What is Travel and Tourism Management?

Travel and Tourism are a part of the hospitality industry. Travel and Tourism Management refers to everything related to the hospitality and travel industries. This course offers extensive training opportunities for management positions in travel, accommodations, and the food industry. Students who wish to venture into the travel and tourism industry as a profession can pursue a course in the same in the undergraduate, postgraduate, or also pursue a diploma or certificate course in travel and tourism management. The curriculum provides an in-depth idea of the legal, economic, marketing, accounting, financial, and management-related information involved in tourism, hotel management, and hospitality management. Travel and tourism have emerged as one of the world's largest economic sectors. It creates jobs, drives exports and foreign revenue, and generates wealth across the world. 

Tourism Sector of Assam

Assam is one of the eight north-eastern states of India and is considered the gateway to northeast India. Situated at one of the primary wealthiest bio-geographic regions, Assam is endowed with splendid natural beauty. With loads of economic resources, rich cultural and ethnic heritage, rich flora, fauna, and biodiversity, the state can emerge as the hub of a tourist destination if it gets amplified with proper infrastructure.

Of late, the state government and other establishments have undertaken numerous initiatives and strategies to promote tourism. Once these initiatives work, Assam can have a thriving tourism industry. It will generate much revenue for the state, produce income and job possibilities for the local population and help the state's economy prosper. For the people involved in the hospitality sector, the inflow of both domestic and foreign tourists will mean more significant opportunities to earn a better livelihood. 

With its fast-flowing rivers and undulating hills, the topography of the state offers excellent prospects for adventure tourism. The hills of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao district are ideal for mountaineering and rock climbing. Guwahati and Morigaon district also has a few hill ranges that offer a convenient hiking experience.

The mighty River Brahmaputra and its turbulent tributaries are great for river rafting. River rafting is the perfect activity at the Jia Bhoroli River, which is also a tributary of the Brahmaputra. 

Angling is another tourist attraction. The rivers Jia Bhoroli, Kapili, and Manas, are the best places for angling, and the Jia Bhoroli River houses the game fish- Golden Mahseer. Anglers from within and outside the state participate in annual angling competitions organized on the banks of the Jia Bhoroli. 

An attractive feature of the state is its forestry. The state is famous for the One- Horned Rhinoceros. Other endangered species found include Hoolock Gibbon, Pygmy Hog, Stamp Tailed Macaque, the Capped Langur, the Golden Langur, the Clouded Leopard, the White Winged Wood Duck, and the like. The presence of all these flora and fauna makes Assam one of the best destinations for tourists. The state also has five National Parks and several wildlife and bird sanctuaries. 

Other than this, the state also has several historical monuments, temples, and other pilgrimage centers. Assam is indeed a mosaic of various cultures and religions and has a lot to offer to tourists worldwide.

Scope of Travel and Tourism Management in Assam

In Assam, though, the tourism industry is not well developed. But revenue collected from this sector has increased significantly with every passing year.  The tourism sector of Assam faces several bottlenecks in the form of insurgency problems, lack of infrastructure, geographical isolation, barriers in communication, law and order problems, and so on. These are solid factors that work against a good inflow of tourists. The people involved with the hospitality industry of Assam, the state government, and subsequent stakeholders should collaborate in a concerted manner to overcome these issues. Once these problems erode, the state can expect a steady inflow of tourists. 

It would mean great opportunities for travel and tourism management students. Though there are great opportunities in both the public and private sector, the following are the most common areas of opportunities for travel and tourism degree holders:

Travel Agency

A travel agency is an organization that acts as an intermediary between the service supplier and the tourists. The suppliers can be airlines, hotels, and restaurants. It is the primary contact point for a traveler planning a trip. Travel agencies ' primary goal is to provide a hassle-free travel experience to their customers. The primary services offered by travel agencies are flight ticketing, booking accommodation, itinerary planning, travel insurance, and providing critical travel information.

Tour Operators

Tour operators are the organizations that combine tour and travel to provide customers with various tour packages. They usually create packages for tourists. Along with that, they also provide ticketing and reservation, itinerary planning, and so on. Even though the functions of tour operators are pretty similar to travel agents, the main difference is that travel agencies sell packages as per their customer's requirements. Tour operators sell their packages instead.  

Tourism Department

The tourism department is also known as the Ministry of Tourism. It is a government organization that governs the tourism industry of a county. They look after all the tourism-related interests of a particular country. Travel and tourism students have a great scope of being absorbed in the Tourism department. Apart from higher officials and ministerial positions, they can also work as tour guides, Public Relations Manager, and Sales and Marketing staff.

Accommodation

Accommodation is an integral part of the hospitality industry. It includes hotels, motels, kitchen-related activities, sanitation, human resources, and so on. The career options in this area include kitchen staff, chefs, hotel managers, lobby managers, and organizers.

Professional tourism education endows students with essential knowledge of different aspects related to the tourism and hospitality industry. They can acquire these skills to serve customers better. Upon completing the course, students become capable of accessing various job opportunities available in this domain.