Skip to content

Search

Latest Stories

Hyatt’s Hoplamazian is Cornell Hospitality Icon

The company renewed RiseHY to hire 5,000 Opportunity Youth by 2028

Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian receives Cornell Icon Award and renews RiseHY youth hiring initiative in the hospitality sector

Mark Hoplamazian, president and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corp., received the Cornell Hospitality Icon of the Industry Award for his 18 years of leadership.

Who is the CEO of Hyatt and why was he honored?

Mark Hoplamazian, president and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corp., received the Cornell Hospitality Icon of the Industry Award on June 3 in New York, recognizing his 18 years of leadership. The company also renewed its RiseHY commitment to hire 5,000 additional opportunity youth across the company and its hotels by the end of 2028.

The program provides employment access for individuals disconnected from the economy and supports their workforce participation through ongoing investment, Hyatt said in a statement.


“We are committed to bringing people who are disconnected from the economy into the workforce. Talent is evenly distributed, but opportunity is not,” said Hoplamazian while receiving the award. “We view RiseHY as the ultimate expression of our purpose of care and believe supporting untapped talent will have a lasting impact on our industry and communities. This is where hospitality meets humanity.”

In January 2024, Shatterproof, a national nonprofit addressing the U.S. addiction crisis, recognized Hoplamazian at its seventh Hospitality Heroes Reception in Los Angeles during the Americas Lodging Investment Summit for mobilizing hospitality leaders to raise awareness and reduce addiction stigma.

Talent pipeline

Hyatt has more than 1,450 hotels and all-inclusive properties in 79 countries and a pipeline of about 138,000 rooms, providing pathways to careers, the statement said. Through RiseHY, the company is building a talent pipeline for Opportunity Youth, individuals aged 16 to 24 from under-resourced communities who are not working or in school. The program connects them with jobs at Hyatt hotels worldwide, offering a path into the workforce.

The hospitality industry allows individuals to enter with little experience and build careers with opportunities for advancement. The renewed goal builds on Hyatt’s prior commitment to hire 10,000 young people by 2025, a target it continues to pursue. The program also supports industry hiring needs by developing a long-term talent pipeline.

Employees at Hyatt hotels worldwide advance into leadership roles and remain with the company, the statement said.

“My mentors and my colleagues always believed in my potential and encouraged me,” said Yemsijongla Chang, housekeeping team leader at Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli and RiseHY participant. “I was promoted to team leader in housekeeping and my role now is to inspire and empower my team. My Hyatt journey is far from over and to anyone who starts in hospitality, my advice is simple – believe in yourself, work hard and never stop learning. Opportunities are endless if you are willing to take them.”

In July 2024, Hyatt India launched the Vocational Education and Training Swiss Professional Diploma program at its properties, including Hyatt Regency Delhi, Andaz Delhi, Grand Hyatt Gurgaon and Hyatt Regency Lucknow. The company announced plans to open six hotels in India and one in Nepal in 2025, following 21 signings in India and Southwest Asia in 2024, focusing on lifestyle brands JdV, Andaz and Standard Hotels.

More for you

Peachtree Group's Residence Inn by Marriott under construction in downtown San Antonio, topping out milestone reached, June 2025

Peachtree tops out San Antonio Residence Inn

Peachtree Hotel to Open in Summer 2026 with 117 Extended-Stay Rooms

PEACHTREE GROUP HELD a “topping out” for its Residence Inn by Marriott in downtown San Antonio, Texas, marking completion of the structural phase of the 10-story, 117-room hotel. The property, co-developed with Austin-based Merritt Development Group, is scheduled to open in summer 2026.

The extended-stay hotel will be owned by Peachtree and managed by its hospitality management division, the company said in a statement.

Keep ReadingShow less
San Francisco museum to open Indo-American hotelier exhibit in 2026 honoring Indian American pioneers
Photo courtesy of Beth LaBerge/KQED

Tenderloin Museum plans Indian hotelier exhibit

What is the Indo-American Hotelier Exhibit in San Francisco?

THE TENDERLOIN MUSEUM in San Francisco is launching the Indo-American Hotelier History Exhibit, the first permanent U.S. exhibition of its kind. The exhibit, opening in 2026 as part of the museum’s expansion, will document Indian immigrants’ role in the U.S. hospitality industry, beginning in San Francisco’s Tenderloin.

It will document the role of Indian immigrants in the U.S. hospitality industry, beginning in San Francisco’s Tenderloin, AAHOA said in a statement.

Keep ReadingShow less
Auro Hotels Launches $2M 'Rama Legacy' Scholarship

Auro launches $2M scholarship for employees’ children

What is the Rama Legacy Scholarship by Auro Hotels?

AURO HOTELS LAUNCHED its $2 million Rama Legacy Scholarship endowment for employees' children, continuing a tradition started by company co-founder H.P. Rama. Several students received scholarships in this inaugural year, reflecting the company’s view that its success depends on its people.

As founding chairman of AAHOA and past chairman of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, Rama believes the hospitality industry’s strength lies in developing its people, Auro said in a statement. He established the first scholarship under his family’s name in 1998.

Keep ReadingShow less
Philadelphia Tops Bed Bugs Infestation List Again in 2025

Report: Philadelphia tops bed bug list again

Which U.S. Cities Have the Worst Bed Bug Problems in 2025?

PHILADELPHIA LEADS THE list of the 50 most bed bug-infested U.S. cities for the second year in a row, followed by New York City and Cleveland-Akron, according to Terminix. The results show a rise in bed bug activity, with cities in Ohio, Texas, Florida, California and Pennsylvania making up much of the list, driven by travel, urban density and housing conditions.

Terminix's list of the 50 most bed bug-infested U.S. cities is based on 2024 service data from more than 300 branches nationwide.

Keep ReadingShow less
Colliers: US hotel assets improve in 2025, led by Northeast and Central regions

Report: Hospitality health up on travel, events

What are the key findings from Colliers’ 2025 Hospitality Outlook?

THE FINANCIAL HEALTH of hospitality assets, especially in the northeast and central regions, is improving, driven by leisure travel and the return of conferences and events, according to Colliers. U.S. hotels saw RevPAR rise 2.4 percent, ADR 1.9 percent and a slight uptick in occupancy from April 2024 to March 2025.

Colliers' 2025 Hospitality Outlook report found that some regions are still returning to pre-pandemic demand levels, while others are reaching prior cyclical peaks.

Keep ReadingShow less