Where To Find A Job In Travel And Tourism

If you are wondering where to find a job in travel and tourism then you might feel a bit overwhelmed. After all, travel and tourism is the biggest industry in the world, employing more people than any other industry! Whether you are looking for a job as Cabin Crew, a job in travel and tourism marketing or employment in the sustainable tourism sector, there are plenty of places to find your next job in travel and tourism. Ready to learn more? Read on…

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Skills and qualities required for jobs in travel and tourism

Where to find a job in travel and tourism

Before you start to search for a job in travel and tourism it is important that you have the required skills and qualities to include in your CV (these CV templates are super helpful). Take a look at the job descriptions and specifications for jobs that interest you- do you meet the criteria? If not, you may want to work on some professional development or gain some extra experience.

Of course, each job in travel and tourism is different, but there are some skills and qualities that are commonly sought after by travel and tourism employers. These include:

Customer service skills
Computer literacy
Communication skills
Teamwork skills
Language skills
Adaptability and flexibility
Time management skills
Problem-solving skills

You will usually need to prove these skills and qualities in some way. The best way is usually through work experience- so if you haven’t had a job before I suggest that you gain some work experience before you start to apply for jobs. And remember- many of the skills and qualities that are required for jobs in travel and tourism are also required in other industries too- so work experience as a cashier in a supermarket or as an intern at a marketing firm can be very beneficial, despite not being directly in the travel and tourism industry!

Qualifications needed to work in travel and tourism

Another question that many people ask is what qualifications they need to work in travel and tourism. Well, unfortunately there is no straight forward answer to this question! There are such a wide range of employment opportunities in travel and tourism that it means that different jobs will have different requirements.

As a general rule, you do not usually need to take a travel and tourism course to work in travel and tourism, BUT this can be very helpful for you and it can make you a stronger candidate when applying for jobs in travel and tourism.

The travel and tourism industry has many low paid and low-skilled jobs, such as cleaners, waiters and customer service agents. Whilst some training and knowledge is general required, this will often be provided by your employer, meaning that it is not necessary for you to study anything specific in order to secure employment.

However, there are also jobs that do require qualifications. Research-based jobs may require you to have a PhD and many management level jobs will require you to have a degree. However, your qualifications do not usually have to be specifically in travel and tourism, you could study business for example.

Many graduates will get a job in travel and tourism that they could have got without a degree. However, when it comes to promotion, the degree may be a deciding factor on whether they are eligible to be considered for that job, so if you are aiming for managerial roles in the future it is a good idea to do a degree.

There are also many specialist roles in travel and tourism that will require higher level qualifications- you may want to become a consultant for the national tourist board in Saudi Arabia or work as a project leader for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation or lead on sustainable tourism development initiatives in Costa Rica, to name just a few examples.

The best websites to find a job in travel and tourism

The first place that most of us look for a job in travel and tourism these days is the Internet. Most things can be found online these days, so it is an obvious first port of call.

First of all, if you have a specific company that you hope to work for, I recommend going direct to the website of said company. For example, if you want to work for British Airways then visit the British Airways careers page. However, if you want to undertake a more general search, there are some helpful websites that you can try, such as-

Travel Trade Recruitment – this is a recruitment agency specialising in the recruitment of travel staff for both permanent and temporary travel jobs. They also offer online training.
Aviationjobsearch – this is a platform for searching for jobs in the aviation industry such as Cabin Crew jobs, Pilot jobs, Customer Service Agents jobs etc.
Jobsite – this job search website covers many industries and can be filtered to show only jobs in travel and tourism.
Travelweekly – this is one of the leading travel industry trade magasines and it has a comprehensive section listing jobs in travel and tourism- they even claim to be Europe’s most powerful travel and hospitality jobs platform!
Leisurejobs – this website supplies a large number of travel and tourism jobs from junior level to senior management, working with a range of brands around the world.

Travel and tourism recruitment agencies

If you need some help finding a job in travel and tourism you may want to turn to a recruitment agency. There are a range of travel and tourism recruitment agencies as well as more generic recruitment agencies that cover travel and tourism as well as other industries. Here are a few of the best in the business-

Gail Kenny Executive Recruitment – this organisation claims to be the market leader when it comes to connecting the best travel talent with fantastic travel brands.
Progressive Travel Recruitment – a travel, events, hospitality and technology talent finder and an innovative disruptor with global industry expertise, excellence and presence.
Platinum Travel Recruitment – a recognised travel recruitment specialists within the Events, Hospitality, Leisure, Lifestyle & Travel industry for many years.
HEATHROW Personnel – an independent recruitment company recognised as one of the major providers of personnel to the aviation industry.

Travel and tourism jobs advertised in the local community

Many travel and tourism jobs will be advertised in the local community. Here are some places that you can look for travel and tourism job advertisements-

Notice boards (in shops, community centres, etc)
Local newspaper
Local publications
Company office/website
Word of mouth

Where to find a job in travel and tourism- further reading

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