John B. Richards is responsible for the overall sales and marketing effort of FourSeasons - Regent Hotels and Resorts' 23 hotels in North America, England, the Caribbean, and Japan, as well as for new properties under construction in Hawaii, Mexico City, and California. Pteviouslv, Richards served as vice president of marketing and planning for Royal Viking Cruise Lines, where he built a marketing organization and developed and implemented award-winning advertising and direct sales programs. He is a 1976 graduate of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, from which he received an M.B.A.The travel industry today faces a tremendous challenge. We not only have to anticipate and respond to the evolving needs of the communications - oriented business traveler and the emerging new values of the traveler at large, but we also face the challenge created by an explosion in international travel. With the globalization of the world's economy, lowered airline rates, and increased flight schedules, more people than ever before are traveling from abroad for both business and pleasure. Hoteliers must respond by changing the way they think, act, and operate. It is essential that hospitality management maintain existing standards of service and, at the same time, be ready to accommodate the present and future needs of the international traveler.One of the ways Four Seasons—Regent Hotels acknowledges its international guests is by having on staff a number of multilingual concierges who speak a range of languages, including French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Japanese. In addition, a number of senior-level hotel executives are multilingual. Those who are from Europe, in addition to being fluent in a variety of languages, are more sensitive to other cultures because of their own backgounds. Several general managers, also of European background, are able to provide their employees with firsthand knowledge of appropriate customs and protocol for the international guests that visit their hotels.Hoteliers located in international business centers find it imperative that they not only provide excellent service, but address the special needs of internafional guests. The smallest gestures can sometimes mean the most whether it's greeting a guest in his or her native language or having a guest's hometown newspaper available with the morning coffee. Hotel restaurants also must cater to the needs of travelers from abroad. This special attention can range from serving cheeses at just the right temperature to offering a selection of wines from the world's leading wine regions. Other extras might include offering a selection of European mineral water, liqueurs, and beers(continued)
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