“Opportunity knocks at the door only once.” – Chinese proverb
China’s hotel and hospitality industry has experienced monumental growth in recent years, with more than 2.5 million hotel rooms driving an industry worth more than US$44 billion, and is expected to see continued growth over the next decade.
“We believe there is still a lot of room for growth,” says a report from consulting firm A.T. Kearney. “Over the next 10 years, hospitality will become a $100 billion industry with 6.3 million rooms and reach eight rooms per 1,000 capita.”
On top of this, China remains the key driver of growth for the world’s outbound travel market. Last year alone, Chinese outbound travel experienced a growth of 20 percent on figures from 2014, and is expected to continue outpacing the rest of the world, according to the Chinese International Travel Monitor.
“The growth in Chinese outbound travel has an enormous impact on the hospitality industry; one that is already being felt by hotel companies around the world,” notes hospitality-focused guest engagement company, GuestDriven.
“Almost two-thirds of hoteliers experienced an increase in Chinese guests at their properties over the past year,” states the report.
Students at IMI. Pic: IMI
What does this mean? Not only is China widely considered the ‘birthplace’ of hospitality, but with a domestic flow of outbound consumers who are clued up on what it means to experience outstanding hospitality, China is the driving force behind the global hospitality industry.
This is leading to a massive growth in demand for young hospitality professionals with a solid knowledge of the industry in the Asia-Pacific region. More prospective students are looking to hospitality schools in China and Southeast Asia. Graduates go on to secure top jobs in China or other parts of Asia; or work in Europe or the U.S. where there is an ever-increasing demand for graduates who understand the needs of visitors from China and Asia.
Take Les Roches Jin Jiang (LRJJ), for example, a specialist hospitality school in Shanghai. Alexandre Pelouard, a former student of LRJJ who graduated from a postgraduate diploma in 2012, is now embarking on a successful career as Front Desk Manager at the luxury Langham Xintiandi Shanghai hotel.
“The successful start of my career is related to the education received at LRJJ. One of the teaching methods is project-based learning that educates on how to lead, be accountable for your actions and take responsibility for the results,” he says.
“Moreover, the postgraduate program gives you the overall picture of Hotel Management and makes it very clear which direction to go after finishing studies.”
Alexandre is aware that he was very lucky to have successfully enrolled at LRJJ Shanghai, a school within a ‘modern mega city’. So while LRJJ students can reap the benefits of state-of-the-art facilities and activities on-campus, they are also just a one hour drive away from the bustle of Shanghai city centre – one of China’s fastest growing cities.
Bachelor students at Hotelschool The Hague. Pic: Hotelschool the Hague
Every major international hotel chain has a presence in this city, making it the perfect location for discovering new trends and contemporary practices within this rapidly evolving industry. It is an interesting, innovative and international city, drawing tourists from all over the world with its historical landmarks, impressive architecture and traditional Asian culture.
The main aim of institutions like LRJJ is to help students secure long-term, successful careers – and the roles taken on by LRJJ’s ambitious alumni certainly speak for themselves:
1-5 years after graduation:
Event Manager – Lucien Barrière Hotels & Casinos, Lille, France
Food and Beverage Manager – The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, China
Front Office Manager – Profil Hotels, Stockholm, Sweden
Guest Relations Manager – Mandarin Oriental Sanya, Hainan, China
6-10 years after graduation:
Café Manager – Philips China, Shanghai, China
Food and Beverage Manager – Courtyard by Marriott, Jiading, Shanghai, China
Sales and Marketing Manager – Marriott Hongquio, Shanghai, China
Assistant General Manager – Four Seasons Pudong, Shanghai, China
With China’s hospitality boom meaning qualified graduates are in increasingly high demand across the region and the world, LRJJ’s President, Yu Bingyan, thinks Shanghai is the ideal place to gain a hospitality education.
Students in class at Les Roches Jin Jiang. Pic: Les Roches Jin Jiang
“The exciting development of the hospitality industry in China means high demand for qualified professionals mastering international standards of excellence,” he says.
“The industry is eagerly looking for hospitality management professionals with experience of studying and living in China, with the skill set and cultural understanding required to accommodate Chinese clientele, as well as the ability to work in an international environment. China is definitely the place to be for starting an international hospitality career.”
Read on to learn more about the institutions providing a world-leading hospitality education in China, and around the world…
LES ROCHES JIN JIANG INTERNATIONAL HOTEL MANAGEMENT COLLEGE – SHANGHAI, CHINA
Since Les Roches Jin Jiang International Hotel Management College (LRJJ) opened its doors in Shanghai a decade ago, the school has provided a comprehensive hospitality education for 1,788 graduates around the world. With an intense focus on helping all students achieve their ambition, staff at Les Roches Jin Jiang lead them through transformative, rigorous and cutting-edge programs in a professional hospitality environment. Les Roches is a world-leading school in international hotel management, taking great pride in the fact that it provides a life changing experience for all students as it leads them into a successful professional journey. Read the full profile…
IMI INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE – SWITZERLAND
IMI International Management Institute Switzerland is one of the world’s finest Hospitality Management schools. This unique and private school was founded in 1991, and has deliberately remained small, with a maximum of 220 students per semester. This ensures that students are provided with a highly personalised and individual approach to their learning. IMI promises to find job opportunities for all of its graduates, a fact that makes it exceptional among other hotel schools. The School’s excellent industry contacts and on-campus recruitment mean that during their time at IMI, students will attend inspirational presentations and interviews with major hotel chains and other industry leaders.
VATEL INSTITUTE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT – SINGAPORE
A world-class establishment located at the heart of Singapore’s Central Banking District, Vatel offers high-quality Bachelor’s and Master’s degree courses in International Hotel Management, both of which are taught on the Institute’s modern campus using its cutting-edge resources and facilities. All students enjoy intensive, personalised tuition from trained members of staff, which provides them with the expertise they require to excel in the global hospitality industry.
HOTEL SCHOOL SYDNEY – AUSTRALIA
The Hotel School Sydney began operating in 1989 as part of five-star Intercontinental Sydney hotel, in partnership with Southern Cross University. Since then it has been offering hands-on courses to students who fully benefit from their close relationships with tourism organisations in Australia and abroad. The Hotel School Sydney’s unique degree programs prepare students from all over the world for careers in hospitality management by equipping them with industry-relevant skills, creative approaches and academic rigour.
GLION INSTITUTE OF HIGHER EDUCATION – SWITZERLAND
Glion Institute of Higher Education is an international hospitality management institution based in Switzerland which offers online degree programs to busy professionals looking to enhance their qualifications. Every year, Glion provides education to approximately 1,500 students from more than 90 countries around the world. All graduates go on to successfully work in hotel management. Glion is ranked number 2 among all international hospitality management schools for an international career (TNS Global Survey).
HOTEL SCHOOL THE HAGUE – THE NETHERLANDS
Established in 1929, Hotelschool The Hague was ranked among the Top 5 Hospitality Management Schools in the world by leading market researchers TNS Global in 2013. The school provides a ‘passport to the industry’ via its excellent Bachelor’s degree program, which paves way to an abundance of opportunities in the hospitality field. Graduates are equipped with unique skillsets from a combination of theory, practice, and character building that enables them to work strategically and pragmatically.
Feature image courtesy of Les Roches Jin Jiang
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