How To Become a Hospitality Consultant: Step-by-Step Guide
Learn about the steps important to pursuing a career as a hospitality consultant, including education, skills, salary and more.
Hospitality consultants work with businesses in the hospitality industry to help them improve their operations and bottom line. If you have experience in the hospitality industry and are interested in helping others improve their businesses, becoming a hospitality consultant may be the right career for you. In this article, we discuss what hospitality consultants do, the average salary and how to become one.
What Does a Hospitality Consultant Do?
Hospitality consultants are responsible for providing expert advice and guidance to businesses in the hospitality industry. This can include hotels, restaurants, event venues, spas and resorts. Hospitality consultants typically have a wide range of knowledge and experience in different aspects of the hospitality industry, such as operations, marketing, human resources, finance and accounting.
The duties of a hospitality consultant may vary depending on the specific project they are working on, but they often include:
- Conducting research on the hospitality industry and specific businesses within it
- Identifying areas of improvement for hospitality businesses
- Developing strategies and plans to help businesses improve their operations
- Implementing changes within businesses to help them achieve their goals
- Monitoring the progress of businesses to ensure they are meeting their targets
- Preparing reports detailing the findings of their research and analysis
- Presenting their findings and recommendations to clients
- Providing ongoing support and guidance to clients
Hospitality Consultant Salary and Job Outlook
The average salary for a hospitality consultant is $64,375. However, this figure can vary based on the specific employer, industry, and geographical location of the consultant.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts job growth at a much faster than average rate over the next decade. This is due to an increase in the demand for consultants who specialize in the hospitality industry. With the globalization of the economy, many organizations are now looking for ways to improve their operations and appeal to international customers. A hospitality consultant can provide valuable insights and recommendations in these areas.
How to Become a Hospitality Consultant
Here are several steps you should take to become a hospitality consultant.
1. Earn a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management or a related field
A bachelor’s degree in hospitality management is the minimum educational requirement for most hospitality consultant positions. Some employers may prefer candidates with a Master’s Degree in Hospitality Management, but a Bachelor’s Degree will suffice.
While pursuing your degree, consider taking courses that focus on business and entrepreneurship to develop skills that are useful for consulting work. Coursework should also include subjects such as food service management, guest relations, marketing, accounting, budgeting, human resources and facility planning.
2. Gain experience working in the hospitality industry in various managerial roles
While pursuing your bachelor’s degree, you can gain valuable experience in the hospitality industry. Consider applying for entry-level positions at hotels, resorts and other hospitality venues to build a strong foundation of skills and knowledge.
As you advance in your career, you may want to consider working in various managerial roles so that you can develop an understanding of how different departments function within a hotel or resort. For example, you might work as a front desk manager, food and beverage director, sales and marketing director or general manager.
3. Develop strong interpersonal and communication skills
Hospitality consultants must be able to interact with a wide variety of people, from hotel owners and managers to potential clients. You should have excellent communication skills and the ability to listen to others’ concerns and ideas while also presenting your own suggestions in an engaging way.
You may need to meet with many different stakeholders within a single organization, so it’s important that you can work well with all levels of management and employees as well as outside vendors and contractors.
4. Understand the principles of business management
Hospitality consultants must have a strong understanding of business management principles. Consultants work with businesses that operate in the hospitality industry, which means they are typically working with companies that rely on revenue to stay profitable and successful. Understanding how to increase revenue and manage expenses is an important skill for consultants to have.
Business management skills can be gained through coursework or experience in related fields such as accounting or finance. If you don’t already have this knowledge, consider taking classes or reading books about business management before pursuing a career as a consultant.
5. Stay up to date on trends in the hospitality industry
Hospitality consultants need to be aware of the latest trends in the industry so they can advise their clients accordingly. For example, if a client is considering opening a new hotel and wants to know what features are popular among guests, a consultant needs to stay up to date on the most recent developments in hospitality design.
Keeping abreast of these changes helps consultants provide valuable advice to their clients. They also need to keep track of economic factors that may affect the hospitality industry, such as rising labor costs or increasing food prices.
6. Join professional organizations such as the American Hotel & Lodging Association
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) is a professional organization that offers networking opportunities and educational resources to hospitality consultants, hotel owners and managers. To join AHLA, you must have at least three years of experience in the lodging industry. You can also apply for associate membership if you are an undergraduate student majoring in hospitality management or a related field.
As an AHLA member, you can attend conferences and seminars hosted by the association to learn about trends in the hospitality industry and develop your skills as a consultant. Membership also provides access to AHLA’s online database of job listings.
7. Consider earning a master’s degree in hospitality management
While a master’s degree is not always required for hospitality consultant positions, it can help you stand out from other candidates and give you additional knowledge about the industry. Earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in hospitality management or a related field can also help you develop your business skills.
A master’s degree program typically takes two to three years to complete. You may be able to find programs that specialize in hospitality management as well.
