Hospitality management has various objectives and functions that differ from one business to the next. However, its primary goal remains the same; to provide the best service and a flawless experience to customers from start to finish. If you are interested in a career in hospitality management, you will learn all about this industry and how to get started in this article.
What is Hospitality Management?
Firstly, it’s important to know what hospitality management is all about. It involves overseeing the daily administrative, operational and commercial tasks of businesses like hotels, resorts, restaurants, catering establishments, shops, casinos, amusement parks and many other related businesses. From the big hotel chains to the smallest dining establishments, they are all part of the hospitality industry. When you work in hospitality management, your goal as the manager is to make your guests feel at home and ensure they have the most pleasant experience at your establishment.
What is the Difference Between Hotel and Hospitality Management?
Hospitality management can sometimes be confused with hotel management, mainly because they share similar academic requirements and are both part of the travel and tourism industry. However, there are some prime differences in the two sectors.
Hotel management purely focuses on the hotel industry and the job opportunities are only within the hotel sector, with managerial jobs in hotels, housekeeping, and operations management. Hospitality management, on the other hand, is an umbrella of different industries including food and beverage, travel, accommodation, event management, etc. There are varied managerial job opportunities in this sector, such as working as a casino manager, resort manager, restaurant manager, or event organiser, among others.
What Qualifications Do You Need for Hospitality Management?
While there are some hospitality jobs that only require a diploma, in order to earn a higher salary in a higher-level job, it is best to get a degree. An associate’s degree offers general education courses with some hospitality subjects covered in the classes. Bachelor’s degree, on the other hand, will take 4 years to complete and covers hospitality management, accounting, and finance courses. Most business colleges offer hospitality management courses as part of their curriculum.
What Are the Main Responsibilities of A Hospitality Manager?
As a hospitality manager, your task is to oversee various departments in your resort or hotel, for example, in housekeeping, concierge, restaurant, spa, budgeting, conferences, reception, maintenance, and guest services. It is your job to ensure everything runs smoothly in all the departments. Although your duties will depend on which sector you work, some of your main responsibilities can include:
- Monitoring accounts and managing budgets
- Managing staff and arranging cover for holidays and absences
- Assist the staff with the day-to-day running of events and functions
- Come up with new and innovative ideas for better business performance
- Dealing with customer complaints and queries
- Interview and train new staff
- Ensure health and safety regulations are adhered to
What Kind of Jobs Can You Get With a Hospitality Management Degree?
Since hospitality management covers a wide range of different sectors, the job opportunities are aplenty. Below are some examples of the hospitality careers you can pursue after getting a degree in this field:
- Resort or hotel manager
- Restaurant manager
- Food & Beverage Manager
- Catering manager
- Event planning
- Chef
- Concierge
- Marketing, sales and media roles
- Financial or accounting roles
Hospitality Management Operations
Hospitality management operations involve the implementation of resources, materials, equipment, and technology. As an operations manager, you will be expected to develop and deliver a service or goods to customers based on their needs. In operations management, your role is to handle different strategic problems, including the utilisation of project management methods and determining the size of manufacturing plants as well as implementing the IT network structure. Other operational responsibilities include inventory levels management, raw material acquisition, materials handling, quality control, and work-in-process levels.
Different Management Types Within the Hospitality Sector
There are a number of different types of hospitality management to be aware of, with two of the most significant types explained in more depth below:
Restaurant Management
Within the wider field of hospitality management, the discipline of restaurant management describes the management of businesses within the restaurant industry or management of restaurants within a larger business. This includes management of day-to-day operations, employees, finances, business strategies, stock, and much more.
Hotel Management
Hotel management is a type of hospitality management that is specifically focused on the day-to-day management of a hotel, motel, hostel, bed and breakfast, or similar form of guest accommodation. In practice, this means overseeing core operations, supervising departments in need, managing employees and finances, and devising strategies.
Revenue Management
Revenue management is a discipline within hospitality management that is focused on optimising financial outcomes and, in particular, revenue generation. This involves using available data to make intelligent projections about demand so that the right product can be sold to the right customer, at the right time, for the right price.
Travel Agencies to Increase Your Bookings
Online travel agencies form an important part of hospitality management for many travel companies. These OTAs often provide a single platform for customers to find, compare and book products and services, they are able to attract customers who might not otherwise find your company or book with you directly.
Hospitality Industry: An Overview of All Sectors
The relationship between a host and a guest is referred to as hospitality, If you invite a friend over to your home, you will be performing hospitality by serving your guest’s needs. People around the world rely on the hospitality industry in many aspects of their life. From catering establishments to shops, casinos, hotels, or amusement parks, people experience different forms of hospitality almost every day. This industry is an important concept on which countless businesses operate. In order to fully understand the importance of hospitality, you must first become familiarised with all the sectors within it.
Hospitality Management and Other Hospitality Careers
The concept of hospitality management includes everything from general manager roles, to revenue management, restaurant management and HR management positions. On top of this, there are a variety of hospitality careers that do not involve management, but which are simultaneously rewarding, challenging, varied and popular with applicants.
Best Channels to Find Hospitality Jobs
Companies operating in the hospitality industry will typically advertise hospitality jobs on a variety of platforms, depending on the nature of the role and the target audience. For hospitality management positions, in particular, it is important to expand your search across multiple channels, so that you avoid missing out on your dream job.
Find Hospitality Management Career Opportunities
Hospitality management can be challenging and rewarding in equal measure, but if you are pursuing a hospitality management career, you are likely to encounter competition. With this in mind, it can be important to try to identify the best places to look for jobs, as well as the best ways to make your application and interview stand out.
Hotel Websites for Finding Hospitality Management Jobs
Hospitality management positions are always in high demand, which is why it is important to act swiftly and to make sure you do not miss out on opportunities. One of the best ways to find hospitality management jobs is to actually go through hotel companies directly, using their corporate or company websites, which typically have a ‘Careers’ section.
Using Job Boards to Become a Hospitality Manager
If you are hoping to secure a job as a hospitality manager, the very first thing you need to know is where to look. Although employers will use a variety of platforms to get the word out about a hospitality management vacancy, job boards rank among the most popular options. For job seekers, they represent one of the most convenient options too.
Hospitality Marketing Trends
A solid marketing strategy is a critical part of any business for the purposes of building an influential brand, attracting new clients and maintaining their loyalty. Customer loyalty is very important to the hospitality industry, that’s why marketing managers tend to dedicate a lot of time and effort to build brand awareness and create ongoing marketing campaigns. These advertising efforts usually consist of digital and print media that targets new guests. By understanding the importance of hospitality marketing, you can make great progress in your business and stand out in this highly competitive market.
The Latest Hospitality Trends
With the ever-changing hospitality industry in the global scene, it is important to keep up with the latest trends in this sector. The hospitality sector continues to grow as people are travelling more than ever before. Every year, new hotels and restaurants are opening in order to meet the growing demands of consumers. With the advances in technology, there is certainly a lot to look forward to in the world of hospitality as new and existing businesses become more innovative.
Hospitality Technology Trends to Watch Out For
Travelling has become more popular than ever, and as a result, technology trends are constantly changing the guest experience for the better. Therefore most hospitality managers nowadays opt for management software to make their tasks easier. Every year, new and exciting apps and software are released, and the hospitality industry is making the most of integrating them into our daily lives. But since the world of technology is always changing and improving, the hospitality industry needs to make sure it keeps track of these trends in order to take advantage of them all.
Hospitality Courses to Assist You With Hospitality Management
Hospitality management positions are often the pinnacle of careers in the industry, and succeeding in such a role requires specific skills and expertise. Many of the most successful managers have completed a hospitality course, or even several different courses, and plenty of educational institutions have courses available.
Revenue Management & Hospitality Management
The hotel and hospitality industry are increasingly elevating the role of revenue management. Many are now looking for strategic ways to increase their profits. Revenue managers in the hospitality sector are increasingly taking part in seminars and courses for the purpose of increasing their knowledge about revenue management.
A Free and Comprehensive Guide to Revenue Management & Hotel Marketing
Revenue management and marketing strategies have rapidly evolved in the last few years. With the ever-changing behaviour of consumers, it’s important for the hospitality industry to keep up by turning to digital technology. Only this way will they be able to gain new insights into the customer behaviour by conducting research and analysing the market.
The Effects of the Coronavirus Outbreak on Hospitality Management
Just as the global COVID-19 outbreak has significantly impacted the lives of more than 4.5 billion individuals, its presence has also been felt throughout the hotel and hospitality sector. As a growing number of governments are instituting draconian lockdown measures, several well-known events have been cancelled. These include (but may not be limited to) the UEFA Euro 2020, the ITB Berlin Travel Trade Show and the Olympics.
Due to the fact that businesses are reducing their operations while their employees are concerned about job security, it likewise stands to reason that many related trips and seminars have also been cancelled. When we compound this with a global sense of fiscal uncertainty, it is no surprise that lower holiday bookings can be expected throughout 2020 and well into 2021.
Businesses operating within hospitality management, like restaurants and hotels have been experiencing declines in booking rates of up to 90 per cent and a handful have even closed. These institutions are being forced to deal with substantial revenue losses in conjunction with ongoing operational costs. As such situations have never occurred in the past, owners continue to struggle.
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