Chapter 7 Careers in Hospitality
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Gaming is a form of recreation that has
grown rapidly in recent years. The gaming
industry includes casinos, horse and dog track
racing, and combinations of the two called raci-
nos. Casinos generally include lodging and food
and beverage services, and they may offer live
entertainment, retail shopping, health spas, con-
vention services, and other amenities. In addi-
tion to the career opportunities offered by other
hotels, casinos have specialized positions in
operations, finance, security, and surveillance.
Job titles include manager of slot operations, man-
ager of table games, director of casino operations, cage
manager, credit manager, director of surveillance, and
director of security. Employees must have a clear
understanding of the games that are offered, an
ability to deal with a large number of customers
in a fast-paced environment, and willingness to
work nonstandard hours.
Event and Meeting Management
In the hospitality industry, an event is a spe-
cial occurrence, and careers in event and meeting
management are focused on making those special
occasions successful and memorable. Events range
from a child’s birthday party to international con-
ferences attended by thousands of people. They
include conventions, weddings, festivals, fundrais-
ers, award ceremonies, inaugurations, parades,
and even the Olympics! Managing these events
requires familiarity with the catering, lodging, and
travel segments of the hospitality industry.
Event planners may work for an event plan-
ning company or as freelancers. Corporations,
nonprofit organizations, government agencies,
professional associations, and universities hire
event planners, although their titles may differ.
Planners meet with clients to understand the
purpose of the event and determine the budget,
time, location, and activities. They contract for
services from vendors such as florists, photogra-
phers, and musicians and arrange for food ser-
vice and lodging. Event planners who work for
nonprofit organizations may solicit donations
from supporters to maximize the profit made
from fund-raising events.
Wedding planners are event planners who
work directly for the bride and groom. Have
you ever fantasized about a dream wedding?
The wedding planner’s challenge is to reconcile
the dreams of the clients with financial realities.
Wedding planners consult with the couple to
plan the event and are present to troubleshoot
activities on the actual wedding day. Job duties
can include selecting venues and negotiating
rentals, choosing music, booking musicians and
photographers, planning menus and choosing
caterers, renting equipment and overseeing the
setup of tents and tables, contracting for secu-
rity, and planning audio and lighting systems.
Advising on invitations, floral arrangements,
favors, and seating plans are other tasks. A wed-
ding planner may need to arrange transporta-
tion and lodging for guests.
Wedding coordinators perform some of the
same functions as wedding planners, but they
are not employed by the bride or groom. They
typically work for a hotel, banquet facility, or
other wedding venue to communicate with the
bridal couple and coordinate the services pro-
vided by the site. They liaise with outside ven-
dors, such as florists, to ensure that this special
occasion runs smoothly.
Convention service managers plan, coor-
dinate, and implement events in hotels and
convention centers. These events may include
conferences, meetings, trade shows, weddings,
anniversary or birthday celebrations, or other
special events. Convention service manag-
ers have the same responsibilities as any event
planner but generally on a much larger scale.
They are responsible for the lodging, food, and
activities of participants throughout their stay.
Convention service managers meet with
their clients or group representatives to plan
hotel lodging and meeting rooms to reserve,
meals to serve, and configuration of rooms to
meet the goals for the event. In doing so, it is
important for the convention service manager
and the group representatives to establish a
clear picture of the event and what plans are in
the realm of possibility. The convention service
manager then offers a budget proposal to the