Get the Skills for a Professional Career in Travel and Tourism

2 Year^* Hands-On Travel and Tourism Training Program

The world has gotten smaller in recent years, which means more people are exploring all the world has to offer than ever before. And that means the Travel and Tourism industry will continue to expand. In this 2-year^* full-time program from Focus College, you can prepare yourself for a wide variety of rewarding careers in this thriving industry.

If you have a passion for the exciting travel industry and for helping others discover and enjoy all the beautiful places and fascinating cultures there are to experience in the world, read on!

Focus on your goal and we’ll get you the skills to make it a reality.

Career Opportunities

The Advanced Diploma in Travel and Tourism will prepare candidates for entry into a wide range of positions.

Respondents to employer consultation named the following as posts for which Advanced Diploma in Travel and Tourism grads would typically be recruited:

Plus, graduates of the Advanced Diploma in Travel and Tourism Diploma program will be able to pursue further studies in a number of specialist areas, such as Tourism Destination Development, Tourism Management, or Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Tourism.

Who Will Benefit from the Program?

Actually, most people have a lot to gain from taking this program. Former students returning to school, anyone who wants to pursue higher education, adult learners with families, working individuals who wish to enhance their career prospects, and people who wish to start their own businesses.

University Progression

The Advanced Diploma in Travel and Tourism can provide advanced entry to Bachelor’s or Master’s degree-level study. Visit this page for information on the institutions that will consider advanced entry with Focus College’s diploma qualifications.

Program Description

The Advanced Diploma in Travel and Tourism will provide graduates with a wide variety of competencies. The specific aims of the program are to:

• Develop the skills and abilities required to start a career with a range of employers, such as travel agencies; tour operators; airline, coach, rail and sea operations; and providers of ancillary services including car rental, insurance and foreign exchange
• Be fully prepared for employment in areas such as customer service and administration in the general field of commerce
• Develop student competencies to support their career aspirations
• Be prepared for progression to degree courses delivered by partner universities in different countries
• Develop skills for independent, life-long learning
• Develop and enhance transferable skills for employability and core skills
• Develop and enhance transferable skills in planning, organizing, critical and evaluative thinking and will be able to investigate issues and problems relating to travel, tourism, and business in depth
• Develop intra/interpersonal skills relevant to a range of positions and levels in the travel and tourism industry
• Develop communication and presentation skills
• Be able to adopt an innovative and creative approach to their work and be able to respond quickly to challenges posed by changes in the travel and tourism environment
• Develop the ability to work flexibly and cooperatively with others

 

Requirements

• Minimum Grade 12 or equivalent Canadian qualification OR relevant experience or mature students
• In the case of students from non-English-speaking countries/territories, students will have to demonstrate their English proficiency at a minimum IELTS Band level of 6.0 or equivalent. (In a case where a prospective student has no proof of English proficiency or an English proficiency level below IELTS Band 6.0, that student will be required to take the Focus College ESL “Crash Course”)

 

Year 1

“Air Travel”

This unit is designed to enable the student to demonstrate that they can process routine air travel requirements, including those for low cost carriers, and carry out reservation and associated procedures on an airline computer reservation system. It is intended for candidates wishing to seek employment in the retail travel industry (particularly business travel agents or airline consolidators) or with airlines. Candidates will also gain an understanding of current trends in the industry.

“Applying Marketing Principles in Travel and Tourism”

This unit is designed to provide the student with an introduction to the principles of marketing as a management discipline, and to their application within the context of the travel and tourism industry. This will include a study of consumer motivation and market segmentation as well as identification of the factors which influence demand for the travel and tourism product.

“Business Accounting”

This unit is designed to enable candidates to develop their knowledge and understanding in the preparation and use of accounting information within a business organisation. Candidates will develop the skills required to prepare basic financial and management accounting reports and, in addition, will also develop the skills, knowledge and understanding to enable them to interpret and use financial information for decision making.

“Communication: Business Communication”

This unit is designed to develop skills in analyzing, summarizing, evaluating, and producing complex written business information. It also develops skills in presenting and responding to complex oral business information.

The unit enhances skills for learning, life and work and there is a particular emphasis on employability.

“Developing Skills for Personal Effectiveness”

This unit is designed to enable candidates to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes which underpin personal effectiveness. It will equip them with the skills to audit their own personal effectiveness; and to create an action plan to develop their own personal effectiveness – based on the audit of their existing strengths and development needs. Students will be provided with a framework to implement their action plan and the course will require them to evaluate their plan, its implementation and its contribution to developing their personal effectiveness. Candidates will be able to apply the Unit to personal effectiveness in personal and/or vocational contexts.

“Economic Issues: An Introduction”
This unit introduces students to fundamental issues in economics with a particular emphasis on the business environment. Candidates will learn about the basic economic problem and how the consumer and other economic agents address this problem. Students are introduced to the operation of markets and actions that can be taken to help avoid market failure. The unit introduces the theory of National Income and the circular flow of income model.

“Information Technology: Applications Software 1”

This unit is designed to enable students to use Information Technology (IT) systems and applications independently to support a range of information processing activities. The Unit is designed to develop a broad knowledge of the theoretical concepts, principles, boundaries and scope of IT applications. These activities will be centred on using software applications packages to meet complex information requirements while paying attention to security and the needs of other users.

“International Tourist Destinations”

This is a practical Unit which involves the candidate in acquiring and applying knowledge about the principal worldwide tourist destinations and attractions. It is intended for a candidate studying a Higher National course in Travel and Tourism. It is also suitable for employees in airlines, tour operators and travel agencies who wish to improve their working knowledge of destinations. A good working knowledge of tourist destinations is a necessity for candidates seeking employment in all areas of the travel industry. The scope of the unit is broad with the candidate developing a working knowledge of a range of tourist destinations around the world. Key aspects of tourist destinations are studied including physical features and attractions. Candidates develop their knowledge and skills in researching worldwide tourist destinations through reference materials such as atlases, brochures, tourist guides and the internet. Candidates who successfully complete the Unit will be able to provide resort and destination information to customers of airlines, travel agencies or tour operators in a professional manner.

“Retail Travel Practices”

This Unit is designed to enable the candidate to demonstrate technical skills and apply product knowledge to process and administer client requirements for general travel and ancillary services.

“Presentation Skills”

This unit is designed to develop the skills required for the advanced use of presentation software, including a range of multimedia, and to apply these skills to deliver effective presentations. It would be suitable for candidates involved in preparing and delivering presentations.

“Research Skills”

This Unit is about developing the candidate’s ability to access and evaluate information from a variety of primary and secondary sources by planning and reporting on a research investigation. It is aimed at those who need to access and analyze information as part of their course of study.

“Travel and Tourism: Graded Unit 1”

This Graded Unit is designed to show that the candidate has achieved the following goals of the program:

• Develop research and study skills.
• Develop the ability to manage and absorb large amounts of information.
• Develop the ability to take responsibility for one’s own learning.
• Develop key skills and knowledge of marketing, economics and customer service applied to the travel and tourism sector.
• Develop generic skills in ICT, communication and personal effectiveness.
• Develop sound product knowledge of international destinations, and depending on options selected, relevant practical technical skills in for example, tour guiding, itinerary preparation, fare calculations and document completion.

“YEAR 2”

“Air Travel: Advanced”

This unit is designed to enable the candidate to demonstrate that s/he can process advanced air travel requirements including complex fare calculations, document issue and reservation and associated procedures on an airline computer reservation system. It is intended for candidates intending to seek employment in the retail travel industry (particularly business travel agents or airline consolidators) or with airlines.

“Developing the Individual within a Team”

This unit is designed to enable the student to demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to participate effectively in team projects and to lead teams completing projects. This unit would be suitable for anyone wishing to develop the skills required for effective team participation and leadership.[

“Information and Communication Technology in Business”

This unit is designed to develop learners’ knowledge and skills in identifying, evaluating, managing and presenting business information to facilitate and influence decision-making. The Unit requires learners to consider the role of information in the decision-making process, evaluate data communications systems and ICT innovations, use planning and control tools for project management and use software application presentation tools to present findings and recommend actions.

“Marketing Planning in Travel and Tourism”

This unit is designed to enhance basic knowledge of marketing by providing the candidate with the opportunity to put theory into practice through the gathering of marketing information and the development of a marketing plan for a travel or tourism business, based on an assessment of the marketplace. It will also give candidates some insight into practices in marketing research and some exposure to designing and administering a questionnaire for the purposes of gathering data for travel and tourism businesses. This reflects the fact that the vast majority of businesses in tourism are small in size and are therefore unlikely to retain the services of marketing research agencies on their behalf.

Although designed with a clear emphasis on the travel and tourism sector, the Unit could also be applied to service-oriented sectors such as hospitality.

“Planning and Sustainable Development in Tourism”

This unit is designed to enable candidates to understand the concept of planning and sustainable development in tourism. It examines sources of funding for tourism development in Canada, as well as taking account of the need to adopt policies, strategies and practices within planning, that takes account of the sustainable use of natural and built resources, and the economic, as well as the socio-cultural wellbeing of the local community.

This unit is relevant to any person working within the tourism industry as it gives them an understanding of the planning system and a vital insight into the positive and negative impacts arising from tourism development.

“Micro & Macro Theory and Application”

This unit is designed to build on candidates’ knowledge of introductory economics and expose them to microeconomic and macroeconomic applications of theory. The Unit allows the introduction of current issues in economics and provides an opportunity for candidates to analyze and evaluate these issues.

“Economics 2: The World Economy”

This unit introduces the world economy, the main focus being the key features of the global economic environment. It advances economic concepts and allows candidates to develop their research and analytical skills. The core economic issues that are focused on in this Unit are trade, international payments, exchange rates and economies undergoing change.

“Tour Guiding and Resort Representation”

This unit equips the candidate with the skills and knowledge necessary for the various types of tour work with inbound and outbound tour operators and coach companies. It gives an insight into tour management including itinerary planning, resort representative duties and procedures, and tour guiding skills involving presentation of a live tour.

“Tour Operations”

This unit is designed to enable candidates to develop an in-depth knowledge of the tour operations sector of the travel and tourism industry and to demonstrate competence in applying techniques used by tour operators launching a new tour operating program. It is intended for candidates who are studying advanced Diploma Programs in Travel and Tourism. It will look at tour operations in relation to both inbound and outbound sectors. It is also suitable as a stand-alone unit for individuals who have experience of the travel and tourism industry and who wish to develop their career in tour operations.

“Travel and Tourism: Graded Unit 2”

This graded unit proves that the candidate has achieved the following goals of the program:

• Provide a basis for future career and personal development
• Develop organizational, research and investigative skills. The AD will develop skills in planning and organizing and require candidates to investigate in depth problems
• Develop the ability to manage and absorb large amounts of information
• Develop transferable skills
• Develop the ability to be flexible and work cooperatively with others
• Develop the ability to take responsibility for one’s own learning
• Develop key skills and knowledge in marketing, economics and customer service applied to the travel and tourism sector
• Provide scope for an in depth look at the key issue of sustainability
• Develop managerial competencies in the meaningful travel and tourism context of tour operations and retail travel agencies

“FEES”

Review our program pricing for full details.

Scholarships and other financing options are available for qualified candidates.

“DETAILS”

• This program is offered at the Kelowna and Surrey campuses
• Students are required to maintain 80% attendance throughout the program
• Approximately 10–15 hours/week is required from students to be successful in this program
• In order to graduate, students must pass all units through the program with a grade of C or higher

 

Is Employment-Focused Training for a Career in IT Right for You? Get More Info…

If you’re interested in exploring whether Focus College’s training programs and career opportunities in Information Technology and Software Development are right for you, or you want to learn more about how you can transfer credits to one of our many international university partners, fill out the form on this page and we’ll get you some more information.

A helpful Focus College Admissions Representative will be happy to answer any questions you have and can help with everything from determining the right career path for you to discussing financial aid options.

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*Program length when completed in normal time. **Program length following the accelerated track.