By Piyalee Chatterjee Ghosh
The global hospitality market is expected to reach $6,715.27 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 10.2% according to the Hospitality Global Market Report 2022. It’s a popular misconception that a career in the hospitality sector includes pursuing jobs only in hotel management. Contrary to this, hospitality encompasses a wide range of fields including travel & tourism, aviation, food services, events and more. Taking up training and education in hospitality equips a professional to be poised for jobs and also opens up many entrepreneurship avenues. Here is a look at some of the common career arenas one can pursue apart from hotel management.
Event Planning
Students that opt for training and education in hospitality are taught about the world of events. This space requires people who understand the nuances of customer service for huge gatherings, coordinating operations for F&B, stay and other services along with organising entertainment options, which hospitality students learn as a part of their curriculum. Venue management, catering services, and budget and account management are functions where hospitality students can apply their education and training.
Cabin Crew
Hosting and taking care of the needs of people on a flight are the primary responsibilities of cabin crew personnel. Hospitality students interested in the field of aviation can take up job roles as cabin crew. They learn service and problem-solving skills in a hospitality set-up which are prominent requirements if an individual is keen to explore pursuing cabin crew as a career path. Students learn quality hospitality practices like taking care of the comfort of guests, meal service, and housekeeping which come of use once they need to enhance the in-flight experience of travellers.
Tourism
A hospitality degree will leave students well-equipped to take up customer-facing roles in the tourism industry like guest relations manager, airline ground staff or tour guides. Planning lodging, food, experientials and other needs of tourists and travellers are functions hospitality students can easily tend to. The tourism sector can house quite a few job roles and descriptions which hospitality students can explore with their qualifications. One can find opportunities across tourism spaces including leisure tourism, sports tourism or business related travel like meetings, conferences and conventions. Wedding tourism i.e. destination wedding market is also a promising sector where hospitality students can seek placement opportunities in. Aspirants who possess soft skills like organisational skills, compliance know-how, crisis management among others make for good candidates for companies and organisations looking to hire promising talent.
Marketing and PR services
Gaining in depth training in the hospitality industry helps students pursue careers in marketing and public relations services of a hospitality or tourism establishment. They have an insider’s perspective on the industry which helps them be authentic representatives of hospitality brands. Allied job roles also include sales officers, merchandisers, business planning associates among others. These services play an important role in mitigating crises, building brands and disseminating messages to the audience. A supplementary mass media, marketing or business diploma or degree increases chances of securing quality placements.
The author is founder and director of Myfledge Group of Institutes. Views are personal.