Here's a truly jet-setting career option

New Delhi: A career in the tour and travel industry is not just a much sought after option today, it also provides an opportunity to become a jet-setter and travel around the globe.

In the last ten years, India has seen a phenomenal increase in the number of tourists coming in from every perceivable corner of the world.

Not suprisingly, the boom in the travel and tourism industry has created a need for quality personnel in the field.

Job openings: According to one estimate, there are around two crore professionals in the tourism industry who are working through direct employment.

In the coming years, the industry estimates a further two lakh openings will be generated in this sector alone.

Job profile: The job profiles on offer, include student managers, customer care executives, protocol officers, tourist guides and tour managers.

The advent of adventure and the rural tourism had further facilitated a sudden surge in the demand for tourism managers, who are responsible for organizing events such as trekking, swimming, skiing and river rafting, as these activities comprise the heart and soul of adventure tourism and the demand for them is great.

Other verticals to work for within the industry include airlines, travel agencies, tour operating companies, ticketing departments, state tourism department and hotels.

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Salary: As a trainee, you begin earning about Rs 10,000 and after some experience you can easily get anything between Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000.

Govt initiative: The tourism sector, being an organised sector, has received encouragement from the government and this has attributed to the growth of the tourism sector in the last few years.

Some of the best examples showcasing the extent of the government initiatives in promoting tourism, include those such as 'Incredible India' and Atithi Devo Bhava campaigns.

Courses on offer: So, if you've decided to pursue a career in the travel and tourism industry, here are some institutes you might consider enrolling into: Institute of Management Studies in Ghaziabad, Kuoni Academy of Travel, Polytechnic for Women in Delhi, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Al-Ameen Institute of Management in Bangalore, Devi Ahilya University in Indore and Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi.

Other than these institutes, there are other institutes which offer a course in tourism such as the Trade Wings Institute of Management with branches all over India like Chennai, Pune, Bangalore, Secunderabad, Goa, New Delhi and Kolkata.