Career summary

With her extensive experience working in the tourism industry, and a specialisation in sustainability, Racha is now using her skills as the Operations Manager for EF Tours in Southeast Asia. Her current role involves in partnership development as well as involvement in tour production and procurement, spanning across Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. Attributing her unique skill set to the opportunities she received at Monash, Racha encourages current and future students to be open-minded and stay flexible while attending university, and looking toward their futures.  

The Master of International Sustainable Tourism Management stood out to Racha because it was a course that specialised in sustainable tourism and Monash was one of the only universities offering such a degree.

Career pathway

2021 – Present Operations Manager for Southeast Asia, EF Educational Tours
2020 – Project Manager, Mekong Institute, Thailand
Project Facilitator, OutBeyond, Melbourne
Melbourne Site Director, CIS Abroad
Outdoor Instructor, Auscamp
2019 – CERES Global (4 month internship)
2018 – 2020 Masters of International Sustainable Tourism Management, Monash
2017 – Experiential Learning Facilitator, JUMP! Foundation
2014 – Thailand Project Manager, International Student Volunteers (ISV)
2013 – Project Representative, Thailand Management Association
2010 – Thai Language Teacher Assistant, Webster University Thailand
2009 – Bachelor of Arts, majoring in International Relations and Psychology (Webster University, Thailand)

What inspired you to study a Master’s degree at Monash?

Sustainable tourism is what I’m really passionate about as I had been working within the industry for some time before completing my Masters. At the time, I was approaching my late 20s and started getting very curious about how to make a more positive impact in the world and create travel experiences that are more sustainable. Thinking about my future career prospects and how I could take it to the next level, I started to then research into different options around the world as well as scholarship opportunities. I found Monash! One of the main draw cards being that it’s in Melbourne which is one of the most liveable cities in the world. Monash also has a great reputation in the field of sustainability research. The content of the Masters course was also very appealing to me, and ultimately why I signed up.

Of course, all of this wouldn't have happened without a fully-funded scholarship from the Australian government so a huge thank you to the Department of Education and the Endeavour Scholarship program for believing in me. Without the scholarship, I wouldn’t have been able to come to Monash and gain all the skills, knowledge, and experiences that I now have.

What was your study experience like with Monash?

It was absolutely life-changing! A mix of different emotions but as soon as I started at Monash University, I felt very welcome and super supported. The university really has the best resources and support system in place to make sure your dreams will come true and that you receive the best education possible. I met so many incredible people from around the world and all walks of life which I’m still keeping in touch with until today. Studying for your master degree can be extremely stressful and challenging at times but overall I had the best experience and one which I’m very grateful for until today.

What were some of the highlights of your degree?

The highlight of my sustainable tourism degree is definitely during our field school trip where we get to put theory into practice. I went on a study tour in Europe to Latvia and Germany as part of my International Tourism Marketing Research subject. We went to ITB Berlin (International Tourismus Borse) where we carried out a group research project and analysis on the tourism industry on a global scale. This was a real highlight. ITB is the world’s largest tourism trade fair where you meet industry experts and professionals. Tourism is a highly networked industry where actually meeting your stakeholders is crucial. You meet the travel agents, country reps, destination management companies, journalists, bloggers and everyone in the travel industry. We were assigned a country and had to explore and analyse the tourism industry of the country and present our findings. I interviewed the Slovenian Tourism representatives to better understand the trends, challenges and opportunities for tourism in Slovenia including their sustainable practices.

Additionally there were also many trips domestically within Australia that we had to travel to such as Sydney, Tasmania and many parts of Victoria. These experiences truly allowed us to learn and create networks with people because tourism is very much a people-oriented industry so networking is super important to thrive in this field. Throughout my time I also had many great professors who are really passionate about the work they do and genuinely care about making travel better.

How has your degree with Monash advanced you in your career?

My time at Monash gave me a clearer vision of what I want in my career and professional development. The course enabled me to stand out in the tourism industry when applying for jobs. It gave me the space to deepen my passion for sustainable tourism and established myself in the industry as a tourism professional. Luckily, I also met my current company ‘EF’ at the right time when I finished the degree and was looking to implement all the knowledge and experiences I gained with Monash toward building better travel experiences for people. My time at Monash in Australia certainly was one of the factors that set me apart from other candidates applying for the same role.

What advice would you give current and future students that are entering into the workforce?

I would say to be patient with yourself, stay flexible and keep on persevering are the keys to your success! Today’s world is complicated and fast-changing so you need to quickly learn to adapt, constantly challenge your own assumptions and change with the world. Try to open yourself up to meeting different people and explore different opportunities, especially cross-cultural ones. If you face difficult times or adversity (which you certainly will!), learn from it and do not give up. I know my time with Monash was definitely not a bed of roses as I faced so many difficulties along the way but with many resources available and an incredible community of colleagues from Monash, I was able to get through those challenging times and graduated from the degree that I’m now really proud of.

As far as the tourism industry goes and jobs in this sector, the world is opening up again after the pandemic and there is an increased demand for tourism professionals and practitioners around the world. If you are interested in this field, the Masters of International Sustainable Tourism Management is a really unique course where you are on the ground learning and meeting many industry professionals and tourism experts. It will definitely benefit your career journey and deepen your appreciation for travelling. Something I know many of us are longing for after living under covid lockdown for a few years. If this course is for you, go for it. Best of luck!

Written by Arts intern, Lily McCure, 2022