According to reliable statistical information from a wide variety of sources, the hospitality industry in the United Kingdom is a significant growth industry that employed more than 2 million people (7% of the country's work force) in 1994. Of those individuals, 685,000 were employed in catering services sectors (with hospitals, retirement/nursing homes, and other medical centers providing 44% of those catering jobs). In 1991, the hospitality industry was represented by employees in 264,500 establishments in the commercial sectors (87% of which were small establishments with staffs of 10 or fewer individuals). In 1987-1995, the hospitality industry registered higher numbers of unfilled vacancies than other industries, and, in 1994, 28% of employers in the hospitality industry experienced recruitment difficulties. Of hospitality employees seeking alternative employment in spring 1994, the highest percentages were waiting/bar staff, kitchen porters, catering assistants, and chefs/cooks. Levels of hospitality industry-provided training increased slightly from 1992 to 1994. Of hospitality employers with more than 25 employees, 64% had a training plan and 43% had a training budget (the corresponding percentages for all industry were 64% and 55%). Hospitality industry employees were less qualified and significantly less well paid than the national work force overall. (Contains 99 tables/figures.) (MN)