Dated 10th May, 2000

Career Clues

To be in the T&T industry, you need to possess the following attributes:

Good knowledge of geography and history.

Good knowledge of culture, customs and law of the land.

Good knowledge of tourist sites.

Aptitude for numerical work.

Good organisational abilities.

Friendly and sociable nature.

Ability to handle different types of people.

Fluency in the local language, English and Hindi.

Knowledge of more than one Indian and foreign languages.

Good health and stamina to work long, odd hours.

Training and Eligibility: A number of good institutions around the country offer training courses in different aspects of travel and tourism. The Indian Institute of Travel and Tourism Management, Delhi, provides guidelines for the standardisation of curricula. It is also possible to gain these qualifications through correspondence. The eligibility at UG level is a pass in Class XII or Intermediate. At the PG level, a graduate in any discipline is eligible. The duration of training in most institutions normally varies between one and two years.

Job Prospects: Job prospects include positions in travel agencies, tour operating agencies, airlines - domestic and international, hotels, transport and cargo companies, govt tourism deptts and travel consultancy organisations, apart from self-employment.

Related Careers: Catering, hotels, civil aviation, leisure management etc.