

The first thing that comes to our minds when we hear Tourism and Hospitality is ‘people’. As the name of the degree suggests, it is all about customer service. Tourism and Hospitality degrees prepare candidates to work in diverse working environments all over the world.
Even so, many people confuse Tourism and Hospitality degrees with Tourism degrees. What is the difference between these two? The main difference lies in where the employees work. With a Tourism degree, you can work in a museum, national park and so on, whilst with a Tourism and Hospitality degree you will work in hotels, restaurants.
This degree is shaped in such a way that candidates acquire skills about hotel management, food preparation and sanitation as well as human resources.
Experts say that it only takes six months for Tourism and Hospitality graduates to find a job. The most frequent areas which display the highest number of job opportunities are catering management and hotel management. As a result of their flexible degree, 15% of the graduates choose to combine work with study to broaden their employability chances.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this field will have an addition of 700 jobs, both in management positions and others.
Perhaps the most important benefit is represented by the growth opportunities. This degree will teach you about networking and developing your emotional intelligence, which are of utmost importance in this field.
This degree lasts for three years, out of which one year should be spent abroad. Usually, in the second year of their studies, students go abroad and study in a partner country. The whole idea behind this is to encourage cultural awareness and adaptation.
Additionally, some universities in the UK provide a compulsory internship during which students gather relevant industry experience.
I’m Heather, an alumni of the Hospitality & Real Estate Programme in CUHK School of Hotel & Tourism Management.
Over two summers, I had had the chance to dive deep into the field of hospitality and tourism, only to confirm my passion and interests further.
In my 6-months internship with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), I worked in the Business Development department. Most of my seniors were hospitality experts who had involved themselves in the industry for decades, able to give very clear objectives and instructions for each task. Therefore when I work, I did not have to always raise questions (like an annoying newbie), and can focus on delivering very good work.
At that time, working from home is the new norm and SHTM taught me the most important trait in order to stand out – proactivity. Whenever you are ready and available, show up and offer your help instead of hiding behind laptop screens! Let your passion and enthusiasm be recognised:)
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