The more concentrated you are in your area of travel and tourism expertise, the better equipped you will become for receiving a certificate. Many students in the travel and tourism industry in New York continue into a degree seeking path, opening up even more opportunities in the industry among experts.

Registering with a Travel and Tourism Program

Enroll in a New York Travel and Tourism Program. New York offers promising options for budding travel industry professions. Decide on the type of program that interests you most: travel and tourism industries branch into hospitality, business administration, culinary arts, hotel and restaurant management, events planning and more. Herkimer County Community College, Suffolk Community College, the American Institute of Tourism and Schenectady County Community College, all located in New York, offer comprehensive Travel and Tourism courses and certificates. Develop knowledge of tourism development, successful travel industry trends, strategic marketing, customer relations and tourism planning. Research both domestic and international destinations; if you concentrate on only a few specific areas---like New York City, London, and Paris---you will not be as up-to-date on the rest of the world's progressive but lesser known approaches to engaging the active traveler.

Landing an Internship

A certificate in the travel and tourism industry will get you into the field, but an internship jump-starts your career. If you have already had an internship in the travel industry, such as working in a hotel, helping to manage a restaurant or have experience reviewing hotels and traveling trends, you are ahead; an intimate inside perspective on the gears of the industry propels your career. If you have not had an internship, apply widely. Consider an internship with the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) (http://www.wttc.org/eng/About_WTTC/Internships_/). The WTTC provides top-quality student internships working with WTTC for three-to-six month positions. World Travel & Tourism Council introduces interns to the day to day tasks at WTTC and also gives them an inside knowledge about tourism initiative programs, tourism research and the latest news and trends. Interested students can also apply for internships online with the American Hospitality Academy (http://www.americanhospitalityacademy.com/index.php). The AHA's Passport to Culture Program trains aspiring tourism professionals with cultural exchange opportunities at premier American hotels and resorts. More than 1,000 students from around the world participate every year with the American Hospitality Academy programs at some of the most at top resorts around the U.S. The AHA also sponsors J-1 Exchange Visitor Program, a U.S. exchange program that fosters a mutual understanding between U.S. tourism and tourism abroad. The AHA is authorized by the U.S. Department of State to issue the Certificate of Eligibility (DS-2019 form) enabling applicants to apply for J-1 visa at a US Embassy (http://exchanges.state.gov/jexchanges/index.html). Check the WTTC and AHA websites for their various application deadlines. Universities and colleges in New York, like Jefferson Community College and NYU-SCPS also offer engaging internship programs. Select what kind of internship intrigues you: interns have worked for airlines, resorts, convention centers, management companies, travel network agents and Walt Disney World.

Continuing Education in the Tourism Field

Some students of the industry have a bachelor's degree in the area, but have not completed a master's program which grants the certificate. Others already hold a graduate degree but want to be educated in a particular slice of the industry, such as strategic marketing or tourism trend analysis. To earn a graduate certificate, you must choose a concentration in a Tourism and Travel Master's degree program. New York University SCPS offers an exciting and powerful course for example. Students can choose five courses in a particular travel and tourism discipline with the help of a program director. When enrolled in the graduate certificate, students can apply to the Master of Science in Tourism and Travel Management.

Source:

NYU Travel and Tourism

CCC Travel and Tourism Program

Google Answers Forum- Travel and Tourism Programs

Resource:

National Tourism Foundation

Tourism Cares

WTTC Internships