The hotel industry is recognised throughout the world as a booming sector, which according to the Conseil mondial du voyage et du tourismethe world's largest employer, with one in 11 jobs worldwide. More than that, the sector can be considered a "catalyst for economic development and job creation" (rapport Ernst & Young - Global Hospitality Industry Insights pour 2016),

This vast sector includes many diverse and rewarding careers in many areas of the hotel and restaurant industry. From high-end restaurants to fast-food and fast food outlets, the hotel and restaurant sector is a dynamic market on every continent. The accommodation segment, including hotels, bed and breakfasts and other accommodation offers, as well as the tourism and travel sector, including airlines, trains, cruise ships and amusement parks, are also strongly linked to the development of the hotel and catering industry and are growing strongly.

If you are in this industry, you may also choose to pursue a career in the hospitality industry in event companies, spas, convention centres and many other sectors.

What are the trends you need to pay attention to when starting out in today's highly competitive, thriving and multi-dimensional sector? How can you acquire the skills that will help you understand and analyse the trends and challenges that accompany the innovative ideas that emerge?

Read on to get an overview of the main trends in hospitality and the skills that will help you keep up with the changes.

Key Trends Transforming the Hospitality Industry

Whether you are working on business development for a fast-food company or in the communication and marketing department of a palace, you need to take into account a number of key trends in the hotel and catering industry.

The use of new technologies

First of all, knowing how to use new technologies is of paramount importance in France and throughout the world for the hotel and catering industry. Whether it's mobile recording, geolocation, specialised applications, online advertising or a digital concierge system, you will need to ensure that each of your customers' experience is unique. So in an article published on Hospitalitynet.com, Navisan award-winning hotel technology company, explains that in 2016, 51.8% of travellers who book their trips online will do so using a mobile phone".

The use of social networks is nowadays intimately linked to new technologies. Ensuring that establishments are visible on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook is crucial in the hospitality industry. Why is this so? Because social networks are an integral part of the customer experience. While Hyatt Hotels launched a concierge service on Twitter a few years ago, allowing guests to find nearby car parks, for example, the Wynn Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas offers a free glass of champagne to all users who register on the social network. Social media can also be used to send promotional offers to guests such as discount coupons for hotels or restaurants.

Data collection to improve the customer experience

Another trend that future leaders in the hotel, restaurant and tourism industry need to watch out for is the use of advanced data analysis tools, revenue management systems and customer segmentation to increase the loyalty of existing customers. Customer loyalty programmes have been around for years and while they are very useful in attracting and retaining customers, these programmes need to evolve. As Ernst & Young states in Global Hospitality Insights, using these data collectors, "organisations have the ability to constantly surprise and satisfy customers with unexpected rewards (such as improvements to their stay, refreshments, entertainment and unique experiences).

Taking sustainable development into account

As sustainability is now a global issue, the hotel industry must identify ways to comply with regulations and place this central topic at the heart of its strategies. While hotel groups such as Marriot, Hilton or AccorHotels aim to reduce their environmental impact, the economic and social dimensions also come into play. In an article published on Hospitality.net, Arturo Cuenllas, founder of Conscious Hospitality, a management consulting firm, states that "sustainability must definitely be seen as a new dimension of quality management, a source of innovation, a new paradigm for the 21st century, even if it still has to follow other strategic variables such as offering memorable experiences, good products and exceptional service. And, of course, sustainability still has to meet the classic economic axiom: offering excellent value for money".

The key skills at the heart of a team's success?

In addition to these major strategic axes, certain key skills are increasingly sought after by major operators. Here is a list of the five main skills that employers are looking for today in their recruitments for the hotel and catering trades.

1. Making connections

Success in hotel and restaurant management jobs depends largely on the ability of staff to establish positive relationships with customers, guests, salespeople and even other employees. After all, this industry is all about comfort and service. Major retailers look to their candidates for key words such as relationship building, supplier management, customer management, guest relations and team leadership.

2. Multitasking

Careers in hospitality at all levels require employees to take on multiple responsibilities simultaneously. On a typical day, a hotel manager may have to negotiate a contract with a hoover rental company, take care of an unsatisfied guest, fill out paperwork for an employee injured in a kitchen fire, and keep smiling to greet new guests, all in the course of an afternoon. Employers are looking for employees who can handle a fast and varied workload. Employers are also looking for key words in their candidates such as organisational skills, proven time management expertise and phrases that highlight their ability to adapt quickly to customer needs and manage simultaneous projects.

3. Attention to detail

It's the little things that make a customer's experience extraordinary. To excel at creating this extraordinary experience, every effort must be made to ensure that the flowers are fresh and that each waiter wears a clean uniform, and the people responsible for the reception must be excellent in every way. Phrases such as: exceeding customer expectations and the ability to focus on the crucial details at the customer's location will highlight this ability for potential employers.

4. Technical and language skills

IT and language skills are two areas of technical expertise that make a hotel manager stand out. Employers try to highlight any technical expertise in potential candidates. They look for specific programmes in which candidates have participated, or special training they have received in the past, etc. For languages, they carefully check abilities and validate whether they are basic, conversational or fluent.

5. Flexibility

Hospitality managers often have unusual hours or longer days than a basic clerical job. At work, they must be prepared to change gears at any time in case of unexpected situations. Key words such as adaptable, versatile and resourceful are sought in candidates to determine whether they are motivated by the often unique opportunities that hospitality careers present and whether they are flexible in the way they respond to the needs of companies in the sector.

To assist recruiters in assessing the skills of employees in the hotel and restaurant trades, there are specialised tests for these trades such as Competences Pro Hotel Tour which assess the skills and behavioural attitudes of candidates. In recruitment situations, Motivation Pro can also be used to assess what motivates them and their potential involvement in your organisation.

If you are an employer interested in this type of test you can apply for a presentation of the test Pro HotelTour skills.