Celebrating 40 Years of Hospitality Expertise and the Foundation that Grew the Advice of a Lifetime

Thanks to Vincenzo Vinzi, Dean of ESSEC for such an inspiring opening. 

Greetings distinguished faculty, sponsors, students of my beloved alma mater, fellow hospitality executives, colleagues and friends of IMHI - one of the world’s truly great institutions of hospitality expertise if not the greatest. Dear Alumni, colleagues and friends…

Happy Birthday! Looking at early ALUMNI in the room, I truly think that we aged very well!

It is an honor to be here today not only to commemorate IMHI’s 40^th Anniversary and recognize its incredible success but to share with you my personal journey of how IMHI laid the foundation for my life in hospitality, and in my personal life as well.

I recently came across a quote that has lingered in my mind as I prepared for today’s conversation.  “Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.”

As I look back to understand what brings me to this stage and moment, I must credit the incredible preparation, international exposure and dedicated staff of IMHI, in partnership with Cornell during my time here so long ago, that transformed my dream of taking part in the world of hospitality to becoming a person ready to make that dream a reality.

Education is a tremendous gift.  And while I was ambitious and excited to utilize all that IMHI prepared me for, I do not think I took the time to consider the importance, that precious moment between things – when I crossed from student to professional.  From building a career to reflecting on my career in hospitality – a journey so many in this very room are contemplating, experiencing, or remembering for themselves right now...  

As I said, life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. 

Which brings me to my son Kelian, who is across the Atlantic, on the verge of his next big moment – as a graduate of the University of Central Florida Rosen College of Hospitality Management.  Today, he is wearing his graduation gown and cap, listening to a speaker sharing words of wisdom (who will surely not be as reviting as I!). 

I wish he would not have failed 2 key classes otherwise he would have graduated on a date I would have been in town! Classes were French and timeshare!!

And I am not there, which also feels fitting because this, truly, is the essence of the hospitality industry. We work while others play. We work so others feel welcome and supremely comfortable when they are apart from the places where they are loved and most at ease, home. 

So, I hope you understand why I am going to give this talk as if I am speaking to my son, Kelian.

Yes, in the hospitality industry, we work while others play. We see to the details while others celebrate.

And there is something absolutely wonderful and beautiful in this. It is not about having a strong work ethic, though that of course is important. We don’t congratulate ourselves for putting in long hours. That is not where we draw our value. No. It is that we are creating the conditions for the world to become smaller. For strangers to become intimates. For knowledge to be gained, for understandings to be nurtured, for empathy to flourish. We work, because the fruits of our labor result in a kinder, more connected world.

Kelian, you are embarking on this path of making the world a kinder, more connected place. As your older brother, 33 yo today, embarked in a journey after undergrade and an MBA in Hospitality. He now runs a glamping resort in the mountains of Vail, Co, enjoying with passion for the industry. And I could not be more proud or grateful of my 3 kids’ lives.

Travel is essential. It is in our blood. It is what we are meant, as humans, to do. Move around the world. Take in new experiences. When we travel, we break out of our comfort zones. We lean into our curiosity. We absorb new histories, we hear new languages, taste new foods. Our surroundings may be unfamiliar, and traditions may vary. But the more we take in these new experiences, the more we gain an understanding of the world – its beauty and its pain, the way people celebrate and offer prayer, the play of children and the reminisces of the old. 

The hirony of course, is the more we step inside someone else’s shoes, the more we begin to understand about ourselves.

This knowledge is what makes travel so fundamental to the human experience. Understanding cultural differences, the histories and ethos that explain others’ behaviors or beliefs, is so so important. Because when we can fully appreciate the people who occupy the same spaces that we do, the more we realize that this earth belongs to them as well.

I have been to 106 countries in my life (and you don’t want to go above 100, last 6 one was kind of scary). On my deathbed, these will be perhaps the most important memories I will carry with me. Learning about and cherishing cultural differences. And of course, you and your siblings are a major part of those memories, Kelian. 

The more we travel the world … the smaller our world becomes. We build understanding. We build empathy. The other becomes us. Strangers become intimates.

Of all the things you have learned over the course of your studies, this is the essence of hospitality.

Kelian, you join an industry as important as any ambassador in building the conditions that allow these human connections to take place. You will set the stage for empathy and understanding to flourish all around the globe. You will be the weavers of this invisible web, binding us together.

So, even though I may not be with you today, I hope you know you are in my heart. You are always in my heart, no matter how far I travel. 

And as I celebrate you and IMHI - an institution that has been so fundamental to my own experience and understanding of the vital role of hospitality in our world, I am reminded that there is so much more to come.  New research and methods are yet to be discovered.  Incredible innovations are afoot. And you Kelian and all of us gathered here today are a part of that momentum.  To do more.  To deliver more.  To delight more.

So, let’s talk about the hospitality industry.

For the last 40 years, room inventory has grown 4 to 5% each year. Every year, we have seen that same growth. And it is projected to grow 4 to 5% each year, for years to come. At the same time, demand has grown at double that – about 8% per year. That has been the trend for years, and it is also projected to continue. The demand for accommodations is growing faster than the supply. Despite high inflation, looming recession and other global pressures, the last thing people are cutting is travel and vacations. This is good news for you. This is good news for those who want to innovate. There will be room for hospitality as we know it today, and room for new products and disruptors.

Speaking of disruptors, I went to Machu Pichu recently … sort of. I tried out those goggles – virtual reality Metaverse device. You can say there’s something disingenuous about wearing a pair of gogglesand calling it “travel”, I’m sure. But for the people who can’t travel in the real world – whether due to financial or physical limitations – there is still the curiosity. It is ingrained in us. It is in our blood, this desire to travel. So, I went to Machu Pichu. Some may see this as a threat to the industry. But I see it as a plus. Because it gave me a taste. The more you educate people about travel, the more they will want to travel for real. I ‘climbed’ Machu Pichu in a pair of goggles. And that made me want to climb it in real life. Make room for the disruptors. 

As a result of this virtual trip, I asked my team to buy a couple of land on the Metaverse and we’re going to build a first timeshare resort next to Nike and Tiffany!

And unlike when I was coming up in the business, there are now so many distribution channels for finding accommodations. From GDS systems to OTAs, the meta search sites like Google and third-party resellers - we rarely sell directly to the client anymore, will soon be fully handled by AI. 

There is a statistic … before someone books a room, they click 18 times and watch at least one video. Information is everywhere. This access to knowledge is powerful. When I was your age, I had to go to a library, and look things up in a card catalogue (do you even know what that is?) 

Now, you just make a few taps … maybe not even, maybe you just call out to Siri or Alexa or ChatGPT….’ and a world of information is right in front of you. This is amazing. This doesn’t dampen curiosity. It enhances it. With all this knowledge, data - you may have a better sense of what tomorrow will bring.

But the fact is, we can never fully know what tomorrow will bring. Ever. This can be scary. But it is also exhilarating. 

You can only live your life forward, 100%. So, look back only to gain wisdom from past experiences; never look back with regret. There is a quote, “I’d rather regret the things I’ve done, and not the things I haven’t.” Think about that for a moment. Regret the things you’ve done, not the things you haven’t. The point is, whatever you do or decide in life, just do it, and then move on. Don’t allow space for regrets. Life offers few do-overs, but it always offers do betters. So, jump in the deep end of the pool with a big splash and then, learn from your mistakes and keep swimming.

I’d like to share some advice with you that has driven my professional life so long:  the key to success could be to spend 100% of your time doing the work of your job description. And then to spend 15% of your time benchmarking. And another 15% of your time networking. I can see the wheels turning in your mind … ‘uh, Dad that’s 130%!’  More than you must give - yes, it is. But you must realize that benchmarking and networking are essential to your jobs. They are absolutely key in this industry.

BENCHMARKING – notice what is around you. Everywhere I go, I take 10 minutes and I sit in the lobby of a hotel and look around. I see where people walk when they first arrive … do they turn left or right? What do they pay attention to as they take in their new surroundings? What are the sounds I hear? What is the music? The smells, the colors. What are the employees doing? What do they wear? What is their body language? All of this is marketing, and it all has meaning.

But don’t limit your benchmarking to the hotel. Take in your surroundings everywhere you go. Search for wow’s. For those sights or experiences that make you gasp, or go ‘whao!’, or perhaps just strike you silent. Wow can be anything. It could be a gorgeous, fiery sunset. The sound of a muezzin’s call across a desert. The utter selflessness of a stranger. There is wow to be found everywhere, and in everyone. This, incidentally, has been studied by brain scientists, and has been proven to be a major key to happiness. There are physiological effects on the body when we stop, look around us, and are striking to the core. Remember that.

NETWORKING – The other 15%. The best networking in your career will be the one you never use. Let me repeat that. The best networking you will do in your career – and I dare say in your life – is the one you will never use, from a professional standpoint. Network to make friends, to extend your family, to make intimates of strangers. This is your network, but it’s not your go to when you need a career favor. Can you understand the difference? Develop meaningful relationships. 

I wonder sometimes about intimacy and networks in this age of social media and digital connection. We tap a few words, send an emoji – it’s so easy to stay connected! And yet, I don’t know that this quick check in, snapping, what have you, is true connection. I just don’t think it is. And so, if I am to impress anything on to you … it is this: find deep connection. Cultivate those deep conversations. Seek out those moments to truly – truly – get to know someone. Open yourself up to the wow that can be found in the truths of other people.

It is never too late to recommit yourself to these truths.

Loke many of us in the room, we have experienced the red-carpet treatment when traveling. Fancy restaurants, drivers, best suite, what have you. It’s certainly nice, but that is not what excites us. We want to go where we will have true and mutual connection. 

Some of my greatest experiences have been in the homes of my colleagues - associates’ families. When I was visiting one of our properties in Morocco, I got to know the grandmother of one of my employees. I sat in her kitchen; she fed me tagine. Here I am, still talking about that meal. See? We laughed. We shared stories.  It was magic.

Benchmarking and networking… observation and connection, this is where you must spend that extra and unaccountable 30% of time and why you must give over to passion.  Passion is the magic ingredient that is absolutely required in this industry because passion is the magic that transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. Let me share a story. 

One of my most memorable hotel stays was in Hong Kong. After a long plane ride, I arrived at the Peninsula Hotel – rated for 20 years in a row the best business hotel, and here’s why – I noticed that everyone who spoke to me called me by my name. Every. Single. Person. It was magical! It turns out, the rule set forth by the general manager, way back in the 70’s or 80’s, was never speak to a guest until you know their name. 

If I pull up in my taxi from the airport, the porter will not speak to me until he pulls my luggage from the trunk, looks at the tag, and learns who I am. He will then open the door of my car and say, “Welcome, Mr. Chavy.” Then as I walk away, he speaks softly into a small microphone to someone at the front desk, “Tall guy, grey suit, Mr. Chavy” – so that by the time I walk up to check-in, they welcome me by name. It may seem like a small gesture, but it is in small gestures like these where magic comes alive. That’s how memories are made, and travel legends are born. Simple, so efficient.

This magic was so well coordinated (How did I notice this choreography, by the way? Benchmarking!), and let me tell you, it felt good. I was not a stranger when I walked through that hotel – whether it was a waiter, a housekeeper, front desk staff. They knew my name. To this day, it’s still an amazing memory. Never forget your ability to make magic for those you serve. 

Am sure you will use more RFPD technology vs name tags on a suitcase tho …

So, we’ve talked about benchmarking, networking and having that passion … I want to talk a minute about some other career advice I got. I worked with a coach for several years – not when I was just starting out, but well into my career. Don’t forget. You can always learn, always grow. This coach taught me to listen. 

I’m a tall man, I can take up a lot of space. I like to talk to people (as you may have also noticed) … and so I had to learn not to take up all the space. I mean, right now, I’m here at the podium, so I’m taking up all the space in this moment. But I’m watching the audience. I’m seeing whose iyes are on me, who is shifting, the sounds everyone here is making. This is hospitality … this is essential to being human … listen. We have two ears and one mouth. I think this is by design. We need to listen more than we speak. Because listening, deep listening, leads to empathy. And the world needs more of this. 

Listening and empathy. They are among the most critical skills – not just in hospitality, but in life. The ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes … that is key. It is key to success. And even more, it is key to happiness. We are in this industry to be in service to others. And I believe we are all, every one of us, put on this planet to be of service to one another. That starts with listening.

There are four words that are my favorite words. As I said before, I like to talk. But these four words are my everything: faith, love, understanding and hope. I’m not going to define them for you. I trust you know what they mean. But keep these four words in your heart and in your mind. Reflect on them throughout your life. Faith. Love. Understanding. Hope. There will be moments when you will draw on these words – random moments, both poignant and mundane – and you will say, “Ah, Dad – he was right.” Let these words be your north star. Faith. Love. Understanding. Hope.

I may not be with you in person today, Kelian, but I will always know that I have given you a gift. And that is the world. I have given you the world. You have been exposed to so much of what this great globe and its wonderful inhabitants have to offer … despite it not being a normal life. You and your siblings grew up in the hospitality industry, lived in 17 different places, countries and continents and passed through porte-cocheres like your friends climbed front porch steps.

For a little boy to pick up the phone or walk up to a pool bar and say, “I’d like an orange juice please,” and then sign the bill … that is not normal, and I had to constantly remind you of that. Remind you of what a normal life actually is. But I know this experience was a gift you appreciated, because you are now making it your life’s work. Ever since I was a little boy, I have had hospitality in my blood. And my son, so do you.

And to my friends gathered here, so do you.  And maybe for you, like it was for me, your journey began here, at IMHI.

Therefore, it is my pleasure on the 40^th anniversary of this great institution and on the occasion of your graduation Kelian, to celebrate this industry that is the greatest in the world.  My sincere wish is that you join the renowned members of this audience in loving it, and respecting it as much as we do, and that you pursue it with everything you have and a little bit more.  It deserves that investment. 

Kelian, my son, I love you. I am so so proud of you. 

And so, I offer a final toast to Kelian, to IMHI on her 40^th and to all who have found their passion in hospitality:

May faith carry you forward, and the optimism of hope sustain you always. May you be blessed with understanding and make room for wow’s, the deep and lasting love that is only found when we are in service to others.

Congratulations!!