The transformation of the hospitality industry has increased the demand for managerial profiles capable of integrating technical, strategic, and socio-emotional competencies. However, a persistent gap remains between the competencies required by the labor market and those developed through formal education. This study aims to identify and validate the core competencies of hotel management and to translate them into a structured training proposal. A two-round Delphi study was conducted with senior hotel management experts (n = 42 in round 1; n = 32 in round 2), using a competency matrix derived from prior research. Quantitative analysis included frequency distributions, weighted scores, and consensus indicators. The results show a high level of consensus stability (3.1% disagreement), leading to a final matrix of 43 competencies organized into four dimensions: operational, interpersonal, cultural-communicative, and strategic. Interpersonal and leadership competencies emerged as the most prominent, highlighting their structural role in effective managerial performance. Based on these findings, a progressive training framework is proposed, structured around three domains (operations, leadership, and strategy) and supported by a metacognitive pathway that integrates planning, monitoring, and evaluation processes. This study contributes to the professionalization of hotel management by providing an empirically grounded competency model and a coherent framework for aligning educational programs with industry demands.
Puente-Martínez et al. (Tue,) studied this question.