The country is literally peppered with both natural and man-made wonders. Thailand’s culturally rich and colorful past is that of one of the oldest civilizations in the world, it’s temples & palaces are legendary & it’s natural beauty shines through everywhere you go.
In between are Bangkok & the central region which are very much the “Commercial Hub” of the country yet still hugely rich in culture being the powerbase of Thailand for the last 700+ years.
Wat Arun in Bangkok – or the “Temple of the Dawn” is one of the most famous landmarks in Bangkok sitting proudly on the banks of the Chao Phraya. This stunning temple is best viewed as the sun rises as it strikes the temple it gives off an almost iridescent glow due to the millions of pieces of colored glass, ceramic & mosaic glass that adorn the total exterior of the temple.
Home to eight million people, Bangkok (or ‘City of Angels’ in Thai), is a chaotic blend of cultural and historic sights, humble shop houses, sophisticated shopping malls, terrible traffic jams and quiet backwater canals. As a tourist you’ll certainly need a guide. It’s noted for its naughty nightlife but is equally cultured and refined, boasting some top-notch restaurants and Bangkok City Hotels that are affordable to all visitors.
Almost all visitors to Thailand invariably pass through Bangkok and many wish they had budgeted more time to really see the city properly. Recent improvements in mass transport systems have made the city much more bearable to get around, and almost all services are surprisingly cheap. It also boasts a thorough network of trains, plains and buses to the many far flung provinces of Thailand.
The economics of the 21st century will be dominated by three industries: telecommunications, information technology and tourism. The travel and tourism industries have grown by 500% in the last 25 years and it is estimated that by the year 2007 tourists will spend US$884 billion in foreign countries on tourism related activities.
Travel and tourism represents a broad range of related industries. The growth of these industries has opened up many new job opportunities for graduates in areas such as:
- hotels
- restaurants
- retailing
- transportation
- travel agencies
- tour companies
- tourist attractions
- leisure, recreation and sport
- cultural industries
It is interesting to realise that in 1997 travel and tourism provides 10.5% of the total world employment, with up to 25% of all employment, in some areas, such as the Caribbean. It has been estimated that, by 2007, more than 100 million people world-wide will be employed in this sector. Because of this, tourism is now seen to be of importance to most countries of the world.
During this time, the nature of tourism has developed in scope and direction, away from traditional activities, such as the sunshine sand and sea holidays to a wide range of new activities such as cultural tourism, adventure tourism, sports and leisure activities and eco-tourism.
Given the potential for interesting and rewarding careers in these industries many young people are looking for suitable courses which will help prepare them for careers in management within the tourism and hospitality industries. The UK higher education system has a well developed range of courses, at all levels from Higher National Diploma, BA or BSc degrees and MA/MSc/MBA Masters courses and using alternative methods of studying, (including full-time, part-time and distance learning). When looking at courses in hospitality and tourism, there can seem to be a bewildering variety of course titles covering the main employment areas of travel, tourism, hotels and restaurants. Typical titles include:
For hotels and restaurant management:
- hospitality management
- international hospitality management
- hotel and catering management
For travel and tourism:
- tourism management
- tourism studies
- travel and tourism Read more…
