Hospitality Management vs Tourism Management

Hospitality management and tourism management are often considered the same. But in reality, these are two different industries with different nature of work and different scope in the business. Students interested in the field of hospitality or tourism industry often want to know the exact difference between the fields. In this post, we will throw some light on these two management areas so that students will have a clearer picture.

What is Hospitality Management?

Hospitality management is the degree or education that prepares students for working in the travel industry and customer service. While studying hospitality management, students will also learn about food preparation, food sanitation, hotel management, human resources, ordering, etc. After completing the degree program in the same, students will know how to schedule employees working underneath, take stock of inventories, and follow a strict budget. Some degree programs also allow students to work part-time or do an internship to gain hands-on experience.

What Does a Hospitality Manager Do?

While the hospitality management degree prepares students for several career options, hotel managers and restaurant managers are the two of the most popular choices. This is a demanding yet rewarding career field. If you are passionate about planning events, food, managing a high-end hotel or boutique, then earning a hospitality management degree is the first step towards your dream job.

When it comes to job responsibilities, the following are the duties handled by these professionals:

• They inspect public areas, guest rooms, and grounds for appearance and cleanliness
• They ensure that standards for decor, guest service, food quality, and housekeeping are met
• They answer questions/queries from guests about hotel services and policies
• They keep a track of how much money the loading facility or hotel is making
• They monitor the performance of the staff to ensure that the guests are happy and satisfied and the hotel is running successfully
• These professionals shortlist, interview, hire, train, oversee, and terminate the team members
• They coordinate front-office activities of motels or hotels to resolve problems
• They decide the budgets and room rates, approve expenses, and allocate funds to several departments
• They monitor the actions and activities of patrons and employees to ensure the personal safety of everyone

What is Tourism Management?

Tourism is considered a specific type of industry that is related to travel. Degree programs available for this generally look at how to make more clients and customers feel satisfied and comfortable while traveling. Many degree holders work as representatives, travel agents, and tour guides for major travel agencies/companies.

While choosing a university/college or program, it is important to ensure that the course provided by the university must have the latest programs and software used by the travel agents and guides. In addition to this, you must choose a program that allows you to do an internship or work part-time so that you can gain relevant experience. Some universities are also there that send their tourism management students to work for leading companies to gain more knowledge and polish their existing skills.

What Does a Tourism Manager Do?

Students of tourism management often become travel agents or travel agents. A good professional in this field is responsible for helping customers prepare and plan a cruise or trip. From booking a flight ticket to a hotel reservation, these professionals also help people with airport transfers, car rentals, and restaurant recommendations. In addition to this, they do the following tasks:

• They determine the needs and preferences of the customers like costs and schedules
• They plan and arrange excursions, tour packages, and day trips
• They calculate and plan total travel costs
• They book reservations for travels, rental cars, hotels, and special events like excursions and tours
• They advise their clients about local customs, weather conditions, and major attractions
• They tell their clients about their trip along with details on essential documents like visas or passports
• They make alternate booking arrangements for their clients if they change their plans before or during the trip

Hospitality Management and Tourism Management: Other Differences

People working in the hospitality fieldwork as a restaurant manager, hotel clerk, cruise ship representative, bar manager, and so on in the resorts, hotels, and motels. On the other hand, with a tourism management degree, you can work with a private tour company or in a national or state park, in a museum, etc. So, the areas or workplace of these professionals is another difference.

Career Outlook for Hospitality Management and Tourism Management

As per the reports of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, a lodging manager makes an average salary of around $47,000 per annum. The reports also state that the industry will have more opportunities for budding hospitality and tourism management professionals by 2022.

If you love working with others and can put smiles on their faces, then working in the hospitality and tourism fields can bring so many rewards and opportunities for you. However, you need to ensure that you look at the differences between these fields and choose one as per your interest, educational background, skills, and career goals.

Closing Remarks

If you are interested in one of these fields but do not know where to start from, you can get in touch with AEC. We have a team of dedicated professionals to guide students to choose the right country, university/college, and course as per their interests and career goals. We also help students in the admission process and study visa. For any other detail, visit our website or write to us in the comment box below. Get in touch with AEC on +91-8448446609 or 011-43334444 or share your queries at [email protected] to get assistance for your career. You can also directly come to our office by booking your FREE counseling session.