In today’s fast-paced hospitality industry, finding passionate, motivated, and globally minded talent can be a challenge. That’s why many hotels, resorts, and restaurants are turning to international hospitality Interns through the J-1 cultural exchange program and loving the results.
By welcoming international hospitality Interns, Host Companies gain more than just additional team members – they gain valuable cultural insight, fresh perspectives, and young professionals eager to learn and contribute. Whether your business is a luxury resort, a bustling city hotel, or a local restaurant with a loyal customer base, partnering with a cultural exchange program can help you elevate guest experiences and support your team with globally minded individuals.
Energy, Enthusiasm and a Willingness to Learn
International hospitality Interns often arrive with strong academic training in hospitality, tourism, or culinary arts, and they are excited to apply their knowledge in a hands-on, real-world environment. Because they are participating in a structured training program, they are highly motivated to learn from your team and perform at their best.
Unlike temporary employees who may view their role as just another job, international hospitality Interns in a cultural exchange program see their time at your company as a key part of their professional journey. This translates into a high level of enthusiasm and engagement on the job.
A Global Perspective That Benefits Your Guests
In today’s increasingly global travel landscape, guests come from all over the world, and so should your team. International hospitality Interns can help bridge cultural gaps, communicate more effectively with international guests, and offer insight into hospitality practices from other parts of the world.
Having a diverse team that reflects your guest demographics isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a competitive advantage. Cultural exchange participants bring unique perspectives that can inform your approach to service, marketing, and guest engagement.
Building the Future of Hospitality
When you host an Intern through a cultural exchange program, you’re not just helping one individual – you’re investing in the future of the global hospitality industry. These programs are designed to foster mutual understanding and professional development. Your team becomes a learning environment, and your Intern returns home with a deeper understanding of American hospitality standards and customer service best practices.
Many Host Companies also use their experience with international hospitality Interns to build connections with schools and hospitality institutions abroad, helping to raise their profile and attract future talent.
Flexible Support During Busy Seasons
While cultural exchange programs are not designed to fill staffing shortages, many Host Companies find that international hospitality Interns provide valuable support during peak seasons. Because training plans are customized based on your business needs, you can align an Intern’s program with your high-traffic times, offering them excellent training opportunities while providing your guests with a stronger, more diverse team.
Testimonials: In Their Own Words
“One of the biggest reasons that we like the J-1 program is because we get a different type of colleague in our environment that aren’t only learning from us, but we are also learning from them. We love that they bring their culture to us. They immerse themselves in our culture, and we try very hard to encourage them to bring their culture into their training environment and to teach us more about what their experiences are, because that can only enrich us here as a property.” – Hospitality Intern Supervisor, 4-Star Hotel, Wisconsin
“I think the biggest positive for me and the rest of the teams is learning about other cultures. We get to learn their culture while they’re here learning about our culture, and I think that’s the biggest takeaway: uniting those differences and learning about a lot of similarities that these cultures bring together.” – Hospitality Intern Supervisor, 4-Star Hotel, Wisconsin
“The advantages that we’ve seen with the Internship Program is that we’re getting an individual who is looking to further their knowledge when it comes to the area that they’re studying, and so they come in with a willingness to want to learn and improve, and that benefits everybody. We’re able to focus on them and the things that they want to do to grow, but in turn they’re able to offer some great skills and great experience to our team that helps further our guests’ experience, our local culinary team’s experience, and it diversifies us. It brings in some new perspectives from other countries and other backgrounds, and it allows our team to be able to learn from them and the experiences that they’re bringing in to our organization.” – Training and Recruiting Manager, 4-Star Hotel, Vermont
“I have enjoyed working with the J-1 program because I’m introduced to a lot of different cultures and trying to understand all of them. Last year we had participants from China, and we learned a lot about China, about their culture, and picked up a few phrases. It actually helped me to understand them a lot better.” – International Coordinator, 5-Star Hotel, Wisconsin
Whether you’re looking to enhance your guest experience, bring fresh ideas to your team, or contribute to the future of the hospitality industry, hosting an international Intern through a cultural exchange program is a smart investment. It’s an opportunity to foster cross-cultural understanding, develop global talent, and make a lasting impact on both your team and your Intern.