To say I work in the Hospitality Industry would be a falsehood. To say I work FOR it? Yeah, that's more accurate.
Over my three years growing with the Independent Lodging Congress, I've been fortunate enough to meet and mingle with like-minded creators, hoteliers, financiers, designers, marketers, media, and other inspiring people. Seriously, meeting people like Chip Conley and Liz Lambert and Ben Pundole has truly been humbling. But, in order to pull-off a meaningful gathering of passionate provocateurs and get 'er doners, I've had to dissect what the world of Hospitality actually means to me.
Hospitality is passion. It evokes a light of belonging and nurtures it. It's a smiling face, a new meal that tastes like an home, a personalized hand-written welcome card. That glow in someone's eyes when they showed you that you matter or vice-versa.
Hospitality crosses cultural barriers and platforms. It graces both the physical and virtual world. It's a language which varies from country to country but still maintains its root essence.
Hospitality is learning to be selfless. Finding joy in taking care of others, creating for others and inspiring others in different ways every day.
Hospitality is in the intricate details. The attention a server places on a diner's glass of wine as they finish the last drop. The carefully curated list of locally brewed beers or a cohesive collection of like-minded brands from shampoo to the ice cream stand in the hotel courtyard. Sacrificing quality to save a buck? Nope, not if we don't have to.
Hospitality is also looking at the BIG picture. It's when brands both big and small take initiative to set an example by using recycled products, paper straws, and re-fillable shower gel bottles. It's about nixing all single-use plastic and taking care of the community we inhabit because we recognize that this where we can make the greatest impact.
Fluffy rhetoric such as 'boutique' always seems to get in the way.
It's not about whether you're independent or backed by a chain. At the core, we strive to create the same, yet different, moments our guests look for. Hospitality is about being human, kind, attentive, progressive and inclusive. Fluffy rhetoric such as 'boutique' always seems to gets in the way. So, why put something so great in a box?
Like humans, Hospitality is a complex simplicity.