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Tourism Perspective
Tourism is well
accepted as an instrument for economic
prosperity, employment generation and community empowerment. It stimulates
growth through sustainable enterprise creation, livelihood generation, foreign
exchange revenues, reducing poverty and inequality, preserving natural and
cultural heritage, and upgrading infrastructure particularly in remote
and backward areas. Tourism is alive with dynamic growth, new destinations, new
markets, new activities, new technology and dynamic changes. Record numbers of
tourists are traveling the globe, attracted by an increased variety of tour
packages, independent itineraries, cruises, adventure experiences.
International tourism continues to exceed expectations, supporting economic
growth in both advanced and emerging economies and bringing much needed support
to job creation, GDP and the balance of payments of many destinations. The
growth of tourism and related employment is seen as part of the broad shift
from a manufacturing to a service economy in many developed and developing
countries around the world. This upward trend looks likely to continue into the
future.
§ Career Opportunities in Tourism
Tourism
is one of the world’s largest industries. It is made up of many components, the
principal ones being attraction, amenities, accessibility, accommodation,
activities and ancillary services. Tourism related work can be found in many
private and public sector areas: tourism operations, destination management,
conservation/environmental management, hospitality and hotel management, transport,
marketing, facility management, regional and national government bodies, and
global business. The businesses that provide these services require
knowledgeable business managers. Tourism skills are critically needed, and
there are many opportunities available in a multitude of fields. Because
tourism is diverse and complex and each sector has many job opportunities and
career paths, it is virtually impossible to list and describe all the jobs one
might consider in this large field. However, as a student interested in
tourism, you could examine the following potential places of employment
include:
1. Tourism Attractions
Every
region and state in India has major and minor tourism attractions that attract
visitors and generate tourism revenue. Attractions include historic sites,
heritage sites, temples, museums, art galleries, botanical gardens, zoos, water
parks, amusement parks and cultural attractions. India has a wealth of cultural and
heritage attractions. All attractions,
large or small, need people to market the attraction, maintain the facility and
manage the operation. The tourism attractions sector offers a wide range of
employment opportunities, ranging from seasonal part time to permanent full
time positions. Attractions such as amusement
parks and theme parks are a major source of tourism employment.
2. Travel Trade
There are two segments in the travel trade
sector. The first is the retail segment of the industry, made up of travel
agencies. The second is the wholesale segment, made up of tour operators. Retail Travel Agencies sell travel
packages as well as individual travel components, such as airline tickets, car
rentals and hotel reservations. Wholesale
Tour Operators Tour operators develop and package tours to sell to the
retail trade. Some tour operators specialize in tours to international
destinations; others focus on groups coming into India. They respond to change in the industry by developing new and unique
products that have a competitive edge in price, value and variety. Travel and Trade employees focus on the development, research,
packaging, promotion, and delivery of a traveler’s experiences. Both retail and wholesale operations employ many
people in a variety of positions.
3. Events Management
Event
management is one of the fastest-growing segments of the tourism industry. There
are a growing number of special events that encourage travellers to go to areas
to which they may not otherwise go. Many of these events are so successful that
they have become national or international attractions. There are also
thousands of smaller events and festivals organized across India each year.
Many communities host an annual event to celebrate their history, culture,
ethnic roots or geography. Likewise,
sports are popular throughout the world, with many sports teams and enterprises
becoming big businesses and offering job opportunities in the sport management
and sport marketing areas. The planning and organizing of any special
event can be complex and demanding. All
facets need to be coordinated so that the event will run efficiently and
profitably. Events and sports allow opportunities for volunteers to gain
exposure and experience. Event
management is emerging as a professional field and is providing a new source of
job opportunities.
4. MICE (Meetings,
Incentives, Conferences and Exhibition) Planner
Business people frequently meet to share ideas, research
and information, to solve problems or to develop new strategies or products.
Organizations send their employees to conferences, sales meetings, networking
conventions and professional development. Many
cities are devoting public funds to build convention centers to compete in this
growing market. Companies
exhibit their products at specialized exhibitions and trade shows. Many organizations and corporations are
hiring people whose job responsibilities are to arrange, plan, and conduct MICE.
5. Global Distributions Systems and Online Companies
There
are currently four large global distributions systems (GDSs) and a number of
smaller ones. GDSs are computer reservation systems which sell tickets for
multiple airlines, book hotels, reserve rental cars, and conduct other
transactions related to travel. The big four are Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo, and
Worldspan. They own some of the largest online travel companies providing
thousands of jobs. Other large online agencies are Expedia, Booking.com,
MakeMyTrip.com, Yatra.com, Via.com, and FlightShop. In addition, there are many
smaller companies providing services ranging from search to purchase.
6. Leisure, Recreation and Entertainment
Jobs
in leisure, recreation and entertainment are enormous. The recreation and entertainment includes many different types of
attractions: amusement parks, cultural centres, art galleries, casinos,
halls of fame, aquariums and water parks, etc. Leisure,
recreation and entertainment sectors are growing fast.
7. Tour Companies
Tour
companies offer employment opportunities in such positions as tour manager, tour
coordinator, tour planner, sales representative, group tour specialist,
incentive tour coordinator, costing specialist, hotel coordinator, office
supervisor, and managerial positions. Often a graduate will begin employment as
a management trainee, working in all the departments of the company before a
permanent assignment is made.
8. Travel Agencies
Travel
agencies range from very small to very large businesses. There exist both
online travel agencies and the traditional agencies. The smaller businesses are
very much like any other small business. Very few people carry out all the
business operations, and jobs include travel counseling, and managerial
activities. In large offices, job opportunities are more varied and include
branch manager, tour planners, domestic travel counsellors, international
travel counsellors, commercial account specialists and advertising managers.
9. Travel Writing
A number of opportunities are available in travel writing for editors,
staff writers, and freelance writers. Major travel firms need public relations
officers who write and edit, disseminate information, develop communication
vehicles, obtain publicity, arrange special events, do public speaking, plan
public relations campaigns, and so on. A travel photographer could find
employment in either public relations or travel writing. Television is a medium
with increasing opportunities. The Internet has become a major communication
medium for the travel industry and provides job opportunities.
10. Airlines
The
airlines are a major travel industry employer, offering a lot of jobs at many
levels, ranging from entry level to top management, including reservation
agents, flight attendants, maintenance staff, baggage handlers, airline food
service jobs, sales, sales jobs, training staff, office jobs, ticket agents,
and research jobs. As passenger traffic continues to increase, airports are
undergoing major renovations, and are expanding retail operations and marketing
efforts. This also means new positions are created.
11. Cruise Companies
The cruise
industry is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry today. Water-based
businesses include cruise lines, water taxis, ferry companies and other forms
of water transportation. All of these different methods of travel have
associated job opportunities. Because of their similarity in operations, the
cruise industry has many of the same jobs as the lodging industry. The variety
of positions in this sector is large, and many jobs allow employees to travel
and explore India and the world.
12. Rental Car and Bus Companies
The travel and transportation
subsector plays a crucial role within the Indian tourism industry. The majority of international travellers use private
vehicles to travel within the country. Because
many international travellers arrive at their destinations by air, they often
need rental cars or bus transport to get them from the airport to their
accommodations or events. This constant demand supports a large number
of national and international rental car companies as well as regular shuttle
bus and taxicab trips. With increased pleasure air travel and the growth of
fly/drive programs, rental car companies are becoming an ever more important
segment of the travel industry. There are many positions in each of these types
of companies.
13. Rail Transport
Rail travel is a
relaxed, scenic way to travel, and is becoming increasingly popular as a
vacation, rather than only as a way to get to a vacation spot. Indian Railway
Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC) has been set up by the Ministry of
Railways with the basic purpose of hiving off entire catering and tourism
activity of the railways. Rail based Tourism in India will be the specific
vehicle for achieving high growth in coordination with state agencies, tour
operators, travel agents and the hospitality industry. The IRCTC employs staff
for positions from selling rail tour package to operating the rail based
tourism products.
14.
Tourist Offices and Information Centers
Numerous
jobs are available in tourist offices and information centers. Tourist Information Officers provide travel and accommodation
information to tourists, promote tourism, and assess tourist opportunities for
local communities. Many State Tourism
Boards have Tourist Information Centers (TICs) and hire employees to provide this
information.
15. Tourism Research
and Analyst
Market
research is essential in order to make informed plans and decisions. Tourism
research consists of the collection and analysis of data from both primary and
secondary sources. The tourism researcher plans market studies, consumer
surveys, and the implementation of research projects. A market research analyst
determines the market for new products develops advertising strategies and
evaluates the best business sites for various types of commercial enterprises.
Information collected may be about an organization's own market and/or about
competitors' markets. The reports that are generated from this research are
useful in planning and decision-making. They measure the impact of tourism on
the economy and find out what tourism consumers need and expect. Researchers
and analysts can be found in many government tourism departments, and at market
research firms. Research jobs are available in national tourism offices,
state/provincial travel offices, and private firms.
16. Tourism Education, Training and Skill Development
Education
and its effectiveness are universal issues which have a bearing on the development
of nation. The educational systems that churn out tourism education in large
proportion assume considerable significance here. Today, India is one of the youngest nations in the world with more than
62% of its population in the working age group (15-59 years), and more than 54%
of its total population below 25 years of age. This poses a formidable
challenge and a huge opportunity. To reap this demographic dividend, India
needs to equip its workforce with employable skills and knowledge so that they
can contribute substantively to the economic growth of the country. In the last twenty years, the growth of tourism
education in India has been phenomenal.
At present, good numbers of High Performing Knowledge Institutions
(HPKIs) offer different programs at varying levels, including certificates,
diplomas, undergraduate, post- graduate and doctoral degrees in tourism related
domain. There are huge job opportunities for administrators, educators,
trainers, professors, researchers, and academic associates in tourism
education, training and skill development institutions. Typical employers are Central Universities
(CUs), State Universities (SUs), IITTMs, Colleges, Polytechnic Institutions,
Vocation Training Institutions (VTIs) and Skill Development Centres (SDCs).
17. Tourism Officer
A tourism officer works to develop and
enhance the visitor facilities of a region and to stimulate tourism growth in
order to produce economic benefits for a particular region or destination. They
often work for local authorities but may also work within private companies or
other public sector agencies. Typical
employers are National Tourism Organization (Ministry of Tourism, Government of
India), State Tourism Development Corporations (STDCs), India Tourism
Development Corporation (ITDC), Regional/Tourism Development Authorities.
18. Travel Consultant
Travel
consultants provide information, advice and booking services for people wishing
to travel. Travel
consultants in large organisations may specialise in particular areas such as
business, international or domestic travel. Most travel consultants work on a
commission basis and work long hours including weekends. Travel consultants may
also work in call centres.
19. Tour Guiding
Tour
Guide is a person who guides visitors in the language of their choice and
interprets the cultural and natural heritage of an area which person normally
possesses an area-specific qualification usually issued and/or recognised by
the appropriate authority (The World Federation of Tour Gide Association).
Guides play a vital role in bringing satisfaction to tourists visiting a
country/region /state. The opportunity of direct interaction with the tourists
makes them all the more responsible for projecting the correct image of the
country / region, giving factually correct information about the destination,
ensuring the safety and well being of the tourists as well as pleasant and
satisfying stay for them during their visits. There are different types of tour guides
(e.g. local level tourist guide, state-level tourist guides and regional level
Guides) in India. For Regional Level Guides (RLGs), Indian Institute of Tourism and
Travel Management (IITTM) conducts regional level tourist guides training
programme and the certifying authority is the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of
India
20.
e-Tourism (ICT and Tourism)
Information
and Communication Technologies (ICT) act a major driver of the tourism
industry. The concept of e-Tourism can be described as the digitization of all
elements in the tourism supply chain. The many stakeholders and processes
comprised by the tourism industry can be supported by eTourism solutions in
order to manage their enterprise, provide and get timely information, handle
transactions, share information and knowledge, etc. For instance, application
of advanced information technology to provide tourist information via
navigation systems or PDAs (personal digital assistants) is growing. Another
technology creating tourism jobs is the Global Positioning System (GPS). GPS
has become a widely used aid to navigation worldwide, and is also a useful tool
for mapmaking, land surveying, and commerce. Consequently, additional technical
manpower will continue to be needed for tourism managers to achieve the best
results. People skilled in user interface, database management, web
technologies, business intelligence, business analysis, market research, and
computer graphics are among those who can look forward to opportunities in the
industry.
21. Food and Beverage Service
Food and beverage
businesses include bars and pubs, cafés,
providing meals to individuals, caterers
and contractors, fast food outlets, full service restaurant, lounges and night
clubs. Food and Beverage Services employees perform a variety of tasks to
maintain operations and promote guest services in eating and drinking
establishments. In addition, highly trained managers having a strong background
in this sector are required to oversee the development and performance of large
restaurant chains.
22. Accommodation
Businesses
Accommodation is one of the largest and fastest growing sectors in the
tourism industry. The benefits of growth are reaped by those looking for
careers in this sector. New jobs are being created, movement along one's career
path is accelerated, and opportunities for positions and careers in different
regions and types of establishments are increasing. Accommodation businesses
provide lodging or short-term housing for people who are away from their homes
for business or vacation. The range of jobs in hotels and motels is extremely
broad. Many businesses providing accommodation also provide some form of food and
beverage service. Many hotels and resorts also offer other services such as a
spa or beauty salon. Accommodation employees perform tasks related to the
operation of lodging facilities and the care of guests who use these
facilities, either through direct guest contact or the provision of background
services that enhance the guest experience.
23. Tourism Entrepreneurship
The Indian capacity for harnessing entrepreneurship has
not been fully realized. The MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) sector
contributes to only 17% of GDP as compared to 85% in Taiwan, 60% in China and
50% in Singapore. Given the realities of rapidly changing economic landscape in
the country, entrepreneurship opportunities have emerged as an important source
of meeting the aspirations of the youth. Business
opportunity in tourism sector may be in anywhere along the tourism supply chain.
Employment Outlook
The tourism industry
provides an array of exciting careers from government roles, to local or
international opportunities. Jobs include working directly with customers as
well as those in corporate and management roles. World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) estimates that Travel &
Tourism will directly generate 24 million new jobs globally by 2023. To achieve
this outcome, the tourism industry requires skilled workers to provide quality
services and products to our guests. If you love this industry, and you have a
passion for it, you can go all kinds of places.
