Travel can be by road, rail, sea or air, and it can be for business or pleasure.
Jobs can be driving cars, lorries, buses or trains or flying planes. Airline cabin crew and train staff help passengers use the transport. There are jobs controlling transport networks, including air traffic controller and transport scheduler. Travel agents help customers plan and book their travel. Tour guides and resort reps help people once they arrive.
Some travel jobs have age restrictions. You have to be 21 to drive a train or bus or fly aircraft. Cabin crew have to be over 18.
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Career maps
Refer to these useful charts that explains the different sorts of jobs in the travel and tourism sector and what qualifications are required for each role.
Transport - Bus and Coach Driver
Transport - Bus & Coach Operations
Future careers
More people are making their own travel arrangements than ever before, so sales and customer service call centres are needed. Travel experts are always in demand: people who have travelled a lot themselves can find jobs advising people. Specialist holidays to far-flung places are very popular: planners and guides are needed to support these. Cruises have risen in popularity, so there may be more jobs on ships in future.
Things to consider
Things you may need to know:
- You may need to speak a language for jobs involving foreign travel.
- Airline jobs usually require background checks and/or DBS checks.
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