Embracing diversity among employees is an important part of building and maintaining a company that truly reflects the diverse communities served in the hospitality industry. It is becoming increasingly important to establish internal programs that not only encourage, but also cultivate this diversity.

Diversity has become and should be a primary focus for all businesses, from small business to global corporations. Too often, it loses its significance and "diversity" becomes an overused buzzword that everyone wants more of but fails to apply appropriately into the overall business plan. Diversity is essential to implement in all facets of business, from the workplace to the marketplace and everywhere in between. The best place to start this implementation is to concentrate on workforce diversity. Most companies have a video or section in the handbook to address sensitivity to each employee's diversity, but that only scratches the surface of potential to use diversity as tool to make your guests, employees and shareholders happier.

Luckily for those of us in the lodging industry, this idea is not a completely foreign one. We are no strangers to diversity and have learned to work with it and embrace it in our guests. Tourism and travel have become more global ...