“As the industry continues to evolve, investing in education remains a critical factor in unlocking the full potential of a career in hospitality.”
Kim H. Williams, Ph.D., Chair and Professor; Hospitality, Event & Tourism Management; University of North Texas Page 02
“Be tolerant and patient. Be prepared to work hard. Be prepared to be rewarded for your hard work.”
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The hospitality industry is a dynamic and multifaceted field that demands a unique blend of skills, adaptability, and a keen understanding of diverse customer needs. An education tailored to hospitality can profoundly influence one’s career trajectory in this vibrant sector. From career progression and salary potential to leadership development, the impact of education on a hospitality career is significant and multifaceted.
Education provides a solid foundation for career advancement in hospitality. Specialized degree programs, such as those in hotel management, culinary arts, club management, sustainability, event management, or tourism, offer a comprehensive understanding of industry-specific knowledge and practices. For instance, a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management typically covers essential areas like operations management, financial accounting, marketing, and strategic planning. This academic background equips graduates with a thorough understanding of the industry’s complexities, preparing them for various roles from entry-level positions to executive leadership.
Moreover, many educational programs include practical experience components, such as internships or industry placements. These hands-on experiences are invaluable, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings, build professional networks, and gain insights into different operational aspects of the hospitality sector. This practical exposure often accelerates career progression, providing a competitive edge in the job market and paving the way for rapid advancement.
Education plays a crucial role in determining salary potential within the hospitality industry. Generally, higher levels of education correlate with higher earning potential. For example, individuals with a specialized degree or advanced qualifications in hospitality management often command higher salaries compared to those with only high school diplomas or less specialized backgrounds. Additionally, education can provide a platform for gaining certifications and credentials that further boost earning potential. Professional certifications, such as Certified Hospitality Administrator (CHA), Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), or Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA) often require a combination of relevant education and work experience. Achieving these certifications can open doors to higher-paying positions and specialized roles within the industry.
Leadership is a critical component of success in hospitality, and education plays a pivotal role in developing these essential skills. Hospitality programs often incorporate courses on leadership, team management,
and organizational behavior, which are instrumental in preparing future leaders. These programs emphasize the development of interpersonal skills, strategic thinking, and effective communication — key attributes for leading teams and managing complex operations.
The International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (ICHRIE) is comprised of more than 2,800 members, 200 universities, and six global federations. We proudly prepare future hospitality leaders for global hospitality careers. Our universities are playing a transformative role in shaping hospitality careers.
As the industry continues to evolve, investing in education remains a critical factor in unlocking the full potential of a career in hospitality. As the ICHRIE president and on behalf of our members and universities, we cordially invite you to explore our university members’ websites to learn how you can advance your career in the resilient hospitality industry.
Written by Kim H. Williams, Ph.D.; Chair and Professor; Hospitality, Event, & Tourism Management; University of North Texas
The hospitality and tourism industry is booming, employing more than 300 million people worldwide and contributing trillions of dollars each year to the global economy, with a record $11 trillion predicted for 2024.
The University of South Carolina has prepared many industry leaders, with more following in their footsteps in each graduating class.
“Hospitality is such a diverse industry from operations to development to destination management,” said International Society of Hospitality Consultants CEO Andrea Belfanti, a South Carolina hospitality management alumna. “There are a lot of careers that allow you to travel all over the world and make a lot of money.”
South Carolina’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management combines classroom instruction from world-renowned faculty with a matchless menu of experiential learning opportunities. Students annually work at some of golf’s biggest tournaments, including the Masters Tournament and the Players Championship, memorable experiences that also open career doors.
“I know I wouldn’t have had those opportunities if I hadn’t come to South Carolina,” said alumna Tatiana Lippold, now assistant clubhouse manager at the prestigious Alotian Club. “I realized the people in this industry are a whole lot like me. We have similar goals, similar passions for service and excellence, and it feels like home.”
Food and beverage management will always be a major part of the hospitality and tourism industries, and South Carolina students are well prepared for careers in that area. Students gain experience operating a full-service restaurant on campus and learn about food production in the state-of-theart Marriott Culinary Lab. New in 2024 is the Beverage Education Lab.
“It provides a realistic and customized environment to deliver curriculum, demonstrations, and events in an engaging way and for a wide range of audiences,” said School of Hospitality and Tourism
Management director Sandy Strick. “This facility is designed to be an epicenter of beverage management excellence for both students and professionals, impacting education and industry advancement across the state and region.”
The vast field of hospitality and tourism management includes many careers students are unaware of before beginning their education at South Carolina. Caroline Aase graduated in May 2024 and stepped into a career with one of the world’s biggest hotel/ resort companies, IHG. Her analyst role is part of the transactions and asset management portion of the industry, focused on buying and selling hotels and franchises.
“South Carolina is the reason I’m at IHG today,” Aase says. “As a student, I had the opportunity to tour IHG’s regional headquarters in Atlanta and network with leaders. When I was looking for a job my senior year, I was able to reach out to those connections and find an opportunity that was perfect for my goals.”
The opportunities never stop coming for University of South Carolina students and alumni. The School of Hospitality and Tourism Management is consistently ranked number one in the Southeastern Conference and among the nation’s best.
Written by The University of South Carolina School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Thomas Harrison, III Hospitality Management, Class of 2000
Thomas is the Corporate Regional Director of Sales for Aimbridge / Interstate Hotels & Resorts
Caroline Manning Hospitality Management, Class of 2010
Caroline is the Director of Hospitality for Augusta National Golf Club
Mamee Grooves Master of International Hospitality and Tourism Management, Class of 2004
Mamee is the Senior Food and Beverage Director for Hilton North America
Caroline Salisbury Tourism Management, Class of 2024
Caroline is the Guest Experience Manager of Food and Beverage Operations for Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Warren Jahn Master of International Hospitality and Tourism Management, Class of 2004
Warren is the Vice President of HR, Global Sales, and AMER Growth/Commercial for IHG Hotels and Resorts
Chef and TV personality Robert Irvine shares everything he’s learned from a lifetime in the hospitality industry and where he sees it going in the future.
What inspired you to pursue a career in hospitality, and what do you find most rewarding about it?
Putting a plate of hot food in front of someone and getting to see them share it with people they love and enjoy it. That’s an incredibly rewarding experience. It fulfills a primal need for community in a very tangible, immediate way, and it simply never gets old. I think I noticed at a young age that food had this power, and I wanted to be in a position to wield that power. That, and I wanted to meet girls in home economics. Never did work out for meeting girls, but luckily I fell in love with cooking.
What emerging technologies should the hospitality industry invest in to stay competitive?
Any tasks that can be automated without negatively affecting the customer experience should be automated as soon as you’re able to do so. Self-ordering kiosks are one thing. Automatic fry chefs, which they’re working on,
will be another in the near future. These are all things that everyone in the food industry will need to stay on top of in order to stay competitive.
How do you see technology influencing guest experience and operational efficiency in the future?
I’m very bullish on this, hence my investment in GRUBBRR, which brings self-ordering kiosk technology to small-scale and mom-and-pop operations. Labor costs have spiraled to the point where it’s impossible for restaurants to stay in business without raising prices. When your prices go up, you lose some of your customer base. It becomes a lose-lose situation because there’s only so much money anyone is willing to pay for a cheeseburger.
I think the personal, human touch is vital to great hospitality, but I think you also have to be smart and cut overhead where you can, and automate thankless, repetitive tasks. Another thing we’ve noticed with the GRUBBRR kiosks is that a human taking your order might neglect to mention available add-ons, sides, and desserts, but a kiosk never does. Further, say someone is offered bacon on their burger for an extra dollar. They might say no, but
when they see a picture of that crispy bacon on the kiosk, they’re more likely to get it. This adds up, and rather quickly. GRUBBRR increases the average ticket cost by 25%. So, you’re saving on labor and you’re selling more food. That’s a win-win.
How can the industry address the growing concerns around sustainability and environmental impact?
I think it’s incumbent upon every responsible citizen to eliminate waste wherever possible, and that’s doubly true for businesses, which consume resources at scale. Single-use plastic cups and utensils contribute a massive amount of waste. Obviously, you need those things for take-out and delivery customers, but for diners who eat in your restaurant, it’s better for the environment to serve their food and drink on real plates and in real cups. This doesn’t just eliminate waste, it also creates a better, more memorable dining experience.
Looking to the back of the house, running your restaurant on renewable energy is becoming a more and more attractive option. Solar has never been cheaper or more efficient, so if you have the space to adapt to that, you should.
Celebrity chef Robert Irvine and faculty from the University of South Carolina’s College of Hospitality discuss the importance of hospitality education and how to future-proof careers.
What is the importance of integrating real-world industry trends and challenges into college curriculum?
Robert Irvine: Students should be exposed to the real conditions of the industry as frequently as possible. Not only to better prepare the ones who will continue on, but also as a fair warning to anyone who might not be cut out for it. For the folks who do not thrive in a pressure-packed environment, we do them a disservice by not showing them how hard it will be very early on so they can use their own judgment and decide if it’s really the life for them.
Sandy Strick: Ours is an experience industry. It is not possible to fully embrace all that hospitality and tourism are without experiencing the trends and challenges in real time. Academic lectures to complement the experiences are critical for deeper understanding and advancing our industries.
What qualities do you believe are essential for someone to succeed in the hospitality and tourism industry?
Scott Smith: To be successful in today’s competitive hospitality and tourism industry, managers need a combination of both soft and technical skills. It is a people business, and the basic requirement at any level is to be passionate about providing a service while helping your guests. Successful managers must also be able to anticipate the customer’s needs and meet their expectations with service and a smile. The ability to identify and solve problems creatively is also a skill that is needed as each day presents different challenges.
Irvine: If they’re undeterred by difficulty,
stress, and a constantly shifting business landscape and they’re willing to learn from their mistakes, those are the people that always wind up on top.
How do you think the hospitality industry will evolve, and how can educational programs prepare you for these changes?
Strick: I think AI will become a huge component of hospitality and tourism. To counter that, I think high-tech, high-touch will be as important as ever. This means that people will need to understand the advances in tech, as well as understand true customer service. Educational programs focusing on AI and data analytics are very important. Along with that, service management will be how educational programs can respond.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in hospitality and tourism?
Smith: It is important to start at an entry-level, guest service position to determine if this is the right industry for you. By being on the front line of service, a person can determine very quickly if they enjoy helping people, while also gaining practical experience that will help them throughout their career. Taking business-related classes helps to prepare young, upcoming professionals to be able to make sound decisions and build sustainable businesses in today’s competitive environment. It is also never too early to begin building your professional network to have access to the right contacts who can help you advance your career and provide access to that next great job.
The host of “Hotel Impossible” shares his advice for hoteliers looking to improve their experience for guests and employees alike.
What’s one lesson you’ve learned that you believe is important for every hospitality professional to know?
When you walk in the room, listen and find the smartest person, and make sure you attach yourself to them. Some days you will be the smartest person in the room, and I pull myself out of those rooms because then I’m not learning anything.
How can hoteliers improve the guest experience with new technology?
I recently gave a presentation during which I asked how many people wanted a QR code in their room for room service. Ninety percent of people raised their hands. I asked how many people want QR code menus at restaurants. Ninety percent of the people didn’t raise their hands. People want technology where they want technology, and we as an industry have to be very careful not to force technology onto our guests. It needs to be where they want it, how they want it.
How do you think hoteliers can enhance employee satisfaction?
People work for people; they don’t work for companies. If you are a person that people want to work for, that’s how you reduce turnover.
Dr. Jeffrey Obomeghie, a hospitality expert, author, educator, and president of the International Hospitality Institute, discusses what it takes to succeed in a hospitality career and where he sees the industry heading.
What are some key strategies for improving the customer experience in the hospitality sector?
There are many strategies that companies and leaders can adopt to improve the customer experience in hospitality. Personalization is one approach. Know your customer. What do they like? What do they dislike? What do they like to buy? If they have children, what do their children like? If they have pets, what do their pets like?
If you run a restaurant, you should know when the customer last visited, their seating preferences, their food preferences, and whether they like their martini with an olive or their rum with diet Coke or regular Coke. If they are staying in your hotel, you should know what floor they prefer to stay on, what type of pillows they like, when they typically eat breakfast, their favorite wine or soda, their favorite department store, and their favorite baseball or basketball team. You may ask, “How will I find out all these things?” Easy! By engaging with the customer — by showing interest in them and learning their story.
Create an experience that is unique to the guest, that recognizes and incorporates the guest’s preferences. Be over-the-top! Go far beyond the expectations of the guests. Metaphorically speaking, we must reach into the skies, pluck out a star, and hand it to our customers. We must dazzle
them! Being over-the-top is delivering a bouquet of roses when the guest is not even expecting a single-stem rose.
Create magic at the first and last impressions! How you welcome the customer into your establishment will set the tone for the rest of their visit.
How you usher them off when they depart will leave a lasting memory. Make the departure experience just as magical and memorable as the arrival experience. Stay connected to the guests while they are in your establishment to make sure that they are being taken care of brilliantly.
What technological advancements do you believe will have the most significant impact on the industry in the future?
Robotics for doing repetitive and tedious tasks like cleaning, stocking inventory, and prepping or chopping food. Robot delivery for moving packages, products, produce, and equipment. AI for analytics and for creating tools and processes for the industry. AI assistants for personalization and customization. VR and AR for presentations, displays, event space, and room showings. Smart energy management and Smart Room technology to control multiple devices and room fixtures.
Other technologies that will have significant impacts include digital cashless tipping, mobile payments, digital wallets, contactless check-in, smart energy
management, Bitcoin technology, and biometrics for keyless access.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start a career in the hospitality industry?
Be humble. Be curious. Be positive. Be caring. Be willing to learn. Learn as much as you can about cultures that are different from your culture or the dominant culture. Be tolerant and patient. Be prepared to work hard. Be prepared to be rewarded for your hard work. Be prepared to deliver 100 smiles and shake 20 hands in one day. You will be delivering hospitality not only to your guests
but also to your coworkers.
Hospitality is about people interacting with people; hospitality is the business of people. Hospitality is the art and science of people. Hospitality is about empathy; be willing to embrace the gift of empathy.
Hospitality is about communication. Talking is to communication what apples are to oranges; talking and communication are two different things. Anybody can talk, but not everybody can communicate. Effective communication requires active listening, social and emotional intelligence, and empathy.
The need for convenience as a part of the guest experience has reshaped the industry standard offering across a competitive hospitality landscape.
Travelers’ expectations are no longer the simplicity of a clean room to lay their head; they desire seamless integrated experiences with minimal disruption at every stage of their stay. This evolution is expedited by the rise of everyday life experiences becoming more digitized, making seamless tasks less frictionless and more practiced by the everyday consumer. This quest is driving hotels to integrate advanced technologies across the property and well beyond, ensuring each stay is comfortable, secure, and enjoyable.
The traveler’s expectation for convenience
Gone are the days when lengthy reception desk lines were an acceptable part of the hotel experience. Instead, travelers now expect a variety of options that allow them to pivot their choice based on need, providing a smooth, efficient process that allows them to start — and end — their stay with ease, minimizing any wait times.
dormakaba, a leading hospitality access control solutions provider, recognizes that streamlined check-in and check-out processes set the tone for an enjoyable trip, and is making strides in revolutionizing the way hotels manage guest access.
Best-in-class hotels offer an array of check-in options for guests; they have a combination of in-person, mobile, and kiosk experiences. This thoughtful, integrated approach gives guests the power of choice in their experiences, and once check-in and credentials have been issued, guests have seamless access across the resort or hotel.
“Delivering an exceptional guest experience starts with building the best digital management tools in the industry.” said Jim Gist, president of Integrated Resort Advisors, who provides fraction CXO services to some of the largest resorts in Las Vegas and Miami. “By leveraging advanced solutions like those from dormakaba, we can offer a seamless check-in process that empowers our guests with choices —whether through a mobile app, a kiosk, or an in-person experience.”
The role of digital wallets in enhancing security and convenience
One of the most transformative advancements in hospitality is integrating digital wallets for a new level of convenience and confidence in security for hotel guests. These wallets leverage advanced encryption and tokenization to protect sensitive information, significantly reducing the risks of data breaches and fraud.
Advancements in the digital wallet experience, like web-provisioning, now allow hotels to deliver a check-in experience outside of a defined mobile application, granting access to all guest types, regardless of booking method. This experience was previously restricted to loyalty members only.
Additionally, once the check-in process is completed, the user can save their digital keycard to their wallet for future access. This eliminates the previous process of going back to the application each time secure access is needed. Instead, the guest only needs to present their phone to the door reader, and access is granted.
Hotels are able to implement this solution with dormakaba’s recently announced integration with Apple Wallet.
How dormakaba leads the way
By integrating with Apple Wallet, dormakaba
provides a cutting-edge system that enhances both convenience and security. This system allows guests to use their iPhones or Apple Watches to unlock their rooms, offering a frictionless check-in process that begins well before arrival.
Guests can also securely share room keys, customize controls for recipients, update permissions, and revoke key access. The digital keys stored in Apple Wallet are encrypted and use tokenization, adding an extra layer of security that traditional key cards cannot match.
As companies like dormakaba continue to drive innovation in the hospitality industry, hotels utilizing its technologies aren’t just keeping pace, they’re setting new standards for the modern traveler. With the added benefits of systems integrated with Apple Wallet, the guest experience is more effortless and enjoyable than ever before.
