According to the World Travel and Tourism
Council, this century will be dominated by three industries and one of them is Tourism. This makes good sense based upon the
tourism industry’s growth since 1982, which exceeds 500%. This year, worldwide tourists are expected to spend over $850
billion in foreign nations on tourism-related activities. This industry, generally referred to as the travel and tourism industry
since the two are inseparable, is composed of a very-wide range of individual industries that include hotels & motels
(hospitality); restaurants; retailing business; transportation (airlines, cruise lines, rail and automotive); travel agencies;
tour organisations; tourist attractions; leisure, recreation & sport and cultural industries. The need for qualified individuals
skilled in the area of tourism management has never been better.
Another interesting statistic about tourism
as an industry is the fact that it accounts for 10.5% of all world employment with percentages much higher in specific geographic
locations where the industry is the primary source of business income. That 10.5% figure totals more than 100-million people
employed around the globe. Tourism has also evolved from its earlier roots of sunshine, sand and sea holidays. Today, it embraces
an entire new spectrum of activities that include adventure tourism, eco-tourism, cultural tourism and sports and leisure
activities. Young people have been flocking to college and university enrolment to prepare themselves for worldwide career
opportunities in the combined studies of tourism management and hotel and restaurant management that are heavily inter-related.
In many cases, joint degrees are available in both fields. (The International Educational Site, 2007)
What Knowledge Is Required For A Tourism Management Career?
In order to be qualified for employment
positions in tourism management, considerable education and skills are required. This is true because of the very-wide range
of employment locations and different types of business organisations that this industry encompasses. Nevertheless, there
are some basic, personality and interest-related factors that make an individual well suited to the tourism management industry.
These include:
ü Enjoying outdoor activities and being willing to work outdoors
ü Physical agility and stamina along with enjoyment of physical
activities.
ü Good verbal and written communications abilities
ü The ability to motivate others and a basic fondness for other
people
ü An ‘Enjoy Life’ attitude and good people inter-actions
ü Willingness to be a team player and work with others toward a
common goal
ü Leadership and supervisory skills for directing others in various
activities
ü Interest in travel and experiencing a wide range of different
cultures
It is also helpful if young people preparing
for tourism management careers to develop some proficiencies in one or more foreign languages, knowledge of U.K or U.S. geography,
history and social customs, working with people of all ages and backgrounds and a broad range of liberal arts including athletics,
music, arts & crafts, nature, dance, drama and club structures. (University of Tennessee,
2004)
For most business organisations, an undergraduate
degree is acceptable for entry-level recreational positions. A graduate degree is generally necessary for administrative positions
and for teaching or research. It is also helpful to take part in part-time, summer, internship or volunteer positions at recreation/fitness
centres, playgrounds, summer camps, or social service organisations.
References
Kirk, D. (2007) “Careers in Hospitality
and Tourism Management” The International Educational Site
Available from: http://www.intstudy.com/articles/ saap5a03.htm
Accessed: 10-26-07
University of Tennessee (2004) “Recreation and
Tourism Management”
Available from: http://www.northwestern.edu/careers/ majors/pdf/recreation.pdf
Accessed: 10-26-07
