The Hospitality and Tourism industry is all about lifestyle. It’s about meeting people, making lifelong friends, and gaining skills you can take anywhere in the world (and then doing so). It’s about finding freedom when everyone else is still at work, and it’s one of those rare occupations where your social skills are one of your greatest assets. Your main priority as a hospo/tourism worker is to provide services to customers, no matter whether you’re getting your Jamie Oliver on and cooking up epic feats, mixing up Long Island Iced Teas on a fancy cruise ship, or chasing the winters as a ski instructor.

WILL IT SUIT ME?

Hospitality and Tourism are best suited to either the super passionate, or to those who are willing to make a few sacrifices in order to lead an enviable lifestyle.

For most jobs in this industry, the busiest periods are when the 9-5ers aren’t at work. Think nights, weekends, and holidays. Sounds a bit rough until you head to the beach on a Monday morning to find that you’ve got the whole place to yourself!

Another major part of the hospo/tourism world is being social. Making strangers feel at home and entertaining guests is essential in most roles, and it also serves as a great way to meet people and make friends. If you’re not super comfortable chatting to people all day, however, there’s room for you too. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes (like actually cooking the food)!

HOW CAN I GET THERE?

Education requirements within these industries are broad, and very dependent on your job title. 

While dishwashers, housekeepers and waiters are generally trained on the job, chefs usually complete an apprenticeship, tour guides can study at university or complete a traineeship and travel agents will often need to complete a TAFE course. It’s common to start in an entry-level role, such as a dishwasher, then work your way up to a more stable career, like becoming a trained chef. It really depends on what you want to do though.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I LEARN?

One major thing you’ll learn in hospo/tourism is how to adapt. Your average day could see you having absolutely nothing to do, to being completely flooded with work, and back to nothing again within the space of an hour. On top of that, you’ll also learn:

• How to perform under pressure
• Great interpersonal skills (e.g. the ability to make strangers laugh within moments of meeting ‘em)
• Attention to detail
• How to build and maintain relationships
• Sales skills
• Cultural awareness
• How to function within a team
• Flexibility - all employers love a versatile employee!

The pay may not always be the best, but the hospo/tourism life is definitely one to be envied. Providing unforgettable experiences can often make you feel like you’re on a bit of a holiday yourself, so it’s easy to join in on the fun. On top of this, most roles can be taken around the world, so be prepared to make some international friends.