What To Expect From Working In Travel & Tourism

The travel and tourism industry is a lucrative one and one that offers many benefits to its employees. There are so many different roles that can be undertaken, making the tourism industry one that has something to suit everyone.

Depending on which sector you get hired into will influence your overall experience, but generally speaking, it’s a rewarding sector in which you can undertake employment. If you’re thinking about a career in this sector, here are some things you can expect.

Getting In

Travel and tourism is one of the easier job sectors to get into, though most roles do require some form of specialised qualifications. You might not need a degree to be an air hostess, but gaining a qualification in some capacity will stand you in good stead when it comes to setting yourself apart from other prospective candidates.

Getting a qualification in the sector doesn’t necessarily cost a fortune, making it an accessible avenue for most people. That being said, it’s worth keeping in mind that it will cost a lot of money and a lot of studying time to become a pilot, for example.

In addition to a qualification, it is possible to gain employment in the travel and tourism sector through work experience; in fact, it’s highly valued, so expect employers to ask for extensive experience (in any capacity) when applying for jobs. It’s worth volunteering where possible as this will work to your advantage.

Working Hours

Generally speaking, those who work in the travel and tourism sector can expect to work hours that fall outside of the standard 9-5 day. Careers in which unsociable hours may be expected include:

• Pilot
• Cabin crew
• Hotel concierge
• Entertainment staff
• Bar staff

Whilst these jobs might require you to work hours that start early, finish late or work on weekends, there are a number of jobs within the industry that can fall within standard working hours, including:

• Accommodation cleaner
• Chef
• Tour guide

In addition to unsociable hours, a lot of travel and tourism jobs are seasonal and run from May-September as standard, with the autumn/winter months unable to provide steady and reliable work in many destinations, although this does depend on your job role and where you will be based.

The working hours aren’t for everyone and it’s essential that you’re mindful of this before you enter the travel and tourism sector.

Perks

Once you’re hired and used to the working hours, travel and tourism can be highly rewarding. Depending on the role you undertake, you can find that working in the industry results in you getting paid to travel the world, and this is a major incentive for most people. Of course, there are roles where you won’t get to travel and will be based in one location, such as hotel concierge or working in a resort/luxury caravan holidays park.

In addition to travelling, another big advantage of the travel and tourism sector is the opportunity to progress into different roles. You’ll likely join the ranks in a junior role (regardless of what that might be) but the good thing about this is that you’ll have plenty of chances to advance in your career and work up the ladder. This brings with it the chance to learn more and undertake more professional accreditations. Not only this, travelling around the world will open your mind to new cultures and ways of life. You’ll learn so many new skills and improve your world knowledge through talking to new people, allowing you to not only grow professionally, but personally, too.

There’s so much to be gained from working in travel and tourism, so if you’re a fly by the seat of your pants kind of person, or if you like learning and growing, travel and tourism could be the industry for you.