How to Start a Career in Travel and Tourism in the UK

Travel and tourism is a broad career sector with opportunities in travel agencies, airports, airlines, visitor attractions, tours, hotels, heritage and customer service. It can suit people who enjoy working with customers, organising trips, solving problems and communicating with people from different backgrounds.

You do not always need a university degree to get started. Depending on the role, you may be able to enter through a college course, apprenticeship, trainee position or direct application. This guide explains the main career options and practical steps for starting a travel and tourism career in the UK.

Why Choose a Travel and Tourism Career?

Travel and tourism offers a wide range of jobs rather than one single career path. The National Careers Service currently lists 20 job profiles in its travel and tourism category, including travel agents, airline customer service agents, pilots, cabin crew, tourist guides, tour managers, hotel managers and visitor attraction roles.

Some jobs are mainly office based, while others involve airports, hotels, attractions, transport or outdoor locations. Working hours can also vary, with evenings, weekends and bank holidays common in some customer-facing roles.

Travel and Tourism Jobs You Can Consider

Travel Agent or Travel Consultant

Travel agents help customers plan and book holidays and business trips. They may arrange flights, accommodation, insurance, tours and vehicle hire, as well as deal with changes, refunds and customer questions.

The National Careers Service currently lists a salary range of £22,000 to £34,000 for travel agents. You can enter through a travel and tourism course, a Level 3 Travel Consultant apprenticeship or by starting as a trainee.

Airline Customer Service Agent

Airline customer service agents help passengers with check-in, boarding, luggage and travel information. The role can be a useful starting point for people interested in airport and airline careers.

The National Careers Service currently lists a salary range of £25,000 to £30,000 for this role.

Cabin Crew

Cabin crew look after passenger safety and comfort during flights. Customer service, teamwork, confidence and the ability to stay calm are important skills.

Training is normally provided by the airline after recruitment, although entry requirements vary between employers.

Tour Manager

Tour managers organise travel arrangements and help trips run smoothly. The work can involve coordinating transport, accommodation, schedules and customer needs.

Tourist Guide

Tourist guides show visitors around places of interest such as historic buildings, museums, galleries, parks and cities. Strong communication and local knowledge can be particularly useful.

The National Careers Service currently lists a salary range of £19,000 to £25,000 for tourist guides.

Visitor Attraction Roles

Visitor attractions employ people in customer service, operations, events, education, retail, marketing and management. Attractions can include museums, heritage sites, cultural venues and other visitor destinations.

Hotel and Resort Careers

Hotels and resorts offer roles such as guest services, hotel porter, housekeeping, management and resort representative. These jobs overlap with hospitality but can provide a route into wider tourism operations.

Do You Need a Degree?

Not necessarily. Entry requirements depend on the role.

For example, the National Careers Service says travel agents can enter through a college course, apprenticeship or by working towards the role. A Level 3 Travel Consultant apprenticeship is one option, while some employers recruit trainees directly.

Specialist careers such as airline pilot have much more specific training and licensing requirements. Always check the requirements for the exact job rather than choosing a qualification first.

Travel and Tourism Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships can combine paid work with structured learning. The National Careers Service currently lists the Level 3 Travel Consultant apprenticeship as one route into travel agency work.

Apprenticeships can be particularly useful if you want practical experience and do not want to follow a traditional university route. Check current vacancies and entry requirements because opportunities vary by employer and location.

Useful Qualifications and Courses

A travel and tourism course can help you build knowledge of customer service, travel operations, destinations and tourism businesses. Depending on your career goal, you could also consider qualifications related to hospitality, business, languages, aviation or events.

For regulated or specialist roles, such as airline pilot, check the professional requirements before enrolling on a course.

Skills Employers Look For

• Customer service
• Clear communication
• Teamwork
• Organisation and time management
• Problem-solving
• Attention to detail
• Sales skills for some travel roles
• Confidence using computers and booking systems
• Geographical knowledge
• Ability to stay calm under pressure
• Foreign language skills can be useful in some roles

How to Get Experience

Experience can help you stand out, especially for customer-facing roles. You could start with part-time work in retail, customer service, hospitality or events because these jobs can build transferable skills.

Volunteering at museums, visitor attractions, community events or local tourism organisations can also give you useful experience. Look for opportunities where you can deal with visitors, provide information or help organise activities.

How to Find Travel and Tourism Jobs

Search beyond the phrase travel jobs. Try terms such as travel consultant, travel agent, airline customer service agent, airport information assistant, tour coordinator, tour manager, tourist guide, visitor services assistant and reservations agent.

Check employer career pages as well as major UK job websites. Airlines, travel companies, hotels, attractions, tour operators and tourism organisations may advertise roles directly.

How to Write a CV for Travel Jobs

Focus your CV on customer service, communication, organisation and problem-solving. Give examples rather than simply listing skills.

For example, if you worked in retail, explain how you helped customers, handled busy periods, solved complaints or worked towards targets. These experiences can be relevant even if you have never worked in travel before.

How to Prepare for a Travel and Tourism Interview

Research the employer and understand the customers it serves. Be prepared to explain why you want to work in travel and what you would do when a customer is unhappy or a booking changes unexpectedly.

Customer-facing employers may look for confidence, patience and a positive attitude. Prepare examples that show how you have helped people, handled pressure and worked as part of a team.

Career Progression in Travel and Tourism

Your first job does not have to determine your entire career. A travel consultant may progress into branch or call centre management, operations or regional management. Experience in customer service can also lead towards tour operations, sales, events or other tourism roles.

Airport and airline employees may move into supervisory, operational or specialist positions. Visitor attraction staff can progress into events, education, visitor experience, marketing or management.

Is Travel and Tourism Right for You?

This sector can be a good fit if you enjoy meeting people, organising information and helping customers. It can also suit people who like variety and working in busy environments.

However, travel work is not always glamorous. Some roles involve sales targets, complaints, irregular hours, repetitive administration or dealing with last-minute changes. Think about the actual duties of a job before applying.

Simple Steps to Start Your Career

1. Choose the part of travel and tourism that interests you.
2. Research the entry requirements for your target roles.
3. Consider a course, apprenticeship or trainee route where appropriate.
4. Build customer service experience through work or volunteering.
5. Create a CV focused on transferable skills and real examples.
6. Apply for entry-level roles and keep building industry knowledge.
7. Use your first role to decide which part of the sector you want to specialise in.

Final Thoughts

A career in travel and tourism can take you in many directions, from travel consulting and airport services to tourism attractions, guiding, tour management and hospitality-related roles.

The strongest starting point is to choose a role that matches your interests, check the current entry requirements and gain practical customer-facing experience. You do not need to have your whole career mapped out before getting your first job.