourist attractions and holiday centres, leading tour guides, quality assessing accommodation and travel writing. Will I need a degree? Not necessarily. Entry requirements vary according to different employers and types of job. Qualifications range from NVQs/SVQs to HNDs (higher national diplomas) and degrees. You could also take special certificates or diplomas for particular jobs. Different levels of qualification are available in business travel, leisure and tourism, tour operations, travel and tourism and travel services, for example. Achieving a relevant qualification before applying for jobs in the industry can improve your chances of getting a job and, sometimes, progressing more quickly. Could I get a job straight from school? It is certainly a possibility, especially if you are willing to start at the bottom and work your way up. Some employers like to employ young people direct from school and train them in a way that fits their type of business and style. Whilst there are big companies involved in the industry, such as holiday and tour companies, many facilities and services are run by small businesses or families. There is often encouragement to continue training while on the job or to gain additional qualifications. Some larger businesses have their own ongoing staff training programmes. What personal qualities do I need? It is most important to enjoy working with people. Tourism is a customer-based industry. Most employees work as part of a team, aiming to provide excellent service to people enjoying their travel and leisure time. So, you need good communication skills and a pleasant, polite and friendly personality. Working with a range of customers also means being able to respond quickly to their different needs and requests. To do this well, you need to be energetic, flexible and able to prioritise enquiries and tasks. IT skills are increasingly important, especially for people involved in making bookings for customers’ business and leisure travel. What is the chance of promotion? It is generally good. Most travel and tourism businesses encourage the training and development of staff. They are often keen to promote people from within, who have good knowledge of their work area and demonstrate the skills and determination to progress. Many jobs also provide background knowledge and skills for other types of job within the industry. This is because they are primarily involved in customer service – providing information, organising activities and making bookings for people. |
