Hospitality and Hotel Management

Within the hospitality industry, hotel management is not one concept, but many tied together under one umbrella. Successful hotel management is about being able to adapt and meet challenges within a range of roles and responsibilities. Placing yourself on a scale of personal growth is especially important for a hotel manager. There are always new strategies, traveller preferences, or industry technologies emerging to keep track of. Even within the hotel industry, new roles are always being created that will affect the way one manages their property; so it pays to have your finger on the pulse.

What is hotel management?

Hotel management is really about successfully overseeing every operation of the business to ensure consistent growth and development. This can involve the management of anything related to the hotel industry and requires knowledge of distribution strategy, finance and accounts, customer service, staff management, marketing, catering management, hotel administration and more.

A nailed down definition of hotel management is that it’s:

‘A field of business and a study that tends itself to the operational aspects of a hotel as well as a wide range of affiliated topics such as: Accounting, administration, finance, information systems, human resource management, public relations, strategy, marketing, revenue management, sales, change management, leadership, gastronomy and more.’

In no way should any of these aspects be treated as ‘set and forget’. Hotel management is about constantly evaluating performance isin every facet of the business and making necessary adjustments.

It can take time to get everything right and as we can see there’s a lot to be aware of. There are many skills you may already possess, others you learn along the way and in some cases, these functions may require specialists. If resources and budget allow, hire staff that can provide the knowledge for you, but even if you don’t have the luxury of hiring a full team of staff, it’s not impossible to run a successful small hotel business, as you’ll see in this guide.

Hotel management importance

The purpose of managing a hotel is to successfully establish a constant flow of travellers and guests to your property throughout the year, while also showcasing the wide variety of services and products. Through marketing strategies, you’re able to highlight how it benefits visiting guests and with innovative business strategies, you’re able to drive quality leads.

Ultimately effective hotel management will not only ensure your hotel stays in business, but is able to profit and grow over time. Think of the hotel as an ecosystem that will get healthier the better you manage it. As your hotel becomes more successful you can upgrade and charge higher rates, pay staff higher wages, and create an experience that guests want to come back for.

Hotel operations management trained at Adon College

The day-to-day operations of a hotel are pretty widespread and on any given day, you could be looking at a range of areas. A core aspect of hotel management includes managing your room inventory and reaching desired occupancy rates; however, you could also be ensuring that everything is in order for your guests or organising staff and cleaning schedules. Creating detailed Standard Operating Procedures – SOPs -can ensure that your staff complete tasks to the required standard when priorities are pulling you elsewhere.

Inventory and revenue in hotel operations management

Effective inventory management for hotels involves both the creation and management of demand, as well as maximising returns. The investment behind a hotel is tied to room inventory and the returns can only be gained from selling those rooms optimally.

Different types of operations in hospitality

Hospitality is an umbrella term to many industries. From food and beverage to travel and tourism, any role within the hospitality sector requires providing a service to customers. Operations management in the hospitality industry is a broad term. Whilst customer service is of utmost importance, each sector needs to be tackled in its own way to maximise efficiency and reward.

1. Food and Beverage

The food and beverage sector is the largest segment of the hospitality industry and is integrated in many ways.

Quick service establishments engage in offering snack foods, whereas catering businesses and restaurants can lean towards a casual take-away experience or seated fine-dining. It is also incorporated under wider businesses such as bowling alleys, cinemas, and hotels.

With customers expecting some sort of dining service from hotel accommodations, it has become almost a standard practice to provide. Not only can an in-house restaurant provide an enhanced guest experience but can reach a broader range of clientele, especially when your restaurant management operates independently from your hotel management.

1. Travel and Tourism

Tourism is different from hospitality as travel functions as a catalyst for people to spend more money on hospitality services. The travel and tourism sector relates to services that help move people from place to place, such as buses, cabs, planes, trains etc.

Alternate operations in hospitality often rely on the success of the travel and tourism sector. Hotel management teams should think about arranging tours or trips for their guests to local sights. Creating a one-stop shop for your guests is important for convenience.

1. Accommodation & Lodging

The accommodation sector encompasses a broad range of lodging options from hostels and caravan sites to luxurious resorts and boutique hotels. Businesses that provide a place to stay for one or more nights are part of the sector in the hospitality industry.

This type of operation management targets other market segments based on location and target audience group. This can include business people, long-stay travellers, budget travellers and backpackers.

1. Entertainment and Recreation

Recreation includes any activity that people participate in for rest, relaxation or enjoyment. The entertainment businesses can include attractions of special interest such as zoos and museums, or spectator events such as theatre performances or sports games. This industry heavily relies on consumers having disposable income. Hotel management might consider a games room, gym or spa onsite to encourage guests to stay within the vicinity and encourage boosted spending. For example, drinks or spa packages