Resources: Industry Profiles: Hotels and Other Lodging Places
Nature |
Conditions |
Employment |
Training |
Outlook |
Earnings |
Occupations |
Sources |
Significant Points |
Nature
Hotels and lodging places are as diverse as the many families and business travelers they accommodate. The industry includes all types of lodging, from upscale hotels to camp grounds. Other accommodations included in this category are motels, destination spas, inns, and boarding houses. In fact, over 59,000 establishments provided overnight accommodations to suit many different needs and budgets in 1997.
Establishments vary greatly in size and in the services they provide. Hotels and motels make up the majority of establishments and tend to provide more services than other lodging places. They consist of three basic types—commercial, resort, and residential. Most hotels and motels are commercial properties that cater mainly to business people, tourists, and other travelers who need accommodations for a brief stay. Commercial hotels and motels usually are located in cities or suburban areas and operate year round. Larger properties offer a variety of services for their guests, including coffee shops, restaurants, and cocktail lounges with live entertainment. Some even provide gift shops, newsstands, barber and beauty shops, laundry and valet services, theater and airline counters, swimming pools, and fitness centers and health spas.
Larger hotels and motels often have banquet rooms, exhibit halls, and spacious ballrooms to accommodate conventions, business meetings, wedding receptions, and other social gatherings. Conventions and business meetings are major sources of revenue for these hotels and motels.
Conference hotels, are fully self-contained entities specifically designed for meetings. They provide physical and recreational facilities for meetings in addition to state of the art audiovisual and technical equipment.
Resort hotels and motels offer luxurious surroundings with a variety of recreational facilities like swimming pools, golf courses, tennis courts, game rooms, and health spas, as well as planned social activities and entertainment. Resorts are located primarily in vacation destinations near mountains, the seashore, or other attractions. As a result, the business of many resorts fluctuates with the season. Some resort hotels and motels provide additional convention and conference facilities to encourage customers to combine business with pleasure. During their off season, they solicit conventions, sales meetings, and incentive tours to fill their otherwise empty rooms.
Residential hotels provide living quarters for permanent and semi-permanent residents. They combine the comfort of apartment living with the convenience of hotel services. Many have dining rooms and restaurants that are also open to the general public.
In addition to hotels and motels, inns, campgrounds, and destination spas provide lodging for overnight guests. Inns vary greatly in size, appearance, type of operation, and cost. Some inns are very large and provide services similar to those found in hotels, and others are quite small and often run by families. Their appeal is quaintness, unusual service, and decor. Campgrounds, including trailer and recreational vehicle (RV) parks, cater to people who enjoy recreational camping at moderate prices. Some campgrounds provide service stations, general stores, shower and toilet facilities, and coin-operated laundries. Although some are designed for overnight travelers only, others are for vacationers who stay longer. Destination spas offer an all-inclusive package with lodging, food, and spa programs included for a single fee. Most destination spas are small, with under 80 guestrooms.
In recent years, hotels, motels, camps, and RV parks affiliated with national chains have been growing rapidly. To the traveler, familiar chain establishments represent dependability and quality at predictable rates. Many chains are owned by national corporations, although others are independently-owned, but affiliated with a chain through a franchise agreement.
Increased competition and greater traveler sophistication have induced the chains to provide lodging to serve a variety of customer budgets and accommodation preferences. In general, these lodging places may be grouped into properties that offer luxury, all-suite, moderately priced, and economy accommodations. The number of "limited service" properties—economy lodging without lobbies, restaurants, lounges, and meeting rooms—has been growing. These properties are not as costly to build and operate. They appeal to budget-conscious family vacationers and travelers who are willing to sacrifice amenities for lower room prices.
All-suite facilities, especially popular with business travelers, offer a living room and a bedroom. These accommodations are aimed at travelers who require lodging for extended stays, families traveling with children, and business people needing to conduct small meetings without the expense of renting an additional room.
Increased competition has spurred many independently-owned and operated hotels and other lodging places to join national or international reservation systems, which allow travelers to make multiple reservations for lodging, airlines, and car rentals with one telephone call. Nearly all hotel chains operate on-line reservation systems through the Internet. For now, these Internet systems are complementing more established reservation systems; however, in the future a high percentage of lodging reservations will be made through the Internet.
Conditions
Work in hotels and other lodging places can be hectic, particularly for those providing check-in and checkout services. Hotel desk clerks must quickly, accurately, and cordially process large numbers of sometimes impatient and irate guests. Hotel managers often experience pressure and stress when coordinating a wide range of events such as conventions, business meetings, and social gatherings. Further, large groups of tourists can present unusual problems requiring extra work and long hours.
Because hotels are open around the clock, employees frequently work varying shifts. Employees who work the late shift generally receive additional compensation. Although managers who live in the hotel usually have regular work schedules, they may be called at any time in the event of an emergency. Those who are self-employed tend to work long hours and often live at the establishment.
Food preparation and food service workers in hotels must withstand the strain of working during busy periods and being on their feet for many hours. Kitchen workers lift heavy pots and kettles and work near hot ovens and grills. Job hazards include slips and falls, cuts, and burns, but injuries are seldom serious. Food service workers often carry heavy trays of food, dishes, and glassware. Many of these workers work part-time, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
In 1998, work-related injuries and illnesses averaged 8.4 for every 100 full-time workers in hotels and other lodging places, compared to 7.1 for workers throughout private industry. Work hazards include burns from hot equipment, sprained muscles and wrenched backs from heavy lifting, and falls on wet floors.
Employment
Hotels and other lodging places provided almost 1.8 million wage and salary jobs in 1998. In addition, there were about 61,000 self-employed workers in the industry, who were found mostly in lodging places other than hotels and motels, such as inns, campgrounds, and destination spas.
Employment in the hotel and motel industry is concentrated in densely populated cities and resort areas. Compared to establishments in other industries, hotels, motels, and other lodging places tend to be small. Over 90 percent employed fewer than 50 people; about 60 percent employ fewer than 10 workers (see chart). As a result, lodging establishments offer opportunities for those who are interested in owning and running their own business. Although establishments tend to be small, most jobs are in large hotels and motels with over 50 employees.
Many of the industry’s workers are young because the industry provides first jobs to many new entrants to the labor force. About 20 percent of the workers were younger than age 25, compared to about 15 percent across all industries (table 1).
| Table 1. Percent distribution of employment in hotels and other lodging places by age group, 1998 |
| Age group |
Hotels and motels |
All industries |
| Total |
100.0 |
100.0 |
| 16-19 |
6.9 |
5.4 |
| 20-24 |
13.4 |
9.5 |
| 25-34 |
24.5 |
23.9 |
| 35-44 |
26.0 |
27.5 |
| 45-54 |
16.4 |
21.0 |
| 55-64 |
9.2 |
9.8 |
| 65 and older |
3.7 |
2.9 |
Training
Although the skills and experience needed by workers in this industry depend on the specific occupation, most entry-level jobs require little or no previous training. Basic tasks usually can be learned in a short time. Almost all workers in the hotel and motel industry undergo on-the-job training which usually is provided under the supervision of an experienced employee or manager. Some large chain operations have formal training sessions for new employees, and others have video training programs.
Hotel operations are becoming increasingly complex, with a greater emphasis being placed on specialized training. Therefore, the demand for people with special skills obtained in colleges, junior colleges, technical institutes, vocational schools, and high schools is increasing. Vocational courses and apprenticeship programs in food preparation, catering, and hotel and restaurant management, offered through restaurant associations and trade unions, provide training opportunities. Programs range in length from a few months to several years. Nearly 200 community and junior colleges offer 2-year degree programs in hotel and restaurant management. The Armed Forces also offer experience and training in food service.
Traditionally, many hotels filled first-level manager positions by promoting administrative support and service workers—particularly those with good communication skills, a solid educational background, tact, loyalty, and a capacity to endure hard work and long hours. People with these qualities still advance to manager jobs, but more recently lodging chains have primarily been hiring persons with 4-year college degrees in the liberal arts or other fields and starting them in trainee or junior management positions. Bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in hotel and restaurant management provide the strongest background for a career as a hotel manager, with nearly 150 colleges and universities offering programs. Graduates of these programs are highly sought by employers in this industry. New graduates often go through on-the-job training programs before being given much responsibility. Eventually, they may advance to a top management position in a large chain operation.
Upper management positions, such as general manager, food and beverage manager, front office manager, or sales manager, generally require considerable formal training and job experience. Some department managers, such as comptrollers, purchasing managers, executive housekeepers, and executive chefs, generally require some specialized training and extensive on-the-job experience. To advance to positions with more responsibilities, managers frequently change employers or relocate to a chain property in another area.
For administrative support and service workers, advancement opportunities in the hotel industry vary widely. Some workers, such as housekeepers and janitors, generally have few opportunities for advancement. In large properties, however, some janitors may advance to supervisory positions. Hotel desk clerks, hospitality workers, and chefs, sometimes advance to managerial positions. Promotional opportunities from the front office often are greater than from any other department, because one has an excellent opportunity to learn the overall operation from this vantage point. Front office jobs are excellent entry-level jobs and can serve as a stepping stone to jobs in hospitality, public relations, advertising, sales, and management.
Advancement opportunities for chefs and cooks are better than those for most other service occupations. Cooks often advance to chef or to supervisory and management positions, such as executive chef, restaurant manager, or food and beverage manager. Some transfer to jobs in clubs, go into business for themselves, or become instructors of culinary arts.
Outlook
Employment in hotels, motels, and other lodging places is expected to increase 18 percent over the 1998-2008 period, faster than the 15 percent growth projected for all industries combined. Job growth reflects rising personal income, an increase in the number of two-income families, continued low-cost airfares, emphasis on leisure-time activities, and growth of foreign tourism in the United States. In addition, special packages for short vacations and weekend travel should stimulate employment growth and, as more States allow some form of gambling, the hotel industry will increasingly invest in gaming, further fueling job growth.
Job opportunities should be concentrated in the largest hotel occupations, such as chefs and cooks, hotel desk clerks, and janitors and cleaners, including housekeepers. Many of these openings will arise in full-service hotels and resorts and spas. Because all-suite properties and budget hotels and motels do not have restaurants, dining rooms, lounges, or kitchens, these limited-service establishments offer a narrower range of employment opportunities for workers in the industry.
Employment outlook varies by occupation. Employment of hotel desk clerks is expected to grow rapidly as some of these workers assume responsibilities previously reserved for managers. However, the spread of computer technology will cause employment of other clerical workers—bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks and secretaries, for example—to grow more slowly than the industry as a whole.
Employment of hotel managers and assistants is also expected to increase more slowly than the overall hotel industry due to the growth of economy-class establishments with fewer departments to manage. However, the trend toward chain-affiliated lodging places should provide managers with opportunities for advancement into general manager positions and corporate administrative jobs. Opportunities should be more limited for self-employed managers or owners of small lodging places.
Job turnover is relatively high in this industry, particularly in lodging places, other than hotels and motels. To attract and retain workers, the lodging industry is placing more emphasis on hiring and training. Nevertheless, many young workers and others are only looking for seasonal or part-time work, not a career. Therefore, job opportunities exist for first-time job seekers and people with a wider range of experience and skills, including those with limited skills.
Earnings
Earnings in hotels, motels, and other lodging places generally are much lower than the average for all industries. In 1998, average earnings for all nonsupervisory workers in hotels and motels were $8.92 an hour, or $279 a week, compared to $12.77 an hour, or $442 a week, for workers throughout private industry. Many workers in this industry earn the Federal minimum wage of $5.15 an hour. Some States have laws which establish a higher minimum wage. Federal laws, however, allow employers to pay below the minimum wage when an employee is expected to receive tips.
Food and beverage service workers as well as hosts and hostesses, doorkeepers, housekeepers, and bellhops and baggage porters derive their earnings from a combination of hourly earnings and customer tips. Waiters and waitresses often derive the majority of their earnings from tips, which vary greatly depending on menu prices and the volume of customers served. Many employers also provide free meals and furnish uniforms. Food service personnel may receive extra pay for banquets and other special occasions. In general, workers with the greatest skills, such as restaurant cooks, have the highest earnings, and workers who receive tips have the lowest. Earnings in the largest occupations in hotels and other lodging places appear in table 3.
Salaries of hotel managers and assistants are dependent upon the size and sales volume of the establishment and their specific duties and responsibilities. Managers may earn bonuses ranging up to 20 percent of their basic salary. In addition, they and their families may be furnished with lodging, meals, parking, laundry, and other services. Some hotels offer profit-sharing plans, tuition reimbursement, and other benefits to their employees.
About 10.6 percent of the workers in hotels and other lodging places are union members or are covered by union contracts, compared to 15.4 percent of workers in all industries combined.
| Table 3. Median hourly earnings of the largest occupations in hotels and other lodging services, 1997 |
| Occupation |
Hotels and other
lodging
services |
All industries |
| Cooks, restaurant |
$8.69 |
$7.54 |
| Maintenance repairers, general utility |
8.19 |
10.89 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids
and housekeeping cleaners |
7.37 |
7.44 |
| Hotel desk clerks |
7.05 |
7.05 |
| Food preparation workers |
7.01 |
6.42 |
| Bartenders |
6.65 |
5.94 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
6.37 |
6.74 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants
and bartender helpers |
6.10 |
5.73 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
5.80 |
5.88 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
5.66 |
5.59 |
Occupations
The vast majority of the workers in this industry—over 3 out of 4 in 1998—were employed in service and administrative support occupations (table 2). Workers in these occupations usually learn their skills on the job. Postsecondary education is not required for most entry-level positions; however, college training may be helpful for advancement in some of these occupations. For many clerical and service occupations, personality traits and special abilities may be more important than formal schooling. Traits most important for success in the hotel and motel industry are good communication skills; the ability to get along with people in stressful situations; a neat, clean appearance; and a pleasant manner.
Service occupations, by far the largest occupational group, account for 63 percent of the industry’s employment. Most service jobs are in housekeeping and building service occupations—including maids, housekeepers, janitors, linen room attendants, and laundry workers—and in food preparation and service jobs—including chefs and cooks, waiters and waitresses, bartenders, food counter workers, and various kitchen workers.
Workers in cleaning and housekeeping occupations ensure that the lodging facility is clean and in good condition for the comfort and safety of guests. Maids and housekeepers clean lobbies, halls, guest rooms, and bathrooms. They make sure guests not only have clean rooms, but all the necessary furnishings and supplies. They change sheets and towels, vacuum carpets, dust furniture, empty waste-baskets, and mop bathroom floors. In large hotels, the housekeeping staff may include assistant housekeepers, floor supervisors, housekeepers, and executive housekeepers. Janitors help with the cleaning of the facility and perform minor maintenance work. They may fix leaky faucets, do some painting and carpentry, see that heating and air-conditioning equipment works properly, empty trash, mow lawns, and exterminate insects and rodents.
Table 2. Employment of wage and salary workers in hotels and other lodging places by occupation, 1998 and projected change, 1998-2008
(Employment in thousands) |
| Occupation |
1998 Employment |
1998-2008 Percent change |
| Number |
Percent |
| All occupations |
1,776 |
100.0 |
17.6 |
| Service |
1,120 |
63.1 |
15.6 |
Janitors and cleaners,
including maids and housekeeping cleaners |
425 |
24.0 |
18.1 |
Waiters and waitresses |
167 |
9.4 |
2.3 |
Cooks, restaurant |
68 |
3.8 |
12.2 |
Amusement and recreation attendants |
51 |
2.9 |
27.9 |
Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bar helpers |
49 |
2.8 |
5.6 |
Food preparation workers |
48 |
2.7 |
17.8 |
Food counter, fountain, and related workers |
40 |
2.3 |
44.7 |
Bartenders |
40 |
2.3 |
5.7 |
Institutional cleaning supervisors |
32 |
1.8 |
12.8 |
Baggage porters and bellhops |
28 |
1.6 |
16.9 |
Guards |
27 |
1.5 |
16.9 |
Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, or coffee shop |
25 |
1.4 |
15.4 |
| Administrative support, including clerical |
273 |
15.4 |
15.7 |
Hotel, motel, and resort desk
clerks |
155 |
8.7 |
13.8 |
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
22 |
1.3 |
6.9 |
Office and administrative support
supervisors and managers |
24 |
1.3 |
26.8 |
| Executive, managerial, and administrative |
124 |
7.0 |
19.8 |
Food service and lodging managers |
39 |
2.2 |
6.4 |
General managers
and top executives |
31 |
1.7 |
26.2 |
Management support occupations |
17 |
1.0 |
27.0 |
| Precision production, craft and repair |
81 |
4.6 |
21.7 |
Maintenance repairers,
general utility |
59 |
3.3 |
18.7 |
| Marketing and sales |
72 |
4.0 |
26.8 |
Cashiers |
36 |
2.0 |
22.7 |
| Operators, fabricators, and laborers |
48 |
2.7 |
35.4 |
Laundry and drycleaning machine operators and tenders |
27 |
1.5 |
38.1 |
| Professional specialty |
34 |
1.9 |
30.3 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and related |
20 |
1.1 |
27.7 |
Laborers, landscaping
and groundskeeping |
19 |
1.1 |
27.6 |
| All other occupations |
3 |
0.2 |
27.7 |
Workers in the various food service occupations deal with customers in the dining room or at a service counter. Waiters and waitresses take customers’ orders, serve meals, and prepare checks. In restaurants, they may describe chef’s specials and suggest appropriate wines. In small establishments, they often set tables, escort guests to their seats, accept payments, and clear tables. They may also deliver room service orders to guests. In large restaurants, some of these tasks are assigned to other workers.
Hosts and hostesses welcome guests, show them to their tables, and give them menus. Bartenders fill beverage orders that waiters and waitresses take from the customers at tables and seated at the bar. Dining room attendants and bar helpers assist waiters, waitresses, and bartenders by clearing, cleaning, and setting up tables, and by keeping the serving areas stocked with linens, tableware, and other supplies. Counter, fountain, and cafeteria workers take orders, assemble, and serve food at fast food counters and cafeteria steam tables. They also may operate the cash register.
Workers in the various food preparation occupations prepare food in the kitchen. Beginners may advance to more skilled food preparation jobs with experience or specialized culinary training. Food preparation workers shred lettuce for salads, cut up food for cooking, and perform simple cooking under the direction of the chef or head cook. Cooks and chefs generally prepare a wide selection of dishes, often cooking individual servings to order. Large hotels employ cooks who specialize in the preparation of many different kinds of food. They may have such titles as salad chef, roast chef, sauce chef, or dessert chef. Chef positions generally are attained after years of experience and sometimes formal training, including apprenticeships. Large establishments also have chief stewards and assistant stewards who plan menus, purchase food, and supervise various kitchen personnel.
Many full-service hotels employ a uniformed staff to assist arriving and departing guests. Bellhops and baggage porters carry bags and escort guests to their rooms. Door-keepers help guests into and out of their cars or taxis, summon taxis, and carry baggage into the hotel lobby.
Administrative support positions account for about 15 percent of the jobs in hotels and other lodging places. Hotel desk clerks, secretaries, bookkeeping and accounting clerks, and telephone operators see to it that all operations of the front office are carried out smoothly. The majority of these workers are hotel desk clerks. They process reservations and guests’ registration and checkout, monitor arrivals and departures, handle complaints, and receive and forward mail. The duties of hotel desk clerks depend on the size of the facility. In small lodging places one clerk or a manager may do everything. In large hotels, the duties are divided among several types of clerks. Although hotel desk clerks sometimes are hired from the outside, openings usually are filled by promoting other hotel employees such as bellhops and porters, credit clerks, and other administrative support workers.
Hospitality workers arrange special services for guests, such as city tours, theater tickets, baby sitting, personal maid service, or hotel reservations in other cities. Hotel public relations workers are usually executive assistants to top management. They must be completely familiar with all hotel operations and policies and act as spokespersons for the hotel. They may handle press, community, and consumer relations, and prepare radio or television announcements as well as newspaper and magazine articles. Some hotels combine the public relations functions with advertising or sales. Advertising workers design and coordinate advertising campaigns and oversee the production of promotional literature.
Hotels and motels employ many different types of managers to direct and coordinate the activities of the front office, kitchen, dining rooms, and the various hotel departments, such as housekeeping, accounting, personnel, purchasing, publicity, sales, and maintenance. Managers make decisions on room rates, establish credit policy, and have ultimate responsibility for resolving problems. In small hotels or inns, the manager also may perform much of the front office clerical work. In the smallest hotels and motels, the owners—sometimes a family team—do all the work necessary to operate the business.
General managers in large hotels often have several assistant managers, each responsible for a phase of operations. For example, food and beverage managers oversee restaurants, lounges, and catering operations. Large hotels and conference centers also employ public relations and sales managers to promote their image as well as to bring in business. Large hotels have many different sales managers, including convention managers, merchandise managers, foreign sales managers, and tour and agency managers. They often travel around the country selling their meeting, banquet, and convention facilities.
Hotels employ a variety of workers found in many other industries. Among these are cashiers, accountants, personnel workers, entertainers, recreation workers, and maintenance workers, such as stationary engineers, plumbers, and painters. Still others include guards and security officers, barbers, cosmetologists, valets, gardeners, and parking attendants.
Sources
For information on hospitality careers write to:
- Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education, 1200 17th St. NW., Washington, DC 20036-3097.
- The American Hotel and Motel Association, Information Center, Suite 600, 1201 New York Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20005.
General information on food and beverage service jobs is available from:
- National Restaurant Association, 1200 17th St. NW., Washington, DC 20036-3097.
Information about housekeeper and janitorial jobs may be obtained from a local State employment service office or from:
- Service Employees International Union, 1313 L St. NW., Washington, DC 20005.
Information on housekeeping management may be obtained from:
- National Executive Housekeepers Association, Inc., 1001 Eastwind Dr., Suite 301, Westerville, OH 43081. Phone: (800) 200-6342.
For information on the American Culinary Federation’s apprenticeship and certification programs for cooks, write to:
- American Culinary Federation, P.O. Box 3466, St. Augustine, FL 32085.
Detailed information on the following occupations employed in hotels and other lodging places may by found in the 2000-01 Occupational Outlook Handbook:
Significant Points
- Service and clerical jobs, most of which do not require postsecondary training, account for nearly 3 out of 4 jobs.
- Hotels employ many young workers and others in part-time and seasonal jobs.
- Average earnings are lower than in most other industries.
