Tourism Education in India- Tourism Management is a sector of the tourism industry that deals with aspects of travel and accommodations incorporating tourism education in India. In today’s era, travel and tourism have become an emerging sector growing rapidly and employing a large number of people both skilled and unskilled. In India, this industry is contributing a lot to the growth of GDP.
The future of the tourism industry is definitely exciting but several human resource challenges are being faced by this industry. The development and sustainability of the tourism industry require development strategies for human resources and personnel involved in tourism, the development of host communities, and tourists themselves. Sustainability-based work, culture, professional ethics, and operational practices are basic to sustainability in tourism. There are a number of tourism courses in India provided by tourism colleges. Full-time tourism management courses are now taken up by the existing universities. In comparison to older times, there has been a great advancement in tourism education now. Let us see the education scenarios and other aspects of tourism in India.
Indian Tourism Education Scenario
The number of international and domestic flows is growing day by day. University Grants Commission has allotted Travel & Tourism courses at the undergraduate level in various forms like Bachelor of travel & tourism Management (B.T.T.M), Bachelor of Tourism Studies (B.T.S), B.B.A in (Tourism & Hospitality Management) etc. Also, there are a number of universities that provide MBA in Tourism, MTA, MTTM, etc. Some private institutes are also running certificate, diploma & degree courses. Tourism education in India also received encouragement from the National Action Plan for Tourism announced in May 1992.
Apart from the course on tourism management run by the I.T.T.M, there are colleges in the universities of Gwalior, Kurusksetra, Aligarh Muslim University, Jodhpur, Pondicherry, and Indore that provide tourism education for the Master's Degree and PostGraduate Diploma levels. The two important tourism activities are accommodation and hospitality; and travel and trade. Hence, the manpower development for the tourism industry can not be confined to tourism education and training imparted by the national level institutes and universities only. With this objective in mind, the tourism planners in India both in the government and the private sectors have started Hotel Management, Catering, and Nutrition institutes.
Thus, at present, there are 20 Institutes of Hotel Management and 13 Food Craft Institutes of Hotel Management functioning in the country.
Read more- What is Hospitality and Travel?
Training Institutes in Travel & Tourism Management
Around 172 training institutes are engaged in travel and tour management education. Out of them, only 11 are government-sponsored institutes, 78 are affiliated to universities while the rest of them are privately owned. Approximately, 17,500 students are completing IATA/UFTA certified diploma courses, and graduate and postgraduate degree courses.
Spread of Tourism Education in India
To cope up with the growing demand for trained manpower requirements to run tourist offices, hotels, travel agencies, and airlines effectively and efficiently; a carefully drawn tourism education plan has emerged as the primary need of the nation. Here are some of the strategies that can be adopted by educationists, tourist planners, and private and government organizations.
The study of tourism encompasses studies in the fields of history, culture, economics, psychology, and sociology from the humanities stream, and on the other hand, it includes studies in the fields of bio-science, environment, geography, and statistics of the science stream. Hence, tourism as an important subject should be introduced at the secondary and higher secondary levels in the Indian school curriculums.
The young tourism bachelor's degree pass-outs must be required to have on-the-job training programme during their course and administrative training phase. This will enable them to have on-the-job exposure.
The universities in the Eastern and Northeastern parts of the country should be provided required assistance by U.G.C., A.I.C.T.E., and I.I.T.T.M to set up Departments of Tourism Administration
Exchange program with foreign institutes, both for the students as well as faculty.
To bring guest faculties from internationally reputed tourism institutes. This would bring global perception to Indian institutes
Thus some of these strategies suggested above will help in the maintenance of socio-cultural and environmental factors of the country along with the economic development of the nation through tourism.
Relevance of Tourism Industry in India
The development of the tourism sector has many socio-economic benefits. This significance cannot be ignored.
Economic Significance: Tourism increases the foreign exchange earning capability of a nation. It also leads to the infrastructural development of underdeveloped tourist destinations.
Infrastructural Significance: The business of tourism encourages the development of infrastructural facilities in under-developed tourist destinations. In the case of India, one may cite the cases of Khajuraho, Goa, Kulu, Delhi, etc.
Employment Significance: Tourism is a business of the people, by the people and for the people. Being a labour intensive industry, it has the second most important employment generating capacity, next to the agriculture sector of Indian economy.
Youth and nation-building significance: The recent concept of adventure tourism like river rafting, mountaineering, sailing in turbulent seas, paragliding, all these activities encourage the young domestic tourists to imbibe in themselves the spirits of leadership, and group cohesiveness. This measure of tourism development helps in building a strong national character with a complete dedication towards nation building activities among the youths.
International and inter-state understanding and peace: Respect for the socio-cultural systems of both the hosts and tourists leads to the development of international understanding and peace. This is also true in case of domestic tourists, who visit various tourist destinations of different states within their country.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Tourism Management is a sector of the tourism industry which deals with aspects of travel and accommodations incorporating tourism education in India.
The various tourism courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level are Bachelors of travel & tourism Management (B.T.T.M), Bachelors of Tourism Studies (B.T.S), B.B.A in (Tourism & Hospitality Management) etc. Also there are a number of universities which provide MBA in Tourism, MTA, and MTM etc.
The two important tourism activities are accommodation and hospitality; and travel and trade.
Tourism increases the foreign exchange earning capability of a nation. It also leads to the infrastructural development of the underdeveloped tourist destinations.
Around 172 training institutes are engaged in travel and tour management education. Out of them only 11 are government sponsored institutes, 78 are affiliated to universities while the rest of them are privately owned. Approximately, 17,500 students are completing IATA/UFTAA certified diploma courses, graduate and post graduate degree courses.
Articles
Browse Hospitality Colleges by State
Explore Career Options (By Industry)
Food Scientist
A food scientist enhances the safety, quality, and nutrition of food products. They work on developing recipes, testing for quality, analysing nutrition, optimising processes, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Their work spans labs, factories, and offices, often in collaboration with engineers and quality teams to create safe, innovative, and cost-effective food solutions for the market.
Food Inspector
A Food Inspector ensures the safety and quality of food by inspecting facilities, enforcing regulations, and preventing contamination. They examine food products, check sanitation practices, and uphold public health standards. The role requires knowledge in food science or biology, relevant certifications, and strong analytical skills. Their work is essential in preventing foodborne illnesses and maintaining hygiene standards
Food Engineer
A Food Engineer is a professional who is responsible for processing, packaging, and improving food products. He or she either works in the agricultural or food processing industry holding the responsibility of ensuring higher quality of food products including safety, supply, nutrition, and value.
Food Technologist
A Food Technologist develops safe, nutritious, and innovative food products through research, quality control, and process design. They work in labs, processing units, and sometimes on-site to ensure food safety and customer satisfaction. With growing demand for healthy and processed foods, this career plays a crucial role in modern food production and technology.
Family Social Worker
In a career as family social worker, an individual help those people who grow up in dysfunctional families and suffer from mild to extreme dysfunction. Some people are able to overcome the obstacles that childhood brought them and have a positive impact on the future. This negative behavior brings great pressure on family members. Sometimes they need help to learn how to deal with certain family situations or problems faced on a personal level. Individuals who opt for a career as family social worker can help restore harmony by providing services to families in crisis.
Chef
Individuals in chef career path work responsibilities include planning the menu, observing the kitchen, and supervising the entire kitchen staff. In the beginning, a trainee chef might be asked to wash dishes, clean the kitchen, and chop vegetables. There is a gradual process of learning and growth to reach the final destination ‘head chef’.
Every restaurant needs a culinarian and the country has a thousand great restaurant chains. So, there are immense career opportunities as well. In this article, we will discuss Chef roles and responsibilities, how to become a Chef in India, Chef skills, Chef eligibility, how to become chef after 12th and Chef qualification.
Event Manager
An Event Manager plans, coordinates, and oversees events like weddings, conferences, and festivals. They work with clients to understand needs, manage budgets, coordinate vendors, and handle logistics. Strong organisational, communication, and problem-solving skills are essential. Career opportunities exist in agencies, hotels, or freelancing, with growth potential into senior roles like Event Director.
Travel Agent
A travel agent helps clients plan and book trips by arranging transport, accommodation, and tours. They offer advice on visas, insurance, and travel safety, and handle itinerary changes or cancellations. Using industry knowledge, they customise travel experiences and secure deals. Travel agents also support clients throughout their journey, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable travel experience.
Linguist
Linguistic meaning is related to language or Linguistics which is the study of languages. A career as a linguistic meaning, a profession that is based on the scientific study of language, and it's a very broad field with many specialities. Famous linguists work in academia, researching and teaching different areas of language, such as phonetics (sounds), syntax (word order) and semantics (meaning).
Other researchers focus on specialities like computational linguistics, which seeks to better match human and computer language capacities, or applied linguistics, which is concerned with improving language education. Still, others work as language experts for the government, advertising companies, dictionary publishers and various other private enterprises. Some might work from home as freelance linguists. Philologist, phonologist, and dialectician are some of Linguist synonym. Linguists can study French, German, Italian.
Hotel Manager
A hotel manager manages the hotel staff and services provided to clients and guests. Individuals in the hotel management career path, negotiate on contracts with vendors providing various services in the hotel. He or she coordinates with different departments to ensure that the best services and facilities are provided to guests.
The hotel manager manages the hotel's budget. He or she supervises staff and maintains rules and regulations. The hotel manager handles customer relationships and solves their issues. Here, in this article, we will discuss the details of a hotel management career, and how to get into a hotel management career.
Food Stylist
A food stylist is a culinary art specialist who is responsible for making the food look arranged in a presentable way decked up with accessories for a close shot. He or she works with chefs, photographers and editors.
Bartender
The bartender is the person who mixes and serves drinks at the bar. He or she helps the people to serve drinks at parties which adds to the glamour of the event or the night and makes the environment like a party mood. It is difficult to plan parties without the help of a bartender serving beers and alcohol with all the mixing techniques.
Students can pursue BHM (Bachelor of Hotel Management), or other related courses to opt for a bartender career in India. Here, in this article, we will discuss the details of how to become a Bartender in India, bartending a good job, bartender career growth, bartender roles and responsibilities, bartender courses in India, and bartender skills.
Station Master
A Station Master ensures the smooth and safe operation of trains at a railway station. Appointed by the Railway Recruitment Board, they manage train schedules, operate signals, oversee station facilities, assist passengers, and supervise staff. Their role is crucial for maintaining safety, punctuality, and passenger convenience, making it a responsible and rewarding career in Indian Railways.
Linguist
Linguistic meaning is related to language or Linguistics which is the study of languages. A career as a linguistic meaning, a profession that is based on the scientific study of language, and it's a very broad field with many specialities. Famous linguists work in academia, researching and teaching different areas of language, such as phonetics (sounds), syntax (word order) and semantics (meaning).
Other researchers focus on specialities like computational linguistics, which seeks to better match human and computer language capacities, or applied linguistics, which is concerned with improving language education. Still, others work as language experts for the government, advertising companies, dictionary publishers and various other private enterprises. Some might work from home as freelance linguists. Philologist, phonologist, and dialectician are some of Linguist synonym. Linguists can study French, German, Italian.
Travel Planner
A travel planner is a professional who assists clients or people in planning and organising their trips. He or she is responsible for making arrangements for the client's travel requirements such as reservations, booking flights, and arranging transport. A travel planner may also visit the holiday destinations and resorts to help the clients make informed decisions.
In a career as a travel planner, he or she must design cost-effective travel packages according to the client's needs and budget and provide the best recommendations to them. The travel planner oversees the negotiations for the accommodation, transportation, rental companies, tour guides and restaurants for the clients to get the maximum benefits of trips.
Travel Agent
A travel agent helps clients plan and book trips by arranging transport, accommodation, and tours. They offer advice on visas, insurance, and travel safety, and handle itinerary changes or cancellations. Using industry knowledge, they customise travel experiences and secure deals. Travel agents also support clients throughout their journey, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable travel experience.
Travel Journalist
A travel journalist explores destinations and shares experiences through articles, blogs, or social media. They plan trips, manage logistics, and may create guidebooks. A degree in Journalism or Mass Communication is typical, with added value from internships and skills in photography or film-making.