The Young Professionals Shaping the Future of the Hospitality Industry
When looking into an industry, the leading changemakers are usually those with decades of experience within the industry that can speak to the changes that have occurred over time. It is rare that young professionals and entrepreneurs within the industry are given the opportunity to voice their opinions on the future of the industry they work in even though they are the ones who will eventually be shaping it the longest. This though is not always the case. Behind the scenes, the youth in an industry are constantly creating changes that can go blindly noticed by the more experienced professionals, and they can be the ones who create the innovation to truly revolutionize the future of the industry. This is the case for three very great examples of young changemakers in the hospitality industry.
Example #1: A Youth Worker within the Hospitality Industry
The first example of this youth professional empowerment for the future of the hospitality industry is Carter Benedict, a 3rd-year Hospitality and Tourism Management Major at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Carter is currently a summer intern at the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort on the Akwesasne Mohawk reservation gaining experience in several different departments including the hotel front desk. He uses prior hotel experience in several departments to benefit the entire hotel and has been attributed to much of the success of the hotel’s customer service from a youth perspective. This is what he had to say about his and other youth’s role in the hospitality industry:
“The world is constantly changing at such a rapid pace and I truly believe no one sees and understands this better than the upcoming youth, especially in the hospitality industry where there is still massive room for growth.”
His understanding of his future role in the industry is clear. It is to create the benefits experienced professionals can not see to promote the rapid changes that new perspectives bring into the hospitality and service industries. It is this passion that will allow his effect on the future to be massive.
Example #2: An Extremely Young Hospitality Tech Entrepreneur
Another amazing example of the applicable change a youth mindset can bring to an integral process of the hospitality industry is Niam Shah, the 18-year-old co-founder of ota•savings who is heading to Stanford University this fall. Niam grew up in the hotel industry, with examples of restaurants and front desks surrounding his life and was always shocked by the lack of technological innovation for the automation of important hotel saving processes. As a result, he helped create ota•savings which helps hotels to stop overpaying online travel agents through the use of advanced computer programs. This is what he had to say about his role as an entrepreneur in the service and hospitality industries:
“I firmly believe that our future should be written by those who will live in it. A young entrepreneur’s perspectives, ideas, way of thinking, and beginner’s mind can spark incredible revolutions in an industry, especially ones like hospitality that are late to modernize. And when this young entrepreneur is paired with an experienced mentor, they can change the world.”
Clearly, Niam is a believer in the positive benefits that come from diverse perspectives within a single industry. His mindset is to work together with older mentors to assist with the transition to the benefits that youth perspectives can provide in the technological revolution coming to the hospitality industry.
Example #3: A Young Hospitality Expansion Entrepreneur
A new and upcoming example of someone changing the way hotel expansion is done from a youth’s perspective is Armaan Patel, the 18-year-old founder of AGA Hotels and winner of the Outstanding Young Professional of the Year Award from AAHOACON. Armaan’s company has three brands that own nine properties in Southern California and his hotel businesses use search engine optimization, revenue optimization, and a well-made and unique rewards program as a form of growing and maintaining their large audience base. As a result, Armaan has been able to use his passion for the hospitality industry to assist in the growth of the franchises with a hands-on approach, guiding them each step of the way. This is what he had to say about his role as a youth entrepreneur and inspiration to others:
“I aspire to influence young individuals to establish their interests and begin to feel comfortable taking risks for their passion. I hope to help young entrepreneurs gain knowledge from their highs and lows rather than letting them set them back. I hope to become a positive influencer for young and upcoming entrepreneurs by guiding them where to begin and how to expand.”
It is clear that Armaan is devoted to using his unique skill set for young hospitality growth as a teaching tool to inspire other youth to do the same. He believes strongly that it is the power that comes from the new and young perspectives in the hospitality industry which will guide its success in the future. He has made it clear that he will continue to push his young perspective against all odds that he faces about changing norms in the industry.
Conlusion:
While these three notable examples are very important to picture the future of the hospitality industry in the hands of the youth, they are only a tiny part of an even larger and growing movement of youth revolutionizing the industry. There are thousands of other young professionals working now who will eventually have their impact known in the operations of the hospitality industry around the world.
