Best Online Travel Courses for Beginners to Start a Career in the Travel Industry

Interested in travel and want to turn it into a career? You don’t need a college degree or years of work experience to begin. Thanks to online courses, you can start learning about the travel and tourism industry from the comfort of your home. These courses are affordable and beginner-friendly.

In this blog, you’ll discover some great online travel courses that can help you build your knowledge and take the first step toward a career in travel and tourism.

Why Choose Online Travel Courses?

• Learn anytime, anywhere

• Study at your own pace

• Affordable and beginner-friendly

• Get certificates to boost your resume

• Easy access with just a phone or laptop

Top Online Travel Courses for Beginners

1. IATA Foundation in Travel and Tourism
   Offered by: IATA
   Best for those who want to work in travel agencies
   Duration: 2–3 months
   Why it’s great:
   This course covers air travel, fare calculation, ticketing, and customer service. It’s perfect for those who want to work with airlines, travel portals, or become travel agents.
   Certificate: Yes

2. Amadeus GDS Training
   Offered by: Various platforms like Udemy, Travelocademy, and Coursera
   Best for:  Learning airline reservation systems
   Duration: 1–2 months
   Why it’s great:
   Amadeus is a system used by travel agents and airline companies to book flights, hotels, and more. Knowing how to use GDS (Global Distribution System) like Amadeus gives you a practical skill that’s in high demand.
   Certificate: Yes

3. Travel and Tourism Diploma by Alison
   Offered by: Alison (free learning platform)
   Best for: Beginners looking for free learning
   Duration: Around 10–15 hours
   Why it’s great:
   This free course introduces you to the basics of tourism, hospitality, and customer service. It’s short, simple, and a good place to begin if you’re just starting out and want to test your interest.
   Certificate: Yes (for a small fee)

4. Introduction to Hospitality and Tourism Industry – Coursera
   Offered by: University of Maryland (via Coursera)
   Best for: Learning tourism and hospitality together
   Duration: 4 weeks
   Why it’s great:
   You’ll learn about travel trends, customer expectations, and how the whole system functions.
   Certificate: Yes

5. Travelocademy Basic Travel & Tourism Course
   Offered by: Travelocademy
   Best for: Indian students looking for industry-relevant skills
   Duration: 1–2 months
   Why it’s great:
   Travelocademy offers beginner-friendly courses focused on real-world job roles. You learn ticketing, GDS, customer handling, and how to work with companies like MakeMyTrip, Yatra, or airlines.
   Certificate: Yes

Tips to Choose the Right Course

• Know Your Goal: Want to be a travel agent? Work at an airline? Handle bookings? Choose a course that matches your dream job.

• Check the Certificate Value: Some certificates are globally recognised, while others are more local. Pick what suits your future plans.

• Learn Practical Skills: Look for courses that offer hands-on tools like GDS training or real-life case studies.

• Read Reviews: Check what other students say about the course before enrolling.

Final Thoughts

Online travel courses make it easy to start your career. They’re affordable, beginner-friendly, and skill-focused. Choose a course you like and take your first step—your travel career journey begins now!