Careers in the tourism and hospitality industry: Travel & Transportation Jobs

The Travel & Transportation industry relates to the management, marketing, and operations of travel and transport related services.

As discussed in our hospitality overview article and because it is such a diverse industry with so many career options to pursue, we have broken it up into a few articles. In the following article we will discuss the various career avenues in the accommodation Travel & Transportation industry.

Travel & Transportation Job opportunities

Some of the most common job titles that fall under the Travel & Transportation sector include:

• Airline customer service agent.
• Airline pilot, co-pilot, first officer, captain.
• Airport information assistant.
• Cabin crew – Flight attendant, air steward, air stewardess.
• Cruise ship staff.
• Car rental agents.
• Shuttle drivers.

Airline customer service agent

Responsibilities:

• Maintaining a positive, empathetic, and professional attitude toward customers at all times.
• Responding promptly to customer inquiries.
• Communicating with customers through various channels.
• Acknowledging and resolving customer complaints.
• Knowing our products inside and out so that you can answer questions.
• Processing orders, forms, applications, and requests.
• Keeping records of customer interactions, transactions, comments, and complaints.
• Communicating and coordinating with colleagues as necessary.
• Providing feedback on the efficiency of the customer service process.
• Managing a team of junior customer service representatives.
• Ensure customer satisfaction and provide professional customer support.

Requirements:

• High school diploma, general education degree, or equivalent.
• Ability to stay calm when customers are stressed or upset.
• Comfortable using computers.
• Experience working with customer support.

Airline pilot, co-pilot, first officer, captain

Responsibilities:

• Performing pre and post-flight inspections of fuel, equipment, and navigational systems.
• Operating the aircraft safely and maintaining a good degree of professionalism at all times.
• Monitoring weather conditions and communicating with air traffic control during flights.
• Liaising with co-pilots and flight crew throughout the flight.
• Updating and reassuring passengers and crew during emergencies.
• Determining the safest routes and analyzing flight plans prior to takeoff.
• Getting enough rest between flights.
• Anticipating issues and maintaining professionalism during emergencies.
• Keeping up to date with aircraft advancements and equipment.

Requirements:

• Completion of the required number of training hours.
• Passing relevant tests and exams.
• A relevant license and certification.
• Strong communication skills and ability to function under pressure.
• Excellent leadership skills, situational awareness, and professionalism.

Ground staff

Ground Staff Responsibilities:

• Greeting and welcoming passengers, and responding to questions.
• Checking in baggage.
• Making reservations.
• Selling airline tickets.
• Stocking aircraft with refreshments.
• Cleaning aircraft after flights.
• Assisting disabled passengers and those with small children.
• Providing information to passengers.

Ground Staff Requirements:

• Diploma in administration or travel, or PG diploma course.
• Experience in customer care.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Well-groomed.
• Willing to work shifts.
• Computer literate.

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” — Unknown

Cabin crew – Flight attendant, air steward, air stewardess

Responsibilities:

• Conducting pre-flight safety checks and ensuring the plane is clean.
• Demonstrating safety and emergency measures, such as the use of oxygen masks, seat belts, and exit doors.
• Offering information and support to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers.
• Welcoming passengers, verifying their tickets, and directing them to their seats.
• Making and serving beverages and food to passengers.
• Responding to passengers’ questions about flights, travel routes, and arrival times.
• Attending pre-flight briefings and studying all the details of the flight.
• Leading passengers in case of emergency and giving first aid to passengers if necessary.
• Offering support to passengers with special needs, including children, disabled persons, and elderly individuals.
• Preparing analytic reports concerning flight issues.

Requirements:

• High school diploma or equivalent qualification.
• Cabin crew certification and training required.
• A minimum of 2 years experience as a flight attendant.
• Must be fluent in English and possess excellent interpersonal communication skills.
• Outstanding problem-solving skills and aptitude to handle difficult situations.
• Fluency in multiple languages is an advantage.

Cruise ship steward

Steward Responsibilities:

• Cleaning and setting tables and placing seasonal decorations, candles, and table cloths.
• Welcoming customers, seating them, serving them water or refilling their glasses, and delivering beverages from the bartender.
• Keeping menus clean and presenting them to customers.
• Stocking wait staff serving stations with napkins, utensils, trays, and condiments, and assisting the wait staff with all aspects of service.
• Clearing tables and preparing them for the next customers.
• Assisting in cleaning and opening or closing tasks.
• Scraping food from dirty dishes, pots, pans, plates, flatware, and glasses, washing dirty dishes, and putting them away.
• Assisting with sweeping, mopping, and polishing the restaurant, bar, kitchen, and equipment.
• Transporting used linen to or from the laundry or housekeeping section.
• Assisting with unloading and storing stock.

Steward Requirements:

• A high school diploma or equivalent.
• Must meet the age limit for serving alcoholic beverages.
• A friendly, polite, and courteous nature.
• Strong customer service and team working skills.
• Physical stamina to work long hours on your feet.
• The flexibility to work shifts, nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.

“Travel is my therapy.” – Travel Quote

Car rental agents

Responsibilities:

• Assisting and advising customers who may be choosing from a variety of travel options.
• Making reservations for customers based on their various requirements and budgetary allowances.
• Checking the availability of accommodation or transportation on the customers’ desired travel dates.
• Helping plan travel itineraries by suggesting local tourist attractions and places of interest.
• Processing payments and sending confirmation details to customers.
• Sorting out any issues that may arise with bookings or reservations.
• Selling and promoting reservation services.
• Answering any questions customers might have about the reservation process.
• Up-selling, when appropriate, by informing customers of additional services or special packages, such as tour tickets, travel insurance, or upgraded seats/accommodations.
• Providing support to customers who may need to amend or cancel a reservation.

Requirements:

• High school diploma.
• Certified travel associate (CTA) or certified travel counselor (CTC), preferred.
• Experience working in sales or public relations, preferably in the hospitality or travel industries.
• Customer-service experience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Multi-tasking and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks.
• Proficient in microsoft office suite.
• Data entry experience.
• Flexible working hours.

Shuttle drivers

Responsibilities:

• Transferring guest’s from airports to the hotel and vice versa.
• Transporting clients to local tourist attractions.
• Maintaining company vehicles and scheduling services.
• Delivering guest’s in a safe and timely manner.
• Assisting the business with courier service.
• Planning the most optimal route.
• Ensuring the company vehicle is clean at all times.
• Keeping a log book.
• Providing superior customer service to guest’s.

The great thing about the travel and transportation industry is that it offers many entry-level job opportunities. This can help you get a job and then work your way up to higher-level jobs.

Now that you understand the different jobs in travel and transportation, you can decide which job best matches your skills. When it comes to the hospitality industry, there are a lot of career opportunities available.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter so that you don’t miss out on the upcoming series of articles on the hospitality and tourism careers.

About Us