BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Travel and Tourism
Mr D Gerretsen – dgerretsen@sackvilleschool.org.uk
This qualification is for students who wish to develop knowledge and understanding, and practical application skills in travel and tourism, including:
• creativity and innovation
• problem solving, planning and organising
• critical thinking, analysis and evaluation
• independence, teamwork and professionalism
Why choose this course?
• To become an expert in the hugely important travel and tourism industry, leading to potential employment in this field.
• Plan and evaluate a marketing plan for use by travel and tourism organisations to attract and engage with customers to help you develop team-working, time management and communication skills.
• Broaden your understanding of global travel trends.
• If you prefer coursework to exams – around 40% of the assessment is based on coursework.
• Leave school with real knowledge and highly-valued practical skills which are relevant to many different careers.
The course content complements the BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Business, which may also be of interest when considering your options.
YEAR 12
Unit 1: The World of Travel and Tourism
The travel and tourism industry in the UK is growing and is of major importance to the economy. In this unit, you will develop the skills needed to examine, interpret and analyse a variety of statistics that measure the importance of tourism to the UK. There are many influences on the industry and they are changing all the time. Some of them are within the control of travel organisations, while others are beyond their control. You will need to know how organisations react to changes and trends to determine their present and future operating policies. You will gain an understanding of the scope of the industry, its terminology and its key components. Travel and tourism is a business with the customer at the forefront. Different types of organisation have different roles and offer a range of products and services to many different types of customer. You will need to understand how the organisations work together to benefit both themselves and their customers and you should be able to name examples of the key organisations in all sectors.
Unit 2: Global Destinations
Global destinations are a key aspect of travel and tourism and their appeal is strongly influenced by factors such as their location, access and changing trends. In this unit, you will use a range of resources to investigate the location and features of global destinations and explain the features that give appeal to global destinations and support different types of tourism. You will evaluate how travel plans/routes/itineraries meet customer needs. You will investigate consumer trends and the reasons the popularity of global destinations may change.
YEAR 13
Unit 3: Principles of Marketing in Travel and Tourism
Marketing is an important focus for any successful organisation in travel and tourism where products, services and the expectations of customers are constantly changing. A successful business must have a strategy for understanding its customers and targeting them with a profitable offer. In this unit, you will develop marketing skills through examining the specific aims and objectives of the marketing function and researching the needs and expectations of different customer types. You will develop your ability to communicate the findings of this research. You will use market intelligence to plan and produce a promotional campaign for a new travel and tourism product or service. You will learn about the importance of meeting customer expectations and communicating with customers effectively. You will investigate the different stages that an organisation or tourist destination goes through when marketing their products or services.
Unit 9: Visitor Attractions
Visitor attractions can draw both domestic and overseas visitors by providing opportunities for relaxation, amusement and education. They are a major source of revenue for the travel and tourism industry as well as for the UK and the global economy. In this unit, you will investigate visitor attractions and the different ways they are funded. You will explore what is meant by the visitor experience and how visitor attractions develop, diversify and use technology in order to meet the needs of their different types of visitors.
OR
Unit 11: Events, Conferences and Exhibitions
The management and coordination of events, conferences and exhibitions is a dynamic and exciting area that is relevant to a number of sectors. This unit will help you develop your creative, financial and organisational skills. You will explore the diversity and scale of events, conferences and exhibitions that the travel and tourism industry is involved with. You will consider the complexity of developing large-scale and small-scale events, which may be local, national or international. You will gain an insight into the processes involved in running an event or conference and consider legal aspects, logistics and subcontracting.
Unit 1: The World of Travel and Tourism (25%) – This unit is assessed via a written examination (external assessment).
Unit 2: Global Destinations (33%) – This unit is assessed via a written examination (external assessment).
Unit 3: Principles of Marketing in Travel and Tourism (25%) – This unit is assessed via controlled assessment (internal assessment).
Unit 9: Visitor Attractions or Unit 11: Events, Conferences and Exhibitions (17%) – This unit is assessed via controlled assessment (internal assessment).
What can I do with this qualification?
In addition to the travel and tourism sector-specific content, the requirements of the course will mean that students develop transferable skills, which are highly regarded by higher education providers and employers. The qualification will give students transferable knowledge, understanding and broad skills such as communicating and presenting ideas.
All of the content in the qualification will help prepare students for further study. The qualification carries UCAS points and is recognised by higher education providers as contributing to meeting admission requirements for many courses, if taken alongside other qualifications as part of a two-year programme of learning. It combines well with a large number of subjects at Level 3, whether academic or vocational. The Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Travel and Tourism is equivalent to 1 GCE A Level.
