Tourism Careers: Salaries, Skills, and Job Descriptions

Posted on Feb 25, 2025 in Tourism

Tourism Professionals: Skills and Responsibilities

Listen to 3 Tourism Professionals:

  1. Sumalee, Travel Agent: Organized and communicative.
  2. Sandra, Flight Attendant: Customer-focused and efficient.
  3. Dev, Tour Guide: Energetic, enthusiastic, and entertaining.

Job Requirements:

  1. Travel Agent: Excellent customer service and sales skills are essential for selling holiday and travel products. Good IT skills are also necessary for finding information and making online bookings.
  2. Flight Attendant: Good communication skills are needed to interact with people from diverse cultures, along with being a good team worker. Basic first aid and medical skills are important.
  3. Tour Guide: A passion for people and high energy are crucial for helping people have fun. Good organizational and language skills are also important.

Salaries and Working Conditions:

  1. Travel Agent: In the USA, full-time travel agents earn between $24,000 and $38,000 annually before tax. Salary depends on experience, sales skills, and agency size and location. For example, in San Francisco, the annual salary is $30,000 for a 40-hour week (Monday to Friday). Benefits include travel discounts.
  2. Flight Attendant: Working hours are very flexible, often including weekends and holidays. Typically, they fly 70 hours a month and work another 40 hours on the ground. Salary: $3,200 per month, $38,000 per year, with potential to increase pay by $3,000-$8,000 per year with extra flights. Family and the flight attendant receive significant discounts on flights.
  3. Tour Guide: $8 per hour, approximately $23,000 annually. The pay is lower, but the job includes travel to exotic locations for free. Sometimes, the workday can be 14-15 hours. Advantages include free meals, accommodation, and transport. Customers often give tips (e.g., $250 in tips in 5 days).

Complete the Descriptions:

  1. Food and Beverage Manager: Plans and organizes the operations of a restaurant.
  2. Front Office Manager: Responsible for the front desk.
  3. Hotel Receptionist: Makes reservations and checks in guests.
  4. Executive Chef: Writes menus and instructs cooks.
  5. Executive Housekeeper: Inspects rooms and manages cleaning staff.

Complete Sentences:

  1. The executive chef manages the kitchen staff. At the moment, she’s planning the menu for a banquet.
  2. The receptionist works at the front desk. He’s checking in a group of 25.
  3. The executive housekeeper supervises the cleaning staff. He’s inspecting all bathrooms.
  4. The building manager looks after the building. He’s supervising repairs.
  5. The waiter waits on tables. At the moment, he’s taking the lunch order.
  6. The bell boy helps guests with luggage. He’s carrying it now.

Covering Letter Phrases:

  1. I am writing to apply.
  2. As advertised.
  3. I have two years’ experience.
  4. My responsibilities include…
  5. Find attached a copy of my CV.
  6. In addition…
  7. As you can see…
  8. Please do not hesitate to contact me.
  9. I look forward to…
  10. Yours sincerely/faithfully/regards.

Which Sector Does NOT Relate?

  1. Accommodation: Ski instructor.
  2. Transportation: Events manager.
  3. Attractions: Concierge.
  4. Food and beverage: Museum guide.
  5. Recreation: Executive chef.
  6. Events and conferences: Pilot.