Tourism and travel promote both national and international goodwill. It is the third largest industry globally. In India, tourism was recognized as an industry only a few years ago but has since become the second largest foreign exchange earner after gems and jewelry. Despite India’s rich cultural heritage and numerous tourist attractions, it still trails behind in this sector. With the government’s concerted efforts, the industry’s future looks promising.
Main Areas:
The travel and tourism industry comprises both private and public sectors.
Private Sector: Activities in this sector are divided into two main categories:
- Travel Agents: Travel agents focus on marketing travel and tourism. They act as retailers, planning and selling trips to individuals or groups. Their services include booking air, rail, sea, and road travel, arranging hotel reservations, and renting cars and coaches. Travel agents handle both international and domestic bookings, and some specialize in areas like business trips, group tours, or conferences.
- Tour Operators: Tour operators manage travel and destination arrangements, creating and selling package holidays for individuals or groups. These packages can be for incoming international tourists, outbound tours, or domestic travelers. They may offer specialized packages covering interests such as archaeology, golf, wildlife, or astrology.
Public Sector: The public sector’s primary focus is promoting tourism in India. Public sector organizations in tourism run a network of hotels, information centers, and other visitor services, and engage in large-scale projects to improve tourism infrastructure and expand the industry. They work in collaboration with semi-government bodies like the Indian Railways and the national airlines.
The Work:
The travel and tourism industry is dedicated to providing services for people away from home, whether on business or holiday. Jobs at all levels involve direct interaction with people, and some positions require significant mobility to maintain contact with service providers and accompany clients to their destinations. It is crucial for tourism staff, whether in marketing, sales, or guiding, to be knowledgeable about the destinations, including their history, culture, and available facilities.
Personality Traits:
- Outgoing nature
- Willingness to travel
- Ability to communicate with people from diverse backgrounds
- Enthusiasm for meeting people
- Awareness of the country’s history and culture
Training and Institutes:
After completing high school, students can enroll in specialized tourism courses. Vocational colleges in India offer tourism as a discipline, leading to a graduate degree. Polytechnics provide training in specific aspects of tourism and travel, such as ticketing and reservation. This level of qualification can lead to jobs in travel agencies, government departments, airlines, and hotels, though it may offer limited growth and promotion opportunities in the industry