Welcome to 2021

My New Year’s Thoughts Looking back at 2020 and Forward into 2021

Dear Friends, Colleagues and Family

Allow me to extend my very best wishes to you and your loved ones at the onset of 2021.

2020 was an extremely difficult and challenging year for our industry and for many of us also on the personal front. So, before we gear-up to confront the challenges of a new year, I would like to express my gratitude especially to all the families who supported their spouses during a life changing 2020; they deserve special gratitude and recognition, the silent backers of our successes.

If, a year ago, someone would have told me what my first LinkedIn post in 2021 would say, I would have certainly not believed them.

The changes throughout the year were too invasive, harsh and abrupt; affecting so many people and presenting such a massive disruption to our industry and daily lives that one would think this is a movie script and not reality.

Yet here we are, in a time and place where we speak of a ‘New Normal’, where we faced many changes during 2020 and surely more to come in 2021.

Our industry is barely recognizable from only nine months ago and we’ve made it through 2020. But not without a lot of mental scars, pain, frustration, and in some cases pure exhaustion. The human toll is tragic. We had to say goodbye to many colleagues and friends and also had to accept a new economic reality for ourselves on many occasions.

But I also hope you have found some joy — some joy in spending more time with the people in your home, connecting remotely with people maybe you haven’t connected for some time; some joy in focusing inward on yourself — taking a breath, taking stock and appreciating the simpler things in life.

If I had to choose only one word to describe 2020, it would be ‘Intense’. We have had the full spectrum from exhaustion, anxiety, sadness, saying our goodbyes to colleagues and friends, to joy and rediscovery. All very intense!

My sadness for the state of the hospitality industry is deep, and that truly breaks my heart. But other industries are as much affected and deserve as much recognition.

Having gone through other crises, I am nevertheless hopeful! We as an industry are extremely resilient. We always bounced back. And that should give us hope for the future!

People love to travel, dine, socialize and experience — this is where we as hosts and hoteliers come in. Welcoming our guests and colleagues back into the hotels, restaurants and resorts of the world will hopefully soon be the reality again.

I have been reflecting on the things I am most grateful for over the past months. Primarily among those is the talented group of colleagues I am working with, who have shown so much resilience in the face of this crisis. Thank you for the hard work, dedication and passion you have shown around the globe in the face of the largest disruption our industry has ever faced in our generation. Thank you for looking after the few guests who still travelled, who still came to stay and dine at our restaurants and hotels despite the challenges!

One thing I learned throughout last year is the need for self-compassion. If you are not looking after yourself, you will not be able to take care of your family or colleagues. Therefore, please take a moment and reflect on ways how you can help to make a better YOU and what changes you want to implement for 2021 to support this goal.

Looking ahead into 2021, we also must not forget what made our industry strong in the past. We are not managers, directors, waiters, guest service officers, chefs, housekeepers, engineers, stewards, sales, human resources or finance associates. We are, above all, hosts and hoteliers. Each one of us! We all can touch the hearts and emotions of our guests and colleagues. And that makes our industry so interesting, different and special. Being able to engage with people from all walks of life and many different cultures can be such a rewarding experience. If we teach ourselves the art of listening, there is so much more to learn.

There is a tremendous focus on hygiene, health and safety — rightfully so — but above all let us not forget to include the human element of our business.

Last but not least, we must be confident in our journey ahead. We must believe in ourselves, our industry, our abilities and our teams!

I am writing these words with a deep sense of pride and an abundance of hope for the future. I am wishing you and your loved ones a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2021 and I thank those of you who supported me, my family and the teams around me in 2020. A year that will not be easily forgotten.

Happy New Year! Stay Safe!

Chris