A latest research by the World Travel and Tourism Council shows that the travel and tourism industry contributes around 10% to the total GDP of the entire world. Now these statistics are sufficient if you thought the industry has job prospects for you. The travel and tourism industry employs around 284 million people all over the world and the sector is expected to grow even more at a growth rate of 4% annually.
A career in travel and tourism can be really lucrative, firstly because of the salaries that are offered and also you get to live the life in amazing hotels. Also you are directly responsible for a huge revenue source of government which further adds to the proud factor. There are many roles in the industry that you can go for and if you have a knack for socializing and meeting new people then this is the career option for you. Travel the world, taste all kind of delicacies, learn about new cultures, this is a full package.
Getting started in this field can be a little competitive but if you are determined and passionate, then sky is the limit. You can move up in the ladder pretty fast. You can do a certificate course for the same that will prepare you in areas like customer service, ethnic knowledge, learning about a community and country’s people and their culture. In Australia alone the industry is worth billions and is growing at a very good rate. As per the Minister of Trade and Investment, “it is our largest services industry export, earning $26 billion a year.” Thus denoting that there is good scope of growth in here. There are many sectors within this industry in which you may consider working. These include Travel Agencies, Travel Wholesalers, Visitor Information Centres, Tour Operators, Cruising, Transport, Events, and Tourism Services etc…
Some of the key skills that you will require to excel in this field is to be eager to learn new things each day and be open to travel. You also need to be a good observant and learn by seeing your customer’s behaviors and habits. Apart this a good personality is a pre-requisite in this. Also you need to have good communication skills and good interpersonal skills. You get to travel nationally and internationally and you earn while travelling so a love to travel and discover new places is also required.
