Online Travel and Tourism Degree Programs

Affordable travel and a global economy have made it easier to traverse international borders, whether for the purpose of business or pleasure. Hospitality professionals facilitate travel and cultural interchange through a wide array of services, including transportation, lodging, food and beverages, event planning, tour planning, and entertainment. Topics covered in training programs include the following:

1. Tourism geography
2. Travel sales and customer service
3. Tour design and tour guiding
4. Group travel and tour operations
5. Transportation logistics
6. Travel services

In addition, hospitality students learn business basics and core skills such as written and verbal communication. Travel and tourism careers appeal to adventurous, outgoing people adept at customer service, reports the Department of Labor's O*Net website.

Since travel and tourism is a vocational field, professional degree programs are more common; however, some colleges have master's programs in hospitality, focusing on the conceptual basis of tourism and the evolution of the hospitality industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the preferred qualifications for management-level jobs in travel and tourism are bachelor's and master's degrees. Nearly 150 colleges nationwide offer degrees in hotel or hospitality management. Travel and tourism degrees include these:

• Associate of Applied Science. The two-year associate degree focuses on travel and tourism administration, and incorporates some general education courses.
• Bachelor of Science or Arts. The four-year undergraduate degree offers a broader foundation in core communication and analytical skills, as well as more extensive elective courses in travel services and hospitality management.
• Master of Business Administration. Some MBA programs offer a concentration in hospitality management. These two-year professional business degrees focus on general business administration coursework, with electives and an independent project in hotel, restaurant or travel management.
• Master of Science. The M.S. in hospitality or travel offers a more targeted curriculum in the travel and tourism field. The degree culminates in a thesis or capstone project applying travel management concepts in professional practice.

In addition to online degrees, many colleges offer one-year certificates designed for mid-career professionals seeking training in a specific area.

Online degrees make good sense for travel and tourism students because they bring together students from around the world. Online degree programs are convenient for students who may be mobile or stationed abroad, and these programs also bridge geographical distance. International contacts are vital in this industry; the digital format supports networking among hospitality professionals at home and abroad.

The Department of Labor's O*Net website reports that important work activities for travel guide careers include communicating by telephone, in written form, e-mail or in person; interacting with computer hardware and software; and administrative activities such as maintaining information files. E-learning programs can help students become comfortable with a digital environment and communicating across distance.

Graduates of travel & tourism degree programs establish careers as travel agency administrators, client account managers, tour managers, event planners and hospitality managers. In addition to these direct travel service and management roles, hospitality professionals can forge careers in related travel business support occupations. Hospitality software development, health services, magazine publishing and travel marketing are among the specialty roles supporting the travel industry.

The BLS estimates that travel agents had an annual mean wage of $33,950 in 2010, with salaries up to $47,000 for specific industry sectors such as scenic and sightseeing transportation. Lodging managers in the traveler accommodation industry earned a mean salary of $53,970 in 2010. The BLS reports that although lodging managers' salaries vary, bonuses are possible--up to 50 percent of the base salary. Many new hotels are likely to offer limited services, so the BLS expects more job openings to be found in full-service hotels, including convention, casino and resort hotels.

• Salary: $53,970 for managers in traveler accommodation industry (BLS, 2010)
• Hotel jobs: Full-service hotels, such as convention, casino and resort hotels
• Up-and-coming specialties: Online travel marketing and reservation systems, eco-tourism, medical travel services