The Tourism and Hospitality Industry Debunked
Bustling and multi-faceted, the tourism and hospitality industry in Singapore plays a pivotal contributing factor to the country’s economy. According to Singapore Tourism Board’s 2014 Annual Report on Tourism Statistics, tourism receipts amounted to over $23.6 billion for the 15.1 million arrivals in that year. These numbers are forecasted to remain strong even with the current economic slowdown looming overhead.
As colourful as the tourism and hospitality industry may be, there are many misconceptions surrounding it. We debunk three common myths surrounding the industry.
Misconception 1: “You Work in a Hotel”
This is perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions regarding the tourism and hospitality industry. The tourism and hospitality industry is broadly classified as any business patronised by tourists. This includes businesses classified under accommodation, transportation or entertainment. Thus, jobs in the tourism and hospitality industry is not only limited to those working in hotels. In fact, they range from chefs, flight attendants and travel agents to operation managers.
Misconception 2: “Long Hours”
This is not necessarily so, but being a service-driven sector, most professionals in the tourism and hospitality work shifts throughout the year. These shifts change periodically, each lasting anything from four to 10 hours. This is also highly dependent on your job scope. On a lighter note, working shifts does have its perks. Shopping and getting your personal errands done at odd hours, almost guarantees no queues or crazy crowds!
Misconception 3: “It is a Service-Only Sector”
Tourism and hospitality may be a predominantly service-driven industry, but one made up of many other roles – some of which do not require working directly with customers. These other roles forming the bedrock of the industry include administrative, finance and marketing teams, which operate on regular working hours.
Stepping into the tourism and hospitality industry? These courses can guide you!
