Hospitality – Welcome ALL & for ALL

What’s on offer?

Join researchers and hospitality leaders at The Guildford Institute for a workshop that will explore the role of hospitality venues as social hubs, including how they can improve their services and facilities to better support older people, and their ability to help reduce growing issues such as loneliness.

What’s it about?

Through a short film screening and presentations, attendees will learn about the UKRI-funded ‘Hospitality Connect’ project at the University of Surrey and its WelcomeALL Toolkit, a set of resources to help hospitality venues become more age-friendly and to empower older adults to stay socially connected.

You will then be invited to share your views on how age-inclusive hospitality venues are in your own community, whether you feel these new resources might improve services in your favourite places, and what you would like to see done differently by the hospitality industry in future.

If you’re a hospitality venue manager or customer-facing employee, the workshop will raise awareness of your older customers’ needs relating to venue environment, products, services and delivery processes. Your views and experiences will be encouraged, and you will be given access to resources and information to take back into your workplaces.

A £10 retail voucher will be available by way of reimbursement for the cost of nearby parking in Guildford.

Tickets are limited to a small number to ensure everyone’s voice gets heard. Light refreshments will be available.

Who’s leading the event?

Dr Lorna Wang, Co-Director, Centre for Research on Ageing and Generations, and Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Revenue Management, University of Surrey.

Dr Bora Kim, Senior Lecturer in Hospitality Management; Co-Director of Learning and Teaching; Program Director for BSc IHM and IHTM, University of Surrey.

Open to

This event is open to everyone.

Of particular interest to

Older people (65+) wanting to see more welcoming and accessible hospitality venues that could help them to connect with others in their local community.

Carers or support workers who look after older people, wanting to see more age-friendly hospitality venues that could help build social connections.

Hospitality professionals wanting to better understand the social and economic benefits of being age-inclusive, and improve their venue as a space to foster positive social interactions for older people.

Interested members of the general public.