Industry's hospitable spirit should reach out to others | By Jason Smith

Volunteering and the hospitality industry long have enjoyed a special relationship, one that has strengthened recently with the growth of "voluntourism," the trend among travelers to volunteer during their vacations.

We often laud our guests for "doing the right thing" while visiting our cities.

However, keep in mind that those of us in the hospitality industry are also naturally inclined to volunteer—from pitching in after hurricanes to giving time within our own communities to raise funds for local causes.

In fact, one in four Americans age 16 or older volunteered last year, totaling over 60 million people doing unpaid work for a non-profit organization, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Anecdotally, I'd venture to guess the numbers are even higher within our own industry.

And why not? Volunteering is a natural extension of our willingness to help, to reach out to others and to leverage our hospitable spirit.

And we all know the benefits of volunteering, both on a personal level and on a professional level.

Personally, giving back to the community gives us the satisfaction of being a part of something larger than ourselves. It also allows us to have a positive effect on someone else's life or career path.

Professionally, volunteering is a great way to network, learn or develop new skills and communicate to others that you are ambitious, enthusiastic and care about the community.

Studies also show that morale soars when employees are given the opportunity and the time to volunteer within the community. That is something that is always important in any organization.

So, as we bring the next generation of hospitality professionals into our industry, it's important to keep in mind additional ways that we can all give back:

Volunteer within your local HSMAI chapter. This could be by serving on a chapter board or a special interest group advisory board that guides programming or membership.

Or, try leading community-facing events, such as fundraising for local schools, police and fire departments or parks and beaches in your city.

Volunteer to be a guest lecturer at the local community college.

You could even offer to be a mentor to students and young professionals entering the hospitality industry.

There are scores of young people entering our industry looking for direction and insights. Volunteering will give you a way to serve as a role model for future hospitality leaders.

Check into virtual volunteering—something that you can do from home and doesn't require a huge time commitment.

Virtual volunteering can range from participating in association committees to writing and facilitating webinars as educational tools for young professionals.

However you decide to volunteer, keep in mind the most successful volunteer experiences are rooted in creating a meaningful opportunity for you to do something you love to do.