Between 9-11 September 2024, senior representatives from across the hospitality industry will head to Hong Kong for the inaugural International Hospitality Investment Forum (IHIF) Asia 2024.
This year’s speakers include senior representatives from: Gaw Capital, Ares Management, Hilton, Radisson Hotel Group, and many more.
Not only will you hear from leading hotel investment executives, but the multiple networking opportunities mean you’ll be able to capitalise on the return to dealmaking we are seeing this year.
You can book your ticket here.
The concept of lifestyle hotels has gained traction in recent years as guests look for more than just a room. But many hotels are going further than that. What role should hospitality play in enhancing civic pride, serving as an amenity for local residents, and driving economic impact? To get a sense of what is driving this trend we recently caught up with Harvey Thompson, managing director of Eaton Workshop. Founded in 2014 by Hong Kong born Asian-American Katherine Lo, Eaton Workshop is part of the Langham Hospitality Group.
Thompson will be speaking on a panel entitled ‘ People, Power, Profit: Hospitality's Civic, Economic, and Talent Impact’ (Wednesday September 11, 2024 ,11:10-11:25)
Hospitality Investor: Eaton Workshop describes its offering as "mission-driven hospitality". Could you explain a little about what you mean by this?
Harvey Thompson: Mission-driven hospitality refers to Eaton Workshop's uniquely purposeful approach to hospitality. Our mission is to transform hospitality into a force for creativity and social and environmental impact.
We are driven by our vision of a kinder world which provides optimal conditions for people and communities to be fulfilled.
People, planet, and profit hold equal weight at Eaton. We take all three into account when we’re making any decision. The Triple Bottom Line is a new movement in business where the bottom line is not only measured by the financial bottom line, but equally by the social and environmental bottom lines and as such see that over 50% of hotel guests surveyed have chosen Eaton based on this approach. Having greater diversification in the market continues to give us leverage to be more financially viable whilst being able to support community and our ethical approach to business.
Hospitality Investor: You've got two hotels at the moment. Are there plans for anymore?
Harvey Thompson: We are screening opportunities diligently and have engaged with developers and owners who share a similar vision for more sustainable developments. Many of these prospective partners come from family office backgrounds with longer-term investment horizons, or have a strong interest in furthering diversity, arts and culture
Hospitality Investor: Where do you get inspiration from?
GATHERING PLACES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AT THE HEART OF WHAT MAKES US HUMAN.
I LOVE TO REFER TO THE Third Place AS AN INSPIRATION FOR EATON–A PLACE OUTSIDE OF HOME AND WORK WHERE ONE FEELS - Belonging.
Quote from Katherine Lo – Founder of Eaton
Harvey Thompson: This approach to Hospitality that Katherine Lo as the founder for Eaton really resonates nowadays with people much more and is a game changer for Hospitality. Each Eaton focuses on its location, taking into account local culture, art, music and community needs and magnifies this so more and more of the local community are able to take part and be a part of something else. Our goal is to create spaces and experiences that complement and support the community.
Hospitality Investor: How big a part do live experiences play at Eaton?
Harvey Thompson: Live experiences are a significant part of Eaton Workshop's offering, providing guests with opportunities to engage with the local culture and community events as well as unique entertainment options. Our programming ranges from workshops to live music, cultural performances to community-driven events that foster interaction and learning as well as wellness activities. Key today is for our guests to be able to take part in the programming that we provide and for the local community to be connected to Eaton and vice versa.
Hospitality Investor: A lot of hotel brands talk about community but how do you at Eaton build, maintain and importantly measure it?
Harvey Thompson: Building community is a key component of who Eaton is and having dedicated people who are intragrated with community, music, wellness, art and culture a must if have to begin with.
We build community through various our initiatives such as hosting events that encourage interaction among guests and locals, supporting local businesses and artists, and creating spaces that are welcoming to the broader community, not just hotel guests.
We continue to measure all of our community engagements by tracking participation in events, garnering feedback from the community, assessing the quality of our partnerships with local organizations, social media impact and followings as well as the overall impact of their community initiatives. This allows us to constantly be thinking of what we can improve our programming and extend the reach of our efforts to the greater community
Hospitality Investor: The theme of this year's event is "Charting New Horizons". What do you think are the biggest opportunities in hotel investment in the region?
Harvey Thompson: "Charting New Horizons" suggests a focus on exploring new opportunities and directions in hotel investment, and we’d hope that would include mission-driven hospitality as one of those new directions that Investors can see real value in.