Tourism, Hospitality & Sport

In recent times the hospitality, tourism and sport sector have employed vast numbers of graduates from a variety of disciplines. Despite the effects of the recent financial crisis on tourism worldwide there is still a reliance on graduates in this industry in Ireland.

The above industries encompass accommodation, events and conferencing, leisure and recreation activities, food and drinks services, tourism service providers and transport and travel services. Opportunities for graduates also exist in sporting clubs and organisations, governing bodies and also local authorities.

The hospitality sector itself in a nutshell comprises of all businesses that provide food, beverages and/or accommodation services e.g. pubs, restaurants, hotels etc.

Graduates considering a career in hospitality, tourism or sport should possess the following skills:

• Be friendly and outgoing - You represent the business to the customer so this is essential
• Be adaptable and flexible in meeting the demands of both the customer and your employer
• Have patience - Customers are all very different and may require varied degrees of attention/assistance

Some of the opportunities for graduates in the hospitality sector are:

• Pub/Restaurant management
• Chef work
• Hotel management and support roles
• Event management
• Promotions

Areas in which graduates may be employed in the tourism sector are:

• Customer service
• Sales and marketing
• IT and administration
• Product/service development

Examples of some of the roles available to graduates in the Sport sector are:

• Sports club/facilities management
• Coaching and instructing
• Outdoor pursuits
• Nutrition consultants
• Sports media

Examples of some of the roles available to graduates in the betting and gambling sector are:

• Casino/club/venue management
• Business development
• Online software development
• Fraud prevention
• Risk assessment
• Retail management