Opportunities in a Resort Management Career the Billion Dollar Tourism Industry

Tourism and commercial recreation is over an $800management, meeting planning, marketing of leisure
billion industry in the United States. Globally, tourismservices, and the legal aspects of recreation and
accounts for approximately 12% of the Grosstourism. The program requires both field experience
Domestic Product, employing 10% of the worldwideand a professional internship.
labor force. It is estimated that by the year 2020, moreCareers Specific to the Bachelor's Degree are
than half of all employed people in the world will beconvention and visitors bureau management,
involved directly or indirectly with the tourism industry. Inconvention services manager, special event
the United States, travel-related tourism is the first,coordinator, meeting/conference planner, tour
second or third largest employer in 32 states.operations management, on-site meeting manager,
Resort hotels and motels offer luxurious surroundingstravel agent trainee, cruise hospitality, hotel
with a variety of recreational facilities, such asmanagement trainee, resort recreation management,
swimming pools, golf courses, tennis courts, gametour coordinator, natural or cultural tour guide, and park
rooms, and health spas, as well as planned socialmanager.
activities and entertainment. Resorts typically areWith preparation in tourism management, individuals
located in vacation destinations or near natural settings,have skills related to management and leadership
such as mountains, the seashore, theme parks, orwhich would contribute to any type of position sought
other attractions. As a result, the business of manyin the tourism industry. The tourism industry is within the
resorts fluctuates with the season. Some resort hotelstop three industries of most countries in the world and
and motels provide additional convention andprovides numerous career opportunities at a variety of
conference facilities to encourage customers tolevels of service, production and management.
combine business with pleasure. During the off season,After finding employment, proving oneself capable and
many of these establishments solicit conventions, salesmaking contacts in the industry, a person finds that a
meetings, and incentive tours to fill their otherwisewide variety of advanced career opportunities present
empty rooms; some resorts even close for thethemselves.
off-season.The Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management
A hospitality management career is high-energy andrequires a minimum of 120 units for graduation. This
social. You'll meet interesting people and work in someinterdisciplinary program prepares students for careers
of the most beautiful places on earth - anywherein the hospitality industry and includes basic core
there is a need for resort or hotel management.courses and an area of concentration. The areas of
The skills and knowledge developed in this field ofconcentration are Commercial Recreation and Resort
study are leadership, marketing, qualitative skills,Management from the College of Health and Human
research and evaluation, programming (recreation,Services; Hotel Management from the College of
leisure and meetings), planning and policy, legal aspects,Business; and Restaurant and Institutional Foodservice
and communications.Management from the College of Health and Human
Most hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks receiveServices. The core curriculum is housed in the
orientation and training on the job. Orientation mayDepartment of Hospitality Management, College of
include an explanation of the job duties and informationBusiness.
about the establishment, such as the arrangement ofThe Concentration in Commercial Recreation and
sleeping rooms, availability of additional services, suchResort Management prepares graduates to be
as a business or fitness center, and location of guestentrepreneurs, managers, planners, and program
facilities, such as ice and vending machines, restaurantssupervisors in the commercial recreation, travel tourism,
and other nearby retail stores. New employees learnand resort management career areas. The goals are
job tasks through on-the-job training under theto assist students to acquire knowledge, skills, practical
guidance of a supervisor or an experienced desk clerk.experience, and job placement in leisure and travel
They often receive additional training on interpersonalrelated businesses.
or customer service skills and on how to use theStudents learn about the travel and tourism system,
computerized reservation, room assignment, and billingeconomic and social impacts of tourism, resort
systems and equipment. Desk clerks typically continuedevelopment and marketing, tourist motivations, special
to receive instruction on new procedures and onevents management, theme parks, transportation used
company policies after their initial training ends.by travelers, ecotourism, incentive travel, tour company
Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks deal directly withoperations and sales, spas, conference and meeting
the public, so a professional appearance and aplanning, destination marketing, and cultural tourism.
pleasant personality are important. A clear speakingThe Concentration in Hotel Management prepares
voice and fluency in English also are essential, becausestudents to manage and operate hotels, motels, and
these employees talk directly with hotel guests and theother lodging business. Major management functions
public and frequently use the telephone orinclude various aspects of accounting and cost
public-address systems. Good spelling and computercontrols, sales and marketing, property management,
literacy are needed, because most of the workand use of hospitality management information
involves use of a computer. In addition, speaking asystems. Emphasis is placed on problem solving
foreign language fluently is increasingly helpful, becausesituations and case studies to support the didactic
of the growing international clientele of manyapproach to instruction.
properties.The Concentration in Restaurant and Institutional
Resort managers experience the pressures ofFoodservice Management prepares students for
coordinating a wide range of activities. At larger hotels,management positions in various branches of the food
they also carry the burden of managing a large staffservice industry. The goal is to develop restaurant and
and finding a way to satisfy guest needs whileinstitutional foodservice managers who combine
maintaining positive attitudes and employee morale.knowledge and skills in business, food production, and
Conventions and large groups of tourists may presentservices in the foodservice industry.
unusual problems or require extended work hours.Completion of the core and concentration courses
The recreation department's major in tourismprovides students with theoretical knowledge for
management prepares students to work in suchsuccessful attainment of top-level management
diverse sectors of the travel and tourism industry aspositions in the professions of hotel management,
tour operations, resort management, conventionrestaurant and institutional foodservice management, or
management, meeting planning, and commercialcommercial recreation and resort management. The
recreation management. It includes courses incurriculum combines strengths in management with
management of park and recreation facilities, tourism,technical skills and internship opportunities in each area.
tourism systems planning, resource tourism, convention