At a time when the recovery of our sector is raising many issues, we are facing our old demons: adding value to our industry and our professions. Today, more than 100,000 jobs remain vacant in French restaurants, hotels and other tourist properties. So why is our industry structurally lacking in talents and attractiveness?

These questions of employability, career development and continuing education are at a standstill. But who embodies this vision? Can we say that there is an entity, a professional group or private interests whose ambition is to restore our sector to its former glory? We all have in mind that among the third places of tomorrow, the hotel industry has its rightful importance.

Beyond all that we can theorize in terms of concept and experience, we will have to (re)provide middle management with the keys, the tools, but also the employees to carry out the transformations on a daily basis and implement these new experience indicators. Part of the answer will be found in processes and digital tools, but another large part will be found at the heart of what creates value, i.e. the employees.

We still have a lot to do to regain control of the image of our professions. The tediousness and lack of remuneration must be addressed. For the former, we will have to provide more flexibility in working hours and for the latter, motivate through bonuses, incentives or potentially government support. It is important to give perspective through continuous training to allow employees to develop and build a real career plan within the sector. This is the richness of our sector.

Let’s also focus on the roots of the problem, those that are often at the origin of any orientation or decision in our youth. We need to introduce young people to this industry, which accounts for 8% of GDP. It is not to be neglected. We need to work on creating an interest before they decide to join a sector or a profession that could also attract them.

And what about the French ambition and will on these subjects of training and excellence? France is well known for its mathematicians, computer developers and scientific researchers. It can also develop a field of excellence in the hospitality industry.

In the digital or business world, English is a fully accepted language. Why shouldn’t the French-speaking world be a real engine for spreading excellence and expertise in our sector? It is a tool at our fingertips that we can activate and that can attract young international talents to make our French tourism industry shine.

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