Hospitality is one of the fastest growing industries in the world today. Hotels, events, travel and tourism, luxury services, food services and other related segments fall under hospitality management. Among all these sectors, travel and tourism are the largest contributors to the world economy.
Let’s cut to the chase and find out what hospitality management is.
WHAT IS HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT?
Hospitality management, as the name suggests, is the study of the hospitality industry. Owing to its presence in diverse sectors, a degree in hospitality management presents a wide range of choices for students, in terms of the sector they want to work in. If you are planning to take up a hospitality course, this article will help you weigh your choices better.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT?
The eligibility criteria for any of the hospitality courses in Ontario is as follows:
The student should have an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent;
The student should be 18 years of age or above;
The student should have an IELTS score if 5.5 or equivalent for non-native English speakers.
COURSES IN HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT
Owing to the varied segments of hospitality management, there is a range of hospitality courses offered by colleges to specialize in. Some of the courses that you can pursue to become a hospitality management professional are:
Tourism Management
Global Tourism Management
Resort and Hotel Management
Advanced Studies in International Hotel Management
International Hotel Management
Hospitality and Tourism Management Co-op
Hospitality – Hotel Operations Management
International Year One – Global Tourism Management
Hotel and Food Administration
International Year One – International Hotel Management
Hospitality and Tourism Management (Honours)
Toronto School of Management (TSoM) offers one of the best set of hospitality management courses in Canada. Here is a gist of all the hospitality courses offered by TSoM, take a look:
1. Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management Co-op
This is a one-year programme that focuses on the present-day advancements and developments in the hospitality industry. It covers all areas of hospitality management, including introduction to Hospitality and Tourism, Front Office Operations, Housekeeping, Food and Beverage Operations, Food Sanitation, Safety and Health, Hospitality Accounting, Customer Service, Organizational Behaviour in Hospitality Industry, and Work Placement.
2. Advanced Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management Co-op
This is a two-year advanced diploma course aimed at preparing you with skills to hold a managerial position within the hospitality industry. It emphasises on the latest developments in the industry and equips you with skills to cater to the industry’s needs. Apart from the subject areas included in the Diploma degree, this course also includes Facilities and Maintenance Management, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events, Food and Beverage Management, Human Resource Management, Marketing in hospitality and Tourism, Issues in Hospitality and Tourism Industry, Resort Management, and Niche and Specialty Management.
WHAT ARE THE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS SECTOR
Today, hospitality management jobs are diverse and in high-demand because of the immense growth that the industry has seen in recent years.
It is vital that you make an informed decision before taking up a specialization course in hospitality management. To help you make the right choice, here are some of the hospitality careers that can give your professional life the push it needs:
LODGING AND ACCOMMODATION
Lodging and accommodation has, by far, been the most popular abode for hospitality management professionals. It includes everything, starting from luxurious hotels and resorts to tented camps. In fact, lodging sector is one of the largest employers of hospitality management professionals. The interesting bit is that within the lodging industry, you can choose from various routes – guest services, housekeeping, human resource management as well as sales management.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
Food and beverage makes up for a large segment of the hospitality industry. The jobs in the food and beverage sector are – kitchen manager, lead chefs, restaurant managers, bar managers, catering supervisors, etc. In fact, hospitality management professionals working in the food and beverage sector are one of the highest-paid professionals in the hospitality industry.
TRAVEL AND TOURISM
Travel and tourism is considered the most widespread and important sector of the hospitality industry. It has its presence across the globe and is a popular career option. Travel and tourism has been witnessing a large scale expansion after international tourism became talk of the town. In fact, it is a high revenue generator segment and produces a large number of jobs as well.
EVENT MANAGEMENT
Event management is emerging as an important sector of the hospitality industry. Events include weddings, conferences, concerts, fundraisers, theatre productions, etc. The roles offered in the event management sector are – venue manager, house manager, production managers and event managers. Of late, the event management sector has become very popular and is slowly picking pace to become the frontrunner in hospitality industry.
WHAT IS THE SALARY OF A HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL?
The salary of a hospitality management professional depends on the segment of hospitality industry he/she is working in.
While an event management personnel can expect to earn $50,000 to $100,000 in a year, a travel and tourism manager can expect to earn about $60,000 to $120,000 per annum. On the other hand, somebody working in the food and beverage sector can earn a salary of up to $90,000 a year.
However, there are some factors that influence the remuneration offered to a hospitality management professional, like quality of education and prior experience.
HOW MUCH WOULD A HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT COURSE COST?
The cost for pursuing a hospitality management course is about $20,000. However, it largely depends on the university or college you are doing the course with.
BENEFITS OF STUDYING HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT
A subject becomes more alluring once you know the benefits that come along. If you’re still trying to make up your mind about taking up a hospitality management course, we are here to help. Take a look at the advantages of hospitality management:
CREATIVE THINKING
Hospitality management is a job where you will need to interact with customers and you might encounter unique problems that need immediate solutions. The challenges hospitality management presents will help you broaden your mind, become quick on your feet (in terms of thinking) and will push you to think out of the box. With all the exercise your mind will be doing, creative thinking will eventually become an asset for you.
GLOBAL EXPOSURE
Hospitality management is one of the few career options that carves your path for global exposure. Due to its widespread presence, you can find a job in various places and get a chance to work for an international chain. Global exposure will help you understand different cultures and customs, adding to your experience as a professional.
JOB SECURITY
With the hospitality industry becoming omnipresent, a large number of jobs are generated every year. Hence, there is increased demand for hospitality management professionals. The growing popularity of the hospitality industry has made it a promising option.
GREAT PERKS
While not all jobs in the hospitality sector are well-paid, if you are taking up a managerial position in the industry, chances are you will figure in the suite of top-paid professionals.
WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES
Jobs offered by the hospitality industry are never dull. There is a lot of variety, a lot of travelling and a lot of new challenges. In fact, hospitality management jobs are one of the most exciting ones in the world.
SIGNIFICANT GROWTH
As suggested by Harvard Business Review, ‘growth opportunity’ should be one of the key factors while choosing a career option. Hospitality management jobs will help you grow, personally and professionally. Hospitality management careers not only help you socialize and network, they also provide you with dynamic opportunities to grow within the organization.
YOUR EMPLOYABILITY IS HIGH
Hospitality courses equip you with skills that help you understand the current trends in the industry. These courses also help you inculcate people-handling skills and critical thinking as a part of your daily life. These skills are what the hospitality industry looks for in their professionals. The more skilled you are, the higher your employability is.
The hospitality industry generates a large amount of revenue and jobs, which has a positive influence on the global economy as well as the employment rate. Studying hospitality management gives you an edge over other professionals in the world due to its versatility and wide reach.
Hospitality is one of the best sectors to work in and it pays well too. If you are planning on taking up a hospitality management course, go right ahead and do it. After all, best things happen to those who dream.
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