Should You Major in Hospitality and Tourism Management?
The traditional travel agent may be a dying breed—as so many people use the Internet these days to find the best deals on travel prices. But majoring in hospitality and tourism management can still open doors. In fact, the hospitality industry is growing fast—and despite the economy, people still love to travel.
The hospitality and tourism industry does not typically have a high education requirement for entry—people often land jobs as servers, hotel desk clerks, flight attendants, bartenders, and in other areas with no four-year degree or one with a different focus entirely. And for many people, these jobs are temporary stopgaps until the next best thing comes along.
If you hold a traditional or online hospitality management degree, not only do you stand out from the crowd in terms of education level—you demonstrate your commitment to the field. For this reason, people with Bachelor’s degrees often go on to higher-level management positions within the tourism industry. Here are just a few of the opportunities that may be open to you with this degree.
Restaurant manager
Restaurant managers ensure that a restaurant runs profitably. Their job can range from overseeing and training wait staff to managing scheduling, overseeing marketing and advertising, ensuring the restaurant fulfills cleanliness and hygiene requirements, managing inventory, and designing menus.
See Also: Online Management Degree Programs
Hotel manager
A hotel manager oversees all areas of hotel operations, including front desk staff, housekeeping, restaurant staff, maintenance and security, and more. The manager ensures that the hotel operates profitably, rooms are filled, and guests are satisfied.
Conference center manager
Conference centers host large-scale exhibits, conferences, trade shows, and other gatherings. The conference center manager works to attract high-profile events and orchestrate those events, lining up vendors and exhibitors, overseeing execution, marketing the event, and liaising with vendors and speakers.
Customer service manager
Customer service managers may work in a wide range of areas, from hotels to conference centers or companies in the hospitality industry. Their job is to liaise with customers to resolve problems, answer questions, and assure continuous customer loyalty. They might also educate people who work with the public in better customer relations strategies.
See Also: Online Hospitality Courses
Concierge
The concierge usually works for a larger hotel. Their job is to liaise with guests regarding entertainment and other needs. A concierge might make recommendations for restaurants, entertainment, and events; make reservations for guests; reserve cars and taxis; or help guests with specific issues, such as finding a twenty-four-hour pharmacy on short notice.
Bed and breakfast manager
Bed and breakfast hotels are often much smaller and more intimate than a larger hotel; some are run out of the innkeeper’s home. As the bed and breakfast manager, you might oversee housekeeping, food service, grounds maintenance, guest relations, reservations, and more—either doing it all yourself, in the case of a smaller establishment, or managing a small team.
Event manager
Event managers plan events for companies, clients, and individuals. Events could include weddings, bar- and bat-mitzvahs, corporate parties, anniversaries, and more. Event managers may work on a freelance basis, for a larger event management firm, or internally for a company; and they may or may not specialize in a certain type of event.
A degree in hospitality and tourism management can help you progress to a leadership role within the hospitality sector—in hotels, restaurants, theatres, sports venues, arts venues, and more. Options might range from managing your own restaurant or hotel to working within a larger one, overseeing a multi-functional team. With a Bachelor’s degree in this area, you demonstrate immediately to employers that you have management potential—and the commitment needed to progress.
Sources
UMASS: Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Purdue University: Hospitality and Tourism Management
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