14 Types of Travel and Tourism Jobs (Duties and Salary)

Selecting a career in travel and tourism allows you to visit different places around the world, have memorable experiences and meet new people on a daily basis. As a professional in the tourism industry, you cater to the needs of tourists and travellers. These requirements can include planning itineraries, organising guided tours and booking tickets and hotels. In this article, we outline different types of travel and tourism jobs, along with their primary duties and national average salary.

Types of travel and tourism jobs

From administration to management, here are some common types of jobs you can pursue in travel and tourism:

1. Interpreter

National average salary: ₹6,64,578 per year

Primary duties: Interpreters translate one language to another. Sometimes, tour guides may not know a language and hire an interpreter to help them and the visitors to understand each other. Interpreters can plan an important role in making travellers feel comfortable in a foreign environment. As part of their job, an interpreter may write notes, conduct research on major tourist attractions, help tourists plan their itinerary, translate the local guidebook or interpret verbal communication between local people.

2. Sommelier

National average salary: ₹5,78,337 per year

Primary duties: Sommeliers are wine experts who possess tasting ability. They often work at restaurants and help customers pair the best wine with their food. A sommelier looks after a wine cellar and checks the inventory on a daily basis. They keep themselves updated with the latest trends in the wine industry to stock the cellar with wines that are gaining popularity. A proficient sommelier has a strong sense of taste and smell, compelling communication skills and great organisational capabilities.

3. Event specialist

National average salary: ₹4,73,719 per year

Primary duties: Event specialists primarily focus on conceptualising different themes for different events. Their responsibilities can also include operations like selecting venues, managing logistics and handling event marketing. They host interesting events to attract more customers that may buy their products or services. For example, an event specialist may create an informative show about a historical place through which their company can sell tours to the people. Event specialists are creative individuals who also possess good presentation, administration and multi-tasking skills.

4. Executive chef

National average salary: ₹37,572 per month

Primary duties: Executive chefs are responsible for making sure foods being prepared in a kitchen are of high quality and customers get their meals served in a timely manner. They ensure all food quality checks and safety regulations are being followed. Creating new food items on the menu is also an important part of their job. An executive chef hires new kitchen staff and trains them along with supervising the procurement of raw food materials. They keep track of current food trends to offer variety to the customers.

5. Public relations manager

National average salary: ₹35,180 per month

Primary duties: Public relations managers maintain and improve a brand's image. They create media kits, arrange press conferences, devise marketing and advertising strategies and develop various campaigns to achieve targets. Coordinating with media teams, marketing departments and journalists are some of their important job responsibilities. They work with writers, graphic designers, photographers and event managers to successfully organise different events to accomplish their public relations campaigns. A public relations manager clearly communicates the brand messages, tactfully manages any crises, accommodates everybody in the team and uses creativity to give presentations.

6. Concierge

National average salary: ₹25,972 per month

Primary duties: Concierges typically work at hotels where they assist the guests by booking tours, handling transportation and making dinner or theatre reservations. It may require them to suggest to the hotel guests some of the best local dining places or entertainment venues like historical attractions, shopping centres and adventure parks. A concierge may also run errands for the guests and provide a variety of services such as collecting and shipping their packages or mails. They are energetic individuals who are resourceful, courteous and organised in their work.

7. Travel agent

National average salary: ₹25,201 per month

Primary duties: Travel agents help tourists to make effective travel plans. This can include selecting travel destinations, modes of transportation and places of accommodation. Their responsibilities involve selecting the tickets and various bookings at the best prices for their clients. They deal with customer queries and provide help with passports, visas or insurance. The agent may make arrangements for dining and entertainment as well. They also have strong sales, communication, administration and organisational skills that can help them boost their business.

8. Hotel manager

National average salary: ₹22,041 per month

Primary duties: Hotel managers are in charge of overseeing everyday operations of a hotel, such as administration, maintenance and inspection. Their responsibilities can include managing various services provided by the hotel like rooms and restaurants. They also create budgets, control expenditures, analyse hotel revenue and maintain financial records. A hotel manager may also plan marketing strategies to attract more customers and organise different events to increase customer engagement. A hotel manager provides methodical guidance to the team and accomplishes multiple tasks at once in a structured manner to lead by example.

9. Restaurant manager

National average salary: ₹21,414 per month

Primary duties: Restaurant managers keep different operations of a restaurant in order. These functions can include selecting quality food and beverages, addressing complaints of customers and supervising staff to maximise productivity. They also monitor the performance of the restaurant and prepare budgets that align with the restaurant's profits. A restaurant manager is also responsible for updating restaurant menus and training new hires on how to offer great customer service. They are thoughtful when solving problems within the team or outside of it and take up challenging initiatives to lessen the burden of the team.

10. Social media manager

National average salary: ₹21,117 per month

Primary duties: Social media managers create and enhance a company's presence on different social media channels. They implement marketing, advertising and content strategies that can help a company engage with customers from around the world. For example, a social media manager can create a cruise travel campaign by organising a contest. Several people can take part in this campaign, which can increase the company's chance to boost and promote their business. A good social media manager knows how to effectively communicate, think creatively, grow networks and build rewarding strategies.

11. Tour guide

National average salary: ₹17,368 per month

Primary duties: Tour guides accompany visitors or tourists to local attractions like monuments, parks and museums. They share interesting stories and important facts about different places with the tourists. A tour guide requires knowing different languages in order to cater to visitors from different regions. They are also responsible for planning itineraries, making travel arrangements and ensuring memorable experiences for the visitors. A tour guide communicates clearly to keep the clients engaged. The job also demands from them to be patient while dealing with diverse sets of tourists.

12. Guest service agent

National average salary: ₹16,815 per month

Primary duties: Guest service agents handle the front desk work in hotels and assist the guests with their check-in and check-out requests. They provide the guests with information on different services offered by the hotel like rooms and their charges, dining and entertainment. Managing cash, cheques and foreign currencies received by the customers is an important part of their job. A guest service agent also makes various arrangements like room service and housekeeping. They have good customer service skills and are prompt while addressing various needs of the customers.

13. Housekeeping supervisor

National average salary: ₹14,564 per month

Primary duties: Housekeeping supervisors oversee the work of cleaning staff and ensure that a hotel remains clean and inviting. They prepare working shifts of the people in their team and also train the new staff. Their supervision aligns with various safety and sanitation policies. A housekeeping supervisor also performs inspections on a daily basis to list out areas where their team can improve to ensure great customer satisfaction. The housekeeping supervisor is a leadership role where they keep their team motivated and happy with their encouraging behaviour and effective management.

14. Bartender

National average salary: ₹14,031 per month

Primary duties: Bartenders prepare a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for their customers and serve beverages in innovative ways. They often interact with customers and keep them entertained with light conversations. Mixing different ingredients to prepare various beverages is one of their most important skills. They are also in charge of maintaining the bar's stock and supplies and following all the food and beverage regulations. Bartenders have deep knowledge of drinks and can pay great attention to cleanliness, customer service, friendliness and organisation.

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate's experience, academic background and location.