How The Peninsula and Others Are Welcoming Refugees With Job Training
Photo Credit: A number of luxury hotels in Chicago are working with Heartland Alliance, which helps place refugees in hospitality jobs. Adobe / Flamingo Images
Skift Take
The U.S. government in 2020 may have severely limited the number of refugees it would resettle, but a luxury hospitality program taking place in America's heartland is proof that refugees are still welcome here.
Luxury hospitality is going through a seismic shift — travelers want more than just elite-level service, one-of-a-kind experiences, and overall opulence. And that's especially true for Gen Z, who will soon have more spending power. Guests increasingly want properties to go beyond just preserving the environment, and for them to be socially conscious as well.
Some sectors of the luxury hospitality industry have taken note — and taken heart — and are working with nonprofits that have social missions, including Heartland Alliance, a global anti-poverty organization. One of its goals is to help refugees adapt to new countries through programs like hospitality training. The nonprofit's six-week training course is designed to prepare refugees for jobs in the luxury hotel industry.
Why hospitality? One of the biggest challenges in refugee resettlement is financial stress, according to Lea Tienou, director of Refugee and Immigration Community Services (RICS) for Heartland Alliance
