Travel and tourism—one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the world. According to Statista, a leader in industry analytics, travel and tourism directly contributed 2.75 trillion U.S. dollars to the global economy in 2018 alone.
France, Spain and the U.S. remain some of the most visited countries in the world. However, in recent years, previously less travelled countries have seen dramatic increases in visitors.
There’s never been a more opportune time to work in travel and tourism. FlightHub and JustFly have curated a short list of reasons why.
Travel the World
Travelling is arguably the most obvious benefit of working in travel and tourism. It’s an excellent way to create memories. It’s also exciting, educational and cultural. See world-famous monuments. Explore iconic cities. Expand your culinary palette and more, all while earning a living.
Career Opportunities
Skift, an intelligence platform providing marketing insights, reported that 10% of jobs around the world are in the travel industry.
The opportunity for career advancements plays a major role in employee retention and satisfaction. The high number of jobs and diverse career paths is an added upside to working in travel and tourism. Become a travel writer, work on a cruise ship, be an international aid, the options are nearly endless.
Transferable Skills
A career in travel grooms professionals with a flexible set of transferable skills. The best travel and tourism employees are active listeners and provide excellent customer service. They’re generally good with absorbing large amounts of information, then simplifying and sharing it.
These may appear to be simple skills, but they make a world of difference, especially in customer facing roles. Networking, administration, business development and finance are a few of the many potential skills that can be learned in this sector. There are also several travel and tourism courses available. Learn more about travel in a general sense or specialize in specific niches of the travel sector.
Benefits
Employee benefits are a big part of any career. Most companies typically offer a few weeks of vacation, sick days, and some form of health insurance. However, some companies go above and beyond to help their employees strike a balance between work and life.
Many leading travel brands offer between $750 to $3000 in annual travel stipends. Others offer additional days off, encouraging their staff to get away from the office to be active. Discounts for family and friends at company resorts, hotels and cruises is also a major employee perk.
Growth and Diversity:
The travel and tourism industry is ever evolving. People are traveling in record numbers. Even more interesting than the number of travellers, are the reasons they’re travelling, and how. There’s growing interest among travellers to visit more diverse locations.
An all-inclusive cruise or vacation is usually a good option. But more and more, people are looking for genuine experiences, along the lines of voluntourism, city stays, housing swaps, wellness tourism and beyond. This shift in the mindset of travellers is the ideal opportunity for employees of the industry to deepen their knowledge of their customers and the world.
Patrick Quayle, United Airlines VP of international planning said, “We are millennials and we are looking to have different travel experiences than our parents, as a result of that, the network has to evolve and look different.”
Culture
Ultimately, travel is about culture and discovery. Every destination presents new chances to dive deeper into the landscapes, traditions and the heartbeat of different places and people.
Travel lets people break out of their comfort zones. It opens them up to new perspectives, from the way others speak, think, symbolism and so much more. A career in travel can literally take you anywhere.
