THE CAREERS AND HIGHER EDUCATION MAGAZINE FROM THE INSPIRING FUTURES FOUNDATION


‘A World of Opportunity’- Use your Gap break to try out the International Hospitality, Events & Tourism Industry
Have you ever considered managing a chain of prestigious Hotels, or running your own Events company, maybe marketing exotic travel destinations or even being a finance director in a resort. How would you like to gain experience in one of the world’s most exciting, diverse and international industries? Then consider trying out the Hospitality, Events and Tourism industry whilst on a Gap break.

The growth in the Hospitality, Events and Tourism industry continues to increase despite the recent credit crisis.  According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, global tourism alone is expected to increase by an average of 4.0% annually over the next ten years. The industry has an estimated 600,000 positions at Senior Management level and employs over 220 million worldwide. When you’re looking for a Gap experience that could offer you more than just lazy days on the beach consider trying out work, or studying in the Hospitality, Events and Tourism industry.

Gap Year Opportunities

Gaining experience of this industry whilst on a Gap break has so many benefits, none more so than the personal development of learning new skills, particularly language skills, an important aspect for anyone seeking to pursue an international career. Nowadays, international recruiters are looking more and more at the international experiences students have gained. As with many industries, gaining the right experience is sometimes difficult, however, careful planning and willingness to be flexible can make all the difference.

The Hospitality, Events and Tourism industry is no ordinary 9 – 5 job. It offers a wide variety of opportunities including working in some of the world’s most prestigious Hotels, organising some of the world’s leading events and travelling to exotic destinations. With the 2012 Olympics less than three years away, it is a great opportunity for you to take a Gap break and experience the huge variety of tasks involved with helping to organise the day-to-day operations of a major global event. 

It’s not just in the UK that you could gain such experience. Large events like Expo 2010 in China and the football World Cup in South Africa offer massive opportunities. However, your choices don’t just have to be big and brash with many smaller organisations offering excellent opportunities e.g. ski and beach resorts, catering and small events companies.

As with looking at career opportunities in Hospitality, Event, Tourism, researching the options is a vital part of making sure you gain the most out of your Gap break. Many organisations will be advertising a year in advance, so early in-depth research is essential.

Think Global

Opportunities in International Hospitality, Events or Tourism are certainly worldwide. Organisations such as Laureate Hospitality Education provide an opportunity to take a Gap Year, experience the industry and gain a qualification at the same time. Ranging from a one week course to a whole semester course in China, to a whole year experience in Australia.

Students can then further their interest and experience in Hospitality Management, Event and Tourism Management by studying at one of six university campuses around the world including Switzerland, Spain and the USA.  The job opportunities upon graduation are very strong with these kinds of bachelor degrees tending to be vocational.  A way of taking your Gap Year experiences forward into a career future.

Glion and the hotel industry - a life transformed.

Nuno Galvao Pinto (30 years)

Since my teens, I wanted to work in the hotel industry: travelling, exciting locations and fabulous hotels.

Glion was already one of the leading hotel management schools back in 1997 and gave me not only the necessary foundations for a successful career in the industry but it’s also where I met some of my best friends.12 years later and we are still very close, even though we’re all in different parts of the world.  Lots of good memories from our times at Glion: skiing, boating on the Lake of Geneva, lots of parties and… oh yes… studying.

I started my work at a Leading Hotels of the World property in Brussels as a receptionist, working my way up to assistant manager within two years. I then became rooms division manager at a hotel in Luxemburg and after two years, I returned to Switzerland to act as assistant manager at a golf hotel. Glion has helped me advance quite fast in my career, which of course doesn’t mean you won’t have to work hard.

With around 4 years of operational experience under the belt, I decided it was time to move. In my management positions I met people which were involved in different aspects of the industry, form architecture to investment. I decided it was time to move and went to work as a consultant in a company specialised in market and financial appraisals of hotel development projects.  Within five years, I made it to Associate Director level.

Most recently, I have now set up my own company which specialises in hotel investments in emerging markets. We have been involved in hotels in several locations such as Angola and Libya.

I am still very much involved in Glion life, particularly within the Alumni association, which today, I have used successfully used in my business venture.

Nuno

If you would like to find out more about a gap or career in International Hospitality, Events or Tourism then Laureate Hospitality Education are kindly running an Insight day into this sector. Visit our courses and events website to find out more.

For more information on opportunities with Laureate Hospitality Education email Marcus Burnett at laureate-marcus@triagonal.net or phone on 07780 668518.