Tourism

The tourism sector helps people travel for holidays, days out, and business trips. It includes travel companies, hotels, holiday parks, and transport services, helping people reach new places and enjoy their experiences.

Careers in Tourism

The Tourism sector offers a wide range of careers that help people travel for leisure or business. It is a great place to work, with opportunities to develop customer service, planning, and organisational skills. You could work as a travel consultant, tour operator, hotel manager, transport coordinator, or holiday park supervisor. Whatever role you choose, you can make a real difference by helping people enjoy safe, enjoyable, and memorable trips.

Bus to Bristol Airport, outside Bristol Temple Meads train station.
Salary Information

How much can you earn working in Tourism

Tourism offers a range of entry-level jobs that can help you gain experience and build new skills. As you learn and develop, you may have the chance to move into more senior roles with greater responsibility and higher pay.

Salary ranges are based on job adverts from August 2026 and can vary depending on experience, qualifications, employer, and location. It may take time to gain the skills and experience needed to progress to the next career level and salary range.

£0
Entry Level roles may range from £20,000 to £27,500 a year.
£0
Intermediate roles may range from £28,000 to £40,500 a year.
£0
Advanced roles may range from £40,500 to £98,000 a year.
Careers in Tourism

View a variety of jobs

Discover the different careers available in tourism, from helping tourists to get to their destination safely, to visitor attractions, and leadership jobs. Click on the job profiles below to find out what each role involves, the skills you need, and the steps you can take to progress.

Entry Level
Cabin Crew

Salary: £19,000 to £28,000

Entry Level
Travel Agent

Salary: £22,000 to £34,000

Intermediate
Tour Manager

Salary: Variable

Intermediate
Resort Representative

Salary: Variable

Advanced
Airline Pilot

Salary: £47,000 to £150,000

Advanced
Hotel Manager

Salary: £30,000 to £60,000

1 /
Local Learning Opportunities

Find Your Next Step

Check out our Skills Connect Directory for a list of opportunities and places to train in your region to help you kick start your career in tourism.

View Opportunities

Image credit: Jarred Kyle, Unsplash

Top Skills

  • Customer Service: Creating positive experiences for visitors and travellers.
  • Attention to Detail: Checking bookings, itineraries and information carefully.
  • Communication: Sharing information clearly with customers and colleagues.
  • Teamwork: Working well with others to deliver excellent visitor experiences.
  • Active Listening: Understanding customer needs and preferences.
  • Organisation: Managing bookings, schedules and travel arrangements effectively.
  • Digital Skills: Using online systems, websites and booking platforms.
  • Problem-Solving: Finding solutions when travel plans or customer needs change.
  • Travel Planning: Creating itineraries and organising travel arrangements.
  • Destination Management: Supporting the promotion and development of tourism destinations.
  • Tourism Marketing: Encouraging visitors through campaigns, content and promotional activities.
  • Travel Booking Systems: Using reservation and ticketing systems accurately.
  • Destination Knowledge: Understanding local attractions, accommodation and transport options.
  • Visitor Information Services: Providing advice and recommendations to travellers.
  • Event and Tour Coordination: Organising tours, excursions and tourism activities.
  • Friendly: Making visitors feel welcome and valued.
  • Approachable: Being easy to talk to and willing to help.
  • Enthusiastic: Sharing energy and passion for destinations and experiences.
  • Adaptable: Responding positively when plans or customer needs change.
  • Confident: Feeling comfortable speaking with customers and groups.
  • Patient: Remaining calm and helpful when answering questions or resolving issues.
  • Helpful: Looking for ways to support visitors throughout their journey.
  • Curious: Enjoying learning about destinations, cultures and travel trends.
  • Positive: Bringing optimism and enthusiasm to customer interactions.
Resources

Sector Insights Information Sheet

Use this downloadable poster to share and explore key data and insights on education, training and employment opportunities featured on this page. Designed to support informed discussions and decision-making, this summary poster can be used by students, parents, educators and careers advisers. 

View Poster

Explore More

Careers that use similar skills

If you are interested in a career in tourism, you may also want to explore other careers that require similar skills. If you like working with customers, being creative, and making a difference, you may also enjoy some of these opportunities:

1 /