The hospitality industry is probably the world's fastest-growing, job-creating profession, employing
one in ten people worldwide. In the UK alone, the industry employs over 1.8 million people. It is
estimated that the industry will require 30,000-35,000 trained people at management and supervisory level year on year until 2010, if it is tofulfil its potential. There are currently too few students taking college and university courses in hospitality to sustain this requirement. You can imagine, therefore, that there is enormous scope for those who want to pursue a career in the industry, plus a huge range of employment opportunities across the varied subsectors. You might want to manage a hotel, run a restaurant or become the next JamieOliver, or maybe your interests lie in accountancy or information technology. You may want to start your own business or be part of an international one. Whatever your talents, the hospitality industry offers
variety and opportunity.
STRUCTURE OF THE INDUSTRY
Hotels --- range from small, independent country hotels to luxury five-star hotels. There are around 48,000 of them in the UK and they employ some 250,000 people at all skills levels. That�s 17% of the total number of hospitality workers. According to figures from TRI Hospitality Consulting, hotel occupancy levelled off in October 2004, but the rise in room rates will allow UK hotels to achieve the forecast annual growth in the coming year (source: Caterer and Hotelkeeper, December2004).
Restaurants --- this subsector includes take-away food outlets, fine dining, ethnic restaurants and coffee bars. It remains relatively resilient, as even in an economic downturn, people still enjoy eating out and their taste in food is eclectic. There are around 106,500 outlets, employing more than 500,000 full and part-time staff. 70% of businesses are owner-operated with the other 30% owned by groups such as The Restaurant Group and Whitbread. The larger groups offer management training schemes to graduates.
Pubs, club and bars --- the licensed retail sector is worth �20 billion and it currently employs over 900,000 people in total. There are around 64,000 on-licensed premises in the UK. They range from small, country pubs to large, city nightclubs and bars (source: British Institute of Innkeepers website). Labour turnover is high mainly due to the large number of students employed and there is a high proportion of part-time staff. However, promotion can be quick and branded chains can offer excellent management opportunities.
Contract catering - -- any catering business unit that is separately operated and managed. Some of the outlets supplied by contract caterers are schools, hospitals, local authority and in-company catering and food services. It is a rapidly expanding subsector of the industry and is dominated by a handful of large players. The newest of these to emerge is BaxterStorey, which was created in 2004 and now forms the fifth largest contract caterer in the UK.
Hospitality services --- incorporates all those working in establishments where hospitality is not the main function and is not contracted out. Areas include medical, educational, industrial, retail, culture/sport, public administration and transport. Future growth is linked to the strength of the economy and, therefore, the demand for in-house services, although this could be offset by an increase in outsourcing to contract caterers.
one in ten people worldwide. In the UK alone, the industry employs over 1.8 million people. It is
estimated that the industry will require 30,000-35,000 trained people at management and supervisory level year on year until 2010, if it is tofulfil its potential. There are currently too few students taking college and university courses in hospitality to sustain this requirement. You can imagine, therefore, that there is enormous scope for those who want to pursue a career in the industry, plus a huge range of employment opportunities across the varied subsectors. You might want to manage a hotel, run a restaurant or become the next JamieOliver, or maybe your interests lie in accountancy or information technology. You may want to start your own business or be part of an international one. Whatever your talents, the hospitality industry offers
variety and opportunity.
STRUCTURE OF THE INDUSTRY
Hotels --- range from small, independent country hotels to luxury five-star hotels. There are around 48,000 of them in the UK and they employ some 250,000 people at all skills levels. That�s 17% of the total number of hospitality workers. According to figures from TRI Hospitality Consulting, hotel occupancy levelled off in October 2004, but the rise in room rates will allow UK hotels to achieve the forecast annual growth in the coming year (source: Caterer and Hotelkeeper, December2004).
Restaurants --- this subsector includes take-away food outlets, fine dining, ethnic restaurants and coffee bars. It remains relatively resilient, as even in an economic downturn, people still enjoy eating out and their taste in food is eclectic. There are around 106,500 outlets, employing more than 500,000 full and part-time staff. 70% of businesses are owner-operated with the other 30% owned by groups such as The Restaurant Group and Whitbread. The larger groups offer management training schemes to graduates.
Pubs, club and bars --- the licensed retail sector is worth �20 billion and it currently employs over 900,000 people in total. There are around 64,000 on-licensed premises in the UK. They range from small, country pubs to large, city nightclubs and bars (source: British Institute of Innkeepers website). Labour turnover is high mainly due to the large number of students employed and there is a high proportion of part-time staff. However, promotion can be quick and branded chains can offer excellent management opportunities.
Contract catering - -- any catering business unit that is separately operated and managed. Some of the outlets supplied by contract caterers are schools, hospitals, local authority and in-company catering and food services. It is a rapidly expanding subsector of the industry and is dominated by a handful of large players. The newest of these to emerge is BaxterStorey, which was created in 2004 and now forms the fifth largest contract caterer in the UK.
Hospitality services --- incorporates all those working in establishments where hospitality is not the main function and is not contracted out. Areas include medical, educational, industrial, retail, culture/sport, public administration and transport. Future growth is linked to the strength of the economy and, therefore, the demand for in-house services, although this could be offset by an increase in outsourcing to contract caterers.
