Fast-Track Travel and Tourism Programs in Toronto

Travel and tourism is one of the industries that offer maximum career opportunities at all levels of management and operations. And the best part is that you don’t need to undergo specialized education for years to seek an entry to the world of work. A one-year course in tourism and travel also offers you the knowledge and skills required to work in this sector.

In fact, Centennial College offers a two-year diploma in tourism and travel in just one year. Although there are a number of colleges in Toronto that offer short tourism and travel courses but Centennial’s is an intensive and comprehensive program that offers you the proficiency that both Canadian and global employers are seeking currently.

The program runs through three semesters, providing you with in-depth knowledge in world geography, hospitality accounting, wholesale tour operations, ground transportation, accommodation, airline automation, travel agency operations, customer service, and domestic and international tariff and ticketing. 

How Is Centennial’s Tourism and Travel Program Different from Others?

• Centennial’s is a fast-track program, offering essential industry insight, industry certifications and qualifications, and a placement at an established company to help you gain real-world experience.
  
• It also offers extensive world destination knowledge, including culture and heritage, passport and visa requirements, customer sales and security, travel security, and training.
  
• Not all travel and tourism programs in Toronto that are available with other colleges in Toronto are recognized. However, Centennial’s is accredited by UNTWO TedQual. Moreover, it’s endorsed by the Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors (CITC). This ensures that the program meets required standards when it comes to curriculum, hands-on learning and experience of faculty members delivering this program.
  
• The best part is that you also receive Apollo and Sabre computerized airline reservation system training, which prepares you for employment even before you’re a graduate.
  
• The program also includes a two-and-a-half-day cruise line training conducted by CLIA (Cruise Line International Association) trainers.
  
• An industry field placement in last semester allows you to put your learning into practice, gain hands-on experience and earn relevant industry contacts for future references.

Eligibility Criteria 

In order to apply to this program, you will need:

• Secondary school diploma certificate or equivalent
• English Grade 12 C or University, or equivalent

However, meeting these requirements doesn’t guarantee you an admission in this program. Admission offer is made only after a thorough analysis of your application. 

Options upon Graduation 

Upon graduation, you may choose to pursue your career and work with retail travel agencies, wholesale tour operators, internet booking offices, cruise lines, airlines or tourist offices. This program prepares you only for entry-level jobs. If you wish to avail more advanced career opportunities, you will need to enrol in a travel and tourism degree program. You can opt for further studies right after graduating from this one-year program or after obtaining substantial work experience, depending upon your requirements.

How to Build Careers in Tourism Industry?

Tourism and travel industry is the world’s largest employer and generates revenue of billions of dollars annually. No matter which area you choose from among accommodation and logistics, selling cruises, tariff and ticketing, eco-tourism, culture and heritage tourism for your career, you will have numerous opportunities in each of them. And your chances of landing into a high paying job increase further if you have undergone a specialized educational program and have in-depth understanding of customer sales and services, passport and visa requirements, culture and heritage tourism and travel security.

Currently, the tourism and travel industry is undergoing a radical shift. Many travellers today are visiting exotic destinations that offer fun, adventure as well as educational opportunities. Besides, there is a set of travellers who wish to explore culture and heritage across the world and require expert advice from well-trained and knowledgeable tourism professionals. This is opening the doors to a lifetime of opportunities for those who are interested in building careers in this sector.

Entering Tourism Industry

Post-secondary tourism and travel courses can lead you to the right career path, if you’re a high school graduate who is looking to build a career in this industry. You can opt for a certification, diploma or a degree program, depending upon your preferences. However, if you wish to quickly enter the industry, you may opt for one-year courses.

These programs are short but comprehensive and prepare you for employment in retail and wholesale travel companies. You will be able to find jobs with retail travel agencies, tour operations, tourist offices, internet booking agencies, airlines and cruise lines.

Apart from this, you will also be able to apply your skills learned in-class in real world through industry field placement. However, this completely depends on your college. Most colleges do not provide field placements for one-year courses. Centennial College’s travel and tourism programs reflect high standards of learning and incorporate a practical training, regardless of the course duration. The college integrates three-days-a-week field placement in a one-year tourism program, which prepares you to seek direct employment upon graduation.

Additional Benefits

Centennial College’s one-year tourism program offers you numerous additional benefits.

• It offers an option for international field trip, providing you with practical exposure to all aspects of travel.
• You can also avail volunteer opportunities at major events in and around Toronto.
• You also receive Apollo and Sabre computerized airline reservation system training.
• You also receive cruise line training from the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).
• The program is endorsed by the Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors (CITC) and is accredited by UNWTO TedQual.
• The program includes CITC student membership.
• The two-year diploma in travel and tourism is delivered in just one year.

Apart from this, you have the freedom to choose your path upon graduation. You can either pursue your career or enroll in a travel and tourism degree program, depending upon your interests and career goals. Or you may choose to study further after accumulating substantial experience of working in tourism industry.

Tourism and Travel Programs Enjoys Vital Endorsement

Endorsements from recognized and respected organizations associated with the field for which a post-secondary program prepares students are vital. They signal to employers a high standard of learning and often allow students special privileges once they graduate.

Centennial College’s Tourism and Travel offering is one of the travel and tourism programs in Ontario that is endorsed by the Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors (CITC). As such, the CITC knowledge exam and Travel Industry Council of Ontario minimum standards exam are included as part of the program. CITC student membership and attendance at the annual Students in Travel conference are also available to students.

That, however, is just the beginning of the benefits students enjoy by attending this offering. From the campus to the Tourism and Travel courses and faculty members, students receive a well-rounded education that prepares them for work either retail or wholesale travel companies such as: tour operations, retail travel agencies, Internet booking agencies, tourist offices, cruise lines and airlines. Among the organizations at which Centennial College grads have been hired are Marlin Travel, Sears Travel, Thomas Cook Group, Carlson Wagonlit, Air Transat/Nolitours, Goway, Sunwing, Travel Corporation and Kensington Tours.

How does the campus benefit students of this offering? As home to all of the programs within School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culture, it contains facilities that boast the latest software students will work with in the field. For students of this offering that means Apollo and Sabre computerized airline reservation system training. Additionally, the housing of all Hospitality, Tourism and Culture programs at this one location ensures that students have plenty of networking opportunities with peers as well as industry professionals. Networking (and an enhanced experience) is furthered even more through an optional international field trip that provides practical exposure to all aspects of travel as well as volunteer opportunities at major events in and around Toronto (such as the Walk of Fame, Rendezvous Canada and a range of trade shows).

In terms of particular courses, this offering rivals any travel and tourism degree program as they offer students in-depth knowledge of airline tariffs and ticketing, accommodation and ground transportation and the cruise industry. Students also have extensive world destination knowledge, including culture and heritage training, passport and visa requirements, travel security, customer sales and service, and much more. Specific courses within this undertaking include: Wholesale Tour Operations, Destinations (Western Hemisphere/ Europe and Africa/Asia and the Pacific), Travel Agency Operations, Sales and Marketing for the Travel Agency, and many others.

It is worth noting that cruise line training includes the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) two and a half-day “training fest” conducted by CLIA-Trainers.

To apply for this offering, students are required to have completed an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature student status (19 years or older) as well as English Grade 12 C or U, or equivalent (minimum grade required) or take the Centennial College English Skills Assessment for Admission.

For More Information about Travel and Tourism Degree

Travel and Tourism Training Courses in Canada

Tourism involves travelling for leisure, recreational, educational and exploration purposes and refers to domestic as trans-national or cross-border travelling. The idea is to:

• Travel to another location within or outside the country;
• Stay in different places for short durations;
• Explore the landscape, local culture and heritage and food; and
• Indulge in recreational, leisure or adventurous activities.

Tourism and travel is a popular global activity and is a major source of income for many countries and professionals across the world. In Canada also, there has been a significant increase in spending on travel and tourism over the past decade. This means that the industry is generating more revenue than ever.

The increase in the number of tourists and their spending can be directly translated into the increased number of jobs in all sectors of the industry, including food and beverages, accommodation, transportation, culture and heritage, tariff and ticketing, passport and visa, travel security, and customer sales and services. The industry already employs thousands of professionals at various hierarchical levels and is constantly opening doors to a world of opportunities for fresh graduates. This means that the current is the best time to build a rewarding career in the industry.

Travel and Tourism Programs in Canada

There are a number of foundational, diploma and degree programs in travel and tourism in Canada. However, Centennial College’s one-year post-secondary tourism and travel course helps you quickly get to the world of work. The three-semester (or one-year) program prepares you for employment in tour operations with internet booking agencies, travel agencies, tourist offices, airlines and cruise lines. You will receive a two-year diploma in just one year. However, for more advanced career opportunities, it is ideal to enrol in a travel and tourism degree program.

Program Details

The one-year travel and tourism program covers World Geography for Tourism, Destinations 1 – Western Hemisphere, Destinations 2 – Europe and Africa, Destinations 3- Asia and the Pacific, Wholesale Tour Operations, Accommodation and Ground Transportation, Groups and Incentives, Domestic and International tariff and Ticketing,  and Travel Agency Operations. Not only this, you receive practical training in working on Apollo and Sabre computerized airline reservation system.

With this, you also study Sales and Marketing for the Travel Industry, Selling Cruises, Customer Services, Hospitality Accounting and Communications. The program prepares you for both front and back-end jobs. In order to prepare you for the world of work, the program also provides you with an industry field placement in the last semester. Opportunity also exists for an international field trip that provides you with practical exposure to all aspects of travel.

The program is accredited by UNWTO TedQual, which supports program quality. With this, you also receive cruise line training and a Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors (CITC) student membership.

Admission Requirements

In order to apply for this program, you will need to submit:

• Secondary school diploma certificate or equivalent, or mature student status (19 years or older)
• English Grade 12 C or University or equivalent, or else you will need to take the college’s English skills assessment for admission