Tourism is predicted to recover from the Pandemic to once again be Britain's fifth-largest industry. In 2019 it was the UK's third-largest export earner, worth £127 billion a year and supporting 3.1 million jobs in over 200,000 small and medium enterprises (source: Visit Britain). This course covers a range of topical aspects relating to the industry as well as helping people to become occupationally ready to take up employment in a range of jobs in both the public and private sectors, in places such as visitor attraction, travel agencies, hotels, airlines and tour operators. This can follow either directly after achieving this qualification, or via the stepping stone of Higher Education at Universities or Colleges.
You will study 4 units over the 2 years, which cover some fundamental aspects of Travel and Tourism.
| Topic | Assessment | |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | The World of Travel and Tourism | Written Exam |
| Unit 2 | Global Destinations | Controlled Assessment |
| Unit 3 | Principles of Marketing in Travel & Tourism | Coursework |
| Unit 4 | Visitor Attractions | Coursework |
The BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Travel and Tourism is the equivalent to 1 A Level and allows students to earn the same number of UCAS points. This is a 2-year course and should be taken as part of a full College programme alongside other A Level and BTEC National qualifications.
A minimum of five GCSE subjects at grade 4 or above including English Language or at least a Merit grade in BTEC First Diploma Travel and Tourism. It is not necessary to have studied this subject at GCSE level at school.
| Assessment | % | |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Written Exam | 25% |
| Unit 2 | Controlled Assessment | 35% |
| Unit 3 & 4 | Coursework | 40% |
Each unit is awarded points, which are translated into an overall grade (Pass, Merit or Distinction) by the assessors at the end of the course. Assignment tasks will be in the form of a variety of observed practical tasks, reports, presentations and activities.
College expects that for every hour in lessons you should be doing one hour of private study (50/50). This is the case for all subjects. In private study time for this subject, you will be completing coursework, reading about the subject in newspapers and magazines, experiencing travel and tourism with a critical eye and not just for pleasure, researching statistics on the Internet and keeping abreast of current issues.
The travel and tourism industry is a volatile one, changing daily through the impact of politics, economics, the environment as well as critical incidents such as Covid 19. Looking at these wider issues will help you understand how the industry has developed and currently operates.
You will encounter a wide variety of approaches, tasks and exercises. You’ll get your basic knowledge and understanding through combinations of class notes, articles, research, videos, and practical exercises. You’ll learn to apply this knowledge, to explain, analyse and evaluate each individual unit of study.
Educational visits, work experience and guest speakers form an integral part of the course in making the learning experience interesting, thought-provoking and real. This course is hard work but with motivation, dedication and application all students benefit greatly from its broad approach and achieve excellent results in the end.
Most of our students go on to study a variety of different degree programmes. Others have found employment with international companies such as British Airways, Thomas Cook, EasyJet, Kuoni, and Royal Caribbean Cruises.
The Hospitality, Leisure & Tourism Department is situated in a purpose-built complex with dedicated teaching rooms, complete with multi-media equipment and a computer suite consisting of fully networked machines for all students.
The teaching team are experienced teachers who have relevant experience within the travel and tourism industry. They are very enthusiastic about their subject and are fully committed to providing high-quality education in a caring and supportive environment. Their knowledge of the industry is used to promote a detailed and extensive learning environment as well as support you with your studies.
During your lessons, you will experience a variety of activities and approaches designed to suit different abilities and learning styles. These range from traditional lessons, group and individual work as well as practical sessions. We work hard to support all students with their studies.
Past students are now working for airlines, travel agents, tour operators and cruise operators in marketing, sales, and customer service roles. Others have gone on to degree courses in areas such as International Tourism Management, Destination Management, Events Management, Eco-tourism, Adventure Tourism, Tourism Development and Tourism with Languages. Students also enter other non-related degree programmes such as Law, English, Business Studies.