Tourism & Travel

1. Master in Tourism Administration (MTA)
2. MA in Tourism Management-This is a two-year course. The course has papers on tourism concepts and principles, travel agency management, tourism marketing, etc. Students are expected to study a foreign language. BHU offers this course.
3. M.Sc Hospitality and Tourism Management-There are many institutes that offer M.Sc courses in tourism. M.Sc Hospitality and Tourism Management is offered by Global Institute of Management Science Mumbai, Manipal University, Annamalai University, etc. Christ College, Bangalore offers M.Sc International Tourism Management.
4. MBA Hospitality and Travel Management-MBA in Hospitality and tourism management is another option. National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management Hyderabad, Bangalore Management Academy, GIMS, etc., offer this course.
Masters in Hospitality and Travel Management/Tourism will open opportunities to work with branded hotels like Marriot, Hyatt, ITC, TAJ and Rosewood. You can also be a part of tour/travel organizations like Airbnb, Ixigo, Goibibo or travel planner companies like Thomas Cook and Cox and Kings. If you like to travel or have interest in the similar field than graduation and post-graduation after that will enhance your business view in this field.

PhD is a very reputed program. The basic eligibility of the course is a Master's degree. The candidates generally develop high standards of research ability and a knack for application of concepts in a specialized field. Professionals generally opt for this option once the wish to use there caliber for research and development of a particular part of a sector and for the purpose sharing their knowledge with the aspirants.
Tourism sector will generally offer customer related job profiles however the benefit of pursuing PhD in tourism will allow one to build a career in the sector of teaching and imparting knowledge in the various T&T institutes. These institutes give preference over general master degree holders.
The good institutes offering these PhD programs are:
Amity University
IGNOU
KSOU
Pondicherry University

Tourism is a booming industry offering many job opportunities in the sector.
As this is an upcoming sector hence there are certain mandate skills required to excel in the field:
Customer dealing- The art of understanding the customer requirements, needs and expectation is a key to building a rapport with the customer.
Knowledge of the geography of said area- This goes a long way in giving the best experience to the customers keeping their requirements in mind.
Additional language- This makes an advantage to foreign tourists as communication is a key to being able to deliver the requirements.
Technical knowledge of travel process- Right from ticket booking, package booking, experience packages, fooding areas, etc. will help improve the travel experience.
Problem solving- One needs to be very decisive and spontaneous to handle any problem/concern as and it occurs.
These skills are learnt through experience and also taught in many personality development subjects in T&T course. However, the actual application basis the situation one faces will ensure better learning.

Yes, softwares are involved as once a booking is done the same needs to be updated with all concerned departments immediately to avoid confusion hence a software is required.
List of software involved in ticketing/reservations are:
-Galileo CRS
-Amadeus
-Sabre
-Worlspan, etc.
The various version of these software keep developing based on the company and any additional features that are introduced.
The best training institutes for these software would definitely be the IATA authorized centers as these certification from there are globally accepted.
Few top institutes that provide equally good training for the same are:
Kuoni Academy
TMI Academy of Travel & Tourism
Thomas Cook
Skylark Institute of Travel
You can pursue different level of course, with varied duration and also option for the campus placements and assistance provided.

Most of the people working in the adventure tourism sector have some kind of qualification in tourism, outdoor sports, or management. By taking courses in adventure sports, one can become instructors or tour operators in specific adventure sports. As people get more adventurous to try out new destinations and recreation, there is a growing need for qualified adventure instructors. Opportunities in adventure tourism can be as a Tour Guide, Adventure Tour operator, Outdoor Education Officer, Safari Guide, Adventure Sports Trainer, Travel and Information Consultant, Diver, Adventure Sports Photographer, Wildlife Photographer and so on. They can find employment with tour companies, excursion agencies, holiday resorts, leisure camps, commercial recreation centres, sports centres and athletic clubs. One can even set up their own adventure sports center where they can offer services and impart training in their area of specialization. Job in adventure tourism sector does not have structured salaries. Salary varies depending on the location, career opportunity, responsibilities and whether the position is seasonal or full-time. In most cases adventure tourism jobs are seasonal. Hence one cannot expect fixed income throughout the year. However, in the beginning of this career, you can get salary ranges from Rs. 7,000-12,000 per month. Income from self-employment venture depends upon the nature and size of the operations, it can be more than those who work under someone.

1. Read
Read all the greats, but don't skip the more obscure writers. Read magazines. Get yourself a library card if you don't have one, and if you cant does that, check Google Books and Google Magazines.
2. Travel writing includes hotel reviews and destination guides, published in guidebooks and in glossy travel magazines. But travel writings more than service pieces.
3. Start writing a blog, thousands of writers have published their writing primarily or exclusively on their blogs.
4. Develop online presence through Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms to connect with other writers, editors, and readers.
5. Look for stories everywhere. Often, the most interesting stories aren't waiting in some far-flung place for you to come along and unearth them.
Content writers salary generally ranges from 1.5-2 LPA. Travel blogger makes money through-
a. Start off as a guest writer on popular blogs/ websites of travel agencies.
b. Share your experiences on social networking sites.
c. Make money through AdSense on your blogs.
d. Freelancer.com has few openings for a freelance travel blogger.
e. Apply for a job as Travel Writer for the Indian Embassy.

Perhaps the most common type of tourism is what most people associate with traveling: Recreation tourism. This is when people go to a place that is very different from their regular day-to-day life to relax and have fun. Beaches, theme parks and camp grounds are often the most common places frequented by recreational tourists.
If the objective of ones visit to a particular place is to get to know its history and culture then this type of tourism is known as cultural tourism. Tourists may visit different landmarks of a particular country or they may simply option to focus on just one area. They may also attend festivals and ceremonies in order to gain a better understanding of the people, their beliefs and their practices.
For tourists who want to see wildlife or bask in the joy of just being in the midst of nature, nature tourism is the answer. Ecotourism and nature treks are all part of this kind of tourism. Bird watching, for example, is one activity that nature tourists are fond of doing. What marks this kind of tourism is that it is environmentally responsible, has low impact and advantageous to the local community.
Religious tourism is another type of tourism where people go to a religious location or locations to follow the footsteps of their founder or to attend a religious ceremony. Catholics, for example, go on pilgrimages in the Holy Land to experience the paths where Jesus walked.
Medical or health tourism is a relatively new type of tourist activity where the main focus of the travel is improving ones health, physical appearance or fitness. For instance, certain countries promote the expertise of their doctors and surgeons in the field of cosmetic surgery and invite foreigners to have their liposuction, facelift, nose lift and other forms of cosmetic procedures to be done there. Medical tourism also incorporates aspects of recreation tourism where the patient goes to a relaxing getaway to recover from the procedure.
Adventure tourism is another type of tourism that is catered for those who want to do more than just visit regular tourist sites. These kinds of trips involve challenging activities like rock climbing, mountain climbing and wild water rafting.

Tourism Department:
In the tourism department, there are jobs as reservation and counter staff, sales and marketing staff, tour planners and tour guides. Officers in the Directorate and Departments of Tourism are recruited from among the candidates who have done civil service, drawn from the Civil/administrative services of the State and Central governments. They are involved in the planning and promotion of tourism activities. A degree in travel and tourism is required for operational jobs in government organizations. Information assistants at the office of the Tourism departments are selected through competitive examinations held by the Staff Selection Commission. The eligibility is graduation with knowledge of Indian history, art, and architecture, besides proficiency in English.
Airlines:
Working in an airline, whether on the ground staff or in flight is an exciting option for many people these days. In the airlines, one can work as Traffic Assistance, Reservation and Counter Staff, Airhostess and flight pursers, Sales and Marketing staff and customer services. A course in travel and tourism or a qualification on Hotel management helps to get in. The jobs in airlines though challenging are glamorous and afford the possibility of traveling to exciting destinations.
Tour Operators:
Tour operators organize conducted tours to the various tourist spots and manage the travel and stay of the tourists. There are many companies operating tours for the domestic as well as the international tourist. Some may be for the usual destinations like hill stations but others are for unusual activities like river rafting, hang gliding, rock climbing, and camping. Tour operators need people for selling the concept and then to accompany the groups to the destinations.
Travel Agencies:
Travel agents assess the needs of tourists and businessmen and help them make the best possible travel arrangements from the many travel options available. They deal with almost everything connected with travel including the shortest route to the destination, travel mode, the important documents that will be required (visa, passport, vaccination certificates etc.), suitable places to stay, current exchange rates, tourist attractions to visit, climate and they will plan the trip keeping in mind the clients' preferences, budgets and special needs.