Online Travel and Tourism Schools & Colleges

Travel and Tourism Online Colleges

Online travel and tourism programs can allow you to advance your education while working or pursuing other interests. You'll find many degrees available at the associate or bachelor's level. For example, Associate of Applied Science degrees in Business Administration can be found in event planning, food and hotel management and travel counseling. You can also find a Bachelor's of Science degree in Hospitality Management or a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Public Relations and Marketing. You'll also discover many online beginning-level certificate programs that could be helpful in exploring your interest in the travel and tourism field and helping you decide whether to pursue a career. For example, a diploma focused on helping you become a travel agent can give you knowledge in fields such as corporate and leisure travel, international fares and destinations, travel insurance, and more. You can also find diplomas available in fields such as hotel and restaurant management, travel and tourism, and more.

Your diploma or undergraduate degree can lead to a variety of careers depending on what your focus is. One option is to become an event planner, usually requiring an associate degree, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Growth in this occupation is projected to be 16 percent, 2008-2018, and the mean wages earned by those in the field were $48,780, according to 2010 BLS data. Another potential career occupation is that of a flight attendant. While not required, airlines increasingly prefer candidates with a degree, according to the BLS. Job growth is expected to be about average, and competition for available positions is keen because of a glut of candidates. However, the mean wages earned by those in the field were $41,630 and this career would give you the potential to travel, either in one continent or worldwide. Becoming a travel agent is another occupation that could be of interest to you. While opportunities in the field are expected to decrease, 2008-2018, according to the BLS, an education and experience in the industry could prove worthwhile when (and if) the U.S. economy begins to rebound. Travel agents earned mean annual wages of $33,950. However, these three occupations are not the sole opportunities for those interested in a travel and tourism career. Other opportunities could be to find work as a lodging manager--of course, you would need to work you way up to this occupation, most likely--or even doing marketing or public relations for a travel business or company.

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