This is the fourth in a four-part series exploring the unique perspectives and challenges facing hospitality and meeting industry students graduating during the coronavirus pandemic.
Part One: Disrupted Graduation, Jobs
Part Two: Congratulations to the Class of 2020!
Part Three: Coping with the Pandemic
Has the coronavirus experience changed your views on the hospitality/planning industry?
“The coronavirus has made me look at the future of virtual events and think about how the event industry is going to change. I’ve never really given virtual events a thought before, but it will definitely become more prevalent in our industry after this. I can’t imagine having an online trade show with 5,000 attendees, but the pandemic will shift a lot of event planners’ focus to virtual events. It’s such an interesting time to be graduating, but it’s a learning experience. I’m going to have to tweak everything I’ve learned and experienced before in planning events to make sure that attendees feel safe, that I am following guidelines and that employees also feel safe.” – Danielle Dela Paz, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Meetings & Events, San Diego State University
“One of the very first lessons that I learned from Rosen is that the hospitality industry is extremely versatile. One minute I feel like I’m on top of the world, and the next I am sitting in my apartment for 60+ days and furloughed. The coronavirus has shown me that even though the Magic Kingdom is one of the top tourism destinations in the entire world, that that could be flipped upside down in a matter of days. I am not even close to an essential worker, but I definitely took my job for granted. I didn’t see any way that I wouldn’t be going to work every day (unless a natural disaster such as a hurricane shut us down for a day or two). It has certainly enhanced my views on safety for not only employees, but our guests as well. Having common hygiene practices that are spread and understood worldwide. I think a lot will definitely change, and I’m not sure if we’ll ever go back to how things were, and I don’t know if I would even want us to. There’s a reason that things happen, and we can continuously learn from it and evolve and grow.” – Allison Selg, Hospitality Management, Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida
“What I have realized from this pandemic is that the hospitality and planning industry is going to have to adapt to this new normal. Large gatherings are going to have to look much different as there is no way of telling what the future holds. Change will require creativity and I have so many ideas on how to adapt to this change. I am confident that myself and my fellow meeting planners will meet the challenge and keep our industry moving forward!” – Amanda Paolini, Business Marketing, West Chester University, MPI Philadelphia Area Chapter
“It was already going to be challenging stepping into the work force as a college grad and I am afraid that this COVID-19 situation has made it even harder to find a job in the event industry. With the uncertainty of the pandemic it is hard to say when things will be back in full swing, I am hopeful that the industry will be able to bounce back. I know it will take time and we may have to adjust how we do meetings and events, but I have faith in this industry and know that the creative juices will be flowing and some amazing ideas will come from this.” – Brittany Wind, Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management, Bowling Green State University, MPI Ohio Chapter
“My views on the hospitality industry have not changed, if anything it has reinforced my views on it. Being that this industry is a big family community, we are here for each other no matter what, even amongst a worldwide pandemic. From seeing hotels offer up rooms to frontline employees that do not want to risk going home to their families, and many other things that have happened in these last few months. This industry is resilient, and it is very inspiring for me and other graduates that are entering the industry.” –Allyssa Gundelfinger, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Meetings & Events, San Diego State University
“The pandemic has certainly made me more appreciative of every experience I had when we could freely travel. Obviously, the hospitality and planning industry took a major pivot as the pandemic began and I was incredibly impressed by the way the hospitality and planning industry pivoted to keep people engaged in the industry. Overall, it showed how resilient, creative and passionate the members of the hospitality industry are. I’m proud to be a member of this community and I am excited to see how well we come back because I know when we begin our ‘new normal’ it will be better than ever.” – Chelsea Pashnick, Organizational Leadership, Colorado State University – Global Campus, MPI Southern California Chapter
“It hasn’t necessarily changed my views, but it has shown me the resilience, determination and unity of the industry. Everyone has been offering advice, helping each other and sharing valuable ideas instead of competing with other. There’s a heavy focus on relationships because this is affecting everyone personally, not just professionally.” – Emily Gomes, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Meetings & Events, San Diego State University, MPI San Diego Chapter
“I have seen now more than ever that our industry is full of hardworking, optimistic people who will find a way to work through it. The amount of support that I have received personally from various industry professionals has been unbelievable—from profound webinars to one-on-one informational interviews. I am positive that our industry will make a full recovery from this pandemic, and I am honored to be a part of it.” – Jamie Iverson, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Meetings & Events, San Diego State University, MPI San Diego Chapter
“The pandemic has changed my views on the industry, this is why I have chosen to pursue my master’s in hopes of safer job security. I do believe that the industry will take awhile to get back to the natural way of doing things so I only hope that I will be able to continue the career path of my dreams once the pandemic is over and everything is settled down.” – Jessica R. James, Tourism, Leisure, and Event Planning, Bowling Green State University, MPI Ohio Chapter
“If coronavirus has changed one thing in my mind, it is that hospitality is an industry that truly brings so much joy and happiness to so many people. Without its presence, I have missed the simple things such as interacting with guests and being able to create amazing experiences. My hope is that many other people will realize the true impact of the hospitality industry and will help it come back from this hardship. I sincerely look forward to my career in this industry, and I cannot wait to see where my journey will take me.” – Samantha Ward, Hospitality Management and Event Management, Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida
“What this pandemic has shown me is that the hospitality industry is an industry that can change in a blink of an eye. But it is also an industry that adapts to sudden changes even if it takes some time. While I am worried about my future in this industry, I have faith that there will be a future in it for me.
“I became interested in the Hospitality industry in the first place because of my love of working with people and learning about their unique stories, I also enjoying figuring out how I can help them with their tourism experiences. That is why I choose a degree in tourism and hospitality. Even during this pandemic my love of meeting and helping people hasn’t gone away. While I know it will take time, potentially a very long time, for this industry to recover I have faith that it will. I look forward to being a part of it when it does recover, or being a part of the rebuilding of this unique and special industry.” – Scott Hamilton, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Algonquin College
“A while ago, the virtual aspect was an additional option for events, but now if you ask me, virtual will be a vital component in all our meetings and events to come. Virtual platforms are extensively being used now more than ever, and it will very well be integrated in future in-person events. We are all social beings and are always looking to connect in-person. With all that has happened, hybrid events are/will be the future, leveraging the best of both worlds. With all the technological advancements in event apps and various virtual event platforms, it is going to be interesting to see all these implemented. Of course, after this pandemic, we are not going to see the same buffet arrangements, and floor plans will keep physical distancing in mind with strategic placement of hand sanitizing stations, at least until a vaccine is available. But these are the incidents that push our boundaries to innovate and improve and make us more resilient than we already are.” – Depannita Biswas, George Brown College, MPI Toronto Chapter
“This virus has definitely changed my view on the travel, tourism, hospitality, and events industry. On one hand, I feel disheartened by this situation because it is apparent that it will take a long time before our industry can truly flourish again since face-to-face interaction is such a major part of jobs. I have also felt a little depressed because there have been some people around me who have pointed out that after this virus is contained and the quarantine situation is over, my degree will not have much meaning since in-person events will be difficult to organize for fear of virus infection. Despite this, I still believe that there is a reason to stay optimistic during this time because I see this as an opportunity for the industry to overcome barriers and further develop the work that we do.” – Stephanie Paendong, Tourism and Events Management, George Mason University
“Everything that’s been happening has given me an even deeper respect and admiration for the hospitality industry. It’s been so heartwarming to experience the sense of community we all have and the support everyone is giving one another.” – Yesenia Diaz Ruiz, Hospitality Exhibitions and Event Management, Richland Community College
