There is more to it than meets the eye. The tourism and hospitality industry is an umbrella covering a sea of fun and engaging careers, from being a food and beverage manager on a high-end cruise line to orchestrating a top sound music festival. In an industry that is constantly growing and evolving to new trends, why not jump on board and explore the options? Hospitality and tourism career opportunities await!
The travel & tourism industry makes up 9.8 % of global GDP, and it’s still growing. Responsible for one out of every eleven jobs worldwide, the industry is the world’s largest employer according to the World Tourism Organization UNWTO. Every day, a new idea is hatched, big investment firms sign off on the designs of a five-star luxury resort or some mom and pop diner opens its doors. Having doubled in numbers over the past twenty years, the tourist population is set to expand two-fold yet again over the next twenty. The increasing numbers are only a reflection of a budding middle class.
Nearly unaffected by the economic crisis a few years back, this industry is resilient, and it adapts to the demands of the consumer. From tours to cocktails the industry is constantly transforming itself to be bigger and better.
Owing to the continuous growth of this service-oriented, high-energy and productivity- driven hospitality and tourism industry, there is a high demand for skilled labor. The sector itself, according to experts in the field, will have difficulties finding enough qualified talent for the forecasted 80 million jobs yet to be generated over the next ten years according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). Hospitality and tourism career opportunities will abound all around the world from Honolulu to St. Petersburg.
Doesn't this sound exciting? There is no better time to explore opportunities in hospitality and tourism industry, get involved and advance your career.
Hospitality and Tourism Careers List
Hotel Operations
1. BANQUET & CONFERENCES
A demanding, yet high energy career working in hotels, resorts and conference centers setting up rooms and servicing events. If you enjoy seeing an event executed from the initial planning stages through to its end, this may be for you. From organizing a 500-guest NGO Gala to raise awareness for humanity aid to political receptions and corporate holiday parties, your clientele is always changing, creating a unique environment that is never boring.
2. FOOD & BEVERAGE MANAGEMENT
Responsible for all things related to food and beverage from ordering products to hiring staff and balancing profit and loss sheets. The career requires exceptional social and analytical skills. The ideal candidate is organized, calm under pressure, service oriented and business minded.
3. FRONT OFFICE RECEPTION
From the very first moment of a guest’s arrival, the front office serves as the face of the company and its standards of service. Knowledgeable not only about the products they offer, these individuals are friendly, customer service oriented and can give insights on the surround area.
4. RESORT MANAGEMENT
Oversee all operations departments from the front desk and security to housekeeping and food and beverage. Responsible for the overall success of the facility, this is a very diverse position that manages a wide variety of people. A strong leader, that is both service oriented and business savvy, will exceed in this management role.
5. RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT
A dynamic position leading a team of employees servicing food and beverage. A day in the life of a restaurant manager can go from tasting wines with different distributors to bussing tables on a busy night. Also responsible for the overall function of the operation, inventory, ordering and budgeting often top the list of a manager’s to-do list.
6. SPA AND WELLNESS MANAGEMENT
Responsible for the day-to-day operations of a health or beauty spa. Based on the size of the operation the position can be customer service focused or more business based, handling all the marketing, schedules, and training.
Event Management
7. CONCERTS, FESTIVALS & EXHIBITIONS
Event planning and project management dealing with large scale events. This role involves studying the brand, identifying the target audience, devising the event concept and coordinating all the technical aspects before launching or hosting an event.
8. WEDDING COORDINATION
It all comes down to the details and building relationships. Brides want to have confidence in their wedding coordinator and in doing so, this individual needs to be extremely organized and love executing special events with many moving components, balancing a need for both structure and creativity in the workplace. A rewarding career for the right individual, making lasting memories.
Other Areas
9. AIRLINES
Jump on board and travel the world as a flight attendant. Manage the inflight services taking care of food and beverage, duty free and other customer service requests. Upon landing you are in a new location, traversing the globe on a regular basis.
10. AMUSEMENT PARKS
Make every child’s eyes light up. Manage the overall operations as a member of the leadership team or be ready to welcome amusement park goers behind the desk selling tickets, supervising a food and beverage outlet or controlling the rides themselves.
11. CASINOS
The gaming service industry is huge and jobs are typically found in casinos or at the racetrack. Someone interested in this career may work as a dealer, slot machine attendant, pit boss or an overall operations manager dealing with the activities, in addition to any lounges or food and beverage outlets offered to the players.
12. CATERING
A mash up of sales, project management and food and beverage, this is a fun and vigorous career. Whether you’re a chef creating the menu or coordinator organizing the vendors, this position is constantly on-the-go fielding queries and giving instructions. A great position incorporating sales with event planning.
13. CRUISES
Head out to sea. Very similar to a hotel, but you are floating from port to port. Work in sales, food and beverage, housekeeping, maintenance or security. Maybe you strive to be the big boss, in which case there are a lot of moving parts to oversee 24 hours a day.
14. CONSULTING
Work for a firm or start your own business, this career requires a base of experience in order to advise your clients. Whether in hotels, restaurants or travel, becoming an expert in your trade will allow you to give the soundest guidance.
15. START YOUR OWN BUSINESS
The sky is the limit. Whatever you dream you can create. From opening a restaurant in Miami to offering sightseeing tours of the Vatican in Rome, there is no end to the possibilities in the tourism and hospitality industry. With a little ingenuity, good business sense and creative genius you can start a company of your own and scale to great magnitudes.
Do you think you have what it takes? Employers are looking for competent individuals with both knowledge and experience in the trade. Studying for a MA in Tourism & Hospitality Management in Barcelona offers advanced insights into the tourism industry and provides students with the opportunity to develop their knowledge and interests within the field, in one of the most exciting and charismatic, tourist destinations in Spain and in Europe – Barcelona!
We pride ourselves on diversity. Our students do not only come from 60+ countries from around the globe, but our faculty comes from near and far, from the Dominican Republic and Peru to Switzerland and the UK and many places in between.
The students who graduate with a Master’s in Tourism and Hospitality Management from GBSB Global Business School in Barcelona benefit from the large variety of internship opportunities in the tourism and hospitality industry in the city. Recently, we have placed students with the Renaissance, Hosco and eDreams, to name a few.
Ever since Barcelona hosted the Olympic Games in 1992, the city has experienced a steady growth in tourist numbers. Barcelona offers a fantastic hotel infrastructure, highly developed tourism services and a ton of programs and events to promote the city as a truly global tourist destination. Study in Europe in English at GBSB and graduate with a Master’s degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management, giving you the leading edge in an industry waiting for you.
By Emily Dawn Szajda, GBSB Content Manager
