CAREER OPTIONS OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT STUDIES OF DE LA SALLE

UNIVERSITY DASMARIÑAS

A Qualitative research
Presented to the faculty of the De La Salle – Dasmariñas
DBB-B City of Dasmariñas
Cavite, Philippines

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Subject

Practical Research 1
Technical-Vocational-Livelihood-Tourism
Senior High School

Rania Abdallah
Lucien Andrea Baysa
Stephanie Bondoc
Jovelle Cruz
Janna Maejin Rabanal
Lara Pauline Ramos

TVL-12
May, 2018
 ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to know the Career Options in the Field of Tourism in De La

Salle University-Dasmariñas. The study also aims to know the possible jobs that the students

may choose and informations about the careers and its range of salary in the tourism

management employees. The results that are in the study are from the articles in the internet and

books that are about the career planning and career in tourism management industry, the results

that are found will be the guide of the researchers in their study. In this study, the design used by

the researchers is the “Qualitative Research” and its method includes group discussions,

interviews and observations. From the data that are gathered, the most in demand job is the

“Tour manager” followed by the “Tourist Information Center Supervisor” followed by the

“Hotel Manager” and the least percentage is the “Resort Manager”. According to the datas that

are gathered, the most highest paid job under the tourism management industry in the Philippines

is the “Hotel Manager” which has a salary of P200,000. Tourism is a diverse industry which

offers long-term career opportunities for enthusiastic individuals who want to put their education

and skills to work in various environments. The researchers concluded that salary ranges in

tourism jobs and it depends on the type of what an individual is doing, the amount of education

and training required, and your experience level and people in tourism careers also make benefits

in the profession of an individual. Jobs in tourism and hospitality industry are all about providing

friendly, efficient and attentive customer service. Therefore, an individual who has an excellent

communication skills, patience and a friendly nature are a benefit in order to be qualified in the

job.
 INTRODUCTION

Tourism is one of the world's most important industries and a major source of

employment. World tourism employment is estimated at 231.2 million in 2007, 8.3% of total

employment, or 1 in every 12 jobs. Direct tourism employment is 76.1 million, which is forecast

to rise to 86.6 million or 2.8% of the total by 2017. Tourism is an important sector that has an

impact on the development of the country’s economy it encourages people to grow their business

in different countries and it also promotes the country’s reputation when it comes to their

traditions and attractions. (World Travel and Tourism Council, 2017)

Career selection is one of many important choices that an individual will make in

determining future plans. According to Arthur, Hall and Lawrence (1989:8), a career is the

“evolving sequence of a person’s work experience over time”. The traditional understanding of a

career is seen in terms of professional employment with progression and advancement in the

organisational position (Gunz and Heslin, 2005). From an individual’s perspective, how people’s

experiences and occupations change across a life course is essentially what defines a career.

According to Starr (2003), a career is much more important than just a job because a career is the

total pattern of work-related activities that develops throughout a lifetime. Thus, it only aims to

emphasize the importance of right career choice that shoud be actuated by the students

themselves, as a prospective asset to the field that the students will choose to be part with.

In Tourism Industry, opportunities of career development is claim to be more accesible

than other industries of economy due to both the nature of the organization and strong

international affiliation of tourism enterprises (Baum, 1995; ILO 2001). So, the term career

development has been accepted as the scriptor to be used for career information advice and
guidance (Hr. Leeds, 2016). There are also some career option such as airlines, hotels, tour

operator, travel agent, transporting, consultant, event organizing, adventure tourism expert,

logistics, cruises and tourism department in private and government sector. A person can develop

his/her career in this sector of tourism. Employee empowerment of an employee is neccessary to

take decision and help to show creativity. If someone wants to develop his or her career in

tourism industry, he or she has to know about the scopes and opportunities of this industry.

The purpose of the study is to better understand what career goals and expectations of

undergraduate students in tourism management in De La Salle University Dasmariñas expected

from their future career. Opportunities for personal development and high salaries were found to

be the most important goals for students to pursue after graduation. The goal of a study is to

identify or describe a concept or to explain or predict a situation or solution to a situation that

indicates the type of study to be conducted. Tourism is important in any aspect of the world,

particularly to the country’s improvement by knowing different careers it can give people

options about tourism and skills that may acquire in this kind od industry.
Objectives

The main objectives of the study is to be clear and accurate statement of the specific

purpose/objectives of the research, especially to identify different career options of tourism

management industry; To analyze the job description aand job qualification of posible career

options; To determine the most in demand tourism management rated job in terms of percentage

of the population employed to a certain career; To identify high income careeer options.

Statement of the Problem

The purpose of study is aimed to identify the Career Options of Tourism Management

Studies in De La Salle University – Dasmariñas. The researchers had come up with four possible

questions to be answered by this study. These are following stated problems:

1. Can the student choose other tourism career even the student studied different course?

2. Which tourism career option is the most applicable to applied even if the student

doesn’t have a finished degree?

3. How can student be motivated in pursuing the field of tourism management industry?

4. What are the career opportunity preferences of the student in terms of:

1.1 Perceied Salary

1.2 Job/Industry
Research Gap

Tourism is not easily recognize as a subject for a reason of analysts’ views it as an

industry while others view it as a subject or as a process. According to Stephen Padge (2007),

Academics argued tourism is a subject that is conceptually weak, which means there are no

universally agreed sets of laws or principles that all researchers adopt as the starting point for the

discussion of tourism. Tourism as a course is being degraded to a point that it is already heart-

breaking for a tourism student. The student underestimated the course for being a piece of cake

that requires no brain at all. From their point of views, a tourism student is just a display in the

society that contributes nothing to its wellness; that physical appearance is the main and only

focus of the field of study. In tourism, pure academic ability cannot predict professional success.

Thus, students are composites of many talents. It might not be a common knowledge to

everyone, but tourism plays a vital role in our society. Tourism is an integral part of economic

development through tourism income. It also is the key to promoting concerned central place for

business.

The study is conducted by the researchers to let the students of De La Salle University

Dasmariñas have a better understanding about career planning and for the students to know that

Tourism Management offers a lot of optional career other than Flight Attendants and Tour

Guides. Tourism Management has a lot of optional career a student can choose from if he/she is

interested in taking up the said course. The study provides information and knowledge about the

careers they want to take under the Tourism Management as well as the income and benefits the

students will get from it. Tourism Management offers careers such as Agency manager, Regional

tourism manager, International retail travel consultant, Airport airline operations manager,

Tourism consultant, Tour leader/guide, Hotel concierge, Cruise ship attendant etc. Pursuing a
career such as Tourism Management wasn’t bad at all. It is proven that it is not like any

educational course that requires a lot of brain works but in Tourism Management, the students

work both brain and develop people skill.

Significance of the study

Futhermore, the study is limited only on sourcess of information regarding on tourism

management options . The researcher will conduct the study to the students to provide options

about the different kinds of career in the field of tourism management industry and it could help

the students for their career planning to decide on the career that could be taken in the industry

tourism. To the tourism Students, the findings will help the tourism students to know the job

descriptions under the tourism industry and it will inform the tourism students to have the ability

in management and marketing skills. To the School Administrators, the study would serve as a

basis to the university to improved services and provide efficient teaching to have adequate

knowledge in particular to the tourism industry.

To the employees under the tourism industry, the study would be a basis in knowing the

different range of salary and in demand jobs that could be taken under the industry. Lastly, to the

future researchers the proposed study would widen their knowledge in particular to tourism

industry management and it can serve as a foundation to make the concept deeper and it would

be beneficial as it would serve as a basis for their own study and provide information that could

be tackeled in the study.

Scope and Limitation

The study is focused on the Career Options of Tourism Management Studies Of De La

Salle University Dasmariñas. The study aimed to know the career preferences that is under the

tourism management industry based from the salary, location and job/industry. The study focuses

to determine the different careers and personal opinions of undergraduate students when it comes

to the field of tourism in De La Salle University Dasmariñas. The study used the “Qualitative”

research method which includes the observations and opinions that may relate in the study that is

being discussed.

The researchers were not able to conduct an interview to the students and professors who

are under the tourism management industry, the observations and opinions that was used in the

study is based from the opinions of the researchers and informations from the books and in the

internet. The study includes the job description of each and every job opportunities that was

stated and it will clarify its position and some advantages and disadvantages as well. The

researchers conducted the study to broaden the knowledge about career planning and to identify

career options and to briefly explain the background of each career that is under the tourism

industry.
 METHODOLOGY

Research Design

In this study, the design used by researchers is the “Qualitative Research”. Qualitative

research is primarily exploratory research. . It provides insights into problems or helps to provide

ideas for quantitative research. It is also used to know the thoughts and opinions of people to find

deeper answers to problems. (S. DeFranzo, 2011). Qualitative data collection methods vary using

unstructured or semi-structured techniques. Some common methods include focus groups (group

discussions), individual interviews, and participation/observations. It generally aims to

understand the experiences and attitudes of patients, the community or health care worker. These

methods aim to answer questions about the ‘what’, ‘how’ or ‘why’ of a phenomenon rather than

‘how many’ or ‘how much’, which are answered by quantitative methods.

 RESULT

Objective No. 1 What are the different career options of tourism management industry?

Career Options in Tourism Industry

8%
Travel Agent
-12%
Hotel Manager
Event and Conference Organizer
10% Lodging Manager
8%

Career options in Tourism Management Industry. Tourism is diverse industry which

offers long-term career opportunities for enthusiastic individuals who want to put their education

and skills to work in various environments. It can be divided into five career areas:

accommodation, food and beverage services, recreation and entertainment, transportation and

travel services. Individuals who work in Tourism Management field may work outdoors or

indoors. Tourism Industry offers job such as Travel Agent, Hotel Manager, Event and

Conference Organizer, and Lodging Manager. Travel Agent who got the highest percent in the

chart above is the one who assist travelers with all aspects of planning a trip including flights,

accommodations, and car rentals.

Travel agents can be knowledgeable about the weather, customs and tourist attractions of

popular destinations. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), resorts and

specialty groups may use travel agents to promote services to clients. Travel agents need good

networking and customer service skills to build and maintain a clientele base. The second highest
is Event and Conference Organizer with a percentage of 10% is the one who help with the finer

details of planning an event. The role is hands-on and often involves working as part of a bigger

team. The third highest with a percentage of 8% is Hotel Manager and Lodging Manager. Hotel

Manager is the one that oversee all aspects about running a hotel, from housekeeping and general

maintenance to budget management and marketing of the hotel. Lodging Manager may be

referred to by other titles and are responsible for operating hotels, motels, and resorts. The

individual in charge of the overseeing the complete operation is usually called the general

manager. The number of managers depends on the size of an establishment. Larger resorts and

hotels may have managers for housekeeping, food service and human resources while small

motels may only have a single manager.

Objective No. 2 What are the job descriptions and job qualificant of possible career

options?

Careers In Tourism Industry

Travel Agent
10%
20% Tour Manager
5%
Flight Attendant

10% 20% Pilot

Amusement and Recreation

Worker
20% Executive Chef
15%
Tour Guide
 Careers in tourism offer many diverse roles and settings. Tourism careers include

working in a hotel or resort, on a cruise ship, in an adventure sports centre, as a tour guide

leading activities and historical trips, as a travel guide writer or as a driver or flight attendant.

Individuals in the tourism field should have a love and appreciation for travel, strong

coordination and organizational skills to coordinate trips, services, schedules and

accommodation, and enjoy working with people. Many individuals pursuing a career in tourism

have specialized skills and interest in particular activities such as scuba diving, sailing, kayaking,

hiking, and some more. Professionals working in the tourism industry generally work

nontraditional hours according to the hours of operation of hotels, restaurants and recreational

centres, transportation requirements and activity schedules. Some careers associated with the

tourism industry require formal educational programs such as hotel managers, pilots and other

leadership roles; however, most careers in tourism require specific skill sets rather than formal

education. Careers in tourism can offer exciting and unconventional work settings and

opportunities.

The most career that people choice is being a Tour Guide. A tour guide is a person who

guides visitors in their language (or the language of their choice) and presents the cultural and

natural sights of the area. She/he must possess specific qualification usually issued by a proper

authority. Tour guides help travellers understand the culture of the region visited and the way of

life of the people living there. They lead groups of tourists around a town, a museum or another

tourist venue. They are expected to know a lot about history and culture of the places visited.

Tour guides lead groups abroad, act as interpreters for the group and organizers on behalf of the

holiday company. Their knowledge of languages and organizational ability are important.
 The career amusement and recreational worker is also 20% same in tour guide that most

employees choose this career. Employees perform different duties at amusement or recreation

facilities, schedule the use of recreation facilities and provide equipment to participant of sports

or recreational activities. The workers also monitor the adherence to rules and safety procedures,

sell tickets to customers, clean the sporting equipment and grounds, operate machines to prepare

the sports grounds, inspect the equipment to detect wear and damage, perform minor repairs and

the maintenance of the equipment, operate mechanical devices in amusement parks or recreation

areas, sell and serve refreshments to customers. Amusement worker must be communicative and

know the principles for providing customer and personal services. People performing this job

must be reliable, responsible, and cooperative and must fulfill obligations.

The career Flight Attendant has 20% same as tour guide and career amusement and

recreational worker that most of women choose this career/job. Flight attendants or cabin crew

(also known as stewards/stewardesses, air hosts/hostesses, cabin attendants) are members of an

aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard

commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft. Before the plane

takes off, flight attendants instruct all passengers on the use of safety equipment, either by

playing a video recording or demonstrating its use in person. Flight Attendant also ensure that

seatbelts are fastened, seats are locked in the upright position, and all carry-on items are properly

stowed in accordance with federal law and company policy. A flight attendant’s most important

responsibility, however, is to help passengers in the event of an emergency. This responsibility

ranges from dealing with unruly passengers to performing first aid, fighting fires, and directing

evacuations. Flight attendants also answer questions about the flight, attend to passengers with

special needs, help anyone else needing assistance, and generally assist all passengers as needed.
 Most of boys choose the career of being a pilot; it has 15% of the people wants this

career. A Pilot is a person who flies an aircraft or someone who directs a ship safely through an

area of water, an airline pilot and a harbor pilot. Pilots have a number of preflight duties. A

pilot's initial responsibility is to check the weather throughout the flight path and confirm flight

schedules. Pilots are also responsible for running a comprehensive preflight checklist of all

systems, including fuel, engines, hydraulics and electronics. A pilot must make sure that any

cargo is loaded and that the weight is properly distributed in the aircraft. Lastly, a pilot must

contact the control tower for takeoff instructions. A pilot's primary duty is to fly the aircraft from

point of origin to destination, including takeoff and landing. Commercial airline pilots often have

copilots to assist with navigation, but in smaller aircraft, navigating the aircraft is also required,

as is monitoring the engines, fuel and other systems during the flight. Pilots must stay in touch

with the control tower after departure, and then contact the destination control tower as they

approach to request landing permission and instructions.

The Travel Agent and Executive chef has 10% of the people choose the career, most of

the executive chef are the men while the travel agent are the women. The work of a travel agent

is mostly carried out in an office, conferring with clients, filling out forms, contacting hotels and

airlines and promoting tours. Travel Agents work with computers all the time and are often under

pressure during travel emergencies and peak vacation times. Therefore, communication and

computer skills are essential for a travel agent. The education required is a high school diploma,

but many travel agencies demand a college degree and business experience. Training is usually

provided on the job. Travel agents must be well-organized, accurate, professional and courteous

when dealing with clients. Travel agents help travellers with information with the aim to make

the best possible travel arrangements. Employees under travel agents offer advice and make
arrangements for transportation, accommodation, car rentals and tours. The executive chef is the

leader in charge of everything that goes out of the kitchen and maintains full control of the

kitchen staff at all times. From small restaurant operations staffed by a handful of cooks to

massive industrial kitchens staffed by a large number of chefs and culinary assistants, executive

chefs are given the responsibility of resolving any problems efficiently to serve exceptional

cuisine. Entering a career in the culinary industry can be an emotionally and financially lucrative

option for aspiring executive chefs seeking to exercise their love for creative cooking in a

leadership role. In order to determine if this is the right career path for you, read on to find a full

overview of what executive chefs do inside and outside of the kitchen.

5% of the people choose the Tour manager career in tourism industry. Tour Managers are

responsible for organizing, planning and conducting long distance expeditions, travel, and tours

for groups or individuals. Tour manager make sure that the travel runs smoothly from venue to

venue without any issue. These professionals are required to confirm reservations and show

times, and deal with venue managers, ticket agents and promoters. The managers also manage

the schedules of the travel group and look after their finances. Most of their works is arranging

the flights, insurance and accommodation. As a travel agency manager, you must be able to offer

specialist, professional and competitive travel products to meet the demands of the travel market,

which includes online bookings and tailor-made trips.

Objective No. 3 What is the most in demand tourism managment job in the Philippines?

Most indemand Job

Resort Manager
16%
30%
Hotel Manager

21%
Tour Manager

Tourist Information Center

33% Supervisor

The chart shows about the most indemand job. From the informations indicated above

"Overseas Employment" is the most indemand job which has 33%, the second one is the

"Cyberservices" which has 30% it includes web developers, network engineers, computer

programmers and etc. The demand for Filipino programmers and developers are so high

businesses are willing to pay top rates for them. It’s a difficult industry to get into because of the

level of technical skill and knowledge that most employers require. And it is followed by

"Health, Wellness, and Medical Tourism" which has 20% and lastly is the "Hotel and

Restaurant" which has 16% .The reason why is it last in the list are one of the most sought after

employees in terms of work [Link] salary levels can be 3 to 6 times higher then in the

Philippines. The researchers knew based on given findings that the most indemand job is the

"Overseas Employment" based on the internet. Although, numerous opportunities were available

for Filipinos with specializations related to general work, engineering, and the food and beverage

service sectors.
Objective No. 4 What is the highest income career option in the tourism management

industry?

The chart that is shown below is about the highest career option in the tourism

management industry. The findings are based in the informations of the books and internet that

the researchers had searched. The chart will be the basis for the researchers to identify on what

career option that offers a high salar and to determine what is the most in demand job under the

tourism management industry.

Salary in Tourism Management Industry

30,000

77,000 Flight Attendant

Executive Chef
50,335 Front Desk Receptionist
200,000
Hotel General Manager
98,920
Housekeeping

The chart shows the salary in tourism management industry. From the informations that

are indicated above the most highest paid job under the tourism management industry is the

“Hotel General Manager” which has a P200,000 salary, it is followed by the “Front Desk

Receptionist” which has a P98,920 salary, followed by an “Executive Chef” which has a P50,335

salary and the least salary is the “Housekeeping” which has a salary of P30,000. The tourism

industry can be divided into five career areas: accommodation, food and beverage services,
recreation and entertainment, transportation and travel services. The researchers knew based

on the given findings that the most high paid job in the Philippines is the “Hotel General

Manager” and the most in demand job based on the internet is in the food and beverage services.

Although, salary ranges in tourism jobs depend on the type of what an individual is doing, the

amount of education and training required, and your experience level and people in tourism

careers also make tips on top of their salary.

CONCLUSION

Careers in the Tourism Industry ([Link] Team 2015)

Tourism is a diverse industry which offers long-term career opportunities for enthusiastic

individuals who want to put their education and skills to work in various environments. People in

tourism may work indoors or outdoors, standard hours or on a flexible schedule, seasonal jobs or

all-year-round. It’s one of the most exciting and diverse career paths out there. The available

career opportunities in the Tourism Industry is the operational positions to management and

executive-level responsibilities, you’ll find opportunities for solid training, knowledge and skill

development along with unlimited career growth. The tourism industry also offers a unique

environment for those who wish to start their own business.

Job Opportunities and Possible Qualifications in Tourism Industry by 2017 (World Travel

& Tourism Council [WTTC], 2007)

Based on the summary of findings and data gathered, the researchers therefore conclude

that tourism is embedded in many other industries and job opportunities available to those who

want to pursue careers in this industry especially in Hospitality Industry, it is the largest sector in

the tourism industry which provides the accommodations sector or the board and lodging needs

of the travelers but are some career option in the hospitality industry that require more skill that

tourism graduates may not be adequately prepared for. Jobs in tourism and hospitality industry

are all about providing friendly, efficient and attentive customer service. Consequently, excellent

communication skills, patience and a friendly nature are essential for you to thrive in these

industries. And for those who want to work in this sector to do it well. It's a lot more difficult to

be friendly and helpful if you're not enjoying yourself. And were interested in pursuing a career
in the tourism industry. The hotel sector was the most preferred sector for a career in the

industry. There’s a four position of opportunities that maybe you where belong in the future.

Operational position is the first step in the lifetime career where the usually involve in direct

contact with the tourist. Second is the supervisory position that hires the people, manage,

motivate and schedule the operational position as well as provide key functional. Third is the

management position that involves the budgeting, analysis, planning and change management in

order to help employees and the organization to grow and prosper. And the last is Executives

who are often responsible for several departments or divisions and usually work at a regional,

national or international level. And responsible for strategic, planning and have significant

budget responsibility.

In Demand Jobs in Tourism (go2 Tourism HR Society 2017)

Jobs will span the spectrum of tourism, which encompasses five industry groups and

more than 400 occupations. Accommodation, food and beverage services and recreation and

entertainment are gearing up for the largest [Link] employment growth is highest in

food & beverage services (43,410), followed by the recreation and entertainment sector (20,530).

Accommodation is the third largest in-demand sector requiring 18,920.

Details About Tourism Degree Salaries (Best Hospitality Degrees 2012)

While the starting salary for graduates of tourism degrees varies greatly by various

factors, the general beginning salary is around $32,000 per year. Many aspects affect salary such

as education and experience, as well as location, gender, and benefits. A tourism degree salary

varies significantly by degree level. For example individuals with an associate degree in tourism

working up to four years earn around $38,000 per year; between five and nine years $42,000 per
year; and 10 to 19 years $51,000 per year. In contrast, those with a bachelor's degree in tourism

working up to four years make around $43,000 a year; between five and nine years $47,000 a

year; and 10 to 19 years $63,000 a year. The location a person works has an impact on pay

because different areas have varying demands for positions as well as differing cost of living

levels. Individuals with a tourism degree.

 RECOMMENDATION

The researchers have formulated a recommendation based on the conclusions given, the

researchers have four (4) recommendation as well, these are the following:

1. To be able to briefly explain the job descriptions, job qualifications, and ranges of the

salary in Tourism Management Industry in the Philippines.

2. To familirize with the different industry related to Tourism Management Industry for

them to widen their career options.

3. To help the student in making their career planning for their future job.

4. The researchers would also like to reccommend some developments to be done by the

future researchers like clarifications of job descriptions and job salary in the new

generation to be able to attain the accuracy of their research paper.

 REFERENCES

Articles From The Book

Page, S. J. (2007) Tourism Management: Managing for Change
Page, S. J. (2000) Tourism: Phillipine 3rd edition
Weaver, D. and Lawton, L. (2014) Torism Mangement: 5th edition
Page, S. J. (2011) Tourism Manage: An Introduction 4th edition
Gaol, F. L. and Hutagalung, F. (2015) The Role of Services in the Tourism and Hospitality
Industry
Lickorish, N. J. and Jenkins, C. L. (1997) An Inroduction to Tourism

Articles From The Internet

Ash, Michelle (2017) Toruism Management Careerss
[Link]/PageFiles/.../LIN2036%20Tourism%20CareerLinc%[Link]

Profession in Tourism (2010)

[Link]

Ghuangpeng, S. (2011) Factors Influencing Career Decision-Making: A Comparative Study of Thai

and Australian Tourismand Hospitality Students
[Link]/19360/1/Siriwan_Ghuangpeng.pdf

Open Universities (2011) Tourism

[Link]

International Tourism Management Jobs: Career Options and Requirements(2011)

[Link]
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