Pride Beyond June: Building Hospitality Where Everyone Feels Welcome

At its core, hospitality was about making people feel welcome. Yet creating a genuine sense of belonging, for guests and employees alike, required more than excellent service standards or carefully crafted brand values. It started with leadership.

While Pride Month offered an important opportunity to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and highlight progress toward greater representation, the conversations it inspired were not meant to end when June did. For an industry built on human connection, inclusion was not a seasonal initiative. It was an everyday practice that shaped workplace culture, guest experience, and the future of hospitality leadership.

In this written interview, Henri Roelings, Founder of Hospitality Net, speaks with Aricia Oliveira, Area Sales Manager for Pier House Resort & Spa and La Concha Key West, about her journey from tourism to hospitality, the influence of her Brazilian heritage, and why leading authentically is one of the most valuable skills in today's hospitality industry.

From tourism to hospitality: building a people-first career

Oliveira's passion for hospitality began long before she entered the hotel industry.

Originally from Brazil, she spent more than 15 years working as a travel advisor before moving into hotel sales and operations. Her introduction to tourism came through her father, who worked as a tour guide across Europe before opening his own travel agency.

"I became interested in this profession through my dad," she explains. "Growing up around that environment inspired me because I saw how much he enjoyed connecting with people and creating memorable experiences for others."

Today, as Area Sales Manager for Pier House Resort & Spa and La Concha Key West, Oliveira oversees corporate and association group sales, client relationships, contract negotiations, and event planning. She said the common thread throughout her career was building meaningful relationships.

"I'm known for providing personalized service and creating memorable experiences for groups and clients," she says. "I enjoy combining relationship-building, attention to detail, and strategic sales to make events feel effortless and elevated."

Leading through empathy and lived experience

Throughout her career, Oliveira came to understand that technical skills alone did not make an effective leader.

Working across different teams, properties, and client expectations reinforced the importance of adaptability, communication, and remaining calm under pressure. Equally important was the perspective shaped by her own identity.

"My lived experiences have helped me become a more empathetic and adaptable leader," she says. "Being part of the LGBTQ+ community and coming from a multicultural background has given me a strong appreciation for diversity, inclusion, and the importance of making people feel genuinely welcomed and respected."

For Oliveira, those qualities extended well beyond internal culture. Every interaction, whether with a guest or a colleague, was an opportunity to create an environment where people felt comfortable, valued, and seen.

"In hospitality, those qualities are incredibly important because every guest and every team member wants to feel seen, comfortable, and valued."

Pride is one month but inclusion is every day

Although Pride Month created visibility for LGBTQ+ professionals, Oliveira believed its significance reached much further than an annual celebration.

"Pride Month, to me, is both a celebration and a reminder," she says. "It's a celebration of authenticity, resilience, diversity, and the freedom to be ourselves openly and unapologetically. But it's also a reminder of the people who came before us, who created space and fought for visibility, acceptance, and equality so future generations could feel safer and more empowered to live authentically."

Representation, she argued, mattered not simply because it acknowledged progress, but because it helped others imagine themselves in leadership.

"Seeing LGBTQ+ professionals, leaders, families, and individuals being celebrated helps create a sense of belonging and reminds people that they are not alone."

For the hospitality industry, she believed that responsibility carried particular weight.

"In industries like hospitality, where our purpose is to make people feel welcomed and connected, embracing diversity and inclusion should always be part of the experience we create."

Creating workplaces where people belong

As hotels continued to compete for talent, Oliveira believed creating inclusive workplaces was no longer simply the right thing to do. It was also a competitive advantage.

Her approach was grounded in everyday behaviors rather than large initiatives.

"I try to foster an environment where communication, respect, and collaboration are prioritized," she explains. "By being approachable and open-minded, I aim to create experiences where both guests and colleagues feel included, supported, and appreciated."

That philosophy extended to her advice for emerging LGBTQ+ professionals entering the industry.

"My advice would be to stay authentic to who you are and never underestimate the value of genuine relationships," she says. "Hospitality is an industry built around people, connection, and creating welcoming experiences, and diversity truly makes teams stronger. Don't be afraid to bring your personality, creativity, and perspective into your work."

Conclusion

Oliveira's perspective was a reminder that hospitality's greatest strength was its people. While technology continued to transform the guest journey and operational efficiency remained a priority, the industry's ability to create genuine belonging still depended on leaders who led with empathy, authenticity, and respect.

For Oliveira, Pride Month served an important purpose by celebrating visibility and progress, but inclusion could not be confined to a single month on the calendar. It was reflected in everyday decisions, workplace culture, and the willingness to create environments where both employees and guests felt welcome exactly as they were.

As she put it, "Family is not always defined by tradition, sometimes it's built through love, authenticity, support, and the people who make you feel at home exactly as you are." In many ways, that idea captured hospitality at its very best.