The growth of tourism and hospitality is making the world's largest industry an ideal choice for those interested in pursuing a long-term career. That is the opinion of industry expert Sybil Hofman, who said on Travel Daily News that the continuing expansion of the hospitality profession is generating "enormous opportunities" for qualified graduates. According to figures from the World Travel & Tourism Council for 2007, she said, the growth of the travel and tourism economy has outstripped that of the global economy as a whole, creating 34 million new jobs since 2004. Ms Hofman added that with 4 years of sustained growth and forecasts of more to come, graduates entering the industry can "move rapidly up the career ladder", often landing "significant management positions" by their mid-30s. The US Department of Labor said that hotel and hospitality management often involves overseeing and coordinating the work of front offices, kitchens and dining rooms, as well as directing the operations of departments such as housekeeping, purchasing, security and maintenance. In 2006, there were around 94,000 hotel managers in the US, accounting for around 5.4% of the industry's total workforce.  |