Course Description

The travel industry is the largest industry in the world.  It turns over massive amounts of money and is a big employer at home and abroad.  With expansion afoot at Bristol airport, it is likely that students will have some involvement in the growth of this at some point in their future careers.  Studying BTEC Travel and Tourism gives you an insight into how this industry works and is taught in a vocational way with lots of customer service scenario skills integrated into lessons and assignments.

Contact:	Mr C Pugh	Exam Board:	Pearson
QAN:	601/9023/1	Subject Code:	Tt

The Course

Topics that you are likely to study:

Core units

1. The World of Travel and Tourism - You will gain an understanding of the scope of the industry, its terminology and its key components. Travel and tourism is a business with the customer at the forefront. Different types of organisations have different roles and offer a range of products and services to many different types of customers.
2. Global Destinations in Travel and Tourism - In this unit, you will use a range of resources to investigate the location and features of global destinations and explain the features that give appeal to global destinations and support different types of tourism. You will evaluate how travel plans/routes/itineraries meet customer needs. You will investigate consumer trends and the reasons the popularity of global destinations may change.
3. Marketing in Travel and Tourism - Marketing is an important focus for any successful organisation in travel and tourism where products, services and the expectations of customers are constantly changing. A successful business must have a strategy for understanding its customers and targeting them with a profitable offer.

Optional Module

Visitor Attractions - In this unit, you will investigate visitor attractions and the different ways they are funded. You will explore what is meant by the visitor experience and how visitor attractions develop, diversify and use technology to meet the needs of their different types of visitors.

Enhancement

We have a variety of events you can partake in that range from employer lectures and task to a chance to complete work experience with a local travel provider.

Please note this course can be studied if you have not completed Travel and Tourism in years 10 and 11, as long as you have attained a Grade 4 in English at GCSE level.

Possible Subject Combinations 

Travel and Tourism particularly complements Geography and Business Studies. It can work well alongside other vocational subjects or as part of a mixed offer alongside A level subjects.

Critical Thinking: Analyse and evaluate how external influences—like economic shifts, politics, or global events—affect the travel sector.

Planning and Organising: Structure itineraries, manage coursework deadlines, and coordinate realistic travel or study events.

Customer Service: Understand client needs, manage expectations, and deliver high standards of care.

What do students say?

“I really enjoyed the style of learning; it was more practical than my other subjects with role plays and scenario work.  It felt more like working in an office and business than in a classroom, all skills I will need for the future.”

“Travel and Tourism is a great thing to study, I have gained skills that I will need, that no other subject provides, such as email writing and customer management”

Where can Travel and Tourism take me?

Students may progress to a degree in Tourism Management or related subjects such as Business Management or Human Resource Management. Travel and Tourism students are very employable due to their wide range of skills and often find themselves in a broad range of professions including travel agency, transport management, engineering, customer service management and the civil service.

Assessment