3.1 Introduction
A large percentage of people that work within the travel and tourism industry will go on to have a successful and long career even though it may not involve doing the exact same job throughout the years.This is because of the range of positions and possible jobs that you can be involved in no matter what your own personal skills are at the outset. The number of directions in which your career can go is rather impressive and, to be honest, there is probably no other industry like this one for that very reason.
3.2 Getting Started in the Industry
Let's begin the discussion about career development within the industry by looking at how you get into the industry in the first place.We mentioned this briefly in the first module but it is important to do a quick recap. Technically speaking, there can often be no set qualifications required in order to work in certain aspects of the travel and tourism industry. However, if you want to get on and build a career, then having the knowledge that a course such as this one provides will certainly make it easier for you to progress and move into different jobs, potentially around the world.
Getting started in this industry is pretty much like so many others in that you have to be prepared to start at the bottom and work your way up as you gather together a lot more experience. However, this is certainly not something that should put you off going and launching yourself into this industry, due to the number of directions in which your career is able to go.
In order to provide you with some kind of an insight into what is possible, we can look at the following scenario as a potential career path for you to follow.
You look at the industry and select the part you wish to work in.
This is clearly the first step as you should understand the area you are going to work in, or have an interest in. Take your time to study the industry and what is expected of you before you take things any further. Thanks to the information that you will pick up from this course, it will certainly make it easier for you to move onto the next step, which is getting involved in the industry itself.
You check the entry requirements.
The next step is to get to grips with the entry requirements for the position or industry you are looking at. As long as you are not trying to move into something too specialised, then you will find that a general diploma such as this will be more than enough. However, it is worth looking to see if you require any special license in order to work in a certain area, as this can certainly be the case in some countries if you are looking at working as a tour guide for example.
Develop your skills.
When you are checking out what is required to work in your chosen industry it is important for you to get to grips with the skills that you are expected to have in order to be a success. This is the point where you need to be honest with yourself and decide if they are skills that you already have or if you need to put in more work to develop them. It is better for you to just hold back for a short period of time to determine if you do indeed have the correct skill set rather than to simply start applying for positions and then wondering why you are getting knocked back.
Be prepared to start at the bottom.
No matter the qualifications or skills that you may have at your disposal, you must still be willing to start at the bottom even if you plan on fast tracking yourself up the career ladder. This is because you need to learn the basics of the industry, which now often includes computer software, so you can provide the best possible service to your customers. You do not have to spend too much time thinking about how long you are going to stay on that part of the career ladder as that depends on your determination.
Be prepared to specialise.
Once you have got your foot in the door, it is important that you then show that you are willing to continue to work to improve yourself as that is the only way in which you will be able to progress in what is actually a very tough market. If you stay the same and do not seek to improve your knowledge of the industry, then how can you expect to make any progress?
In other words, to get your foot in the door of the travel and tourism industry you are going to have to understand the skills that are required for your position, along with a desire to start at the bottom and learn the ropes. If you think that you are going to walk into a managerial position just because you have been a manager elsewhere, then you are more than likely going to be disappointed as there is so much to learn before you will be deemed capable enough to cope with the pressures that this kind of position will bestow upon you.
3.3 The Potential Directions your Career Can Go
Next, if we presume that you have got your foot in the industry door, or at least know where you are going to start your career, and then we have to look at what the possibilities are going to be that could potentially propel your career and prolong it for the rest of your working life.
It is first of all worth remembering that there is no need for you to just work within one type of job and sector of the industry for your entire working life. Indeed, one of the reasons why so many people feel drawn to this industry is because of the range of options that are available to them and that there can be real versatility in their job in general. In other words, there is no need for you to be stuck in a 9 to 5 job behind a desk if you really do not want that to happen.
So, if we keep that in mind, how can your career progress and in which directions can a basic understanding of the travel and tourism industry take you?We can go ahead and examine one of the most common types of jobs in this industry, the travel agent.
There is no doubt that a number of people are quite content to work as a travel agent and they are happy with this for their entire career. However, there is so much more that you can do just with this particular job.
You work as a travel agent.
We can begin by saying that you are working as a travel agent and have been for some time. You have learnt the ropes and yet you feel that you have stagnated in that position. So, you begin to look at ways to move up the career ladder.
Understanding your options.
At this point, you need to understand your options. Perhaps you want to move to a different travel agency, but then that puts you at the same level as before. Alternatively, you could seek a supervisory position or an assistant manager role and that would certainly help you to push your career on to the next level.
Taking a new position.
The logical step is to take that managerial or supervisory position. This will teach you more about the industry as well as how to manage people in order to get results. At the same time, it forces you into increasing your knowledge of the industry as a whole and this will better prepare you for what lies ahead.
Going further with your career.
It is fair to say that a percentage of people move to a managerial position and then they once again feel as if they have come to a halt. What can then happen is you may wish to move into your own business or use the skills that you have developed to move to another part of the industry entirely.
For example
You may decide to open your own specialist travel agency, although that does require some setting up. Alternatively, you may decide to move abroad and work for a travel agency in another country arranging holidays from the other end. This all depends on where you want to go, but the most important thing is that the knowledge you have gained from the years spent on the frontline can open a number of doors.
There are options available for you and your career even when you have started off at the bottom of the career ladder. The important thing is that you use that time to learn more about the industry, the services you provide, what customers want and even things that you have to specialise in. By doing so, you will then be able to provide a better service and will be able to cope with the demands that are placed upon you as you move further up the career ladder.
3.4 The Skills you need in Order to Make Progress
When looking at the skills that you will need in order to really progress in your career then clearly the exact skills will vary depending on the exact sector of the industry that you are working in.
However, there are some basic points that can be applied no matter where you are planning on starting your career.
You must be good with people.
This is perhaps the most important skill that you need to have at your disposal for working in any part of this industry - there is a very real need for you to be good with people. This is going to be a central part of the entire industry so you can understand why we have listed it as the first skill that you need to have to work in this industry.
You have to be able to solve problems.
Considering the way in which you have to constantly deal with issues that customers have, or questions that they may have on their mind, then having the ability to solve problems is going to certainly make it easier for your career to progress the way you want it to. An inability to know what to do when faced with a complex problem or question is hardly going to fare well for your chances of moving further in your career.
You need to have drive.
Nobody is ever going to be able to make progress in their career if they do not have the drive to do so. This is all about you working on bettering yourself and having the desire to do so. If you are quite content to just stay in the one position, then so be it, but with an industry that is as fast moving and as challenging as the travel and tourism industry it is essential that you have ambition. After all, you have so much to learn about locations, hotels, creating tours and so many other things that you are always going to have to be willing to learn in order to get anywhere when it comes to your career.
You have a thirst for knowledge.
We are listing having a thirst for knowledge as its own skill because a willingness to learn is so important that it just cannot be overlooked. Working in this industry means you are often dealing with people and trying to set them up with their dream holiday or to make sure that they have a perfect experience at your location or whatever it is that you are doing. In order to do this, you must be a fountain of knowledge as that is very important when it comes to dealing with their specific requirements.
Remember, a happy customer is one that will keep coming back.
Basically, you have to be good at dealing with people, and this includes understanding how people think and what they want. You must have a willingness to further your own career by being open to studying and improving your knowledge because without this you are going to find it difficult to make any kind of progress.
FACT
The main components of the travel industry are the tour operators and the retail travel agents, although the very nature of the work requires considerable interaction with the transport, leisure and tourism sectors.
Source: Grb.uk.com
3.5 Options for Travelling or Broadening your Horizons
Another interesting aspect of working within this industry is the possibility of you being able to travel and to really broaden your own horizons.
The beauty of this industry is that it is everywhere you go. People travel around the world and each and every country or location has its tourism industry. This means that you do not have to be tied down to either one job or even one location if you wish to move around. However, there are some important things to keep in mind should you then be looking at ways to spread your wings.
For example
You may begin your career in somewhere such as a travel agent, but at the same time you do not have to stay there. Instead, there are options for you to then move abroad to work for the tour companies that you have been employed by up until this point. Think of it this way: people that work for travel companies that are based in the UK and send people abroad on their holiday will generally require agents and representatives at the main resorts abroad to deal with any problems that people may have. There is no reason why you cannot end up being the kind of person who would be able to move abroad and relaunch your career in a brand new location.
However, it does mean that there are certain personal characteristics that you need to have to really be able to develop this part of your career.
A desire to explore.
While there are a number of people that are quite happy to be in the same job in the same location, the travel and tourism industry does give you the opportunity to explore further afield. While we do not state that you have to have this kind of disposition, there is no doubt that if you do love to travel and explore, then this is the correct industry for you.
Your knowledge can take you to other locations.
Due to the knowledge that you have to gain in order to get anywhere in this industry, it does also mean that this could propel you to other parts of the world where you can really put that knowledge to good use. It may be a good career plan for you to think about where you would like to work early on and then seek out employment possibilities that allow you to develop that knowledge before moving up the career ladder.
There are always enough opportunities.
Due to the size of the industry, it does mean that there will always be opportunities no matter where you are going. On the other hand, this also means that you have the freedom of knowing that you can explore and if things do not work out elsewhere you can always return.
There is no doubt that the travel and tourism industry does provide you with ample opportunities to go to different locations. However, just be careful of the skills you need in
order to do so or your career could take a hit as a result.
3.6 Getting Out of a Rut in your Career
When looking at the career side of things, there is always going to be the possibility that you reach a point where you believe that you are stuck in a rut.
This is something that anybody is going to dread because it then turns into you hating going to work every day as it is more of a chore rather than anything else. However, there is no need for you to find yourself in this kind of a position simply because of the possibilities that are out there just waiting for you.
This course will also be able to provide you with the tools that you need to get out of the rut. There is no need for you to just do the same job time and time again when you work within this industry due to the number of options that are available.
Look at it from this perspective:
*The industry is so big that there are always opportunities elsewhere.
*These opportunities mean your experience can open new doors even at the same level.
*There are other educational opportunities that can help you to further your skills.
*This industry is not something that will ever end.
Basically, if you are fed up with the 9 to 5 job, there is no need to be. A quick search online will throw up countless possibilities and it is up to you to correctly identify your own attributes and skills that can be put to good use elsewhere.
Assignment
Career Development within the Industry
Time: 15+ minutes
Now it is time to put what you have learnt in this Module to the test. Work your way through this worksheet and do your best to fully participate in every activity.
MODULE SUMMARY
In this module we have focused on your career within the travel and tourism industry and as you can see there are a number of possibilities out there and it is up to you to explore them to the best of your ability.
There is no doubt that you will be able to really develop a pretty amazing career if you are willing to pick up the knowledge that is required for you to really make a difference to your job and position at any given time. Remember that you will also have the opportunity to work abroad as well if you wish to do so and this will then increase the number of possibilities even further.
In the next module we will look at the different sectors in the industry as this will make it easier for you to start to piece together the kind of career that you may wish to have within the travel and tourism industry.
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