HOLLYWOOD, Florida — The hospitality industry in the Caribbean generally has recovered faster than other parts of the world, and while that opens up new opportunities for hoteliers, those in the area still face a number of headwinds.
Speaking during the “Road to Recovery” panel at the Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit, hoteliers explained how they’re handling labor issues, rising costs and travel demand.
Spice Island Beach Resort President and Managing Director Janelle Hopkin said her property brings in high school students regularly and speaks to them about working in hospitality. Her goal, she said, is to explain to students how they can pursue degrees and work in hospitality without necessarily working at a hotel.
“There is definitely a stigma [around working in service-related jobs], and you just have to keep encouraging the young people,” she said. “Everyone’s going into banking, they want an office job, but the hospitality industry — you have to love…