Hotel Corporations Vie for Luxury Market in China

China’s rise as an economic power has also meant a rising need for better hotels to accommodate both foreign and domestic business travelers and tourists.

And, many major hotel corporations have been working hard to fill that void. The InterContinental Hotels Group has announced “ambitious growth targets” in the People’s Republic – including plans to nearly double the number of its hotels in China over the next three to five years.

IHG currently has 200 hotels in China, with 179 more in the planning stages. The company also says it plans to hire an additional 110,000 employees between now and 2015.

“China is IHG’s second largest market after the United States,” company CEO Richard Solomons said in a press statement, “and is likely to surpass the U.S. to become our largest by number of rooms by 2025.”

The announcement, made in Beijing, came as Solomons joined British Prime Minister David Cameron during a trade mission to China.

InterContinental isn’t alone in its pursuit of China’s luxury hotel market. In October, the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, a subsidiary of Marriott International, opened a massive hotel in the port city of Tianjin and another in the western Chinese city of Chengdu. The company also unveiled plans to have a Ritz Carlton up and operating in Nanjing by the first quarter of 2015.

Hervé Humler, Ritz-Carlton’s president and COO, says the company’s growth “reflects our desire to meet the growing Chinese appetite for international luxury hospitality experiences.”

The explosion of luxury hotels also underscores the importance of foreign visitors to the Chinese economy. Mark Grundy, president of Wendy Wu Tours, estimates more than two milion Americans – the majority of them business travelers – will go to China next year.

“China has gone through a lot of changes in the last 40 years, and prior to that, creature comforts were not on the agenda,” Grudy recently told The New York Times, “but an American passenger, the majority of whom are going to be baby boomers who’ve got time and money, expect things to be the way they were back home in the States. And that’s beginning to happen.”

Source: http://www.benzinga.com

Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas to Open 9 Properties Globally in 36 Months

As part of its global expansion, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has announced nine new properties in development, set to open over the next 36 months. The plan also includes the addition of four Six Senses Spas and the brand’s expansion into the wellness segment. The nine hotels are Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain in China; Six Senses Mont Blanc in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, France; Six Senses Bhutan; Six Senses Wuma in Taiwan; Six Senses Ninghai in China; Six Senses Freedom in Sanit Lucia; Six Senses Uluwatu, Bali; Senses Cartagena, Columbia; and Six Senses Gammarth in Tunisia.

“The rapid brand expansion of Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas ignited in Asia, Europe, South America, Northern Africa and the Caribbean allows us to redefine ourselves on a global scale with the addition of our first ski resort, first urban hotel and three amazing resort projects located at UNESCO World Heritage Sites,” said Neil Jacobs, CEO, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas. “At the core of our DNA is creating unique hotel experiences that are located in untouched, pristine locations supported by sustainable development and culturally-sensitive design aesthetics. Our vision for growth is anchored in a dynamic and thoughtful approach to the science of wellness,” he added.

Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain, set to open in 2014, is the only resort located adjacent to the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Sichuan. The 113-suite and-villa resort has been designed to incorporate regional architecture and landscape.

The 32-suite Six Senses Mont Blanc sits on Mont d’Arbois and will open in 2015. It is a one-hour drive from Geneva and ten-minute gondola ride from Megève; the resort is accessible by cable car, snowmobile or helicopter.

Six Senses Bhutan has 82 guest suites, distributed between five lodges, set to open in 2016. The five guest lodges reflect the heritage and hospitality of the Kingdom.

Located in the Jhih-ben hot spring area of Taitung in Southeastern Taiwan, Six Senses Wuma is located at the base of Medicine Mountain and will open in 2016. The resort is designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and comprises 50 suites and villas.

Six Senses Ninghai in China features a natural hot spring on site. Its’ 129 villas offer a sense of heritage presented with modernity and drama, with some accommodations perched on a hillside. An allotment of villas and suites is offered for sale to those wishing to enjoy an all-encompassing Six Senses lifestyle.

Six Senses Freedom Bay is located inside the Pitons, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on the Southwest coast of the island. Opening in 2016, the resort features 73 pool villas and pool suites with all spacious accommodations. The resort includes a private Beach Club and 53 residential units.

Six Senses Uluwatu, the 120-suite and villa resort, is an integration of Balinese cultural expressions through design. Surrounded by a 6,000 square metre garden, it is a 45-minute drive from the international airport.

Six Senses Cartagena in Colombia will open in 2016. This project marks the group’s entry into South America and first urban hotel project.  Located inside the colonial walled city and fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the 100-room and suite hotel will be incorporated into the restoration of a 17th century monastery anchoring the property. The hotel will feature the city’s first open-air rooftop bar and rooftop swimming pool providing panoramic views of the romantic 500-year-old city’s cathedral spires and towering landmarks.

Six Senses Gammarth is located on the Mediterranean Coast. Offering 67 suites and pool villas plus 31 residences, the low rise, low density resort faces the sea and celebrates a mix of Berber, Ottoman, Arab and French cultural history through architectural references, tenting and interior design.

On the wellness front, Six Senses Spa at Esentai Tower will open this month. Located in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the spa features five treatment rooms, lounge and retail area with juice bar, fitness centre, studio for wellness activities, wet facilities within female and male changing rooms and relaxation sound pods.
Known as the tallest residential building in the world, Six Senses World One is located in Mumbai’s Worli district (India).  Six Senses will manage the entire club house designed for residents and select external guests. The club is spread over three floors; and a podium area (8,000 square meters) provides green oasis. The focus is on wellness and the creation of a club concept including innovative restaurant concepts, interesting options for social gatherings and events, an array of fun activities and areas for children, walking and jogging trails plus services for pets. The spa facilities include relaxation areas, indoor and outdoor recreational services, a variety of wet area circuits along with lap and outdoor pools.

Evason by Six Senses in Pune, India  will manage the entire club house, which is approximately 6,400 square meters. The club house is built over three levels and includes two restaurants, meeting room, banquet hall, kids’ area spread over two levels, games rooms and library. The facility also incorporates a gym, yoga studio, pool, several indoor and outdoor relaxation spaces and a spa with eight treatment rooms – each different and unique, Hammam and changing rooms with wet facilities.

Six Senses Spa at Al Bustan Palace sits 300 meters from The Ritz-Carlton-managed resort. It has a shape of a landscape and is built over three floors. There are 20 treatment rooms, a majalis (relaxation area) and several falaj (water feature). It is built to replicate a fortress where one enters through a large door and then extends into smaller areas. It has distinctive ladies and gents’ area and an additional club for ladies only featuring a private gym, pool and beach.

Source: http://www.hospitalitybizindia.com

W Hotels Worldwide Hits 45th Hotel Milestone

From the 12th annual International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM), W Hotels Worldwide (NYSE:HOT), the global design powerhouse, today announced the opening of its 45th hotel and first ever-ski retreat, W Verbier, as it marks 15 years of industry innovation this month. On track to reach more than 60 hotels by 2017, W redefines the contemporary hotel experience with each new opening, offering cutting-edge design, Whatever/Wheneverservice, buzzing bars and restaurants, and insider access to what’s new and next for both its guests and locals alike. Following its 1998 debut in New York City, W now boasts a global portfolio of 45 hotels and retreats and continues to be the fastest growing luxury brand in the history of lodging.

“The lasting impact W Hotels has made on the hotel industry cannot be overstated,” said Frits van Paasschen, Chief Executive Officer and President of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. “Over the past 15 years, W has turned the staid hospitality landscape on its head and demonstrated that a hotel is more than a place to check in and checkout as it continues to reinvent the category it created with each new hotel opening around the world.”

An Industry Revolution Amplified

The opening of W Verbier continues the W brand’s aggressive global growth, which began 15 years ago with the debut of the David Rockwell-designed W New York in the heart of midtown Manhattan. W ushered in a new era of hospitality, launching a new category in lodging that combined the spirit of the then-emerging boutique hotel with the hospitality expertise and service know-how of a veteran hotelier. The hotel landscape hasn’t been the same since its debut, and today, the effects of the W brand’s innovations are still widely felt – and often imitated – including: the introduction of the W brand’s signature Whatever/Whenever service philosophy; the creation of the W Insider, a modern-day concierge of cool who creates personalized experiences for guests within the destination; the transformation of the traditional, transactional hotel lobby into the W Living Room centered around cocktail culture; the concept of the hotel as a cultural hub with the introduction of W Happenings events, which focus on what’s new in design, fashion, music, and entertainment; the introduction of W Hotels The StoreSM, a complete departure from the hotel sundries shop; the appointment of a Global Music Director, who curates 24-hour soundtracks and live music performances at W Hotels globally; the reinterpretation of the traditional hotel lexicon (associates became Talent; gym became FITSM; pool deck became WETSM); and the launch of the popular W Hotels iPhone app, which provides W loyalists with hours of streaming DJ mixes around various moods. Only six years after launching, the W brand’s popularity also spawned the creation of Starwood’s Aloft brand, which offers the “always on” generation of travelers style at a steal with currently more than 75 hotels in 14 countries.

Insider Access to What’s New and Next

Disrupting the traditional hospitality approach, W Hotels has shaped a unique lifestyle positioning through its passions for design, fashion and music. W provides a global platform for emerging talent, offering guests and locals insider access to what’s new and next in the destination and around the world. For example, W Hotels has been the first hospitality partner of the CFDA {FASHION INCUBATOR} program, providing exposure for these rising designers outside of New York City through regional fashion showcases and global inspiration trips to W Hotels around the world. Throughout the year, W also hosts regular live music performances and DJ sets in its Living Rooms and conducts an annual “DJ Lab,” at which international emerging DJs are mentored by industry giants in preparation for a global tour of W Hotels. Finally, W not only collaborates with cutting-edge design talent on its new hotels and retreats – from Concrete for W Verbier to Studio Gaia for W Bogota – but also through its ongoing relationship with Design Miami/ Basel and the W Hotels Designers of the Future Award, which recognizes up-and-coming designers and studios that are expanding the field of design. This year’s winners traveled to various W Hotels for inspiration and will see their projects installed in the Living Rooms of those hotels in early 2014.

“W is future forward in our approach, drawing inspiration from the vibrant energy and 24/7 spirit of New York City,” said Paul James, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels, St. Regis, and The Luxury Collection. “As we celebrate our 45thhotel and briefly look back on the W brand’s innovation over the past 15 years, it is clear that W defined and attracts a new generation of luxury traveler, who prefers a more contemporary attitude, modern style and personalized experiences in this new golden age of travel.”

Source: http://www.broadwayworld.com

Why the UAE Is a Leading Tourism Destination In the Region

LTD Hospitality Group Completes Major Renovations for Portfolio of Hampton Roads Marriott Hotels

Neel Desai, Managing Principal of LTD Hospitality Group is pleased to announce that LTD has completed major renovations for a portfolio of three Marriott hotels located in the Hampton Roads corridor.

SpringHill Suites Norfolk/Virginia Beach: LTD completed a cyclical 6-year renovation of the 131-all suite SpringHill Suites by Marriott Norfolk/Virginia Beach located at 6350 Newtown Road in Norfolk, VA.

Every aspect of the 131-all suite SpringHill Suites owned by Newtown Motel Associates, LLC, from furniture and lighting to colors and fabrics, has been thoughtfully renovated to offer vibrant and collaborative spaces. The recharged lobby-featuring upbeat colors, accent fabrics, new carpet, and stained wood – provides a great setting for conducting casual meetings or simply socializing in an open, inviting environment. The larger than typical guest rooms feature new wall paper, lighting, curtains, and paint schemes. The suites provide separate living, working and sleeping spaces to provide guests with maximum flexibility and comfort.

Guests can connect to free WiFi supported by a speedy fiber optic internet connection, and there are ample electrical outlets throughout the lobby to power digital devices. The newly installed community tables provide great team work spaces and group dining seating.

Residence Inn Norfolk Airport: LTD is also pleased to announce that within 30 days it will have completed the 6-year renovation of the Residence Inn Norfolk Airport hotel located at 1590 N. Military Highway in Norfolk, VA.

Renovations took place in the gatehouse, guestrooms, and outdoors. The gatehouse received new flooring, furniture, and wall covering making the lobby an enticing area for guests to enjoy outside of their rooms. An updated front desk greets travelers as they enter the hotel, and a large granite breakfast buffet makes it easier to start the morning at the Residence Inn Norfolk Airport. The new spacious and redesigned lobby makes the evening socials at the Residence Inn Norfolk a cozy environment for its guests to seek out rest from a busy work day.

The Marriott branded “Possibilities” package was used to renovate each room, giving each room brand new artwork, lighting package, upholstered seating, bedding, and drapery. Each guest room’s kitchen also received updated granite counter tops and ceramic cook-tops. With a whole new look, feel, and ambiance guests practically have a brand new room to relax in during their extended stay.

Courtyard Downtown Norfolk: Finally, LTD is pleased to announce its completion of the 140 newly renovated guestrooms to travelers at the hotel located at 520 Plume St. in Norfolk, VA. The completed 6-year renovation updated the guestrooms, corridors, foyer, and fitness center at the hotel to enhance an already excellent product.

“The staff takes great pride in the changes at the hotel,” said Neel Desai, Managing Partner for LTD. “Throughout the renovation, our Guest Service Satisfaction scores were very positive. Service is what keeps our guests coming back, and the renovations will give them a new place to relax.”

“LTD’s Development Division provided purchasing, storing, staging, vendor management, and installation services for all three renovations,” said Desai. He added, “The renovations were a significant investment by the hotel’s ownership and a commitment to the viability of the surrounding Norfolk market.”

Source: http://www.virtual-strategy.com

Cat Hotels: Boutique Hospitality You Can Only Dream Of

The late writer and veterinarian James Herriot – whose work inspired the TV series “All Creatures Great and Small” – once wrote “cats are connoisseurs of comfort”. Quite what he would have thought of the latest string of indulgent offerings for felines that are popping up around the country we can only imagine. This December, the Ings luxury cat hotel in West Yorkshire will open for business, offering a level of service that should leave anyone who has spent months slumming it in a cockroach ridden hostel for the sake of adventure seething with jealousy.

Each suite at the Ings has “stunning panoramic views”, underfloor heating and bespoke wrought iron four poster beds “complete with cut glass crystal balls and the softest cotton bedding with goose feather cushions.” Flat screen TVs come as standard, permitting the pampered pet to watch their favourite DVDs, such as looped footage of a fishtank or butterfly meadows, and an optional a la carte menu offers dishes such as pan fried sea bass with organic butter and steamed prawns. Of course, all good things come at a price – super sized family suites cost about $24, while the Woodland Wing, which is “one of the largest suites in the country” (we assume that comparison only refers to catteries) is a whopping $65 a night, around four times the price of your run of the mill cat accommodation.

It may be one of the most excessive, but it’s not the first boutique hotel for cats to open up. The trendsetting Longcroft Luxury Cat Hotel opened in Welwyn Garden City in 2010 and now boasts two more locations, with many more under consideration. Suites include wrought iron beds, soft pillows and an “a la cat menu served on bone china”. Suites range from $27 to $72.

But these prices look positively modest when you consider how much money the most extravagant of cat owners is prepared to lavish on their feline companions. Fashion designer Karl Lagerfield insists on bringing Choupette, his pet Siamese cat and muse on his travels with him – by private jet, with a dedicated maid.

Meanwhile, among the rooms offered at the Balneath Wood boutique cat hotel in Lewes, are an executive suite (presumably for fat cats) and two penthouse suites which actually include real duvets. We assume the cats sleep on them, rather than under them. There is also a range of spa services, such as nail clipping and micro chipping, though we’d feel a little shortchanged if we turned up to a spa and only received the latter.

Source: http://www.themorningsun.com

Hospitality with a Green Touch

In the Kamal Haasan starrer Pushpaka Vimana (1987), the story unfolded in the suites, balconies and gardens of a five star hotel. The idea was to pit a few ordinary mundane lives against excessive luxury. The idea of luxury then was limited to carpeted rooms, fluffy beds, marble floors and blinding chandeliers. Over the years however the idea of luxurious hospitality has undergone a lot of change.

The hospitality industry may not be the most environmentally conscientious one but significantly, some brands are trying to reinvent themselves to connect better with a new breed of consumers who want to enjoy luxury responsibly.

The trend of green hotels is mushrooming all over the world, heritage buildings are being preserved to serve new functions and some new buildings try and pay tribute to the culture and ethos of the geography and history that surrounds them.

ITC’s Royal Gardenia in Bangalore attempts to do just that and was accorded  the highest rating for green buildings in the world — the LEED India Platinum Rating. The first glimpse of the hotel reveals its intention to take the greener path. There are four living green vertical walls in the welcoming interiors inspired by French botanist Patrick Blanc.

They break up the monotony of the enclosed stuffiness that is associated with hotel lobbies. These soil free, gravity mocking steel backed gardens shoot up to the 12th floor and celebrate over 1,500 plants which in turn are drip irrigated.

There is a lotus pavillion with a water body and a marked absence of energy gobbling light fixtures or an excess of layering that involves wall-to-wall carpeting, thrumming air conditioning and thick, impervious walls that shut out fresh air and sunlight.

The green roof is another example of cutting down cooling costs. This is arguably the largest platinum rated hotel with its green sensibility spanning over 6,00,000 sq ft. Reducing the carbon footprint in a structure of this scale must have been a challenge but building green and observing sustainable green practices are two different things.

The hotel, however, uses 100 per cent renewable energy and has a plant that recycles waste water to use for gardening. Food wastage is a big issue in hotels and here measures are taken to control that by individualising portions.

What the hotel does however most convincingly is weave uncompromised aesthetics with green intelligence where nature and architecture are seamless and complete each other and embrace Bangalore’s love for gardens.

Its architect Rajinder Kumar is known to build hotels that take distinctive elements from a city’s culture and showcase them with a modern twist. One way to not waste what exists is to not discard local traditions completely in an attempt to be global. The glass facade of the hotel is modern but the leafy pavillion is inspired by Tipu Sultan and multiple floors are bathed in natural light for most part.

A remote wind farm in Bellari has been built to obtain the renewable electricity, LED and CFL lights animate the interior and energy efficient fixtures provide external lighting, greywater and blackwater are kept separate and treated on site, flushes use recycled water as well, taps and showers use less water than usual. Composting and sold waste segregation is also taken care of.

The interiors were designed by Francesca Basu with the abundance of life forms and various elements in nature as her inspiration so the motifs of earth, foliage, water, fire, sky, animals, flowers, birds and butterflies abound.

Inside the rooms, dividers are made of bamboo trunks and natural fabrics are used for furnishings.

Small touches like a curtailed use of stationery go a long way in making a positive gesture towards environment. The fact that the hotel is a breath away from the city’s lung space Cubbon Park is hugely symbolic.

Consumerism is an inevitable aspect of our life. We buy, we consume, we waste but more and more brands are slowly but surely realising the importance of earning more than just paper equity. They are realising that they need to invest in more than just profit. Even if going green is another way to attract a consumer, it still is a positive step towards a more responsible way of doing business.

Source: http://newindianexpress.com

IHG Opens New Holiday Inn Hotel for Bucaramanga Cacique, Colombia

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced the opening of the 187-room Holiday Inn hotel in the northeastern city of Bucaramanga, Colombia recently. Bucaramanga’s first Holiday Inn hotel  brings IHG’s hotel portfolio for Colombia to nine.

“The Holiday Inn Bucaramanga hotel is just one example of IHG’s vision for expanding the brand in Colombia,” said Alvaro Diago, COO, Latin America and Caribbean, IHG. Bucaramanga is the country’s sixth largest city with a thriving economy and there is a growing demand for well-known international hotel brands, like Holiday Inn.”

The 18-story new-build property is located in one of the most upscale areas of Bucaramanga and just minutes from the city’s financial district of Cabecera, private and public sports venues,  as well as ecological parks offering adventure sports like rafting, mountain climbing, mountain biking and motocross, among others.

“We are very pleased to open this property in a growing city like Bucaramanga. We look forward to exceeding expectations for the city’s growing business and leisure market,” added Gerardo Murray, Vice President, Marketing Strategic Services for Mexico, Latin America and Caribbean,
IHG.

Holiday Inn hotels feature a residential atmosphere that is warm, trend forward and comfortable. Guest beds are made using crisp, white bedding with pillows that come in two comfort levels: soft and firm. The residential design also includes business-focused necessities such as an ergonomic workstation and data ports, with the bathrooms including a multifunctional showerhead, and signature shower curtain with curved rod. Additionally, each room features comfortable double, queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair, hairdryer, micro fridge, coffee maker, iron and ironing board. Guest amenities at the Bucaramanga hotel include an indoor swimming pool, business center, state-of-the-art gym, a rooftop bar, restaurant and 11,000 sq ft of meeting space. The hotel also provides quick access to the many businesses within Cacique, as well as various restaurants, movie theaters and a 17-story office space.

Source: http://www.hospitalitybizindia.com

How Ace Hotel Redefined Hospitality

Vintage furniture, street art, bold typography, old crates of vinyl…these are the trappings we’ve come to expect from hip bars and hotels the world over. But back in the late 1990s the idea of incorporating such design features into a hotel was cutting edge.

When Alex Calderwood, who died this week aged 47, founded the firstAce Hotel in Seattle in 1999, it immediately set a new benchmark for hospitality. Working with designer Eric Hentz, Calderwood converted a former 28-room halfway house for maritime workers into a desirable destination for creatives dotted with reclaimed furniture and contemporary art. But it wasn’t just the design that was pioneering, the hotel also broke convention by offering budget rooms with communal bathrooms under the same roof as large luxury suites.

For Tamara Heber-Percy, co-founder of Mr & Mrs Smith, the review website which helped fuel the interest in boutique hotels, Ace Hotels offered something completely original. “Calderwood introduced real innovation into the hotel world and a lot of hoteliers are still playing catch-up,” she says.

Even now, 14 years later, Ace is seen as the definitive hip hotel chain, inspiring both copycat designs and affectionate mockery for its association with the hipster lifestyle. Actor and comedian Fred Armisen, a friend of Calderwood’s, created a comedy sketch in TV show Portlandia that famously poked fun at the hotel’s laid-back, blasé style, in which dissinterested staff hand out turntables and typewriters to exasperated guests.

Calderwood, who created the hotel chain with friends Wade Weigel and Doug Herrick, clearly drew inspiration from his varied life experience. Before diving into the hotel industry, he was a prolific member of the Seattle party scene. He never went to college, but made a name for himself putting on club nights in warehouses before going on to launch a vintage clothing business. His first big success lay with Rudy’s barbershop, which he launched in the early 90s. The fashionable stores were based on the timeless barbershop design – with tiled floors and traditional chairs – and by the late 1990s the brand had grown to boast over a dozen branches. Calderwood needed a new challenge; he decided to take on hotels.

In 2007 Ace opened a second hotel in Portland, before going on to open branches in Oregon, New York, Palm Springs, and California. Just six weeks ago, Ace opened a hotel in the East London area of Shoreditch, and new branches in Panama City and Los Angeles are also underway.

Each new hotel morphed to fit the location it was based in, collaborating with local businesses to create a home from home feel. The Shoreditch hotel was designed by London based Universal Design Studio, features hire bicycles that were custom made by local company Tokyobike and also has a branch of contemporary east London florist That Flower Shopin the building.

For Herbert Ypma, creator of the Hip Hotels series of travel books, Ace radically changed the thinking within the industry. “Ace caused the deconstruction of convention,” he says. “What’s wrong with a bathroom being shared? Does a lobby have to be a lobby? Do we even need a lobby? These are the kinds of questions they asked.”

“It was very democratic,” says Ypma. “I think Calderwood identified something very interesting about travel – if you always travel first class you’ll never meet anyone interesting – you’re just cocooned. Some of the saddest hotels are very luxurious but everyone is sitting as far away as possible from each other. These hotels specialise in keeping everyone at a social distance. This is what gave Ace its edge – they let people mix together. ”

Heber-Percy of Mr and Mrs Smith adds, “He had a real vision of hotels as places you want to hang out in, not just head straight to your bedroom. I can’t think of another hotel group with such a strong brand and all-pervading identity – everything from the cocktails to the cleaning signs is unmistakeably Ace.”

Source: http://www.theguardian.com

Hospitality is More than Just Hotels

What does the word “hospitality” actually mean to you? When I asked this of some school children earlier in the year they thought it meant working in a hospital. When I asked the same question to undergraduate hospitality students the answer I got was working in a hotel. Do you know what the various sectors are within our industry?

As a hospitality professional reading this article, even if you cannot name all the sectors I am sure you know that “Hospitality is more than just hotels” and that was the theme of the Institute of Hospitality London Student Forum which I organised for over 130 hospitality students a few weeks ago.

With a line up of industry speakers from different sectors of the hospitality industry the students were able to broaden their knowledge on how varied our industry is. They heard from professionals from the pub, restaurant, members club, visitor attraction, holiday park, contract catering as well as the hotel sector.

One of the key areas of discussion that came out from the day is that the hospitality industry has many sectors which our aspiring hospitality graduates can not only work in but more importantly build a career. As employers we need to be clear on what our expectations are of these motivated individuals and really find out what their long term aspirations are. We should not be looking to employ students so they have a part time job and gain some work experience in our industry, instead we should be looking at how to develop their talent and continue to inspire them so they can have a varied career within hospitality.

This is what the Institute of Hospitality London Coaching Programme aims to do. At the Student Forum the hospitality students that attended were invited to present a one minute video pitch or live pitch in front of their peers (over 130 of them) to express “How having a professional hospitality coach would benefit them personally and professionally”.

From those brave enough to do this, 7 students have now been selected to have a hospitality professional to coach them for free for six months to help to develop them and their career aspirations. The coaches are members of the Institute of Hospitality and some of whom are also the Institute of Hospitality London Aspiring Manager Award winners who are individuals that have been recognized as giving an outstanding contribution to their organization, customers and colleagues.

Source: http://www.hotel-industry.co.uk