Accommodation Management – An Important Role in Hospitality Business

Imagine you are visiting your favorite beach or waterfall for which you have been planning for few months and you are looking forward to have a great time. Apart from the place and the food what will be your major concern during the trip? After spending quality time at the beach/waterfall you will obviously want to feel comfortable at the room/cottage where you rest. Accommodation one of the components of travel can make the experience more cheerful and memorable.

Tourism industry in India is growing at a rapid pace contributing about 6-7% of our national GDP and the numbers are expected to improve in the years to come. Tourism and hospitality management courses, though in the nascent stages (as compared to engineering and commerce courses), have been gaining the attention of the young generation, thanks to the positive outlook of the sector. Today, there are many colleges, institutes and universities offering courses in tourism management.

Indian Hospitality Industry – The Current Status

Hospitality is among the top sectors in India that has attracted investment in the recent times. The ministry of tourism has taken many steps to promote tourism in the nation. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Goa have taken initiatives to improve the infrastructure in the state and attract travelers.  In the hospitality industry, hotel business is a key area where many big wigs have invested greatly. While there are many home-grown renowned brands which are expected to expand their base in the nation, there are many international brands such as Marriott and Keys Hotels which are planning to start new hotels in different parts of India. Adding to this, there are many investment companies that have invested money in the hotel industry and have been acquiring travel portals. All these factors create a positive outlook of the future of hospitality sector in the nation.

Accommodation – How it Impacts Tourism?

Accommodation is one of the basic necessities of international and domestic travelers. A government which is focused on developing tourism in the state normally considers reducing tax and increasing incentives for hotels or businesses that provide accommodation in travel destinations. This can promote the construction of new hotels or resorts in the locality driving the growth in tourism sector. To ensure good traveler experience it is important for hotels to have well-set quality standards for operations and safety, hygiene and health policies. An accommodation manager is trained to take care of the quality standards, manage budget and staff and plan business in hotels, resorts or any other tourism business he/she is working with. Students learn the vital quality guidelines, human resource management skills and other managerial aspects of the job profile during their graduation or post-graduation courses.

Accommodation Management – What does it Involve?

Accommodation plays a major role in a traveler’s overall experience of visiting a place. It is one of the big components of traveler’s expenditure. Therefore the role of accommodation manager is crucial in hotel business/tourism industry. Accommodation manager mainly deals with human resources, budget and inventory. It is his/her responsibility to get the staff trained and ensure that quality standards for hygiene, health and safety are met in the hotel environment. Maintenance of the infrastructure too falls under the purview of the manager. Since the professional deals with staff and with customers, it is important for him/her to have positive attitude, higher energy, good communication skills and relationship management skills, knowledge of handling finances and budget and integrity. The manager’s services directly impacts the hotel as a brand. When performed well, accommodation management can bring back customers to a hotel or resort for the second, third and multiple number of times. Customer satisfaction and wonderful memories are intangible takeaways for customers that can greatly impact the business’s growth.

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