What Jobs Can You Get With A Degree In Tourism Management

Last Updated on January 17, 2023

Tourism and hospitality management is a very vital field of study. Tourism management programs are among the most popular majors for students choosing career education. Yet, tourism is not only a field of study today, but also a field of work. If you choose tourism as your degree program, there are many jobs you can get in this field.

A tourism degree is a major in the tourism industry, where tourism is understood as activities that are normally paid and include cultural, scientific, entertainment and sporting events along with other sectors. A tourism management diploma courses are intended to train students to take up key roles in the tourism industry, such as managers, business professionals, finance gurus and human resources managers.

What Jobs Can You Get With A Degree In Tourism Management?

hospitality and tourism students

Discover what your future career could be as a hospitality and tourism graduate, and discover some of the jobs Surrey hospitality and tourism graduates secured after leaving university.

The hospitality and tourism sector comprises many different industries and sub-industries, and our graduates are highly employable across a wide range of organisations.

1. Hotel Manager – 49,000 USD/year

  • Oversee all the activities involved in the well-functioning of the hotel
  • Set budgets, assign tasks, and evaluate staff performance
  • Inspect the quality of the products and services offered by the hotel

Where tourists rest during their vacation is one of the most important details of a holiday. If you plan to work in a hotel, motel or resort, it’s your job to make sure your guests receive top quality accommodation, or you’ll never see them again next year.

This applies whether you are a hotel manager or part of the helping staff, as all employees have to work like a well-oiled machine – from the time guests arrive, to their departure – to create an unforgettable experience.

You can also find work as:

  • Front desk clerk/receptionist
  • Resort manager
  • Housekeeper
  • Hotel accountant

2. Flight Attendant – 40,700 USD/year

  • Greet passengers, help with their luggage and direct them to their seats
  • Answer questions, solve emergencies and conflicts
  • Share safety instructions and serve food and drinks

Two of the largest tourism-related industries are airline travel and luxury cruise services. Whether working in the air or at sea, you’ll be one of the many tourism management graduates employed in operations management, leadership positions, logistics or invoicing and reservations.

You need to help travellers feel safe and comfortable while tackling any unexpected problems they may face. Luxury cruise ship managers have to mix the responsibilities of running a hotel, handling travellers and ensuring top-class entertainment.

Other top career opportunities in the travel industry include:

  • Cruise staff
  • Ship captain
  • Travel security
  • Luggage porter
  • Disabled traveller aide

3. Restaurant Manager – 45,700 USD/year

  • Hire, guide, and train new restaurant staff
  • Organise schedules and meetings
  • Order inventory, oversee payroll and other administrative tasks

The food services industry involves more than just putting food on the table. Hospitality graduates working in restaurants, bars or cafeterias have to do their best to turn meals into special events, while also ensuring the food looks good and is safe to eat. 

Restaurants and bars need to be well-staffed and supplied and respect safety and storage regulations while making a profit. If you plan to work in the food industry, you’ll need to be calm under pressure, well organised, and have great communication skills. If you want to work in the kitchen some studies in cooking are required as well.

Other job opportunities are:

  • Chef or kitchen staff
  • Waiter
  • Barista
  • Catering coordinator
  • Bar or club manager
  • Sommelier

4. Entertainment Manager – 52,900 USD/year

  • Organise daytime activities, sporting events, quizzes, etc. to keep the guests entertained
  • Invite famous performers and bands to take part in shows
  • Ensure there’s enough diversity in the activities and events so that any guest can enjoy
  • Research new technologies and trends to see if they can improve the organisation of shows
  • Interview and screen artists to hire the best performers

Even if your guests are well rested and fed, they still need more to have an unforgettable holiday. That’s where entertainment specialists come in. They make sure guests have fun without getting hurt, watch the best performers, and look for ways to take events to the next level.

Here are other careers you may want to consider:

  • Adventure tour guide
  • Amusement park manager
  • Casino dealer
  • Pit boss
  • Show (or talent) manager

5. Event Planner – 47,700 USD/year

  • Oversee all preparations for different events, including food, beverage, special guest needs/requests, entertainment
  • Search for and book the most suitable venues for events and have back-up options
  • Organise transportation (if offered by the organiser) or inform guests about the transport and parking options

It’s the perfect job for people who are great communicators and who enjoy seeing others have a great time. Attention to details, problem-solving, and flexibility are some of the skills which will make your work a lot easier.

Other similar jobs that might attract your attention:

  • Wedding coordinator
  • Concert or festival organiser
  • Party planner
  • Conference host

6. Travel Consultant – 41,500 USD/year

  • Discuss with clients and understand their needs and expectations
  • Research different airline and hotel services to find the best option for your clients
  • Stay up to date with the latest changes and inform clients about possible travel or accommodation issues and what alternatives they have

Working as a travel consultant or holiday planner requires the ability to listen carefully to people and what they want. Try to understand what kind of experiences they’d love to have and see if you can not only meet their expectations but also add a small bonus on top. This approach will help you create a relationship based on trust, and you can be sure that your clients will return and will recommend you and your agency to other people.

Other related job opportunities include:

  • Travel agent
  • Booking agent
  • Tourist information centre representative
  • Tour guide
  • Online customer service representative

diploma in tourism management jobs

Travel and tourism is a global industry, providing a range of opportunities to graduates, both in the UK and abroad

Job options

Jobs directly related to your degree include:

Jobs where your degree would be useful include:

career opportunities in tourism management

Here are some ideas for jobs in the tourism industry, to help you find a career you love:

1. Hotel night auditor

National average salary: $27,075 per year

Primary duties: Hotel night auditors provide guest services at the front desk of hotels during the evening and overnight hours. They are responsible for attending to customers’ needs during this time including checking them in, checking them out, answering questions and connecting them with items they might require for their stay.

2. Chef’s assistant

National average salary: $27,715 per year

Primary duties: Chef’s assistants support the work of an executive or head chef in a restaurant kitchen. They might perform prep work, help plan menus and help cook meals for restaurant guests. They are responsible for helping maintain the safety and cleanliness of the kitchen environment as well.

3. Tour guide

National average salary: $28,852 per year

Primary duties: Tour guides are professionals who accompany tourists on guided visits to various locations such as historical sites and museums. They usually provide in-depth information about the places they are showing their guests and use their expertise to educate and entertain.

4. Valet

National average salary: $32,841 per year

Primary duties: A valet is responsible for parking guests’ vehicles at places like hotels, restaurants and other guest service facilities. They usually work for higher-end establishments and must ensure that the vehicles they move remain undamaged and are ready when the customer wants to pick up their vehicle.

5. Hotel housekeeper

National average salary: $34,675 per year

Primary duties: Hotel housekeepers are responsible for maintaining cleanliness in all areas of a hotel including common areas such as the lobby and hallways as well as individual guest rooms. They work to do so efficiently and as safely as possible, to ensure guests have an enjoyable experience at their hotel.

6. Flight attendant

National average salary: $35,018 per year

Primary duties: A flight attendant helps maintain a smooth travel experience for passengers on flights, usually on commercial flights. They are responsible for ensuring the safety of all plane cabin occupants and providing customer service by answering questions, delivering meals and beverages and ensuring passengers’ comfort.

7. Concierge

National average salary: $38,268 per year

Primary duties: A concierge is a hotel professional who helps travelers handle an array of tasks during their stay including transportation, activities and services. They have traditionally been a fixture in high-end hotels and might work for other types of facilities or individuals as well.

8. Spa manager

National average salary: $43,636 per year

Primary duties: Spa managers oversee the operations of a spa facility, including personnel, scheduling and facilities. They usually provide customer service as well, helping to coordinate and facilitate their clients experience receiving services such as massages and facial treatments.

9. Event coordinator

National average salary: $43,874 per year

Primary duties: Event coordinators help plan and organize events and functions for their clients. They might work with individuals, such as weddings and other events, or with businesses or organizations for functions such as fundraisers. Event coordinators might be the primary planner of an event or they might collaborate with an event planner to successfully execute the necessary details.

10. Sommelier

National average salary: $45,272 per year

Primary duties: A sommelier is an expert in all aspects of wine knowledge. They often work at restaurants, helping to educate staff and match customers with the ideal wine for them. Sommeliers might also use their expertise to help locate and order a restaurant’s wine selection.

tourism and hospitality management salary

As of Jan 7, 2022, the average annual pay for a Hospitality Tourism in the United States is $57,001 a year.

Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $27.40 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,096/week or $4,750/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $118,500 and as low as $19,500, the majority of Hospitality Tourism salaries currently range between $38,000 (25th percentile) to $77,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $100,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Hospitality Tourism varies greatly (by as much as $39,000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the Hospitality Tourism job market in both Lagos, NG and throughout the entire state of is not very active as few companies are currently hiring. A Hospitality Tourism in your area makes on average $57,001 per year, or the same as the national average annual salary of $57,001. ranks number 1 out of 50 states nationwide for Hospitality Tourism salaries.

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Hospitality Tourism Jobs

We’ve identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Hospitality Tourism job is above the national average. Topping the list is San Francisco, CA, with Fremont, CA and San Jose, CA close behind in the second and third positions. San Jose, CA beats the national average by $8,612 (15.1%), and San Francisco, CA furthers that trend with another $12,973 (22.8%) above the $57,001 average.

Importantly, San Francisco, CA has a moderately active Hospitality Tourism job market with only a few companies currently hiring for this type of role.

With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Hospitality Tourism appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top ten cities varies very little at 10% between San Francisco, CA and Norwalk, CT, reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Hospitality Tourism role.

CityAnnual SalaryMonthly PayWeekly PayHourly Wage
San Francisco, CA$69,974$5,831$1,346$33.64
Fremont, CA$67,172$5,598$1,292$32.29
San Jose, CA$65,614$5,468$1,262$31.55
Oakland, CA$64,896$5,408$1,248$31.20
Tanaina, AK$64,716$5,393$1,245$31.11
Wasilla, AK$64,715$5,393$1,245$31.11
Sunnyvale, CA$63,911$5,326$1,229$30.73
Hayward, CA$63,537$5,295$1,222$30.55
Jackson, WY$63,198$5,267$1,215$30.38
Norwalk, CT$63,113$5,259$1,214$30.34

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