Tourism Internships in Phuket

Did the Divemaster Internship with Robert and Ulysse and then stayed on and worked for Merlin as a DM for 10 months after. Clearly, I must have liked it. Robert can be a tough boss, but he has a heart of gold, and he gave me a great experience of what it was like to work in the diving industry. You're not required to spend any time in the shop selling fun dives or courses, or filling tanks or other grunt work, you are just there to learn how to be a great DM and you will get tons of experience guiding customers through the internship. Big shoutout to Instructor Ulysse. They say that the only thing that matters when choosing where to do a course is the instructor, and man, I lucked out. He is the most capable and thorough instructor I have ever met and I would trust him with my life 100 times over. Miss you guys already!

We were a big group 8 candidates all starting at the same time. I found friends for life! We learned together, we dove together and we spent our free time together. The program offered way over100 dives and at the end we were very proud to have all succeed and finished to be certified DIVEMASTERS!

Gives you a great feel for the industry and adequately prepares you for your diving career. Shows you how a dive centre can and should be run. Owner and manager Robert is always very helpful and professional.

From my first contact almost 2 yrs before joining the intern program it was a great experience. Diving was a passion that went unrealized for almost 20yrs; as work and life got in the way. I was given the opportunity to be a DM candidate to fill my dream of being a dive pro. It was 3 months of intense on the job training. 111 dives 5435 minutes underwater 97 days 5 stitches And most of all new lifelong friends It was an incredibly fulfilling,informative , intense learning internship. Most of my fellow candidates are now instructors! You get to work hard and enjoy being in Thailand! I am now a Dive Master at 55yrs old and retired. It's never too late. Thank you Merlin Divers

Sepanx is real! (separation anxiety) I gained so many charming friends in my internship in USA! My workmates are adorable people. As to the job duties, we did leisure travel arrangements, cruises, tours, independent packages, corporate travel-related sales. We also arranged their service - air, car, hotel reservations. I got to try a lot of hotels (for free!) because we "develop incoming leads and turn them into bookings". They also told me that I have potential to become a full-time consultant after the internship period. I am thrilled!

I really love traveling. They say that when you do something you love, you won't have to work a day in your life. So this is my first step to being a travel consultant. The firm I was assigned to is very hospitable - was welcomed by an all-female staff, which made me really comfortable. They are like sisters and mothers to me. I got particularly close to Jessica, my partner in our Japan project, and to Ms. Lilia, who is my boss in one of our arrangement/ deal with a rude customer! They are so nice even if some customers are so rude, that's why I really admire them. It was grace under pressure, in the most literal sense!

Working for a travel consultancy firm made me realize how interesting this field is for me. I talked to clients, created itineraries, did research on fares, and communicated with a lot of people. When I said phone calls are main part of my job duties, I ain't lying. But the fact that I learned about the operations (ins and outs) of travel consultancy is very significant to me. Very valuable, since I plan to open a travel consultancy firm in the near future!

am grateful for my IGS mentor for being the best mentor I could think of. He always checks up on me and explains me the tasks thoroughly before letting me dive into the action. was assigned to do social media strategies to reach out to possible clients. also connected with local hostels for possible partnerships. Now, I have a great list of hostels which I could use when I bring my friends here next time.

My IGS mentor encouraged my on-the-ground participation on more complex tasks like events planning. We coordinated for a staff party and I was so amazed how I could be so creative and efficient! My fellow interns are so imaginative and resourceful too. Aside from their staff party, we were also involved in their staff seminars and meetings; and it made us feel a sense of belongingness. I feel like I am a part of the family. Thank you to the kind hotel staff, superiors, and of course, too IGS!

This internship is a great way to explore my passion while learning the business side of things. I have always identified myself as a “wanderlust”. Here, we are reminded to do responsible travelling to natural areas, in an effort to conserve the environment and sustain the well-being of the local people. We did a lot of marketing trips and seminars. It would be particularly helpful since I plan to take up Marketing in college.

I was assigned in Cancun, Mexico, and promoted whale shark tours and accompanied clients. I learned the importance of building environmental and cultural awareness and respect; and providing positive experiences for visitors. I will never forget them. Not to mention that my fellow interns are just so wonderful! One of them was training for the beauty pageant Miss Earth, which is an international environmental-themed competition. She said that is a great way to know more about environmental conservation. Well, I am sure it is. Good luck to her..

I needed another internship for my college resume and I am glad to have read about IGS at such a perfect time. This internship was one of a kind, I could say. For the job, we carried out Marketing duties for the resort. It was fascinating that they shared us effective marketing strategies and techniques. And for the networking, my co-interns are wonderful. They came from different parts of the world and we were happy to share our cultures while we explore our host country. Love the expi!

What I appreciate in my short stint as an intern was that we were assigned to different departments and duties. Personally, I particularly enjoyed handling front desk duties and check-ins. I was able to witness real-life situations wherein some customers are very difficult to attend to; but my superiors showed me how they professionally handled them. It was inspiring to see how calm and smiling they are all the time. IGS helps interns determine whether they have the right personality for tourism and hospitality – and now I’m sure I am perfect and ready for this career!

As a traveller, this eco-tourism field is the most interesting for me. It was my first time in Sydney, Australia, and I was assigned to a high-end wine gallery, as an assistant guide on daily tours. The chief guide also gave me an opportunity to do away from his shadow and to lead some tours. IGS, you rock!

My mom and I are thrilled to know that I was accepted in this internship program. She was the one who gave me an idea about IGS, which she learned from her colleague. I was deployed to a leading kayak tour company in Thailand. We are toured in the John Gray's Hong in Phang Nga Bay where we discovered the caves and lagoons through sea kayaking excursion. We paddled our way around Koh Phanak and Hong Island, made flower ‘Krathong’, and watched the sunset from the boat. It was a magical experience.

More than just practical experience, the best part for me was the opportunity to take on a paid position. I get to earn salaries and buy the things I could not spend on when I was still a student. It gives me a sense of freedom and independence. There is a high turnover in this field, so our superiors guaranteed us that hardworking students can earn employment if we continued working effectively and efficiently.

I took my internship in Australia and it was crazy (in a good way)! It was super fun bonding with my co-interns and hotel staff. I am still friends with them until now. We talk via Viber and WeChat during weekends. I also met my boyfriend there, so it was an experience I will never forget!

I worked with a company that ran tours into the Hunter Valley wine country two hours north of Sydney. I conducted a survey of the competition in the area and made suggestions to the owner on how to update his social media pages so he was more competitive. We worked together to prepare the meals for the day. On the bus, my job was to go between guests and tell them little things about where we were going and what to expect. And, sometimes just to shoot the breeze. When we stopped at a scenic lookout, the owner and I would get out the cheese tray and serve exotic cheeses. And I accompanied them on the wine tasting at the various locations and made sure everyone knew where the bathroom was and showing them the basics.

For my international internship, IGS set me up in Cancun, Mexico to work for an eco-tourism company and to assist on weekends with a sea turtle rescue foundation. My employers and co-workers were some of the friendliest I’ve had the pleasure to meet. For the first three weeks of my internship, I worked at the marina seeing tourists off on the whale shark tour. My last week, I helped edit tour descriptions and did writing for the blog. I was happy to have the opportunity to see both sides: the administration and the actual tours. My other project was with the Palace Foundation. I helped relocate sea turtle nests to a protected area with biologists. Because of excellent housing plans by IGS, I was placed in an apartment with one of my fellow interns. I would not trade in this experience for anything. I’ve had a truly life-changing adventure that opened the door for more international adventures in the future. I did not realize how much fun I would have and how close I would get to my newfound friends in Mexico. While my tan will fade, my memories leave a permanent and positive imprint on my life.