Introduction
The hospitality industry is one of the oldest businesses in history. People have always gone out to eat sometimes and traveled for work or leisure purposes. One of the fastest growing sectors of the economy of our time is the hospitality industry.
The hospitality industry alone is a multi-billion dollar and growing enterprise. It is exciting, never boring and offers unlimited opportunities. The hospitality industry is diverse enough for people to work in different areas of interest and still be employed within the hospitality industry. Think about this: It makes sense to prepare for a job in which you have numerous opportunities for advancement, because it is an economic advantage for you in the long run1.
The Hospitality Industry
Hospitality management involves the planning, organizing, directing and controlling of human and material resources within the lodging, restaurant, travel and tourism, institutional management, recreational management and meeting and convention planning industries2.
Not only has the industry expanded to include areas such as tourism and meeting and convention planning, but also the face of the workforce in substantial positions has expanded to include all races and colors. The explosion of growth in the hospitality industry demands highly qualified people trained in hospitality management to fill rapidly opening positions.
The present hospitality industry is extraordinarily healthy and viable and as a result offers excellent opportunities; restaurant management, lodging management, recreational management, travel and tourism, meeting and convention planning and institutional management. Scott announces good news: the opportunities are there. The globalization of the hospitality industry creates the availability of jobs in virtually every city in the world.
In the growing field of hospitality, it is projected that by the year 2000 an additional two million people will fill new jobs in the industry. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, in the next decade nine out of ten new jobs created will be in the service industry. Through the year 2000, positions for hotel managers are expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations.
The success in the hospitality industry means being flexible in business and in personal life, understanding the true meaning of customer and employee service, and knowing the job that you are asking others to perform. The industry professionals must understand how to make a profit. Having great customer skills no longer promotes you to the top. A degree in hospitality management with a strong emphasis in business administration strengthens your preparation for the industry. In additional to classroom preparation, junior and senior students especially should seek hands-on opportunities such as internships, shadowing experiences and mentoring relationships. Internships are very beneficial to students in that they provide immediate access to the real work world and also are the time for students to make mistakes as they learn. These experiences also provide the graduate with a strong level of preparedness for entry-level positions.
Although competition is tough, well-prepared students can expect steady opportunities for advancement. The industry is very demanding but rewarding and appreciates those who have paid their dues so to speak. Hospitality companies are looking for confident, well-adjusted individuals with good communication and interviewing skills.
Discussions
“The value chain describes the activities within and around an organization which together create a product or service. It is the cost of these value activities, and the value that they deliver, that determines whether or not best value products or services are developed” (2005).
The value chain that circling around the organization is the process represents as the blood of the enterprise. The hospitality industry describes the value chain are basically the process to create such products and services. And the cost that the travelers incurred is done because of those activities and not by the product or service itself. The activities are the steps to create a best quality of product and services. It is barely involve here in the activities the perspiration of every individual that contributed in forming the product. The specification and being in details in making certain product is also required to craft a good product.
In the accordance to this value chain, if the series of process is connected to one another, therefore, it is bound to call as a chain. The things that fall under those activities are the true values to price a certain product or service. In the different department of every company, the activities are also involved. There come the different marketing strategies that can also be taken as a value chain. While in the HR department had included activities such as training the newly hired individuals and monitoring their progress is a value chain that under the service category.
Hospitality Workforce System
There should be a series of investments to address the workforce needs of the hospitality industry. It has listened to employers, representatives from industry associations, and other stakeholders in the hospitality industry regarding their efforts to identify challenges and implement effective workforce strategies.
This set of workforce solutions is based on the hospitality industry's priorities that address issues such as3:
Image: Like other service sectors, hospitality careers are often stereotyped as low-wage and entry-level with little opportunity for advancement. Consequently, qualified workers, especially youth, are unaware the range of hospitality careers available.
Recruitment: Faced with a shrinking pipeline of workers, the hospitality industry is increasing its recruitment efforts towards youth and developing targeted strategies for previously untapped labor pools.
Retention: High turnover is a key challenge in the hospitality industry. The restaurant, hotel and lodging sectors have difficulty retaining skilled workers because of the negative image that the industry faces.
Language skills: English proficiency is a key challenge because a large percentage of the hospitality workforce does not speak English as their primary language. Employers seek language training programs that allow workers to effectively perform their job, which includes providing good customer service and understanding safety requirements.
Employability/Soft Skills: Employers have difficulty finding workers who possess basic "soft skills," which are often a prerequisite for success in a customer service-oriented field.
Consistent training models and skills certifications: The hospitality industry as a whole lacks consistency and portability in their training models and skill certifications. Many employers run their own internal training programs for entry-level workers, which makes it difficult to monitor the content of training and the skills acquired.
The Growing Indian Hospitality Industry
India has the potential to become the number one tourist destination in the world with the demand that grows annually. The major attractions in India are the world's highest mountains, miles of coastline with excellent beaches, tropical forests and wildlife, desert safari, lagoon backwaters, ancient monuments, forts and palaces, adventure tourism and, of course, the Taj Mahal. The country is witnessing an unprecedented growth in hotel constructions and guest-houses, as a result through the aggressive marketing strategies and campaign. The supports came from the Department of Tourism is aiming to position India as the global leader for travel and trade industry and the vast untapped potential of India as a destination4.
Issues on the Future of the Industry
The industry for hospitality reacted in the global recession and the truth of it, is all of the industrial sectors are deeply affected by it. Despite the other factors that contribute the economic depression such as inflation and terrorism, the overall outlook for the Indian hospitality market remains optimistic5.
The International tie-ups that the Indian Hospitality Industry considered as a one main strategy had a big players involve. The marketing collaborations are very evident with major international hotel chains6.
The fast growing hospitality industry is a good in the economy, especially in those countries that are still in the developing stage. The different products and services is an additional incentive for the travelers. An industry that is trying to save a drowning economy of a country is better that staying frozen inside the barren.
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