Are Sport and Hospitality a winning combination?
Are Sport and Hospitality a winning combination? Last weekend, there will be many that wake in anticipation of the great Rugby matches that lie ahead. England v Ireland has all the hallmarks for the tensest of matches. Sport has evolved much since the dark days of the 1970s. Now professional sports players are not just skilled and knowledgeable about their craft but also about nutrition, wellbeing, fitness, discipline, leadership and team work. There is much to learn from this world. Research has shown that executives are fitter than ever before and want greater understanding of fitness and access to facilities and nutritional menus. Every Hotel and company will need to think more and more about wellbeing, health, fitness and nutrition. There are increasing pressures and campaigns to combat the levels of mental illness and depression among executives and also increased demands for better sporting facilities. Some companies are already implementing pilates studios, fitbits for their employees and increased gyms. At the same time, has one ever considered what retired and former sports players do after they have finished. Some move into the media, some into coaching, but many sit on the side lines unsure as to where they fit. There is a group seeking a new sense of purpose. Hospitality is changing and will have new challenges to face and new lessons to learn. Both worlds are converging. It is an important discussion to develop.
On the 6th April, we are delighted to be hosting a dinner at The May Fair Hotel which will centre this subject. The event is sponsored by Gordon Dadds and The Sporting Wine Club and will bring together figures from the world of sport with executives from Hospitality to really start discussing this issue. We are delighted to have former England Rugby players, a former England footballer, a former GB Swimmer, an International surfer and a former cricketer all present. We would be delighted to welcome you too if you of interest. This is a time of change. It is a time with serious problems that do require serious people to look at all the options for how we progress. Our core belief is that sharing knowledge and connecting professionals from across sectors can only add value. We also believe that nothing is more important than the importance of communities working together. We joke that we are unashamedly old fashioned in our approach but we also have great belief in the future and how these two industries can come together as one – maybe informally at first and closer in time.