Animals are enlisted to improve guest experiences in a variety of hospitality settings. Whereas city hotels sometimes keep pet cats or dogs to make guests feel at home, wildlife resorts promise animal sightings for a more immersive experience with nature.
Are you curious about the hospitality benefits of having in-house pets? Read on to know how animals are helping top hotels attract visitors from around the world.
In-Residence Animals Provide Unique Guest Experiences
From dog petting to horseback riding, animal encounters make hotels more appealing to future visitors—and more memorable to guests past. Hotel animals are often used to greet tourists even in the busiest urban centres. For instance, Vancouver’s Fairmont Hotel appeals to visitors with its ‘Canine Ambassadors’—trained guide dogs that welcome guests. Promising a “paw-sitively” friendly welcome, the Fairmont lists its canine ambassadors as its “most popular employees”!
For guests wanting even more animal time, hotels around the world gear special activities around their non-human residents. Ranches like the Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort in California promise horseback riding alongside other outdoor activities. Halfway around the world, guests of the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort in Jordan often run into the resort’s resident donkey, who offers rides to children every Friday. Understanding the unique appeal of these animal-friendly destinations can help hospitality grads plan for future hospitality management careers.
Animals Sightings Are a Crucial Component of Wildlife Travel
For tourists attracted to nature, animals help create the sense of an authentic wildlife experience. While these animals are rarely amenable to petting or riding, just spotting them is often enough to make a trip worthwhile. Nestled in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, the &Beyond Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp promises guests a wildlife experience they are unlikely to forget. Organizing personal excursions with game drivers, the lodge provides close encounters with exotic animals, from lions and hyenas to hippos and buffalo.
Former sanctuaries are also popular destinations, often building their charm on a single type of animal. Giraffe Manor in Kenya puts visitors in close contact with its eight resident giraffes. A sanctuary from 1932 to 1970, Giraffe Manor now promises a unique guest experience, with profits supporting the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife.
Resident Animals Can Shape Hospitality Management Careers
Hospitality pros know that the excitement of residence animals extends beyond the hotel’s guests. For lovers of pets and wildlife, these hotels are an exciting opportunity to combine professional and personal passions—all the while creating a unique atmosphere for guests. For instance, Kimpton Hotels traces its famous pet-friendly policy back to its founder, Bill Kimpton, who often brought his beloved dog Chianti to work.
For students attending hospitality colleges, animal-friendly hotels are an opportunity to travel and work abroad, deploying their expertise while experiencing exotic wildlife along with guests. These careers also build relationships and expand professional networks, introducing hospitality pros to a range of animal and wildlife experts—all of whom contribute to a unique guest experience!
Are you looking toward an exciting career in the hospitality industry?
Contact Eton College to know more about our hospitality management courses in Vancouver.
