Eric David Meeuwsen Advocates for Human-Centred Leadership in Hospitality

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Eric David Meeuwsen, Palm Beach, FL, USA.

Veteran Consultant Featured in Candid Interview on Redefining Success, Calls for Greater Investment in Frontline Hotel Teams
Internationally respected hospitality consultant Eric David Meeuwsen is speaking out about the growing need for people-first leadership in the hotel industry. In a newly released in-depth Q&A, Meeuwsen shares lessons from three decades of experience, highlighting the overlooked role of frontline staff in driving guest satisfaction and long-term success.

"I've walked into five-star hotels with no heart, and two-star motels with soul," said Meeuwsen. "Success doesn't come from brand prestige-it comes from the people who greet, serve, clean, and care."

In his interview, Meeuwsen recounts his start in the 1990s at a Miami Beach hotel and shares how observing small moments-like guest check-ins or staff interactions-shaped his people-centred philosophy. Now based in Palm Beach and leading Meeuwsen Hospitality Consulting, he helps boutique hotels and resorts fix internal culture and performance problems by putting people first.

Why This Matters Now

According to 2024 research by the Cornell Hospitality Research Center, 60% of hotel employees report feeling undertrained or undervalued. Meanwhile, guest satisfaction scores have declined globally for three straight years, with staff helpfulness ranked among the top complaints (STR Global, 2024).

"The fix isn't expensive," Meeuwsen explains. "In one case, we raised guest ratings just by helping staff ditch robotic scripts and start real conversations. We didn't spend money-we spent time."

His concern is clear: hotels are prioritising tech, branding, and design over coaching and human development-often to their own detriment.

What People Can Do Now

Meeuwsen is calling on hotel owners, managers, and even entry-level staff to lead from where they stand. His recommendations:

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Walk the floor daily - watch how service flows in real time

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Ask your team what they need - and actually listen

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Coach one person a week - whether it's technical or confidence-building

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See service as a chain of moments - every guest interaction matters

"Hospitality is built on micro-moments," he said. "A guest doesn't remember the lobby design-they remember how they were treated when something went wrong."

He also encourages young professionals to work in as many roles as possible early on and seek out mentors who care about growth, not just performance.

A Call to Rethink What Success Really Means

In a world where "success" often gets confused with promotions or accolades, Meeuwsen challenges leaders to redefine it.

"To me, success is seeing a hotel team proud of their work, a guest who feels at home, and a junior staffer stepping into their next role with confidence," he said. "That's what matters."

Through mentoring with the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and speaking at local colleges, he continues to build a pipeline of thoughtful, emotionally intelligent hospitality leaders.

To read the full interview, visit the website here [https://www.industry-elites.com/what-does-success-look-like-to-you-eric-david-meeuwsen/].

About Eric David Meeuwsen

Eric David Meeuwsen is a Palm Beach-based hospitality consultant with over 30 years in hotel leadership across Las Vegas, Florida and the Caribbean. He is the founder of Meeuwsen Hospitality Consulting and specialises in team development, guest experience strategy, and operational audits. He is also an active mentor, speaker, and community volunteer.

Contact:

info@ericdavidmeeuwsenhospitality.com
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