How can I get into the Hotel Industry?

I have friends who both work in and own and manage properties in the hospitality business. It's a lucrative business but also one that has lots of healthy competition. Depending on the type of Hotel business you want to get into may depend on the actual path. Since you don't state whether your goal is to own, manage or work in one some things to consider are all the variations there are, such as Hotel vs. Motel, Large Resort type, Small Independently owned, Business vs Leisure etc.

Hi Lolo,

In all honesty, you can start anywhere. Start at the bottom, and work hard. Work your way up by impressing upon your peers and superiors. Find an area of the industry that speaks to you, and roll up your sleeves ...
Don't worry too much looking far ahead. Concentrate on the here and now. Deliver more than you think other people would. And not just to make career, but because you enjoy it.
Moreover you need to make sure you learn. As you might well know, knowledge is power. And for this don't only look at your boss and on the job training for input.
If you want to stand out from the pack, and impress you will need more knowledge than the average colleague. I remember well in the early days of my career that fellow graduates would find I was wasting my time reading all those boring hospitality magazines.
It helped me however gain a better understanding of the overall industry, trends, challenges, and hot topics. Again knowledge is power ...
So for the (aspiring) hotel managers out there in need of input, here a list of industry resources where I get my food for thought:

Tnooz.com
Skift.com
HotelsMag.com
Hospitalitynet.org
eHotelier.com
HotelManagement.net
HotelNewsNow.com
HotelMarketing.com
This will keep you busy reading for a while ...

I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.