Find the best Bachelor Degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management

Do you like the idea of traveling? Do you wish to meet and work with people from diverse cultural backgrounds? Are you a problem solver? If you answer these questions with a positive, a profession in travel, tourism and hospitality industry could be your calling. The tourism and hospitality industry encompasses a wide range of opportunities in the field of hotels, resorts, commercial food services, event planning, tourism attractions and destination, airlines and cruises, cultural tourism, and sports and wellness management.

Travel, tourism, and hospitality industry in India has seen a spurt in growth in the last few years. The industry contributed about 9 percent of total employment in the country at the end of 2015. Travel and tourism is also a major contributor to the GDP of the country, it was about 7 percent in 2014. As per the new visa schemes, India expanded visa-on-arrival scheme to 43 nationalities from 12 countries. The plan to extend similar facility to another 150 countries in underway. Even domestic tourism has roughly catered to 500 million tourists in the last two years. This is going to give an immense boost to travel and tourism sector, and at the same time opens up great opportunities for committed individuals.

According to Shrutidhar Paliwal, vice president and head – Corporate Communication and Media Relations, Aptech Ltd, “Indian Tourism industry is attaining great heights in this market. Tour Manager, Customer Sales Executive, Travel Product Designer, Itinerary Planning, Sales and Marketing, Foreign Exchange, Travel Educator, etc. are some of the available job profiles.” Further, for freshers graduated from reputed institutes, one can earn a starting salary of up to Rs. 30,000 per month in a five star hotel. And with a little hard work and good interpersonal skills, one can earn a hefty package of Rs. 80,000 to Rs. 1.5 lakhs per month in hospitality industries abroad.

Marketing is another rapidly emerging domain in the tourism management industry today. GMJ Thampy, Chairman and Managing Director, Riya Travels says, “In destination marketing, international and state tourism boards and tour operators allure the clients with their innovative marketing drives. A confident individual with a superior understanding of Branding, Marketing, and Advertising, Public relations, Sales and a creative appreciation can always mark his brand in this zone.”

Tourism and hospitality sector have a huge potential to grow in the coming years. But for those seeking to make the most of it, a specialized bachelor degree is essential. Key things to know when looking for a suitable Bachelor’s degree in this industry are:

1. Describe your career objectives to yourself. The curriculum should meet your goal requirements. If, let’s say, you wish to make a career as a hotel manager, a bachelor degree with a strong focus on business and customer relation aspects of hospitality management is necessary.
2. The location of the college you choose is also important. A location with high tourist activity can certainly be a good place to explore and gain practical knowledge while you are studying.
3. Ensure to check the placement record of the college and which industry within Tourism and Hospitality Management do recruiters employ fresh graduates.
4. A great teacher with definitive industry credentials can prove to be a great mentor to help you achieve your goals. Generally, academic achievements and management level business experience are attributes characteristic of good faculty in this industry.
5. Hospitality and tourism is a worldwide industry. Ensuring that the degree you are pursuing has the right accreditation and is recognized by the university system of the country.
6. To gain an edge over others, an institution must provide facility of language study. An appreciation and understanding of other cultures and languages is essential to a successful career.

Various institutions provide specialized bachelor courses in travel and hospitality management all over the country. One such reputable institution is Jain University. Located in the sprawling city of Bangalore, Jain University is one of the top private universities in India. Among various other courses, this university offers a specialized program of Bachelor of Management (BMS) Tourism and Hospitality Management. The program focuses on equipping students with financial, legal, marketing, and quality aspects of hospitality industry. The three year long program offers specialization in developing a sound business acumen for the rapidly growing tourism sector in India.  Jain University was ranked number 5 in the Nielsen Best Universities Survey 2015. It is also a member of Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and Association of Universities of Asia and the Pacific (AUAP).

Image courtesy: www.freepik.com