A
changing world means changing travel patterns, and the hospitality industry has
to adapt – or face the risk of not connecting with the travellers of tomorrow.
The
chief operating officer for Marriott International, Middle East and Africa and Business Leader for Protea Hotels in South Africa, Mark
Satterfield, said in the last 20 to 30 years, they had seen the growth of the
middle class globally and improved air routes, which has allowed for the rise
of new travel markets.
This
meant that young people from states that previously restricted their citizens
from travel now have the freedom of movement their parents could not enjoy.
“New
outbound travel markets are opening up, and this is changing the face of travel
throughout the world. The traditional dominance of travellers from the United Kingdom,
North America and Western Europe is now being challenged by significant
increases in the number of international travellers from countries like China,
India and the Middle East,’ he said.
Satterfield
believes that the success of the travel industry in catering for these new
travellers hinges on a number of factors, of which cultural sensitivity is one key
issue. “The corporate hospitality
industry grew out of the United States and countries in Western Europe, and so
the way we dealt with guests in the past was based on these countries’ cultures
and behaviours. But this has to be adapted
to take into consideration the many new travellers we now host from varied
cultures around the world. Our need for an evolving approach is not just
because of our desire to deliver relevant hospitality – it is necessary for the
future successes of our business,’ he added.
The
President and CEO of Marriott International, Arne Sorenson, said the ability to
attract the most diverse customers and reflect local cultures in hotels will
propel future success and global growth of a business.
The
company established an Executive Global Diversity and Inclusion Council,
chaired by the Sorenson and Satterfield.
Staff training includes a learning curriculum focused on cultural
competence. The company offers learning tools for language skills and cultural
awareness. Staff can access information for well over 100 countries, with
information covering the political, economic and historical background of a
country along with societal and cultural norms and practices.
“The
Chinese travel market is certainly significant for the future of our South
African travel and tourism sector,” Satterfield explained.
“Visitor
numbers for the country are increasing rapidly among many markets but the
Chinese one shows the most dramatic growth.
Some staff in South Africa have embarked on training to offer particular
levels of service for Chinese guests, such as learning the basics of spoken
Mandarin, so that they can prepare correspondence in the guest’s language and
answer a guest’s queries.
“Being culturally aware makes all the
difference to the experience of our guests, and it is especially important when
they consider whether to make a return trip to our country in the future. By
investing in our staff and their understanding of cultural awareness, we are in
fact investing in the long-term growth of our industry,” he said.