Eric David Meeuwsen Urges Hotels to Rethink Staff Training and Guest Experience to Stay Competitive

Veteran Hospitality Consultant Highlights Frontline Empowerment as Key to Guest Satisfaction and Industry Recovery

Las Vegas, NV, 18th August 2025, ZEX PR WIRE, Renowned hospitality consultant Eric David Meeuwsen is calling on hotel operators across the U.S. and UK to re-centre their focus on staff empowerment and guest journey design, following his feature in a recent industry spotlight that explores his 30+ years of hotel transformation work.

Drawing from decades of experience leading operational turnarounds in Las Vegas, the Caribbean, and beyond, Meeuwsen advocates for a more people-first approach to hospitality. In an era of rising guest expectations and labour shortages, he believes the most effective competitive edge is already inside the building: the team.

“I’ve walked into five-star hotels with no heart, and two-star motels with soul,” says Meeuwsen. “When staff feel seen, heard, and trained with purpose, the guest always notices.”

Service Gaps Widening Across Global Hospitality

According to STR Global, global hotel guest satisfaction scores dropped by 6.4% in 2023, with the largest declines in staff helpfulness and attentiveness. At the same time, nearly 60% of hotel employees report feeling undertrained or unsupported in their roles (Source: Cornell Center for Hospitality Research, 2024).

Meeuwsen says these figures reflect a growing disconnect between leadership focus and frontline realities.

“The problem isn’t usually technology or money,” he explains. “It’s unclear expectations, poor training, and managers too busy to lead. That’s what guests are feeling.”

In the feature article, he recounts helping a struggling resort raise its TripAdvisor score by 1.2 stars in six months, simply by retraining the front desk team and removing robotic scripts.

Investing in People, Not Just Property

Eric Meeuwsen is particularly passionate about mentoring early-career hospitality professionals, believing that long-term industry health depends on creating internal pathways for growth.

“A 24-year-old front desk agent today could be a GM in five years—if someone takes the time to coach them,” he notes.

He currently volunteers with the Nevada Restaurant Association, speaks regularly at college hospitality programmes, and believes similar efforts should be replicated globally.

His approach centres around three pillars:

• Operational audits based on real-time guest journeys
  

• Human-centred team training with role-play and observation
  

• Collaborative culture building, not top-down discipline
  

“If staff feel proud, guests feel welcome. That’s the ROI that doesn’t fit in a spreadsheet.”

Lead From Where You Stand

Meeuwsen is not launching a programme or selling a product. Instead, his message is one of individual action. Whether you’re a GM, department head, or new team member, his advice is clear:

• Walk the floor – notice what guests see.
  

• Listen to your team – ask where they feel unsupported.
  

• Coach one person this week – invest in potential, not just performance.
  

“Hospitality is a chain of small moments,” Meeuwsen adds. “If everyone owns one link, the whole experience becomes stronger.”

To read the full interview, visit the website here.

About Eric David Meeuwsen

Eric David Meeuwsen is a hospitality consultant based in Las Vegas, Nevada. With over 30 years of experience across luxury resorts, boutique hotels, and pre-opening projects, he specialises in team training, operational clarity, and guest experience design. He is the founder of Meeuwsen Hospitality Consulting and a mentor with the Nevada Restaurant Association.

Contact: [email protected]