Write Your Own Ticket with a Degree in Hospitality and Tourism

By Jessica Groach-Santina
jessica.santina@careertrainingdirectory.com
Career Training Directory Columnist

The hospitality, travel, and tourism industry brings in $1.3 trillion to the United States each year, according to the Travel Industry Association of America. It’s also one of the nation’s largest employers, with 7.3 million jobs.

The hospitality industry is hot. A future in the hospitality industry can mean working in any number of jobs, from those in the hotel business to those in restaurants, retail, tourist attractions, meetings, conventions, or exhibitions. They’re all fast-paced, exciting, and lucrative. Check out these hospitality industry facts:

• The $511 billion a year restaurant industry is America’s largest employer besides government, at 12.5 million strong. It’s expected to add 1.9 million jobs by 2016. The number of food service managers should increase 12% by 2016.
• The meetings, conventions, exhibitions, and incentive travel industry is the 29th largest contributor to the gross national product, while supporting 1.7 million jobs in the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that employment in this field should continue to grow faster than average.
• Approximately 2.6 million hotel rooms are sold every day in the U.S., and the average overseas visitor spends $1,647, with an average trip duration of 15.6 nights. The hotel industry is a very profitable one.
• Event planners, listen up: The average U.S. couple spends almost $27,000 on their wedding, and wedding planners can usually count on making at least 10% of that per wedding.

The BLS indicates that those with hospitality and tourism degrees have the best opportunities for employment in the hospitality industry. Those with hospitality and tourism training will also start out with greater responsibilities, better positions, and higher pay than those with other academic backgrounds.

The facts are in: with a hospitality and tourism degree, you can write your own ticket for a great future.

Sources

Cost of Wedding, The Wedding Report
International Congress & Convention Association/Convention Industry Council 2004 Economic Impact Study
“Meeting and Convention Planner” - Bureau of Labor Statistics
Restaurant Industry Facts - National Restaurant Association
“Tourism Industry Profile” - National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
Travel Industry Fun Facts - Travel Industry Association of America

About the Author

Jessica Groach-Santina is a freelance writer with a background in media and promotions. She also teaches first-year writing courses at the University of Nevada, Reno.