Careers Brief - Tourism & Spa Management FdA
Overview
The Tourism industry (travel, leisure and entertainment, accommodation, catering and transport) is one of the largest in the UK with excellent career prospects. It is a growing and fast-moving, customer-orientated environment. For success you would need to be mobile, adaptable and prepared to work flexible hours. These can be long and often unsocial.
Your course provides the knowledge and training to develop effective business management skills and competencies. These skills provide you with an excellent portfolio for a variety of careers both inside and outside this sector. You would improve your employment prospects by gaining appropriate work experience.
There has been a growing interest in health and fitness and wellness in the UK, which has contributed to recent expansion in the spa market. Spa facilities are dedicated to physical and emotional well-being and use water for the delivery of a wide range of therapies and treatments, such as for sport injuries, de-stressing and relaxation, beauty and pampering.
In spa operational management, you could be working in a variety of locations, such as in a purpose built health spa resort, a stately home, leisure club, hotel and country club, spa town or cruise ship.
The tourism sector offers a wide range of job opportunities.
Job titles include:
tourism marketing officer, tour leader/trek leader, travel consultant, travel agency manager, tour operator resort representative, tour operator product manager, tour operator contracts manager, tour operator product development co-ordinator, tourist information centre manager, events manager or sales executive, attractions sales and marketing administrator,
public relations officer, hotel marketing executive, arts administrator, conference organiser, lifestyle consultant, magazine journalist, FE college lecturer, catering manager, retail manager, Human Resources/Training officer, passenger service agents, airline and airport management, ferry or cruise manager and many others.
For an overview of the industry sector, go to National Guidance Research Forum for 'LMI Future trends' and 'Sectors covered'.
Go to the website links below to find out more.
To consider a wider choice of careers (matched to your interests) use Prospects Planner and other tools listed in the Career Planning section of this Careers Guide.
Further Study
You will be able to apply for a Top-up degree. Top-up degrees are designed as a direct progression from Foundation degree to achieve an Honours (or Ordinary) degree, though entry may be selective.
Alternatively, you could transfer onto a related Honours degree. Entry point would depend on your grades, experience and overlap between courses but could be the final year.
As a Foundation graduate, you may progress onto a Top-up degree or enter the final year of an Honours degree at Bournemouth University.
Go to http://onlineservices.bournemouth.ac.uk/courses/ for information on the Tourism and Hospitality degree courses at Bournemouth University.
Other institutions offering related Tourism top-ups:
University College Birmingham; University of Brighton; University of Central Lancashire; Coventry University; Craven College; University of Gloucestershire; Grimsby Institute of Further & Higher Education; Loughborough College; Middlesex University;
University of Northampton; Northumbria University; Norwich City College of Further & Higher Education; Sheffield Hallam University; Staffordshire University; University of Sunderland; Teeside University; University of Westminster; Westminster Kingsway College.
To search degree courses go to www.ucas.com/ (UCAS - Universities and Colleges Admissions Service for the UK). Use the university/college links for course details.
You will need to use UCAS to apply for courses. Contact the Course Tutor of your chosen course to find out your position, before you make your formal application.
Find out how much this will cost you. Where is the funding coming from? Go to the university/college links for information on course costs and finance and to the section Financial support for additional help.
Alternatively, you could consider 'topping up' your Foundation degree to Honours through distance learning with the Open University. You could be awarded up to 240 credits and then only need 120 credits of OU study to achieve an Honours degree. Go to www.open.ac.uk/ to search undergraduate courses and credit transfer.
With a good Honours degree (First or 2.1), you may progress onto an appropriate higher level Masters and/or PhD doctorate. This could be to develop your area of study to a more in-depth practical and/or academic level or to gain other specialist training.
For information on postgraduate study and finance, go to the national online directory at www.prospects.ac.uk/study.htm .
Go to the main section Further Study of this Guide for more information and help.
Useful Links
http://mycareerhub.bournemouth.ac.uk/
Bournemouth University Graduate Employment Service - job news, campus events, part-time work, placement, graduate jobs, ask a question, book an appointment
www.spabusinessassociation.co.uk/
Spa Business Association
International Spa Association
Good Spa Guide - independent comprehensive guide to UK spas, therapies and treatments
Spa Business magazine online for spa news and jobs
Spa Opportunities online magazine for spa news and jobs
Health Club Management magazine online for news and jobs in the health and fitness industry
http://careerscope.springboarduk.net/
Springboard UK inspiring careers in hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism
People 1st careers website for the hospitality, leisure, travel & tourism industries
Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine online for news and jobs
www.prospects.ac.uk/starting_out.htm
Graduate Prospects - national careers site for HE students studying in the UK:
Drop down sub-heading 'Careers advice' for 'Options with your subject'
http://nextstep.direct.gov.uk/
Next Step careers site - go to sub-heading 'Planning your career' for 'Job Profiles'
The Institute of Travel & Tourism - representing individuals employed in the travel and tourism industry
IMSPA The Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity
www.instituteofhospitality.org/
Institute of Hospitality - professional body for managers (& aspiring managers) in the hospitality, leisure and tourism industries
Career in Travel – information for aspiring Overseas Holiday Reps and Air Cabin Crew
The Travel Association
Tourism Management Institute - destination management section of the Tourism Society
The Tourism Society - professional body for people working in all sectors of the visitor economy
Federation of Tour Operators
Travel Weekly online magazine
TTG Digital online magazine
www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/
Leisure Opportunities magazine online
Drop down 'Jump to other Leisure Media publications' for related online magazines
http://targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors
GTI Media publication for graduate jobs and careers advice
Go to the Employability section of this Careers Guide for additional help and advice with making applications.
