What Does a Career in Hospitality Mean?
A career in hospitality refers to a career in either the restaurant business or hotels and other accommodations. Service occupations account for nearly two-thirds of the hotel industry's employment, and job opportunities are excellent as new hotels are expected to open. Hospitality employment and hospitality careers are predominantly found in major cities and exotic locations where traveling/vacationing is frequent.
Hotels and accommodations includes all types of lodging, from luxurious 5-star hotels to youth hostels and RV parks. People travel for a variety of reasons, and the industry seeks to accommodate them.
This means that hotels need to offer more than just room and board. These days people don't just travel for one reason, but for many different reasons, and hotels need to have services that accommodate all travelers. You will frequently find restaurants, cocktail lounges, boutiques, drug and cosmetics counters, and so on. Restaurant hospitality employment is basically the same as any other restaurant except the setting here is in a hotel. These restaurants need to operate independently but cohesive with the hotel.
Hotels can be classified as either full-service or limited service. Full-service hotels will generally provide a variety of different services but will usually include one or more restaurants and beverage service. Some other services provided by luxurious 5-star hotels include, but not limited to, gift boutiques, newsstands, swimming pools, day spas and fitness centers, and laundry/valet services.
The largest hotels would even have banquet rooms, exhibit halls, and grand ballrooms to cater to conventions, business meetings, weddings, and other social gatherings. Many businesses seeking to have a business outting for their staff and personnel would look to these hotels as an option.
Limited-service hotels & motels are properties that normally just provide room and lodging. They usually offer continental breakfasts, vending machines snacks, housekeeping services and sometimes a swimming pool. These properties are not expensive to create and maintain and appeal to small business owners or family businesses.
A Career in Hotel Management or Restaurant Management
Hotels are operational around the clock, so hospitality employees will work various shifts including over night ones. Hospitality managers and hotel managers generally work regular office hours; however, it is not uncommon for their hours to be longer than expected. Hospitality service employees should be expected to manage these kinds of hours.
A degree in hospitality management at a hotel school or university is suggested for those seeking to advance their careers in the hospitality industry. Hospitality schools and education can be found throughout the country and many universities offer degrees in hospitality management.
Hotel manager salaries depend on the size of the operation and their specific responsibilities. Hotel managers are typically eligible for a bonus up to fifty percent of their salary. Additionally, the hospitality management industry treats their hotel managers well by providing them with meals, parking, laundry, and other services as well as on-site lodging for them and their families as well.
Careers in the hospitality industry don't end at hotel managers; however. Due to the nature of a large-scale hotel, many different sections of their wide range of services all need managers to control and monitor operations in an effort for making everything run smoothly. It is not uncommon to find beverage management, foodservice management, lodging management, online hospitality management, hotel business management, hotel revenue management and tourism management all under the same roof.
The restaurant industry can also synergize well with the hospitality industry. Because restaurants are typically found in larger hotels, hospitality restaurant mangers must operate their restaurant seamlessly with the operations of the hotel.
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