Martin Green - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 4

7 min

Diversity in hospitality: how cultural inclusivity defines the industry

🏨 Stefano Battaglia, a lecturer at Glion, discusses the importance of diversity in hospitality, noting that around 40% of employees in the UK and Switzerland's hospitality industries, and 30% in the US, have a non-native background. He emphasizes the benefits of a diverse workforce for customer service, adaptability, and reduced staff turnover. Challenges include translating diversity to leadership roles, with women, making up 70% of the workforce, underrepresented in top positions. Less than 30% of hospitality companies undertake unconscious bias training. Hospitality and F&B industries recognize diversity as essential for employee satisfaction and improved guest experiences, with Glion offering elective language courses to enhance student employability. Major hotel brands like Hilton are praised for their diversity programs, with Hilton having been inducted into DiversityInc’s Hall of Fame for Top Companies for Diversity.

3 min

Compelling conversations: The Insider puts hospitality center stage

🏥 Peter Schickling, a 1993 Glion alumnus and GM of W Barcelona, Hazel Limfat, a 2016 Glion graduate part of Waldorf Astoria New York's reopening team, and entrepreneur Frédéric Biousse discussed their experiences and insights at a live event in October. They shared professional and entrepreneurial philosophies, career stories, and industry changes, including the multi-billion dollar refurbishment of the Waldorf Astoria and the evolution of luxury to be more meaningful.

4 min

Change management: Glion alumnus Gabriel writes the book on how to transition from hotelier to consultant

👨 Gabriel Meyer launched his hospitality consultancy, Golden Olive International, in 2010 at age 49, before his self-imposed deadline of turning 50. With extensive experience, including roles at Hyatt International, Hilton, and other high-end hotel groups, Gabriel's consultancy offers personalized management services, specializing in project management and training. He leverages his industry knowledge, gained from global experience, including hotel openings and a foundational education at Glion in the early 80s. Golden Olive International has a reputation for expertise in the sector and is aimed at mainly independent clients. Gabriel advises aspiring consultants to work hard, be curious, and value human connections.

4 min

Go bespoke: meet the travel-obsessed alumni with a passion for personalization

🍇 In Morocco, known as the Arab world's largest wine producer, 40 million bottles of wine, including a unique gray wine, are produced annually. Adam offers VIP winery tours and exclusive visits to Yves Saint Laurent’s house in Marrakech through his travel service, leveraging personal connections. Access Morocco recently launched its own transportation service, enhancing client experience with Wi-Fi and fridges in vehicles. Adam is also developing a hotel in Ouarzazate, the filming location for movies like Gladiator. Marie, a personal travel consultant, emphasizes the importance of passion and persistence in discovering hidden gems, while Adam highlights the necessity of flexibility in bespoke travel. They address future travel trends, noting a rise in sustainable and ecotourism and the challenges posed by AI to authentic travel experiences.

6 min

The nose: the ultimate compass to luxury experiences

🏰 Alexandra Alves Gaspar, a Glion Executive Master’s in Luxury Management and Guest Experience graduate, focused on olfactory branding in her thesis titled “What the Nose Knows: Exploring the Invisible Sense in Shaping Luxury Experiences”. Positioning scent as a key player in luxury branding, she highlights the power of smell in creating immersive brand experiences. Olfactory memories are highly retentive, with a 65% accuracy over a year, and strategic scent use can increase retail sales by 11% and customer satisfaction by 20%. Emotionally connected customers are 52% more valuable than satisfied ones. Alves Gaspar emphasizes the importance of a scent being congruent and consistent with a brand’s identity, using Eden Rock – St Barths and its collaboration with Diptyque as an exemplary case of olfactory branding.

4 min

Cook with Stéphane Décotterd #11 – Lake Geneva pike roast, Ratte potato brandade with lavender, pike head jus and pointed cabbage

🍴 Michelin-starred chef Stéphane Décotterd's restaurant at Glion campus retains its star and he releases a 216-page French recipe book "Gastronomie entre lac et montagnes". The book includes a featured recipe using pike from Lake Geneva, notable for its bones but praised for its white flesh. The recipe serves 4, involving a pike mousseline with 160g pike fillet, stuffed pike roast, and pike head jus including 450g pike heads/bones. Cooking at precise temperatures and times (85°C for 10 minutes; 180°C for 15 minutes), it highlights Décotterd’s culinary expertise. The book is available internationally on Amazon and Fnac, with direct sales in Switzerland via Maison Décotterd shop.

4 min

World’s best luxury destinations – #4 The American ‘Great Outdoors’

🏄 Dr. Barbara Czyzewska recommends luxury ranch vacations in the USA to lift spirits during fall. In the 19th century, ranches became integral in America, with livestock grazing on over a quarter of US land. King Ranch in Texas is the largest at 825,000 acres, housing approximately 35,000 cattle. Paw’s Up Resort in Montana, founded by the Lipson family in 2005, offers glamping with personal butlers. Brush Creek Ranch in Wyoming spans 30,000 acres, providing all-inclusive experiences with outdoor activities and gourmet cuisine. The Ranch at Rock Creek in Montana offers an authentic working cattle ranch experience. Whiteface Lodge Resort & Spa in New York reflects luxury lodge décor and provides pampering spa treatments. These destinations offer a blend of adventure and luxury, keeping the American West spirit alive.

3 min

Entrepreneurial alumnus Ronald Homsy launches a new hospitality management venture

🏡 Ronald, co-founder of Aventra Hospitality, with 25 years of experience, and his partner Richard, with a background in Middle East hotel market and five years as CEO, are introducing innovative and sustainable hotel management solutions. Aventra, with offices in Dubai, Riyadh, and London, caters to investors and developers in global and Central Asian markets, aiming for around 100 hotels under management in a decade. The company supports independent brand setups, offering services from concept to operational management and exit strategy. Recently, Ronald co-organized the Glion Alumni Accelerator competition, launched in 2023, advising student and alumni entrepreneurs. The second Accelerator contest is culminating, with Pitch Battle Day scheduled for 27 November on the Glion campus.

4 min

Making waves: how alumnus Bastian is empowering lives through building schools and surfing

🏄 Bastian, a German national, established Waved in Panama in 2016 to provide English and surfing lessons along with swimming classes and public school infrastructure improvements. Waved's curriculum includes an eight-week compulsory Ocean Safety course, with a focus on literacy in English and Spanish. 90% of locals lack formal employment, and 25% live under extreme poverty. Aiming to start in 2025, Bastian is creating Econecta, a community tourism project in partnership with Fundes Centroamérica to support education and generate income, with an existing similar project in Mexico. Waved is unique in its transparency, being the only social purpose organization in Panama to publish quarterly reports.

5 min

Going for growth: CEO Laurent Kleitman offers exclusive insights on Mandarin Oriental’s new ten-year strategy

📝 In 2025, a new app to enhance guest experiences will be rolled out, featuring seamless check-in/out and an in-app chat. Mandarin Oriental currently operates 41 hotels, 12 residences, and 24 homes across 26 countries, with 28 projects under development. In 2023, staff volunteered 52,000 hours, a 150% increase from 2022. The group removed 99% of single-use plastics, sources all agricultural commodities ethically, and aims to have all properties GSTC certified by 2025. They won three World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards in 2024.

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