Hospitality: A grand, rewarding career choice

While post-pandemic trends like revenge tourism and an insane growth in domestic tourism have turbocharged the hospitality and tourism industry, the same hasn’t been the case for hospitality education and career. While most sectors/businesses in the world suffered during the lockdown, hospitality continues to live in the shadows of the recently bygone hard times. The challenging times are behind us but the pandemic-induced mindset that hospitality is no longer a good career option continues to haunt the general populace, despite a skyrocketing growth in the sector and the ever-rising demand for talent.  

From real estate giants making large-scale investments in the industry that facilitate infrastructural development to the tourism sector expecting to create 25 million jobs by 2030, recruitment trends in the hospitality sector should paint a rosy picture for job seekers. After all, it is a perfect career option for today’s tech-savvy, travel-bound, creative, ‘social media frenzied’ millennials who look for a diverse and exciting work environment alongside a lucrative, happening career that affords them a great lifestyle, fulfills their fine dining dreams, checks their travel bucket list and creates an Insta-worthy dazzling work profile. And yet, it is only ironical that a big proportion of our youth is not keen on pursuing a career in hospitality.  

Travel and hospitality are one of the most dynamic and fast-paced growing sectors in India, with an anticipated growth of US$ 475.37 billion by 2029, and this makes me wonder – where are we lacking in attracting the right talent pool? While hospitality hirings have increased by 50 per cent between 2022 and 2023, there is not a corresponding surge in students taking up hospitality courses/training at colleges. I feel how the industry markets itself, especially to millennial job aspirants, needs a complete overhaul. As someone who has had a journey of a lifetime (and a passport forever running out of pages), thanks to my job, I wish to highlight the not-so-often talked about and amazing aspects of a successful career in hospitality. The perks of working in this industry come dipped in luxury, offering unparalleled cultural exposure, tangible benefits beyond wages, and universal skill development.  

So here are some reasons why you should take up a job in hospitality:  

1. Salaries getting glossier  

How much will I make in a month is a question that has been looming large for the longest in the minds of future professionals. The industry has woken up to this reality. Salary at the entrance levels is getting more lucrative and largely comparable to earnings of graduates from other vocations. Incentives and bonuses have also improved. The demand-supply gap has actually worked in favor of hospitality professionals with salaries getting competitive. In the last year alone, there has been a 15 per cent hike in stipend for trainees while CTCs for skilled employees has increased by 8 to 10 per cent. Not to miss – the gratuity is often the unspoken part of the money you make in the sector, along with the tips and bonuses that you can earn.  

2. Midscale spells maximum opportunities

Punching above its weight, the budget-friendly and the midscale category is on a roll, which directly translates into more openings in the category. Two years ago, Radisson Hotel Group introduced an India-exclusive midscale brand: Park Inn & Suites by Radisson. At home, midscale segment brands like Lemon Tree Hotels and Ginger (IHCL) are on an expansion spree. The growing economy, more disposable income for a rising middle class, improved infrastructure, and better road & air connectivity are all a stimulus for this segment.

3. Unleash your creative juices

In an industry known for its adaptability to change in any form – be it trend, times or technology, the more creative you are, the merrier it gets! From experimenting in the kitchen to presenting out of the box ideas in the boardroom, ingenuity is always encouraged and appreciated in hospitality. Both peers and the work environment will push you to be a mind-bender and innovate.  

4. Fuel your culinary fire

As more and more people are chalking out their itineraries around specialty culinary experiences, the industry offers a stellar culinary career. From working on cruises, five stars, or luxury resorts to launching your own gastronomy start-up, Chefs world over are having their best time right now. Culinary hospitality is where art meets entrepreneurship, and delicacies fuse with decision-making. So if you know your flavours, you are in for a fruitful career as a MasterChef.  

5. Climb the leadership ladder in quick time

Hospitality and tourism are touted as the top industries to generate employment, and this translates into not just more openings but also quicker promotions. Many hospitality brands today are committing career progressions like never before. IHCL (Taj Hotels) – the fastest growing brand in India and the second fastest globally, has already promoted young meritorious professionals from entry level to a General Manager within just six to seven years. With most brands opening one new hotel every month, the industry needs a good number of talented and skilled people to support this growth.

6.  Write your own success story

You cannot put your claim on the Iron Throne if you haven’t given it your blood and sweat. Ask any top hotelier his secret to success and you would learn that they never shied away from meticulous hard work – working till wee hours, shuffling between different departments, doing double shifts, and learning all the way up. Hard work is not a cautionary advice, it’s the common denominator of all success stories. As you work your way up the ladder, you gain impeccable mental strength and strategic skills. And you can choose to be in the C-suite club or kick off your entrepreneurial journey.

7. Taste life, king-size  

In addition to the regular benefits such as free food, discounted hotel stays, gym and pool memberships, one of the many perks of a career in hospitality includes an easy access to a wide array of lifestyle experiences. Whether it’s luxury cars parked in the hotel’s backyard or celebrity encounters and caviar dreams, the career offers you the excitements of a lifetime.

8. A truly inclusive space

Name an industry that is as inclusive as hospitality. Whether you identify with pride parades, are differently-abled, fiercely artistic, a wellness freak, or a foodie, there’s a place, position, and department for everyone. A nurturing environment assisted by peer support and experienced mentorship ensures that your mind and heart flourish.

9. Go Globetrotting

Sky’s the limit when you join the industry. It literally gives wings to your dreams. You travel the world while getting paid for it. Flying over the Caribbean or checking into luxury hotels in Hong Kong, your passport only gets thicker and thicker. 

10. The world is on your plate, literally

An experience of world cuisines without actually taking a world tour is one of the most exciting perks of the job. You not just get to see and taste the cuisines of different countries but also learn how to pair them best with mood & occasion.

11. Learn to be social and life-ready

What is the one occupation that can groom you for life? As you meet a diverse set of clients /people every day, there is so much knowledge you acquire on the job, from soft skills to team building and people management. It inspires you to read more, listen more and understand more.

12. Smile before frown

Only a few months in the industry and you learn to set everything straight with a smile. It becomes your best asset as well as a strategy to get through challenges in life. A hotel is not just a stack of floors and rooms, it’s a whole city running inside a building. You learn to deal with the world. The challenges are as varied as the people; and handling them makes you mentally tougher and poised.  

13. A brush with luxury

From cruises to skyscrapers, the industry gives you an opportunity to work at the most luxurious hotels & various accommodation models around the globe. From classic and antique to modern and rare, your job becomes your free pass for close encounters with the rarest of the rare luxuries, accessible only to a select few.

14. Empathy is the key

The biggest takeaway of working in this service industry is that one becomes more empathetic towards people – be it your guests or teammates. You start focusing on the feelings and emotions of your guests to curate the most memorable experiences for them.

Besides enjoying the material benefits, career growth opportunities, social skills, and diverse experiences, working in the hospitality sector prepares you for life, ensuring your rounded growth as a person and a professional. So if you do not want to settle in the monotony of a regular 9 to 5 desk job, taking up a hospitality career is just the right choice for you to let your creativity flow and experience novelty- every single day at work.