Tourism and Travel - Tourism Services Specialization

Program Description

Seneca’s Tourism and Travel Diploma program is designed to provide you with an understanding of the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to work in the leisure, cruise and corporate travel sectors. Emphasis is placed on developing and honing your marketing, professional selling, negotiation, computer reservation, and tourism geography skills. You will study and work in the Seneca uniform. By living this standard each day, you'll become practiced in formal, occupation-specific presentation, and prepare for the real world*. Best of all, as a student of the Travel and Tourism program, you will gain 150 hours of valuable field placement work experience as well as an opportunity to take an optional coop placement. Prior to graduation and launching your professional career you will write the Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors’, Travel Counsellor Certification*.

In year two of the program you can opt to continue your studies in Tourism Services or select to specialize in Leisure and Corporate Travel** or Eco-Adventure Tourism and Niche Travel**.

As a student of this program, you will purchase a professional uniform and obtain industry certifications at a fee. These measures are vital to the program curriculum and contribute to your professional experience.

** Students successfully completing the Tourism and Travel Diploma program specializing in Leisure and Corporate Travel or Eco-Adventure Tourism and Niche Travel, will graduate with a Tourism and Travel Diploma.

Program Learning Outcomes

This Seneca College program meets the system-wide standards for all Ontario College Credential programs as set by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

As a graduate, you will be prepared to reliably demonstrate the following:

• ensure customer satisfaction by providing tourism services in a professional manner, both individually and as part of a team.
• sell and promote tourism products and services proactively.
• apply a knowledge of the various tourism industry sectors and their necessary interaction, both with each other and with government and other regulating bodies, in the provision of tourism products and services.
• perform effectively, both individually and as part of a team, in the reservations function of a tourism organization.
• prepare and issue accurately routine tickets and other travel documentation to clients.
• access and appropriately disseminate accurate and detailed product knowledge and destination information.
• apply clerical and organizational skills to facilitate the completion of administrative tasks.
• apply bookkeeping and basic financial knowledge and skills, including cost control techniques, to the operation of a tourism organization.
• develop ongoing personal professional development strategies and plans to enhance industry knowledge and leadership skills for tourism industry sectors.

Essential Employability Skills

• Essential Employability Skills (link to information on Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities website)

Admission Requirements

Program Eligibility:

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature student status
• Grade 12 English: ENG4(C) or ENG4(U)

The Importance of Learning Skills:

Student success in college requires well developed learning skills (such as being able to work independently, participate in a team, be well-organized, develop good work habits, and show initiative). These skills are as important as prior academic achievement. While it is expected that applicants would have developed these skills through previous education and life experiences, Seneca offers support to assist students with further development of these important skills.

Your Career

Seneca’s Tourism and Travel Diploma program prepares you to start an exciting career in one of the following fields: ground transportation, inbound tourism, hospitality, ship and cruise line service, resorts and casinos, travel retailers, event and meeting planning, motor coach and tour operators or tourist boards and agencies. You may find career opportunities in customer service, as a ticket or counter agent, marketing and sales representative, reservationist, hotel front desk clerk, tour manager, tour guide, resort host, leisure and corporate travel counsellor, cruise specialist, convention/conference/meeting planner, incentive travel co-ordinator, or customer care call service agent.

Diploma to Degree... and Beyond

Through transfer agreements and institution partnerships, graduates of this Seneca College program may be eligible for credit at the following post-secondary institution(s)0:

Toronto

Ontario

Canada

U.S.

International

Optional International Study Abroad with Co-op Opportunities

As a student in the Tourism and Travel program you are eligible to apply to study abroad in your fourth semester and qualify for a second co-op placement position at one of the following international institutions:

• Minoan International College in Crete, Greece
• Swiss Hotel Management School in Montreaux, Switzerland
• LIS Tourism and Hospitality College in Pretoria, South Africa

Industry Affiliations and Memberships

• Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE)
• Association of Canadian Travel Agents (ACTA)
• Cruise Line International Association (CLIA)
• Endorsed by the Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors (CITC), for Level I and Level II
• International Society of Tourism and Travel Educators (ISTTE)
• Meeting Professionals International, (MPI)
• Travel Industry Council Ontario (TICO)
• Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC)

Industry Partners

Industry partners that employ our students for field placement and employment upon graduation are AirMiles/Loyalty Group, Merit Travel, Nolitours/Transat Holidays, Cruise ShipCenters, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Victours, Royal Caribbean International Cruise Line, Donald Golf and Country Club, Eaton Hall Inn and Conference Centre, Fairmont Hotels, Air Canada Vacations, Trafalgar Tours, Sun Wing, American Express, CAA Travel, Sears Travel, Thomas Cook Travel, I Love to Travel Group, Tai Pan Tours, Gap Adventures, My Sunquest, Goway Travel, Aramark, Marlin Travel, Mariposa Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Conquest, Contiki, Encore Cruises, Sheraton Hotels, I Travel2000, Air Canada Jazz, WestJet, Porter Airlines, and Tour East Holidays.

Field Placement Education

You'll complete 150 hours of unpaid placement in the fourth semester in one of the tourism and travel segments. you'll receive assistance from your professor, but it is your responsibility to confirm a placement upon successful completion of all third semester subjects before accepting a field placement position.

Co-operative Education Program

During the second semester, you’ll have the opportunity to apply for admission to the coop option. Co-op provides you with the opportunity to secure a paid work term between semesters three and four. It also allows you to benefit from a combination of classroom learning and real-world experience. Please note that you will have a shared responsibility for securing employment opportunities and must meet co-op entrance requirements in order to be considered (see Student Advisor or Co-op Co-ordinator for details).

Co-op tourism related positions may be in travel operations, hotel services, sales, retail, event and trade shows, promotional activities, and exceptional customer service positions, among others.

Curriculum

Professional Options

Professional options may be taken in semesters three and four. The subjects listed below are a representative sample of those which may be available. You will be advised in semester two which options will be offered for the following semesters.

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