When people have the chance to stay in a hotel or resort they will often observe the people serving and taking care of them, and check if the staff respond to their queries with warmth and politeness. This is all considered to be a part of hospitality, and these people are specially educated and trained through a hospitality management course.

If you are looking to establish your career in the field of hospitality, then check out the following blog to find out why you should study this course in the UK.

What is hospitality management?

Hospitality management involves the application of management concepts and practices in the areas of food, lodging and other hospitality-related businesses. Since hospitality is a service industry, you must be equipped with certain qualities which help in drawing customers back such as being welcoming, polite, helpful and friendly.

If you want to enter the hospitality industry, you should be able to execute your responsibilities to a high standard for long periods every day. You also must be able to think on your feet. This is because customers will regularly ask you questions and you should have the knowledge to answer them quickly and correctly.

Why should you study hospitality management in the UK?

As a career, hospitality management is in high demand worldwide and gaining a degree in this field opens up doors to many exciting hospitality management career opportunities with promising salaries. According to the British Hospitality Association, in the UK, the hospitality industry is the third-largest in employment terms. In addition, as per the British Hospitality Association, it contributed an estimate of £65 billion to the GDP of UK in 2016. This is why the UK is considered to be an extremely lucrative destination to study hospitality management.

A degree in hospitality management provides you with a strong foundation after studying topics such as:

  • Economics;
  • Financial accounting;
  • Food and beverage operations;
  • Ethics in business;
  • Marketing;
  • Hotel and lodging management.

There are several advantages of doing a hospitality management course, including:

  • Job flexibility: Even though hospitality is an extremely competitive industry, you will be able to find hotel management jobs across the world. If you want to work in a fast-paced environment, then opt for working in a famous hotel in a city. On the other hand, if you want to work in a place that has a laidback atmosphere, then working in a resort at the beach or in the mountains is also an option for you! If employees wanted to be transferred, they can easily do so in hotel chains that have branches across the country, or even across the world.
  • Job benefits: Employees in hospitality management jobs tend to get paid handsomely. The top hotels across the world know what is required to keep the employees happy and they will often offer excellent benefits in form of paid vacations and employee discounts.
  • Career advancement opportunities: Working in the hotel industry provides you with numerous opportunities to advance your career. Most hotels prefer to promote their existing employees rather than hiring new employees, who are not familiar with the organisation culture.
  • Combining subjects or courses: Studying a hospitality course gives you the option of taking up a variety of subjects in tandem with your course. These subjects could include tourism, sports, history and art. Taking up several subjects in a single degree will not only make the course more interesting for you, but will also broaden your skill base and increase your knowledge.
  • Job opportunities: Have you ever been told: “you cannot get a job unless you have experience, but you cannot get experience unless you have a job”? You will not have to face this conundrum if you graduate with a hospitality management degree as hotel management jobs are always available for graduates. Having prior experience is not necessary, however you should possess the correct training.

Why should you study in the UK?

The UK is considered to be one of the most popular destinations for pursuing degrees with over 500,000 international students joining every year. Reasons for this include excellent universities and good quality of life in UK.  Although there are many benefits to studying in London, you should be aware that living expenses are estimated to be around £1,100 per month.

There are a number of reasons as to why you should choose to study abroad in the UK, including:

  • Degrees recognised worldwide: Degrees obtained from UK universities are recognised worldwide. Additionally, these degrees are considered to be world-class, which could help you in enhancing your job opportunities. This is especially true if you obtain a degree from Oxford or Cambridge!
  • Opportunities to work: The UK government provides students with the opportunity to work part-time while they are studying. Students are allowed to work for 20 hours per week during the term and full-time during university holidays. It is relatively easy to find a part-time job that helps you gain valuable experience and also help in relieving any financial pressure.
  • Lower education costs: It is better to study in England compared to the USA, as tuition fees are far less in the UK. Also, since most courses in the UK are three years, as compared to four in USA, you will save even more money.
  • Improve language skills: Studying in England will help you in improving your English, which is important as it is considered to be the language of international business.

Hotel management career options

As mentioned earlier, graduating with a degree in hospitality management opens up multiple career options for you. Some of these career options include:

  • Concierge in hotels;
  • Operations manager in restaurants, hotels and resorts;
  • Guest service agent;
  • Event planner or organiser;
  • Food and beverage director at restaurants, bars, hotels or resorts;
  • Restaurant or bar manager;
  • Hotel or resort manager;
  • Housekeeping;
  • Marketing department of hotels or resorts;
  • Airline cabin crew;
  • Facility management;
  • Casino manager.

What is the average salary in hospitality management in the UK?

The hospitality industry consists of a variety of sectors and salaries differ for each of them. Since hospitality or hotel managers specialise in a specific area, they are often paid well. These areas could include human resources, food services, guest services or information technology. If you are interested in pursuing a hospitality management course in the UK, you should also have an idea of the hospitality management salary earned after completing the course or degree. Take a look at the average salary range of different careers in hospitality management in the UK (source: Reed.co.uk):

  • Hotel or Hospitality Managers: £35,000 – £40,000;
  • Head Chef: £30,000 – £35,000;
  • Restaurant Managers: £30,000 – £34,000;
  • Event Manager: £27,000 – £30,000;
  • Sous-Chef: £25,000 – £28,000;
  • Pastry Chef: £25,000 – £27,000;
  • Concierge: £22,000 – £25,000;
  • Receptionist: £20,000 – £23,000;

What are the entry requirements for hospitality management in UK?

There are several entry requirements that you need to consider before opting for a hospitality management degree in the UK. Some of these entry requirements are:

  • School education: You need to have obtained at least ABB in your A level results. You also need at least four GSCE’s, all with marks C and above. If you have chosen IB, then you have to have scored at least 32.
  • English language requirements: If English is not your first language, you have to take the IELTS test and score at least 6.0 overall, with a 5.5 in each component (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
  • Age: 18 is the minimum age if you want to apply to a hospitality management course. If you are over 21 and you want to apply, then you should have satisfactory scores in literacy tests, work experience and an excellent personal statement.

London College of Contemporary Arts (LCCA) offers an undergraduate course and a masters in hospitality management. Visit the LCCA website to find out about our BA Hons Hospitality Management and MA in International Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management.

This text was written by Varun Mehta and edited by Amelia Hayward-Cole.