Needs and Strategies for Developing Soft Skills in the Tourism and Hospitality Sector

This chapter urges the inclusion of soft skills in the training of professionals in the hospitality industry to raise the level of customer service provided by them. Hard and soft skills are two types of skills that specialists in the hospitality industry require to satisfy customers. Hard talents are those that can be attained quickly with the correct credentials. On the other hand, soft talents cover interpersonal abilities, including problem-solving, creativity, cooperation, and communication. This chapter will provide relevant theoretical frameworks and the latest empirical research findings in the space of soft and interpersonal skills for development as professionals in the service industry. It will outline the most crucial soft skills through skill gap that a tourism and hospitality professional needs to provide happy experiences for visitors from all over the world, as well as the best ways to cultivate them.