Green Hotel/Resort Ecomanagers

Employers

Eco-resort managers work for lodges, hotels, motels, and other businesses that provide accommodations for environmentally conscious travelers. They may also own the resort themselves. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there are 53,300 lodging managers employed in the United States. Nearly 20 percent are self-employed, mainly as small hotel and bed-and-breakfast inn owners.

Starting Out

Get a part-time job in the reservation department, or any other department, of an eco-resort. This will give you the opportunity to see how the resort is run and the various types of programs and features that are offered. Talk with the manager and learn more about how he or she got started in the field. Find out what their educational background is and where they worked beforehand. You can also use the Internet to explore eco-resorts and contact managers to see about setting up information interviews by visiting such Web sites as Eco-Tropical Resorts (http://www.eco-tropicalresorts.com) and EcoClub Ecotourism Directory (http://ecoclub.com/ecotourism).