Moraine Valley’s Travel Business Management A.A.S. Degree is recommended for those seeking a management or supervisory position within the following areas: airlines, travel agencies, tour operators, hotel, rental car agencies, cruise lines, meeting planning and special event management organizations, and convention and visitors bureaus. The travel field is one of the world’s most dynamic and exciting industries. Globally, it employs more people than any other industry in the world. It offers employees a fast pace, a diverse workplace, challenge, mobility, and some amazing “fringe benefits.”

Our A.A.S. degree prepares students to read, write, speak and problem solve. Our travel curriculum encompasses essential information regarding travel services, products and current issues, as well as technical and interpersonal skills. Each of our travel faculty is a subject matter expert and working professional in the travel industry.

An internship is offered with various segments of the travel industry: airline, rental car, tour operator, travel agency, etc., where you can incorporate what you learned in the class with an on-the-job experience. Additionally, you have the opportunity to participate in the Walt Disney World College Program Internship in Orlando, Florida.

This program is intended to lead to employment. If you are considering transferring to a four-year college or university to obtain a bachelor’s degree using the courses from this program, make an appointment with an academic advisor or review your options.

Nature of Work—Travel industry work focuses on people. Individuals attracted to this industry are people-people; ones who are open to new ideas, experiences, change, and people! The travel industry’s motto is “The world is our oyster”. We have the opportunity to “make dreams come true”, the customers’ and our own! Few industries provide such a wide ­variety of traditional and non-traditional work environments. Your work could be: entrepreneurial, part-time, full-time, home-based, or job-sharing, and all of it working for some of the largest and smallest “brick and mortar or virtual” companies in the world. The travel industry allows you to move up the ladder in one facet of the industry or move from one segment of the industry to another, all of it either here in your own backyard, or living and working almost anywhere in the world.

Related Job Titles—Corporate Travel Manager, Independent Contractor, Sales Representative, Reservationist, Meeting Planner, Cruise Director, Tour Escort, Account Executive, Concierge, Special Events Coordinator, Tour Coordinator, Travel Counselor, Incentive Travel Specialist, Ticket Agent, Trade Association Director

Employment Outlook—With rising household incomes, smaller families, and an increasing number of older people who are more likely to travel, people are expected to increase their vacation travel. Business travel also should bounce back from recession and terrorism-related lows as business activity expands. Further, as American corporations open more foreign operations and businesses, and increasingly sell their goods and services worldwide, more business travel is anticipated.

Earnings—Experience, sales ability, and the location and size of the company are factors affecting salary. Additionally The Travel Professional’s 16th Annual Compensation Survey reflects the average annual compensation for travel agents in 2006 was $31,225.

Median expected salaries in Chicago for the following job categories:
Reservations agents $29,789
Customer service representatives $32,093
Counter and rental agents $31,241
Corporate travel supervisors $47,156
Flight attendants $56,752

Source: www.salary.com Additionally employees of the travel industry usually get reduced rates o products sold in the travel industry including: cruises, car rental, accommodations, tour packages and transportation. These benefits for themselves and their families attract many people to this occupation.

For job and internship listings and job search assistance, contact the Job Placement Center in the Center for Contemporary Technology, T904, (708) 974-5737, www.morainevalley.edu/jpc.