Hospitality and tourism managers must possess optimism, problem-solving skills and a flair for giving their guests an "experience" they can brag about back home. Patricia Lyall, the new president and chief executive officer of Destination Halifax, told the Chronicle-Herald that when she first entered the hospitality industry, the emphasis was on promoting buildings and beaches. However, the emphasis is now on providing vacation experiences that will give guests the "bragging rights around the water cooler" when they return to the office. In order to do this, hospitality and tourism managers must have a desire to help people and see their vacations fulfilled, she noted. "If you don't get excited about getting other people excited, you won't be around the industry very long at any level," Ms Lyall commented. According to the Department of Labor, hotel and hospitality managers can sometimes handle the marketing of their premises and vacations by themselves or with the aid of external agencies. Managers in hospitality may also be responsible for areas such as food service, housekeeping, finances and human resources, it added.  |