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Wage and salary employment in hotels and other accommodations is expected to increase by 17 percent over the 2002-12 period, compared with 16 percent growth projected for all industries combined. Recently, business and leisure travelers have cut back on travel due to the weak economy and security concerns. However, over the long-run, travel should pick up as the economy improves and people feel more comfortable about traveling again. In addition, as more States legalize some form of gambling, the hotel industry will increasingly invest in gaming, further fueling job growth.
Job opportunities should be concentrated in the largest hotel occupations, such as building cleaning workers and hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks. Many of these openings will arise in full-service hotels and resorts and spas, simply because they employ the most workers. Because all-suite properties and extended-stay and budget hotels and motels do not have restaurants, dining rooms, lounges, or kitchens, these limited-service establishments offer a narrower range of employment opportunities.
Employment outlook varies by occupation. Employment of hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks is expected to grow faster than some other occupations in the industry as some of these workers assume responsibilities previously reserved for managers. However, the spread of computer technology will cause employment of other clerical workers—bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks and secretaries, for example—to grow more slowly than employment in the industry as a whole. Employment of waiters and waitresses also will grow more slowly—reflecting the growing number of hotels and other accommodations that do not offer full-service restaurants. Similarly, employment of lodging managers will not grow as fast due to the growth of economy-class establishments with fewer departments to manage. However, the trend toward chain-affiliated hotels and motels should provide managers with opportunities for advancement into general manager positions and corporate administrative jobs. Opportunities should be more limited for self-employed managers or owners of small lodging places. Job opportunities at outdoor recreation and RV parks should grow as RVs and driving vacations gain popularity in the United States. Also, gaming services and gaming manager occupations should grow as more casino hotels are built.
Job turnover is relatively high in certain occupations employed in this industry. To attract and retain workers, the hotel and other accommodations industry is placing more emphasis on hiring and training. Nevertheless, many young people and others who are looking only for seasonal or part-time work, and not a career, take food service and clerical jobs that require little or no previous training. Therefore, job opportunities in this industry are plentiful for first-time jobseekers and people with limited skills.
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