What Is Hotel Management - All You Need To Know

For individuals who like connecting with people, the hospitality sector offers a variety of career routes and opportunities. A profession in hotel management, which entails running a hotel site from sales and marketing to maintenance, is one of these choices.

If you’re interested in the hotel industry, read on to learn more about what hotel management really is.

What is hotel management?

Hotel management entails overseeing everything linked to the hotel business. This includes handling different departments in a hotel such as housekeeping, finance, customer service, staff management, and more.

If you want to get into this industry, you'll need to learn about all aspects of hotel management. The major objective of studying the ins and outs of hotel management is to properly operate a hotel while also managing other parts of the business.

What is the hotel industry all about?

The hotel business is part of the service sector that deals with guest housing. By most definitions, the industry includes not just hotels, but also hostels and inns, and other kinds of overnight lodging. It does not, however, generally comprise long-term or permanent accommodations.

When prominent urban merchants began to replace taverns with spacious and attractive facilities of their own design in the 1790s, the first American hotels were established in the cities along the Atlantic coast.

Diversification of hotel types was also a part of hotel growth. The majority of early hotels were huge metropolitan luxury facilities, although other types appeared soon. Resort hotels were established in attractive rural areas remote from the city where the hotel form was born to accommodate the growing flood of tourists.

Over the previous 3,000 years, this industry has made enormous strides and achieved significant milestones. It has grown from little inns to a multibillion-dollar business.

It is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world, with over 80 million new employments expected to be created over the next 10 years. By 2026, one out of every nine people employed is projected to be within the travel and tourism industry.

Additionally, the majority of them are also joining the travel and tourism industry by renting their house as accommodation through platforms like Airbnb. According to research by the hotel benchmarking business STR and the short-term rental experts AirDNA, home rentals have surpassed hotels in 27 worldwide regions since the start of Covid-19.

What does a hotel manager do? 

Managing a hotel entails a wide range of duties. As a hotel manager, you will be in charge of managing operations and will need to be well-versed in finance, planning, service, and organisation. One should be adaptable to new problems, assist various departments, and guarantee that the hotel maintains its high standards.

You must lead rather than follow, even if you have a team of managers working alongside you. You must also ensure that your employees are effectively managing their time and departments, whether it is to increase monthly earnings or just to ensure that a guest's expectations are met.

Working experience, whether at the front desk or in maintenance, is frequently required for hotel management positions. Because relevant skills are highly appreciated in the hospitality business, many hotel management professionals work their way up through the ranks.

What is a hotel management course?

A hotel management course includes a wide range of topics in the hospitality industry, including customer service, culinary art, front-desk management, and more. 

Hotel management courses do not limit students' options to just the hospitality industry. Students who want to branch out into different areas of management might enrol in an MBA programme or another master's degree programme. 

Additionally, students get the opportunity to live in other countries and learn about different cultures. Usually, good managers are hired by top hotel chains to run hotels all around the world.

Who can pursue a hotel management degree?

If you are interested in this industry and want to give the finest service to customers, you can take a hotel management course. You should definitely pursue this degree if you meet the following criteria:

• You are a people person. One of the key goals in the industry is to create a welcome and warm environment, which can only be accomplished if you can communicate well with people.
• You are interested in other cultures and have a solid knowledge of them.
• You are a disciplined person. Discipline is essential in this industry as good service is impossible without it. You may also be required to work shifts so having a disciplined routine will help you adapt to changes in your work schedule. 
• You have strong observational abilities. This skill is necessary in order to give customised service and to understand what type of service each individual demand.
• You want to advance your hotel career. Because the hotel industry is very competitive, a hotel management degree will give you an added advantage in terms of qualification. 

Hotel management subjects

Subjects in a hotel management course may vary depending on the university you have chosen to study in. Here are some common subjects covered in the course:

• Food and beverage management (F&B)
• Human resource management
• Information systems
• Management communication
• Housekeeping 
• Front office management
• Principle of food science 
• Procurement in Hospitality Operations
• Fundamentals of Marketing
• Restaurant Management Theory and Practice
• Culinary Fundamentals Theory and Practice

Hotel management jobs and careers

With the ever-increasing competition in the hotel industry, there are numerous exciting career possibilities for hotel management graduates. Because a hotel has so many divisions, one may choose a sector that interests them and pursue a career in it.

You might also look for work in nations that rely heavily on tourists, hotels, and hospitality. In this business, countries such as Mauritius, Maldives, Indonesia, Australia, Male, Seychelles, South Africa, and others will have numerous opportunities. 

Furthermore, if the degree you obtain is globally recognised, you will have no problem finding suitable work anywhere in the world.

Here is a list of prospective fields that a hotel management graduate can pursue:

• Cruise ship hotel management
• Air cabin crew
• Chef
• Catering manager
• Hospitality services
• Kitchen management
• Hotel and Tourism Associations
• Fast food joint management
• Catering Departments in Railway, Armed Forces, Ministerial Conventions

Hotel management salary

You can enter the industry as a trainee after finishing a diploma or degree programme in Hotel Management and then be absorbed into various jobs after completing the training.

The range of salary in Malaysia varies from what position you will hold in your workplace. For example, if you are a human resource manager in a hotel, your average yearly salary is around RM75,000. On the other hand, if you are an F&B director, your average yearly salary will be around RM96,000.

Why study hotel management in Malaysia? 

Malaysia is rated third in the world among all Asian tourist attractions. Hence, it makes sense for those who are interested in this sector to enrol in a hospitality course. Hotel management courses are also suitable for those who are already working in this industry but want to advance their career. 

Furthermore, Malaysia's tourism and hotel industries are flourishing, making it a perfect place for overseas students to begin their careers. In Kuala Lumpur alone, there are around 2800 hotels. The hotel industry contributes significantly to the nation’s tourism income.

Not only that but the universities and colleges in Malaysia that provide this degree guarantee that students are exposed to the real-world hotel business rather than just classroom instruction.

This field will place an individual in the centre of a cultural melting pot. This allows students to learn a lot about a lot of various individuals and places, as well as their eating habits and luxury tastes.

Moreover, students are educated and taught to become future hotel management executives. They are guided by industry professionals and world-class chefs, and they are even sent for internships or placements in internationally recognised hotels around Malaysia to improve their abilities and talent.

Many institutions and colleges in Malaysia that teach hotel management have been rated as having world-class teaching faculties and facilities. For example, UOW Malaysia KDU’s hotel management degree program benefits their students by giving them the opportunity to receive a dual award with the world-renowned IMI International Management Institute in Switzerland.

Before getting a hotel management degree, you can start your career pathway with a diploma in hotel management after SPM. UOW Malaysia’s Diploma in International Hotel Management will nurture students with new skills, help them to gain practical experience and develop professional confidence. 

Conclusion

The hotel industry is one that will continue to expand for years to come. While this industry has its own set of challenges, it is also a very rewarding one. If you are a people person, love to communicate and help others while also learning about other cultures, this degree will be the perfect pathway for you to pursue. If you are interested in the hotel management course, feel free to enquire here!