5 tips to help boost your career in tourism

Judiet Barnes, Thebe Tourism Group (TTG) marketing manager and Kruger Shalati concession general manager says that there is huge potential for further jobs and career growth within the industry as there are so many different departments and roles within the sector.

©Robert Mullan via 123RF

If a career in tourism is your New Year’s resolution, here are tips from Barnes to help you on your way.

Make a change, at any age

Young people coming out of high school and university in South Africa would be wise to consider stepping on to the tourism career ladder.

Barnes believes that more companies should be taking on the challenge of training and growing young talent.

"South Africa is a beautiful country, frequently winning global tourism awards and attracting the eyes of travellers from around the world - just recently it was recognised as one of the world’s five most Instagrammable destinations. There is definitely room for further job creation, so those looking to take the leap to pursue a career in the sector would be doing so at a good time," says Barnes.

Work your way up

Don’t be afraid to start at the bottom when you’re first starting out. Barnes herself started in the marketing department at Cape Point and worked her way up in various roles to senior management in one of the most anticipated new products in Kruger.

While Celeste Bell, current general manager at Cape Point worked her way through roles as a general assistant, supervisor, maintenance administrator, safety officer, stock controller and deputy manager; to becoming the first person of colour to hold the position of general manager.

Bell’s advice is to tackle any and all roles in the industry, to use every situation as valuable experience towards your next promotion, to broaden your horizons through experiences, and to always stay up to date with tourism trends.

"Growing in your career requires continuous self-development. You shouldn’t stop learning new things. It doesn't matter how old you are, if you are not working on improving yourself or learning new skills you're eventually going to run into problems," adds Bells.

Embrace lifelong learning

No matter what role you find yourself in, there is always scope to continue learning.

While there is much to be learned from gaining experience within various roles, formal qualifications will put you in good stead to climb up the ranks. That said, there are many ways to learn such as through attending workshops, inspirational talks at trade shows and networking events, or even taking affordable online courses in your free time.

"You can always stay on top of your game by committing to garnering knowledge in any way possible. Lifelong learning is invaluable in any career. Your company might even provide training or funding for courses. One of the most valuable forms of learning is peer-to-peer and mentorships. Find people who inspire and can offer experienced advice and absorb as much as you can from them" explains Barnes.

Consider all your options

There is a myriad of career opportunities to be considered in the tourism industry, spanning many different sectors within the broader market.

There is demand for travel agents and tour operators, spa and resort management, activity coordinators and event planners, chefs and sommeliers, and a host of other hospitality roles from guiding, hosting to bar-tending or serving to chartering cruises or flying planes; including secondary roles servicing the tourism industry through required services such as cleaning, security, deliveries and waste management for establishments for example.

Many hospitality and tourist attractions require specific technical services and guest-related experiences – the opportunities are widespread.

With the ever-changing landscape in tourism, one can always create opportunities through a niched skill to fill a specific void that could be created through innovations in the sector.

Don’t be afraid of big challenges

For Barnes, she has been empowered in her career by being thrown in the deep end and given the opportunity to solve problems with the support of management.

"When exciting projects come up, I always put up my hand to do anything regardless of how mundane it may seem. I then make it my business to learn how the entire project runs. If I’m not sure how to do something, I spend hours researching and consulting experts in the field until I know how to do it."

If you have a passion for the industry, she says, you will have a very fulfilling career in tourism ‒ provided you work hard for it.