COVID has completely transformed the nature of the hospitality industry. This year has proved to be the game-changer for people working in the hotel and restaurant industry.2020 has proved to be one of the worst years in history if you are working in the dining and restaurant industry. Local and staycations, domestic tourism will define the market since international tourism has completely halted. You must acquire new skills if you have been laid off.
But, hotel industry professionals, don’t despair. The market is expected to improve rapidly in 2021. If you wish to rejoin the industry, you must imbibe new skills after a layoff. It is estimated that in 2022 and 2023, the hotel industry will greatly expand its headcount and hire in droves. Also, salaries and remuneration are expected to come back to their pre COVID levels. You must realize that if you get very high salaries, the work expectations will be high. Next, let us investigate the hotel management ‘s future jobs and career prospects post COVID-19.
1) Leadership
One of the most significant changes you might experience after COVID in your job profile is that you might have to take up a leadership role. You might have to perform many roles, such as organizing teams, taking care of staff and guests, teaching, training, and leading teams. Able leadership during the pandemic was an exceptionally difficult task, which comprised making creative solutions, swiftly acting, long-term planning, social distancing, caring for employees and doing very highly innovative work, interacting with other customers.
2) Social Media
Another big transformation, which is anticipated, is that the extensive use of social media is well known to people globally during the pandemic. It is estimated that the time spent by the public in India and all over the world has risen by almost 50 percent during the pandemic. It can be seen in the explosion of food channels, vlogging, and blogging. Also, many new users are looking for tips on dining and traveling to new places, and consequently, staying in new hotels.
In the future, it is understood that there is a huge demand for social media specialists, in the hotel industry, for a variety of functions, like marketing, branding, messaging, but also assure prospective customers of very safe data practices, collecting data, and interacting with new people.
3) Soft skills
Besides leadership skills, you should also need soft skills in high demand in the post COVID world. These skills consist of
- Innovation.
- Critical thinking.
- Adaptability and flexibility.
- Problem-solving ability.
- Self-awareness and managing oneself.
- Emotional intelligence and communication
- Relationship management and negotiation.
Many hotel owners and bigwigs have stated that soft skills are extremely important to the success of their business. Social values are extremely significant, such that the values are empathy, trust, authenticity, sustainability, and social responsibility, respectively.
4) AI and digital technologies
Post-COVID, the hotel industry will embrace digitalization in a big way. These tools consist of AI-generated holiday packages, contactless check-in systems. The following changes are expected to change things rapidly.
- Contactless check-in systems and digital room keys in hotels.
- The rapid rise of food delivery apps.
- Touchless digital menus in dining places and restaurants.
- Automatic revenue management systems.
- AI data analysis and big data analysis.
- Digital conferences and digital events are increasing rapidly.
5) Sanitation
After the pandemic is over, hotels will place great emphasis on sanitation and housekeeping. Since COVID is an open invitation for dirty hotels and hostels, it is imperative that you keep your hotels spick and span. You will soon observe the difference, in the customer response, to your efforts.
From this article, you will get adequate knowledge about the tremendous opportunities, in the hotel management industry, post COVID-19.