Overview of Hospitality and Tourism Management Degree Program
Mar 10, 2015 | 9:00 am
Business students searching for a specialty with positive growth potential and competitive salary should look into a career in the field of hospitality and tourism management. According to a recent study; specialty areas in this field such as event planning and convention services are expected to have significant future job growth of roughly 44% through the year 2020.
Is Hospitality and Tourism Management a Good Fit?
A career in hospitality and tourism management is a nice fit for students with analytical, customer service, and business skills. Since technology is such a big part of day to day operations and tasks when working in the hospitality industry; students also need to be able to understand and work well with the latest technology.
Specialty Areas in the Hospitality and Tourism Field
•Students choosing to major in Hospitality and Tourism Management can elect to pursue a concentration in areas like Casino Management, Lodging Management, Travel and Tourism Management, and Food and Beverage Management.
•Casino Managers are limited in regards to where they can work. Students choosing this specialty must be willing to relocate and live in a state where gambling is legal. However, if relocating is not an issue; working in this specialized field can be one of the most lucrative jobs in hospitality and tourism management.
•Lodging Managers are responsible for the daily operations of hotels, motels and other lodging facilities.
•Travel and Tourism Managers work in positions like travel agents or cruise directors. Responsibilities include booking vacations, entertainment planning for vacationers, and managing budgets, sales and marketing.
•Food and Beverage Managers are caterers. This is a great career choice for people who love a challenge and thrive on deadlines and being a crucial component of social events.
Where are the Jobs in this Field?
Most graduates with a degree in hospitality and tourism management find employment in hotels, casinos, clubs, resorts, convention centers, airlines, and businesses with similar needs.
What Kind of Salary and Work Environment Can I Expect?
A study performed by Drexel University Online shows the median salary for Hospitality Managers based on years of experience after receiving a Masters Degree in Hospitality Management. Graduates with zero to four years of experience make roughly between $37,000 and $44,000 annually. Top salary shown was $63,788 per year for 10 to 19 years of experience.
Managers working in the hospitality and tourism management field should be comfortable working long hours on their feet while dealing with customer needs and demands. A professional appearance is required in most managerial settings and managers need to be well-spoken and polite, no matter how difficult a customer may become.
Putting It all Together
Students with a flair for business and a desire to work with a variety of customers and situations will do well in this field. With so many choices for specialties; students can easily find the perfect niche. A career in hospitality and tourism management opens the door to a wide variety of opportunities with a promising job growth outlook. In today’s world; those two factors alone make a career in the hospitality and tourism management field a good choice.