TOURISM AND TRAVEL

Tourism and travels serves as the promoter of national and international goodwill. It is the third biggest industry in the world. In India tourism was declared an industry only a few years ago. It has however become the second biggest foreign exchange earner next only to gems and jewellery export. However, inspite of this India with its rich and diverse culture and numerous places of tourist interest, still lags behind. Today, with a conscious effort from the Government, the future of the industry holds tremendous promise for growth.
MAIN AREAS :
The travel and tourism industry operates in the private as well as in the public sector.
PRIVATE SECTOR :
In this sector activities are divided into two distinct sections.
(1) Travel Agents :
Travel agents are concerned with the marketing of travel and tourism. They are basically retailers, who plan and sell trips to individuals or groups. They book passages for air, rail, sea and road travel, arrange hotel reservations or other accommodations, hire cars and coaches. All travel agents take on both international and domestic bookings. Some specialise in areas, like business trips, group tours or conferences.
(2) Tour Operators :
Tour operators deal in travel and destination management. They put together and sell package holidays. These could be for individuals or groups and include incoming tourists from abroad, outbound tours to foreign destinations or domestic travelers. Tour operators could offer special interest packages that range from archaeology to golf, wildlife to astrology.
PUBLIC SECTOR :
This sector’s main concern is the promotion of tourism in India. To this end, most public sector organisations connected with tourism not only run a network of hotels, information centres and other facilities and services for visitors to the country, but also involved in larger development projects aimed at improving tourism infrastructure and expanding the industry. They are aided in this task by other semi-government bodies, including the Indian Railways and the two national airlines.
THE WORK :
Work in the travel and tourism industry is essentially concerned with providing services for people who are away from home, on business or holiday. Work at every functional level in the industry involves dealing directly with people. A great deal of mobility is also required in certain jobs where contact must be maintained with representatives of the myriad services provided to clients or individuals or groups that are to be accompanied to and around their destinations. Besides this, it is vital that all tourism staff in marketing, counter sales, or guide services, be acquainted about the places their clients visit, in terms of general background, air read and rail connections and facilities available.
PERSONALITY TRAITS :
(1) An outgoing nature (2) willingness to travel (3) ability to communicate with people of different backgrounds (4) enthusiasm for meeting people, (5) awareness of the country’s history and culture etc.
TRAINING/INSTITUTES :
After completing +2 level of education, a student can enroll himself/herself in a specialised tourism course.
The vocational colleges in the country offer tourism as a discipline and completion of such a course leads to a graduate degree.
Polytechnics also offer training programmes in certain aspects of tourism and travel, for example in ticketing and reservation. This level of qualification leads to jobs in travel agencies, as well as in Govt. departments, air lines and hotels but does not offer prospects for much growth and promotion in the industry.
The most professional training in travel and tourism is available in the form of the postgraduate diploma and degree programmes of one or two years duration provided by many Universities and institutes in the country. Important among them are-
COURSE
INSTITUTIONS
ELIGIBILITY
DURATION
MTA(Master of Tourism Administrator)
Kurukshetra University, Aligarh Muslim University; Jiwaji University, Gwalior; Anantpur University, Anantapur, Marathwada University, Aurangabad.
Graduate/PG
2 years.
Management of Visitor Service/Tourism Dev./ Planning in Tourism Travel & Transportation/ Engironmental Parameters of Tourism Development/ Management of issues in Tourism & Travel/ Computer Technology & Communication in tourism.
Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel, Thiruvananthipuram; Garware Institute of Career Education and Development, University of Bombay. Indian Institute of Travel and Tourism Management, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. (All three are regional chapters of Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management, New Delhi.
Graduate with 3 years experience at junior or middle management level, maximum age-30 years.
24 credits programme (cyclic programme scheduled in April, July, October and Dec.)
Diploma in Tourism Management
Indian Institute of Travel & Tourism Management, Agra university; Annamalai University; Berhampur university, Orissa; Bombay University; Delhi University; Indore University; H.S. Gour University; Goa University; Guru Ghasidas university, Bilaspur; Jiwaji University, Gwalior. University of Keral, Trivandrum; Kota Open University; Kumaon University, Nainital; Kurukshetra university, Madurai University; Madras University, Manipur University, Imphal; Marathwada University; Pondicherry University, Ravi Shankar university, Raipur; Utkal University, Bhubaneswar.
Graduate with 60% marks
1 year (August to July).
Graduate integrated course in Tourism.
College of Vocational studies, Delhi, University
10 + 2
3 years
Language Training Course for Professionals in Tourism.
Cultural organisation of foreign countries
Graudation
-do-
Full-time Diploma course in Travel & Tourism
Cultural organisation of foreign countries.
Graduation
1 year
Basic Course in Air Travel Fares & Ticketing.
The Ministry of Tourism & Delhi Tourism, 9 Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi-110021.
Graduation
3 months
Basic Course in Air & Seal Carriage Services management.
The Ministry of Tourism & Delhi Tourism, 9 Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi-110021.
Graduation
2 months
Basic course in Computer application in Tourism & Travel Industry
The Ministry of Tourism & Delhi Tourism, 9 Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri New Delhi-110021.
Graduation
2 months
Basic Course in Airlines, Travel Agency & Tour Operation Management.
The Ministry of Tourism & Delhi Tourism, 9 Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi-110021.
Graduation
2 months
Courses in Spanish, Japanese, French, & Russian Language.
The Ministry of Tourism and Delhi Tourism, 9 Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi-110021.
6 months.
JOB OPPORTUNITES :
(1) Positions in travel agencies, Air Lines, Transport and Cargo Companies.
(2) Government jobs in Tourism Department including ITDC & State T.D.Cs.
(3) Work as tour operators.
(4) or be self-employed.
SELF EMPLOYMENT :
This requires capital and minimum experience of having worked as a manager in a travel agency. A single enterprising individual can, after a few years of experience, start by handling all travel requirements of a client and gradually build up business.
N.B.: Given dates are subjects to change.