Game-changing developments are opening up the tourism workforce to a greater mix of talents, but these have far from shrouded the better-trodden paths to the top.
As the tourism workforce evolves with a changing milieu and new needs of the industry, some careers have deviated from tradition while others become more entrenched in known pathways.
“Technology has made the world our playground. But to grow, travel companies need talents. Technology does not replace people, in fact, it requires more people,” said Yeoh Siew Hoon, founder of Tern, a travel career event launched this year.
More potential entry-points
More diverse skill sets are becoming valued by travel businesses, creating many potential industry entry points for mid-career jobseekers without prior background in tourism. Soon-Hwa Wong, chairman of PATA’s Singapore Chapter, said there are new opportunities in big data analytics, tech platforms and the mobility space.
Digital marketing know-how is another attribute that is gaining currency as travel businesses respond to the changing ways in which travel consumers access information and make buying decisions.
Dave Chinwan, product manager APAC, accommodation & destinations at TUI Travel, said: “Online travel businesses such as Expedia rely a lot on advertising low rates to reach as many people as possible while traditional businesses like established hotels pay more attention to customer service to retain customers.”
By extension, Chinwan posited, traditional players are more likely to seek years of experience than non-traditional ones, as the latter tend more to value “what you can do rather than what you have done”.
But established hotel players too have been investing in digital marketing talents who may hold more promise than experience or qualifications. For instance, Jackson Sim, associate director of digital marketing – complex at The St Regis Singapore and W Singapore – Sentosa Cove, professed he had “no formal training in digital nor marketing”, having started his career working in a kitchen before becoming a food writer.
Sim explained: “For both The St Regis Singapore and W Singapore – Sentosa Cove, digital marketing plays a vital role – with more than a third of our revenue coming from web, through internal and external channels.”
And in corporate travel, demands for price comparison, along with smart reporting tools and intuitive online booking tool user experience, are constantly driving the need for analytics and programming capabilities, a discussion during the recent CTW Asia-Pacific revealed.
Apart from particular sets of expertise, an entrepreneurial spirit is increasingly viewed as a prized attribute in the industry, especially as recent technological disruptors cast the spotlight on innovation.
Said Janet Tan-Collis, president of the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers: “In our early days, we (relied) on the infrastructure in the hotel industry, but we have evolved over time. Now, (the conventions and exhibitions sector) is very much more cerebral – it’s no longer about brawn but also brains.
“What the MICE industry needs (is) for young people to come in, know what the terrain is, then ask ‘can we make it better?’. But if they don’t understand what’s available, they will be led down a very straight and narrow path that’s a lot more task-driven rather than talent-driven. ”
While Tan-Collis looks to expose young minds to real industry situations through the association’s partnership with the Singapore Institute of Technology, industry players elsewhere are channelling their efforts into creating environments that encourage entrepreneurial ideating.
Suraj Nair, co-founder of TravelSpends, which provides auditing services and technology solutions, told TTG Asia that the company recently signed an MoU with the MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology in Bengaluru to open a travel technology incubation lab for MTech students.
“We want to create our intellect to be powered by the new generation. Say they bring in 20 ideas, is it okay if only two or four eventually work? That’s okay. We got minds interested, and that’s a big thing.”
Traditional roles here to stay
Although transformative potentials and aspirations for the cutting-edge are rife in the industry’s workforce, good old-fashioned hospitality remains well and alive, along with well-trodden career paths in the hotel business.
Commenting on his role as a mentor in SHATEC’s Industry Mentorship Programme (see sidebar), Sunshine Wong, general manager (GM) of Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, alluded to the notion of there being a “right path” in hotel careers.
“(In some cases), it is about knocking some sense into (young entrants). Many have aspirations, but when (they’re new) and want to be GM in three years, (I would) share with them the right path… We mentors can be the living example to show the progression that one takes.”
Wong contended that though there is some room for graduates to fast-track their careers, hierarchies and advancement pathways remain relatively structured for good reason.
“Besides being technically and operationally sound, GMs today are expected to be well-versed in other functions including finance and revenue management, so cross-exposure is beneficial.”
He elaborated: “Leadership competencies, from working collaboratively to driving results, are paramount to the success of an individual. These competencies (are) worthless if they are not practised at different levels of the hierarchy.”
Regardless, one thing seems certain – far from taking the place of traditional hospitality, the emergence of online travel brokers has reinforced the need for trained service staff in the travel value chain.
In an attempt to recapture sales and differentiate themselves from OTAs, the very essence of hospitality is being reasserted and hotels are relying even more on customer service and personalisation to drive loyalty, explained TUI’s Chinwan.
Indeed, hospitality veteran Jessie Khoo-Gan, executive assistant manager, sales and marketing and rooms at One Farrer Hotel & Spa, said “people-orientedness” continues to be one key trait that she looks out for in potential candidates.
Likewise, Graeme Ham, vice president of talent & culture at AccorHotels, suggested that those who lack people skills are better off pursuing careers in other industries such as engineering.
Unlocking future potential
Singapore Hotel and Tourism Education Centre (SHATEC) in August celebrated the one-year anniversary of its Industry Mentorship Programme (IMP) with a sharing of key takeaways and future goals.
Through the programme, the first batch of 21 mentees were given the opportunities to observe department meetings, understand how F&B outlets are run, attend networking sessions, etc, according to Tan Wee Wei Ling, director of SHATEC.
The larger hotel industry also stands to gain. Sunshine Wong, general manager of Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, said: “As we take them through the programme, we lay out opportunities in front of them. This will (prevent) manpower leakage, which is currently happening in a lot of our schools.”
Sharing his personal experience, Pek Chin Siong, vice president of hotel operations at Marina Bay Sands (MBS), added: “At one point I was on the verge of (exiting the industry) until I came across my mentor. It’s very important for us to do the same and groom the next generation of Singapore’s hotel workforce.”
But IMP was not without its hiccups. One graduating mentee told TTG Asia that his assigned mentor had to relocate for a new job, hence limiting the important face-to-face interactions.
In response, IMP representatives explained that a mechanism is already in place to allow students to appeal for a change of mentor or other programme-related support.
Beyond its early success, SHATEC aims to have more than 500 students benefiting from the programme by 2020.
The ultimate goal is to make hotels the choice employer, said Margaret Heng, SHATEC’s chief executive. The newly-forged relationships could also evolve into hotel internships, she added, which are currently undersubscribed in Singapore.
Pek is positive that IMP could be a springboard to more meaningful industry experience for young entrants. “I would like my mentee to work in MBS after the programme so I can expose him to the various (areas of work).
“Currently, not many (interns) have the luxury of being exposed to many areas because we are obsessed with operations… Many get stuck in housekeeping, F&B or a single area and stay there forever,” he added.
This article was first published in TTG Asia November 2016 issue. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.
