Hospitality industry

One of the few bright spots in the business world has been the burgeoning hospitality/travel/tourism arena. While the nation struggled through an economic slump that forced many Fortune 500 companies to downsize, leaving thousands of white collar workers unemployed, this industry managed to hold its

Sure there were some rough spots. Few would argue that the lodging segment didn't suffer some ill effects from the lingering recession, with hotel occupancy rates down significantly from the glory years of the 1980s. Yet, hospitality/travel is one of the few industries that has continued to grow and expand even through the toughest of economic times. And now that the economy is on the upswing, insiders anticipate the industry will surge to new heights. "I personally think that now is a better time than ever before for African Americans to get into the industry," says Brenda Harris, founder and president of Harris Travel Management Associates. "I say that because of the economic times and the fact that there are so many hotels that are hurting for business and are looking for a new niche. And I think that niche marketing is the way of the future, and many are looking to capitalize on the African-American meetings market to help offset some of the low seasons that they're having," says the San Diego-based entrepreneur, whose travel agency provides a variety of services, including travel for convention and group markets, African-American heritage tours, and destination management.
Concurring is Sheryl Taylor, sales manager for the Marriott Orlando World Center. "There has been a lot of realization by the hiring persons within hospitality," she says, "particularly in the hotel industry, to recognize that diversity is truly a strength."