Cork is well placed sitting between the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East and if you have an interest in promoting Cork and Ireland by becoming involved in the Tourism sector, then this is the course for you. You will learn about practical tour guide training, the IT skills needed to work in travel administration and receive training in Amadeus (GDS) used by travel agents and airlines worldwide. Students participate in site visits to cultural and heritage sites all over Munster.

  • Tourism Principles and Practice 5N2078 – National and International Tourism. Understand the tourist product of Ireland as a unique destination and how to promote and sell it. Identify a range of international and national tourist attractions. Learn about tourist profiles and how they impact on tourist markets. Extensive field trips and site visits are an integral part of this component.
  • Tourism Information and Administration 5N0636 – Work independently in a tourist information office or in the front office of a range of tourism enterprises. Emphasis on providing advice to visitors on coaches, walking tours, places of interest etc.
  • Travel Agency Service Skills 5N4970 – Products and services offered by travel agencies. Market research for travel agency. Customer needs and customer focus. Develop a holiday package tailored for specific customer requirements.
  • Global Distribution Systems 6N4973 -Make and amend airline reservations using the Amadeus system which is used by travel agencies and airlines throughout Ireland and the world
  • Work Experience 5N1356 – Plan, prepare and reflect on work placement. Job finding strategies, CV and personal statement preparation, interview skills. Practise employability skills with a view to future planning.
  • Communications 5N0690 – Acquire the writing skills needed for the workplace, learn to speak fluently and coherently in a professional setting, develop interpersonal skills and have an understanding of the impact of ICT on society.  
  • Ecotourism 5N0631 – Attain the knowledge, skill and competence to support the implementation of ecotourism practices in a tourism enterprise.
  • Irish Cultural & Heritage Resources 5N1293 – This component provides students with an understanding of Irelands heritage and cultural offering and the stakeholders involved in this sector. Student visit heritage sites, critically evaluate them and complete a portfolio of site evaluations. Students must also research heritage and cultural events.
  • Word Processing 5N1358 – Create and edit documents to a professional standard. Utilise Memos and Mailmerge for streamlining customer communication

Additional Activities

  • Students participate in a number of trips to heritage sites in Cork City and throughout Ireland. Previously, students have visited The Burren, Rock of Cashel, Cahir Castle, Swiss Cottage, The Cliffs of Moher, Nano Nagle Place, Elizabeth Fort, St. Finbarr’s Cathedral and Cork City Gaol.
  • Students are encouraged to participate in adventure tourism at Kinsale Outdoor Eductation Centre.

Leaving Certificate, LCA or QQI Level 4. Mature students are exempt from Leaving Cert requirements. All applicants will undergo a processing stage during which further information will be gathered in relation to their application.  An offer of a place on this course is contingent on the applicant meeting the entry requirements set out here and satisfactory completion of the processing stage.

Excellent progression opportunities including:

  • MTU Cork: Tourism Management Level 7 (MT552)
  • MTU Cork: Tourism Management Level 8 (MT947)
  • UCC: Arts Level 8 (CK101)
  • CCOC: Progress to 1 of the CCOC Advanced Business Specialisms, subject to entry requirements being met.

Excellent progression opportunities to UCC and other Higher Education colleges. Special arrangements in place with MTU Cork (CCPS),  MTU Kerry and Waterford IT for preferential entry for College of Commerce students. Up to 390 CAO points for any Institute of Technology can be attained by successful completion of this course. See Progressions for details.

Previous students have gained employment as tour operators, tourist office staff, tour guides, receptionists in hotels, conference/event organisers, customer service agents, cruise liner personnel and airport staff.

  • Duration: September to May
  • Fees: €500 including QQI examination fees. (Medical card holders exempt from €50). See Payment for details.
  • Certification:
    • QQI Level 5 Certificate in Tourism with Business 5M5011
    • QQI Component Maths 5N1833 (available as option in evening for learners requiring Maths for progression)
    • Amadeus Certificate and a package holiday booking system qualification awarded by the International Academy of Travel
  • Work Experience: Students undertake a block work placement of 2 weeks in a tourist environment e.g. travel agencies, tour operators, ferry companies, airlines, heritage attractions and the hospitality industry.

Email: tourism@ccoc.ie          Tel: (021) 4223810

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    My name is Pavel Jurja and I was a student of the level 5 Travel and Tourism here in the College of Commerce. When I first applied for the course, I didn’t have a clear career path although one thing was for sure, I had a passion for travelling. This passion is what gave me the motivation throughout this past year. I have gained more knowledge and experience this year than I ever thought I would have. This is all thanks to my lecturers for being so helpful, friendly and welcoming, as well as the friends I’ve made along the way. I was beyond grateful to have had my work experience at Cork Airport. Upon finishing the course and completing my exams in May, I was offered the opportunity to work for Swissport as a customer service agent, where I work to this day. All of my expectations, could not have been achieved without this course at the College of Commerce, and for that I will be forever grateful.

    Pavel Jurja, Swissport

    I first attended the College of Commerce in 2018 as a mature student who had been out of education for many years, I was unsure of my learning ability but I was curious of my potential. I am currently working towards completing my level 6 certificate in Advanced Tourism after successfully obtaining my full QQI level 5 award in the previous academic year with distinctions in every module. The College of Commerce has helped me achieve my goals in so many ways from their extremely supportive and knowledgeable lecturers to their challenging but interesting courses. It has motivated me to continue my education to C.I.T or U.C.C and achieve my goal of obtaining a 3rd level degree in the future.

    The College of Commerce is also linked to many activities students can engage in after college hours, because of this I was able to receive discounted horse-riding lessons. I was able to use these vouchers to brush up my horse-riding skills before I was due to depart to New York for the summer coaching horse riding lessons, my reference for New York was also supplied by a lecturer in the college who was more than happy to help. The College of Commerce has help me begin my journey through education, I am extremely grateful for this as I was an early school leaver with no previous qualifications or educational awards who found it difficult to obtain employment, I now feel excited about my future. I cannot thank the college enough for helping me shape my future and release my potential.

    Naoimh Kelleher, Level 7 Tourism, MTU

    I am currently working full time in the new Aspire lounge handling private passengers, private aircraft and crew and business class guests in Cork Airport, I am now permanently employed there.

    The college course I completed in College of Commerce really helped me in the workplace as we handle the Amadeus system on a daily basis and the general systems and checking we use are very similar it.

    The information I learnt comes in useful most days in a tourism point of view as well as the airline business point of view, as well as the many other classes I took, such as customer service, they relate to the industry and day to day life in the airport and Aviation industry very much as it is an ever changing environment.

    The day classes and half day grooming talks helped greatly too as we have a strict grooming and uniform code in the lounge and these classes helped me.

    Just want to say a big thank you to all the staff in college of commerce who helped and helped improve on myself.

    Lily Carpenter, Now working at the Aspire Lounge, Cork Airport

    I have worked with Cork College of Commerce for the past number of years when I needed to recruit junior travel consultants. We are extremely fortunate to have 4 of their students now working with us full time. These students are well trained, ready for work, professional in their outlook and have all gone on to form an integral part of the various support teams in CTM. We are delighted to work with the college as we can be guaranteed we secure suitably trained students that match the culture and work ethos of CTM.

    Maria Murphy, Operations Director, Frosch CTM

    The Level 5 Travel & Tourism course led me straight to employment in the Tourism sector. I attended the course as a mature student who had recently returned from spending two years in Australia. Upon returning home, despite already having a degree, I found it difficult to find employment which I felt suited me, so I hoped that doing this course would give me the tools to find such employment. One thing that worried me about doing the course was that all the students would be a lot younger than me, but I was delighted to find that the students in my class were a mix of all ages and nationalities. I made many friends from the class who have I stayed in contact with.
    During my year, I learnt a lot about what it takes to work in Tourism. We also visited many heritage sites around the country, my favourite being the Rock of Cashel. At all the sites we visited, the staff gave us an insight into their jobs and how they acquired them. We also received many talks from guest speakers in the sector, giving us tips and suggestions on ways to gain employment in fields such as Tour Guiding and Travel Agencies, among others. When I completed the course, I was told about job opportunities as a tour guide on Spike Island in Cork Harbour. After attending an interview, which I was extremely prepared for having done interview training as part of the course, I was offered a position which I accepted. It was definitely thanks to the Level 5 Travel & Tourism course that I got this job, and I look forward to working in Tourism for many years to come

    John Goulding, Tour Guide, Spike Island

    International Airline Studies was an ideal choice for me. As a person who is big into travelling, it suited me so well, and it made a brilliant foundation for the pathway I intend to take for my future career. It helped me to discover my flair for languages, especially Spanish. I have now gone onto further studies of Spanish as parts of an Arts degree in UCC. I hope to go on and become a translator in airport security or possibly teach Spanish.

    Edel O'Meara Ryan, UCC student

    The Level 5 Travel & Tourism course led me straight to employment in the Tourism sector. I attended the course as a mature student who had recently returned from spending two years in Australia. Upon returning home, despite already having a degree, I found it difficult to find employment which I felt suited me, so I hoped that doing this course would give me the tools to find such employment. One thing that worried me about doing the course was that all the students would be a lot younger than me, but I was delighted to find that the students in my class were a mix of all ages and nationalities. I made many friends from the class who have I stayed in contact with.

    During my year, I learnt a lot about what it takes to work in Tourism. We also visited many heritage sites around the country, my favourite being the Rock of Cashel. At all the sites we visited, the staff gave us an insight into their jobs and how they acquired them. We also received many talks from guest speakers in the sector, giving us tips and suggestions on ways to gain employment in fields such as Tour Guiding and Travel Agencies, among others. When I completed the course, I was told about job opportunities as a tour guide on Spike Island in Cork Harbour. After attending an interview, which I was extremely prepared for having done interview training as part of the course, I was offered a position which I accepted. It was definitely thanks to the Level 5 Travel & Tourism course that I got this job, and I look forward to working in Tourism for many years to come.

    John Goulding, Travel and Tourism