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About the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector

There are a wide variety of different careers available in this sector, from travel agent to restaurant manager and more.

The main types of business within this sector are:

• hotels and hostels
  
• restaurants
  
• pubs, bars and nightclubs
  
• contract catering
  
• holiday parks
  
• self-catering accommodation
  
• membership clubs
  
• hospitality services
  
• tourist services
  
• travel services
  
• visitor attractions
  
• event organisers

What skills you will need

The skills you need depend on the type of business you want to work in. For example, working as a travel agent may need computer skills.

But there are some skills which are common to most jobs in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector. These include:

• good customer service skills
  
• the ability to stay calm under pressure
  
• the ability to deal with people if they get upset
  
• good teamwork skills
  
• lots of energy and enthusiasm

Jobcentre Plus Advisers will be able to help you find out if you have the skills you need, and tell you how you can gain any skills that are missing.

Advantages of working in hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism

There are many advantages to working in this diverse sector, including the following:

• the chance to progress – nearly every job in this sector gives you the chance to learn, improve your skills and move up the career ladder to the next level if you want to
  
• it is an exciting, fast-moving career - when you work with the public no day is the same, there will always be new challenges to face, and you’ll get the chance to work in exciting places
  
• convenience and flexibility - most jobs in this sector offer a variety of hours and shift patterns; you may be able to arrange daytime, evening, weekend or part-time work

Real-life examples

Gina Tomas, Children’s Holiday Rep

I have a fantastic job! I greet all the young guests at our holiday park, and do my best to keep them happy and entertained until they go home. I’m part of a big team and we have to work well together. Right now, I wouldn’t swap my job for anything. I earn about £12,000 a year.

Martin Lyons, Pub Chef

My job is hands-on and I’m passionate about food. I prepare, cook and present a range of dishes, supported by two trainee chefs. I get to develop new dishes and menus, so there’s a bit of creativity to chuck in the pot too. My salary is £19,000 a year.

Find a job in this sector

There are a number of independent organisations which can help you find work in hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism. These include the sector skills council People 1st and online guide the UK Skills Passport.

• Start a job and skills search Opens new window

• The Recruitment and Employment Confederation Opens new window

• Visit the UK Skills Passport website Opens new window

• Visit the people 1st website Opens new window

More help and support

For more information on working in this sector, you can also contact your local Jobcentre Plus office and talk to an adviser.

They can tell you what help and support is available to you to help you into work, including financial support with training and qualifications.

You can talk to a Jobcentre Plus adviser by calling 0845 606 0234.

• Find your local Jobcentre Plus office Opens new window

• Help and advice when applying for a job