The tourism and travel sector is one of the largest in the world. Even with so many self-service travel websites, the industry is ever-changing and constantly on the rise, which means now more than ever, there is a need for knowledgeable travel and tourism professionals. This two-year Ontario College Diploma co-op program will give you the knowledge and hands-on learning experience for a career with tourism businesses, travel agencies, tour companies, airlines and more!Your Learning Experience: This two-year program consists of four academic levels and one paid co-op term. Students are prepared, through a wide variety of career-related courses and industry work experience, to meet the limitless challenges of the dynamic tourism/travel industry. Students are prepared for careers in the multi-faceted tourism industry with an emphasis on travel counselling. Strong emphasis is placed on the development of personality and attitudes necessary for success in this customer service field; This dynamic program focuses on travel advising, customer sales and service, flights and fares, group tour management, travel business operations, package holidays and hotel operations. Our tourism courses will also teach you world geography and the latest computer technology used in the industry, as well as skills in marketing, customer relations, promotion and social media; Gain valuable experience with a co-op work term consisting of 420 hours of paid employment. Enjoy an (optional) international field study trip on a seven-night Caribbean cruise as well as local field trips and regular guest lecturers from the industry. In your final semester, you’ll complete an international group tour capstone project where you’ll create a business plan, marketing plan and presentation to launch the tour to classmates and peers and industry partners. Students also have the opportunity to participate in student mentoring through the Baxter Student Ambassador Program; For further international experiences, students may apply to study abroad for a semester in Finland, Ireland or the Netherlands, or take advantage of our pathway opportunities after graduation to complete a degree with one of our partner institutions including the Limerick Institute of Technology in Ireland; Developed in conjunction with the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA), the program is designed to ensure that graduates meet the standards and qualifications of the Association, and students may seek certification upon graduation; Every person working for a registered Ontario retail travel agency and selling travel services or providing travel advice to the public must, by law, meet the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) Education Standards. The opportunity to seek certification will be provided.