With the season of travel and tourism I decided that it would be a great time to showcase a relevant and booming industry with tremendous growth for students enrolled in its programs…the Hospitality Industry. It’s said to be the world’s largest industry, and according to the World Tourism Organization (WTO) it’s estimated that by 2020 international tourism will be at 1,600,000,000 tourists, spending $5,000,000,000 per day. For such an underthought career path, it has a lot of potential. The United States Department of Labor predicts the Hospitality Industry to increase wage and salary jobs by 16 percent by 2014; ,meaning more than 2.2 million new jobs to the work force. And according to the International Labour Organization they estimate a growth of 112,000,000 employees worldwide in the hospitality industry.
The hospitality industry has a lot of potential for those looking to start a new career path. Places teeming with hospitality workers are hot spots like Orlando, where thousands of people visit monthly, New York, Florida, and other popular summer vacation spots. Careerbuilder predicts the field to have continued growth with a lot of potential. Some jobs to consider in the hosptality field include:
- Hotel General Manager
- Meeting and Convention Planner
- Concierge
- Executive Chef
- Reservation Ticket Agent
- Gaming Dealer
All of these positions offer a range of possibilities and venues, and all are looking for pleasant and happy people to employ for them. One thing to keep in mind when entering this field is its the business of pleasure, usually, so smiling faces are always welcome and usually required.
Interested in learning more? APU is hosting a “Careers in Hospitality” webcast on July 21. Mark it down in your calendar to attend and learn more about this booming field, and how to get your foot in the door.
– J. Mason
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