Jayanti Jayanti, Lecturer in Hospitality Management at the University of West London, tells us more…
In 2021, if we ask ourselves or people around us, what are they missing the most? The answers you are most likely to get are: a holiday, eating out, cruise lines etc… anything to do with leisure and being social. This implies that the demand for the hospitality industry has not dwindled in the minds of the consumer. People are eagerly waiting to indulge in leisure activities. Holidays and leisure has a significant role to play in the overall wellbeing and reduction of stress. Hospitality industry will always thrive and so will the career in the hospitality industry.
The word hospitality is derived from the Latin word “hospes/ hospitare, meaning “to receive as a guest” and the relationship between the host and the guest. Hospitality is one of the noble professions as everyone employed in this industry contributes to care for their guests. Even in the current scenario, hotels all over the world are extending their support by offering quarantine centres to ensure the countries are safe for everyone. It is all about kindness and creating lifelong memories.
Our industry is full of career choices and has a variety of roles to pick from. Individuals with the right attitude and passion coupled with right approach to customer service are best suited for a career in hospitality. Pursuing an academic and professional education in hospitality will enable an individual to look for opportunities in various departments of the hotel or resort as per one’s interest and passion. It allows you to be part of the global hospitality community as the industry is immensely cosmopolitan and has an endless range of career options. The industry is diverse and the career choice ranges from the core operational departments like Food & Beverage, Food Production (Kitchen), Rooms Division (Front office & Housekeeping/ Reservations/ Guest Relations) to ancillary departments like Human Resource, Learning & Development, Finance, Sales & Marketing, Information technology, Purchasing or what is termed now a days is Procurement, Engineering or Maintenance, Security, Health & Safety etc.
Beyond hotels, there are other sectors such as Airlines, Cruise lines, Facility Management companies, Travel Companies, SPA & Fitness, Conference Banquets & Events, Food Manufacturing industry, Auditor and Quality assurance, Contract Catering& Cleaning, Luxury & Retails, Hospital Management, Entertainment & Recreation etc. There are many examples of people from this industry becoming entrepreneurial and carving their own niche. As the industry is evolving and the consumer behaviour is transforming, the emphasis is more on the unique and personalised experience rather than the product itself. The industry offers unique and creative job roles. Some of those will be the role of Food Scientists, Nutritionist, Interior & Design Experts, Data analytics (Business intelligence), Revenue Management, Hygiene Managers, Sommeliers, Hotel Market Analysis & Valuation Experts, Innovation & Insights Management, Crisis & Risk Management, Diversity & Inclusion Management etc.
Though the industry has been hit several times in the past, it has survived, revived, and made a stronger comeback showing its resilience and vibrance. The industry is changeable in nature, alluring and provides opportunities to the various stakeholders to innovate the products and processes to meet the changing needs of the customers. We can see that, despite the challenges in recent times, large hotel chains are expanding to cater for the rising demand of their customers.
There is definitely a very high demand for the skilled workforce to join our magnificent industry. As the industry is rising to recovery and preparing to welcome back customers, it will be imperative for the industry and the academia to collaborate and ensure the curriculum designed is purposeful and adds strategic competence in our graduates.
The mantra to be successful in hospitality is to be self-aware and evaluate your strength and interest. As the industry is on its way to recovery, it is important that those looking for a career in hospitality learn the technological adaptations and the new normal practices. Hospitality educators are constantly transforming their courses to meet the ever-evolving needs of the industry.
If you love interacting with people, want to create your own niche and ready to learn from real life experience, the hospitality industry is the perfect career choice for you.
Jayanti Jayanti is a Lecturer of Hospitality Management at the University of West London. Connect with Jayanti on LinkedIn.
Be part of our well-respected network, get trusted advice and take a positive approach to your learning and development.
Your business card may take a moment to be generated. You can save your business card by right clicking -> save image as, or holding down on the image on your phone.
