Certificate in Leisure Travel Introduction
Course Overview
The Certificate in Leisure Travel Introduction is a three to six-month foundation route into the UK leisure travel sector, covering how holidays, city breaks, cruise itineraries and tour packages are put together, sold and serviced. Content is aligned with sector references including ABTA and the Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT), so learners study the product structures, terminology and consultative-sales routines used by UK travel agencies and tour operators. The programme sits within LSTITM's Tourism and Destination Management department and prepares applicants for their first paid role in a high-street agency, an online travel agency or an inbound tour operator serving the London market.
By the end of the programme you will be able to shape a simple holiday recommendation from a customer brief, describe the parts of a package clearly, quote correctly using published fares and lead a courteous booking conversation ready for a role in a high-street or online travel agency. You will finish with a portfolio of sample itineraries, quote breakdowns and short customer-conversation reflections that support Diploma progression at LSTITM.
Key Features
- UK-referenced introduction to leisure travel aligned with ABTA, ITT and Tourism Society standards for retail travel work.
- Product-mapping modules covering beach holidays, city breaks, cruise, escorted tours and multi-centre itineraries.
- Guided practice in consultative selling, holiday briefing and honest product recommendation techniques.
- Introduction to travel documentation, travel insurance, visas and pre-departure customer care conversations.
- Foundation training on OTA and tour operator systems used across London travel agencies and inbound operators.
- Structured portfolio of holiday briefs, sample itineraries and short reflection notes for Diploma progression.
- Weekly UK sector-news roundups drawn from Tourism Society, ITT and ABTA public releases.
- Clear articulation into LSTITM Diploma routes in tourism, destination and travel systems management.
What You Will Learn
- Reading a leisure travel enquiry and shaping a shortlist of appropriate holiday options for the customer.
- Describing beach, city, cruise, escorted and adventure packages accurately and honestly to real customers.
- Quoting basic itineraries with clear breakdowns of flights, accommodation, transfers and extras.
- Explaining travel insurance, visa needs and pre-departure paperwork honestly and clearly at the counter.
- Handling amendment and cancellation queries within simple, published terms and ABTA-referenced guidance.
- Recording customer preferences carefully to build a small repeat-client base over time.
- Following ABTA-referenced good practice on fair pricing and honest product description.
- Escalating anything outside your remit to a duty manager or senior travel consultant professionally.
Who This Course Is For
- School leavers exploring a first job in a UK high-street or online travel agency in London.
- Career changers moving from customer service, retail or hospitality into leisure travel sales.
- International applicants wanting a UK-referenced qualification recognised in London tourism.
- Travel enthusiasts building formal evidence for entry-level consultant applications at UK agencies.
- Applicants planning to progress into the LSTITM Diploma in Tourism Management or marketing routes.
Career Pathways
- Travel Consultant (Junior)
- Leisure Travel Advisor
- Tour Operator Coordinator
- Cruise Consultant (Trainee)
- Destination Marketing Executive (Junior)
- Airline Ground Services Assistant
- Tourism Board Coordinator (Assistant)
The LSTITM careers service pairs each learner with CV, LinkedIn and interview coaching, and shares vacancies from London retail travel agencies, tour operators and OTAs looking for entry-level talent. Career support continues throughout Diploma progression and into first paid roles, including short recruiter meet-ups and clinic sessions on retail travel interview questions and package-quoting exercises.
Entry Requirements
- Age 16+ with genuine interest in leisure travel sales, holiday product design and consumer travel careers.
- GCSE-equivalent secondary education (or overseas equivalent).
- Basic English proficiency (IELTS 5.0 or equivalent for international applicants).
- Access to a computer with reliable internet for online delivery of the leisure travel modules.
- No prior tourism qualification required, since this is a foundation entry route into the sector.
Why Study at LSTITM
LSTITM is the London School of Tourism and International Travel Management, a specialist division of Harold International College of London that focuses on destination, business, systems and strategic disciplines central to modern global tourism. Our alignment with recognised UK bodies including the Tourism Society, ITT, ABTA, the Chartered Institute of Marketing and UKHospitality means every LSTITM programme is credible, industry-referenced study delivered by tutors who have led real destination, retail travel and inbound operations businesses.
Students on every LSTITM route are supported by dedicated career services covering CV, LinkedIn, interview coaching and warm introductions to London tourism boards, tour operators, OTAs, airline and hospitality partners. Delivery spans on-campus, online and distance-learning routes so working professionals and international students can find a mode that fits their schedule.
Apply for Certificate in Leisure Travel Introduction
The Certificate in Leisure Travel Introduction is your practical entry point into UK leisure travel work and a clean route into LSTITM's Diploma programmes. Bring your enthusiasm for holidays, destinations and consumer travel and convert it into a professional portfolio and a credible first job in a London leisure travel employer. Applications are open for online, on-campus and distance-learning routes across the year. Start your London-recognised tourism career today. Enrol Now.
