Wherever we are, whether in a department store, leisure centre or pub, or simply strolling in the park, there is normally a hospitality business providing for our accommodation and dining needs.

The sector is made up of fourteen industries:

• hotels
• pubs
• bars and nightclubs
• contract food service providers
• membership clubs
• events
• gambling
• travel services
• tourism services
• visitor attractions
• youth hostels
• holiday parks
• self-catering accommodation
• hospitality services

With a turnover in 2002 of over £42 billion pounds, that's 4% of the country's total consumer expenditure.

Career opportunities vary greatly; from managing a marketing team in a major holiday company to helping emerging countries get the most from developing tourism.

If you are ambitious and fun-loving, enjoy meeting and helping people, like working in a team and can cope with a changing environment, you may feel inspired to find out more about opportunities in hospitality and tourism.

Customer Service skills are a must for all hospitality areas if you want to succeed.  Developing your customer service skills is the key to becoming a confident and positive member of your team.  On the front line dealing with customers, it is vital that you are able to deal with the very different and sometimes difficult situations that will arise.

Hours in the hospitality industry can be long, demanding and tiring, but the work you do and the people you meet mean that no two days will be the same and you will have the opportunity to progress quickly if you show that you have the skills, aptitude and attitude required.