How to Become a Hotel Director

About Hotel Director

Hotel Director is a person who manages all the operations of the hotel including taking strategic decisions. He is also responsible for managing the work of other team members. Some major responsibilities of a hotel director include ensuring the highest level of guest satisfaction by offering quality services and amenities to them, maintaining and establishing internal communication including conducting regular meetings to ensure the productivity and optimum teamwork, ensuring the safety and security of guests and other employees, implementing and preparing budget plans.

Candidates who have good knowledge of the processes and principles involved in coordination, business and organizational planning and execution can opt for a career as a hotel director. Besides this, they must have an idea about strategic planning, manpower modelling, resource allocation, leadership techniques and production methods.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Hotel Director 

The hotel director is responsible for a variety of roles and responsibilities, including:

• The director of hotel operations is in charge of maintaining and improving service standards
• Maintaining brand standards
• Assisting Executive Leadership with the development and implementation of revenue-generating initiatives
• Developing cost-cutting strategies and procedures
• Lastly, the hotel director is in-charge of the department's entire operations
  

Eligibility to become Hotel Director

Candidates who are looking for a career as a Hotel Director can check the eligibility criteria provided below.

Academic Qualification: Candidates who are looking for a job as a Hotel Director must have completed a bachelor's degree or a master's degree in hotel management. The eligibility criteria will be different for all the companies. Candidates can check the job description of the company to know more details. Those who have completed a diploma or have a certificate in hotel management may also look for a job as a Hotel director.

Experience: Candidates who have one or two years of experience will be preferred for a career as a Hotel director. Those who are new to the hotel management industry may gain some experience by working as a trainee or enrol for any certification or training program. 

Skills: Candidates should have some additional skills apart from the academic qualifications in order to have a successful career as a Hotel Director. Some of the required skills for this profile are:

• Creativity and originality
• Presentation skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Good interpersonal skills
• Good leadership skills
• Good numeracy and literacy skills

How to Become a Hotel Director in India

To become a hotel director, candidates should follow the steps outlined below:

Step 1: Candidates can begin their education to become a Hotel Director in school itself. 

Step 2: Candidates must prepare for the entrance exam for hotel management college after completing their 12th grade in any discipline. 

Step 3: Candidates can study for a Bachelor in Hotel Management, a BSc in Hospitality & Hotel Management, a BHM in Culinary, a BSc in Catering Science & Hotel Management, and so on.

Step 4: After completing a bachelor's degree, candidates can pursue master's degrees in hotel management such as MHM, MTHM, and so on.

Step 5: Begin by gaining experience in the hotel management industry in order to advance to the position of director of hotel operations.

Courses to become Hotel Director

The candidate can choose from a variety of hotel management courses to take in order to become a hotel manager. In addition to undergraduate or graduate programmes, candidates may choose to enrol in certification programmes like Certificate course in Hotel and Hospitality Management and so on. 

Below is a list of some of the best hotel management programmes:

Types of Job Roles Hotel Director

There are many job roles available for a Hotel Director. Candidates who are aiming for a successful career as a Hotel Director can start their career by working as an assistant or get some training in hotel management. They can join some training programmes to gain experience and skills before applying for a job as a Hotel Director.
 

Employment Opportunities for Hotel Director

A Hotel Director can work in a variety of fields such as holiday resorts, beach retreats, sports resorts, hotels, casino hotel, bush/safari lodges, guest houses and cruise liners. Some employment areas where candidates may apply for a job as a Hotel Director are listed below.

• Aviation
• Event Management
• Travel and tourism
• Hotels
• Restaurants
• MNCs
• Aviation
• Resorts
• Guest Houses
   

Top Recruiting Agencies for Hotel Director

Some of the major recruiting companies/ hotels where one can work as a Hotel Director are:

• Taj Group of Hotels
• ITC Group of Hotels
• Oberoi Group of Hotels
• Hilton Group of Hotels
• Jaypee Group of Hotels
• Le Meridien Group of Hotels
• Casino Group of Hotels
• Welcome Heritage Group of Hotels
• Tulip Star Group of Hotels
• Holiday Inn Group of Hotels

Benefit of becoming Hotel Director 

Being a hotel director is one of the best jobs in the industry in hotel management because it allows you to work in a lovely setting, interact with interesting people, and feel fulfilled. Regular customers frequent most hotels because of the exceptional service they experienced during their initial visit. In addition to a pleasant workplace, it pays well, ensuring job security and a secure future.

Pay Scale/Salary of Hotel Director

The average salary of a Hotel Director is not fixed as it depends on the company. Candidates working in 5-star or 4-star hotels will get a higher salary as compared to those working in 2-star hotels. The average salary for all the levels of the Hotel Director are mentioned below.

Books & Study Material to Become Hotel Director

Candidates who are looking for a career in hotel management should aim for admission to a good hotel management college. There are many entrance exams conducted for admission to hotel management programs. Candidates can also check some of the books below which can help them prepare for a career in this field.

• Dharmendra Mittal’s 10 Mock Tests For Hotel Management Entrances
• R Gupta’s book for Hotel Management
• Arihant Study Package for Hotel Management and Hospitality Administration
• Hotel Management Entrance Exam Guide by Dr R P Datason
• How to Prepare For the Hotel Management Entrance Examination by Thorpe
• Hotel Management Entrance Exam Guide by Gladvin Rego
• Hotel Management Entrance Exam Guide By Jawahar Book Centre
• Hotel Management Catering Technology: Entrance Exam, Guide by VVK Subburaj
• Ramesh Hotel Management Entrance Exam Guide by RPH Editorial Board
   

Pros of becoming a Hotel Director

• A career as a Hotel Director will help you to learn some new skills and techniques every day.
• You will get to socialise a lot as a part of the job.
• You can also work internationally as well.
   

Cons of becoming a Hotel Director

• Working hours are not fixed and weekends are also working.
• There can be a lot of work stress as expectations of the customers can be sky-high at times. Errors and mistakes are not taken lightly here.
• The industry can be quite unstable and unpredictable as an economic crisis can impact job security.