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CAREER IN TOURISM
A career in tourism includes everything from front-line, operational and
management roles through to specialist skills such as business development,
finance, digital media and marketing. What's unique about tourism is the fact
that it is an energetic, enterpriser and people-focused industry and one in
which you can work in any part of Ireland.
Tourism is a diverse industry which offers long-term career opportunities for
enthusiastic people who want to put their education and skills to work in
various environments. People in tourism may work inside or outside, standard
hours or on a flexible schedule, seasonal jobs or all-year-round. It’s one of the
most exciting and diverse career paths out there.

AREAS

The tourism industry can be divided into six areas:

• Accommodation: The accommodation sector is a very important part of the

tourism and hospitality industry, as a tourist that visit Ireland always need
somewhere to sleep. Tourists have a wide range of accommodations to
choose from, such as hotels, B&B and Guesthouses, hostels, campsites…
People who work in this sector need to be very social and service-minded.
The work often demands a level of flexibility as it may involve weekend and
shift work for example.
• Food & Beverage: The Restaurants & Bars sector is central to tourism and
hospitality and provides thousands of job opportunities. This sector includes
everything from food stalls, cafés and ‘chippers’, to pop-up restaurants,
wine bars, traditional Irish pubs and Michelin-starred restaurants. The ‘Irish
Pub Experience’ is also a huge draw for tourists who come to Ireland. What
makes the experience unique, is the combination of the high-quality
beverages, good food and friendly people who are there for the ‘craic’ and
music sessions.
People working in this sector are often motivated by their passion for food,
drink and customer service.
• Recreation and Entertainment: Tourists often like to keep active and
entertained, there are thousands of tourist attractions and activities in all
around Ireland, and career options with this sector are incredibly varied.
There are many different types of attractions, such as: built heritage, natural
heritage, art and cultural & historical.
People who work in this sector generally need to be social, good
communicators and conscious of health and safety issues.
• Tour Guide & Travel: The tour guide & travel sector is concerned with both
helping tourists to get where they want to go, and ensuring that when they
get there, they enjoy it. This includes providing them with the means to get
to their destination, assisting them with planning their trip, getting around
after they arrive and getting the most out of their holiday. People working in
this sector need to be social, patient and have excellent teamwork and
communication skills. Problem-solving skills are needed when you are
responsible for dealing with tourists problems.
• Business Tourism & Events: Careers in business tourism and events
management can be really exciting as it ranges from major sporting, social,
political and business events, to some of the most memorable personal
events. Business tourism and events is a very important area for the Irish
economy as business tourists and event-goers spend money on a wide
range of businesses during an event or trip, such as hotels, taxis, dining out,
entertainment, shopping, cultural experiences and tourist attractions. There
are different types of jobs in this sector, but most of them require the
following skills: Communication, leadership, problem-solving, attention to
detail, time management and ability to work under pressure. Working in
business tourism requires extensive planning, and can often involve highly
demanding clients.
• Tour Agencies & Destination Management Companies: This sector focuses
on attracting tourists to Ireland. Some employers are in the public sector,
such as Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and local authorities and they focus
on supporting businesses and promoting Ireland as a destination. There are
also many private sector businesses which focus on creating attractive
custom-made packages for groups, these businesses are called Destination
Management Companies. There are many key tourism agencies in Ireland
which provide services to businesses in the tourism sector, as well as
promoting and marketing Ireland on the global stage.
 COURSES

These are some of the Tourism courses that you can study in the different
colleges of Ireland:

• Travel Agency Skills & Event Planning (Crumlin College of Further

Information): This course explores the core tourism subjects associated
with the travel agency, tour operator and event management industries.
Students will gain practical experience and explore tourism topics, trends,
and issues of the day. Those who are successful in this course may work in
areas such as travel agencies, tour operator companies or tourism offices or
the hospitality industry. This course prepares you for working in the Tourism
& Hospitality sector
• Culinary Arts(Letterkenny Institute of Technology - LYIT): This full-time,
three-year programme is an advanced professional training programme for
aspiring professional chefs who wish to extend their education beyond
general training into specialised kitchen functions. This course prepares you
for working in the Tourism & Hospitality and Food & Beverages sectors.
• Tour Guiding (Colaiste Dhulaigh College of Further Education): This special
purpose award is the new professional qualification for tour guides that
replaces the former system of badge certification by Fáilte Ireland. This
course prepares you for working in the Tourism & Hospitality sector
• Event Management with Public Relations (Galway-Mayo Institute of
Technology-GMIT): This award aims to provide relevant, professional
education for students on all aspects of the planning, marketing and
management of events and public relations programmes in this
multifaceted industry. This course prepares you for working in the Tourism
& Hospitality and
• Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations sectors Hospitality Studies (Cork
College of Commerce): This QQI Level 5 Certificate course allows students
to learn a range of hospitality service skills including customer relations,
service and accommodation maintenance as well as food and beverage
preparation and service. This course prepares you for working in the
Tourism & Hospitality sector.
• Culinary Arts(Letterkenny Institute of Technology - LYIT): This full-time
two-year programme provides training for professional chefs. On successful
completion of this programme, students will find employment in a variety of
food preparation businesses both at home and abroad. This course prepares
you for working in the Food & Beverages and Tourism & Hospitality sectors.
• Travel & Tourism (Marino College of Further Education): This is a one-year
full-time course which allows students to gain the necessary skills to work in
the travel business or a tourism-related area. This course prepares you for
working in the Tourism & Hospitality sector.
• Culinary Entrepreneurship (TU Dublin-City Campus): The BSc (Honours) in
Culinary Entrepreneurship provides you with the knowledge and practical
skills necessary to operate your own culinary business reflecting the
development and professional practice of food and beverage industries
worldwide. This course prepares you for working in the Food & Beverages
and Tourism & Hospitality sectors.
• Advanced Business/Tourism with Business/Equine Business (Dunboyne
College of Further Information): This award is designed to enable the
successful learners to gain an in-depth understanding of the role and
function of marketing, management, and entrepreneurship within an
organisation and in the growing Irish and international business sector. This
course prepares you for working in the Tourism & Hospitality and Animals &
Veterinary Science sectors.
• Hospitality & Tourism (Selskar College): This one year foundation course
introduces students to the hospitality and tourist industry. It is a
preparatory year for those wishing to work in the Tourism & Hospitality
sector.
• Event Management with PR & Digital Marketing (Stillorgan College of
Further Information): Event Management is a growing and exciting industry
worldwide. This innovative course is designed to develop the skills to
participate in and to coordinate an event from inception to completion. This
course prepares you for working in the Tourism & Hospitality sector.
• Tourism with Business ( Moate Busines College): The MBC Tourism with
Business programme offers students the ideal combination of subjects to
enable them to acquire the knowledge, skills and competence to gain direct
entry into the workplace in a tourism or business-related role. This course
prepares you for working in the Tourism & Hospitality sector.
• Tourism Management (TU Dublin-City Campus): This course has an
academic focus on applied management subjects, such as finance, IT,
 human resource management, sales and marketing, and communications.
These are complemented by the more specific subjects such as tourism,
transport studies, heritage studies, and tourism business studies. This
course prepares you for working in the Tourism & Hospitality and History,
Culture & Languages.

JOBS
If you study any tourism career, here is a large range of jobs that you can apply
for:

• Travel Agents: Travel Agents research, plan, and book trips for individuals
and groups. Although people are starting to research and book their travel
plans online, it’s often easier to use a Travel Agent, as they have years of
experience and knowledge. They can help with flight bookings, hotel
selection, transfer arrangements, and holiday activities.
• Hotel Manager: Hotel Managers oversee all aspects of running a hotel –
from housekeeping and general maintenance to budget management and
marketing of the hotel. They are responsible for the daily running of the
hotel, including training and supervising staff; managing budgets; dealing
with customers; promoting and marketing the hotel; and ensuring that the
hotel complies with health and safety regulations.
• SPA Manager: Spa Managers are responsible for the day-to-day running of
health and/or beauty spas. They manage the spa’s finances, employees, and
services. Many of the tasks are business-related and can include record
keeping, getting involved in promotional campaigns, maintaining stock
inventories, and payroll management.
• Tour Operator: A Tour Operator typically combines tour and travel
components to create holiday packages. He will deal with various service
providers, including bus operators, airlines and hoteliers.
• Event & Conference Organiser: Organising any event conference is time
consuming, so an Event and Conference Organiser will help with the finer
details of planning an event. Event and Conference Organisers co-ordinate
every detail of meetings and conferences, from the speakers and meeting
locations to the printed materials and audio-visual equipment.
• Tour Guide: Tour Guides work in the travel industry, and give guided tours
to groups of visitors/tourists. Tour Guides must have expert knowledge of
specific areas, including natural features, historic sites, museums, and other
tourist destinations.
• Executive Chef: The Executive Chef is in charge of a restaurant’s kitchen,
and is responsible for managing the kitchen staff, planning the menu,
sourcing the freshest ingredients, and making sure that food hygiene is
maintained throughout the restaurant.
• Sommelier: A Wine Sommelier is passionate about wine. He or she is a
highly trained and knowledgeable wine professional, specialising in all
aspects of wine service. Five-star restaurants will often employ a Sommelier
to develop their wine list and to help customers find a wine within their
budget that suits their tastes and complements their food.
• PR Manager: A PR Manager manages a brand’s reputation, and will plan,
develop, and implement specific strategies to build and maintain the overall
brand and reputation. Often, the PR Manager will also act as the company’s
spokesperson. In the Tourism and Hospitality environment, a PR Manager
might work for a hotel chain, a cruise company, or a game reserve.
• Leisure Activity Co-ordinator: Leisure Activity Co-ordinators usually work
for resorts and hotel chains. They’re the people on the ground who make
sure that any planned activities run smoothly. They’re also responsible for
every aspect of the daily management of a leisure centre, organising health
and fitness programmes, promoting and marketing the business, and
interacting with guests.