24 Jul Behind the Scenes: What to Expect With Hospitality And Tourism Management Internships
Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in the world of hotels, travel, and making guests smile?
Get ready to discover the secret ingredients that make hospitality and tourism internships so thrilling!
Here’s what you can expect from a hospitality and tourism management internship abroad.
What To Expect From Your Hospitality and Tourism Management Internship
While no two internships are exactly alike, there tend to be a few common threads that unite them. Here’s what to expect from your hospitality and tourism management internship:
1. Hands-On Experience
Sure, you can cover the basics in your hospitality classes at your college. But will you really know what it’s like to coordinate an event? Will you know how to bring smiles to your guest’s faces? Will you be able to work the POS system at the front desk?
An internship in hospitality and tourism management will expose you to the more intricate details of this world – details you’d only be exposed to if you worked in it.
While the skills you’ll develop will vary depending on where you decide to intern, you’ll likely gain experience in all kinds of aspects of hospitality and tourism, from front desk management or event planning and guest services.
2. Customer Interaction
It goes without saying that dealing with customers can be tricky at times – and patience-testing at others.
If you really want to get ahead in the hospitality world, though, you need to know how to work with people. That’s where an internship can come in handy. You’ll learn how to interact with customers, handle inquiries and complaints, and most importantly, how to provide the best possible service to enhance the guest experience.
3. Event Coordination
A big part of working in the hospitality industry is planning events. These can be challenging – you’ll need to juggle multiple departments, components, timelines, budgets, and so much more
When you complete an internship in this field, you’ll be able to gain that hands-on experience without having to stress about what’s at stake. Yes, you’ll likely be given a lot of responsibility – but you’ll also have someone (or a team) to help and guide you. You’ll be getting yoru feet wet, but doing so with the lowest risk possible.
4. Revenue Management
The dollars and cents aspect of hospitality is a major component of the industry – something a lot of people don’t realize.
As a hospitality intern, you’ll learn about pricing strategies, revenue optimization, and even financial analysis within the hospitality sector. You’ll likely learn skills that will transfer well to other fields, too – even those outside of the hospitality industry.
5. Marketing and Promotion
Have you ever wondered what it takes for a company to get noticed? When you complete a hospitality internship, you’ll likely learn this for yourself.
You’ll be able to contribute to marketing campaigns, social media strategies, and other promotional activities that will help your company attract guests and increase brand awareness.
6. Operational Efficiency
This is the little-seen side of a hospitality internship – learning how to make the operation more efficient. Through your work, you’ll see how companies manage resources and optimize their service delivery in the most efficient way possible.
7. Cross-Functional Collaboration
The heart of any good event is the people behind it – and it’s seldom just one department standing there.
As a hospitality intern, you’ll need to collaborate with all kinds of other professionals in different areas, from housekeeping to food and beverage to sales. This will not only expand your networking opportunities, but it will also give you a more holistic view of hotel and tourism operations.
8. Guest Satisfaction
In addition to knowing how to communicate with guests, a hospitality internship will teach you how to do everything in your power to keep them happy, too. From personalized service to problem resolution and feedback management, a hospitality internship will give you a front-row seat to all things A++ guest ratings.
9. Industry Insights
Have You ever wondered what makes the hospitality industry tick? Or about the key problems and challenges facing the industry? If so, a hospitality industry might help open your eyes. You’ll learn all about industry trends, market dynamics, and emerging technologies that are shaping the hospitality and tourism landscape.
10. Professional Development
Speaking of soft skills, a hospitality internship is also one of the best to consider if you want an experience that will sharpen your ability to communicate, solve problems, and collaborate across the board.
You’ll be thrown right in – a hospitality internship will force you to develop these skills quickly in a fast-paced, customer-centric environment.
11. Cultural Awareness
Of course, a hospitality internship abroad offers another key benefit – cultural awareness. You’ll be exposed to a variety of diverse perspectives and develop a sense of cultural sensitivity as you work and travel.
You’ll be encountering co-workers and guests with all kinds of diverse backgrounds, nationalities, and so much more – and your worldview will likely change (for the better!) in so many ways.
12. Career Growth Opportunities
If you want to land a job you love as soon as you graduate, the best way to do it is by pursuing an internship abroad. You’ll be able to explore a variety of career paths to narrow down what might interest you the most – and you’ll be able to identify areas of interest and specialization for future jobs.
Of course, there’s no beating how great an internship abroad looks on yoru resume, either!
Find the Internship of Your Dreams With Absolute Internship
Are you ready to take the next step and explore a hospitality internship abroad? If so, Absolute Internship is here to help. We pair students with internships all over the world, from Shanghai to Stockholm.
Whether your interests lie in restaurant marketing, hotel management, or travel planning, your hospitality and tourism internship experience of a lifetime starts with Absolute Internship.
FAQ
What does a hospitality intern do?
A hospitality intern will engage in a variety of tasks, including guest services, event coordination, operational support, marketing assistance, revenue management, and cross-departmental collaboration.
What does hospitality and tourism management entail?
Hospitality and tourism management involve overseeing various aspects of the hospitality industry, such as hotel operations, event planning, guest services, revenue management, marketing, and customer relations.
What are the challenges faced by interns in the hotel industry?
There are a few challenges faced by hotel interns, including the inherently fast-paced environment, high customer service demands, and the need to collaborate with diverse teams and departments.
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