Are you outgoing? Do you like learning about various cultures and people? If you like helping others and making plans, a travel and tourism management major might be for you. Whether it’s a trip for business or pleasure, you’ll make it as easy as possible for your customer.
Education
A travel and tourism management program most likely leads to an associate degree. In order to get firsthand experience, it’s recommended that students in this program do some traveling, especially studying abroad. You’ll take courses in travel agency management, business presentations, hospitality law, marketing management, destinations and cultures, computer-based information systems, sales and reservations and ticketing. There’s a chance that your most important learning will take place in a real-life situation like an internship in a travel agency. In high school, it helps to take classes like accounting, psychology, geography, computer applications and business.
Questions to ask
In this type of industry, it’s important to get an up-to-date education — are the professors actively involved in the travel and tourism industry? The classroom education can only go so far — what hands-on learning opportunities does the program provide? Ask if the program will help you find work after graduation and inquire about what recent grads are doing now.
Salary
A major in travel and tourism management can allow you to start off as a travel agent, making an average of $34,600 a year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But you can use your degree to work your way up to management, where you’ll see an increase in pay. Another option with this degree is a meeting, convention and event planner, which made an average of $45,810 in 2012.
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