The following article explain the hospitality management career. You will discover what professionals in hospitality management do, where they work, job duties, how to become one, popular career paths, and much more.
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What Hospitality Management Does
Hospitality management careers are for professionals who enjoy keeping customers happy and also enjoy playing the host. Hospitality management often centers on food service, lodging management and event planning and management. The bottom line in all of these types of hospitality management is to ensure that guest, customers and clients are given the best possible service and accommodations.
Hospitality managers normally handle the daily operation and management of the facility. They may provide oversight of staff, compose and review budgets, and generally ensure top tier service and satisfaction.
Hospitality Management Job Duties
Job duties for hospitality managers will vary on the exact type of hospitality management in which you work, but common duties include:
- Directing and planning various services for the guests of the facility
- Coordinating food and beverage services
- Scheduling and hiring staff for various aspects of the facility
- Allocating various jobs and duties to different staff in the facility
- Devise new marketing strategies to obtain new clients
- Managing budgets and financial plans for the facility
- Come up with new procedures to better serve guests and clients
- Serve as the director of operations for many facilities, which can involve working closely with housekeepers, front desk managers, controllers and HR staff
Where Hospitality Management Works
Hospitality managers may work in hotels or restaurants, casinos and various types of resorts. If you are working in food service, you could work in hotels, catering, restaurants, cafeterias, etc.
Meeting, convention and event planners work in many different industries, such as civic, professional, grantmaking and religious organizations. Also, approximately 14% work in either food service or in accommodations. Many meeting, convention and event planners also work at hotels and convention centers.
For the best hiring opportunities in hospitality management, experts recommend these booming cities:
- San Francisco, California: This is one of the most popular tourist destination cities in the US and the city has more than 345 hotels, and at least 32,000 hotel rooms.
- Houston, Texas: There has been a major boom in leisure and hospitality work in the last decade in this, the largest city in Texas.
- Orlando, Florida: Orlando has more than 300 hotels, and has some of the most numerous lodging manager roles in the US.
- Los Angeles, California: Tripadvisor reports that the city has at least 350 large hotels, It also is a huge tourist draw with Hollywood nearby.
- New York, New York: This is one of the easiest places to find hospitality management work, both in the city itself and in nearby Atlantic City, New Jersey with all of its casinos.
How to Become Hospitality Management
Most people in the hospitality management profession possess a bachelor’s degree in business or marketing. Some may eventually earn their MBA or their master’s degree in hospitality management. Others earn an advanced degree in tourism management.
If working in accommodations, you may want to earn your bachelor’s degree in hotel or hospitality management. You may want to ensure that your program has been accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration.
Hospitality Management Employment/Salaries
In lodging management, these professionals earn a median salary of $49,720, with the top 10% earning over $94,000 per year.
The job demand for lodging managers will increase by at least 8% by 2024. It is believed that greater demand in travel, tourism and generally higher occupancy will drive employment.
In the food service area of hospitality management, the median salary is $48,690, and the top 10% earn more than $83,000 per year. The job outlook in food service is average, with 5% growth anticipated.
For meeting, convention and event planners, the median salary is $46,800, and the top 10% earn at least $82,000 per year. Employment in this field will increase by at least 10% in the next several years.
More businesses are becoming global presences, and this will cause meetings and events to increase. Also, the economy is getting stronger and this will lead to more industry meetings, conventions and events.
Hospitality Management Career Paths
The general career of hospitality management can encompass several different paths. Below are the most common ones:
- Meeting, convention and event planners: Responsible for the coordination of every aspect of various public events and meetings for both public and private They are in charge of arranging the location of the meeting, events, transportation, accommodations and much more. They may work also as convention service managers, corporate planners, event planners, healthcare meeting planners, and nonprofit event planners.
- Casino manager: As a manager for a casino, you will be responsible for taking care of guests, managing the operations of the venue, getting new equipment and overseeing repairs, hiring staff, making schedules, and ensuring the casino makes a profit.
- Hotel manager: You are the overall supervisor and manager for hotel, and are responsible for the overall operations, day to day work, hiring and scheduling, maintenance of the property, and overall profitability.
- Food service managers: They handle the daily operating of various restaurants, hotels and other organizations that prepare and serve food and beverages. They must coordinate all activities regarding food and drink service to ensure that all guests are served properly and on time. Many food service managers also are in charge of hiring, training, interviewing, scheduling and disciplining staff.
- Lodging manager: In charge of managing a hotel or other type of lodging establishment. They are responsible for making sure that all guests are given proper service in the facility. The lodging manager also must ensure that the facility is run in an efficient and profitable manner. These types of facilities can range from a very large hotel that handles more than 1000 guests, to a small bed and breakfast in a small town.
Hospitality Management Education Requirements
Many in hospitality management will earn their bachelor’s degree in business, marketing or hospitality/tourism management. Some will earn their MBA in marketing or MBA in hospitality management to move into the highest-earning positions over their career.
Hospitality Management Specializations
After you have earned your bachelor’s and possibly master’s degree in hospitality management, degree in game management or degree in hotel management, you will have several options or specializations in your potential hospitality management career.
The most common specializations in this growing field are:
- Business: Some professionals who work in hospitality management actually work on the business side in accounting, finance, human resources, training or even operations. You could be a critical player in making hospitality management decisions that affect your employees, guests, and the profits of the company. Possible job titles here are corporate recruiter, director of finance, HR director or training director.
- Facility management: Become a leader in this industry through managing a hotel or convention center. You will assist your organization to devise effective plans and to find the best processes to make it run in a smooth fashion. You could work as a front desk manager, resort director, operations director or asset manager.
- Guest relations: You may work as a supervisor of guest relations, or possibly oversee how programs and menus for guests are developed. Some common titles are general manager, guest services director or meeting and events manager.
- Food service: Be responsible for the development, creation or delivery of food to customers in hotels, restaurants, healthcare facilities and schools. You could be a director of restaurant food services, distribution center manager, or director of dining services.
Hospitality Management Training and Certifications
If you are working as a meeting, convention or event planner, you could benefit from becoming a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) that is offered by the Convention Industry Council (CIC). It is not mandatory to have the CMP credential, but it is a very well recognized one that could help you to advance your career in hospitality management.
To qualify, you should have at least three years of meeting management background, employment in meeting management currently, and proof that you have sufficient CE credits. You will also need to pass a test on strategic planning, financial/risk management, logistics and facility operations.
If you work in the healthcare hospitality industry, you may wish to earn your Certified Meeting Professional-Healthcare certification (CMP-HC). This is a specific credential that is important for healthcare industry meeting professionals. You need to have your CMP certification already and also meet all planning and work requirements for healthcare industry planning of meetings.
For the foodservice industry, you may wish to earn your Food Protection Managers Certification (FPMC) by passing a comprehensive food safety examination. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredits organizations that offer this credential.
The National Restaurant Association Education Foundation also offers the Foodservice Management Professional (FMP) training credential.
Lodging managers may earn their Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTMP) designation that is offered by the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI).
References
- Pennsylvania State University. Careers in Hospitality Management. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://hhd.psu.edu/Overview/careers-hospitality-management
- Meeting, Convention and Event Planners. (2015, Dec. 17). Retrieved from
- https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/meeting-convention-and-event-planners.htm#tab-6
- DeZube, D. Seven High Paying Hospitality Jobs. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/high-paying-hospitality-jobs
