Sustainable Travel, Storytelling through Cocktails, Expandable Rooms & More - August 2022
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🛎 What's Hot in Hospitality
Sustainability is an increasing priority for younger travelers, and I’m focusing more and more on introducing sustainable options to my clients. According to a report from Expedia Group, Gen Z (67%) and Millennials (64%) are much more likely than Gen X (43%) and Boomers (32%) to consider sustainable travel options. In fact, 21% of Millennials surveyed by Accenture already have a wellness retreat booked through early 2023, which often goes hand-in-hand with sustainability at many properties. The same travelers who want to take care of themselves, want to take care of the environment, and these values and expectations are an important consideration for destinations and hospitality brands, especially as Gen Z becomes more influential as their purchasing power increases.
Sustainability is about how you interact with the community. It's about how you source, it's about what products you choose and why,” shared David Arraya, General Manager of Six Senses Ibiza, part of a sustainable resort and spa brand in unique destinations across the globe. Six Senses Ibiza has its own farm near the property, where organic produce is grown and delivered fresh to be used by the resort’s restaurants. Guests can even help harvest these healthy fruits and vegetables to bring back and enjoy themselves. The property also emphasizes its relationships with local fishermen who provide their seafood and holds all of its vendors to certain sustainability standards. “In all of our contracts with third parties – every single purchasing contract – there is a sustainability clause. And if they're not able to abide by that, then they can't work with us,” Arraya says.
To help travelers discover sustainable options, there are specialized booking engines like Bookdifferent that focuses on responsible tourism, and Booking.com awards Travel Sustainable badges to select properties. It might seem challenging to get started on implementing new sustainability practices, but I’m building a preferred list of sustainable vendors for hotels looking to support the environment and their communities – because it’s easier to go plastic-free when you know where to source eco-friendly cutlery and biodegradable straws as replacements. If you know of a business that would be a fit, please reach out.
🍷 What I'm Sipping
Gin cocktails are trending right now, and today I’m spotlighting a gin distilled from the grapes of one of my favorite wine varietals, Albariño – a white grape grown on Spain’s Galician coast. One of the most unique gins I’ve ever had, Nordés Atlantic Galician Gin is the fastest-growing premium gin brand in Spain, and it debuted in the U.S. market last year.
Nordés is named for the northeasterly wind that brings good weather, and it’s produced in small batches from locally grown albariño grapes and 11 natural botanicals, including six that grow wild in Galicia. Ingredients like lemon verbena, eucalyptus, and hibiscus give this intriguing gin a bright flavor profile and sweet, herbal aroma. The well-balanced combination of ingredients makes for a smooth, refreshing gin that’s easy to drink on hot Miami days and can be an unexpected addition to your cocktail menu.
📝 What I'm Working On
Turk Hospitality Ventures we are currently working on: 3 beverage menus for 3 different hotels with 3 different vibes. One is a large golf resort, one an upscale beach resort, and one an artistic urban hotel. The key to differentiating a hotel bar is making sure the beverage menu supports your hotel’s brand identity, and my goal is always to design a menu that will maximize profits and keep guests coming back. Each of my client’s new menus will feature signature cocktails that are uniquely local and help tell the story of where you’re sipping them, enriching the guest’s experience.
When developing beverage menus, I only work with trusted beverage brands and distributors to ensure my clients are using products that will help support the success of the bar. Many vendors are able to step in and train your team on their product and provide feedback on how to best serve their spirits, and those are the types of partners worth teaming up with.
Want to chat about a menu revamp at your hotel or restaurant? Shoot me a message!
📚 What I'm Inspired By
A new way to think about rooms is taking shape, literally. Ori Living creates expandable spaces for multi-functional living, from flexible studios to 2-bedroom apartments. Beds that slide down from the ceiling. Moving walls that turn an open living space into an instant 2-bedroom suite. Walk-in closets that weren’t there a minute ago. This type of technology could be the future for hotels looking to compete with vacation rentals that are typically favored by travelers that need more living space. Hotels that adopt these flexible formats can make their accommodations completely customizable to their guests’ needs, ultimately giving guests more control over their travel experience with the click of a button. Need a larger living room and kitchen in the daytime but more space to sleep at night? No problem. It’s luxury lodging for the savvy traveler, and I can’t wait to see how it impacts travel of the future.
🎙 On the Podcast
We have an exciting lineup of The Hospitality Mentor podcast episodes for October. This month, tune into my full interview with Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas Ibiza’s General Manager, David Arraya, who I chatted with about sustainability. You’ll also get to hear from Memphis Garrett of Garrett Hospitality Group on opening some of Fort Lauderdale’s most trendy restaurant and lounge concepts; Jeffrey Klein, Executive Vice President of Williams Island POAWilliams Island, a luxurious private membership club and community in South Florida; and Jennifer Kaminski of 2 Korean Girls, a ghost kitchen concept that’s transformed into an in-real-life pop-up.
Hospitality Mentor Office Hours: Join me for weekly chats about what's trending in hospitality on my NEW LinkedIn Live Office Hours on Fridays at 10 a.m.
💼 Who's Hiring
Check out these job opportunities from our Guest Mentors on the Podcast for a chance to work with these hospitality leaders:
Expand your horizons with a career at Six Senses Hotels Resorts & Spa. Apply now
Embrace a culture of quality service with Williams Island Club. See open positions
Ready for a career in restaurants? Apply for FOH or BOH roles with Garrett Hospitality Group
🎥 #TurksTours with @steveturk
Follow me on TikTok for video tours of luxury hotels and restaurants through the eyes of a hotelier. If you like any of my latest videos, give it a ❤️️ or leave a comment.
If you’ve read this far, send me a short reply and let me know what you enjoyed most from this newsletter. See you again in November!
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Cheers,
Steve Turk, Managing Director
Turk Hospitality Ventures
