The 7 Best Jobs In Hospitality In Australia and How To Get Them

The hospitality industry offers a wide range of opportunities for professionals, with various career paths to explore. If you’re thinking about a career in hospitality, there are plenty of well-paying jobs to consider.

Currently, there is a noticeable shortage of skilled workers for management and senior positions across all sectors of the industry. If you enjoy meeting new people, have a passionate for food and travel, and are willing to put in hard work and long hours, there are exciting career prospects awaiting you.

Here are seven top jobs in hospitality and tourism, selected based on salary and the steps required to pursue them.

Event Manager

If you have a knack for hosting and ensuring everyone has a great time, event management could be your calling. This versatile role involves planning, organising and overseeing every detail of events ranging from large conferences to intimate weddings or fundraising dinners. You can specialise in specific types of events or handle a diverse range of projects.

Event managers have the option to start their own event businesses, work as freelance consultants, or join various organisations such as hotels, large corporations, or boutique event agencies. The average annual salary for event managers is around $90,000 per year, translating to approximately $46.15 per hour. Entry-level positions typically start at $77,500 per year, while experienced workers can earn up to $122,274 per year, according to Talent.

To enter this field, gaining experience in entry-level roles within hospitality, retail, festivals, venues, or events is recommended.

Eco-Lodge Manager

If you have a passion for the environment and enjoy being surrounded by nature, why not turn it into a career? There are many amazing green hotels, eco-lodges and sustainable accommodations worldwide that offer organic food and using renewable energy in the most beautiful, remote locations. As a hotel manager in these places, you’d oversee all aspects of staffing and guest experiences, such as housekeeping, human resources, and front desk. And on your days off, you could explore nearby mountains or relax on pristine beaches.

Hotel managers in these eco-friendly settings earn an average salary of $95,000 per year or $43.53 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $71,000 per year, while experienced workers can earn up to $112,500 per year. Plus, the job satisfaction for hotel managers is rated highly at 4.3 out of 5.

To become a manager at a green hotel or eco-lodge, you will need to start with any entry-level role in hotels, gain 3-5 years of management experience, and consider volunteering at an environmental non-profit in your spare time for an extra boost to your resume.

Hospitality Entrepreneur

For many, the ultimate dream is to start their very own restaurant, bar, event or catering company, or boutique hotel. In the hospitality industry, this isn’t an unrealistic idea. It is a diverse industry with a constant demand for new products and services, and there is a lot of space for successful new businesses to grow.

Entrepreneurship is a high-risk, high-return activity involving a lot of hard work, but it comes with the satisfaction of building something of your own, from the ground up. If you have some industry experience and professional training under your belt, plus a good idea, then you can certainly expect to make a success of your very own hospitality enterprise.

To become a hospitality entrepreneur, it’s recommended that you should spend a minimum 2-5 years gaining industry experience and skills. Focus on roles and education that align with your goals, and dedicate your free time to market research and crafting a business strategy.

Food and Beverage Director

As the director of food and beverage in a hotel, venue, conference centre or similar establishment, you are responsible for all the crucial decisions that will shape a guest’s dining experience. It’s a role packed with responsibility, but it’s also the perfect role for those who are interested in business and passionate about food. Moreover, it’s got a high average salary of $107,500 and the potential to earn up to $153,000 per year, according to Payscale.

To become a food and beverage director, you should start by gaining experience in an entry-level, front of house role in hospitality, gain 3-5 years’ experience at a management level.

Sommelier

if you’re absolutely in love with wine, a career as a sommelier might be the perfect pick for you. A sommelier is a professionally trained connoisseur of wines, and they play an important role across the hospitality industry by advising hotels and restaurants on wine selections, studying different varieties and the market trends, placing orders and delivering a professional service to guests. It’s no surprise that this role comes with a high satisfaction score of 4.4 out of 5, and offers an average salary of $78,000 per year, according to Seek.

To become a sommelier, you must go through specialised training in order to earn the title of sommelier. There are also different levels of certification you can achieve, with Master Sommelier being the highest.

Luxury Hotel or Resort General Manager

If you dream of a career working at luxurious hotels in exotic global destinations, becoming a hotel or resort general manager could be your perfect path. This role is highly sought after worldwide, offering diverse opportunities in various types of accommodations. Whether it’s a charming boutique hotel in Paris, a lavish resort in Hawaii, or another unique setting, the possibilities are endless.

As a general manager, your responsibilities include delivering exceptional customer service, creating annual budgets and expense plans, overseeing hiring and training processes, and ensuring compliance with safety regulations for both guests and staff.

The salary range for this role is between $90,000 to $158,000 annually, with additional salary (including tips, bonus, and overtime pay) ranging from $7,000 to $59,000 annually, according to GlassDoor.

Preferred qualifications for this position include a certificate in hotel management, business, or marketing, along with 1-3 years of relevant experience. This background will prepare you for a rewarding career managing top-tier hospitality establishments worldwide.

Director of Operations

There’s a lesser-known yet highly lucrative role in the hospitality industry that deserves attention alongside top positions like CEO, CFO and general manager: the operations director. This role carries significant financial responsibilities, including formulating the annual budget, overseeing expenditures and purchase reports.

The operations director typically supervises all hotel departments, from human resources to food and beverage, reporting directly to the general manager. They are pivotal in develop marketing strategies, optimising revenue management and ensuring smooth implementation of operational procedures.

This is a role well suited to a person who has a head for figures and an interest in business, as well as skills in management and organisation. The average salary for a Director of Operations is $147,269, according to Payscale.

To reach this position, you can start in a junior management position within the operations department, and work you way up within 3-5 years.