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The
major fields of Travel and Tourism
Constantly changing airfares and schedules, thousands of available
vacation packages, and a vast amount of travel information on the
Internet can make travel planning frustrating and time-consuming.
To sort out the many travel options, tourists and business people
often turn to travel agents, who assess their needs and help them
make the best possible travel arrangements. Also, many major cruiselines,
resorts, and specialty travel groups use travel agents to promote
travel packages to millions of people every year.
In general,
travel agents give advice on destinations and make arrangements
for transportation, hotel accommodations, car rentals, tours, and
recreation. They also may advise on weather conditions, restaurants,
tourist attractions, and recreation. For international travel, agents
also provide information on customs regulations, required papers
(passports, visas, and certificates of vaccination), and currency
exchange rates.
Travel agents
consult a variety of published and computer-based sources for information
on departure and arrival times, fares, and hotel ratings and accommodations.
They may visit hotels, resorts, and restaurants to evaluate their
comfort, cleanliness, and the quality of food and service so that
they can base recommendations on their own travel experiences or
those of colleagues or clients.
Travel agents
also promote their services, using telemarketing, direct mail, and
the Internet. They make presentations to social and special-interest
groups, arrange advertising displays, and suggest company-sponsored
trips to business managers. Depending on the size of the travel
agency, an agent may specialize by type of travel, such as leisure
or business, or destination, such as Europe or Africa.
Hospitality
workersWhether they work in small, informal diners or large, elegant
restaurants, all food and beverage serving and related workers aim
to help customers have a positive dining experience in their establishments.
These workers greet customers, take food and drink orders, serve
food, clean up after patrons, and prepare tables and dining areas.
The largest
group of these workers, waiters and waitresses, take customers'
orders, serve food and beverages, prepare itemized checks, and sometimes
accept payments. Their specific duties vary considerably, depending
on the establishment where they work. In coffee shops, they are
expected to provide fast and efficient, yet courteous service. In
fine restaurants, where gourmet meals are accompanied by attentive
formal service, waiters and waitresses serve meals at a more leisurely
pace and offer more personal service to patrons. For example, servers
may recommend a certain wine as a complement to a particular entree,
explain how various items on the menu are prepared, or complete
preparations on a salad or other special dishes at tableside. Additionally,
waiters and waitresses may check the identification of patrons to
ensure they meet the minimum age requirement for the purchase of
alcohol and tobacco products.
Depending on
the type of restaurant, waiters and waitresses may perform additional
duties usually associated with other food and beverage service occupations.
These tasks may include escorting guests to tables, serving customers
seated at counters, setting up and clearing tables, or operating
a cash register. However, formal restaurants frequently hire other
staff to perform these duties, allowing their waiters and waitresses
to concentrate on customer service.
Bartenders fill
drink orders that waiters and waitresses take from customers. They
prepare standard mixed drinks and, occasionally, are asked to mix
drinks to suit a customer's taste. Most bartenders know dozens of
drink recipes and are able to mix drinks accurately, quickly, and
without waste, even during the busiest periods. Besides mixing and
serving drinks, bartenders collect payment, operate the cash register,
clean up after customers leave, and often serve food to customers
seated at the bar. Bartenders also check identification of customers
seated at the bar, to ensure they meet the minimum age requirement
for the purchase of alcohol and tobacco products. Bartenders usually
are responsible for ordering and maintaining an inventory of liquor,
mixes, and other bar supplies. They often form attractive displays
out of bottles and glassware and wash the glassware and utensils
after each use.
The majority
of bartenders who work in eating and drinking establishments directly
serve and interact with patrons. Because customers typically frequent
drinking establishments for the friendly atmosphere, most bartenders
must be friendly and helpful with customers. Bartenders at service
bars, on the other hand, have little contact with customers because
they work in small bars in restaurants, hotels, and clubs where
only waiters and waitresses serve drinks. Some establishments, especially
larger ones, use automatic equipment to mix drinks of varying complexity
at the push of a button. Even in these establishments, however,
bartenders still must be efficient and knowledgeable in case the
device malfunctions or a customer requests a drink not handled by
the equipment.
Hosts and
hostesses
try to create a good impression of a restaurant by warmly welcoming
guests. Because hosts and hostesses are restaurants' personal representatives,
they try to insure that service is prompt and courteous and that
the meal meets expectations. They may courteously direct patrons
to where coats and other personal items may be left and indicate
where patrons can wait until their table is ready. Hosts and hostesses
assign guests to tables suitable for the size of their group, escort
patrons to their seats, and provide menus. They also schedule dining
reservations, arrange parties, and organize any special services
that are required. In some restaurants, they also act as cashiers.
Dining room
and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers assist waiters, waitresses,
and bartenders by cleaning tables, removing dirty dishes, and keeping
serving areas stocked with supplies. They replenish the supply of
clean linens, dishes, silverware, and glasses in the dining room
and keep the bar stocked with glasses, liquor, ice, and drink garnishes.
Bartender helpers also keep bar equipment clean and wash glasses.
Dining room attendants set tables with clean tablecloths, napkins,
silverware, glasses, and dishes and serve ice water, rolls, and
butter. At the conclusion of meals, they remove dirty dishes and
soiled linens from tables. Cafeteria attendants stock serving tables
with food, trays, dishes, and silverware and may carry trays to
dining tables for patrons. Dishwashers clean dishes, kitchen and
food preparation equipment, and utensils.
Counter attendants
take orders and serve food at counters. In cafeterias, they serve
food displayed on counters and steam tables, carve meat, dish out
vegetables, ladle sauces and soups, and fill beverage glasses. In
lunchrooms and coffee shops, counter attendants take orders from
customers seated at the counter, transmit orders to the kitchen,
and pick up and serve food. They also fill cups with coffee, soda,
and other beverages and prepare fountain specialties, such as milkshakes
and ice cream sundaes. Counter attendants prepare some short-order
items, such as sandwiches and salads, and wrap or place orders in
containers for carry out. They also clean counters, write itemized
checks, and sometimes accept payment.
Some food and
beverage serving workers take orders from customers at counters
or drive-through windows at fast-food restaurants. They pick up
the ordered beverage and food items, serve them to a customer, and
accept payment. Many of these are combined food preparation and
serving workers who also cook and package food, make coffee, and
fill beverage cups using drink-dispensing machines.
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Food and Beverage
Management
Food Management
Hospitality
Hospitality Cooperative Program
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Show Production and Touring
Tourism
Tour Planning
Travel Agent
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Travel and Tourism
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Travel and Tourism Administration
Travel and Tourism Management
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