Part II. To gain success you must have patience, flexibility and excellent international skills

To gain success you must have patience, flexibility and excellent international skills. This is a service industry, first and foremost. Senior level executives generally have MBAs and develop skills and competencies that can be transferred across sectors. Mid-level professionals need a mix of practical experience and academic credentials.

One obvious benefit of working in the travel and tourism industry is the opportunity to actually hop on a plane and see many locals at low prices, or even gratis.

One of the downsides to the business, especially the hotel and restaurant side, is the long hours. Management must often work evenings and weekends.

Also there is a strong set of ethics required in the field of tourism, the industry has profound economic implications for a country's economy and people.

Tourism is about more than making a profit; it involves benefiting local communities, catering jobs that provide fair wages and not exploiting the environment.

Questions:

1. What impact has globalization on tourism industry?

2. How many people does the tourism industry employ?

3. What is tourism business comprised of?

4. Why is it better to start a career with one of the largest corporations?

5. What characteristics do you need for success?

6. What is tourism business all about? Why?

7. Summarize the text.

1. Working in tourism

Part I

Each year the number of tourists increases. All these people require an army of people to service their needs. The tourism industry is so sprawling that job definitions are not always precise. The classic tourism job is that of guide or representative, the person who looks after holidaymakers.

Guides work in a town, city or area and usually return to base each evening whereas tour guides (managers), directors travel round with their clients staying in a different place most nights.

A tour operator puts together the components of a holiday package or tour, booking accommodation, travel and services. The people who work in the office in charge of the bookings, budget, etc. are “destination managers', most of whom were once reps or guides themselves.

A ground handler is the term for a company which looks after visitors at a destination.