The Kostuch Media Ltd. Icons, Innovators and Influencers breakfast took place last week at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.
Rosanna Caira, editor and publisher at Kostuch Media Ltd., hosted a panel of millennials, which featured some of Toronto’s rising stars in the hotel and restaurant industries. Alex Marconi, Social Media manager at Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts Toronto, Lee Jackson, director, Restaurant Operations for Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants, Gracie Goad, manager, Food & Beverage Training at The Drake Hotel and Brian Cheng, chef/owner of The Edible Story, discussed what it means to be a millennial and what operators can do to win their loyalty.
“It’s a fast-changing industry,” Cheng said. “Restaurants and hotels have to keep up with the instant gratification which millennials seek. Transparency is key.”
When asked what millennials are looking for in hotels and restaurants they frequent, Goad said, “I look for authenticity. For example, I was recently on a trip to Calgary and had a hard time finding a place that served Alberta beef. But, I prefer brands that promote their culture.”
Social media is paramount when selecting restaurants and hotels. “There’s a network you choose to be involved in,” Jackson said. “If I’m following people and they’re going to and liking places, then I’ll go there, too. People who have 25,000 Instagram followers now wield more influence than some newspapers and members of the media these days — there’s value there.”
On the subject of negative social-media reviews, Marconi emphasized the need for action. “If it’s something that’s valuable feedback, then you respond immediately,” he said. “Same with TripAdvisor —we have to respond to every single comment, whether it’s positive or negative. You have to act on it right away.”
Marconi and Goad reminded the audience not to ignore the impact Airbnb is having on the hotel industry. “There’s a lot of celebrities who are no longer staying in hotels when they travel either,” Marconi said. “They’re using Airbnb. It’s definitely a new craze.”
Goad added that, “‘Live like a local’ is a huge trend these days. Hotels are trying to adapt to this and are trying to build packages tailored to this new development in the travel industry.”
