15 Promising Careers in Hospitality and Tourism (+ 2024 Salaries)

Careers in hospitality and tourism are some of the most secure jobs in the world and encompass a wide variety of niches and specialized in-demand roles. There are many promising careers in this space, such as Park Manager, Hotel Marketing Director, and Event Planner, that can provide you with a rewarding professional life and a stable career path. 

If you’re someone who enjoys interacting with others and working in an environment where your duties can change daily, you’re probably well-suited to a position in this field.

This post will cover 15 promising careers in hospitality and tourism, the average salary earned in these hospitality job examples, and the education required to succeed in these rewarding careers.

1. Hotel Manager

The Hotel Manager role is one of the most popular and well-known jobs in the industry. These professionals oversee and direct hotel operations in hotels of varying sizes, capacities, and styles. Though the scope of Hotel Manager duties will differ depending on the size of their establishment, some typical Hotel Manager duties include interacting with guests, managing employees, and crafting strategic plans for business growth. 

Average Annual Salary: $74,880

Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree preferred

Average Time to Complete: 4 years

2. Hotel Marketing Manager

Hotel Marketing Managers use their specialized expertise to help hospitality organizations communicate their offerings to audiences and drive sales. Much like the realm of hospitality itself, these professionals can have a broad range of duties depending on their specific role and employer. However, most Hotel Marketing Managers typically engage in day-to-day duties like crafting marketing strategies, doing research, and creating different promotional materials. 

Average Annual Salary: $75,788

Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree

Average Time to Complete: 4 years

3. Event Planner

Event Planners are professionals who help organize, plan, and facilitate events of varying types, scales, and complexity. Some common events that Event Planners bring to life include weddings, corporate events, and fundraisers, with some of these professionals only working within one specific niche. Day-to-day duties for Event Planners often include preparing venue spaces, crafting itineraries for events, and finding solutions to unforeseen challenges that arise during events. 

Average Annual Salary: $60,562

Education Required: Diploma preferred

Average Time to Complete: 1 year

4. Hotel Accountant

Hotel Accountants provide accounting financial services for hotels, resorts, and other lodging organizations. These services can include managing employee payroll and conducting financial analyses for individual hotels and entire hotel chains. Their day-to-day responsibilities can include ensuring their employer is compliant with regulations, managing budgets, and conducting financial audits. 

Average Annual Salary: $63,585

Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree

Average Time to Complete: 4 years

5. Food and Beverage Manager

Food and Beverage Managers are professionals who oversee operations in a hospitality business, typically a restaurant or hotel. While a diploma in this field can make you a more attractive candidate to employers, this isn’t required and many Food and Beverage Managers work their way up from entry-level positions. Common duties for these professionals include sourcing ingredients, managing teams, and finding qualified employees to fill different positions. 

Average Annual Salary: $64,021

Education Required: High School Diploma, some post-secondary education preferred

Average Time to Complete: 2 years

6. Travel Agent

Travel Agents help clients decide on travel destinations, make necessary bookings, and understand key information about potential locations. While it’s possible to land a position with just a High School Diploma, many employers look for candidates with some post-secondary education. 

These professionals can provide services to both individual clients and group clients, such as organizations planning a retreat. Daily Travel Agent duties typically include providing information to clients and booking accommodations, transportation, and activities. 

Average Annual Salary: $66,544

Education Required: High School Diploma

Average Time to Complete: 2 years

7. Spa Manager

Spa Managers oversee the operations of spas and engage in a wide range of affairs that includes directing staff and communicating with clients. Their ultimate professional function is to help their spa thrive in all aspects, from financial health to public image, and can differ depending on their spa’s niche and offerings. It’s typical for a Spa Manager’s daily duties to include managing employees, interacting with patrons, and crafting budgets to meet organizational goals. 

Average Annual Salary: $60,037

Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree preferred 

Average Time to Complete: 4 years

8. Hospitality Analyst

Hospitality Analysts are specialized Business Analysts who analyze hospitality business-related data such as financial data, customer data, and booking data to help organizations improve and grow. Given the importance of understanding consumers in the hospitality industry, these professionals play a vital role in helping their organizations understand their patrons. Some key daily Hospitality Analyst duties include collecting data, crafting analytic reports, and studying the behaviors of customers. 

Average Annual Salary: $71,207

Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree

Average Time to Complete: 4 years

9. Activities Director

Activities Directors are professionals who consistently organize different types of activities. This role is broad and can change significantly depending on the employer — many Activities Directors work for nursing homes, while others work for cruises, camps, or other recreational facilities. Their day-to-day duties often include planning and coordinating different activities, communicating with other professionals in their organization, and supervising different activities. 

Average Annual Salary: $65,427

Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree

Average Time to Complete: 4 years

10. Park Manager

Park Managers are responsible for supervising and maintaining public parks and finding solutions to any challenges that arise. Their duties can vary depending on the scale and features of their park, with many of these professionals overseeing a team of employees and others engaging in more hands-on duties such as directing visitors and maintaining wildlife growth. The day-to-day duties of Park Managers typically include maintaining different aspects of a park, giving guidance to employees, and finding solutions to unforeseen obstacles such as natural disasters and visitor injuries. 

Average Annual Salary: $84,112

Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree preferred

Average Time to Complete: 4 years

11. Housekeeping Director

Housekeeping Directors typically work for institutions such as hotels and resorts and are in charge of maintaining the cleanliness of lodgings and other facilities. These professionals generally manage a team of employees and are responsible for keeping track of and ordering supplies, as well as maintaining different locations. The day-to-day duties of a Housekeeping Director can involve crafting cleaning schedules, giving guidance to employees, and even interacting with guests. 

Average Annual Salary: $77,013

Education Required: High School Diploma 

Average Time to Complete: 2 years

12. Museum Curator

As their job title suggests, Museum Curators curate exhibitions for various museums and engage in practices that facilitate this goal. These professionals can work at museums of all sizes and varieties, from niche art museums to destination natural history museums. 

Crafting a worthwhile experience for guests is a key part of this job role, especially for Museum Curators working at more notable museums. Some day-to-day Museum Curator duties include planning new exhibitions, arranging for the purchases or loans of new pieces or artifacts, and managing various museum programs. 

Average Annual Salary: $74,880

Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree; Master’s Degree preferred

Average Time to Complete: 4-6 years

13. Casino Manager

Casino Managers are responsible for managing casinos, which can include activities like surveilling gambling activities, providing guidance to employees, and ensuring security. Though some of these professionals have some form of post-secondary education in hospitality, it’s not required, and many work their way up to this leadership role. Daily activities can include reviewing video footage, collaborating with other organizational leaders, and overseeing operations on the gaming floor.

Average Annual Salary: $82,118

Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree preferred 

Average Time to Complete: 4 years

14. Tour Operator

Blending aspects of Tour Guide and Travel Agent roles, Tour Operators plan tours for individual and group clients. Most of these professionals don’t travel with their clients but support them by being available as a resource during their trips. While the Tour Operator role is fluid and can change depending on factors such as employer and niche, many engage in similar day-to-day activities. These include scheduling trips, crafting travel packages, and communicating with clients. 

Average Annual Salary: $72,800

Education Required: High School Diploma

Average Time to Complete: 4 years

15. Human Resources Manager

Human Resources Managers play a vital role in tourism and hospitality organizations across the globe — especially those employing dozens or even hundreds of employees. These administrative professionals engage in a range of activities to attract and retain high-quality employees and ensure their organization is compliant with all relevant regulations. Their daily duties often include addressing employee concerns, communicating with other organizational leaders, and finding ways to boost employee satisfaction. 

Average Annual Salary: $84,210

Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree preferred

Average Time to Complete: 4 years

FAQ

If you’re exploring this list of hospitality job examples, you probably have questions about the industry and your career path options. Here are some quick answers to frequently asked questions about careers in tourism and hospitality. 

What Is the Highest Paying Job in Hospitality and Tourism? 

The Human Resources Manager role is the highest-paying job in hospitality and tourism on this list. However, there is room for advancement in virtually every hospitality profession, and those who approach their hospitality careers with eagerness and a strong work ethic have the ability to grow into more lucrative positions. Other well-paying hospitality and tourism careers include Park Manager, Casino Manager, and Hotel Marketing Manager. 

Is Hospitality Management a Good Career?

If you enjoy interacting with others, having a range of duties, and growing professionally, then hospitality management is a great career option. The hospitality industry is remarkably secure, meaning that qualified hospitality professionals should always have in-demand job opportunities available to them. In addition, there is a medley of career options and niches in the field, so you can likely find the perfect role for your unique needs. 

What Is a Career Path in the Hospitality Industry?

Though it can differ significantly depending on the specific role you pursue, a hospitality career path typically involves a period of post-secondary education and a period of gaining experience. After gaining entry-level experience, hospitality professionals typically have opportunities to grow into advanced roles. However, you should note that professional hospitality career paths are unique depending on role, specific field, and employer. 

What Are the Career Activities in Hospitality and Tourism?

There are many career activities that aspiring professionals can engage in to see if the hospitality and tourism industry is a good fit. These can range from internships to networking efforts and can help you connect with employers and bolster your resume. These opportunities give you a chance to understand different careers in this industry and how it might feel to step into them. 

What Jobs Can You Do With Hospitality?

Professionals in the hospitality and tourism industry can engage in a vast variety of jobs ranging from more management-focused roles to more customer-facing ones. These include career paths such as park management, hospitality analysis, and hotel marketing. 

Kick-Start Your Hospitality and Tourism Career With Robertson College

If you’re exploring careers in hospitality and tourism, Robertson College is here to help you find career fulfillment. We have an abundance of certificate and diploma programs to choose from that make stepping into a new and exciting job role more accessible than ever. 

Check out Robertson College’s Tourism and Hospitality Management program today and kick-start your career in this fun and gratifying field.