Hospitality industry comprising of hotel and catering industries is the fastest growing industry in the world. It is a key component of the travel industry and is one of the major employers. In the Indian context too the sector has witnessed booming growth in the past decade or two especially after the opening of the economy. Besides India with its rich historical past and varied geographical locations like hill stations and beaches, has always been very attractive tourist destination. Efforts by the government to promote India as a prime tourist destination in the world is paying dividends and there has been a definite increase in the volume of international tourists visiting the country. More encouraging has been the steady growth in the number of Indians traveling within the country both for pleasure and business as fallout of the increasing levels of income and education. All this has augured well for the hotel industry, which has grown tremendously both in terms of capacity and service.

Hotels cater to different categories of clientele and therefore the industry offers services varying from the super deluxe category to budget category. The hotel industry includes leisure and travel industries as well as food and catering business. The industry is still evolving in our country and has a huge employment potential. In fact, supply of trained manpower in this sector is far below the demand.

The employment opportunities in this sector varies within the industry and is largely dependent on the size of the hotel, the hotel chain, the clientele it caters to and the purpose it is made for. The efficient functioning of any hotel - large or small depends on the performance of its key departments like front office, housekeeping, and food & beverages. Personnel working in these departments require specific training and skills. With the greatest demand for services during customers’ leisure hours one needs to be on duty during the evenings as well as holidays.

Educational Qualification:
There are several options available at the entry level to join the hotel industry which have been discussed below:

At the craft level There are thirteen Food-Craft Institutes under the Ministry of Tourism that impart craft level courses. Candidates after having passed class Xth are eligible for joining these courses. Jobs available after doing the training are those of room attendants, chambermaids, cooking assistant, cooks, receptions bellboys etc.

At Diploma Level The 3 year Diploma in Hotel Management program can be pursued in the institutes accredited to the National Council 0f Hotel Management and Catering Technology (National Council) a body under the Department of Tourism or state government run institutes, universities and private institutes. Selection to the diploma courses is through an entrance exam followed by interview and group discussion. Candidates after completing class XIIth, in any subject are eligible to take the entrance exam. Entry is direct at the middle management level after doing the diploma course.

The well-known hotel chains like Oberois and Welcome Group have their own institutes and conduct diploma/degree level courses in hotel management. Eligibility for entry varies from institute to institute and selection is based on written test, interview and group discussion. Some of these institutes also provide good stipend during the training period.

At Graduate Level Graduates in any stream with good presentation skills, personality and language articulation are directly recruited for training for prospective management positions, in areas such as the Front Office.