How to Get Started With Travel & Tourism Careers

Travel and tourism professionals share travel knowledge, experience and passion with other travelers. Careers in travel and tourism--from becoming a volcanic tour guide to staring a travel agent business online--are all rooted in the same foundation: the desire to travel and learn by traveling.

While travel agents, hotel managers, and online travel writers do not get to experience travel first-hand on a daily basis, travel discounts and the time to study faraway destinations and culture can fire travel plans in the future. Tour guides and hoteliers look forward to one-on-one interaction with travelers and sharing--and listening to--travel stories and concerns.

Instructions

1

Train to become a travel agent. Enroll at a vocational school that offers full-time travel agent programs and courses relevant to your travel interest area. Search adult education programs, community college course, as well as online programs in the travel agent and tourism field.

2




Travel agents learn about a travelers' ideal agenda plan a trip to meet their desires.

Ensure the university course or online program prepares you for up-to-date ticketing and reservation procedures. Phoenix University's hospitality, travel, and tourism program, for example, teaches students about geography, sales, marketing, and travel industry trends.

3




Study and travel to better understand your clients' needs.

Enroll in a trade school or vocational course. If you want to join the food and beverage service on a cruise ship or hotel restaurant, join a program in food preparation, catering, or hotel and restaurant management. Contact the hotel company you want to work for to see if they provide training opportunities. Restaurant and lodging associations and trade unions also offer training opportunities.

4




Study languages and travel to better understand various culture.

Study a language. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, aspiring tourism and hospitality applicants with backgrounds in geography, foreign languages, and/or world history prove useful because they can suggest destinations to tourists with specific interests.

5




Customer service skills are crucial.

Travel. Travel agents and tourism professionals in hotel and tour companies develop an improved dialogue with clients when they have traveled to the destination country and can give personal insight and experience about the place, language, and culture.

6




Study species in the rainforest and learn about trails and tours.

Earn a degree in a graduate school or continuing education program. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, continuing education for travel agents and tourism specialists is critical because of how simple the Internet makes it for travelers to search online for quality information. Consumers expect travel agents to be experts in their field. Aspiring Amazon rainforest tour guides, for example, should study the native plants and animals of the Amazon, learn about types of tours, and study trends to see where rainforest vacationers like to travel often.

7




See if you like working personally with customers in a retail, resaurant or telemarketing job

Hone your guest service skills. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, hotel managers place a greater emphasis on customer service skills than specialized training such as computer technology. If you do not have much experience in hospitality or guest services, apply for a sales associate position in a retail store. Retail positions give employees one-on-one interaction with consumers: the experience may break or strengthen your desire to work with people.