Career Cluster

Hospitality and Tourism

Hospitality and tourism professionals are committed to delivering exceptional customer service, developing unimaginable excursions and treating guests to breathtaking experiences. They take care of their guests who are seeing the world, immersing themselves in new cultures and just getting away from it all!

DECA CONNECTS

Connect to Courses, Curriculum + Careers

DECA’s Comprehensive Learning Program integrates into classroom instruction, applies learning, connects to business and promotes competition. Examine your course of study and integrate activities from DECA’s comprehensive learning program to show that DECA is connected and relevant.

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Related Courses

DECA's Comprehensive Learning Program provides a variety of instructional resources that would be suitable for these courses and more.

  • Principles of Business Administration
  • Principles of Hospitality
  • Event Planning
  • Hospitality Management
  • Hotel and Lodging
  • Travel and Tourism

Career Pathways

Each career cluster contains several career pathways, or specialized career areas that are comprised of careers that require similar knowledge and skills.

  • Event Management
  • Lodging
  • Restaurant Management
  • Travel and Tourism

Instructional Areas

Instructional areas are broad areas of content knowledge that are comprised of many performance indicators. Performance indicators are specific knowledge and skills employees are expected to demonstrate or achieve.

Business Law
Communications
Customer Relations
Economics
Emotional Intelligence
Entrepreneurship
Financial Analysis
Human Resources Management
Information Management
Knowledge Management
Market Planning
Marketing
Operations
Pricing
Product/Service Management
Professional Development
Promotion
Quality Management
Risk Management
Selling
Strategic Management

Career Opportunities

The following are examples of career opportunities and occupations that are available within this career cluster.

Catering and Banquets Manager
Club Manager
Concierge
Convention Services Manager
Destination Manager
Director of Convention and Visitors Bureau
Director of Tourism Development
Director of Visitor Services
Event Manager
Event Planner
Executive Housekeeper
Food and Beverage Director
Food and Beverage Manager
Front Desk Supervisor
Front Office Manager
General Manager
Group Sales Manager
Lodging Manager
Meeting Planner
Night Auditor
Reservations Manager
Restaurant Server
Rooms Executive
Services Manager
Special Events Producer
Sports and Entertainment Manager
Tour Operator
Tourism Marketing Specialist
Trade Show Manager
Travel Agent

COMPETITIVE EVENTS

Enrich the Classroom

DECA’s Competitive Events Program is an incredible tool for curriculum. As an integral part of the classroom curriculum, DECA’s industry-validated competitive events are aligned with National Curriculum Standards.

DECA’s flagship evaluation process involves students in both a written component such as an exam or report and an interactive component with an industry professional serving as a judge. DECA’s competitive events reinforce creativity, problem solving and presentation skills.

The potential for recognition, awards and travel for learning classroom content is a tremendous motivator – not to mention the scholarships and cash awards recognizing DECA members for outstanding achievement.

With more than 60 events, DECA offers a competitive event for every course and every student.

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Case Studies + EXAMS

Integrate into Classroom Instruction

Case studies provide a student-centered engagement activity to help DECA members apply learning through problem-based scenarios that require creative solutions and practical outcomes. DECA’s case studies challenge DECA members to demonstrate industry-relevant knowledge and skills through performance indicators. DECA’s case studies are developed through industry research to reflect current issues and trends in business and industry.

DECA’s exams are rigorous, industry-validated, multiple-choice, 100-item exams based on National Curriculum Standards. Each exam item is also linked to an instructional area and specific performance indicator.

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2024
Restaurant and Food Service Management
Operations
Role-Play

You are to assume the role of the general manager of THE CABIN, a restaurant specializing in steaks, seafood and pasta. The owner of the restaurant (judge) wants you to weigh the pros and cons of implementing a new policy to reduce operating costs.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Hospitality and Tourism
Role-Play
Operations
Restaurant and Food Service Management Series
2024
Restaurant and Food Service Management
Operations
Role-Play

You are to assume the role of the general manager of THE CABIN, a restaurant specializing in steaks, seafood and pasta. The owner of the restaurant (judge) wants you to weigh the pros and cons of implementing a new policy to reduce operating costs.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Hospitality and Tourism
Role-Play
Operations
Restaurant and Food Service Management Series
2024
Restaurant and Food Service Management
Operations
Role-Play

You are to assume the role of the general manager of THE CABIN, a restaurant specializing in steaks, seafood and pasta. The owner of the restaurant (judge) wants you to weigh the pros and cons of implementing a new policy to reduce operating costs.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Hospitality and Tourism
Role-Play
Operations
Restaurant and Food Service Management Series
2024
Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making
Marketing
Role-Play

You are to assume the roles of the marketing director and the marketing specialist for RAILS, a passenger railroad company. The chief marketing officer (judge) wants your team to develop a marketing plan that will promote the ease and comfort of traveling by train rather than by air.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Hospitality and Tourism
Role-Play
Marketing
Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making
2024
Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making
Marketing
Role-Play

You are to assume the roles of the marketing director and the marketing specialist for RAILS, a passenger railroad company. The chief marketing officer (judge) wants your team to develop a marketing plan that will promote the ease and comfort of traveling by train rather than by air.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Hospitality and Tourism
Role-Play
Marketing
Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making
2024
Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making
Marketing
Role-Play

You are to assume the roles of the marketing director and the marketing specialist for RAILS, a passenger railroad company. The chief marketing officer (judge) wants your team to develop a marketing plan that will promote the ease and comfort of traveling by train rather than by air.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Hospitality and Tourism
Role-Play
Marketing
Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making
2023
Hospitality Services Team Decision Making
Customer Relations
Role-Play

You are to assume the roles of the general manager and the director of guest services for ACCESS. The owner of the hotel (judge) wants you to determine how the property can demonstrate exemplary customer service with nontraditional staffing.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Hospitality and Tourism
Role-Play
Customer Relations
Hospitality Services Team Decision Making
2023
Hospitality Services Team Decision Making
Customer Relations
Role-Play

You are to assume the roles of the general manager and the director of guest services for ACCESS. The owner of the hotel (judge) wants you to determine how the property can demonstrate exemplary customer service with nontraditional staffing.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Hospitality and Tourism
Role-Play
Customer Relations
Hospitality Services Team Decision Making
2023
Hospitality Services Team Decision Making
Customer Relations
Role-Play

You are to assume the roles of the general manager and the director of guest services for ACCESS. The owner of the hotel (judge) wants you to determine how the property can demonstrate exemplary customer service with nontraditional staffing.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Hospitality and Tourism
Role-Play
Customer Relations
Hospitality Services Team Decision Making
2023
Hospitality and Tourism Exam
Exam

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Hospitality and Tourism
Exam
2023
Hospitality and Tourism Exam
Exam

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Hospitality and Tourism
Exam
2023
Hospitality and Tourism Exam
Exam

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Hospitality and Tourism
Exam

CORPORATE CHALLENGES

Apply Learning

DECA and its corporate partners have teamed up to provide classroom activities that challenge members to apply learning in relevant ways.

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DECA at the Bell Challenge

Write and produce your very own episode of DECA at the Bell. Creativity is encouraged; what matters most is the ability to engage the audience while connecting something in the world of business to the world of DECA. The topic/theme of the 2024 challenge is Customer Service.

Submissions due by:
November 1, 2024
SubmitRegister
Guidelines

Disability Is Diversity Challenge

Create a focused Disability Is Diversity presentation that highlights the obstacles and experience of navigating an educational environment with differing abilities. Learn first-hand about the barriers encountered by a student with a disability and determine how you can advocate for needed change.

Submissions due by:
February 14, 2025
SubmitRegister
Guidelines

EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCES

Extend Learning Beyond The Classroom

DECA conferences provide unique opportunities to connect students with corporate professionals to engage them in learning industry-related trends and content.

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Sports and Entertainment Marketing Conference

January 29 - February 2, 2025
Orlando, FL

DECA International Career Development Conference

April 26-29, 2025
Orlando, FL

Ultimate DECA Power Trip

November 21-23, 2025
Arlington, VA

Partners

Connect To Business

DECA’s college and corporate partners engage DECA members and help them prepare for colleges and careers of their choice. They provide classroom presentations, scholarships, internships, work experience and much more. Visit our partners page to learn more about developing a win-win relationship with DECA’s partners.

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MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Get Involved

Together, we can help prepare emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for college and career. Learn about the various opportunities to get involved with DECA.

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Start a DECA Chapter

Partner with DECA

Questions?

Contact DECA staff
for more information.

View All DECA Staff Contacts
Christopher Young, CAE
Chief Program Officer
Contact

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DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.

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