Doubletree finds a niche for giving back

Last month, I finally got the chance to visit the tree museum. While that may sound like something that’s far removed from the world of hospitality, it’s actually something quite connected and something very central to how our business should work.

The traveling exhibit came about because of a collaboration that Doubletree Hotels started with the Arbor Day Foundation. In 2002, the two organizations began partnering on the Teaching Kids to CARE program, a community outreach where properties adopt a local elementary school or youth group. Hotel volunteers work to educate the kids about environmentally responsible behavior—the whole reduce/reuse/recycle thing.

When the Arbor Day Foundation had the idea to create a traveling museum focused on trees for science centers, children’s museums and botanical gardens, Doubletree seemed the natural choice to approach for sponsorship.

The “Exploring Trees Inside and Out” exhibit, in its third and final year, allows kids ages 2-10 to discover what is so special about trees. My son visited it with me and couldn’t get enough of the climbing area and the bird, squirrel and owl costumes. But there’s real learning there, too. Kids work on “art in nature” projects, try their hands (er, noses) at guessing different scents of nature, even look through microscopes at seeds, pollen, termites and bark.

Thomas Wingham, director of brand communications for Doubletree, explained that as the exhibit moved around (generally every three months), area properties would bring in their schools or youth groups from the Teaching Kids to CARE program. Others held special family night events for their customers. One did an entire “exploring trees fair,” where forestry experts from parks were brought in.

Doubletree even hosts forums after the exhibit moves on, bringing parents, educators and experts together to talk about the disconnect between today’s kids and nature. This helps people in the community connect to work on future projects.

“We’re in the business of hospitality, but there has to be humanity in with hospitality,” Wingham said.

That statement truly got me thinking. What makes your brand or your property special? What do you give back to your community? How do you get your employees involved locally? Doing outreach projects certainly is good PR, but it also makes your employees feel good about and invested in their workplace—and lets them know that it’s not just about the bottom line.

Hospitality isn’t simply about how you treat your customers. It’s every bit as much about how you treat your employees and your community.