HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS: THE UNSUNG HEROES

I write this today on an occasion when we practice abject social distancing, and to alleviate the somber mood of our nation, our respected Prime Minister has appealed to us, while practicing the home quarantine protocol; to chant, clap or cheer, as a sign of unison for all our first responders, who rage on, in their battle against this deadly virus, that has debilitated our normal way of life. It gives me a great sense of pride to be part of the extended community of first responders, because while the hospitality industry rarely gets called out in the same breath as the army, doctors or firefighters; we follow the exact same genetic code: unyielding integrity, respect and submission to the stated as well as latent needs of the people we service, sometimes even in the face of crisis and insurmountable odds. It is by virtue of the values that are instilled in us through hospitality education and the tenets innate to our curriculum, that enables inspired individuals to hone their skills and catapult themselves to the sphere of absolute service excellence, ergo becoming the best version of themselves, that aligns them to the fundamental principle of our industry: creation of an environment that is conducive to utopian comfort.

Hospitality education does not simply build managers who are able to sustain operations, but thought leaders; capable of incisive insights in scenarios of crisis and disaster management, personnel management, conflict resolution and of course business-as-usual operations, just to name a few. Through a combination of courses on comprehensive Hospitality as Business Management function, Hospitality Law, global culinary trends and arts; experiential learning through industry internships/apprenticeship and a healthy mix of elective subjects on contemporary areas within the hospitality industry, students become in the truest sense, global citizens, industry leaders and individuals with the right acumen and mettle to handle the nitty-gritties of the hospitality industry.

With the world now coping with a hitherto unseen force that has torn the fabric of social structure, and the foundation on which our industry operates viz. to create a value experience for our patrons away from their home, teeters on the precipice of a huge paradigm shift, should we be apprehensive of how our industry gears up for this change? Quite the contrary, I believe that this is an opportunity to demonstrate our conviction towards service excellence and customer delight, that like most first responders, our doors are always open! I believe this is our finest hour!!!