What Is Accommodation Service Management? Careers, Skills, Salaries, and More

Accommodation service management involves all the tasks and aspects of managing an accommodation or hospitality business. These businesses focus on welcoming customers and providing them with pleasant experiences through dining, lodging, events, entertainment, or travel. 

Read on to take a closer look at how accommodation service management is different from hotel management and gain insights into various accommodation service management career paths. You'll also discover the skills and education needed to succeed in this industry, the job outlook, and how to get started.

Accommodation service management vs. hotel management

Hotel management only has to do with the lodging industry, while hospitality management involves a variety of industries. Hotel management is a type of hospitality administration. You'll find that most hospitality businesses fall under one of five key categories:

• Food and beverage

• Lodging

• Meetings and events

• Recreation

• Travel and tourism 

10 career paths in accommodation service management

A background in accommodation service management may open a variety of job opportunities. The following are some of the career paths you can take.

*All salary data sourced from Talent.com November 2024.

1. Hotel general manager

Hotel general managers use business, management, and interpersonal skills to oversee the day-to-day operations of a hotel, motel, lodge, inn, or resort. The various hotel department heads report directly to them, and they must know all areas of hotel management. Depending on size, the departments within a hotel might include:

• Accounts

• Food and beverage services

• Front office

• Housekeeping

• Human resources

• Information technology

• Kitchen and food production

• Maintenance and engineering

• Marketing and sales

• Purchasing

• Security

The level of education needed for a hotel general manager depends on the business size. If you want to work for a large full-service hotel or hotel chain, you'll likely need a bachelor's degree or college diploma in hotel management or a related field. In some cases, several years of experience may suffice. 

Median annual salary:  $83,829 CAD

2. Property operations manager 

In addition to mechanical and engineering knowledge, property operations managers need good organizational skills, a knack for time management, and an ability to work individually. This position may also be referred to as a property maintenance manager. 

You'll regularly inspect properties such as resorts or hotels as a property operations manager. Inspections help ensure that the property’s appearance is up to standard and that all parts operate normally. You will either do maintenance and repairs yourself or supervise your maintenance staff members.

To become a property operations manager, you'll typically need to complete a college or university program in business administration. Maintenance managers are also usually required to complete an electrical or mechanical engineering program. You may also need several years of experience supervising facility or maintenance operations.  

Median  annual salary: $85,000 CAD

3. Restaurant manager

Restaurant managers perform all the tasks that ensure a restaurant runs smoothly, such as:

• Hiring restaurant staff

• Setting schedules

• Dealing with customer problems

• Overseeing food prep and plating

• Ordering food and restaurant supplies

Special skills that might benefit you in this job include working under pressure, flexibility with your schedule, and good communication skills. 

To become a restaurant manager, you may need to complete a college or university program in hospitality or food and beverage service. You’ll also need several years of experience in the food service industry. If you are managing a restaurant that serves alcohol, you need to have a responsible beverage service certification. 

Median annual salary: $42,412 CAD

4. Front office manager

Front office managers are responsible for the operation of a front office. In the hospitality industry, this might be the front office of a hotel, a casino, an event company, or an eco-adventure business. Some duties may include:

• Overseeing the front office staff

• Accounting

• Record keeping

• Answering phone calls

• Interacting with customers 

You'll need workplace skills to communicate in person and in writing, good supervisory skills, and the capacity to work well under pressure.

To work as a front desk manager in a large hotel or hotel chain, you'll usually need a university degree or college diploma in hotel management or a related topic. In some cases, several years of experience working in the accommodation industry will suffice. 

Median annual salary: $55,532 CAD

5. Director of housekeeping

A director of housekeeping is in charge of the housekeeping department in a business that provides lodging like a hotel or resort. Some duties include:

• Hiring and training housekeeping staff

• Managing staff schedules

• Overseeing housekeeping needs for regular business and events

• Helping out with cleaning tasks 

To get a position as a director of housekeeping, you might only need a secondary school diploma and significant housekeeping experience. However, some housekeeping director positions require a university degree or college diploma in hospital management, hotel management, or business administration. You may also need some experience as a cleaning supervisor. 

Special skills needed for this job include:

• Leadership

• The ability to work well alone or with a team

• Superior customer service

• Good time management skills

Median annual salary: $54,155 CAD

6. Sommelier

Sommeliers have a deep knowledge of wine and understand how to recommend and serve it to customers. Their knowledge of wine might include:

• Types of grapes used to make wines

• Where wine grapes are grown

• Select wine regions around the world

• The proper way to taste wine 

Becoming a sommelier generally requires completing secondary school, after which you can choose various career paths. Note that, for select job roles, you may need to complete an apprenticeship program or college or vocational school courses. You may also need to complete on-the-job training. Additionally, you will need to complete a responsible beverage service certification.  

Median annual salary: $39,000 CAD

7. Catering helper

Catering helpers work for catering companies that prepare and serve meals for events. Special skills needed for this position include knowledge of food preparation, food service, and food safety. You'll also need good time management and customer service skills. 

Catering helper duties include:

• Loading and unloading food and catering supplies

• Washing, cutting, and peeling foods

• Preparing salads and sauces

• Setting up dining areas and buffets 

To become a catering helper, you don't typically need formal education. Most people who choose this career path learn through on-the-job training. 

Median annual salary: $39,051 CAD

8. Travel agent

Travel agents plan various aspects of trips for travellers. Their duties typically include conducting research and consulting with customers. They’re also responsible for booking flights, cruises, car rentals, hotels, tours, restaurant reservations, and event tickets. Special skills useful to travel agents include good verbal communication, time management, and working under pressure.  

To become a travel agent, you must complete secondary school and may need to complete a college diploma or vocational training in travel or tourism. Sometimes, you may need to become certified through the Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors (CITC), which typically requires 60 hours of combined experience and education, plus passing an exam.  

Median annual salary: $40,950 CAD

9. Tour guide

As a tour guide, you'll inform visitors or travellers about a particular place or a group of places. Examples include museums, government buildings, historic sites, parks, neighbourhoods, and whole towns or cities. Additional job duties might include:

• Collecting fees

• Providing maps and brochures

• Translating for foreign visitors

• Giving briefings on safety procedures

Special skills that benefit tour guides include:

• An engaging personality

• Comfortable at public speaking

• The ability to stay organized

• Foreign language skills 

To become a tour guide, you must complete secondary school and several weeks of on-the-job training. In some positions, you may need to know additional languages.  

Median annual salary:  $38,025 CAD

10. Event planner

As an event planner, you're responsible for the activities that ensure an event goes smoothly. Your duties often include:

• Booking event sites 

• Hiring caterers, entertainment, photographers, and other vendors

• Consulting with customers

• Overseeing staff

• Negotiating vendor contracts

• Supervising event setup and breakdown 

Important event planner skills include time management, working under pressure, and attention to detail.

To become an event manager, you may need a university degree or college diploma in business, tourism, or hospitality administration. However, some positions may accept several years of experience in hospitality, tourism administration, or public relations instead. You may also need certifications for certain events or areas like meetings or conference management. 

Median annual salary: $56,545 CAD

Do you need a degree to work in accommodation service management?

Whether or not you need a degree to work in accommodation service management depends on the job. While a tour guide may not need a college degree, a hotel general manager often requires a master's degree. 

What skills do you need to work in accommodation service management?

Good communication skills, attention to detail, and proficiency in the technical skills specific to your job may help you succeed in accommodation service management. Below are the workplace skills and technical skills you will typically need.  

Workplace skills

Since jobs in the accommodation industry focus on giving customers enjoyable experiences, certain people skills are valuable. These often include: 

• Communication

• Time management

• Patience

• Teamwork

• Ability to multitask

• Attention to detail

• A positive attitude

• Problem-solving

• Flexibility

Technical skills

The technical skills you'll need for a job in the accommodation industry depend on the job. For instance, if you have a position as a front office manager, you may need to be good with numbers and familiar with accounting software. For an event planning position, you'd want to know about design, and as a hotel marketing manager, you would benefit from having a strong grasp of social media.

What is the job outlook for accommodation service management?

The coronavirus pandemic greatly affected the accommodation industry, but domestic and international Canadian tourism has increased since 2021. This is one reason why the Government of Canada Job Bank suggests that the need for jobs in this industry will be good over the next few years.

To pursue a career in accommodation service management,  follow these initial steps:

• Consider an internship or entry-level job in the industry to determine if it fits you well.

• Identify if you have special knowledge or skills that would transfer to an accommodation service management position.

• Get a better understanding of the industry by taking a few related courses. 

Begin your career in accommodation service management

Accommodation service management, a key part of hospitality management, opens many career paths. If you're interested in being a hotel general manager, front office manager, or marketing manager, check out this Hotel Management: Distribution, Revenue and Demand Management Specialization offered by ESSEC Business School on Coursera. If the travel and tourism industry is more to your liking, you might be interested in a Sustainable Tourism—Promoting Environmental Public Health course from the University of Copenhagen.