Qualifications in hospitality and hotel management can often mix academic learning with practical, on-the-job experience. According to moneycontrol.com, the chairman of the Pride hotel group, SP Jain said a qualification in the profession can also be a "gateway" to a career that could take in hotels, cruise ships, international food chains and tourism. In these areas, business knowledge and hands-on experience are both important as the market is always evolving. On hospitality.net, Ian Yeoman said this is because tourists and travelers are now more individualistic and constantly seeking "something new". Figures from the American Hotel and Lodging Association show tourism is currently the third-largest retail industry in the United States, worth a total of $133.4 billion in 2006. Projections from the Department of Labor (DOL) show it the hotel and lodging management profession is set for "very good" growth, with job opportunities set to increase by 12 per cent between 2006 and 2016. Average earnings for a lodgings manager in May 2006 were $42,320, although this varied by the type and location of their establishment, the DOL said.  |