Chapter 7 Careers in Hospitality
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focuses mainly on meeting basic human needs,
including food and shelter, and it contributes
to an improved quality of life. Typical careers
in hospitality are listed in Figure 7-1. Career
opportunities in the following areas will be
explored:
• Food service
• Lodging
• Travel and tourism
• Recreation
• Event and meeting management
Issues in the News
Lifestyle Trends
Even after terrorist attacks,
natural disasters, and financial
failures, the hospitality industry
continues to flourish. Why? Many
observers attribute the growth
to lifestyle trends that began
after World War II, flourished in
the 1980s, and continue today.
Lifestyle trends affecting the
hospitality industry include rising
education levels, increasing age
and early retirements, increases
in disposable income, reduced
leisure time, the economic
contributions of women, and the
proliferation of travel options.
After World War II,
education levels began to
rise in the United States and
many other parts of the world.
Women in particular entered
colleges and universities at an
unprecedented rate. Higher
education levels stimulated
curiosity about the world. At
the same time, media and
communication technology
provided vivid images of distant
places. This, too, piqued many
people’s curiosity. As a result,
more people, especially the
educated, began to travel to
more exotic places.
weeks worked per year by full-
time employees in America has
increased, and nonwork time
is filled with commuting, family
duties, and other responsibilities
(Drago, 2007). Thus, the
time spent away on vacation
becomes more important and
travelers often look for quality
in their vacations. Quality can
be interpreted many ways, such
as by the accommodations,
transportation, leisure activities
available, or environment. Since
many people take shorter trips
or weekend escapes, they may
maximize vacation experiences.
In addition, concerns about
exposure to the sun have
made alternatives to time at
a beach more interesting to
travelers.Last, the proliferation
of travel options has increased
hospitality opportunities.
When people arrive at their
destination, they need food and
lodging. Many travelers want to
be entertained. Subsequently,
the hospitality industry is
flourishing in many parts of the
world as a result of changing
lifestyle trends.
As the average age in the
United States and around the
world began to climb, more
people in their prime of life
decided to travel. The baby
boomers began to reach middle
age and with their decreased
parenting responsibilities, peak
career income, and a desire
to see the world, they began
traveling more. Baby boomers
have more free time than they
had previously, and those with
children choose to expose them
to enriching experiences. As
a result, heritage and cultural
tourism is growing as families visit
a community to learn more about
history and their own heritage.
As more people entered
the workforce over the past
several decades, they earned
more money and controlled
more discretionary income. In
families, women often make
financial decisions, and they are
more likely than men to support
cultural and heritage activities
(Cushner, 2004).
Many working people
have less leisure time than did
workers a generation or more
ago. The average number of