We surveyed 97 travel & tourism lecturers in 2026. Here's what they told us:
81% struggle to keep students engaged and motivated
62% don't have time to create good quality resources
60% can't find resources that feel current and industry-relevant
This page — and everything we're building for September — is our answer.
DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?
It's Sunday evening and you're still building resources. Half your class is glazed over by period three. Your textbook still mentions Thomas Cook. The marking pile follows you home. And now half the assignments coming in were quite clearly written by ChatGPT.
You didn't get into teaching for any of that. You got into it because you love this industry and you want your students to love it too.
We're the Travel Training Academy — built by travel lecturers, for travel lecturers. Below are the six problems you've told us matter most, and exactly how we help with each one.
Write your awesome label here.
Write your awesome label here.
Problem 1 #
My students just aren't engaged
You told us this was your number one challenge — 81% of you, in fact. Attention spans are shorter, attendance is patchier, and PowerPoint number forty-seven isn't cutting it.
Our courses are interactive and video-based, built around scenarios, challenges and activities students actually do rather than sit through. Lecturers tell us students ask when they can do the next module — words you don't hear very often.
I don't have time to create decent resources.
62% of you said this — and when we asked what you'd fix with a magic wand, time and workload came up more than anything else.
Every course is ready to teach the moment you log in. No prep, no printing, no building slides from scratch. Set a module as classwork, homework or catch-up work for absent students, and it's ready to go.
Write your awesome label here.
Write your awesome label here.
Problem 3 #
My course content feels outdated.
The industry has changed enormously in the last few years — and 60% of you told us your resources haven't kept up.
Our courses were developed alongside working travel agency and aviation recruiters, and they're kept current. Real airline recruitment materials, present-day industry practice, careers as they actually are in 2026 — not as they were when the textbook was printed.
The marking never ends.
When we asked lecturers the magic wand question, the single most common answer wasn't resources or budgets. It was the marking.
Our interactive activities and quizzes mark themselves automatically, and you can see every student's progress at a glance. Less time playing assessment administrator, more time actually teaching. Imagine if half your marking simply… did itself.
Write your awesome label here.
Write your awesome label here.
Problem 5 #
My students are using AI to write their assignments.
The pain point nobody had two years ago. You set a written task; it comes back polished, word-perfect and suspiciously familiar.
Here's the thing: you can't ChatGPT a simulation. Our scenario-based activities require students to make decisions, respond to situations and think on their feet — there's nothing to copy and paste. Real skills, real evidence of learning, no AI shortcuts.
I can't afford trips and guest speakers anymore — and my students don't know what the job really involves.
36% of you said budget cuts have made visits and speakers difficult, and only 8 lecturers out of 97 felt fully confident their students understand the realities of working in travel.
We bring the industry into your classroom instead: realistic workplace scenarios, hard-to-find airline recruitment materials, and courses that show students the job as it really is — the brilliant bits and the challenging ones. No coach hire, no risk assessments, no begging the budget holder.
Write your awesome label here.
You spoke. We listened.
Earlier this year we asked lecturers across the UK to tell us honestly what makes this job hard. Ninety seven of you did — and you didn't hold back. The marking. The AI headache. Teams of five lecturers shrinking to two. Sunday evenings lost to resource-building.
Every course we're relaunching this September has been shaped by those answers. This page exists because of them.
And it's why we're doing things differently this time. No "free trial" that becomes yet another login you never get round to. Instead: email me, tell me your biggest headache, and I'll personally show you — in a way that fits around your timetable — exactly how we'd help with that specific problem. If it's not right for you, no hard feelings, and you'll have lost five minutes rather than five hours.
— Pauline, Travel Training Academy
What happens when you email us?
1. Pauline replies — personally.
Within one working day. There's no sales team, no automated sequence. You're talking to the person who runs the Academy.
2. You tell us your headache. We show you the fix.
A short reply, a two-minute video, or a relaxed 30-minute webinar for you and your colleagues — whatever suits you. We'll focus only on the problem you actually have.
3. You decide. No chasing, we promise.
If it helps, brilliant — we'll get your students set up for September. If not, we'll still be here whenever you need us, and you won't get seventeen follow-up emails..
Write your awesome label here.
Don't just take our word for it
"Self study interactive, realistic travel and tourism courses. The skills learnt and used to pass each course simulate situations you could be faced with in a whole range of careers from cabin crew, travel agent, passenger service agent, hotel receptionist and holiday reps. Test your skills and knowledge, aim for top scores, keep your certificates for evidence of completion and to enhance your CV. Nothing to lose, everything to gain!"
Claire Hutchison
Shipley college
"Absolute life savers and trailblazers helping us and fellow travel and aviation institutions to help students grow and be inspired. From the online courses to resources to support students and tutors nationwide.
I know our students have and continue to enjoy learning through your inclusive online experience and myself too.
Thank you for your support and proactiveness during lockdown.
I highly recommend the Travel Training Academy
Andrew Drew
Craven College
At Eastleigh College we have used the academy for our Year 11 transition students, they each have been invited to complete activities in readiness for their studies in September. Great tool and lovely to see so many learners enrolled on the academy and having a go. No marking required. The selection of activities/clips to watch and final assessments have been so simple to use.
Michelle Thornton
Eastleigh College
Questions lecturers usually ask
Is it mapped to my qualification?
Yes — our courses map to NCFE and BTEC travel & tourism qualifications. See our Curriculum Mapping page, or email Pauline your exact spec and she'll show you where everything fits.
What does it cost?
Licences are priced per student, with discounts for larger cohorts — and it typically costs less than a single industry visit. Email Pauline for a straightforward quote; there are no hidden extras. Prices start from £10 per student
I'm not techy. Will I cope?
Absolutely. When you come on board, Pauline runs a friendly 30-minute webinar for you and your colleagues, you get a recording to keep, and there's a full library of help videos. You'll never be left wondering how something works — and neither will your students.
How quickly can my students start?
Usually within a couple of days. You give students an enrolment code, they sign up on the homepage, and off they go.
We're a school rather than a college — can we still use it
Yes — and if budget is the sticking point, mention it in your email. We'd rather find a way to help than price you out.
One email. One less headache. That's the deal.
Tell Pauline the thing that's driving you maddest this term, and she'll show you exactly how we'd fix it.
hello@traveltrainingacademy.org