From labour shortages to artificial intelligence, the hospitality workforce is changing. But what does it mean for Canadian travel advisors and the clients they serve?
In Episode 16 of You Came to the Right Place, TravelPulse Canada's Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia welcome hospitality expert Amrita Bhalla, Managing Director of AB Consulting, for a candid conversation about the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of hospitality.
With staffing shortages continuing to affect hotels and resorts around the world, Bhalla explains why employee satisfaction, workplace culture and retention should matter to travel advisors just as much as a property's amenities.
The conversation also explores the growing role of AI in hospitality, including some surprising applications in employee training, recruitment and guest service. Bhalla even shares a real-life job interview experience that raises questions about where AI assistance should draw the line.
“There's just a lot of disruption in our industry across the board, and I think we just have to adapt to it a lot more quickly than we realize or than we thought,” Bhalla said.
Amrita Bhalla (Photo Credit: Supplied)
And while technology is changing how the industry operates, Bhalla believes the human connection that makes travel special should never become a premium service.
“Philosophically, I don't want human touch to ever be thought of as a premium service. I would want it to be thought of as the core and as the fundamental of what really makes this industry special.”
Of course, no episode would be complete without a little fun. This week's Pulse Check: Rapid Fire Five takes an entertaining detour when a discussion about airplane pet peeves inspires Bhalla to consider a new use for artificial intelligence.
“You've given me an idea. I feel like I want to create an AI course on travel etiquette,” Bhalla jested.
Between passengers watching movies without headphones and questionable airplane behaviour, Natasha and Jen have plenty of suggestions for the curriculum.
Listen to Episode 16 of You Came to the Right Place on our podcast page or wherever you get your podcasts.
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