By Denis Sheehan FIH: This is HOSPITALITY
Who is foolish enough to try and define it, hospitality that is, at least in simple terms, I attempt to below.
The definition of hospitality that ‘we’ at H&C News like to adopt is: “The friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, and strangers.”
You can read that a thousand times and it does not set any exceptions, it’s 100% INCLUSIVE.
Inclusivity has in recent years become widely used in hospitality parlance as if it’s something new, it’s not, it’s as old as hospitality itself.
As civilisations emerged and trade routes opened to connect them, travellers required food and rest, those who provided food to eat and a place to rest became the first hoteliers and profited.
These businesses thrived on providing hospitality to strangers, people they had never seen and had nothing in common with. They would have looked different, spoken differently, and been different in every conceivable way. Welcoming them and looking after them however was at the very least profitable, and doubtless rewarding also through gaining perspective to the wider world. It was 100% about INCLUSION, and there’s clearly nothing new about it. You might even go as far as to say inclusion is the very foundation stone of hospitality, I certainly would.
In recent years being in the business of hospitality has seen many challenges, a pandemic, inflation fuelled in large part by the ongoing attempt of Russia to invade and conquer Ukraine, and the UK imposing economic sanctions on itself through Brexit. All too many businesses did not survive, and closures continue amidst the UK government’s mismanagement of the economy. Continuing to survive in this climate requires more than just more of the same, increasing footfall and average spend per customer, it requires innovation, finding how to do new things that attract new customers.
ESG and its many components including ‘inclusivity’ is gaining wider adoption through results, behaving in ways that demonstrate authenticity garners custom from people that share those values.
Yet, the largest demographic segment requiring greater inclusivity, and the one that offers most profit potential remains largely untapped, accessible hospitality.
24% of the UK population have a disability, 16 million people.
Disabled people in the UK have a combined spending power of more than 274 billion.
And 71% of customers want more to be done to address the lack of accessibility in the industry .
We reposted an X post yesterday showing a restaurant team presenting a blind customer with a birthday message on a plate written with chocolate in braille wishing her a happy birthday. The reaction is worth watching through the video in the post below.
This is HOSPITALITY 👇 https://t.co/v0wkZxNxZB
— HOSPITALITY & CATERING NEWS (@HandCNews) March 22, 2024
The repost has attracted much engagement, comments, likes, and reposts, extending its reach considerably. But the most illuminating engagement came form a message through X from @AtaxiaScot operated by a person who lives with disabilities and the message read: “That young lady will remember those few seconds for the rest of her life. And not just for being made to feel special because of her blindness – but for being included in a special moment that I’m sure the restaurant staff make for sighted customers too normally. Disabled people really don’t want to be treated differently. Just to feel included with society as a whole.
“That restaurant will have made MANY customers for life.”
Thank you @AtaxiaScot
@AtaxiaScot’s statement is worth repeatedly rereading if you are in the business of hospitality, and if you do so there’s surely no further need for me to outline or detail the business benefits for adopting more inclusive hospitality centred upon accessibility for all.