Becoming masters of hospitality
Dr Wong Kong Yew of Taylor’s School of Hospitality and Tourism takes us on a tour of the options for postgraduate study in tourism and hospitality.
The tourism and hospitality industries combined account for 10% of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP) and make up the world’s largest and fastest-growing industry. No other industry sector can keep up with the frenetic pace of change that Asia is experiencing in the hotels, resorts, travel, leisure, food service, entertainment, conventions and food sector. These industries are finding it increasingly difficult to fill vacancies with suitably qualified professionals.
As global and local companies compete vigorously for market share, change becomes the only constant in their business and the benchmark for service excellence continues to rise. The industry now seeks professionals who have the passion and talent for the job, and the ability to anticipate change, adapt to new conditions, analyse risks, and master management tools to respond to market demand proactively.
Professional Master’s courses in hospitality and tourism aim to equip students with such skills and open doors to many exciting and challenging careers all over the world, ranging from international hotel chains to small, traditional businesses. The master’s degree is a springboard into senior management positions in areas relating to:
- hotel and resort administration
- strategic planning and development
- restaurant and food service management
- human resources management
- financial management
- sales and marketing
- policy, planning and development
- education and training
- consultancy.
Those who have taken up the challenge have gone against the conventional view that ‘you don’t need a degree to work in the hotel or tourism industry.’ They have successfully positioned themselves and are ready for the growth and demand for professionals in this sector.
About the writer
Dr Wong Kong Yew is Programme Director of the Master’s Course at Taylor’s School of Hospitality and Tourism, Malaysia. He has a PhD in Tourism Economics from the University of Strathclyde, UK. His research and publications cover areas of trade and industrial policy, and economic impact evaluation.
He has assisted in national tourism policy decisions in Malaysia and overseas. He is also a Visiting Research Fellow at Beijing University, China and Director of ERITA-Asia (Centre for Inter-Disciplinary Research in Hospitality, Tourism and Food).
