The travel and tourism industry offers a whole range of career opportunities – from working as a travel agent in a single location to always being on the go as a tour guide or flight attendant. Whatever your disposition or preference, the travel industry can definitely deliver.

Working in this industry does come with its demands, though, not least the many skills it requires. Think soft skills such as interpersonal skills, problem solving, and time management, through to technical skills such as travel logistics, analytics, and industry software.

A tourism CV – especially a well-written one – is an important first step in getting to where you want to be in your tourism career. And whether you’re an entry-level applicant with little to no experience, or a senior-level highflier, your tourism CV must clearly demonstrate you have what it takes to excel in the role. Get this step wrong, and you might not even make it past the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) companies use to weed out the right keywords.

Do not despair, though – we’re here for this very reason. The following guide will walk you through all the stages involved in creating a tourism CV that really does what it’s supposed to do. To make things even easier, we’ve also included curriculum vitae examples for extra guidance and inspiration.

Take a look at our extensive library of CV templates to find inspiration for your own job application.

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Tourism CV Examples by Experience

You should know that there’s no one-size-fits-all tourism CV. Apart from the fact that you should always tailor to the role and job description, your CV will look different depending on your level of experience. To clarify how these differences play out, we’ve created tourism CV templates for three different experience ranks: newbies with little to no experience, mid-career up-and-comers, and senior-level grandmasters. Take some time to study and compare these tourism CVs to get an idea of how to go about creating your own. Make note of the content, structure and language in all three.

Tourism CV with no experience

Entry-level tourism CVs may seem a bit intimidating given that you have little or no experience to speak of. Don’t dwell on the experience part too much, as there’s more to what makes a good employee than past experience, i.e. your transferable skills, work ethic, attitude, initiative, and personality. Of course, to get these across in your tourism CV, you need to be smart and mindful in how you approach writing it.

Using the job description as a reference, try to match the things you have done to the kinds of duties and skills required for the role. Any volunteering or other extracurricular activities you have undertaken in the past can be a real mine of gold in terms of transferable skills. Describe the duties and responsibilities you’ve had, how you’ve handled them, and the competencies you’ve honed as a result.

Your educational background can also be of value here, depending on the field of study. What has it taught you? What have you done and learned as a result? Have a good think here and mention anything relevant to the role you are applying for.

Don’t underestimate your hobbies and interests either – after all they’re skills you’ve developed, by exercising soft skills such as time management, attention to detail, organisation, and problem solving. Mentioning them also helps paint a fully rounded picture of you as an individual, adding a more personal touch that could help you win over employers.

And if you’re wondering about the kinds of words to use in your CV, don’t be afraid to borrow some from the job description, and don’t go for boring, overused and very general adjectives when describing yourself. Use those that are more impactful to convey your drive and character.

Tourism CV for a mid-career level

As some with relevant experience in the tourism industry, writing your CV shouldn’t be a huge challenge. You know the ropes, and it’s important to show that to hiring managers. This starts with seemingly minor details such as formatting, structure, and language.

Start with listing your work experience in reverse chronological order (most recent first), using headings when stating where you worked and how long. These headings should remain consistent throughout, of course.

Using bullet points (or dashes, if that’s your preference), detail four to five responsibilities for each position you’ve held. Be concise when describing your duties and be sure to opt for powerful words in your CV, especially strong verbs.

Remember to always use the job description as your reference point and look out for keywords and industry specific phrases to convince employers you understand what’s expected of you.

If possible, try to quantify your accomplishments and responsibilities to demonstrate your value in a concrete and measurable way. Examples include people metrics (the number of people you managed, for instance), operational metrics (time saved or efficiency gained), or performance metrics (customer satisfaction scores, for one).

Tourism CV for a senior level

Having worked your way up the tourism industry career ladder, your CV needs to reflect more than just a change in job titles. It’s vital that the leadership roles you’ve had, the value you’ve contributed, and the specialised skills you refined come across in your CV. Your very first opportunity to do so is in your personal statement, the job of which is to summarise the above things.

How you describe your past roles and contributions is extremely important. The expectations are a bit higher now that you’re a senior-level employee. Finding a happy medium between detailed and concise, try to paint a vivid picture of your leadership style and show that it aligns with the company’s vision. Again, the job description along with your own independent research into the company you are applying to can be hugely helpful when crafting your work experience section.

Highlight your leadership and management skills, e.g. strategic planning, delegation, and problem solving, by using specific examples from your past roles. Demonstrate how you have managed or led teams and projects, as well as what results you achieved. Steer clear of general statements that don’t paint a clear picture of you as a leader. Instead, use numbers, percentages, and industry-specific terms to drive home the value you have brought and can bring in the role you are applying for.

And if you’ve completed any certifications relevant to your role, don’t think twice about including them. These demonstrate not just your knowledge and specialised skills, but also soft skills such as initiative and drive.

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How to Write a Tourism CV

A smart and consistent use of sections in your travel and tourism CV is key to that professional and polished look you definitely want. While each section deals with a separate part of your candidate profile, try to take advantage of every single one of them. Think of each section as an opportunity to show you have what it takes to hit the ground running in your desired role.

Your CV starts with your full name, address, phone number and email at the very top of the document – something you no doubt know after browsing through our tourism CV examples.

how to write a tourism cv

Here is what comes next:

STEP 1

Personal Statement Samples for a Tourism CV

Sitting at the top of your CV, your personal statement is a short (two to four sentences) summary of your skills, accomplishments, and experience. Since it’s pretty much the first thing hiring managers see beside your contact information, it makes up a huge part of the first impression you make. No pressure, but do try to spend some time on getting it as close to perfect as you can (within reason, of course).

EXAMPLE 1.

Travel professional with extensive experience planning first-class personal and commercial experiences and understanding of evolving travel trends. Focused on meeting client requirements with well-prepared arrangements and itineraries meticulously matching varying budgets.

EXAMPLE 2.

Organised Travel Consultant equipped to curate award-winning itineraries and travel packages. Maintains a loyal client base with individualised service and superior sales strategy. Exceptional negotiator with commitment to client satisfaction.

EXAMPLE 3.

Easygoing Tour Guide with wealth of area knowledge. Helps guests feel welcome and engaged in tours through stories, activities and props. Committed to learning continuously as a way of finding new opportunities to diversify tours.

STEP 2

Tourism CV Work Experience Samples

Ultimately, for roles such as hands-on and practical as those found in childcare, past experience is especially important. As such, it’s best you really take some time to craft an effective work experience section when sitting down to write your childcare CV.

Focusing in particular on roles relevant to the one you’re applying for now, list your past positions in reverse chronological order (most recent first). Along with details for each position, make sure you also list some key responsibilities you’ve had or any notable achievements. Again, where possible, try to include numbers, and always tailor to the job description.

EXAMPLE 1.

Tour Guide | Transport for London, London | February 2022 – Present

  • Helped visitors feel welcome with friendly conversations, personal help and engaging stories.
  • Protected group members by following safety guidelines.
  • Entertained tour guests with fun props, stories and activities.
    Addressed enquiries, issues and concerns of tourists.

Tour Guide | City Adventures, Edinburgh | April 2020 – January 2022

  • Learned historical and cultural details of landmark sites to enrich tours.
  • Enhanced local tourism by recommending additional attractions and points of interest in the surrounding area.
  • Escorted tourists, fulfilling tour requirements and creating enjoyable experiences.
  • Coordinated smooth-running tours and resolved problems with itineraries, services, or accommodations.

EXAMPLE 2.

Travel Consultant | Compass Group, Manchester | May 2017 – June 2023

  • Created and communicated clear, detailed itineraries ahead of travel.
  • Responded to clients’ questions, issues and complaints, thinking creatively to formulate effective solutions.
  • Conducted calls professionally and politely to maintain excellent service standards.
  • Advised customers on visas and travel safety.
STEP 3

Sample Travel and Tourism Skills

Proficiency in industry-specific technical skills is the key to success in the travel industry. While the majority of roles in this sector are people facing and therefore soft skills, as you climb up the career ladder, hard skills become an integral part of your daily responsibilities.

Below, you’ll find a list of technical skills to put on your CV for travel and tourism jobs. Use these as a cheatsheet, but don’t forget to tailor your list to the job description.

Technical Skills for Travel and Tourism Jobs

  1. Reservation Systems (e.g. Amadeus, Sabre, or Galileo)
  2. Travel Software (e.g. Travelport or Concur)
  3. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
  4. Data Entry
  5. Travel Itinerary Planning
  6. Geographical Knowledge
  7. GDS (Global Distribution Systems) Knowledge
  8. Travel Compliance
  9. Online Booking Platforms (e.g. Expedia, Booking.com, or Airbnb)
  10. Revenue Management
  11. Mobile Technology
  12. Social Media Management
  13. Web Analytics
  14. Content Management Systems (CMS) (e.g. WordPress)
  15. Language Translation Tools
  16. Booking Engines
  17. Customer Service Platforms (e.g. Zendesk or Freshdesk)
  18. Payment Processing
  19. Mobile App Development
  20. Travel Risk Management
  21. Virtual Tour Software
  22. CRM Data Analysis
  23. Digital Marketing Tools
  24. Reporting Tools
  25. Travel Trends Analysis
STEP 4

Sample Education Section for a Travel and Tourism CV

The education section of your CV is a must, but its importance will of course depend on the job you are applying for. While entry-level positions may only ask for the most basic qualifications, i.e. your GCSEs, mid to senior-level roles often require relevant bachelor degrees, or specific training and certifications.

Your education is often an indication of both your knowledge, as well as your hard skills and soft skills even if these aren’t explicitly mentioned. So, whether you’re a complete newbie or an expert, don’t underestimate the importance of this section in the recruitment process.

Example of the education section for a Travel Consultant

EDUCATION

Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Tourism Management
University of Manchester, Manchester
September 2015 – June 2017

Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Travel Tourism Management
University of Brighton, Brighton
September 2011 – June 2014

Certified Travel Associate (CTA)
The Travel Institute, London
Completed: March 2018

Example of the education section for a Tour Guide

Diploma in Tour Guiding
Institute of Tourist Guiding, London
September 2018 – June 2019

Certified in Local History and Heritage
Edinburgh College, Edinburgh
September 2017 – June 2018

STEP 5

Additional Information for Your Travel and Tourism CV

The additional information section can be of value whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned tourism employee. After all, it’s an opportunity to offer more relevant information and paint a vivid picture of you as a candidate, adding a more personal touch and potentially making your tourism CV more memorable.

Of course, the kind of information you include is just as important as how you present it. Be careful to keep it consistent with the rest of your CV, and include details that are relevant to the job or demonstrate your wide range of skills. These could be things such as additional certifications, professional memberships, foreign language skills, or hobbies.

Below you’ll find examples of how to structure your additional section, and the kinds of things you could include.

Additional information for a Travel Agent role

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

  • Member of the Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT)

CERTIFICATIONS

  • Certified Travel Consultant (CTC), The Travel Institute, 2019

HOBBIES AND INTERESTS

  • Maintaining a travel blog where I share tips, insights, and reviews of destinations, reflecting a passion for travel and deep understanding of travel trends.

Additional information for an Airport Passenger Service Agent role

CERTIFICATIONS

  • Airport Operations Certificate, International Air Transport Association (IATA), 2022
  • Customer Service Excellence Certification, British Institute of Customer Service (BICS), 2024

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

  • Employee of the Month (March 2023): Recognized for outstanding performance and exceptional passenger service, contributing to improved passenger satisfaction scores.
  • Customer Satisfaction Award (2022): Awarded for consistently achieving high ratings in passenger service surveys.

LANGUAGES

  • Fluent in Spanish
  • Advanced in Mandarin

Get Started On Your Travel and Tourism CV

Now that you have reached the end of this guide, you should feel a lot more at ease about getting started on your travel and tourism CV. Be sure to take advantage of the tips we have provided and the many travel and tourism CV examples we have prepared for you. Don’t settle for anything less than what you truly aspire to and get started right away.

cv for tourism management

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