Hospitality sector offers promising career for youngsters

Hospitality sector opens a window of opportunity for youngsters to pursue a promising career, said Chief Operating Officer of Varun Group, Madhav Bellamkonda on Thursday.

He was delivering a Business Line Club lecture, sponsored by the State Bank of Hyderabad at the Alliance Institute of Hotel Management (AIHM) on “career prospects in hospitality industry.” Stating that one could scale new heights with strong commitment, passion and discipline, he said efficiency was the sole criterion to chant success mantra. “It’s not just knowledge but attitude matters,” he said. Bellamkonda said 30-40 five-star and four-star hotels were expected to come up across the country in the next four to five years throwing up several opportunities for youngsters. The number of budget hotels such as Ginger and Red Fox were also multiplying fast with openings for many.

Bellamkonda, who studied at University of Strathclyde and worked abroad as an investment banker and business consultant and took over as COO of Varun Group in 2009, said opportunities were available in three stages in the supply chain of hospitality industry viz. hotel development, pre-opening and operations.

He advised youngsters to explore opportunities in designing, feasibility study, financial modelling, technical consultancy, front office, F&B, sales and marketing, housekeeping, revenue management, engineering, accounts and finance and materials management. While cautioning job aspirants about the stiff competition and challenges faced by the industry, he said now the stage had come when some two-star hotels were extending five-star level services. Hence, one should have the passion to make a difference.

Allaying the misconception that hotel industry was not safe for female employees, he said the industry offers equal opportunity to all. AIHM Director K. Satish Kumar, Principal Kartik Panda also spoke.

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