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.
Quick menu:
- What is Hospitality Management?
- What is the Difference Between Hotel and Hospitality Management?
- What Qualifications Do You Need for Hospitality Management?
- What Are the Main Responsibilities of a Hospitality Manager?
- What Kind of Jobs Can You Get With a Hospitality Management Degree?
- Hospitality Management Operations
- Different Management Types Within the Hospitality Sector
- Video: More Information About Hospitality Management
- Travel Agencies to Increase Your Bookings
- Hospitality Industry: An Overview of All Sectors
- Hospitality Management and Other Hospitality Careers
- Best Channels to Find Hospitality Jobs
- Find Hospitality Management Career Opportunities
- Hotel Websites for Finding Hospitality Management Jobs
- Using Job Boards to Become a Hospitality Manager
- Hospitality Marketing Trends
- The Latest Hospitality Trends
- Hospitality Technology Trends to Watch Out For
- Hospitality Courses to Assist You With Hospitality Management
- Revenue Management & Hospitality Management
- Free and Comprehensive Guide to Revenue Management & Hotel Marketing
Extra: The Effects of the Coronavirus Outbreak on Hospitality Management
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.
Check out “Restaurant Management: Everything You Need to Know” to explore the topic of restaurant management in greater depth and learn about what it means, the main duties, why it matters as a discipline, and the specific qualities that are needed to achieve success as a restaurant manager.
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.
If you would like to know more about what hotel management entails, how to acquire a hotel management position, some of the most critical hotel management software solutions and the various strategies that are used by professionals working in this area, check out “Hotel Management: Everything You Need to Know About Managing a Hotel”.
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.
To learn more about what revenue management is, how it can be defined, why it is important and how it differs from similar concepts, check out the “Revenue Management; clearly explained!” article.
Video: More Information About Hospitality Management
The video below explains what is hospitality management? and how to choose the right university?
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.
Read our “Travel Agencies: Platforms to Increase Travel Company Bookings” article for an index of the biggest travel agencies, broken down according to the parts of the travel industry they specialise in.
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. In the informative guide, ‘Hospitality Industry; Everything You Need to Know About Hospitality’, you will learn all about the different sectors within the hospitality industry and its connections with the travel and hotel industry.
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.
Read “Hospitality Careers: Overview of All Hospitality Positions” for a breakdown of all of the core hospitality jobs, including details on the responsibilities and day-to-day tasks involved with each of these roles.
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.
In our article, “Hospitality Jobs: Overview of All Channels to Find Your Next Job”, you will be able to find more details about the various channels that are available, from company websites and job boards, through to social media.
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.
If you read our “Hospitality Management Careers: Tips to Help You to Find Your Next Job” article, you will be able to find a number of useful tips that will help you en route to landing your ideal management position.
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.
Read “Hospitality Management Jobs: List of Hotel Chains to Find a Job” and you will have a useful directory of some of the world’s biggest hotel chains, so that you can easily search for managerial vacancies online.
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.
Read “Hospitality Manager: List of Job Boards to Boost Your Career” and you will be able to find out more about 10 of the best job boards that are focused on the hospitality industry and likely to advertise management positions.
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 Marketing Trends’ guide reveals the most effective marketing trends in the hospitality industry to optimise revenue and stay ahead of the competition.
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. In the article, ‘Hospitality Trends: The Latest Trends in The Hospitality Industry’, you will find out about the upcoming hospitality trends that are taking the industry by storm.
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. ‘The Latest Technology Trends in the Hospitality Industry’ is an informative guide that offers an insight into the latest technology trends in the hospitality industry.
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.
If you are interested in finding out more about hospitality courses, how they can help you into management roles, and where you can actually find them, read “Hospitality Course: An Overview of Courses & Hospitality Educators”.
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. To learn more about the most relevant strategies used in revenue management, take a look at this detailed guide, ‘Revenue Management; clearly explained!’.
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. If you are a hotel owner, make sure you take note of these powerful techniques and tips in the article, ‘Free Guide: Revenue Management & Hotel Marketing Strategies’.
If you need a change of career, or you are tired of working for the same company, why not change the type of establishment you are working in! This is one of the great things about hospitality; since there are many different career directions you could take within this sector without having to change your work environment.
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.
In the category “Corona” you find a selection of tips which helps businesses operating in the hospitality and travel industry to recover and prepare for better times.
Want to Learn More About Management in Related Industries?
All hospitality, travel and tourism-related industries have commonalities, however, management in each industry is influenced by specific unique factors. In the following articles, you can learn more about management within related industries.
- Hotel Management: Everything You Need to Know About Managing a Hotel
- Tourism Management: All You Need to Know About Tourism
- Revenue Management; clearly explained!
- Restaurant Management: Everything You Need to Know
- What is Travel Management?
- Aviation Management: A Great Guide to Start Your Career in Aviation
- Destination Management: How Tourism Adds Value to Your Destination
Nice blog. In this blog, you have explained all the different aspects of hospitality management including the difference between the hotel and hospitality industry. Thank you!
This article explains the essentials of hospitality management. It also gives guidelines in hospitality management operations and qualifications needed in hospitality management. It also explains how to achieve quality service and a flawless experience to customer’s, based on their needs. Therefore, this article is very informative to the readers.
I found it interesting when you said that a wide range of different sectors are covered by hospitality management, so the job opportunities are plenty. This gives me the idea of how beneficial it is for restaurant owners to implement online hospitality training for their staff. I could imagine how the said training could better make all the staff aware of their responsibilities in order to provide the best services.
So helpful these tips about hospitality management. Thank you!