IHIF board discuss industry changes
An esteemed group of hospitality industry experts gathered at École hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland recently for the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) Advisory Board meeting. Gathering annually to review recent events, the board seeks to better understand and predict industry challenges and future trends in order to plan the following year’s event.
A key theme that emerged was the importance of focusing on the hospitality workforce, from the initial stages of attracting talented people to the industry, to roles that excite, motivate and engender productivity. The board also agreed on the need to retain this talent in order to create a sustainable talent pool for the future. This topic will feature heavily in the programme for IHIF 2018, taking place from 5-8 March next year.
Tess Pearson, Event Director, Questex Hospitality Group, host of IHIF, comments: “The insights, opinions and knowledge of the IHIF Advisory Board are fundamental elements in shaping the approaching conference. We are honoured that these industry experts are able to take time from their busy schedules to participate in this preparatory meeting. The collaborative sharing amongst the Advisory Board is the very essence of IHIF and we are delighted to be able to bring this group together. We are grateful to École hôtelière de Lausanne for once again kindly hosting this event.”
As part of the Advisory Board, Questex arranged a panel discussion comprising representatives from leading organisations within the industry, inviting students from École hôtelière de Lausanne to attend.
The session focused predominantly on how the changes currently occurring within the hospitality industry are affecting careers, as well as the skills now required by employers to best prepare these changes. Key skills the panel decided upon were numeracy, people skills, flexibility and openness to the outside world. In particular, Russell Kett, Chairman HVS London Office advised to: “be nimble, be flexible, be yourself”.
