Glion Institute of Higher Education hosts Panel Discussion on “The New Face of Luxury”
New York City, NY (PRWEB) April 13, 2015 -- Glion Institute of Higher Education, one of the world’s top three institutions of higher education for an international career in hospitality management, hosted a panel discussion on the state and trends of the global luxury industry entitled “The New Face of Luxury,” at the Waldorf Astoria New York on Friday, April 3. Hospitality industry professionals and academics explored the term luxury, and how it is applied to the business world in 2015 and beyond.
The panel consisted of Sarah Drew, director of Training and Development at Waldorf Astoria; Glion alumnus Frédéric Frère, CEO of Travelstore, a luxury travel agency; Peter Luethi, deputy CEO of La Compagnie, a business-class airline; Michael L. Romei, secretary general of Les Clefs D’Or, a concierge association; and Dr. Thomai Serdari, marketing professor at New York University (NYU). The discussion was moderated by Paul Chappel, head of Academic Product Innovation and Initiatives and a faculty member at Glion.
During the 90-minute discussion, panelists shared their professional and personal assessments on the importance of luxury to their business and research. Interestingly, all participants agreed that luxury has both tangible and intangible elements, and that the right combination of the two creates a perfect luxury experience. Since each customer has a different notion of luxury, providers must use customized offers and personalized service to create the perfect experience for each client.
The top notch customer relationship that has always been at the heart of the hospitality industry is now reaching other sectors, which may explain why Glion has seen many of its recent graduates recruited by companies from areas such as luxury retail, airlines, consulting and finance.
“The composition of the panel represented the diversity of the industry in which we all operate,” said Chappel. “However, despite the wide spectrum of activities, it was fascinating to observe how aligned all participants were in their views of customer experience and exceeding expectations.”
The panel concluded with a Q&A session with the audience. Discussions continued during the informal cocktail reception, which immediately followed the event.
About Glion Institute of Higher Education
Founded in 1962, Glion Institute of Higher Education is a private Swiss institute that offers undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate programs in the fields of hospitality, tourism, and events, sports and entertainment management. Glion is accredited at the university level by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC) and ranked by luxury hotel hiring managers among the top three hospitality management schools in the world for an international career (TNS Global-2013 Survey). Glion is located on three campuses in Switzerland and the UK: in Glion, above the famous resort of Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva; in Bulle, in the heart of the Gruyère region; and in London. Glion has the unique advantage of offering its international student body an ideal, safe and multicultural educational environment. For more information, visit http://www.glion.edu. Glion is part of Laureate Hospitality Education, a leading hospitality management education group http://www.laureatehospitality.com.
Alexia Robinet, Laureate Hospitality Education, +41 219892663, [email protected]
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