Hilton Worldwide to tell world leaders in Davos: hospitality can offer help to youth unemployment crisis

Investing in youth employment is essential for global business growth, Hilton Worldwide will announce at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where political leaders will meet this week.

Responding to the challenge of 75m young people who can't find jobs globally, Hilton Worldwide will share the results of a commissioned white paper from the International Youth Foundation (IYF) which highlights the role the global hospitality industry is in a unique position to provide to the unemployed.

The company will also announce the launch of Bright Blue Futures, a global commitment to youth development led by its flagship Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand.

In the paper, Creating Opportunities for Youth in Hospitality, the IYF presents the hospitality industry with a roadmap for action, focusing on creating career pathways for the emerging workforce as well as meeting critical industry-wide hiring needs.

Christopher J. Nassetta, president and chief executive of Hilton Worldwide, said: "We have a tremendous opportunity to prevent a lost generation of young people by helping them acquire the life skills and job training they need to be successful in the workplace and beyond.

"As a global citizen and a leader in one of the largest industries in the world, we have a business imperative and responsibility to develop solutions that preserve our collective futures."

According to IYF, there are few industries whose resources, expertise and career pathways are as relevant to addressing the challenges facing young people today, and whose business and expansion relies as heavily on a trained workforce in every region of the world. The travel and tourism sector, which alone employs 255 million people globally, is expected to generate 73 million new jobs by 2022.

William S. Reese, president and chief executive of the IYF, said: "This paper and Hilton Worldwide's leadership provide a critical foundation for how hospitality companies can respond to youth development strategically, while also supporting their business goals."

In expanding opportunities for youth development, Hilton Hotels & Resorts has launched Bright Blue Futures, a global program designed to help young people achieve stability and hope through education, life skills, workforce training and employment. The initiative is being supported in 80 countries worldwide.

"Our company has the unique resources, expertise and career pathways to assist the needs of young people," said Rob Palleschi, global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts. "We are proud of what our team members across the globe do every day to support young people through Bright Blue Futures."

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