Hospitality & Tourism
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Hospitality & Tourism

Hospitality & Tourism

The local tourism industry will get a $700 million boost in the next five years through the latest tranche of the Tourism Development Fund. Designed to help the industry reposition itself for growth, it presents future opportunities for the industry as fundamentals remain strong in the long-term. As such, fresh diploma graduates can expect to see a rise in the array of jobs available in this exciting and challenging space.

Career Opportunities

Reservation Agent

Reservation agents work in hotels and resorts to help with booking the stay of clients. They are usually friendly and efficient in helping to provide the right accommodation and recommending packages that suit their clients’ needs.

Tour Guide

Tour Guides are like storytellers, entertainers and teachers for the tourists whom they provide travel information to. They should be coherent and engaging, relay accurate information and have a genuine interest in helping tourists learn about and enjoy the local sights and sounds.

Flight Attendant

Other than serving meals and refreshments, a flight attendant’s role is to ensure that passengers are comfortable and safe. This includes conveying critical information and ensuring that passengers follow safety regulations. Fancy uniforms and travel opportunities aside, being a flight attendance takes plenty of resilience as they often spend long periods of time away from home.

Resort and Attraction Operations

Zoos, theme parks, resorts and attractions are all run by dedicated operations staff. They have a direct impact on guests’ experiences as they typically operate rides, set up shows, provide assistance, and maintain the quality of attractions.

Restaurant Crew

Varied in scope, hotel restaurant jobs can range from business manager to executive chef. Their roles can involve taking customers’ orders, buying of supplies, menu planning and budgeting. While a bachelor’s degree in hospitality is recommended for restaurant managers, chefs who work in high-end restaurants need to have undergone internship training by an esteemed chef.

5 Quintessential Qualities

1. Initiative and Resourcefulness

Exemplary hospitality staff go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that their customers have a pleasant experience. Providing excellent service means anticipating unexpressed needs and listening to customers’ feedback. Simple gestures, like offering drinks to those waiting in line, can put customers at ease.

2. Cultural Awareness and Mindfulness

Good customer service involves being attentive, knowing about different people and cultures, and understanding customers’ needs. For instance, common knowledge has it that Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset during Ramadan. Hotel restaurant staff who are aware of this can prevent any misunderstandings from occurring and even use it to show concern for these guests. Staff also need to be mindful of guests’ needs and note for example, if a customer is allergic to certain ingredients like MSG and food colourings. Ultimately, it is about treating others the way you would like to be treated!

3. Interpersonal Skills

This not only applies to the ability to appease difficult customers during tricky situations but also relating to others on a personal level. With Singapore being one of the most attractive tourist destinations, many hospitality professionals are also learning foreign languages to communicate with customers of diverse nationalities.

4. Strong Knowledge of Best Practices

F&B staff are required to know and adhere to the F&B Safety and Hygiene Policies and Procedures set by the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications System. Plus, frontline officers should know how to manage crisis and emergencies and be able to accommodate to guests with disabilities.

5. Versatility

To rise through the ranks, you should be adventurous enough to take on roles that offer more operational experience. Successful leaders usually have varied experience working on the ground as waiters, ticket agents, receptionists and supervisors before moving on to senior management roles.