Learn about the Tourism Industry

• Work in Tourism or Start a Tourism Business
• Explore the opportunities and risks before deciding where to invest your time or money

Tourism has become a major recreation pursuit, and commercial industry world wide. It is so significant today that some regions (even some countries) economies, are more heavily dependent upon tourism than anything else. The tourism industry encompasses the provision of all those services used by people when travelling away from home. The reason for travel is most obviously "a holiday"; but may also be "business".

CONTENTS

There are ten lessons in this module as follows:

1. Travel Industry Overview/Introduction : holiday travel, Business travel, Resources, Components of travel (Accommodation, Transport, Food, Luggage/what to take, Health, Money, etc)
2. Destinations : Local, State, Interstate, International; health before departure.
3. Money, Insurance & Legalities : Credit cards, travelers cheques, exchange rates, International driving, quarantine laws, Islamic law, political concerns, tariffs, duty free, departure taxes etc.
4. Transport - Airline reservations : International Air Transport Assn, Aircraft types, Flight information, transfers, time zones, passports, visas, baggage, travelling with animals, making a reservation, etc.
5. Transport - Car Rental : Types of hire cars, reading manuals, different road rules, making reservations, cost structures, etc
6. Transport -Other, boat (ferries, cruising), bus, rail etc
7. Accommodation : Camping, Caravans, Tents, B & B's & Guesthouses, Hotels, Youth Hostels, Resorts, etc
8. Package Tours
9. Travel Agency Systems : Ethics, Tourist organisations, Client records and accounts procedures, etc.
10. Special Project -planning a trip

Duration: 100 hours

LESSON AIMS

• Describe the nature and scope of the tourism industry.
• Recommend tourism destinations relevant to client needs.
• Advise a client on planning for unforeseen circumstances on a trip, such as financial, legal and insurance issues.
• Explain the operation of airlines, including booking procedures.
• Explain the operation of car rental services, including booking procedures.
• Explain the operation of other transport services, including shipping, bus and rail.
• Explain the operation of accommodation options to a client
• Advise a client on package tour options, to satisfied their specified requirements.
• Determine appropriate operational systems for management of a tourism service.
• Consolidate available information and resources to plan a trip.

Tourism is largely a leisure pursuit. In other words, it is a holiday that involves travelling to a destination. Not all travelers are tourists however since the purpose of many travel trips is business. A sales rep who travels interstate to visit clients or an executive who travels overseas for meetings would not be considered a tourist. Similarly, a family member visiting and staying with a relative might not be considered a tourist.

Often, though, the boundaries between ‘tourists’ and other travelers overlap. Many business travelers, and other people travelling for non-leisure purposes, spend at least some time during their trip making use of ‘tourist’ facilities - such as visiting local attractions or staying in tourist accommodation.

Regardless of whether a person is a ‘traveled’ or ‘tourist’ when they travel away from home, they use many of the same facilities and services that cater for the travel industry, for example, booking agents, airlines, and vehicle hire services.

Tourism Industry Sectors

Tourists travel to destinations. They need transport systems to get to their destinations and once they have arrived they require accommodation, entertainment (or ‘attractions’) and other amenities (e.g. shops, garages, medical facilities).

The tourism industry is comprised of sectors that deal with the tourist’s needs. Sectors include:

• Marketing specialists – travel agents, tour wholesalers, and tourism promotional agencies
• Carrier or transport services – including rail, coach, airlines, and shipping services
• Accommodation sector – including hotels, resorts, motels, campgrounds, B&Bs, caravan parks, restaurants and cafes
• Attractions sector – including theme parks and other tourist-orientated entertainment facilities
• Tour operators – tourism guides, tour group leaders, drivers, and hosts.

Some sectors overlap but others operate independently. For example, a large tourism resort might offer accommodation, attractions, tours, and marketing services, whereas a travel agent is more likely to only be involved in the marketing sector.

Broadly speaking, there are three types of tourism systems in each country:

1. Local or domestic tourism – residents travelling within their own country, including short-distance day and weekend trips, excursions within the state or region, and interstate or long-distance travel within the country
2. Outbound tourism – residents travelling abroad
3. Inbound tourism – tourists visiting from another country.

Career and business opportunities exist at many different levels, and in many different areas of tourist. This course will provide both a foundation and perspective to make better informed decisions within the tourism industry; and in doing so, enhance your career or business prospects; and your capacity to continue learning well beyond this course.