Travel Services Management
Overview
Travel services management programs prepare people to manage travel agencies, tour companies, and other travel-related services. These programs are sometimes called travel management, travel administration, or tourism management.Travel services management programs include topics such as:
- Business management
- Marketing and promotion
- Convention and event planning
- Travel industry law
- International travel policies
Schools
Many community colleges and two-year schools offer certificates and associate degree programs in travel services management. A certificate program usually takes a year of full-time study. An associate degree program usually takes two years of full-time study.
Several colleges and universities offer bachelor's degrees in travel services management. A bachelor's degree usually takes about four years of full-time study. Some colleges offer a certificate in travel services that can be earned at the same time as a bachelor's degree in recreation management or hospitality management.
Several universities offer graduate degrees in travel services management. A master's degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor's degree. Doctoral (PhD) degree programs usually require two or more years of study beyond the master's degree.
See schools that offer this program.
Related Educational Programs
- Accounting
- Business, General
- Electronic Commerce
- Hospitality Management
- International Business, Trade, and Finance
- Marketing
- Meeting and Event Planning
- Public Relations
- Recreation and Parks Management
- Transportation Management
Related Careers
Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study
Other Careers Related to this Program of Study
- Administrative Services Managers
- Advertising Managers
- Concierges
- Hotel and Motel Managers
- Meeting and Convention Planners
- Office Managers
- Recreation Guides
Program Admission
You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.
Some programs require you to take courses in statistics, economics, and calculus before you can be admitted. A personal interview may be required as well.
Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:
- Accounting
- Business and Applied English
- Business Computer Applications
- Business Math
- Economics
- Introduction to Business
- Leadership
- Marketing
- Psychology
- Public Speaking
- Second Language
- Sociology
- Travel and Tourism
- Travel Program
- World Area Studies
- World Geography
Graduate Admissions
Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need a bachelor's degree and good grades. You also need to submit letters of recommendation and a personal statement.
Some programs require your bachelor's degree be in a related major such as recreation and leisure studies, tourism studies, or business administration. If you don't major in such a program, you should take several courses in those departments.
Additional requirements at many schools include:
- Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT)
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General
- Academic writing sample
- Personal interview
- Related work or volunteer experience, especially managerial
Typical Course Work
Program Courses
In this undergraduate program, you typically take courses such as the following:
- Accounting Principles
- Advertising and Public Relations
- Business Practices in Cross-Cultural Relations
- Conference and Convention Planning
- Economic, Cultural, and Environmental Aspects of Travel and Tourism
- Human Resources Management
- Information Systems in Travel Services
- International Tourism Development
- Law and Ethics in the Travel Industry
- Leadership and Management Strategies
- Macroeconomics
- Marketing in Travel Services
- Marketing Principles
- Microeconomics
- Organizational Behavior
- Principles of Transportation
- Sociocultural Issues in Tourism
- Sustainable Tourism
- Tourism E-Business and the Evolving Economy
- Tourism Policy Analysis
- Travel Services Marketing Research
- Urban Tourism Development
- Web-Based Sales and Marketing in Travel Services
- World Geography
Graduate Program Courses
Course work in graduate programs tends to vary. However, the outline of a typical graduate curriculum looks like the following:
- Required core courses
- Thesis and thesis defense (master's degree only)
- Comprehensive oral and written exams (doctoral degree only)
- Dissertation and dissertation defense (doctoral degree only)
Many programs, both undergraduate and graduate, require you to complete an externship as part of their curriculum. This is a hands-on opportunity to apply what you've learned in the classroom to real-life travel services settings. It exposes you to different management styles and problems in different travel services settings.
Whatever the setting and whatever the application, you benefit from the guidance and direct supervision of an experienced travel services professional.
Things to Know
Travel and tourism are often global in scope. To prepare for this, you should take college courses in a second language and in world cultures.
Schools
East Side Area
Central Washington University
- Family & Consumer Sciences--Tourism Management
King-Snohomish Area
Edmonds Community College
- Hospitality and Tourism
Washington State University - Pullman (Everett)
- Hospitality Business Management
Vancouver Area
International Air and Hospitality Academy
- Airline/Travel Specialist
West Side Area
Peninsula College
- Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Leadership
- Hospitality--Ecotourism