- What is Hotel Management?
- What does a hotelier do?
- Why build a career in Hotel Management
- Pros and cons of career in Hotel Management
- Qualifications required for Hotel Management
- Hotel Management jobs in India
- Job roles in Hotel Management
- Hotel Management skills
- Hotel Management blogs
- Hotel Management books
- Hotel Management YouTube videos and channels
Opulent hotels, grand cruises and everything classy! Hotel industry seems all about the glamour and luxury.
But is it the same when you’re working behind the scenes?
The hotel industry is one of the most popular careers not only in India but all over the world. Today, we take a deep dive into this profession and find out what is hotel management course and is it for you?
What is Hotel Management?
Hotel management is a part of the hospitality sector which is responsible for providing boarding and lodging services to guests.
Hotels are generally rated out of 5 stars depending upon the facilities and luxuries they offer. Hotel management is the study of operating such properties without any discrepancies. A typical 5-star property generally has 4 core departments.
Front office (Reception), Housekeeping, F & B services and Kitchen are the 4 core departments in a 5-star property. In a hotel management course, students are taught the operations of each department and how they work in harmony with each other.
After completing the hotel management course, students can then decide which department they wish to work for.
What does a hotelier do?
Hoteliers are deployed in all the departments of a hotel. From housekeeping to the kitchen, each hotelier plays a different role to ensure a smooth operation of the hotel.
From greeting guests in the lobby, serving them food and beverages in restaurants, to keeping the guest rooms clean and tidy, hoteliers are responsible for every aspect of a hotel.
Why build a career in Hotel Management?
The hotel industry is growing exponentially in India, which adds more and more opportunities for the people working in it.
This exponential growth in the hotel industry not only opens more tourism in the country but more working opportunities in the hotels for the future.
Scope of hotel management
As a hotelier, you can work in the following:
- Front Office
- Housekeeping
- F&B
- Kitchen
- Marketing
- Finance
- Purchase
As a hotelier, you can start your career in either of the 4 departments.
The front office primarily deals with guests and check-ins.
Housekeeping deals in the cleanliness and maintenance of the hotel.
F & B is the department which takes care of service of food and beverages.
Kitchen is the department where the food is prepared.
Demand for hoteliers
According to Statista, the market size of hotel industry in India has grown from $7 billion in 2015 and is expected to reach $13 billion by 2020.
This open doors for people who want to join the hotel industry. A growing industry will always have opportunities for employment as well as growth.
Pros and cons of a career in Hotel Management
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| A clear career path | Really long working hours |
| Interaction with people from all over the globe | Lots of physical labour |
| Not a monotonous desk job | No festive holidays |
| Learning opportunities | Work may get stressful |
Hotels as much as they look glamorous from the outside, they’re not for people who are working behind the scenes. It has long working hours, break shifts, physical work and no weekends off. You don’t even get offs on major holidays like Diwali, Christmas etc. because that’s when the hotels are packed the most.
If you’re willing to sacrifice the holidays and are ready for physical intensive labour, long working hours, then you should consider getting into the hotel industry.
Working in hotels can be fun as you’re not working at a desk, you interact with guests (if you’re in service or front office), you get to learn about the industry and every day is a new challenge.
Qualification required for Hotel Management
To get into the hotel industry, you need a bachelor’s, BSc or BA degree in hotel management. These hotel management courses are offered by several universities and colleges throughout India.
On completion of this course, you can interview for any 5-star property or even try for airlines, railways, health care and more.
| DEGREE | FIELD OF STUDY |
|---|---|
| BHM | Food production, Bakery, F&B, Housekeeping, Facility Planning, Front Office etc. |
| BHMCT | Nutrition, Front Office, Food Production, Housekeeping, Communication etc. |
| Bsc in HHM | Food Production, Front Office, Bakery, Housekeeping, Communication etc. |
Hotel Management jobs in India
There are plenty of jobs available for hotel management graduates There are multiple roles such as stewards, housekeeping attendants, guest room attendants, front office executives, and many more.
| JOBS | NAUKRI | INDEED | MONSTER | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front Office | 10k | 7k | 1k | 7k | 25k |
| Housekeeping | 24k | 2k | 400 | 6k | 32k |
| F&B | 2k | 1k | 390 | 2k | 5k |
| Kitchen | 3k | 2k | 654 | 3k | 8k |
Job roles in Hotel Management
| ROLE | MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES |
|---|---|
| Stewards | Serving and attending guests in restaurants as well as in-room service. |
| Front Office Attendant | Interacting with guests at the reception and help them in the check-in process. |
| Housekeeping Attendant | Cleaning lobbies, corridors and guestrooms. |
| Commis | Helping chefs in the preparation of meals, buffets and more. |
Note: The roles mentioned in the table are entree level. With more experience and education, you can reach the management level such as Front Office Manager, F&B Manager, Housekeeping Manager and Sous Chef etc.
Hotel Management skills
| SKILL | DETAILS |
|---|---|
| Communication | Fluent written and verbal English is required to interact with guests. |
| Polite Demeanor | A polite personality is essential as it’s hospitality sector. |
| Physical Strength | Physical ability is needed to work long and tiring hours. |
| Team Spirit | Being a team player is important as people work within teams and with other teams. |
| Discipline | Well-groomed and discipline is the face of hospitality and it’s vital in this profession. |
Hotel Management blogs
Here’s a list of popular finance and hotel management blogs:
Hotel Management books
Here’s a list of hotel management books every hotelier should read:
- The Heart of Hospitality: Great Hotel and Restaurant Leaders Share Their Secrets By Micah Solomon
- Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service By The Disney Institute
- 7 EASY Ways to Show Your Employees YOU Care!: A Booklet for Hotel Managers and Others By Jokima Hiller
- Exceptional Service, Exceptional Profit: The Secrets of Building a Five-Star Customer Service Organization By Leonardo Inghilleri
- 100 Tips for Hoteliers: What Every Successful Hotel Professional Needs to Know and Do By Peter J Venison
