Are you looking to start a new career? If so, you should consider a career in tourism.
Tourism has become an increasingly popular career choice in recent years — and for good reason. It’s both a fun and rewarding career that offers several noteworthy benefits. In this post, we’re going to explore five key benefits of starting a career in tourism.
5 Reasons to Start a Career in Tourism
#1) Tourism Is One of the World’s Largest Industries
Contributing over $7.6 trillion to the global economy each year, tourism is one of the world’s largest industries. Statistics show that the United States and France are two of the top countries for tourism. With that said, there are numerous other countries in which tourism is popular. Whether you choose to work in the United States, France or any other country, you can rest assured knowing that tourism is a healthy and thriving industry.
#2) It Allows You to Travel
Not surprisingly, securing a career in tourism allows you to travel the world, all while meeting new people and discovering new locations. As a tour guide, for example, you may organize tours so that guests can tour a popular tourist destination. As a travel agent, you may scout potential destinations to choose the right one for your customers.
#3) It Will Strengthen Your Soft Skills
When working in the tourism industry, you’ll develop stronger soft skills. Also known as interpersonal or “people” skills, soft skills are skills that allow us to effectively communicate with other people. Regardless of your specific position in the tourism industry, you’ll probably talk to guests on a regular basis, thereby strengthening your soft skills.
#4) People Are Spending More Money When Traveling
It’s also worth mentioning that people are spending more money when traveling today than they did in the past. A report published by the U.S. Travel Association found that consumers spent over $1,036 trillion when traveling in 2016. It’s a thriving industry that continues to grow larger with each passing year.
#5) It’s Easy to Get Started
Contrary to what some people may believe, it’s not particularly difficult to get started with a career in tourism. You can enrol in a hospitality and tourism diploma course, for example, to gain the skills needed to start a career in this industry. Not all tourism employers require a diploma. But if you put forth the effort to earn one, you’ll set yourself apart from other candidates, all while increasing your chance of getting hired.
Hospitality professionals play an important role in today’s service industry. These individuals work for many different hospitality businesses operating in the United States, providing accommodation services to their respective customers. While most people have at least heard of the phrase “hospitality professionals”, many are unfamiliar with the term and exactly what it means. Today we’ll take a closer look at what is a hospitality professional and the role that they serve in business.
What is a Hospitality Professional?
Overview of Hospitality Professionals
A hospitality professional isn’t a specific job title. Rather, it refers to anyone who works within the hospitality industry. Hospitality businesses are service-oriented businesses that include lodging, restaurants, cafes, resorts, clubs, bars, amusement parks, and even zoos. They are considered hospitality businesses because they rely on creating and maintaining strong relationships with their customers. The individuals who work for these businesses are known as hospitality professionals.
Benefits of Becoming a Hospitality Professional
Why should you consider becoming a hospitality professional? Working in the hospitality industry offers a myriad of perks and benefits. First, it allows you to meet and interact with new people on a regular basis. If you have an outgoing personality and enjoy operating in social situations, there’s no better industry in which to work. A hospitality job allows you to leverage the power of your “people skills” to engage customers and foster long-lasting relationships that ultimately increase sales and promote the business.
Requirements for Becoming a Hospitality Professional
Because hospitality is such a large, broad industry, the requirements for becoming a hospitality industry vary. If you’re applying for a job as a restaurant manager, eg you may be required to have two or more years of managerial experience in a restaurant or similar hospitality business. On the other hand, if you’re applying for a job as a travel company sales representative, the position may require sales experience.
Regardless of which type of hospitality job you are applying for, earning a hospitality diploma can significantly increase your chances of getting hired for the position. When given the option of hiring a candidate with a diploma or a candidate without a diploma, an employer will most likely choose the former.
It’s also worth noting that hospitality professionals with a diploma are typically compensated better than their counterparts without a diploma. Therefore, anyone who’s considering a position as a hospitality professional should consider earning a hospitality diploma.
The Rising Need for Hospitality Professionals
There’s a strong demand for hospitality professionals in the United States — a trend that isn’t expected to slow anytime soon. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than 50,000 new hospitality jobs will be created within the next year.
With the hospitality industry exhibiting extreme growth and increasing demand for skilled workers, this may be a perfect time to get started on your career. AHA World Campus offers various professional development diplomas and certificate programs to help you get started on your hospitality career today.
There’s an old saying that if you do something you love, you’ll never work another day in your life. While there are countless career paths available, many aspiring professionals choose a career in the hospitality industry. Consisting of hotels, restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, travel agencies and other service-oriented businesses, it’s a wide-reaching industry that’s poised for strong growth in the coming years. Below are five undeniable benefits of working in the hospitality industry.
5 Benefits of Working in the Hospitality Industry
#1) It’s Growing
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that the hospitality industry is growing. According to a recent report published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), over 1.1 million hospitality workers were hired in June 2019 alone. To put that number into perspective, that’s about 64,000 more hires than that of June 2018.
#2) It Pays Well
Working in the hospitality industry also allows you to make a comfortable living. Statistics show the median pay for lodging managers — one of many positions available in the hospitality industry — is approximately $53,390 per year or $25.67 per hour. Of course, some positions pay even more. Regardless, hospitality workers typically earn more, on average, than workers in other industries.
#3) You’ll Meet New People
You’ll meet and interact with new people on a daily basis when working in the hospitality industry. After all, hospitality businesses are service-oriented businesses that emphasize positive and meaningful interactions with guests. As a lodging manager, for example, you’ll probably be required to check on guests to ensure all their needs are met. As a restaurant manager, on the other hand, you may need to check on patrons while greeting yourself and letting them know to contact you if they need anything. All hospitality businesses allow you to meet and interact with new people on a daily basis.
#4) It’s a Relaxed Working Environment
It’s also worth mentioning the hospitality industry offers a relaxed working environment. Granted, it’s not always easy work, but the environment itself is relatively relaxed and low key when compared to other industries. This alone is reason enough for many people to consider a career in the hospitality industry.
#5) You Can Study For It
There are ways to study and better prepare yourself for a career in the hospitality industry. You can take a hospitality diploma course, for instance. During this course, you’ll learn the innerworkings of the hospitality industry, including essential skills that will ultimately improve your productivity and performance in this wide-reaching industry.
HOSPITALITY or TOURISM? TOURISM or HOSPITALITY?
The terms “hospitality” and “tourism” are often used interchangeably. While similar, though, they aren’t necessarily the same. If you’re considering a career in either of these industries, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the differences between hospitality and tourism. Only then will you be able to choose the right career.
What Is Tourism?
Tourism is both an industry and concept. As a concept, tourism refers to traveling to a destination — either within a person’s own country or outside his or her own country — for business or leisure purposes. More specifically, the World Tourism Organization defines the word “tourism” as the practice of “traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure and not less than 24 hours, business and other purposes.” As an industry, tourism consists of businesses that sell products or services to these travellers, whom are also known as “tourists.”
Common examples of tourism businesses include:
- Cruise lines
- Hotels
- Tour guides
- Amusement parks
- Travel agents
What Is Hospitality?
Like tourism, hospitality is both a concept and industry. As a concept, hospitality refers to the relationship between a guest and a host. When you visit a friend’s home for dinner, for example, he or she acts as the host while you act as the guest. Hospitality is the concept that governs this relationship. As an industry, hospitality consists of businesses that are heavily dependent upon such relationships. To succeed, hospitality businesses must foster strong and meaningful relationships with their guests. Failure to do so will likely result in guests leaving the business for a competitor’s products or services.
Common examples of hospitality businesses include:
- Restaurants
- Cafes
- Hotels
- Bed & breakfasts
- Clubs
- Event planning
How the Tourism and Hospitality Industries Differ
Now let’s take a closer look at how tourism and hospitality industries differ from each other. Hospitality is a larger industry that actually includes many tourism businesses. Because tourism businesses rely on strong and meaningful relationships with their customers to succeed, they are often classified as hospitality businesses as well. The difference between the tourism and hospitality industries is that former is a smaller industry that specifically focuses on traveling activities, whereas the latter is a larger industry that encompasses all businesses in which strong and meaningful customer relationships are required.