If state schools offer Travel and Tourism it will be as a Btec which due to ongoing assessment isn't usually accessible to private candidates. However, Travel and Tourism is available as an International GCSE from Cambridge. There are considerable changes to the specification to both the content and the assessment structure for exams from 2024 onwards. So do make sure you are following the correct specification.
Cambridge (CAIE) IGCSE Travel and Tourism[]
CAIE IGCSE Travel and Tourism (0471) page and specification
Cambridge IGCSE Travel and Tourism (0471) is designed to help meet the need for skilled and knowledgeable individuals in this rapidly diversifying industry. The syllabus provides an understanding of the nature of travel and tourism globally, nationally and locally, develops the concepts, models and theories used within the industry, highlights the importance of sustainability, resilience, the customer, destinations and marketing in travel and tourism. and enhances learners' analysis, interpretation and evaluation skills.
There are considerable changes to the specification to both the content and the assessment structure for exams from 2024 onwards. So do make sure you are following the correct specification. Details for 2023 and the 2024-26 spec are outlined below.
2023 Exams[]
- Exams from: 2014
- Available in Autumn and Summer series
- Specification code: 0471 (A*- G)
Subject content[]
The CAIE International GCSE in Travel and Tourism comprises six topics:
- The travel and tourism industry
- Features of worldwide destinations
- Customer care and working procedures
- Travel and tourism products and services
- Marketing and promotion
- The marketing and promotion of visitor services
Assessment[]
100% exam based option.
- Paper 1 - Core Paper - 2hrs - 100 marks - 60%
- Four scenario-based questions which require candidates to provide short answers.
- The scenarios are set in an international travel and tourism environment, although some provision is made for candidates to refer to local examples.
- Covers full syllabus
- Paper 2 - Alternative to Coursework Paper - 2hrs 30 mins - 100 marks - 40%
- Four scenario-based questions, which require candidates to provide short answers.
- It is based primarily on the contents of Unit 5 - Marketing and Promotion.
There is also a coursework option where students sit paper 1 and complete coursework instead of paper 2. This is an option that is not available to private candidates so they need to take the 2 exam paper route.
Resources[]
Textbook: Cambridge IGCSE Travel and Tourism (Cambridge International IGCSE) Paperback by John D. Smith (Author), Fiona Warburton (Author) (for 2023 exams)
Past papers can be found on the specification pages or sites such as pastpapers.co and papacambridge. Each series has 3 sets of papers available. These are because they were sat in different time zones. They are the same syllabus and useful for practice.
2024-26 Exams[]
- Exams from: 2024
- Available in Autumn and Summer series
- Specification code: 0471 (A*- G)
Subject content[]
The CAIE International GCSE in Travel and Tourism comprises five topics:
- Introduction to the main travel and tourism definitions and concepts
- Global tourism
- Travel and tourism organisations
- Customer service
- Destination marketing
Assessment[]
100% exam assessed.
- Paper 1 - Key Terms and Concepts - 1hr 30mins - 80 marks - 50%
- Four scenario-based questions which require candidates to provide short answers.
- Focusing on the introductory key concepts, customer service and impacts of tourism at destinations but may draw from any section of the content.
- Paper 2 - Managing and Marketing Destinations - 2hrs - 80 marks - 50%
- Four scenario-based questions, which require candidates to provide short answers.
- Focusing on the management and marketing of destinations but may draw from any section of the content.
Resources[]
Textbook: Cambridge IGCSE Travel and Tourism (Cambridge International IGCSE) Paperback by Rickerby, Smith and Figg (for 2024 exams onwards)
As of writing first exams for version of the spec are 17 months off (summer 2024) so no past papers available. There is a set of sample papers on the specimen page.
The end of the specification provides a summary of the changes from previous version of the specification so you may be able to adapt papers.
More Resources[]
There are a great number of supplementary resources you can use when studying this course
- newspaper Travel sections such as those in The Guardian and NY Times
- old printed tourist guidebooks (readily available in charity shops)
- leaflets and brochures from travel agencies
- guidebooks you can send away for, from various destinations around the world
- VisitBritain's website