Many people and businesses invest time and money in travel, both for pleasure and for business. Many travel jobs are available in the tourism industry or in businesses that cater to business travelers. Travel agents, tour guides, and tour group leaders are examples of tourism-related jobs. Many corporations and businesses hire travel agencies to plan their domestic and international trips. To manage travel and travel expenses, some larger companies hire full-time travel consultants.
Tour guides are usually employed by larger companies that organize tours for groups of people. These tours are sometimes domestic, but they are frequently organized abroad. Because tours can be costly to organize, many clubs and social groups will opt to book an entire tour exclusively for their group. This saves them money and guarantees that they will be traveling with friends. Travel jobs associated with tours include bus drivers and tour group leaders, in addition to tour guides.
Within the cruise line industry, there are numerous travel jobs available. Cruise lines hire people for food service, entertainment, and custodial work in addition to those who actually run and manage the ship. Recreation managers are also needed on cruise ships. While the ship is at sea, these employees plan activities for the passengers. People who work as recreation managers should ideally be physically fit and capable of performing a variety of tasks.
More common travel jobs can be found in a variety of transportation-related fields. Airline pilots, flight attendants, and reservationists are among those affected. Travel industry employees include those who work for cross-country bus lines and rail systems. This is especially true in Europe, where rail networks crisscross multiple countries.
Travel agencies are businesses that specialize in planning both business and leisure travel. The best prices for airline tickets and hotel accommodations are usually available through a travel agent. Many resorts provide vacation packages to travel agencies only. The packages are then resold to their customers by these agencies. Travel agents should ideally be outgoing individuals who enjoy interacting with the general public.
Some people make a living by writing travel articles and books. Newspapers and magazines occasionally hire these writers for work in their travel and leisure sections. Other travel writers may create full travel guides, which are booklets dedicated to specific destinations. A travel guide will typically include restaurant and hotel reviews as well as listings of interesting places to visit in the area.