Exploring Careers in Hospitality and Tourism Management

As the Hospitality and Tourism industry steadily grows, so do opportunities for industry leaders to work, travel, and thrive in their careers on a worldwide scale. A specialization in Hospitality and Tourism Management provides opportunities to lead and manage operations in hotels, casinos, event planning and consulting, and many other industries related to leisure and traveling.

“It’s truly a global industry. Tourism contributes to economic growth for towns, cities, and countries worldwide,” says Dr. Greg Evans, Program Chair at Colorado State University-Global Campus.

Hospitality and Tourism is an industry expected to continue its expansion as international travel and the percentage of families choosing to dine out regularly increases.

“It’ll continue to grow in a big way. It’s the biggest industry worldwide, and there’s been a spike in growth over the last 25-50 years, as it’s cheaper to travel and to fly than it was a few decades ago,” says Dr. Evans. “Many people travel and go out to eat, and people look forward to entertainment, experiences, and leisure activities. Tourism is such a large umbrella industry, [consisting of] airlines, hotels, conventions, restaurants.”

While the Hospitality and Tourism industry will always rely on individuals assuming service roles, there are many rewarding and well-paying careers in the management and consulting aspects of the field that require a bachelor’s degree.

Roles like these require you to:

• Uphold travel, activity, leisure, and safety policies and regulations.
• Comply with established and evolving industry standards.
• Lead teams of employees on all career levels.
• Implement ethical decision-making strategies to keep facilities running smoothly and capable of providing the utmost care, attention, and positive experiences for customers and clients.

With a solid foundation in industry trends, business operations, decision-making strategies, and marketing, you’ll have the knowledge to create and carry out plans that meet the operational needs of hotels, assisted-living establishments, casinos, theme parks, and other leisure-related organizations. There are many career options to explore with a specialization in Hospitality and Tourism Management.

If you enjoy traveling, think about a career in…

• Event Planning.
• Airline/Rail/Transportation Management.
• Meeting and Convention Planning.

Do you favor an active lifestyle? Think about a career in….

• Activity Management.
• Theme Park Management.
• Recreation and Activity Coordination.

Do you consider yourself a leader and wise decision-maker? Think about a career in…

• Hotel/Resort/Assisted Living Management.
• Destination Marketing and Management.
• Real Estate and Resort Consulting.
• Restaurant Management.
• Hospitality and Tourism Entrepreneurship.

These careers are constantly changing and present many opportunities to travel, balance work with play, and connect with people globally. Where will your knowledge and skills in Hospitality and Tourism take you?