Letter from the Editor: A Defining Moment for Hospitality — November – December 2023

By Jonathan Katz, Lecturer in Branding and Marketing, Boston University School of Hospitality Administration 

What does hospitality mean to you? In fact, what does the hospitality industry mean to you? Are your answers based on perceptions grounded in the past? Are they formed on the foundation of your day-to-day responsibilities? Or are they fueled by what could be? Think of the possibilities when we have the chance to redefine hospitality. In many ways, that’s what this special edition of Boston Hospitality Review is about.  

Redefining doesn’t mean abandoning the foundational elements of hospitality. It means reimagining all that we can do when we boldly build upon them.  

Danny Meyer, co-founder of Union Square Hospitality Group has said, “The most important thing you can do is make the distinction between customer service and guest hospitality. You need both things to thrive, but they are completely different.” Even though not always present, customer service is table stakes. Today, it’s the addition of true hospitality that can enable a business to connect with its customers in a way that matters. And this, of course, comes down to people. It’s people who want to feel recognized and cared for, and it’s people who can be empowered to make an experience guests will never forget possible. The human element of hospitality holds the potential to make or break relationships that can determine the success of your business. Positive experiences build relationships. Positive experiences earn trust. And positive experiences can foster loyalty.  

In this edition of Boston Hospitality Review, six industry leaders share their definition of hospitality and why it’s essential in all that they do. 

• Greg F. Burke, MD, FACP, Chief Patient Experience Officer of Geisinger Health System, addresses how hospitality is helping provide better care in hospitals. 

• Ian Carter, Chairman of Watches of Switzerland, shares why hospitality cannot be considered a luxury in business and why it’s fundamental to achieving your goals. 

• Richard Coraine, Co-Founder of Union Square Hospitality Group, demonstrates why Enlightened Hospitality can help any customer-facing business distinguish itself and build relationships. 

• Will Guidara, Restauranteur and Author of the national bestseller Unreasonable Hospitality, answers why operating a business with humanity is a strong business strategy when done with authenticity.  

• Tim McLaughlin, Co-Founder and CEO of GoTab, takes on technology and covers why innovation must be purposeful for it to support meaningful experiences. 

• Tatiana Panyukova-Adragna, Experiential Luxury Advisor and University Lecturer, comments on the rapid evolution happening in hospitality from experience innovation within special events to the potential role of AI.

After reading their contributions, ask yourself again. What does hospitality mean to you? What does the hospitality industry mean to you? The collective thinking within this BHR edition can serve as a springboard to advancing hospitality. What role will you play in redefining hospitality and how will it ultimately support experience innovation? 

Jonathan Katz
Lecturer in Branding and Marketing, Boston University School of Hospitality Administration