The Top Nine Hospitality Jobs in the Industry.

HospitalityCrossing
Thursday, 28th August 2008

The hospitality industry is one of the most vital sectors globally and is quite diversified, incorporating tourism, hotels, and casinos, among many other sectors.

In the past, the industry was perceived more as one that involved charity rather than professionalism. However, this perception has changed; people now see hospitality as a career field that requires academic qualification and strict adherence to a professional code and ethics for the particular job.

Rapid growth in this particular field has occurred over the past few years due to the growing need for qualified people and, more importantly, the increased appreciation of the role this sector plays in day-to-day activities. The hospitality field has expanded greatly and is now one of the greatest job providers and employers the world over.

Statistics indicate that at least 10% of the total population of a country works in its hospitality industry, with the field accounting for slightly less than half of the annual job vacancies.

Any person seeking to secure one of the top ten hospitality jobs in the industry should be aware of the requirements for these positions. Contrary to the popular belief that such jobs can be done by anyone who is willing, the positions require both academic and general qualifications in order to succeed in this field. As specialists in this industry come in direct contact with people, professionals in the field should possess to succeed in the industry.

Many institutions offer hospitality courses and/or programs to equip people with the skills necessary to work in this field. Individuals looking to enter the hospitality field should possess such a certificate in addition to being a graduate from a college or any other institution of higher learning.

Many people assume positions in the hospitality field receive little remuneration and require long hours with little reward. However, research indicates that the people in the hospitality field receive generous pay as well as a long list of benefits. According to analysts hospitality sector benefits cannot be compared to other lucrative jobs because, in the hospitality field, more expenses are covered, meaning employees have fewer expenses.

The jobs in the hospitality sector include management and hotel general manager. The general manager takes full responsibility for all hotel operations, including overseeing the financial affairs of the hotel. This position is also in charge of administration and generally ensuring that the operations of the hotel run smoothly. Applicants for such a position should have training and experience in a directly related field for at least two years. General managers currently earn, on average, $150,000.

Hotel clerk positions are equally competitive, with the starting salary averaging $20,000. The tasks involved in this job title include ensuring the comfort of guests in the hotel by assisting them in various ways, such as during checking in and checking out. Hotel clerks are also instrumental in providing relevant hotel information, such as the services available. Hotel clerks generally require six months of training.

Meanwhile, bellhops take care of guests as they arrive at the hotel by helping them with their luggage and familiarizing them with the various areas and departments of the hotel. Although training is required, the length varies. Bellhops earn, on average, approximately $15,000.

The convention and meeting planner organizes the resources and logistics of meetings and conventions held in the hotel. This position generally requires at least one year of training, and applicants should have in-depth knowledge and experience in the field of hospitality. Meeting planners average about $125,000.

Other top 10 jobs include the concierge, who helps guests by providing information on local services and opportunities and fulfills guests’ requests, as possible. After completing short-term training, the concierge earns an average of $35,000. Meanwhile, the maitre d' oversees all catering activities. This position requires knowledge in catering and earns approximately $50,000. Housekeeping staff earn an average of $40,000 to maintain cleanliness in the hotel.

In hotel casinos, a gaming dealer earns approximately $30,000 to be in charge of all the table games. This position requires experience in a casino. Meanwhile, a ticket agent helps clients reserve tickets for travel, earning on average $55,000.

The hospitality sector offers diverse opportunities for employment, with good salaries and benefits.

This article was originally featured on HospitalityCrossing ~ www.hospitalitycrossing.com


source: The Top Nine Hospitality Jobs in the Industry.
4Hoteliers, Hong Kong

A hotel chain copes with the downturn

A hotel chain copes with the downturn

Boston Globe, United States - 16 hours ago
The hotel industry has scaled to the summit, but now it's time to come down. In recent years, occupancy rates, profits, and revenues have climbed to record ...

China counts on Olympic Games to boost room returns

Wednesday, 13 August 2008. China’s hotel industry is counting on a boost during the Olympic Games, after a nationwide decline in room yield in the first half of this year. Several major markets have experienced occupancy falls as new hotel openings have stretched demand, according to a survey of 528 internationally branded Chinese hotels.

According to the survey by STR Global, with the world watching China for the Olympics this month, expectations are high for a better second half performance.

China’s national occupancy fell 6.9 per cent in the first half of 2008 to 60.8 per cent. Average daily rate increased 2.3 per cent to US$133.31, while there was a 4.8 per cent decline in revenue per
available room.

“The Chinese hotel industry has thus far faced a year of significant challenges ranging from natural disaster to an uncertain global economy,” said James Chappell, managing director of STR Global.
“However, with the 29th Olympiad in Beijing, the Chinese hotel industry will be looking to the vent to provide the profits in 2008.”

In Beijing, new hotel openings and lighter than expected pre-Olympic demand have caused occupancy to drop 10.7 per cent to 61.8 per cent. However, a 7.6 boost in rates has helped offset this.

In Shanghai, occupancy has fallen by 8.5 per cent to 59.1 per cent. To compound this, rates have also fallen slightly, while performance in Hong Kong was flat. Occupancy was down 0.8 per cent at 80.6 per cent – the highest in the survey. -John Newton

China counts on Olympic Games to boost room returns
micebtn, Australia

Hotel Industry: Langkawi in limbo as arrivals fall and govt events cancelled

LANGKAWI: Local tourism industry players are pessimistic about the future as hotel occupancy rate continues to dip to as low as 10%.

The rate in many hotels dropped to 20% last month compared with 80% in the corresponding period last year.

Hotels rated three stars and below are hardest hit, especially with the recent Government cost-cutting ruling to call off functions in hotels.

Kuah assemblyman Datuk Nawawi Ahmad said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had recently agreed to give some leeway to Langkawi that was heavily dependent on government functions to sustain business.

He said 30,000 jobs were at stake if the ruling was not officially lifted soon.

The 700 taxi drivers and car rental operators have also started to feel the pinch.

“If the situation persists, many rental cars could be repossessed by banks due to non-servicing of loans,” he said, adding that there were 3,000 rental cars on the resort island.

Langkawi hotels action committee chairman Ismail Abdul Rahman said some hotels occupancy rate was as low as 10% last month.

“Hotels in Pantai Cenang are doing slightly better with 30% occupancy rate. But the hotels in Kuah are hard hit,” he said.

Seaview Hotel general manager Ooi Cheng Ping said he was worried over the fate of the hotel workers who relied on service points for better income.

“I may have to start retrenching the less skilled workers soon if the trend continues,” he said.

Matta Kedah chapter chairman Pishol Ishak said travel agents hoped the ferry fare would not be increased further as that would only make matters worse.

Its vice-chairman (inbound and transport) A. Gunasagaran said Langkawi was starting to lose its lustre.

“There is no in-depth research to find ways to attract more tourists. We hear a lot of complaints, but no one is coming up with practical solutions,” he said.

The island was recently renamed Jewel of Kedah “but we do not see the shine,” said Gunasagaran.

Langkawi Tourism Action Council general manager Shaharudin Itam said the drop in tourist arrival was a global phenomenon.

“We are in a complex situation – economically and politically. We must be optimistic, things will change for the better eventually,” he added.

Langkawi in limbo as arrivals fall and govt events cancelled
Malaysia Star, Malaysia

Malaysia: Hotel industry will lose millions or may be billions....

Friday July 11, 2008

Don’t let the tap run dry

Why Not?:By WONG SAI WAN

Cutting costs has always been the magic cure resorted to every time there is a threat of recession but cutting the flow of money completely may not be a good idea.

MY late father was a civil servant for over 30 years and continued to work for a quasi-government organisation even after he retired.

One of my most deep-seated memories of him was how he never wasted any paper, pins, paperclips or anything that was from the office.

I can remember how he used to write on every available space on a piece of paper, made sure used pins were reused and limited himself to only a box of paperclips for months.

He was a superintendent of a welfare home at the height of the recession in the 1970s. He even made handwritten posters and put them everywhere to remind everyone to switch off lights and fans when not in the office.

Even at home, my family followed suit and tightened our belts. We started growing vegetables in the huge compound of our government quarters and my dad never changed his old Ford Cortina until he retired.

Other civil servants repeated what my father did during the past few recessions. More than 30 years later, we are doing it again.

The rising fuel and energy prices have forced Federal and State Governments to carry out similar cost cutting exercises.

There are more things to cut now compared to the days when my father was a civil servant what with the size of the government right now and the usage of computers and air-conditioners.

As for myself, the son has become the first victim of the cost cutting measures at home. He recently got his driving licence and I kind of promised him a car next year if he gets into college.

The half-hearted promise (it was meant to be a bribe) was to spur him to do better in his SPM exams.

After hearing about the massive increase in fuel prices, I broke the bad news to him - “Remember the car I promised? Forget it!”

He was, of course, not pleased – that was until he had to fill diesel into my monster truck. He came back complaining about the cost and stopped grumbling about the loss of the car he was never going to get.

On weekends, like most middle class families, we used to go to a nearby mall to enjoy the “free air-cond” but all that has stopped as well because somehow or another we would end up buying something unnecessary during such visits.

In order not to be tempted we do not go to the malls. Even the launch of last week’s Malaysia Mega Sale did not tempt us into buying anything.

The boy and I ended up playing two hours of pool and spending less than RM15.

Over the past few days I caught up with my friends in the retail business and they are suffering from low sales.

One of them complained that if people like me, with a decent income, were not spending then this year’s sales would be a flop and her bosses would not meet their targets.

“We are already expecting the worse. If we do not get good sales for the end of the year then we are looking at not only cost cutting but also job cuts,” this friend explained.

I also told her about my decision not to buy the car for my son and she just rolled her eyes and said:

“That means one less sale for a car salesman somewhere. If you are anything to go by, the car sales will drop again. People from the car industry will also have less money to spend and this means less sales for our store. It is a vicious cycle!” she exclaimed.

This friend is not the only one saying this. The Tourism Minister, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said seems to agree when she said her ministry would propose to the Cabinet to review a ruling to reduce government events at hotels.

According to her, the Malaysian Association of Hotels reported losses of some RM100mil after 85% of bookings by government departments and government-linked agencies were cancelled over the past two months.

“Although the move by the government was necessary to reduce expenses, we hope a compromise can be reached as the hotel industry has been badly hit.

“Even the suppliers and those involved in up and down stream industries have been hit by the move,” she said.

A Treasury circular had earlier directed departments and agencies to reduce the number of events at hotels but the ruling resulted in immediate cancellations of bookings.

It seems that the hotel industry will lose up to RM100mil this year because of the cancellations and the industry employs about 500,000 people. I suspect quite a number of these people may lose their jobs if this trend continues.

All these had me thinking. Cutting off spending is not a solution to our present crisis. I am not advocating pump priming by any measure but the government (federal and state) should actually make target spending instead.

They should find which sectors in the country that will create the most spin off in terms of spending by those who get the money.

This multiplier effect will ensure that the money keeps flowing in the system.

Strangulating the economy of money will only bring everything to a halt and this will only cause more hardship.

Cost cutting measures does work and improve productivity but this must also go hand in hand with rewarding staff to enable the increased of savings.

So why not spend a bit more money and keep the cogwheels moving?

However, this does not mean the son is going to get his car but instead of an outright no, my answer has now become maybe.

Full here : Don’t let the tap run dry Malaysia Star,