Careers in Hospitality: Exploring a World of Opportunity

What is Hospitality Management?

Hospitality management is the administration and organization of businesses within the hospitality industry, which includes hotels, resorts, restaurants, amusement parks, travel and tourism, events and event planning, sports and entertainment management, cruise lines, catering, and other related areas.

At its core, hospitality is about creating an exceptional customer experience for guests. It involves managing services, facilities, and interactions to ensure guests and customers have a positive and satisfying experience. Professionals in hospitality management are responsible for managing staff, handling customer relations, creating customer experiences, overseeing facility maintenance, hiring, and training staff, implementing marketing strategies, and optimizing financial performance. They often have an entrepreneurial role in starting hospitality businesses and/or developing new products or projects, such as new hotel concepts, themed attractions, restaurants, and other experiences that delight customers. The goal is to create a positive and enjoyable environment for guests while achieving business objectives and profitability.

What Can I Do with a Degree in Hospitality Management?

Designing and delivering exceptional customer experiences requires innovative professionals with a deep understanding of business, technology, and service. A degree in hospitality management provides an in-depth understanding of the hospitality and tourism industries and prepares you to enter any segment of the field. Jobs in hospitality range from sports and entertainment management, hospitality real estate, beverage and restaurant management, hotel/resort management, travel management, food marketing and distribution, cruise line operations, resorts and spas, event management, and so much more.

Careers in Hospitality and Tourism

The hospitality and tourism industry is one of the largest industries in the world. As a result, career opportunities are wide-ranging and the skills and experiences you gain enable you to move within the industry as you advance in your career.

Hotel Management Jobs

One of the most traditional pathways in hospitality is hotel management, which involves overseeing the day-to-day operations of hotels and resorts, from front desk operations, reservations, and guest services to overseeing banquets and events to managing the entire property.

Beverage and Restaurant Management Jobs

Restaurant management jobs can span a wide range of specialty areas within a single restaurant location. A restaurant owner/manager oversees the full operations of a dining establishment and has a staff that reports to them who are responsible for bar or lounge management, food service inventory and purchasing, beverage sales, marketing, and more. Food and beverage skills can also be applied across a range of settings, from restaurants and private clubs to hotels, beverage distributors, and sales.

Sports and Entertainment Management Jobs

Event planners, meeting planners, and event managers are responsible for organizing and executing a wide range of events, including corporate conferences, sporting events, and music festivals. These roles demand exceptional organizational skills, strong communication skills, creativity, and a high attention to detail to ensure seamless and memorable experiences for clients, customers, and guests.

Hospitality Investment and Real Estate

The hospitality industry relies on real estate on which physical assets–such as restaurants, hotels and lodging facilities, water and amusement parks, and more–can be built. In order to analyze, evaluate, assess, and manage these assets, professionals with knowledge of both the hospitality industry and real estate are needed.

Study Hospitality Management at RIT

Choosing where you’ll study hospitality management is a crucial decision, and RIT stands out as an excellent choice. Your hospitality education should cover a wide curriculum along with ways for you to gain career experience to build your resume. RIT’s degree in hospitality management includes a unique, tech-infused curriculum while providing your with industry connections and unique career experiences.

• Innovative Technology Integration: A unique benefit of studying hospitality management at RIT is the collaboration between this major and our high-tech programs in computing and engineering. The latest innovations in hospitality–mobile reservations online check-in for hotels and flights, contactless ordering, restaurant kiosks, and more–are occurring at the intersection of these dynamic disciplines, and you have a front row seat to collaborating on the design and development of the next innovations in hospitality.
• Industry-Driven Curriculum: RIT’s hospitality major is designed in collaboration with industry experts, ensuring that you receive a curriculum that reflects the latest trends and demands of the hospitality sector. This industry-driven approach prepares you with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in your career.
• A World-Class Co-op Program: There’s a reason RIT is ranked 5th in the nation among college co-op programs. Our cooperative education program is designed to provide you with career experience–early and often–in a variety of industries and environments. You’ll gain hospitality experience that sets you apart–experience that employers look for in their next top hires.
• Industry Networking: RIT fosters a vibrant and supportive community, connecting you to industry professionals through networking events, guest lectures, and mentorship programs. You’ll have opportunities to meet and network with hospitality professionals including hotel general managers, corporate executives, restaurant and hotel owners; directors of sales, events, and catering; sports marketers; restaurant entrepreneurs; winemakers; and private club managers.
• Global Perspective: The global hospitality industry is growing and international travel is booming. RIT recognizes the importance of providing you with an international perspective to your hospitality education. Study for a semester or more at RIT Croatia, located in the center of Dubrovnik, one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea and gain global insight into the world of international hospitality and travel.
• Entrepreneurship in Hospitality: For those with an entrepreneurial spirit, the hospitality industry provides opportunities to start and manage a range of businesses, from restaurants and food trucks to boutique hotels and event planning firms. Explore the resources and support at the Simone Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, where you can fully realize your entrepreneurship goals from start to finish.

Whether you envision yourself managing a luxury hotel, leading the development of industry-changing innovations, managing or owning restaurant, or executing unforgettable events, RIT’s degree in hospitality management sets the stage for a rewarding and exciting professional journey.