Accredited online and on-campus courses from leading Australian universities, TAFEs and colleges
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About Tourism
You'll become
Average Salaries
Tourism workers may earn between $29,000 and $53,000 per year
Unlock the world and start a new career with no limits by studying a tourism course.
You’re energetic, adventurous and love working with people. Build a dynamic new career in a limitless global industry by studying a tourism course.
An emerging industry in need of skilled leaders to guide it, the tourism sector is urgently seeking thousands more professionals to connect clients with the experiences of their dreams. If you want a job that offers time with people, a creative outlet and the opportunity to use your skills to help people achieve their goals, consider starting with a dynamic tourism course.
Graduates of tourism courses may seek employment in the tourism and travel sector in Australia, helping a range of clients make plans, bookings and schedule dream trips, or may work in the event management, venue management and hospitality sectors all over the world. By studying a tourism course, you’ll build the essential customer service skills required to thrive in the workplace, and ground your knowledge in a global context.
Working in the tourism sector, you’ll use your management, customer service and organisational skills to solve problems, charm clients, make strategic plans, and provide vital and intimate assistance. As a leader in the tourism sector, you won’t just build in-demand skills for your career – you’ll develop the unique capacity to shape people’s experiences.
You may study a tourism course at a range of different levels, including as a certificate or diploma course, or as part of a bachelor’s or master’s degree in business or management.
If you thrive working with people, enjoy fast-paced environments and want to use your skills to help see dreams become reality, consider a switch to the dynamic and energising tourism industry.
What do tourism graduates do?
Graduates of tourism courses may seek employment in a wide variety of operational, management and team member roles in a range of travel agency, hotel, restaurant venue settings, which means your day-to-day responsibilities will vary, depending on the role you take on.
If you work as a travel agent or tourism adviser, you may perform tasks such as:
- Directing and overseeing scheduling and reservations, including managing travel requirements, accommodation and special requests;
- Suggesting itineraries based on travel routes, cost and availability;
- Making and confirming travel and accommodations reservations;
- Providing clients with information on baggage allowances, tickets, attractions, tours, visas and medical requirements;
- Preparing travel documents and itineraries;
- Providing information on travel insurance and financing;
- Providing information about tours, travel routes, places of interest and accommodations; and
- Providing general customer service help.
If you work in hospitality or venue management, you might perform tasks like:
- Maintaining and supervising security arrangements and property maintenance;
- Performing customer service activities, including answering questions, providing advice and resolving conflict;
- Assessing and reviewing customer satisfaction;
- Planning and supervising bar, restaurant, venue, function and conference activities;
- Observing venue compliance with relevant occupational health and safety, gaming and liquor regulations;
- Overseeing and reviewing purchasing and stock control activities;
- Managing and leading other staff members;
- Providing guests with information about tourism and recreational activities and assist with arranging tours; and
- Managing administrative tasks.
Career Outcomes
Career Outcomes
After completing a tourism course, you may seek employment in a wide range of management, leadership and business roles within the tourism, hospitality and event management industries, either in Australia or overseas.
Roles you may choose to take on include working as a:
- Hotel Manager
- Hotel Front Office Attendant
- Hotel Service Supervisor
- Tourism Manager
- Hotel Supervisor
- Hospitality Operator
- Human Resources Manager
- Food and Beverage Manager
- Front of House Manager
- Front Office Supervisor
- Hospitality Professional
- CEO
- Hospitality Manager
- Reception Front Desk Attendant
- Housekeeper (Hotel/Motel)
- Shift Manager
- Restaurant manager/supervisor
- Bar manager/supervisor
- Event Manager
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Is tourism right for you?
You’ll thrive working in tourism if you:
- Love working with people
- Are highly organised
- Love solving problems
- Have excellent customer service skills
- Have excellent time management and organisational skills
- Are a natural leader
- Enjoy problem-solving
- Are highly motivated
- Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Are proactive and efficient
- Can think strategically and exercise sound judgment
- Want to get things done
Job opportunities
The Australian Government’s Job Outlook predicts strong growth in job opportunities for tourism consultants over the next decade, predicting the profession will grow to employ approximately 7,000 more people by 2020.
Currently employing approximately 25,600 people, the tourism sector is predicted to grow to employ approximately 32,900 people by 2020. Employment opportunities in the profession have grown steadily for the past decade and are likely to continue rising at the same rate for the next decade.
Average Salaries
According to PayScale, a travel consultant can expect to earn on average between $29,000 and $55,000 per year, with an annual average salary of $43,000. PayScale notes that earning capacity for consultants increases sharply in the first five years of their career, with entry-level consultants earning on average approximately $9,000 per year less than people with five to 10 years of professional experience.
PayScale also notes that a hospitality manager can expect to earn between $41,000 and $75,000 per year, with an average annual salary of approximately $53,000, and notes that approximately 40 per cent of hospitality managers have more than 10 years of experience in the industry, indicating many employees choose to build a career in hospitality.