BySiddhi Jain

October 15, 2019 (IANSlife) Though world-famous for its warmth and service, Indian hospitality
industry needs a better transition from institute to industry, says Disruption guru and former
CEO of Marriot's subsidiary Starwood Hotels Frits van Paasschen.

"A welcoming spirit and generosity comes naturally to people here. It is no surprise that India’s
hospitality brands are well regarded around the globe for their exceptional service and
standards.

"One challenge, however, in the local landscape is the lack of well-trained talent to fuel these
brands to expand their reach and rise to even greater heights," Paasschen told IANSlife.

Paasschen was attending the Indian School of Hospitality's conclave on 'Big Ideas: Reimagining
Hospitality for Tomorrow'.

Insisting that Indian hospitality education has gone well beyond traditional hotel training in the
last few years, in terms of more international collaboration and exposure and more emphasis on
professional training, Paasschen said: "Most importantly, we’re seeing growing collaboration
between institute and industry. This connection not only leads to updated curriculum and better
internships, but also produces graduates who are more industry-aware and better prepared to
bring positive change to their employers.”

Author of bestselling book 'The Disruptors’ Feast’, Paasschen has written about the trends that
are shaping the world of the future.

"As an industry, we still have far to go. So much of travel is uncertain, inconvenient and
impersonal. Among many changes, I believe we will see new levels of personalisation, giving
each person what they want and knowing them well enough to anticipate what they will want
when they come to new places."

A Harvard Business School graduate, who has worked with the likes of Disney, Nike, and Coors
Brewing Company, Paasschen bets on machine learning to be the next big disruptive event,
even though he fears it might put many out of their jobs. His solution? Reskilling through an
education ecosystem with high investment.

(Siddhi Jain can be contacted at siddhi.j@ians.in)
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Editing by Ritu Pandey