Tourism
courses in India are offered by
hundreds of colleges, but choosing the best of the lot is a key decision. With
rising demand for hospitality and
tourism professionals, the adequate knowledge and insight on the travel
business and the right experience is highly desirable by the recruiters. Self-employment
is also an option for those who wish to explore more than what the industry has
to offer.
Students studying travel
and tourism courses in India can expect job profiles at the lower
management level, which usually goes up to Rs. 5 lakhs per annum. The employers
in tourism business seek out fresh graduates having experience of 0-2 years, or
professionals with 2-5 years experience who can join the middle-level
management positions. With experience, the graduates may score a good profile
at the senior-management level that can yield a pay package up to a crore.
The following five profiles, from
around different segments, are the most popular among the students.
1.
Travel Agent
or Travel
Consultant
Travel
agencies often hire graduates to plan foreign trips, corporate tours,
destination weddings, and family holidays for the clients. Whether it is for
leisure or business, the travel agents make arrangements for single customer or
a group, based on their preference and budget.
2.
Corporate Travel Manager
Corporate
travel managers are different from travel agents that provide travel services
to corporate clients. They are part of the Finance, HR, or Administrative
Services Department within an organization. Their role comprises of managing
day-to-day travel of employees, the revising travel policy for the managerial
hierarchy, traveler safety and security, credit-card management, data
management of travel expenses, and negotiations with all vendors.
3.
Tour Guide
Primary
responsibilities of tour guides include planning and organizing tours for
foreign and domestic tourists. They provide assistance to clients through structured
tours highlighting the social, cultural, historical and contemporary information
pertaining to areas of significant interest such as religious and heritage
sites, museums, monuments, art galleries and other popular attractions.
4.
Language or Linguist Interpreter
Interpreters
assist travelers who do not speak the same language of the local region or
country. They work as an intermediary to facilitate smooth communication and
understanding between people from diverse linguistic backgrounds, either over
the phone or written documents or in person. They may work independently or
along with tourist guides to interpret cultural or historical information for
foreign tourists.
5.
Event
Planner
Event
planners are multi-tasking professionals who responsible for planning and
executing business and informal events including conferences, exhibitions,
fashion shows, concerts, weddings, and large-scale parties. From handling
client requirements to vendor negotiation, from venue confirmation to event
theme implementation, an event planner must be prepared to face the expected
and unexpected challenges of the business.
Besides the above mentioned careers,
one may also choose to pursue a profile as Cabin Crew, Flight Attendant, Hotel
Manager, and Executive Chef in the tourism and travel industry. The
professional qualifications that will help build a career in this industry are diploma
in travel and tourism management and a degree in tourism.
Majority of reputed colleges providing
diploma in tourism facilitate
intensive training programme through industry internships that supplement the
students' theoretical understanding of tourism and travel sector related
business. The industry collaborations of these institutes give students an
opportunity of a lifetime to gain experience working in real-time scenarios
anywhere in the world.
