Are you considering a career in hospitality and tourism? It’s a field that’s often misunderstood and overlooked, but in reality, it can be an incredibly rewarding and lucrative career path. In this article, we’ll explore the ins and outs of hospitality and tourism as a course of study, including the benefits, potential drawbacks, and what you can expect from pursuing this degree.
What is Hospitality and Tourism?
Hospitality and tourism is a broad field that encompasses many different industries. At its core, it involves providing excellent customer service to guests or customers in various settings such as hotels, restaurants, resorts, theme parks, travel agencies, casinos, or cruise ships. Hospitality and tourism professionals are responsible for creating memorable experiences for their guests while also managing the operational aspects of their establishments.
Benefits of Studying Hospitality and Tourism
There are several benefits to pursuing a degree in hospitality and tourism. First of all, it’s a growing industry with plenty of job opportunities available. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), travel and tourism account for 10.4% of global GDP and support over 319 million jobs worldwide.
Moreover, studying hospitality and tourism provides you with valuable skills that are transferable across many different industries. You’ll learn how to communicate effectively with customers or guests from diverse backgrounds while also developing strong organizational skills that can be applied to many other careers.
Potential Drawbacks
While there are many benefits to studying hospitality and tourism, there are also some potential drawbacks to consider. One of the biggest challenges is that it can be a highly demanding industry with long hours and high levels of stress. You may be required to work weekends or holidays when others are enjoying time off with their families.
Additionally, starting salaries in hospitality and tourism may not be as high as in other fields like finance or engineering. However, salaries can increase significantly with experience and advancement within the industry.
What to Expect from a Hospitality and Tourism Degree
If you choose to pursue a degree in hospitality and tourism, you can expect to take courses in subjects such as marketing, finance, operations management, human resources, and customer service. You’ll also have the opportunity to gain practical experience through internships or co-op placements.
After graduation, you may choose to work in a variety of roles within the hospitality and tourism industry such as guest services, event planning, food and beverage management, hotel operations, or travel and tourism management.
Conclusion
So is hospitality and tourism a good course? Ultimately, it depends on your interests and career goals.
If you enjoy working with people, have strong communication skills, and are willing to put in hard work to create memorable experiences for customers or guests, then hospitality and tourism could be an excellent choice for you. With a degree in this field, you’ll have plenty of job opportunities available while also gaining valuable skills that can be applied across many different industries.