Paula Alejandra Martínez Tecnología en Operación

Turística

UNIT 2
WORKING CONDITIONS IN TOURISM

1 Read the article and write down the advantages and disadvantages of working in the tourism
industry.

Advantages

e.g. interesting and varied work

Disadvantages

e.g. seasonal work, short-term contracts

The truth about working in tourism

The main problem with the travel and tourism sector is that there is a lot of seasonal work on
short-term contracts. The hours are sometimes long and hard, and many people consider
working in tourism as a temporary option before they find jobs in other industries.

The positive aspect is that the work is often interesting and varied. Tourism is a people-
focused industry, which offers the opportunity to meet and help people from all over the
world. Tourism professionals often say that every day is different and you never know what to
expect.

Working shifts and weekends is common but there si algo more flexibility with working hours
than in other industries.

You can work part-time or full-time, night or day to suit your needs and interests Tourism jobs
can also be low-paid at the start but many hotel and travel organizations offer on-the-job
training. Employees can earn a salary while they are learning practical skills they need to
advance in the industry.

Many companies like their employees to start at the bottom to gain experience. If you work
hard and develop the right skills, there can be opportunities for fast promotion. It is possible to
have an interesting long-term career in tourism, and with a university degree you move more
quickly into a management Position.

2 Match the expressions 1-6 with their opposites in bold in the text in Exercise 1. Use a
dictionary to help you.
Paula Alejandra Martínez Tecnología en Operación
Turística
1 full-time ------Part-time

2 permanent----Temporary

3 high-paid------Low- paid

4 short-term----Long-term

5 all year round-- Seansonal

6 regular daytime hours-----Shifts

1. Food and bevege ---------------------------------waiter, restaurant manager

2. Accommodation ------------------------------------hotel receptionist, concierge

3. Transportation --------------------------------------flight attendant, pilot

4. Recreation and entertaimment -----------------entertainer, outdoor adventure guide

A DAY IN THE LIFE

1 Complete the descriptions about hotel jobs with the correct job title in the box. What
other hotel jobs can you think of?

Executive chef, Executive housekeeper, Food and beverage manager, Front office manager,
hotel receptionist

1 Food and beverage manager-------- Plans and organizes the operations of a

rrestaurant
2 Front office manager ----------------- Responsible for the front desk operations,
managing reception and dealing With guests problems
3 Hotel receptionist---------------------- Makes reservations and checks guests in/out
4 Executive chef--------------------------- Writes menus, instructs cooks and employs
kitchen staff
5 Excecutive housekeeper ---------------Inspecte rooms and manages cleaning staff
Paula Alejandra Martínez Tecnología en Operación
Turística

1. Front office
2. Shifts and work Schedules
3. Guests
4. Corporate clients
5. Hospitality
6. Prep cook
7. sous chef
8. executive chef.
9. Front office work, Cooking and traveling
10. Hotel General manager .
Paula Alejandra Martínez Tecnología en Operación
Turística
GRAMMAR, PRESENT SIMPLE AND CONTINUOS

Use the present simple to talk about facts ando situations that are generally true.

Nathan supervises front Office staff and deals With guests allá day. Yuo never stop learning.

Use the present continuous to describe current Projects and temporary events.

I’m learning new things today/this moming/week/Month. What are you working on at the
moment/now?

See Grammar reference, pages 112 and 113.

4 Study the Grammar box and read the text in Exercise 2 again. What is Nathan Wilson working
on at the moment?

He is working on front office managing

5Complete the sentences 1-8 with the verbs in brackets in the present simple or Continuous.

1 At the moment, I. Am training (train) two new front desk clerks,

1. 2 At present, I’m supervising them on the job. I. Help (help) them to learn about
Accommodation services,
2. It Is (be) very important they know how to deal with customer complaints.
3. I. Am (be) also Showing (show) our new staff how our reservation system
Works (work)
4. I They Are finding (find) that difficult because it isn’t one they normally. Use (Use).
6 Currently, I Am planning (plan) a trip to the lakes with my family.
7 I. Not (not) usually Take (take) holidays during the busy season so I Am (be) a bit
nervous.
8 I need to make sure my assistant. Know (know) what she has to do before go!
Paula Alejandra Martínez Tecnología en Operación
Turística
3. executive housekeeper supervises cleaning staff. Now she is inspecting all
bathrooms.
4. Building manager looks after building and this morning he is supervising the last
week repair work
5. waiter waits at tables. But at the moment he is taking lunch order.
6. bell boy is strong he usually helps guests with luggage. He is carrying the heavy bags
into rooms.

READING

JOB ADVERTISEMENTS

1 Complete the job adverts with the best word or expression in italics.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT FUN PARKS

Fun Parks are offering temporary and permanent ‘positions/job with benefi (free meals,
entrance tickets and accommodation) in the beautiful town of Ohrid, Macedonia.

Applicants, please send a covering letter with your work experience/ curriculum vitae (CV) or
resumé to the human resources manager. Click here for contact details.

Children’s Recreation Supervisors

Are you outgoing, enthusiastic and flexible/flexibility? Do you love children? Global company
Fun Parks are looking for kids’ recreation supervisors for our new theme attraction, Pirate
Park, opening soon at Lake Ohrid “Group/Team work and good language skills essential.
Monthly salary: €775. On-the-job training/supervision provided.

Restaurant Managers
Do you have excellent communication and organizational abilities/skills? Do you work well
under pressure? English-speaking Restaurant Manager needed for our nautical café at Pirate
Park Diploma or degree in Food and beverages managers/management an advantage;
minimum two years’ experience/working required. Salary £2,200 per month.
Paula Alejandra Martínez Tecnología en Operación
Turística
5 Read this covering letter from a job applicant. Which job is he applying for?

Dame Gruev, Gradski Blok 6, 1000 Skopje

Telephone: +389 23 116 074 Skype: Miroslav. Wasilew

Human Resources Manager

Fun Parks

Ref. 1179 Fun Park applications

Dear Ms Isabela Monti,

For the position of Children’s Recreation Supervisor. On your website on 15

October. I am very interested in working for Fun Parks because enjoyed the Pirate Park very
much when visited recently with a group of children.

It At the moment, am studying for a diploma in Tourism Management at the University of

Macedonia in Skopje but am looking for work during the summer vacation. Am in my first year,
although. In Working for an after-school club. “ organizing activities and
excursions for young children. Please

My supervisor says am outgoing, hard-working and creative. I am enthusiastic and work

well A team. From my CV, speak English and many Eastern European languages
fluently. If you are interested in my application,. regarding a possible interview.
Hearing from you. 10

Miroslav Wasilew

6Complete the letter in Exercise 5 with expressions from the Professional skills box.

1.I am writing to apply

7. As you can see

10. Yours sincerely,

6. In addition

5. find attached a copy of my CV

2. I have two years’ experience

4. As advertised

8. My responsibilities include please do not hesitate to contact me

9. I look forward to
Paula Alejandra Martínez Tecnología en Operación
Turística
7Write a covering letter for the other job advertised in Exercise 1. Use the models in Exercise 5
and in the Writing bank on page 96 I am writing to apply to help you. Include the information
below.

-say why you want to work for the company

- mention any relevant qualifications and/or experience

-mention your main qualities and skills

-say you are interested in a job interview

Mamancana reserv natur private

Santa Marta

Dear Francis

For me it has become a pleasure to taste the delights of the kitchen that are given in your
reservation, your restaurant is so prestigious, that I have been tasting each of your dishes for
several months now, of which I have no complaint about any, in definitively his kitchen is
incomparable,

What I have learned about service and haute cuisine has filled me with experience, it has given
me the conviction that this place for tourism should be an honor.

They have been taking care of a unique place in the country for more than 30 years and
exploiting the typical delicacies of our region with such finesse that I can only praise you and
request to meet with you at a soon opportunity.

Paula Martinez