Tourism – Travel Services

The two-year Tourism – Travel Services Ontario College Diploma program gives you the experience and specialized skills you need for an exciting career in the diverse tourism and travel industry sectors.

In this program, you receive current travel industry knowledge from Algonquin College faculty, who have a strong background in all of the industry sectors. You’ll learn the practical application of industry software used in the airline and travel services industry, world tourism geography, marketing and customer service excellence. You will volunteer at industry events, network with industry professionals, and travel locally as well as internationally to Costa Rica where you can earn a course credit. Finally, you’ll learn about current industry trends like sustainable tourism, niche and group travel and customized vacation planning.

Students will expand their real-world experience during a two-week field placement in the tourism and travel sector of their choice.

Before graduation, you write the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) exam. This exam is required to meet the mandatory licensing requirement for work in licensed retail or wholesale travel service operations in Ontario.

Graduates can take their career in many directions. You may find employment as a: retail travel counsellor, tour operator counsellor, flight attendant, government tourism representative, airport customer service agent, destination representative and travel service representative (motor coach, rail, auto, cruise lines or attractions).

What You’ll Learn

• Support an industry and workplace service culture, by adopting a positive attitude and professional decorum, accommodating diverse and special needs, and contributing as a team member.
• Deliver customer service and solutions that anticipate, meet and/or exceed individual expectations, as well as organizational expectations, standards and objectives.
• Use marketing concepts, market research, social networks, sales strategies, relationship management skills and product knowledge to promote and sell tourism products, services and customer experiences.