Hotel Future. Hospitality: The Next Generation

This News article was posted on 25 Oct 2010 .

We are heartened to learn that the Prime Minister has recognised the importance of the Hospitality Industry to our country.  The Manchester Hoteliers Association has taken the lead in creating a national legacy around attracting and retaining talent to our industry, so our vision is to design, build and operate an academy located in central Manchester.

The project is employer led and is based on consultation with more than 2000 employers locally and regionally supporting the concept.

Hotel Future will be unique in the UK, similar models exist internationally but there is no UK example. The principle is straight forward; create a fully functioning high end hotel which is adapted at the design stage to accommodate learning requirements. The proposed hotel will feature ninety bedrooms in three categories of fit out to enable guests to stay, a destination bar for bar skills, two restaurants and kitchens which are large enough to accommodate skills development, a spa facility, a lecture theatre, meeting rooms and terrace.

The hotel will employ around 33 full time professional staff and around 200 apprentices each year. The hotel will also provide second year development for learners who wish to specialise, a small number of foundation degrees for hotel management and an extensive programme of short courses for professional development.

This will be the original modern hospitality academy; it will define a category of skills development in an exemplary building. Original in its conception and modern in its design, facilities and the quality of skills gained. Hotel Future will be squarely aimed at entry into the strategic group of leading hotel academies of the world.

"Which industry is our third highest export earner behind chemicals and financial services? Manufacturing? IT? Education? No, it's tourism." David Cameron MP,  August 2010

Wider Context

Improving Britain’s international competitiveness as a destination is particularly important, According to the United Nations Tourism Organisation, the UK has recently fallen from 5^th to 6^th most popular tourism destination in the world (after USA, France, Spain, Italy and China). There is considerable concern and reputational risk that it will fall further down the rankings if steps are not taken to improve the country’s competitive position as a destination in the global market place.

1.6 million people work in the UK hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector. People 1^st, the Sector Skills Council for Hospitality, in their “State of the Nation Survey” 2009 revealed that 51% of the 1,300 hospitality employers questioned were planning to cut training as a result of the recession and 34% still offer no training at all to their employees. The majority of the work force is young, 58% are female, 65% are under 40 years old, 35% under the age of 25.  It is in this context that Hotel Future is being developed; as a flagship for higher standards and as a practical answer to a long standing issue.

The opportunities for young people coming in to the sector are immense. According to the Worldwide Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC 2008) there will be an estimated 300 million jobs worldwide by 2018 in the industry. It is anticipated that within the UK alone 1,067,000 more people will be required in the tourism sector by 2017 to replace existing people leaving and to fill anticipated new jobs.

As the regional centre for the North West, Manchester is able to help address this issue and employers within the city are rising to the challenge. A full business plan, architectural drawings, PR support and preferred location are all in place.

"Our Regional Growth Fund created an opportunity for the tourism sector to bid for support for its most creative ideas, with £1b available to kick-start projects that will drive private sector growth." David Cameron, August 2010

Vision Statement

To develop the next generation of hospitality professionals through real service experience in a world class hotel.

Aims

• To attract and retain talented individuals in the hospitality sector.

• To provide inspiration to young people and for the professionals working in hospitality.

• To establish a national skills landmark for hospitality.

• To build the partnership between employers and the City Council.

• To use practical learning as the vehicle for personal development

Key Features of Hotel Future

• Operated as a hotel, providing all the services and features that a modern 5 star hotel offers.

• Commercially viable but not for profit legal structure

• Learners work on shift and through class room.

• The main programme is supported by professional development short courses for employers to send staff. The short course programmes will be custom developed for the hospitality sector.

• The employers will provide internships

• The hotel will also present master classes for the hospitality sector

• The hotel will actively support a low environmental impact and actively support the use and understanding of locally sourced food and drink.

Total employment in the sector now stands at 1.9m, accounting for one in 15 UK workers. In teh 12 months to March 2010, 23 percent of sector businesses reduced their workforce. Despite the recession, the sector is projected to grow to 2.4m by 2017.

Employment Opportunities after Training

The success of the hotel will hinge upon the final destination of the learners. The commitment from regional hoteliers and national offices is to support and provide internships and to send staff to the hotel. However the Manchester Hotel will be nationally minded and a regional resource.

The employment opportunities for learners exiting from The Hotel Future include:

• Four and Five-star Hotels
• Restaurants
• Spa and Luxury Resort Management
• Hotel Management
• International Airlines
• Cruise Lines
• Event Management
• Golf Management
• Food and Beverage Management
• Promotion and Sports Management
• Theme parks
• As entrepreneurs business start ups