ANN RUPPENSTEIN
What do you want to be when you grow up? That’s an easy answer for this year’s crop of graduating BSAP students, who have all opted to pursue careers in the tourism industry with dream jobs ranging from becoming travel advisors to owning tour operator businesses. But even in the travel and tourism field, there may be some opportunities students don’t even know about yet. To learn more about what kind of possibilities exist, Travel Courier talked to several industry experts.
As someone who has been in the travel industry for many years, Zeina Gedeon, the CEO of Trevello Travel Group, believes careers in tourism can offer many exciting possibilities for adventure, personal growth, and new experiences.
“The travel industry plays an important role in the global economy, creating jobs and promoting cultural exchange. By working in the travel industry, you have the opportunity to make a positive impact on people’s lives, whether it’s by helping them plan their dream vacation or by promoting sustainable and responsible travel practices,” Gedeon shares. “There is a growing focus on sustainable and responsible tourism, with more and more travellers seeking out eco-friendly and socially responsible travel options. Many travel companies are responding to this trend by adopting sustainable practices, such as reducing plastic waste, promoting local economies, and supporting conservation efforts.”
For those looking for a unique career, she suggests looking to the skies.
“Space tourism is becoming a reality, with companies such as Virgin Galactic and SpaceX planning to launch commercial space flights in the near future,” she says. “This represents a whole new frontier for the travel industry, offering a unique and unforgettable travel experience for those who can afford it.”
Another career opportunity could involve working with artificial intelligence within the travel space.
“Many travel companies are using artificial intelligence (AI) to personalize and streamline the customer experience,” Gedeon adds. “At Trevello, we are working on using AI-powered chatbots to answer advisors’ questions and provide assistance 24/7. We are also working on using AI to help our advisors suggest personalized travel itineraries based on customer preferences.”
While there are many jobs that students are probably aware of — such as working in corporate travel management, event planning, tourism boards, or even as a travel writer or photographer — Oliver Weibel, the director Canada for Switzerland Tourism, also has some advice for lesser known careers in the industry.
“I think a great field of opportunity equally cool and important is sustainability. There is a growing demand for sustainable travel options and a need for travel professionals who are well-versed in sustainable practices,” he says.
Another possibility is to get involved in the rapid growing tech aspect of the business.
“The use of Web3 technologies such as blockchain and decentralized applications has great potential on how the travel industry operates, by creating more efficient and cost-effective distribution systems, automating travel-related processes, and providing travellers with more personalized and authentic travel experiences,” Weibel shares.
Notably, Tricia Schers, director of partnerships and development for Planeterra, a non-profit using community tourism to change lives, highlights that the increasing demand for sustainable and responsible tourism experiences also comes with career opportunities.
“For example, there is a growing demand for sustainability professionals who can help travel companies develop responsible tourism practices,” Schers says. “There are also opportunities in community tourism development, where professionals work to create tourism initiatives that benefit local communities and the environment. Another emerging field is responsible tourism marketing, where individuals can use their marketing skills to promote sustainable tourism initiatives.”
What makes these jobs worthwhile is the opportunity to make a positive impact on local communities and the environment, while also promoting unique and authentic travel experiences.
“I am proud to say that our organization is creating positive change for communities and the environment by engaging local people to deliver tourism experiences and earning an income from tourism,” she says. “Working in community tourism requires creativity, flexibility, and an understanding of different cultures and perspectives. It’s an incredibly rewarding career path that allows individuals to combine their passion for travel with a desire to create positive change in the world.”
Meanwhile, Anja Brokjans, director marketing & sales at the German National Tourist Office in Canada, notes that careers in the travel industry offer the opportunity to explore new places, learn about different cultures, and create unforgettable experiences for travellers.
“There are some unique and exciting options that students may not have considered, such as working as a tour guide, travel writer, or social media influencer, careers in ecotourism, cultural exchange programs, and travel consulting as areas with potential for growth and innovation,” Brokjans says.
One option to consider is working in destination marketing which she says can be an incredibly rewarding job.
“One of the reasons why I love it is because it gives me the opportunity to showcase the beauty and diversity of my home country to the world,” she says. “In destination marketing you can inspire people to explore new places, try new foods, and immerse themselves in different cultures. By promoting a country or destination, you get to educate people about the world around them, while also contributing to the tourism industry and the local economy. It’s a job that combines creativity, strategy, and a passion for travel, making it a truly exciting and fulfilling career path.”
For Intrepid Travel’s general manager, North America, one of the coolest jobs in travel is being a tour leader for a tour operator.
“It’s like a guide, but you need to balance out excellent knowledge of a destination, with a passion for customer service, and you’re hosting travellers all day, so it gives you an opportunity to build more rapport. And it’s cool because you literally get paid to travel around amazing places,” Tom Smith tells Travel Courier. “An entry level position may be as a customer service agent for a travel agency or tour operator. This will help you to build product knowledge, as well as getting a feel for what customers are looking for. This is cool because it’s often in a team, and so your team becomes like a mini family.”
Similarly, Brett Walker, the general manager of Collette for Canada, also agrees that a tour manager or director is one of the most interesting jobs in the business.
“It’s an awesome way to get to know our industry and travellers,” he says. “Things can go wrong and invariably they do — so this job requires a can-do attitude. Mastering it is a black belt in travel. Tour guiding not only hones your knowledge of the world and everyone who lives here but more importantly the services provided to your guests and travellers. And you get to see and learn about the world on the fly and meet incredible people you would simply not meet otherwise. Believe me, any tour manager could write a book and yes – it would be comical, scary, thrilling, salacious and everything else and totally worth reading. Perhaps a whole lot incriminating too which is probably why there aren’t any. There – how cool is that!”
Meanwhile, Mike Quinto, VP of Sales, Canada for Exoticca, says the travel industry offers many jobs beyond the more obvious dreams of becoming a pilot, flight attendant, travel agent, customer service agents, hotel management or a business development role with tour operators, cruise lines or hoteliers.
“Some jobs that are often not thought about in the industry could include social media marketing, brochure distribution channels, and destination management where you manage a tourist destination like Myrtle Beach or The Rockies,” he reveals. “You could work for Tourism Canada and promote our beautiful country all around the world, or maybe your dream is to be a travel agent where you get to make people’s dreams come true, but then turn around and travel all around the world for free. In the travel industry we often work while we’re travelling around the world and checking out different places, which is why it’s one of the most amazing and fulfilling jobs to have in the industry and where a lot of industry veterans started, myself included. But the best part about the travel industry, the thing that makes it so cool, is that you get to travel the world, with amazing like minded people, while making other people’s dreams come true. From the galas, to the events, to the free trips, to conferences, and meeting some of the most amazing people along the way, is what makes this industry, one of a kind.”
Beyond becoming a travel advisor, which presents a lot of diverse leadership and growth opportunities, Carla Brake, director of business development for the Globus family of brands, points out that there are countless sales, finance, marketing, operations, human resources and entry-level administration roles at hotels, tourism boards, tour operators, cruise operators, online marketing firms and more.
“Travel is a fun, inspired industry that invites people to fulfill their dreams and explore the world,” she adds. “It’s a relationship-based industry that’s incredibly rewarding, all-the-way-around.”
