The hospitality industry is thriving in Flint and Genesee County.

Nearly a half-million hotel rooms were booked in Genesee County in 2017, which brought in more than $34 million, according to the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce. In addition, the countywide 5 percent hotel tax brought in more than $1.1 million in tax revenue — a 29 percent increase since 2011.

Occupancy increased 11.2 percent in 2018, according to the Chamber’s annual report. So, occupancy rate would be 62.38 percent. Revenue rose 11 percent, bringing it to $37.98 million in 2018.

One of the reasons for the continuing growth is the commitment of business leaders in the hospitality industry to extend exemplary customer service to visitors.

The Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce and the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) want to know who they are. Nominations are now open for this year’s Art of Achievement Awards.

“We’re asking you to share that story by nominating that business or those individuals for one of our Art of Achievement awards,” says Steven Elkins, the Chamber’s director of member services.

Nominations are open to for-profit businesses, nonprofits and individuals in Genesee County, and are due Oct. 16 via online submission at flintandgenesee.org/art-of-achievement-awards. Additional details about the selection criteria for each award are also posted online, and self-nomination is permissible.

Winners will be announced at the Nov. 7 gala at the Flint Institute of Arts.

“We’ve all had that amazing customer service experience; the kind that you want to tell your friends about,” says Elkins. “There are also opportunities to recognize a variety of business and community leaders as well as up-and-coming professionals who are doing terrific things to move Flint & Genesee forward.”

Nominations for 2019 are being sought in the following business and hospitality categories:

Business Awards

• CEO Business Award – Any company with 50 or more employees working to have a positive impact in Flint & Genesee.
• Small Business Award – Any company with fewer than 50 employees working to have a positive impact in Flint & Genesee.
• Minority-owned Business Award – Any minority-owned business working to have a positive impact in Flint & Genesee.
• Claire M. White Award – Honoring a woman working for the betterment of Flint & Genesee in community, career or someone else’s life.
• Young Professional Leader Award – Any young professional 40 or younger making great strides to benefit their company and/or the community.
• Nonprofit Impact Award – Any charity, church or nonprofit making great strides to positively impact any facet of the Flint & Genesee community.

Hospitality Awards

• Gloria J. DeHart Award – Exemplifies an individual or organization who has worked to improve Flint & Genesee in the eyes of the hospitality community, creating a positive impact and perception of Flint & Genesee.
• Hospitality Ambassador Award – Recognizes exemplary customer service in the non-hotel areas of food service, bartender, transportation, business, etc. The winner will have gone above and beyond in the performance of his/her job to make a difference in the customers’ experience.
• Frontline Ambassador Award – Recognizes a hospitality worker within a Genesee County hotel who provided outstanding service to guests staying at their establishment. This may include, but is not limited to: Front Desk Staff, Host/Hostess, Housekeeper, Guest Services and Maintenance.
• Restaurant of the Year – Recognizes a Genesee County restaurant for their outstanding service, menu and overall experience of the customer.
• Hotel of the Year – Recognizes a Genesee County hotel for outstanding service, comfort and attention to hotel guests, providing an excellent overall experience.
• Entertainment Venue of the Year – Awarded to an entertainment or live performing arts venue that continues to raise the bar, offering an array top-notch entertainment to the community and visitors.
• Community Champion Award – Recognizes a local resident who worked with the Flint & Genesee CVB staff to bring a meeting, event or group into Genesee County that had the highest economic impact in terms of attendees and overnight rooms.
• Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) of the Year – Recognizes a Flint & Genesee County CTA for their dedication to the CTA Program and goes above and beyond to turn every encounter into a positive experience by promoting Flint & Genesee as a great place to live, work, play and visit.

For more information about the awards and sponsorships, contact Steven Elkins at (810) 600-1419 or selkins@flintandgenesee.org.

  Art of Achievement Awards, Convention and Visitors Bureau in Flint, CVB, Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, hospitality industry in Flint

Comments

comments