How to become a hotel and accommodation manager or proprietor
Official title: Hotel and accommodation managers and proprietors
Also called: Manager, Hotel owner, Hotel keeper, Hall manager, Site manager, Hotel manager, Motel manager, Boatel manager, Health farm manager, Holiday camp manager, Caravan park manager, Holiday park manager
Hotel and accommodation managers and proprietors plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the activities and resources of halls of residence, hotels, hostels, caravan sites, holiday camps, holiday flats and chalets, and organise the domestic, catering, and entertainment facilities on passenger ships.
Main tasks
- Analyses demand and decides on type, standard and cost of services to be offered
- Determines financial, staffing, material and other short- and long-term needs
- Ensures physical comfort of residents or passengers and makes special arrangements for children, the elderly and the infirm if required
- Approves and arranges shipboard entertainment and shore trips and liaises with ship’s agent to ensure that ship is adequately provisioned
- Arranges for payment of bills, keeps accounts and ensures adherence to licensing and other statutory regulations
How to become one
Entry is possible with a variety of academic qualifications and/or relevant experience. Candidates for these usually require a BTEC/SQA award, a degree or equivalent qualification, or a professional qualification. Off and on-the-job training is provided, and large hotel chains normally offer management trainee schemes. NVQs/SVQs in management for hospitality, leisure and tourism are available at levels 3 and 4 and apprenticeships at level 3.
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £36,419 a year The middle half earn £28,893 to null.
- About 61,700 people work in this job now, and about 71,300 are projected by 2035. (+15.6%)
Related jobs
- Restaurant and catering establishment managers and proprietors
- Publicans and managers of licensed premises
- Leisure and sports managers and proprietors
- Travel agency managers and proprietors
Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz
Questions people ask
How do I become a hotel and accommodation manager or proprietor?
Entry is possible with a variety of academic qualifications and/or relevant experience. Candidates for these usually require a BTEC/SQA award, a degree or equivalent qualification, or a professional qualification. Off and on-the-job training is provided, and large hotel chains normally offer management trainee schemes. NVQs/SVQs in management for hospitality, leisure and tourism are available at levels 3 and 4 and apprenticeships at level 3.
How much does a hotel and accommodation manager or proprietor earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £36,419 a year (Office for National Statistics).
Is a hotel and accommodation manager or proprietor a growing career in the UK?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 16% by 2035, from about 61,700 to about 71,300 people (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become a hotel and accommodation manager or proprietor?
Not always. 39% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03