Next month on April 19, r é n and Yulan Group will be coming together to host a storytelling workshop and community get-together at the Arca, a collaboration that’s been on the to-do list for the group’s founder and CEO Justin Ma since he first learned of our charity. 

“I came across r é n through social media when I saw a post about Winson,” Justin tells us. “I was really touched by Winson’s positive attitude, and r é n’s effort in nurturing disadvantaged young people through their network in the hospitality industry. So soon after that, we reached out to Jo to see how Yulan can synergise with r é n.”

Justin and our founder Jo Soo Tang soon came together to brainstorm how we could work together during their first meeting earlier this year, and with Easter on the horizon, the delightful holiday naturally became the spotlight.

“I remember it was between Christmas and Chinese New Year when Jo visited the Arca for our first meet-up,” Justin recounts. “With all the festive decorations around the hotel, it was natural for us to have the idea of hosting a get-together for r é n during the next festival: Easter. On top of the mingling opportunity, Jo hopes the kids can actually gain something useful, so we came up with this workshop idea of ‘Public Speaking with Storytelling Techniques.’”

This idea of storytelling is particularly important for Justin, who thrives within the hospitality industry. Whether it’s communicating with guests as a business or potential employers as a youngster, being able to tell your own story is critical. 

“As a hotelier, storytelling as a skill is crucial, especially in constructing guest experiences and conveying brand messages,” the young CEO explains. “Customers don’t just expect a bed to sleep on when they book a hotel room. They would want to be able to envision their stay here, whether it be a warm vacation with their family, a once-in-a-lifetime surprise, or a bridal shower with their B paint a picture to arouse emotions and connect to the heFFs. Instead of facts and figures about room sizes or the brand of coffee machine we use, telling a story is the best way toart of our customers. Also, for a story to be appealing, we must find out what the audience needs and desires, so it’s a good reminder to empathize with our customers in our service and marketing campaigns.

“And I believe storytelling skills are important to young people too,” he continues. “Yulan Group is a relatively young brand in Hong Kong, and we strive to build a unique name for ourselves by inventing our way of hospitality. All classical stories highlight the challenges the leading role faces, as well as how they overcome those challenges. So it’s a perfect demonstration of your mission, values and character. Through this workshop, we hope to encourage these young people to reflect on their strengths and aspirations and show their qualities to the world.”

For Yulan Group and Justin, supporting disadvantaged and underprivileged youths has long been a key initiative, especially because of their connection to the hospitality industry, which opens them up to a world of people from vastly varying backgrounds. Justin hopes this kind of support will extend beyond the Arca and Yulan Group and into the wider hospitality industry. 

“Hospitality is about creating a destination where people from different backgrounds feel at home, comfortable and taken care of,” Justin explains. “We wouldn’t be able to do that if we don’t embrace inclusivity and diversity from the bottom of our hearts. Yulan Group has a good mix of team members in terms of age, nationality and ability. Like how we say in our core values – ‘Yulan is an art created by ALL of YOU.’ I feel truly blessed and proud of every single member in our team.

“I also have to say that many others in the industry are doing so well in DEI, and we have so much to learn from them. I think what we are trying to do here is to broaden and diversify the definition of ‘good hospitality.’ In the past, a ‘good hotel’ meant luxury, standardization, and being high-class. I am happy to see there are more hotels in their own genre and niche now, and I believe a diversified industry would attract talents with different strengths and backgrounds to join the field. Given the current challenges in the tourism industry, I think we need more chemistry and possibilities like this!”