How To Become a Tourism Officer: Career Guide, Courses, Jobs, Scope, Salary

Types of Tourism Officers

As a Tourism Officer, the work is not as linear. Meaning that within the same role, one can work in various capacities. Individuals can work in Information, Development, Finance, etc. There are various job roles of a Tourism Officer based on their profession. 

A brief description of the profiles is as below.

Tourism Development Officer 

As the name says, the Tourist Development Officer mainly concentrates on boosting the development of a region or attraction. The role performs its duties with the stakeholders and company goal in mind. The Tourism Development Officer takes care of building budgets and plans for developmental activities, network and work with media to improve image etc. Another portion of their duties also involves administrative and operational duties. The average salary for such a professional ranges from INR 4 LPA to INR 6.5 LPA.

Tourist Information Officer 

Tourist Information Officers are professionals who are up to date with information tours, hotels, accommodations etc. They work directly with the clients and tourists to perform their duties. The Tourist Information Officer will make suggestions on the best routes, local attractions to visit, best hotels to stay at etc. They have a ready stock of literature and flyers on hand. The Tourist Information Officer also must have a network of clients from whom they can get first-hand information on travels and tours. The average salary of such a professional ranges from INR 5 LPA to INR 8 LPA.

Travel Consultant 

Travel Consultants are hired to work with travel agencies or some work on their own. They work with clients to understand what they need and want for their vacation. They take note of the budget of the client and the spots they want to see. Accordingly, the Travel Consultant will do research and make suggestions. Work is done by looking up the best hotel prices, weather conditions etc. Once the client approves of their suggestions, the consultant will make bookings for air tickets, hotels, local attractions etc. The average salary of a Travel Consultant ranges from INR 6 LPA to INR 8 LPA.

Travel Agent 

The textbook definition of a Travel Agent will show much of the same duties as a Travel Consultant. However, there are some differences. Firstly, most Travel Consultants work on their own while Travel Agents are a part of an organization. Travel Consultants add a more personalised touch to their offerings by networking and making bookings on their own. On the other hand, the Travel Agent can make use of available information on the internet to make suggestions and delegate the bookings. The average salary of a Travel Agent ranges from INR 4 LPA to INR 8 LPA.

How to Become a Tourism Officer in India?

In India, students have the option of pursuing various courses to work in the Tourism industry. Individuals can choose a course depending on the educational qualifications, finance etc. Universities have certifications, diploma, PG diploma, bachelors, masters and also doctorate courses. Before enrolling on any course, certain groundwork must be done at school. 

School Level Preparation

• For most courses, at the school level, there is a requirement to pursue a specific stream or subjects.
• To work as a Tourism Officer, there is no need to enrol into a specific stream like Arts, Commerce or Science. One can also study all the regular subjects that are a part of the course curriculum.
• Students should look into improving their communication skills. Take part in debating competitions and read enough books to improve your knowledge bank.
• Also, improve the extracurricular section of student profiles. Take part in competitions and activities that will help during admissions to the chosen course. For example, taking part in the student union, organizing events at school etc.

How to Become a Tourism Officer After 12th? 

After completing class 12th, students are presented with two options. One can either enrol into a diploma course or a bachelors course in travel and tourism. For both programmes, the duration and admission process is vastly different. While diploma courses admit students on a merit basis, bachelor’s courses require an entrance test score in most universities. 

Details regarding the admission to UG and PG courses are mentioned below.

UG Preparation 

• Bachelor’s level courses in Management provide Tourism and Hospitality concentration. One can also earn a B.A. degree in the same discipline.
• To gain admission to a UG course, applicants should prepare for an entrance test. Most universities conduct their entrance tests.
• Prepare for the entrance test. Download past papers and the current paper syllabus. Refer to school books for Mathematics, English grammar etc.
• Aim at securing a high rank as competition is tough and several students take the tests every year.
• With a test score in hand, apply for college in hand, and attend personal interview rounds.
• Attend all classes, take extracurriculars, enrol into internships and graduate on time.

PG Preparation 

• Similar to bachelor’s courses, master’s and doctorate courses also admit students through an entrance test. Entrance tests that universities ask for are CAT, MAT, XAT, SNAP etc. Doctorate courses accept CSIR NET, UGC NET etc.
• The most popular course at the master’s course is an MBA in Tourism and Travel and PhD degree for a doctorate course.
• Look up the latest examination syllabus for the chosen test paper. Make sure to look up the marking too.
• Take regular practise tests to understand what to work on.
• Take the examination and apply for shortlisted colleges. Prepare for further admission rounds.
• At the master’s level, group discussions and personal interviews take place. While at the doctorate level, a research proposal is needed during the personal interview.

Courses to Become a Tourism Officers

To work as a Tourism Officer one must have a degree or a diploma in the right concentration. Universities across India offer certifications, diploma, PG diploma, full-time bachelor’s and master’s courses. 

Details of some of the popular courses are as below.

Diploma in Tourism & Travel Management

Diploma in Tourism and Travel Management is a one-year long course for candidates who have completed their class 12th. This entry-level course can be used to learn new skills while already working or use it to start working without pursuing a bachelor’s degree. Admission to diploma courses is on a merit basis. 

Diploma in Tourism & Travel Management: Admission Process

• Applications for admissions are accepted once a year. The dates are announced in advance.
• When the application portal opens up, register using a valid email id and phone number.
• Log in and start the application process. Fill up the application form.
• Upload all documents and pay the application fee.
• Take admission when prompted to pay the admission fee.

Diploma in Tourism & Travel Management: Eligibility Criteria 

• All applicants must have completed their class 12th school leaving examination successfully from a recognized education board.
• One must have a minimum of 50% aggregate score from any stream.
• There should be no backlogs of papers left for the candidate.

Bachelor of Tourism and Travel Management

Bachelor of Tourism and Travel Management is a 3 year long undergraduate course. The course, also called BTTM, has the basics of the tourism industry. Students are equipped with the management tricks and tips to work in the tourism field. Admission to the programme is done both on a merit basis and through entrance tests. Graduates are hired by various organizations to manage tourism finance, operations, marketing, client service, planning etc.

Bachelor of Tourism and Travel Management: Admission Process

• Take note of application dates. When dates open up, register on the university website.
• Open up using the registered credentials and start applying. Fill up the application form.
• Scan and upload required documents in said format.
• Pay the application fee and submit the application form.
• Take an entrance test, if needed. Attend personal interviews.
• Take admission once the admission offer letter is given.

Bachelor of Tourism and Travel Management: Eligibility Criteria for the exam

• All bachelors degree applicants must have completed their class 12th from a recognized educational board.
• There is no specification of a stream to study in class 12th.
• The minimum aggregate score to have is 50% and above.

MBA Tourism and Hospitality Management 

MBA in Tourism and Hospitality Management is a popular master’s course in the field. Students who wish to work in hotels, spas, tourism agencies etc generally opt for this course. The course is completed over 2 years. Admissions are done through entrance examinations like CAT and XAT. 

MBA Tourism and Hospitality Management: Admission Process 

• Register to take an entrance test like CAT, MAT, XAT etc. Take the Exam and secure a high rank.
• With the examination score, apply to colleges of choice. Register and fill up the application form with the correct details.
• Attend personal interviews and group discussions. Some universities conduct their entrance tests, which will be taken at this stage too.
• Once all rounds are done, admission can be taken.

MBA Tourism and Hospitality Management: Eligibility Criteria for the exam

• All applicants must have a bachelor's degree in any stream.
• The candidate must have at least earned a 50% aggregate score.
• Students who are still waiting for their bachelor’s results can also apply.

PhD Tourism Management 

Doctorate courses are the highest level of educational degree one can obtain in India. Several universities offer doctorate degrees with research areas in Tourism and Hospitality. The course is completed over 3 to 5 years. In the end, candidates submit a thesis for their conducted research. They are assisted by a mentor to help with research.

PhD Tourism Management: Admission Process 

• Register for a national entrance test like CSIR NET or GATE. It is not mandatory and one can also apply to take the university test.
• Obtain test results and go to the university website to apply.
• Register on the portal and login to start applying.
• Fill up the application form, upload documents and pay the application fee.
• For candidates taking the university admission tests, take it at this stage. Obtain result.
• Take admission by paying the admission fee.

PhD Tourism Management: Eligibility Criteria for the exam

• All doctorate course applicants must have a master’s degree.
• The minimum aggregate score to have is 55%.
• The master’s degree concentration should be on the same topic as the doctorate research area.
• Some universities require doctorate candidates to have prior work experience.

How to Become A Tourism Officer Abroad 

UK

• In the United Kingdom, many institutes provide Tourism Management courses at both bachelors and masters level.
• For students who are already working, there are diploma courses that are shorter in duration. These courses are awarded by the Confederation of Tourism and Hospitality.
• The United Kingdom is a popular choice for international studies among Indian studies. At the end of 2019, there was a total of 30,550 Indian students in the UK in various courses.\
• Graduates are hired on different profiles in travel agencies, currency exchanges, tourism boards, tour operators etc.

Top Colleges 

US

• In the United States, universities allow students to graduate with a major or a minor in an undergraduate degree. UG degrees one can earn is a B.Sc while for a masters degree, one can earn an M.Sc.
• The course fee ranges from INR 45,900 per credit to INR 23,14,030 annually.
• Graduates from US universities are hired in the positions of PR Manager, Travel Agents, Meeting Convention Planner, General Manager, Urban and Regional Manager etc. The salary range for these positions is between USD 36,900 to USD 1,83,270.
• According to a report, in 2017 alone, the number of Indian students in America rose to 1,86,000 which was a double digit growth from the previous year.

Top Colleges

Canada 

• Canadian colleges and universities have a diploma, advanced diploma, bachelors and masters courses in tourism. The most popular course choice is a Diploma in the chosen study area.
• The course fee range is between INR 5,43,325 annually. to INR 20,56,788 for the entire programme.
• Courses are usually completed in two years. Following this one can work as a Tourism Officer, Tour Agent, PR Manager etc.
• Canada has a large Indian student population. It would be easy for new students to gel into the new country.

Top Colleges 

Australia 

• Australian Universities bachelors, masters and diploma courses in various tourism concentrations.
• The average course fee range for courses is between INR 11,85,816 per semester to INR 28,60,838 total tuition.
• Fresh graduates are hired on in job titles of Inbound Groups Manager, Tour Operations Manager, Marketing Manager, Product Development Manager, Reservations Manager, Travel Agency Manager etc.

Top Colleges

Benefits of Career as a Tourism Officer 

Tourism is a major profit making sector for central and local Governments. People in authority are constantly looking to bring in more tourists and boost more jobs. Sometimes they are not competent enough to tackle the job. 

The top job benefits of working as a Tourism Officer are as below.

• Discounts and perks: Tourism Officers are constantly in touch with airlines, railways etc. They are the first to know about the latest offers and discounts. Many companies offer discounts that are not advertised to the general public. Officers have insider information on the best rates and discounts. Additionally, there are corporate discounts available that the Tourism Officer can avail of. 

• Travel opportunities: Tourism Officers are hired by private and public travel agencies. Their work is to help promote the tourism of the region. As part of their work, they get to talk with local attractions, organise events and exhibitions etc. Much of their work is done by visiting touristy spots and figuring out what to do to bring in more tourists. 

• Flexible work: In continuation with the previous benefit, Tourism Officers also enjoy flexibility in their work. Most Tourism Officers work out of the office, doing groundwork, meeting clients, visiting tourist spots etc. Tourism Officers are highly mobile. They can work remotely from any corner of the country or world. One does not have to be tied down to the traditional work setting. 

• Concentration options: Working as a Tourism Officer has many career advancement options. With enough experience, one can move onto managerial positions quickly. If one wishes to move to a different concentration or department, it can be done. Tourism Officers can work in regeneration, economic development, information etc. The salary range, perks and career graph will change with each department.

• Earning potential: Tourism Officers enjoy high salaries. Even though the salary range is dependent on the employer and job position, one can expect decent salaries. The most popular employers are Government offices. Government jobs are known for their security and regular salary upgrades. Additionally, if one works in a consultant position, they can set their rates. The earning potential is massive in this field.

• Starting your own business: Individuals with years of work experience in the industry can set up their practices. They can advertise and work for both private and public agencies across the country. They would be hired on for specific projects and once the project goals are met, they can move on to the next project. Working as a consultant allows people to be their boss. One can work when they wish, with whatever clients they want to, wherever they wish to and more. 

• Employer option: Tourism Officers are often hired at Government tourism departments and councils, private travel agencies, city councils, countries, national parks, wildlife parks, commercial tourist spots etc. The field has several jobs but competition is tough. One can start working as an intern and build their way up. Career advancement options are available in virtually all tourist attractions.

Skills Required for a Tourism Officer 

Tourism Officers are hired by Government Tourism departments in various capacities. Competition is stiff for candidates with the passion to work in the field. To stand out one can pick up on certain skills to stand out from the competition.

Some of the skills are mentioned below.

• Expert interpersonal, spoken and written communication skills
• Customer care abilities
• Energetic and enthusiastic
• Flexible and adaptable to the environment
• Basic IT skills
• Research abilities
• Resourceful
• Creative thinking

Salary of Tourism Officer in India 

The salary of a Tourism Officer can vary according to the experience of the candidate, work specialisation and also gender. One can expect to earn in the range of INR 1,00,000 to INR 6,00,000 annually. Full details of all salaries are as below.

Type of Organisation 

Job Profile Wise 

Gender Wise Salary

Experience Wise