A CAREER IN TRAVEL? YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!
By Steve Gillick, President and Chief Operating Officer
The Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors
No, I am serious. For those that want it there is a bright opportunity-filled future in the travel
industry. Despite the media focus on internet booking engines, high gas prices, tsunamis,
hurricanes, airline bankruptcies and troubles around the globe there continues to be a demand
for new staff in every sector of the travel industry.
Almost every time something negative happens around the globe or in our own back yard, the
survival of the neighbourhood travel agency --and even the occupation of 'travel counsellor'--is
called into question. Yet, there are jobs in the travel industry--from coast to coast to coast- that
are begging for qualified personnel, and there is space, wide-open, in business school and
college courses, for training in the field of travel counselling.
The Coordinator of one Travel Program explained that "Employers have depended on our
graduates to fill positions in travel agencies, as well as other travel related occupations. In spite
of recent events around the globe, the demand is as high as ever for educated travel
professionals". The head of another major Tourism and Travel College program concurred by
saying that “Just this week we have had six calls, looking for grads for entry level positions in
reservations, call centres, documentation and ticketing, and junior level counselling”, She went
on to say that “To get the best trained staff, you must start with ‘the best material’ and in many
employers minds, the ‘best’ are the graduates of endorsed travel programs”.
The definition of a perfect job is to find something you love to do and to actually have someone
pay you for doing it. Travel careers frequently follow this path. People choose travel as a career
because they love to travel. They love to learn about cultures and history and different places.
They love to sample different cuisine, photograph colourful celebrations and festival