The Covid 19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on many sectors. One of the industries hit hardest was hospitality. The travel industry ground to a halt, social distancing rules deemed it impossible for events to take place and food outlets had no choice but to throw all of their weight behind new takeaway and delivery operations. It’s been a challenging recovery for the hospitality industry and understandably, it’s planted a seed of doubt amongst many prospective hospitality management students, questioning if studying in this sector will be worthwhile?
The great news is that hospitality is bouncing back at rapid speed! Businesses are innovating, becoming more accommodating and have a newfound level of appreciation for their guests. Economists forecast a huge growth for the hospitality industry post-pandemic. Here’s why it remains a strong career path for development opportunities:
The travel and leisure industry is still fast-growing
Hospitality and travel is still a great option as a career. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in 2019, travel and tourism accounted for 10.3% of global GDP and 330 million jobs or 10.4% of all employment.
According to Businesswire, the global leisure travel market size was $953.9 billion in 2018 and is expected to reach $1,464.3 billion by 2026, an increase of 5.6% from 2019 to 2026. The Covid 19 pandemic has been a setback but the overall landscape for the next 5 years is still looking healthy.
According to an audit by tax and consulting firm RSM, job openings in the hospitality sector rose by 46% in the first 2 weeks of May 2021,
Hospitality is full of innovation
During the Covid crisis, the majority of food establishments adapted quickly with great success. Eateries had no choice but to innovate fast in order to avoid ceasing trading. It’s predicted that with this level of innovation, the inclusion of new technology and adaptability to meet consumer demand, the hospitality sector will fully recover within 1-2 years.
Technology is developing rapidly within hospitality
A leader in today’s hospitality industry will require strong tech-savvy skills. In addition to the traditional hospitality roles, thanks to technology advancement there’s now a demand for positions requiring strong tech skills. Within the hospitality umbrella, you could be a U/X designer, software engineer, social media manager or cybersecurity specialist. These particular hospitality jobs award high salaries in return for knowledge and expertise. When graduating from a hospitality management programme, it’s worth considering opportunities within tech roles that could skyrocket your career!
What are the pros of a career in hospitality?
- The working hours are predominantly rota’d in shifts, offering a degree of flexibility within working hours and a working week. Plus no more daily standstill traffic!
- Leisure and hospitality is still one of the largest economic areas and despite the aftermath of the pandemic, it still offers stability and opportunities for growth
- Hospitality provides an international and multicultural experience. People from all over the globe are with you to have a good time
- There are plenty of creative career opportunities, particularly in hotel management
- There isn’t as much emphasis on previous experience as with most sectors. Therefore it’s a more open playing field for securing positions and promotions.
- Experience in the hospitality industry is held in high regard within other sectors if you chose to change your career
- There are often lots of opportunities to travel and immerse yourself in another culture whilst working in a hospitality role
It’s true that hospitality often demands long hours, antisocial work patterns and hard graft. But if you love being surrounded by people, culture, food and a buzz of excitement, this career path will provide the ultimate job satisfaction.
Why should you choose a career in hospitality?
- Hospitality is a global industry- you will be surrounded by people from all warps of life
- The industry is growing…in-spite of the damage Covid 19 left behind
- There’s lots of opportunity to diversify. The core skill set is the same for each area within hospitality, including:
- Holiday accommodation
- Restaurants & cafes
- Holiday Resorts
- Cruise Liners
- Airline travel
- Event planning & organising
- Facility management
- Movie Theatres
- Leisure parks
- Travel agencies
- Hospitality Startups
and many many more!
- The tourism industry is powerful with a plethora of opportunities to achieve success
It’s an exciting time to study tourism and hospitality. Innovation is happening daily and ideas for change are being welcomed from all levels. SSBR offers hospitality programmes at Bachelor and Master levels, all studies are entirely online and work to a flexible study schedule. Our innovative programmes are delivered by our professionally active faculty who will equip you with all of the skills needed to survive and thrive within the fast-paced hospitality sector.
Want to speak to someone in more detail? Get in touch with our friendly admissions team and they can connect you with someone from our hospitality programme.
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