Hotels face challenge to retain, expand staff

Emotional intelligence and soft skills in demand for rapidly changing industry

Dong Jiaming, a 22-year-old man who majored in hotel management, said he is satisfied with his first job after graduation, as a front desk receptionist at a hotel in Beijing. His career plan is clear - to become a front office supervisor after one year and a duty manager after two and a half years.

Currently, Dong says he earns 3,500 yuan ($527) per month, or 42,000 yuan a year, while he's heard that the annual salary of top executives in his industry can be as much as 2 million yuan. The gap is massive, but it presents Dong with a challenge and fuels his ambitions.