Tourism

Entrance Requirements
Overview of the Curriculum
Activities
According to Some of Our Students...
Application Deadline

Champlain St-Lambert's three-year Tourism program is the only one of its kind offered tuition-free by an English CEGEP. The program prepares students for career opportunities in the fast-growing fields of travel and tourism with a specialization in the development and promotion of travel products. Students who complete this program will have a wide choice of employment opportunities in the tourism industry..

Teaching in the program focuses on providing students with the opportunity for practical hands-on experience. This includes learning the latest technologies used in the tourism industry including Apollo, Sabre and Microsoft Office. Furthermore, as part of their training, our students participate in a two-month, full-time workstudy session (stage) which often leads to full-time employment for graduates.This practical experience, combined with the ability to communicate in French, English, and a third language, as well as the students' enthusiasm for this field, can result in a career in the following agencies: tourist associations, Boards of Trade, federal and provincial ministries of tourism, public relations, travel agencies, airlines, car rental companies, hotels, tour operators and wholesalers, and other related organizations.

Tourism is considered one of the largest and fastest growing industries in Québec. In addition, Montreal is the most popular region visited by tourists in the Province of Québec, a dynamic tourist centre in Canada and a major international tourist destination. This is definitely an exciting field of study for anyone interested in the tourism industry.

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Diploma of Secondary Studies for CEGEP entrance which includes, at least, Math 514.

OVERVIEW OF THE CURRICULUM

In addition to specialized courses in Tourism, students must complete 4 English courses, 3 Humanities courses and 3 Physical Education courses as well as 2 "complementary courses" taken from outside of the Tourism program.

Students will also have the opportunity to participate in value-added activities that may lead to industry certifications and/or experience. The nature of these activities may vary from year to year, but will include opportunities such as:

1. The Certificate of Recognition for Tourism Work Experience: Tourism students will be encouraged to work in the tourism industry during their two summer holidays. A set of specific guidelines and criteria for determining the type of work and other conditions to be met will be provided to all students in their first year. A committee of the faculty will evaluate the work activity of each student to determine each person's eligibility for the certificate and will award the Certificate of Recognition for Tourism Work Experience to students who are eligible.

2. ClientPlus Certification: Tourism students will undertake a 7-hour training program called "ClientPlus" that is offered by "Le conseil québécois des ressources humaines en tourisme." This training program will complement instruction in client services that is offered in the Tourism program, and will be offered during regular class hours by a certified instructor who is also a Champlain St-Lambert teacher.

The semester-by-semester offering of courses is as follows:

First Semester:

• English 101
• Humanities 103
• French (Block A)
• Physical Education 103 or Physical Education 104
• 302-102 Destination Information I - World Geography
• 414-101 Introduction to the Tourism Industry
• 414-102 Destination Information II - Quebec and Canada
• 414-103 Computer Applications for Tourism

.Second Semester:

• English BJC
• Humanities 102 French (Block B)
• 414-201 Personal Professional Development
• 414-202 Destination Information III - North America
• 414-203 Tourism Industry Business Practices
• 414-204 Tourism Research
• 414-205 Tourism Products and Services

Third Semester:

• English 102 or English 103
• Complementary
• Physical Education 103 or Physical Education 104
• 414-301 Tourism Law
• 414-302 Destinations Analysis I - Europe
• 414-303 Tourism Consumer Behaviour
• 414-304 Selling Tourist Products
• Conducting Business in a Second Language

Fourth Semester:

• English 102 or English 103
• Humanities BJC
• Physical Education 105
• 414-401 Destinations Analysis II - Exotic
• 414-402 Tourism Marketing
• 414-403 Planning of Tourist Facilities and Services
• 414-404 Travel Automation*
• 414-405 Travel Packages - Individuals (F.I.T.)

Fifth Semester:

• Complementary
• 414-501 Commercial Application for Tourism
• 414-502 Tourism Human Resource Management
• 414-503 Tour Management
• 414-504 Tourism Promotion Techniques
• 414-505 Reservations*
• 414-506 Travel Packages - Groups (I.T.C.)
• Communicating in a Third Language I

Sixth Semester:

• 414-601 Tourism Trends
• 414-602 Destination Evaluation - Case Studies
• 414-603 Computerized Documentation*
• 414-604 Tourism Promotion Applications
• 414-605 Workstudy
• Communicating in a Third Language II

* May be offered as an intensive course

ACTIVITIES

As part of the hands-on teaching approach used in the Tourism program, students have the opportunity to take part in several activities.

Trips

In the content of their classes, students take numerous local (Montreal), regional (province of Quebec), and national (Canada and the U.S.) trips. During these excursions students meet with professionals from different sectors of the industry -including tour operators, hotels, ground operators, etc.- to learn about their role in travel.

Tourism students also go on an annual trip to an international destination. They plan the trip from beginning to end including researching the industry contacts from the local tourism industry, planning the itinerary, booking transportation and accommodations, etc. Past destinations have included Switzerland, Amsterdam and London.

Trade Shows

Each year, Champlain's Tourism students actively participate in industry trade shows including:

• The International Travel and Tourism Show
• Salon Vacances Été

Travel Bureau

The Tourism program hosts an on-campus Travel Bureau which is managed by students. This resource centre carries information on every sector of the travel industry. It can be used by students for their academic projects as well as when deciding on a career path. Students who work in the Travel Bureau receive course credit.

ACCORDING TO SOME OF OUR GRADUATES...

"We not only learned about the industry, we learned about other important things such as making presentations, public speaking, selling yourself and most of all, discipline. This was particularly important for my first job. Most companies give prospective employees additional training. I had to participate in a very demanding training course where even one minor drop in your performance would get you dropped from the course. So the discipline I learned in the program helped me a lot."

Francesca Pitruzzello Baggage Call Center Manager, Air Canada

"The program helped in terms of understanding the industry as a whole. This is important because the industry is very broad and in my job I have to deal with people from many parts of the industry. Because of what I learned, when I deal with them, I understand what theyÕre talking about which makes my job easier."

Sandy Fornasier Reservation Manager, Receptour Canada

"What I like about Tourism at Champlain is that it's a three-year program. I have people who come to me having graduated from a 6-month program, but it's not enough. There is so much to learn about the industry and three years barely gives us enough time to learn it all."

Cinzia Trotto Owner and Travel Agent, Voyage Vasco Baladair

APPLICATION DEADLINE

• March 1st for the Fall Semester.