What is hospitality experience?

Hospitality experience is a form of professional experience that applies to people who have worked in the hospitality and/or tourism industry. This includes experience in hotels, travel, and other related fields of hospitality and tourism.

Many view hospitality experience as professional experience in hotels or resorts. However, hospitality experience can also include travel professions, and other niche tourism areas, like working for cruise lines.

Hospitality experience indicates you have skills and abilities in providing services and care to guests or travelers. Making a person stay at a hotel more comfortably through any number of roles or providing services to travelers are both key components of hospitality experience.

Here are a few examples of jobs where you can gain hospitality experience:

• Concierge

A concierge is a professional in the hotel setting who helps guests handle different tasks during their stay at the hotel, these include setting up transportation, and letting them know about available activities and services.

Generally, concierges work in high-end hotels, but they may also work in smaller boutique hotels as well.

An associate's degree in tourism and hospitality is recommended, however, some concierges only have a high school diploma or equivalent and simply work their way up into the position from an entry-level role.

The average salary of a concierge in the United States is $38,268 per year.

• Flight attendant

A flight attendant provides services to the passengers of a commercial airline flight. They hand out food, drinks, snacks, and pillows, and do anything they can to increase the comfort and safety of the customers on flights. They also answer any questions passengers may have about the flight.

Flight attendants also play a critical role in flight safety. They give demonstrations on oxygen masks, what to do in the event of a plane crash or emergency landing, and make sure all passengers sitting in emergency exit rows are capable of handling the responsibilities of sitting in those seats.

In terms of education, most airlines only require a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent, to be considered eligible. You may consider an associate's or bachelor's degree in hospitality and tourism, however, this is not mandatory.

The average salary of a flight attendant in the United States is $35,018 per year.

• Travel agent

Travel agents also sometimes arrange special activities for clients, such as tours or cruises.

Most travel agents have an associate's degree in tourism. However, there are no strict educational requirements needed to become a travel agent.

An associate's or bachelor's degree in tourism will open you up to more job opportunities. There are also travel and tourism-related certifications you can obtain to help you find work as a travel agent.

The average salary of a travel agent in the United States is $48,943 per year.