Over six decades, global tourism has experienced steady growth and has been seen as a powerful vehicle for economic benefit and job creation. In 2018, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) reported that the tourism industry is one of the world’s largest economic sectors contributing 10.4 percent of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP) and creating more than 319 million jobs globally.
While in Malaysia, in the same year, the Department of Statistics revealed that employment in the tourism industry grew by 4.9 percent (3.5 million people), contributing to 23.5 percent of total employment. These statistics provide a clear indication that the tourism industry holds promising prospects for those who intend to venture into this career path.
Tourism generally refers to travelling to different locations for purposes related to leisure or business. Tourism usually refers to a round trip – from your home to your destination and back again, rather than travelling only in one direction.
As such, the tourism industry encompasses all aspects that cater to those who are travelling including transportation services, accommodation, recreational activities and entertainment, making it a huge industry with practically endless opportunities.
As long as there is interest to explore places, be it physically or virtually, the promise of securing a job in this sector will always be available. Traditional and current, tourism career options range from working in hotels or resorts, cruise ships, adventure sports centers or even as tour guides leading activities and historical trips.
However, with the advancement in new technologies, tourism-related businesses need to transform the way they operate in order to utilize and adapt to the new emerging opportunities in the current Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0). Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Blockchain, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are among the emerging buzzwords in Tourism 4.0. These technologies help to unlock innovation and new potential in the tourism sector. With available data online, more personalized experiences will be created. This will create new markets for future tourism career growth. Online travel agents, tourism influencer marketers and niche tourism are among the disruptors that are expected to cater the demand of future tourism job vacancies.
To put it simply, jobs and careers in the tourism industry includes:
The tourism industry provides benefits to the tourist and stakeholders, and plays an important role with regards to economic, social and environmental gains.
Tourism is just as important for the tourist as well as for those who are working in the industry.
Stakeholders are people who work either directly or indirectly in the tourism industry. They include:
The benefits of tourism to stakeholders can be economic, social, environmental and political gains.
Tourism can bring in money in several different ways. Here are some positive impacts of tourism on the economy:
Positive social impacts to be gained via the tourism industry include:
Although the media tends to cover the negative environmental impact due to tourism, there are positives as well.
On the other hand, without doubt the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected this industry. Many tourism services worldwide and the tourism industry in Malaysia have had to close down due to the pandemic situation. The revenue from the tourism sector has also decreased and tourism operators were forced to find other alternatives to stay afloat. However, one should not be discouraged as it has been proven in the past, this industry has persevered and rebounded, and undoubtedly will be able to rebuild stronger than ever.
One could even perceive this as a blessing in disguise. With the current travel restrictions and social distancing directives, virtual tourism has provided a viable alternative to traditional tourism. Virtual tourism enables tourists to visit, view and experience tourism from the comfort of their homes. More niche tourism services and products emerged, tailored to meet the needs of new market segments. Services to support this method of tourism will definitely create more jobs to cater for companies within the tourism sector seeking online services, content creators, marketers, and tourism data analysts.
A tourism degree can be a stepping stone into this industry. You will learn the ins and outs of this industry and gain experience via internship and placement opportunities. Designed to train graduates to take on senior management roles in the tourism industry, UOW Malaysia KDU’s Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in International Hotel & Tourism Management will prepare you for professional roles in this field.
Key highlights
Above all, the tourism industry offers a well-paying, invigorating job that is both interesting and challenging. As long as individuals who join the tourism industry have the passion and appreciation for travel and enjoy working with people, the tourism industry will always open its gates for challenging, lucrative and promising future career options.
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