What skills should you develop for the tourism and hospitality industry?

The tourism and hospitality management industries demand for a very specific set of skills. The field is growing all around the world and in most countries, it is an industry that brings in foreign currency to the country. Knowing how to ensure that the people who come to your establishment have a good time and have no problem recommending you to others is key. So what skills should you then, develop for a successful career in hotel management or tourism? Here is a brief guideline on what you need.

(Source: https://www.supportinginspiration.org.uk/ln/resources/hospitality-infographic )

Customer service skills

The one skill that literally towers over all else, is your ability to meet the expectations of the customer. You could be simply serving them drinks or you could be in charge of the entire hotel but either way, you need to make sure that your customers are happy with the service that they receive. Hotel management UK for instance is a field that looks for individuals with high customer service skills all around. You will need to be both positive and proactive and even if you happen to be dealing with a challenging customer, smile, be polite and try to go the extra mile for that patron.

Having cultural awareness

In hospitality, or hotel management, a large percentage of the customers you face (and, indeed, people you work alongside) will be from abroad; this means working with people from a variety of cultural backgrounds. As a result, your ability to be culturally aware and adapt to attitudes and norms that are different from your own is crucial to building a successful career. Your customers may not always share the same values, beliefs or perceptions. It is important that you have cultural sensitivity and awareness when you try to make them comfortable.

(Source: https://thewisconsin100.com/business/2018/03/01/soft-skills )

Communication skills

In any industry, strong communication is highly valued. But when it comes to tourism and hospitality it is more so. Every day you will work with people from many different backgrounds and ages, nationalities and temperaments so you need to communicate clearly and well. Remember that you will be representing your brand. It is equally important that you are able to communicate well with your fellow staff as well.

(Source: https://www.business2community.com/infographics/effectively-communicate-work-infographic-01461870 )

Multitasking skills

One of the reasons why hospitality can be so difficult to work in is because it’s almost always hectic. In most cases, there’s no such thing as a quiet day in the office and, therefore, the ability to multitask and handle several tasks at once will serve you well. This means learning how to prioritise and manage your time effectively, while you’ll also need to be able to handle pressure and remain calm when things get chaotic. Even if it’s just a part-time role while you’re studying, these are key soft skills that are highly sought-after in any workplace.

Work ethics

You will need to work really hard if you are in this field regardless of your role. You will spend most of your time on your feet and you will be working really long shifts. Even then you will have to ensure that you maintain a positive and vibrant outlook when it comes to customers.

Maintaining Professionalism

Most employers in the hospitality industry rely on their customer-facing staff to uphold the reputation of their brand; therefore, it’s important that, at all times, you remain highly professional. Usually, this means ensuring that you look tidy and well-groomed, are on time for your shifts and are not caught doing anything you shouldn’t be, such as smoking outside the main entrance or not washing your hands before handling food. It also means keeping your cool and not reacting negatively when dealing with an angry or irate customer, especially at the end of a long and tiring shift.

Qualifications and education

You can easily opt for hotel management online programmes that can help you get the right qualifications needed to establish yourself in this industry. Certifications that are accredited by CPD & iAP, or those endorsed by ABC Awards can help you go a long way. At Global Edulink we offer a plethora of such programmes that you can easily choose from. To find out more contact us on [email protected].