By Ranjan K Baruah
In the last edition, we have published about tourism as a career option. In this edition we are providing more information related to different career prospects in this sector.
There is no doubt that travel and tourism sector is one of the world’s largest foreign exchange earner, provides employment directly to millions of people worldwide and indirectly through many associated service industries.
It includes government tourism departments, immigration and customs services, travel agencies, airlines, tour operators and hotels and many associated service industries such as airline catering or laundry services, guides, interpreters, tourism promotion and sales.
Travel and Tourism enterprises include major internationals with a workforce of thousands, to the small private travel agent with a handful of employees.
Some of the career options related to tourism include:
Tourist Guides: One of the best professions in this regard is being tourist guides. A tour guide or a tourist guide is a person who provides assistance, information on cultural, historical and contemporary heritage to people on organised tours and individual clients at educational establishments, religious and historical sites, museums, and at venues of other significant interest. We shall write more about tour guides in our next issue.
Tourism Departments: Officers and other staff are recruited in the tourism departments. All states have their own departments apart from central departments. There are corporation to deal with tourism. Officials are appointed through civil service and other selection process. A degree in travel and tourism is preferred for operational jobs in government organisations. One of the popular designations is Tourist Information Officers and Assistant Tourist Information officer and they are also called as Tourism Officers.
Airlines: In the airlines, one can work as traffic assistance, reservation and counter staff, airhostess, sales and marketing staff and customer services, among others. A course in travel and tourism or a qualification in hotel management helps to get in.
Tour Operators: They operate travel plans for tourists and organise conducted tours to various spots and manage the travel and stay of tourists. There are many companies operating tours for the domestic as well as the international tourist.
Travel/Transport Agencies: These agencies guides and manages best travel and stay options for the tourist. They deal with bookings or travel tickets, itineraries for the comfort of the tourist. Travel agencies could be found everywhere.
IITTM: Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM) is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Tourism and is one of the premier institutes in the country offering education, training, research and consultancy in sustainable management of tourism, travel and other allied sectors. IITTM is committed to developing quality human resources for tourism and allied services.
Updates
AICTE Scholarship: AICTE has announced two scholarship namely Pragati Scholarship Scheme for Girl Students and Saksham Scholarship for differently abled Students.
For Pragati Scheme: Family with two girl children are eligible provided its income is not more than Rs 8 lakh per annum during the preceding financial year (in case of married girl, the income of parents/in-laws, whichever is higher will be considered).
For Saksham Scheme: Specially abled students having disability of not less than 40 per cent and family income not more than Rs 8 lakh per annum during the preceding financial year (in case of married girl, the income of parents/in-laws, whichever is higher will be considered). Details of the schemes are available on AICTE website www.aicte-india.org and last date for Submission of Application November 30.
(Ranjan K Baruah is a career mentor and can be reached at [email protected] or 98640 55558 for any career related queries)