Contemporary Hospitality Industry: Roles, Skills, and Trends

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the contemporary hospitality industry, focusing on operational roles, required skills, and current skill shortages within the sector, using The Ritz Hotel as a case study. It explores various operational roles like housekeeping, food and beverage, reception, and maintenance departments. The report identifies essential skills such as communication, management, and technical abilities. It also discusses skill gaps, including problem-solving and decision-making skills, and their impact on business performance. Furthermore, the report employs PESTLE and SWOT analyses to evaluate the influence of external factors on the hospitality industry. Finally, it examines current and potential trends in the sector and evaluates how a specific hospitality business can adapt to meet these trends. The report concludes with recommendations for addressing skill gaps and adapting to industry changes.

The Contemporary Hospitality
Industry

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
P4 Different operational roles within hospitality industry.....................................................3
P5 Skills required for roles within hospitality industry and current skills shortages.............5
M3 Review the skill gaps within the hospitality industry in accordance with the range of
operational roles.....................................................................................................................6
D2 Analyse the impact skills gaps that have on the hospitality business and make valid
solutions for addressing those skills gaps...............................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
P6 PESTLE factors which affect hospitality sector...............................................................7
P7 SWOT analysis of hospitality industry which helps in decision making..........................8
M4 Evaluate the impact of external factors on the development of the organisation operating
within the hospitality industry..............................................................................................10
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
P8 Implications of current and potential trends in hospitality industry................................10
M5 Evaluate the ability of a specific hospitality business to develop products and services to
meet current trends...............................................................................................................12
D3 Critically evaluate impact of external factors on current and potential trends and
development in hospitality industry.....................................................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................14
.......................................................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Hospitality industry is defined as category of various fields under service industry such as
food, drink services, lodging, theme parks, event planning, travelling and others (Bharwani and
Butt, 2012). This industry totally depends on disposable income and availability of leisure time.
It is fast growing sector in the market which helps to rise economic of country in effective and
efficient manner. There are various sectors of hospitality industry such as hotels, event, luxury
services, food services, travel & tourism and others. Each of them have their own roles and
responsibilities which helps to achieve goals and objectives of business in effective and efficient
manner. The main aim of hospitality industry is to provide services to consumers and fulfil their
requirements. Given report is supported on The Ritz Hotel which was founded in 1906 at London
United Kingdom. This is five star hotel which comes under grade two providing high quality
services to consumers and known as world's best and prestigious hotel. The main aim of
assignment is to highlights various operational roles and skilled need for performing such roles
within hospitality industry. The skill gaps is also discussed and internal and external factors are
explained with help of theories and models to know about impact of such on business. The
potential and current trends in hospitality sector is discussed in report.
TASK 2
P4 Different operational roles within hospitality industry
The hospitality industry possess different categories of business like travelling,
amusement & theme park, food and drink services, lodging and others in order to fulfils
requirements of users and consumers (Bharwani and Jauhari, 2013). There are different functions
which are performed under hospitality sectors that requires highly skilled and knowledge
employees and staff for performing in efficient manner. The hospitality industry is divided into
various departments where staff perform both functional and operational role to achieve goals
and objectives of business. These roles need to perform in appropriate manner for effective
outcomes. The different operational roles under hospitality industry performed by staff are
described below:
Operational Role as House Keeping Department- This is called operational
department that is overall liable for maintaining cleanliness and healthiness in premises of hotel
industry and performing role of aesthetic in order to keep rooms and cleanliness up to date for

providing good services to users. For performing house keeping role, employees need to execute
their assigned duties in proper manner so that they can influence large number of consumers and
increase brand value and good will in market. The staff performing work require good
management skills for managing cleanliness and their users in effective manner.
Operational Role as Food and Beverage Department- In this operational role,
employees working under food and beverage department has to execute different activities such
as providing visitors, guest, users and other with proper dinning according to their requirement
(Boella and Goss-Turner, 2012). The employees should perform their roles and responsibilities
for providing specialised food services to users and guests. Staffs working under respective
department should possess proper technical and knowledge skills in order to use equipments of
kitchen and provide best services to users and consumers. This helps in attracting more number
of consumers for enhancement of profitability, sustainability and productivity.
Operational Role as Receptionist- The receptionist department is liable to communicate
and interact with visitors, employees, consumers for handling complaints, queries and greet them
with effective manner. The staff setting as receptionist is liable to take and handle booking of
users and visitors. They should have excellent communication, patience and convenient skills for
working under such department. The receptionist manager also helps tourist for booking and
cancellation of hotel rooms and services. Here, both housekeeping and receptionist should work
together in order to ensure that rooms are properly furnished and cleaned before providing it to
guests and users.
Operational Role as Maintenance and Technical Department- This is the important
department of hospitality industry where employees working under has to perform various roles
and responsibilities of maintenance and technical work such as breakdown, Wi-Fi services, AC
maintenance (Brotherton, 2012). The Ritz Hotel need to have employees with technical skills for
providing proper maintenance service to users and visitors for gaining competitive edge over
competitors. There should be one employees available at hospitality industry who possess good
knowledge of maintenance and technical work for better result achievement. As technical issues
can be arise at any time in organisation and which should be solved as soon as possible for
achievement of goals and objectives of business.
Apart from these operational roles, there are many other roles which helps in
achievement of goal and objectives of business. The respective organisation need to hire skilled

and capable staff and employees for these roles so that they can attract large number of
consumers and increase brand value and goodwill of organisation in market.
P5 Skills required for roles within hospitality industry and current skills shortages
For performing above mentioned operational roles in proper manner, it is very essential
for hospitality industry to have highly skilled and knowledge employees to achieve their set
goals and objectives in effective way (Chen and Shen, 2012). The skills required for employees
and staff within hospitality industry in order to perform roles and responsibilities are described
below:
Communication and Interaction Skills- This is the most important skills which is
required in each and every organisation for achievement of goal and objectives. Such skills is
required with receptionist who is setting at front desk of hotel industry for communicating and
interacting with visitors, guests from various backgrounds, nationalities and temperaments. The
receptionist should handle each and every query and issues of users for providing them relevant
data and information. Therefore, this skill is required for all working employees of Ritz Hotel for
communicating effectively and efficiently.
Management Skills- This is the skills through which employees manages and work
multitasks in order to complete work in given time period (Duncan, Scott and Baum, 2013).
Management skills is required by employees working in housekeeping and food & beverage
departments for performing various task at single period of time for meeting requirements of
consumers in effective and efficient manner. With help of these staffs of Ritz Hotel can manage
each and every activities and task in appropriate manner.
Technical Skills- It is the skill which focuses on using tools, techniques and equipments
of hotel industry in effective manner that helps to perform role and responsibilities in best
possible way. This requires abilities and knowledge of employees for using various equipments
of hospitality industry. The staff working under technical department requires such skills for
maintenance of breakdown of AC, electricity, elevator, AC and others and repairing it in
effective manner.
The above mentioned skills are required by staffs in hospitality industry in order to
execute different operational roles for growth and success of organisation. This skills should be
more improved in order to run business operation and activities in effective and efficient manner.

There are some skills which are shortage by Ritz Hotel which creates problems in
achievement of goals and objective of business. They are as follows:
Problem Solving Skill- This skills is shortage within employees of respective hospitality
industry as they cannot solve arise problems of business in appropriate manner (Hoque, 2013). It
is current skills which is required most for staff that can be improved by participating in various
activities and solving arise problems by themselves.
Decision Making Skills- The staff and employees of Ritz Hotel lack such skills for their
business. There are various decisions which are required to be made by manager but lack of such
skills create problems for achievement of goals and objectives. It should be improved through
participation of staff in all types of activities and making effective decisions.
Therefore, these above skills should be improved for accomplishment of goals and
objectives of business. This can help hotel industry to make proper decision making for arise
problems and get effective outcomes.
M3 Review the skill gaps within the hospitality industry in accordance with the range of
operational roles
In order to perform various operational role in hospitality industry it is important for
staffs and employees to have proper skills for executing roles and responsibilities in proper
manner (Jones, Hillier and Comfort, 2014). This helps in determining skill gaps of employees
that is difference among skill employer wants and actually they possessed for work performance.
The conducting of skill gap can assist staffs and employee to get proper training for enhancement
of skills and knowledge in order to achieve goal of business. The operational roles in hospitality
industry includes food & beverage, housekeeping, receptionist and technical where employees of
respective hotel industry faces issue in shortage of current skill gaps like problem solving and
decision making for better work performance. In order to solve such issues, training and
development, participation should be conducted for employees to fulfils requirements of
consumers and users. Therefore, all skill gap should be solved out in effective and efficient
manner.
D2 Analyse the impact skills gaps that have on the hospitality business and make valid solutions
for addressing those skills gaps
It has concluded that staff working in hospitality industry lack problem solving and
decision making skills that arise problems for executing role and responsibilities in effective and

efficient manner. This can hamper profitability and productivity of businesses for goal
achievement. The skill gap create conflicts among staff and employees working in Ritz Hotel for
goal achievement. For reduction of such impact of skill gaps on business operations and
functions it is important for manager of respective hotel to conduct training and development
session for enhancement of skills and knowledge for better work performance. They should also
conduct mentoring programmes for improving skill gaps of employees so that they can perform
work under instructions and achieve set goals and objectives. Therefore, these provided solutions
can help employee to enhance themselves and increase brand value and goodwill of organisation
in gaining competitive advantages over competitors.
TASK 3
P6 PESTLE factors which affect hospitality sector
The external factors has great impact on business operations as they cannot be controlled
by organisation. It is measured with helps of PESTLE analysis which is described below:
Political Factors- This includes rules and regulation of governments, interest policy
which can impact overall functions of hospitality sectors (Kandampully, Zhang and Bilgihan,
2015). When there is favourable rules and regulations of government within UK then Ritz Hotel
can easily operate their business operations and functions in effective and efficient manner. The
respective industry should make changes as per political environment of country.
Economic Factors- This includes deflation, interest rate, inflation and others of country.
Economic factors can impact hospitality industry and their operations and activities. It occurs
because of change in interest rate of country that leads to change in consumers requirements. The
strategies related to people's requirement should be made in effective and efficient manner. If it
does not move accordingly to changes then it has to face loss.
Social Factors- This includes values, beliefs, attitudes of an individual living in
particular place. It also considered as background, cultural values, ethics of people (Legrand,
Chen and Sloan, 2013). There are various need and demand of consumer which should be
provided by hospitality industry in order to achieve set objectives. For example, it is not possible
for Ritz Hotel to analyse need and demand of each and every consumers for fulfilling their
requirement. In this case, if they want to expand business then they can analyse market need and
demand and plan accordingly.

Technological Factors- This includes use of new and updated technology in the
functioning and operations of hotel industry (Pechlaner and Volgger, 2012). It can helps to
attract large number of consumers for availing facilities and services. The respective hotel can
use technology in order to satisfy requirements of consumers in appropriate manner. With such
technology, issues and problems can be solved easily and effectively.
Legal Factors- This is defined as laws, rules and regulation of particular country. It is
very important for hospitality industry to follow rules and regulations for operating and
functioning business operation in effective and efficient manner. There are some laws such as
health and safety, employment laws which are made for employees for better work performance.
This reflect goodwill and brand value of Ritz Hotel in market.
Environment Factors- This factors includes climate, weather, environmental laws and
others for carrying business operations at environment. It includes sustainability and growth of
business at external or outside environment. It is very important for Ritz Hotel to analyse and
consider external environment before making any actions. For example, if weather condition is
not good then Ritz Hotel should provide transportation services to their users, guests, visitors and
others. This creates customer satisfaction and achievement of goals and objectives.
P7 SWOT analysis of hospitality industry which helps in decision making
SWOT analysis is defined as strategic planning that assist manager for identifying
strengths and weaknesses of respective organisation and taking action for reduction of weak
section and converting them into strengths (Prud’homme and Raymond, 2013). With this
analysis, they can grab opportunities and formulation of policies for reducing threats of
organisation. This can help for taking effective decisions for business operation. SWOT analysis
of Ritz Hotel is explained below:
Strengths
Taking Feedback and Appraisal from Guest- This is the strength of Ritz Hotel where
manager take feedback from visitors, guests, consumers regarding services provided by them.
They also consider behaviour of tourists for making changes in their services as per their
requirement for achievement of business goal and objectives. Thus, manager can provide
personalised services to their loyal and regular consumers.
Presence at Right Locations- The respective hotel is located at right location across
nation in order to provide luxurious accommodation and services to user where they does not

negotiates on prices charged by them. It helps in increasing goodwill and brand value of
organisation which helps to achieve competitive advantages.
Weaknesses
High Prices for Services- The prices of rooms and hotel charged by Ritz Hotel is high as
compared to others. This leads to low attraction of low income group people to avail facilities
and services (Radojevic, Stanisic and Stanic, 2015).
Lack of promotional tools- The respective hotel industry has not used any promotional
tools and techniques which leads low awareness and attraction of consumers for services of
hotel.
Opportunities
Growing Preferences of Luxury Services- With change in need and demand of
consumers there is rise in preferences of luxury hotel and services to avail high quality to value
for money. It is opportunity for Ritz Hotel to provide luxurious service to their consumers and
gain loyalty and trust towards organisation. This create impact on decision making process of
firm for providing high quality and luxurious services to their users, guests and visitors.
High Quality Services- Ritz Hotel industry has an opportunity to work on eco-friendly
approach for increasing brand value and goodwill to increase profitability, sustainability and
productivity.
Threats
Competition- There are various competitors of Ritz Hotel such as Marriott, Hilton,
Raddison Blu and others which creates threats for sustaining and gaining profits in market for
respective hotel.
Demand Fluctuation- It is also threat for respective organisation as need and demand of
consumers keeps on fluctuating as per their culture and nationality (Raub and Robert, 2013).
Each and every consumers has different need and demand which is not easy to fulfils by Ritz
Hotel as per their requirement in market.
This SWOT analysis can help and support decision making of Ritz Hotel through
identification of weaknesses and focusing it on improvement through formulation of various
strategies and tools to overcome weaknesses for achievement of goals and objectives. This can
assist manager in taking effective decisions in order to survive and sustain in competitive market.

M4 Evaluate the impact of external factors on the development of the organisation operating
within the hospitality industry
The external factors can impact on development and growth of organisation operating in
hospitality sector in both positive and negative way (Tesone, 2012). It depends on market
strategies and conditions which are made to overcome negative effects of such factors. In order
to decline negative impact of market, it is very important to make essential changes to operate
business and its functions. Apart from negative, there are some positive impact of external
environment to respective hotel industry as it force business to follow legal rules and regulations
for operating activities and operations effectively and efficiently. The technological and social
factors helps organisation to use new and updated technology in business for better result
achievement and social factors assist in knowing about consumers and their requirements.
TASK 4
P8 Implications of current and potential trends in hospitality industry
The hospitality industry is regarded as service sector which focus on providing services
as per need and requirement of consumers in effective and efficient manner. There are
implications of current and potential trends in hospitality industry that can impact business which
are described below:
Current Trend
The different ongoing current trends which can impact hospitality industry are given
below:
Increased Focus Towards Social Media Tools- It is regarded as current trends in
hospitality industry that put efforts in creation of awareness for their consumers through helps of
advertisements on internet platforms in order to gain large attention of consumers (Wang, 2014).
This is the era of modernisation where large number of consumers, visitors, tourists are active on
social media, internet tools which can assist them in gathering multiple information for current
market trends about various sectors. For instance, Ritz Hotel can use various tools and
techniques related with advertisements through use of Facebook, Instagram media in order to
create awareness about hotel and their services. It assist in creation of attention of more number
of consumers to attract them for availing services. The respective industry need to adopt such
promotion techniques and tools in order to create positive impact on growth and success of firm

in competitive market. This leads in enhancement of brand value and goodwill in market for
running their business and activities in competitive market.
Eco- Friendly Services- It is also ongoing current trends in hospitality sector for
providing eco friendly services to users, guests, consumers for minimising adverse and negative
impact on surrounding (Wang, Tsai and Tsai, 2014). It is very important for Ritz Hotel to
provide sustainable services in order to increase image at international level and attracting large
number of consumers for providing high quality services. For instance, Ritz Hotel should adopt
disposal of waste system for their organisation in order to minimize waste. They can also decline
use of paper work for billing and adopt online for booking and cancellation of hotel rooms for
fast services to their users and make appropriate decision in business. Therefore, this helps in
attracting large number of consumers towards organisation and avail services in order to increase
sustainability and profitability of business.
Potential Trends
There are various potential trends which can impact hospitality industry are described
below:
Internet of Things- It is regarded as technological trends that helps hospitality sector to
increase their connectivity for each and every day objects, appliances and devices. With this
individual can connect and communicate with use of device and tools for effective outcomes. It
also convert unintelligent devices into intelligent for getting appropriate data and information.
For instance, Ritz Hotel can use such internet facilities for thermostats that automatically set
temperature of room during check in and check out or responding for temperature swings. It
leads to save lighting cost and improving in efficiency of energy. This trends helps organisation
to enhance their profit margins, sustainability and productivity. With this they can introduce
innovative and unique service for their consumers to increase their satisfaction level and gain
loyalty and trust for respective organisation.
Chatbots and Artificial Intelligence- In modernisation world, users and tourists want to
do interaction or communication with hospitality companies by help of various digital and social
media and ask their queries as per requirements (Williams, 2012). The chatbots plays effective
role in understanding asked questions and getting answers quickly and instantly. This assist in
removing customer service staff burden and assist consumers by solving their queries and
answers in effective and efficient manner. For instance, the respective organisation need to use

such trends in their business in order to solve queries and handle their consumer by providing
instant solutions. Therefore, it helps in increasing brand image and goodwill of firm to gain
competitive advantage over their rivals.
It is very important for organisation to adopt current as well as potential trends in order to
survive and sustain in competitive market. This can help respective organisation for meeting
requirements of consumers and gain trust & loyalty for business. These trends assist in
enhancement of profitability and productivity of business.
Ritz Hotel is largest hotel in world which provide high quality services to their
consumers. It need to work as per current trends through adoption of different promotional
techniques and tools by supplying eco friendly services to users that leads to rise in competitive
advantages and attracting large consumers for availing services of industry.
M5 Evaluate the ability of a specific hospitality business to develop products and services to
meet current trends
In order to meet current trends, it is very important for hospitality industry to analyse
market and their consumers requirement (Bharwani and Butt, 2012). They need to use various
tools and techniques in their business for knowing about their consumer's requirements and
developing products and services for meeting their needs and demands. As consumer are the
king of market so they should be provided with proper products and services. This can helps to
create consumer's loyalty towards organisation and their goods and services. Therefore, Ritz
Hotel need to use their ability, skills and analyse market and their consumers for developing
products and services in order to meet current trends of organisation.
D3 Critically evaluate impact of external factors on current and potential trends and development
in hospitality industry
The external factors can impact on current and potential trends adversely because of
change in market condition which is uncertain and unpredictable (Bharwani and Jauhari, 2013).
There are instant changes which took place in external surrounding of business. Due to this,
organisation cannot make proper plans and policies for their business and its operations. This
leads to failure of usage of current and potential trends of market. The external factors like
political, economic, social, technology, legal and environment helps to create positive impact on
both current as well as potential trends with use of advance technological tools and techniques in