Working as a host or hostess abroad: what is it, why would you do it, and where is the best place to go?

What is working as a host or hostess abroad like?

• Working as a host or hostess revolves around hospitality, service, and experience.
• Hosts and hostesses ensure that guests feel welcome and comfortable, whether at hotels, resorts, cruise ships, events, or airports.
• The work combines a focus on service with a professional image and sometimes organizational tasks, and can take place anywhere in the world.
• Responsibilities: These vary by employer and job, but include, for example:
  • Welcoming and guiding guests.
  • Providing information about facilities, activities, or routes.
  • Checking reservations, tickets, or (entrance)passes.
  • Assisting at events, shows, or group activities.
  • Collaborating with colleagues in reception, events, hospitality, or entertainment.
  • Ensuring a presentable appearance and a positive guest experience.
• Employment conditions:
  • Contracts can be temporary, seasonal, or even long-term.
  • Salary or compensation depends on location and experience; room and board at resorts or cruises often are included. Working hours can be irregular, with peaks on weekends, evenings, or during holiday seasons.
• Maintaining a professional demeanor is often important, and there are usually dress codes.

What are the reasons for working as a host or hostess abroad?

• To learn to be service-oriented at a high level: as a hostess, everything revolves around focusing on guests and listening to their needs.
• To improve communication skills: contact with diverse nationalities, languages, and cultures quickly helps develop language and conversational skills.
• To increase stress resistance: busy peaks, complaints, or unexpected situations require calmness and a solution-oriented approach.
• To train teamwork skills: coordination with colleagues from different departments is necessary almost every day.
• To increase self-confidence: acting as a representative face of an organization to a wide audience quickly develops your self-confidence.

What skills and motivations do you need to work as a host or hostess abroad?

• Communication skills: the ability to communicate clearly, friendly, and concisely with guests and colleagues.
• Service oriented: focusing on the guest experience and anticipating wishes and needs.
• Stress resistance: remaining calm in busy situations and adapting quickly to unexpected problems.
• Self-confidence: acting as a representative point of contact, even with large groups or during events.
• Collaboration: functioning well in a team, coordinating with different departments and colleagues.
• Flexibility: being able to respond to varying working hours, peak times, and unexpected circumstances.

What are the best countries and locations to work as a host or hostess abroad?

• Popular destinations with many tourists: Spain, Greece, Italy, Portugal.
• Resorts, cruises, and luxury hotels: Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Mexico, United States.
• Events, festivals, and city breaks: United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany, Thailand, and Indonesia.
• Luxury hotels and high-end hospitality: Dubai, UAE, Singapore, Malaysia.

What are the risks of working as a host or hostess abroad, and are you insured against those risks? 

• What are the risks of working as a host or hostess abroad?
  • It is common that long working hours occur that cause physical strain, such as excessive standing, walking, or lifting.
  • It is common that stress arises from peak times, such as busy receptions, events, or large group arrivals.
  • It is common that health risks arise, such as fluctuating diets, climates, and infection risks, such as diarrhea or colds.
  • It is common to have high medical costs: local healthcare can be expensive, especially in private clinics.
  • It can happen that work safety varies: accidents can occur, especially at events or outdoor activities.
• Are you insured while working as a host or hostess abroad?
  • There may be several reasons why you need separate insurance when working abroad.
  • Local employers generally offer limited or no supplementary insurance.
  • There's a risk of accidents, for example, because you're doing work with which you have little experience.
  • During work, internships, or volunteering abroad where you receive compensation or a salary, your own health insurance coverage in your home country may be cancelled.
  • See the pages on: insuring international Insurances for working abroad, for internships abroad, for volunteering abroad, or for expats and emigrants.