Savor & Soar

A Hospitality and Tourism Summit

Savor & Soar is the signature event of Discover Tourism GR. Held in the fall each year, it brings local students and industry professionals together to engage and interact with each other in a real-life hospitality & tourism management (HTM) environment. It's a day filled with exclusive, behind-the-scenes peeks into the inner workings of an HTM provider, an in-depth exploration of HTM career paths, and a dynamic panel discussion led by HTM industry trailblazers.

The event culminates in a formal dinner at which students and their adult chaperones mingle with industry partners and visit resource tables staffed by local businesses looking to fill open job positions. For many, it is the beginning of a mutually rewarding professional relationship.

Savor & Soar 2023

Check out this incredible experience for future tourism professions explore the many areas of the industry.

2023 Recap

Savor & Soar 2023 was a collaborative effort between Experience Grand Rapids, the Academy of Hospitality & Tourism, the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and other industry partners. The event gave the 55 student participants a tour of the hotel’s commercial kitchen and offered etiquette training related to table setting and service along with an exploration of large-scale event planning and two dynamic panel discussions led by industry experts from Grand Rapids, Detroit and Washington, D.C.

Capping off the day was a five-course dinner and a career fair where students, parents and guardians could learn about careers and apply for jobs in the industry.

Post-event surveys revealed that 80% of respondents had an improved perspective of the hospitality industry after participating in Savor & Soar. This statistic highlights the effectiveness of the collaboration in not only engaging participants but also positively influencing their perceptions and understanding of career opportunities within the tourism sector.

Other survey results further confirmed the value and relevance of the event:

  • 90% of respondents reported that the event met or exceeded their expectations, indicating that we delivered a valuable and engaging experience.
  • 100% of respondents reported feeling that the event prioritized diversity and inclusion, a priority for our local workforce development efforts.  
  • The question “How likely are you to recommend this event to a colleague?” earned a Net Promoter Score of 58, meaning that a significant majority of respondents were highly satisfied and would tell their colleagues so.

In addition to these metrics, qualitative feedback provided valuable insights into participants’ key takeaways from the event. A word cloud analysis of the responses revealed recurring themes such as “exposure,” “connections,” “future careers,” “friendly” and “networking.” These takeaways reflect the event's success in providing attendees with valuable insights, meaningful connections and tangible opportunities for professional growth and development within the hospitality and tourism sector.

Experience Grand Rapids and its partners used this feedback to plan an even more successful Savor & Soar 2024! 

Are you interested in more information about Discover Tourism? Do you have questions about the Academy of Hospitality & Tourism? We'd love to hear from you!