Travel & Tourism

Exam Board

Pearson

Full course specification

Course Details

The Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Travel and Tourism is for learners who want to acquire sector-specific applied knowledge through vocational contexts by studying the aims, products and services of different travel and tourism organisations, their use of consumer technologies, the features of tourist destinations, how organisations meet customer needs and preferences, and the influences on global travel and tourism as part of their Key Stage 4 learning. The qualification enables learners to develop their transferable skills, such as researching, planning, and making decisions and judgements. The qualification recognises the value of learning skills, knowledge and vocational attributes to complement GCSEs. The qualification will broaden learners’ experience and understanding of the varied progression options available to them.

What skills students develop

The Tech Award gives learners the opportunity to develop applied knowledge and understanding in a range of areas. Learners taking this qualification will study three components, covering the following content areas:

• the aims of travel and tourism organisations, how different organisations work together and types of travel and tourism, the features that make destinations appealing to visitors and different travel routes
• how organisations use market research to identify travel and tourism trends, and customer needs and preferences, and selection of products and services and planning a holiday to meet customer needs and preferences
• factors that may influence global travel and tourism, and how travel and tourism organisations and destinations respond to these factors, and the potential impacts of tourism on global destinations and how destinations can manage the impacts of tourism and control tourism development to achieve sustainable tourism.

This Tech Award complements the learning in GCSE programmes such as GCSE Geography and GCSE Business by broadening learners’ experience and skills participation in different contexts, with the opportunity for them to practically apply their knowledge and skills through areas such as investigating different travel and tourism organisations, how they identify trends and customer needs to provide products and services, the factors influencing tourism, and the impact of tourism on destinations.

How students are assessed

Non exam assessment (Internal)	Travel and Tourism Organisations and Destinations	33.3% of the qualification
Non exam assessment (Internal)	Customer needs in Travel and Tourism	33.3% of the qualification
Non exam assessment (External)	Influences on Global Travel and Tourism	33.3% of the qualification

The three components in the qualification give learners the opportunity to develop broad knowledge and understanding of the travel and tourism sector, and relevant transferable skills such as research and communication skills at Levels 1 and 2. 

The three components focus on the assessment of applied knowledge and practices. These are all essential to developing a basis for progression and therefore learners need to achieve all components in order to achieve the qualification. The components are interrelated and they are best seen as part of an integrated whole rather than as totally distinct study areas. Learners will normally take this qualification over a two-year period or longer. This means that they must be given the opportunity to build their confidence in understanding the sector, vocational contexts and vocational attributes over a long period during the course of study before they are assessed. As the interrelated components are not linked to occupational roles, certification is not available at component level. 

How parents can help

• Discuss the leisure and tourism destinations you may have visited or facilities you use in the local area
• Encourage your child to watch leisure and tourism programmes such as BBC Coast, The Travel Channel and any other series or documentaries relevant to the world of leisure and tourism

Progression

Careers in this sector include: Event Manager, Travel Consultant, Airline Cabin Crew, Theme Park Host and Hotel and Restaurant Assistants.

School Trips

Educational visits are made to various UK destinations throughout the course to look at the facilities and infrastructure provided for tourists and the delivery of customer service from a variety of service industry organisations. Theme Parks such as Chessington World of Adventures Resort, have been visited in the past, to look at customer service. External speakers are invited on occasions where possible during the course.