Kendall’s School of Hospitality Management, ranked by an ORC International– 2013 Survey as the No. 1 program in Chicago for preparing students for hospitality careers, has released its trends outlook for the hospitality industry in 2014.

According to their faculty experts, the number one hospitality industry trend for 2014 is…

• Global Going Strong: International Knowledge in Demand

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, the Travel and Tourism industry is currently among the largest and fastest-growing industries worldwide, forecasted to support 328 million jobs, or 10% of the workforce, by 2022.¹

A top 10 industry in the U.S., Travel and Tourism provides one out of eight jobs, with that number increasing at an exponential rate, adding approximately 55,000 jobs per month in 2013.^2,3

Check out all of the hospitality industry trends in their new infographic (click on the image to enlarge):

What else is on deck for the hospitality industry for 2014?

• Rankings Mean Business

Never has a user-generated online rating meant as much as it does now. The 21^st Century is the age of digital referrals, and the power of what’s posted on the web via user-generated review sites – digital word of mouth – can drastically impact a business’ revenue.

•  Back At The Bar – Traditional Gets A Twist

What’s currently on tap? Classic is the new contemporary, with bars serving up a renaissance of classic and pre-prohibition cocktails.

• Sustainability is The New Standard

In the U.S. alone, hotels represent more than five billion square feet of space, nearly five million guest rooms and close to $4 billion in annual energy use, according to the U.S. Green Building Council.⁴

•  Room Service Reinvented

With room service revenue drastically decreasing – and some hotels like The New York Hilton who are forgoing the amenity later this year – the majority of hotels are dedicated to reinventing the concept, contributing to an 8% increase in the number of hotels offering room service from 2011-2012.⁵

1. World Travel & Tourism Council: Economic Impact 2012 http://www.wttc.org/site_media/uploads/downloads/world2012.pdf
2. US Travel Association: US Travel Answer Sheet, March 2013 http://www.ustravel.org/sites/default/files/page/2009/11/US_Travel_Answer_Sheet_March_2013.pdf
3. http://www.bls.gov/web/empsit/ceshighlights.pdf
4. U.S. Green Building Council “Hospitality” http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=2119
5. Chicago Tribune: “The End of Room Service? Not so Fast.” June 19, 2013.