Everyone has different reasons for entering the travel and tourism field. Some may want to travel the world, become stewards of the sky, or run their own hotels. Some people may have just stumbled upon one of the many job opportunities that the industry has to offer. While all these prospects sound exciting, there’s a lot of real-world information about the industry that you should know first, to give you the tools required for achieving a happy and flourishing career!
No matter where you are in your travel and tourism journey, here are some important things you need to know about working in the industry:
Your job options are varied
We all have our own dreams, and yes, we should chase after them, but that doesn’t mean we should be rigid and inflexible. There are plenty of job opportunities in the field that we may or may not know about – things we haven’t yet discovered that we have a latent passion for. Travel and tourism is a great industry because there’s so much to discover, even preparing people for plenty of future job options and opportunities that are yet to exist.
While you may start out wanting a flight stewardess position, this may ignite an interest in entertainment, the food and beverage service, or retail trade. Your travels and experiences will only lead you to more and more doors of opportunity, a few of which you may want to open at some point in your career.
You’ll need transferrable skills
To really flourish, you’ll need to possess a long list of transferrable skills that will help you conquer any job or opportunity within this ever-growing and changing industry. The most important skills in this list include organisational skills, networking, flexibility, adaptability and, of course, a genuine commitment to good-hearted customer service. These five skills will assist you every step of the way, so you should hone them to near perfection to ensure you can do great work no matter what job or environment you’re in.
There’s plenty of benefits
Just as we talked in our previous blog post about Why People Love Working in Travel and Tourism, you’ll be excited to know that there are plenty of work perks that come with pursuing a career in this industry. Your company can send you on work-related travel, you’ll have “ins” on travel, retail, or entertainment discounts, get the opportunity to explore new cultures, meet new people and network with industry leaders, as well as receive tips, bonuses, incentives, and so much more!
Qualifications aren’t required, but they boost your chances of success
While there are a lot of skills you can learn on the job, obtaining a certified qualification through travel and tourism courses will keep you one step ahead of the competition. Qualifications will certainly show employers that you’re serious about your chosen career, but also provide you with skills beforehand that many would learn on the job, thereby boosting your chances of getting your dream role in the bag.
Crown: Helping Travel and Tourism Students Take on the World
Crown Institute is a well-known NZ school of tourism that teaches successful graduates essential skills through real-world experiences, no matter what their dream job is in the field. If you’re ready to take on the world, apply for our travel and tourism courses online or call 0800 357 316 to enrol with Crown today!