SINGAPORE — A career in hospitality has always been the dream for 32-year Lionel Choo ever since he was 17 years old.

An internship then at ITB Asia, a travel trade show, gave him a "sense of belonging" and a confidence that hospitality was a field he could excel in. 

While studying for a diploma in hospitality administration at Temasek Polytechnic, a lecturer encouraged him to stick with his ambition, recommending the EHL Hospitality Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland, as it was a leading hospitality school. 

After researching and speaking to EHL alumni, Mr Choo chose to enroll in EHL for a two-year Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management in 2013. 

Besides the Lausanne school, EHL has another campus in Passugg, Switzerland and one in Singapore. The Singapore campus opened in 2021 and has around 150 students across 29 different nationalities. 

While initially concerned about being two years behind his international peers after completing his National Service, Mr Choo said studying alongside an international community allowed him to find his own voice and gave him confidence to express himself in a global setting.

Upon joining EHL, one question on Mr Choo’s mind was: “How do you bring your most authentic Singaporean self and contribute to the global table?” 

He soon found the answer: Having a results-oriented mindset imbued from his growing up in Singapore while broadening his perspective to also celebrate non-material measures of success and happiness. 

One highlight at EHL was the young hoteliers summit he planned, a conference for hospitality schools globally, which was the first time that he felt he had a “voice in an international space”. 

Mr Choo credits his time at EHL to opening doors to global jobs in the hospitality industry, where he built long-lasting connections and gained people management skills. 

After graduating from EHL, he spent nine years in the hospitality industry in Singapore, Switzerland and the United Kingdom in roles such as an operations manager and a planning and transformation analyst. 

Mr Choo is now working as a travel, hospitality and leisure advisory manager in London. 

While leaving the comfort of Singapore exposes one to a less predictable environment, Mr Choo said that working in an unfamiliar place is a “humbling experience” that brings excitement and forces him to think differently. 

An open-minded global perspective is especially important as salary growth and progress in the hospitality industry requires one to be mobile and open to an international career, said Mr Choo. 

One of his happiest moments was in an unconventional job during the Covid-19 pandemic, working as a cleaner for holiday rental homes in the Swiss mountains during the slowdown of the hospitality industry. 

This frontline role allowed Mr Choo to gain perspective on the importance of housekeeping in making people feel comfortable and welcome.

“I’ve never felt any single past experience to not contribute to who I am today,” said Mr Choo, who recalled a time when he had to rush around cleaning five to seven houses in a day.

While daring to do something different in an international space may be a lonely experience at times, Mr Choo encouraged others who might be considering a similar path to look forward to meeting new friends, who bring not only companionship but “new perceptions” of the world. 

“Why I love the hospitality industry is actually the people in it. I wouldn't be where I am today if I have not met all the kind and hardworking people who have inspired me and taken a chance on me.”