Survey Reveals Pay Gap Between Men and Women in Hospitality Industry

Image: PHOTO: Typing on a laptop keyboard. (photo via Pexels)
Image: PHOTO: Typing on a laptop keyboard. (photo via Pexels)
Donald Wood
by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:06 PM ET, Wed March 14, 2018

A hospitality group recently released an annual salary report that highlighted the continued wage gap between men and women within the travel industry.

Gecko Hospitality released its 2017 Hospitality Management and Restaurant Salary Survey Report Wednesday, and the results shed a light on the gender pay gap, with bonuses and starting pay for men considerably higher than women.

The compensation inconsistencies hospitality workers face across the United States were on full display in the survey, with only one of the 10 measured categories showing an average starting salary higher for women than men.

Across all data collected in the hospitality survey, men made an average of $4,728 per year more than women, and women made an average of $0.76 less per hour than men.

"We strive to provide mutually beneficial and the most up-to-date information from our annual survey to our candidates and clientele," Gecko Hospitality president Robert Krzak said in a statement. "This year's data clearly shows that the pay discrepancy between men and women is still a prevalent issue within the industry. By using our survey results, employers can develop acquisition and retention strategies that attract top talent, while maintaining employee satisfaction."

While the pay gap between men and women is still an ongoing issue, the report found that of the managers who accepted a management position with a new company in 2017, 37 percent of women received a salary increase as compared to 31 percent of men.

Gecko Hospitality's annual report is widely considered to be the industry benchmark for job titles, salaries, gender comparisons, location, turnover and pay increases. The survey helps with the planning and positioning of their recruitment efforts and growth strategies.


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Donald Wood

Donald Wood

Managing Editor

Donald Wood is TravelPulse’s Managing Editor, bringing nearly 15 years of experience to the desk. He currently lives outside Philadelphia with his wife and two children.

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