Job openings in tourism industry
Mohammad Shahidul Islam | Thursday, 31 July 2008
The vast hospitality and tourism industry of the world is viewed by economists as a great contributor to employment, gross domestic product ( GDP) and revenues.
According to the World Travel & Tourism Council in 2007, the industry grew significantly for the fourth consecutive year since 2004. The annual growth for the travel and tourism averaged 4.0 per cent in real terms, or faster than the overall global economy. During the period, travel and tourism created more than 34 million new jobs.
The long-term forecasts point to a steady growth for world Travel and tourism between 2009 and 2018 with an average growth rate of 4.4 overall per annum, supporting 297 million jobs in the world, or 10.5 overall of global GDP by 2018. The UNWTO (the United Nations World Tourism Organisation) expects the world to have 1.6 billion travelers then, compared to around 900 million in 2007.
This means that the tourism and hospitality industry is in dire need for human resources to achieve this mammoth growth. It also means that tourism can be the ideal choice for people, looking for long-term career. Some young people see the rewarding career choice offered by tourism and hospitality. Yet not many do.
Could it be that they are not well informed about the enormous opportunities offered by it? Career counsellors can create the awareness in their high schools, or using the media. Even the government authorities representing the industry can do it. Are they aware that young entrants and hotel management graduates can move rapidly up the career ladder? With proper higher education, they can occupy management positions by their mid- 30's.
The industry is expected to face the biggest shortage over the next ten years for semi-skilled labour. But the most critical shortage would be faced for skilled personnel, managers and supervisors. To be able to recruit bright youngsters the industry must speak out loud. The industry must attract young men and women who are looking for good careers. Employers, keen to retain talent, need to look together their employees' careers.
The other day in a hospitality news letter, Joelle Hellinckx, Hilton Hotels' director of resourcing for Europe commented: "We are planning to open 121 new hotels in Europe by 2016 which, in terms of people, means that by 2011 we need 39 additional general managers and 104 operational managers. In Hilton we already have a large talent pool and have defined paths to reach general manager positions, but we need to find additional people to meet this demand."
Starwood, a leading global hotel company, would be opening 50 hotels each year over the next five years. "We identified that, by 2009, there would be a gap, so we launched 'Grow global projects'," said Jane Wright, regional director of human resources, Northwest Europe of Starwood. "The aim is to recognize people we can fast track, so that, in two years time, they will be able to take over the managerial roles." The group is also working on strengthening its relationship with colleges in order to attract commerce, finance, and hospitality graduates.
These are but two minute examples of the shortage in human resources facing international hotel chains.
What the young are probably not aware of is that the global tourism industry offers the largest selection of career prospects to the young, pursuing a quality education in the field. The industry is much more than hotel and restaurant enterprises. It encompasses an array of companies that specialise in airlines, cruise lines, sports and entertainment, amusement centers, senior living communities, car rentals, casinos, club management and real estate development. It also covers consulting, corporate services, finance companies with ties to investment banking, asset management, conference and convention management, facility design, catering, bed and breakfast operations, large chain restaurants, general brand management and franchise management, management training, information technology, travel agencies, and much more.
An encouraging trend of Bangladeshi hospitality workers is noticeable round the world. It is quite possible that one day Bangladeshi workers will be dominating the scene.
Numerous opportunities await Bangladeshi graduates in these areas. Tourism enterprises are facing fierce competition. To be successful they need to hire talented graduates with higher education in hospitality and tourism management, who have the knack for the industry.
The speed of change within the industry with changing customer expectations, competition, legislation, new technology, and economic factors emphasises the need to anticipate the transformation for adjustments to management structures, roles and development. The need for graduates, with a good solid higher education, is obvious to facilitate and manage the needed changes, from strategic and operational perspectives. Knowing this, clever enterprises hire only graduates with higher degrees in hospitality and tourism management.
Any industry professional would encourage young people of Bangladesh to pursue quality education in the area to choose hospitality and tourism as a career.
The writer teaches tourism at National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute and can be reached at email:
[email protected]
According to the World Travel & Tourism Council in 2007, the industry grew significantly for the fourth consecutive year since 2004. The annual growth for the travel and tourism averaged 4.0 per cent in real terms, or faster than the overall global economy. During the period, travel and tourism created more than 34 million new jobs.
The long-term forecasts point to a steady growth for world Travel and tourism between 2009 and 2018 with an average growth rate of 4.4 overall per annum, supporting 297 million jobs in the world, or 10.5 overall of global GDP by 2018. The UNWTO (the United Nations World Tourism Organisation) expects the world to have 1.6 billion travelers then, compared to around 900 million in 2007.
This means that the tourism and hospitality industry is in dire need for human resources to achieve this mammoth growth. It also means that tourism can be the ideal choice for people, looking for long-term career. Some young people see the rewarding career choice offered by tourism and hospitality. Yet not many do.
Could it be that they are not well informed about the enormous opportunities offered by it? Career counsellors can create the awareness in their high schools, or using the media. Even the government authorities representing the industry can do it. Are they aware that young entrants and hotel management graduates can move rapidly up the career ladder? With proper higher education, they can occupy management positions by their mid- 30's.
The industry is expected to face the biggest shortage over the next ten years for semi-skilled labour. But the most critical shortage would be faced for skilled personnel, managers and supervisors. To be able to recruit bright youngsters the industry must speak out loud. The industry must attract young men and women who are looking for good careers. Employers, keen to retain talent, need to look together their employees' careers.
The other day in a hospitality news letter, Joelle Hellinckx, Hilton Hotels' director of resourcing for Europe commented: "We are planning to open 121 new hotels in Europe by 2016 which, in terms of people, means that by 2011 we need 39 additional general managers and 104 operational managers. In Hilton we already have a large talent pool and have defined paths to reach general manager positions, but we need to find additional people to meet this demand."
Starwood, a leading global hotel company, would be opening 50 hotels each year over the next five years. "We identified that, by 2009, there would be a gap, so we launched 'Grow global projects'," said Jane Wright, regional director of human resources, Northwest Europe of Starwood. "The aim is to recognize people we can fast track, so that, in two years time, they will be able to take over the managerial roles." The group is also working on strengthening its relationship with colleges in order to attract commerce, finance, and hospitality graduates.
These are but two minute examples of the shortage in human resources facing international hotel chains.
What the young are probably not aware of is that the global tourism industry offers the largest selection of career prospects to the young, pursuing a quality education in the field. The industry is much more than hotel and restaurant enterprises. It encompasses an array of companies that specialise in airlines, cruise lines, sports and entertainment, amusement centers, senior living communities, car rentals, casinos, club management and real estate development. It also covers consulting, corporate services, finance companies with ties to investment banking, asset management, conference and convention management, facility design, catering, bed and breakfast operations, large chain restaurants, general brand management and franchise management, management training, information technology, travel agencies, and much more.
An encouraging trend of Bangladeshi hospitality workers is noticeable round the world. It is quite possible that one day Bangladeshi workers will be dominating the scene.
Numerous opportunities await Bangladeshi graduates in these areas. Tourism enterprises are facing fierce competition. To be successful they need to hire talented graduates with higher education in hospitality and tourism management, who have the knack for the industry.
The speed of change within the industry with changing customer expectations, competition, legislation, new technology, and economic factors emphasises the need to anticipate the transformation for adjustments to management structures, roles and development. The need for graduates, with a good solid higher education, is obvious to facilitate and manage the needed changes, from strategic and operational perspectives. Knowing this, clever enterprises hire only graduates with higher degrees in hospitality and tourism management.
Any industry professional would encourage young people of Bangladesh to pursue quality education in the area to choose hospitality and tourism as a career.
The writer teaches tourism at National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute and can be reached at email:
[email protected]