Studying travel and tourism management
Frederic Bouchon of Taylor’s University College gives you a guided tour of the rewarding field of tourism.
Tourism is big business, representing 35% of the world’s export services. The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) predicts that international tourism numbers will reach 1.6 billion visitors by 2020, generating nearly US$2tril in economic activity.
As travel and tourism grow to new heights – especially in the Asia Pacific region - it creates an increase in job opportunities for professionals in sectors such as accommodation, food and beverage, and events and recreation, as well as new challenges in attracting and serving increased tourism demand.Tourism today has matured into a complex industry that is highly dependent on global trends. Massive developments in Dubai and Singapore illustrate the evolution as career prospects increase for young talents.
Travel and tourism is one of the most challenging and diversified but extremely rewarding industries. In tourism, creativity and interpersonal skills are essential. These include having an ‘excellent customer service’ mindset, being people-oriented and having an eye for detail.
With competitive industry players, the learning route in the tourism industry is constant – you will learn about the world and its attractions. You will bask in cultures and learn about the lives of different individuals. To attract tourists to holiday destinations, you will learn to be creative and innovative in providing niche products and services that cater to various markets, including the corporate sector.
The course of study
A tertiary education in travel and tourism management will equip you with technical knowledge and skills in the areas of travel and tour management, tour planning, tour leading, airline and cruise operations and management, sales and marketing of travel products, and travel retail management, among others.
Tourism studies encompass the following:
- Travel and tours -- focuses on the travel component (e-commerce, ticketing, tour packaging, marketing, sales and customer service, tour leading and tour activities.
- Recreation and leisure -- growing demand for leisure and active holidays has created a need for trained professionals. Students can choose to specialise in areas such as recreation, eco-tourism, theme park, health and wellness, and even personal development packages.
- Event management -- focuses on event creation, planning, operations and marketing. This area also incorporates ‘Meeting, Incentive, Conferences and Exhibitions’ (MICE), festive celebrations, and entertainment-related areas such as casinos, integrated leisure and business resorts.
Another crucial component of study includes communication, marketing and problem solving. You will sharpen these skills through hands-on experiences gained from managing and running travel and tourism-related projects and events that simulate the working industry. You can learn to define issues; analyse problems comprehensively; apply knowledge and theories to practice; work with others in a team and assume leadership roles in groups. In time, you will be instilled with a global perspective and is aware of cross-cultural differences that would be useful in travel and tourism.
In your pursuit of travel and tourism education, it is essential to keep up to date with global trends, which presently include spa tourism, gaming tourism and barrier-free tourism.
Where you can go
Career opportunities in the areas of travel and tourism include:
Travel management
- Tour operator
- Tour manager
- Destination development specialist
- Travel consultant
- Travel journalist
- Tourist bureau Manager
- Travel agency Manager
- Incentive specialist
- Travel retail management.
Events, conventions/exhibitions
- Convention services manager
- Convention/events planner
- Conference planner
- Events manager
- Events director
- Exhibition manager
- Meeting planner
- Special events manager.
Natural and man-made attractions
- Theme park manager
- Resident camp manager
- Interpretive specialist.
- Entertainment and sports
- Sports and recreation manager
- Entertainment manager
- Gaming manager
- Dive instructor.
People are travelling much more these days. In Malaysia alone, more than 23 million international tourists were reported in the year 2009 (it was only 15 million ten years ago). Today, the growth is oriented towards quality, targeting business travelers and higher-end tourists. With a trend like this, the industry requires qualified professionals, and a degree in tourism studies will definitely prepare you to enter the globalised work market.
Remember that rewards come with the right attitude. Opportunities for managerial positions will be available to graduates, who are well groomed and equipped with vast knowledge, skills and experience.
FREDERIC BOUCHON is Deputy Dean of the School of Tourism, Events & Recreation at Taylor’s University College. He has a background in social sciences and marketing. He is a lecturer of MICE Management and Tourism at Taylor's School of Hospitality and Tourism. He is also involved with the CIEU (Urban Studies research) laboratory affiliated with the French National Council of Research (CNRS).He holds a postgraduate qualification in Hospitality and Tourism Management AFPA, France-Germany) is presently pursuing a PhD in Urban Tourism Planning at the University of Toulouse, France. His area of research focuses on planning, urban destinations and their relationship to creative tourism and place branding.
This article first appeared in doctorjob's CoursesNOW! Hospitality and Tourism 2010.
