2019 salary guide in travel and hospitality for HR, and other roles

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According to the latest salary guide, HR managers in Hong Kong in the travel and hospitality sector earn an average annual salary of US$57,361 (HK$449,530).

This is above the APAC average of US$54,097, but slighter lower than the average for a HR manager in Singapore (US$59,669).

Interestingly, the variance in salaries was found to be significantly greater in the Lion City, with the lowest recorded at US$44,444 and the highest at US$97,744. While in Hong Kong, the lowest recorded salary for a HR manager was US$50,955 and the highest was US$64,103.

While in China, a HR director earns an average of US$92,506 compared with US$94,162 in Singapore. The average across APAC was US$79,284

The results come courtesy of the ACI Report – an annual survey drawing on a sample of 870 travel, tourism, hospitality and lifestyle professionals across the Asia Pacific region. The largest proportion of respondents were based in Singapore (40%), with Hong Kong and Macau (12%), and China (9%) also strongly represented.

According to the report: “By sector, most respondents were employed in the hospitality industry (38%), but the study includes a broad cross-section of industries, including aviation, GDS, technology, MICE, travel agencies, and corporate travel.

“Of the respondents, 69% came from large companies (100 staff or more), 63% were male and 89% held permanent full-time employment. While 72% of the respondents have worked in travel.”

The report found the salary gap in the travel and hospitality sector between genders remains high.

“While female executives continue to make inroads toward professional equality, a divide between earning powers still exists and the gap is not narrowing, with male respondents earning on average 32% higher than female respondents.”

The report also revealed that China in general – and Beijing in particular – have benefited from the Belt and Road Initiative, while “also experiencing booming MICE and leisure travel business, and the hospitality performance of the Beijing market achieved the best levels since 2009, just after the summer Olympics”.

In a worrying sign for employers across APAC, when asked about respondents’ plans to change employers and/or industry over the next year, more than half (56%) indicated they would consider doing so, with 12% of those surveyed saying they had thought of exploring opportunities outside their industry.