Choosing your career as early as possible is probably the best thing to do, but it requires a lot of research, planning, and time to know and choose what suits you well. Of the many paths you could explore, today we will be talking about a very lucrative career choice- hotel management. Hotel management is the gateway to the hospitality industry, which includes- lodging, food and drink service, event planning, theme parks, travel, and tourism agencies, restaurants, and bars.

After the COVID19 pandemic, the hospitality industry is now back on track, businesses are moving back to offices, and the industry is getting back to its pre-pandemic state with a CAGR of 13%. In this article, we will explore hotel management as the best career choice, its pros and cons, and various courses in Hotel management which students can take up.

What is Hotel Management?

Hotel management is a professional course that involves the study of essential areas and domains relevant to the hospitality industry like- customer service, food and beverage service, front office management, housekeeping operations, hotel accountancy, etc. Further, it also involves the development of skills required for the hospitality industry like- communication skills, problem-solving skills, attention to detail, interpersonal skills, multi-tasking, cooking, etc. 

Courses in hotel management

Students can take up courses in hotel management after completing class 12th. There are many courses options with different course lengths, costs, and syllabi that students can choose from. Some of the top hotel management courses are-

  • Diploma in Hotel Management

The diploma in hotel management is a short hotel management training program, with a course length of 6 months to 2 years. Students, after class 12th, can join this course to get the best relevant training and learning to enter the industry.

A diploma in hotel management programs is best suited for students who want to find a job early.

  • BSc catering science and hotel management

A BSc (catering science and hotel management) is a full-time 3-year undergraduate degree course specifically designed for hospitality management. It includes the study of hospitality management, tour & travel service, food and lodging services and catering services. 

After pursuing this course, students can take up managerial roles in the hospitality industry.

  • BSc hospitality and hotel management

BSc (HM) is another popular 3-year full-time postgraduate course. It provides the students with the necessary knowledge of running the hotels and restaurants, human resource management, hotel administration, and the skills to attend to the customer.

  • MBA in Hotel Management

MBA in Hotel Management is a 2-year postgraduate degree program in the hospitality industry. Here, students learn management principles, human resource management, organisational behaviour, accommodation management, marketing, etc. After this course, students can take up senior managerial and operations positions in top hospitality firms.

Best colleges

Fortunately, India is home to some of the best institutes for hotel management. One can easily find good hotel management colleges in Bangalore, Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, etc. Since the hospitality industry has a good presence in major commercial centres, most good colleges are situated in major urban centres. One can find promising MBA in hotel management colleges in Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata, etc. 

Some of the top hotel management institutes are-

  • Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition – [IHM], Pusa, New Delhi.
  • Institute of Hotel Management, Bangalore.
  • BEST International Business School, Bangalore
  • Parul University, Vadodara.
  • Indian Institute of Hotel Management, Kolkata.
  • International School of Hospitality and Tourism, Kolkata.

Advantages of a career in Hotel Management

Some of the best reasons to choose Hotel Management as a career are-

  • Nice salary packages- Students can expect good salary packages and perks in the hospitality industry. Big hospitality firms offer some of the most competitive salary packages to hire the best talent. Experience also serves as a good salary multiplying factor.
  • Very creative job- You need to come up with new innovative, and creative ideas to attract customers to your hotel or restaurant. If you can bring out of box ideas to attract the public, hotel management is one of the best career choices.
  • Here you can use your talent- If you are a talented chef and cook lovely and delicious delicacies, then hotel management is like a dream come true. Moreover, students who have good interpersonal skills and understand customers’ needs can do very well in the hospitality industry.
  • Dynamic career- Hotel management is an active job, especially when you have guests celebrating one of the moments at your hotel. Students who love dynamism and can take on a busy schedule should definitely consider hotel management. 
  • Global outreach- Success in the hospitality industry depends a lot on the global outreach of the organization. The more you can attract international clients and companies, the more revenue you generate. Students who want to work on a worldwide scale and want to work with global audiences should definitely consider hotel management as a career option.

Top professional avenues-

  • Housekeeping Manager- Your role would be to supervise the cleaning of rooms, laundering of bed linen, and maintaining the furniture and other hotel equipment.
  • Human Resources Officer-  Your primary role will be recruiting new employees, looking after employee well-being, office administration, team building, etc.
  • Customer Service Executive- Here, you have to ensure that services offered to customers are up to the standard and bring in new customers.
  • Hotel Manager- Here, you would be responsible for planning, marketing, coordinating and administering the services of the hotel, restaurant, etc. 
  • Catering Manager- Your primary role would be to monitor the quality of food service for customers, monitor kitchen staff performance, maintain hygiene, etc.

Challenges in hotel management

Every profession has its own challenge; some of the challenges in the hotel management industry are-

  • Stiff competition.
  • Frequent closures due to the pandemic.
  • Rising operating costs.
  • Business is seasonal in nature.
  • Irregular cash inflows.
  • Changing customer demands.

Hotel management is definitely a good career choice; this article outlines all the relevant details that students can consider while choosing their paths. Hotel management is a very critical job where you have to ensure that you create the best and most memorable experience for your customers, which is the key to success in this industry.