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Your passion for travel doesn’t have to be reserved for your vacation days. There are plenty of exciting jobs in the travel industry that enable you to explore amazing destinations around the world. From entry-level positions at major airports to travel-advising roles that allow you to plan amazing trips for clients, this guide covers 10 such career fields, plus a few insights about the travel industry overall.
Fora is a modern travel agency with a community of travel advisors — so you can probably guess which job is our favorite. (If you’re new here, check out what Fora is all about.) But we’re also big fans of other jobs in the travel industry. After all, many of these positions directly (or indirectly) interact with travel advisors regularly.
10 great jobs in the travel industry
Read on for a breakdown of different jobs in the travel industry.
(P.S. Several of these jobs are also among the best remote jobs for moms.)
Airport staff & flight attendants
Of all the travel industry jobs, airport staff are among the most critical; they facilitate both short- and long-distance trips. Entry-level positions rarely require more than a high-school diploma, with avionic mechanics and some administrative staffers being the only major exceptions. Flight attendants are often able to stay overnight in new cities before returning to their home airports, making this career an excellent option for those who love solo travel.
The downside is that airport staff’s schedules are often demanding, as are those of flight attendants. Early mornings and late nights are common.
Pilots
In a literal sense, pilots probably see more of the world than anyone else (if thousands of feet above the ground counts). Taking to the sky isn’t for everyone, but it can be an exciting and rewarding profession.
If you’re looking for a job in the travel industry that doesn’t require prior education, though, piloting isn’t it. Pilots typically attend specialized schools that last between six and 12 months, sometimes on top of obtaining a traditional degree.
Hospitality professionals
Hospitality professionals (such as hotel staff and general managers) facilitate hotel operations, from reservations to housekeeping. Guest-facing roles like concierges and customer service employees rarely do much traveling themselves, but higher-tier roles (like sales managers) often require visiting new places for conferences, expos and other industry events.
Most entry-level jobs in the travel industry’s hospitality sector offer comparable pay and requirements to any other entry-level job. And many luxury hotels offer more competitive salaries in exchange for white-glove service.
Cruise staff
Cruise-line jobs mirror roles in both the airline and hospitality fields (since cruises offer transportation and accommodations). For the right person, it can be an awesome experience to be ocean- or river-bound for up to months at a time. However, many entry-level positions are among the most demanding jobs in the travel industry, as workers stay in shared cabins and navigate strenuous schedules. Compensation depends heavily on the home country of the cruise line (and compensation varies greatly).
On the other hand, higher-ranked positions — cruise directors, performers, engineers, captains — are often paid exceptionally well in comparison, but these roles also require specific experience and education.
Private charter staff
Private charters are essentially the same as cruises, but on a much smaller, more personalized scale. Instead of a massive cruise ship, you’re typically working on a yacht capable of serving one to three families. Working for a private charter demands high-touch service — but usually with a significant boost in pay.
Experience requirements vary by charter company, but many private charter jobs have similar requirements to hospitality professions or require a working knowledge of boating.
Travel writers & bloggers
Travel writers get to blend their wordsmithing skills with their passion for exploration. It can be a fun job in the travel industry that regularly allows you to research and highlight new destinations, modes of travel and more. (It’s also one of the best jobs you can do remotely while traveling.) There’s a virtually limitless range of topics and niches, too.
Something to consider: Compensation can be all over the place. Some individuals have made lucrative careers out of travel writing or blogging, though most others pursue these paths as part-time roles.
Travel photographers
Travel photographers often work as freelancers who contract with various outlets within the industry. For example, hotels and cruise lines hire photographers to showcase their amenities and design for their websites and social media.
Extensive professional experience and expensive photography equipment are often required, however, for the most lucrative gigs.
Travel influencers
Social media influencers are, at their core, marketers who sell exposure for a variety of products and services, including those in the travel industry. Like photographers, an influencer might be contracted with a hotel to highlight certain aspects of the property.
You don’t really need any prior experience to become an influencer, but it’s unwise to assume this is an easy job. It takes a lot of hard work to achieve the kind of following needed to become successful.
Designers & architects
Designers and architects are perhaps the most demanding jobs in the travel industry in terms of the specific skills required. These professionals design hotels and other sites like museums, performance spaces or retail complexes. Some hotel brands hire in-house designers, while many work with individuals on a contract or freelance basis. Like airline pilots and cruise directors, these designers usually need a lot of prior experience and education to become successful within the industry.
Tour guides & operators
Helping travelers better understand a destination you’re enthusiastic about can be an exciting and rewarding job in the travel industry. It’s hard to think of a better way to share your pride in an area or attraction than to teach travelers about what makes it special. Tour guides can highlight all sorts of experiences, too: beer tours in Brussels, haunted tours in New Orleans, luxury tours in Egypt… There’s really no limit to the topic or locale.
Oftentimes, minimal or no experience is required to become a tour guide. But the trade-off is that most tour operators are seasonal and/or tend to be part time. The only major exceptions are businesses that operate in popular destinations that host a steady stream of travelers.
(Many tour guides and operators work with destination management companies, which also offer fun jobs in the travel industry.)
Travel advisors (a.k.a. travel agents)
We may be biased, but we believe travel planning is the best job in the travel industry. No other choice here grants you the flexibility and unlimited earnings potential a travel advisor enjoys. Plus, travel advising allows you to share your passion and help others more meaningfully experience some of the most memorable moments in their lives.
What does a travel agent do exactly? First and foremost, travel advisors book accommodations (like hotels and cruises) and travel experiences (like tours and rental cars) for their clients (check out the types of bookings you can make as a Fora Advisor). Beyond accommodations, travel advisors act like any other type of advisor: They help their clients get the most out of their vacations or business trips with expert suggestions and custom itinerary building. Plus, advisors with Fora unlock hotel perks (like complimentary breakfasts, upgrades and spa credits) at travel partners' properties.
With many moving pieces, travel advising is hard work, but it’s exceptionally rewarding — and fun.
Apply to become a Fora Advisor to learn more. Or check out our guide on the different types of travel agent jobs you can pursue.
How does the career path of a travel advisor differ from the others?
We can’t speak for all travel advisors, but at Fora, our advisors enjoy career paths that fit their lifestyles. Many Fora Advisors plan travel full time, while others sell travel in addition to separate, full-time careers. Others operate somewhere in between.
At Fora, we’re big on flexibility and bigger on putting our advisors in control of how they scale their business. Our guide to Fora travel advisor salaries offers more context, but depending on the advisor’s time commitment (which, again, they decide), many Fora Advisors can make six or seven figures per year (read more about how much travel agents make).
While most jobs in the travel industry adhere to strict schedules and rules, remote travel agents with Fora work at their own pace. Even better, we provide all the travel agent education and travel agent training you need to get started.
Learn more about travel advising (our favorite job in the travel industry) and apply to become a Fora Advisor today
Learn more about selling and planning travel when you apply to become a Fora Advisor.
Jobs in the travel industry: FAQs
Below, we’ve gathered answers to a few common questions about jobs in the travel industry.
Who works in the travel industry?
Most of the time: people who love travel, of course. Perhaps more than any other field, the travel industry pulls people from all types and backgrounds. By nature, jobs in the travel industry are filled with people from all corners of the globe.
(There are plenty of jobs you can do remotely while traveling, which aren’t necessarily in the travel industry. Our guide breaks down some of those choices.)
Virtually all jobs within travel are taking off
Now’s a great time to consider a career in travel and tourism. Per the U.S. Travel Association, more people than ever are traveling around the world, which means there are many opportunities to join the growing industry.
Where are travel jobs booming?
Jobs in the traveling industry are outpacing many other professions across the United States. Travel destinations like New Orleans, Oahu and Las Vegas — to name a few — have seen a dramatic increase in tourism since the pandemic ended (a.k.a. “revenge travel”). Likewise, travel jobs are springing up everywhere to accommodate the increased demand. This boom is also coinciding with a renaissance of sorts for contemporary travel advisors.
It’s not exactly clear why travel is more prominent now than it was prior to the pandemic, and it’s not isolated to the United States. Many destinations across the world, especially Portugal, Italy and Japan, have seen record numbers of travelers — and these trends are reflected on every continent.
Which sectors in the travel industry are experiencing the fastest job growth?
It varies by area, but broadly, hospitality (think hotels and other accommodations), tourism and travel planning are the three sectors that are seeing the most growth.
How much can you expect to earn at a job within the travel industry? Which job within travel pays the best?
There’s no easy answer to this question. Those with executive positions across sectors in the travel industry tend to be among the top earners. However, the incomes of top earners in travel consultant jobs are surprisingly comparable, and some Fora Advisors earn north of six figures annually — from travel agent commissions and planning fees.
As for which job in the travel industry pays the best, there’s no one answer: Compensation varies widely, and is often dependent on things like seasonality, trends and the economy.
What career will allow you to travel the most?
Many jobs within the travel industry are in-office positions, but not all are. Contemporary travel advisors, for example — including Fora Advisors — have the freedom to work from anywhere in the world so long as they have an internet connection. (See our guide to traveling the world.)
Which job within travel has the least education and experience requirements? How about skills requirements?
Most entry-level positions in the travel industry have minimal education and experience requirements. More involved positions, such as hotel managers or tour operators, usually require degrees.
If you’re looking for a position with minimal prior education requirements, becoming a Fora Advisor may be the right choice for you. We equip you with all the travel agent schooling you need to launch a thriving travel business.
Are there special perks to being a travel advisor with Fora?
Flexibility, community, comprehensive (and ongoing) training opportunities, marketing resources and an in-house booking platform — among many other high-tech tools — are just a few of the perks we offer Fora Advisors.
More travel advisor resources
If you need a little more convincing, check out these travel advisor resources, too:
