When asked your profession and you say “hotelier”, most likely everyone will identify with it, but if you say “hospitality consultant”, it sometimes generates a questioning expression. What exactly does a hospitality consultant do?
The main function of the hospitality consultant or more specifically the hotel consultant, is to provide professional advice to investors or persons interested in entering the hospitality industry, as well as to help hotels or resorts, generally independent, that are already operating.
Usually, the focus is on the independent investor with little or no prior experience, although they may be called on by branded hotels for specific projects. Briefly, a hotel consultant, due to their experience, is hired to identify and analyze specific needs or situations and present the best options or solutions to guarantee optimal performance of the property.
Who is the hotel consultant? This is a broad field as is in many industries, ranging from the basic “express” service to the full-service hotel like a resort or, on a smaller scale, the luxury boutique hotel. Therefore, the hotel consultant will generally have extensive experience in top hotel management; Director of Operations, General Manager, etc., positions that oversee day-to-day operations. The hotel consultant can be independent or be part of one of the many reputable companies dedicated to providing consulting services. They do not necessarily assume all tasks directly due to their extensive nature, both in time and detail required. Depending on the project, the consultant will normally coordinate and allocate the necessary resources (talent). Today, usually through strategic alliances with other consultants or professionals, each with experience in their respective fields. For example: Public Relations, Sales and Marketing, Food and Beverages, Wellness/SPA, Engineering, Finance, Sustainability, etc.
These projects can range from the development of a dream (hotel) from scratch and the entire intermediate process: the initial concept and the planning stages to coordinate its evolution until the opening and welcoming the first guests.
The value of working with the right hotel consultant by delegating to them the tasks in which they are an expert will give the investor/owner/client more time to focus on strategic issues and will also facilitate the exchange of ideas (brainstorming), identifying opportunities and an unbiased and innovative point of view in problem solving. As hotels and their needs vary, the consultant will work on custom strategies specific to your needs.
The HOTELIST – Philip Vidal
