Adventure Tourism & Recreation: outdoor guide, ski lift operators, ski instructor, sports equipment repair person, park interpreter, marina attendant, guest services supervisor, canoeing / kayaking guide, ski area manager, golf operations manager, park warden, and marine tour operator.

Travel Trade: reservation (ticket) agent, travel counsellor, local tour guide, international counsellor, tour planner, incentive travel specialist, sales and marketing supervisor, senior travel counsellor, tour promotions manager, tour operator, travel agency manager / owner, and package tour coordinator.

Relevant skills for working in the tourism industry include:

• Work well in team situations
  
• Enjoy being of service to other people
  
• Good communication and trouble shooting skills
  
• Like working with people
  
• Polite and friendly customer service skills
  
• Enjoy sales and sharing knowledge of the local area
  
• Motivated to learn and grow
  
• Able to work weekends and holidays
  
• Enjoy interacting with people from other cultures
  
• Flexible and able to adapt to change
  
• Able to remain calm in stressful situations

Benefits

The benefits of working in tourism are numerous. The industry is large and offers many job opportunities, a significant number of which are supervisory or managerial. Tourism employers are investing in on-the-job training for staff, and tourist locations often offer exciting work environments.

Tourism Services: tourism information counsellor, sales representative, tourism research assistant, destination development specialist, tourism association administrator, tourism government positions, travel writer / photographer, media / trade press specialist, tourism consultant / researcher, tourism educator / trainer, and tourism association executive director.

Skills and Training

Many entry-level jobs in the tourism industry do not require a formal education. However, there are some excellent full-time and part-time tourism certificate, diploma, and degree programs offered by BC colleges and universities that can help you break into this industry. Certificates such as Foodsafe, Serving it Right, Superhost, and Level I First Aid increase your employability and are obtained through short-term workshops or courses.

In your off-work hours you may be able to take advantage of travel or recreational discounts. Opportunities to start your own business in tourism are promising, and skills gained in tourism are transferable to other types of work or other tourism jobs just about anywhere in the world.

For information on tourism careers, check out the following web sites:

BC WorkInfoNet:
http://WorkInfoNet.bc.ca

Tourism Career Connections:
http://www.prit.bc.ca

Canadian Tourism Council:
http://www.cthrc.ca

- by Tanya Storr