Online Education (degree In Travel And Tourism)

By Author: John Srob
Total Articles: 215
Comment this article

You'll find an online bachelor's degree in travel and tourism management covers topics such as the airline operations, hotel and restaurant management, convention and event management and international travel. Other program topics cover marketing, computer reservation systems, hospitality management, food and beverage management, lodging and accounting.
With an online bachelor's degree, you'll enhance your current skills and increase opportunities for employment in the hospitality and travel industry. An online program gives you the flexibility in your schedule to work while studying for your degree.

What Courses Will I Take?

The courses in these online programs cover various aspects of the hotel, airline, restaurant and tourism industries. You'll also learn techniques to improve your communication and management skills. Program courses may include:

Food service
Restaurant management
Hospitality marketing
Destinations and cultures
Hospitality property management
Geography
Sales and marketing
Software applications
Booking ...
... procedures

Where Can I Work?

Upon graduation, you may seek employment in various travel and tourism fields. If you want to work as a travel agent, you must be capable of creating entire travel packages, including booking travel tickets, reserving lodging and planning events for your customers. For tourism property managers, you'll need skills in food service, marketing, sales and hospitality management. You may also seek direct employment with cruise companies or airlines as well.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), job applicants with the most training and education will have better job prospects in the travel and tourism industry. The BLS noted this is especially true for travel agents because evolving technology now allows many people to book their own trips.

Nevertheless, the BLS expects growth for travel agents who can offer customized and more exotic trips as demand for these packages are increasing. Overall, the demand for travel agent jobs will fluctuate with the economy and with conditions around the world, according to the BLS.

Travel and tourism management degree programs teach business concepts specific to the travel industry. These programs are often found in a school's hospitality or business college. Students may take courses in human resources, facilities management, media relations and financial strategies. Many travel and tourism management programs offer or require internships with companies in the tourism or hospitality industries prior to graduation.
Travel Agent
Travel agents assist travelers with all aspects of planning a trip, including flights, accommodations and car rentals. These individuals may be knowledgeable about weather, customs and tourist attractions of popular destinations. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), resorts and specialty groups may use travel agents to promote services to clients. Travel agents need good networking and customer services skills to build and maintain a clientele base.
Lodging Manager
Lodging managers may be referred to by other titles and are responsible for operating hotels, motels and resorts. The individual in charge of the overseeing the complete operation is usually called the general manager. The number of managers depends on the size of an establishment. Larger resorts or hotels may have managers for housekeeping, food service and human resources while small motels may only have a single manager.

Many lodging managers begin as assistant managers or regular employees before advancing. They train staff members and may be charged with promoting viable candidates to management positions. Lodging managers may track the financial data and market an establishment's amenities to businesses, organizations and travelers. They need to be skilled at solving problems and handling multiple tasks at once.

You May Qualify For Financial Aid.