There are enough myths about careers in tourism to make your head spin!  Here we set you straight with a few facts.

MYTH: If you work in tourism you can travel the world for free.

 

FACT: Unfortunately, this myth really is too good to be true.  Free travel for tourism sector professionals is not usually included as an employee benefit like health insurance and dental care.  Nor is it the norm for employers to offer discounts on airfare and accommodation for vacation travel.  While it may be common for employees of the tourism sector to travel for work, their days are usually spent in conferences, meetings, and other organized events. 

MYTH: You can only find a job in tourism in the summer.

 

FACT: Although there are many opportunities year-round in the tourism sector, there is definitely an abundance of tourism-related summer employment.  You’ve probably taken advantage of the opportunity to work at a lakeside resort, in a campground or as a walking tour guide in the hot summer months.  While these are popular summer attractions, it’s important to remember that even the coldest months of the year can be filled with winter adventure.  What about skiing, snowmobiling, and dog sledding?  These activities may require an instructor, accommodation for a weekend getaway or a hot meal at a nearby restaurant after a long day in the cold.

MYTH: Tourism provides temporary jobs for students waiting to start their real careers.

 

FACT: This myth got started because the tourism sector offers many entry-level positions that are perfect for students who want to wet their feet in the working world.  In truth, tourism is a career choice for many people, including Reservation Sales Agents, Wine Servers, and Hunting Guides, to name a few.  Students who start their careers in entry-level positions in the tourism sector and want to pursue a more challenging profession can work their way into supervisory and managerial positions, like a Tourism Trainer, Event Manager or Tour Director.

MYTH: Tourism jobs are limited to airlines, hotels, travel agencies, and tourist attractions like museums, campgrounds, outdoor excursions, and guided tours.

FACT: Tourism is a diverse sector that encompasses over 400 occupations in Canada from Taxicab and Limousine Drivers to Flight Attendants, Marketing Consultants, and Sales Managers.  Whether you like working indoors or outdoors, days or evenings, part-time or full-time, year-round or seasonally, there is a vast array of jobs for you to choose from.

MYTH: You can only find part-time employment and shift work in the tourism sector.

 

FACT: This is a popular misconception because so many jobs in tourism provide workers with the opportunity to work flexible hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays.  People in these types of jobs may include Food and Beverage Servers, Line Cooks, Casino Dealers, Guest Services Attendants, and Taxicab and Limousine Drivers.  Others, like Hunting Guides and Fresh Water Angling Guides, tend to work seasonally.  Some seasonal workers will train for other occupations in order to work year-round.  Most people who do work traditional hours (9 to 5, Monday to Friday) are in managerial or supervisory positions.

MYTH: If you work in tourism, expect to get paid minimum wage.

 

FACT: This is probably true for people working in entry-level positions like Food and Beverage Servers and Taxicab and Limousine Drivers, but most are able to supplement their income with commission and gratuities.  More importantly, in the tourism sector there’s room to move from entry-level to supervisory positions.  For example, Food and Beverage Servers can become Restaurant Managers, a Heritage Interpreter can move into a position as a Tour Director, and so on.  Aside from experience and drive, other factors that may influence your salary include the type of job you apply for, its location, the company that employs you, and the education and training you bring to the job.

MYTH: You don’t need training for a job in the tourism sector.

 

FACT: There are many entry-level jobs in tourism that don’t require a university degree (though this may be a requirement for managerial positions).  Even so, you’ll quickly find that specific skills are essential to most tourism jobs.  These skills can be acquired through on-the-job training, a post-secondary diploma and/or an apprenticeship program.  Tourism professionals employed with no prior training can achieve nationally recognized certification in 27 tourism occupations.  STEC is a provincial organization that works with the tourism sector to improve National Occupational Standards and to award Professional Certification.

 

MYTH: Working in tourism means working with the public.

 

FACT: This is another common misconception that’s based on the belief that tourism jobs are all frontline positions.  Although jobs like Food and Beverage Servers, Front Desk Agents, and Heritage Interpreters are some of the most visible in the sector, many are behind the scenes, like cooking, marketing, coordinating special events, and research.

MYTH: Technological advancement does not have an impact on the tourism sector.

FACT: Technology is a large part of the tourism sector, as it is in most parts of the world.  Individuals with jobs in tourism rely on many technological advances, from computerized reservation systems to website marketing and Internet research.  As our society becomes more dependent on technology, so does the tourism sector.

 

And the biggest myth of all…

 

MYTH: There’s no tourism in Saskatchewan.

 

FACT: Tourism is a powerhouse in Saskatchewan with one in every 10 jobs in the tourism sector.  Job opportunities range from outdoor to indoor, seasonal to year-round, and entry-level to management, including Fresh Water Angling Guides, Food and Beverage Servers, Campground Operators, Heritage Interpreters, Tourism Trainers, Event Managers, and much more.  Saskatchewan's tourism sector is so lucrative it generates more than $1.5 billion in visitor expenditures every year!