What does a hotel management do?
The hospitality industry is one of the booming sectors of the world today. It is an industry with diverse career opportunities allowing people to enjoy their lives through different means. For people interested in serving and helping others meet their needs, it is necessary to take this path. One of the industry’s important sectors is hotel management. Hotel management involves learning administrative techniques necessary for running a hotel. These include administration, catering, housekeeping, marketing, and maintenance. Hotel management is part of the tourism industry but has unique features that differentiate it from other tourism sectors. It is important to understand these features before pursuing a career path in hotel management.
Hotel management encompasses a wide range of career options in hospitality.
One can access this option by pursuing a diploma or a bachelor’s degree. The different sectors one can work in increase the options for an individual pursuing this path. For instance, one can work in club management, hotel and catering institutes, airline catering and cabin services, hospital administration and catering, hotel and tourism associations, and hotels and restaurants. These sectors offer several career paths. For instance, one can be a catering manager, responsible for the quality of food prepared in the outlet they are working. Besides, the catering manager ensures the food is performing well in the market. One can also be an executive chef, responsible for designing and reviewing menus in an establishment. The executive chef is also responsible for training cooks and reviewing cooking practices and food purchases in the outlet’s kitchen.
Hotel management also offers opportunities for one to become an accommodation manager, events manager or restaurant manager. An accommodation manager is responsible for all accommodation in the establishment. He ensures the establishment’s proper functioning and addresses any issues that might spout up. Specifically, the accommodation manager is
responsible for making budgets, establishment maintenance and cleanliness. The events manager coordinates events in the establishment, such as sales meetings, charities, trade shows and conferences. These activities are tied to the restaurant manager, who manages the establishment’s revenues. An important part of any business or organization in tourism is efficient operation and generation of revenues. A restaurant manager ensures quality goals are met and that the establishment generates profits. These responsibilities indicate the major areas covered in hotel management. For instance, jobs in this sector are concerned majorly with hotels and restaurants and their functioning. Having relevant experience adds to the benefits associated with working in the industry.
The hospitality industry is booming!
However, its history is fascinating. For a long time, it has been neglected, with the industry not requiring formal education. However, the landscape is changing, with many entry-level jobs in hotel management requiring formal education of at least college level. In the contemporary world, one is required one have formal training before taking a job in the industry. This indicates the intensity of the growth of the industry. Significant growth in the United States regarding the industry became observed between the 1980s and 2010.
Many of these programs are being moved into business schools in most universities, while others decide to keep them as stand-alone programs. According to DATAUSA (2022), the average wage of people in hospitality management is 93362 dollars depicting a growth of 1.76 percent. Also, the average employee age is 43.8, indicating the need for experience in the industry. The data also indicates a growing median in-state tuition fee of 7.06 percent. The growth indicates a rising demand for careers, reflecting the booming hospitality industry.
Hotel management differs slightly from other hospitality fields due to its focus on hotels and restaurants. Sometimes, an individual in hotel management can work with others in different
hospitality fields, such as travel and tourism, food and beverages and lodging. These fields form part of hotel management; thus, a blurry line differentiates them. The commonality of requirements also demonstrates the differences with other fields to work in other hospitality fields. Most of these features are similar such as good communication, better personality skills and customer service. Despite these differences, individuals in hotel management are identified by their focus on hotels and restaurants.
Attaining employment in hotel management starts with a degree in hospitality management. The United States has over one million restaurants, more than 14 percent of the world’s restaurants. The high number reflects the rising demand for workers in the hospitality
field. With many sectors covered in training in hotel management, one can work where one wants. Workers in hotel management receive better wages, including compensation and other benefits. Many colleges include travel and tourism in training individuals in hotel management. Training in tourism and travel helps individuals in the industry to work in tour companies, cruise lines, travel agencies, and airlines. Most employers require workers with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality and extensive experience in the industry. Practical experience helps one to gain skills in facilities maintenance, improve interpersonal skills, and provide an opportunity to specialize in specific areas. The industry is booming and thus will require a bigger workforce.
Written by Jiatong Li
References
DATAUSA. (2022). Hospitality Management | Data USA. Retrieved October 31, 2022, from datausa.io website: https://datausa.io/profile/cip/hospitality-management#demographics
