Hospitality & Tourism

Seen Channel 4’s The Hotel? Put you off working in hospitality and tourism for good? Not all hotel managers live in caravans. Honest. Believe it or not, careers in hospitality and tourism can be exciting, challenging and varied; tempered with a heavy dose of hard work and dedication, naturally. So, smiles at the ready, lets learn more about working in hospitality and tourism.

We encounter the people who work in hospitality and tourism all the time; when we go out for a drink; when we grab a bite to eat; or when we go on a luxurious round the world trip, staying in five star hotels and flying business class (just for the record: we never do this either). It probably won’t be a typical nine-to-five job, but it sure has its rewards.

It’s all about customer service. Can’t stomach the Great British public? Probably not the career for you. If you’re able to smile through diva-ish customer demands then you’ll go far. You’ll need excellent communication skills, a friendly nature and a good deal of patience to succeed in this industry. Naturally/naturellement/natürlich, language skills are very helpful.

There is huge variety within the sector. You could work for a swanky five star hotel or a not-so-swanky youth hostel. You could be a hotel manager or work as a concierge. Large hotel chains are also likely to employ financial staff, marketing executives, human resource officers  and administrative staff.

Although many careers in bars, pubs and clubs require staff to do the active bar work, managerial positions are also available around the UK. If you know your skinny iced cocoa cappuccino from your espresso macchiato (yes, we did have to look up the spelling), then you could seek out a career in the drinks industry. The hospitality sector doesn’t just stop at fancy beverages; you could also work in events management or catering.

The tourist industry is huge. You could be a ‘Whoah! We’re going to Ibiza!’ holiday rep, tour guide, or working in a travel agency or tourist information centre. Otherwise, you could work in passenger services. Tending to the masses, air cabin crews and customer service staff on trains, ferries, cruise ships and coaches are essential for helping people’s trips be as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.