Toyoko Inn seeks out rare gem in the Marseille hotel industry

The staff will receive Toyoko Inn training at the Frankfurt property that opened in March 2017

A few months ahead of the opening of the Toyoko Inn business hotel in downtown Marseille, the Japanese group is in the midst of a hiring campaign. The hotel has to be ready by the second half of 2017, but it's not that easy for a foreign company to recruit the right local candidates. This is why Toyoko Inn turned to Provence Promotion and Pôle Emploi for help. Toyoko Inn attended a job fair organized by the Department Council in late April and identified 15 promising candidates. The group continues to canvas the area as it seeks out the hotel industry's rare pearls.

Toyoko Inn Marseille, the first French outpost of the leading Japanese hotel chain, will open its doors to guests in the second half of 2017. The imposing white parallelepiped was built in the heart of the Euroméditerranée project. Convenient locations are a hallmark of the chain and the Marseille site is just steps away from the Saint-Charles train station for easy access to all forms of public transportation.

To run this three-star facility with 267 rooms divided over seven floors, the Japanese group is recruiting 50 employees.

Insider knowledge about Marseille

"The Toyoko Inn concept depends on hiring people who know the city well and can offer our guests the best recommendations for restaurants, sightseeing and activities. On the advice of Provence Promotion, I attended the job fair on April 28. Of the 100 meetings I had over the course of the day, there were 15 candidates who were especially appealing. I interviewed people with international experience that is valuable to me," notes Akiko Busnel-Ryuzaki, Manager of Toyoko Inn Marseille.

Delighted with her first employment forum, she plans to repeat the experience in late June alongside Pôle Emploi. This fresh round of job interviews should result in the signing of open-ended employment contracts for management assistants, housekeeping staff and receptionists three months out from the hotel opening.

Training provided

The staff will receive Toyoko Inn training at the Frankfurt property that opened in March 2017. "I am not looking for any specific skills, but the ability to provide a warm welcome is crucial," explains Akiko Busnel-Ryuzaki, who is uncompromising about hiring applicants with a ready smile.

The team will include housekeepers, receptionists and a team of assistants to support the hotel manager.

While the hotel does have a meeting room and bar, it will direct its guests to Marseille's restaurants. "I plan to establish working relationships with business owners," the manager notes.

Toyoko Inn has invested €20 million in its Marseille property. When it opens, the hotel will offer attractive prices to business travelers and tourists alike. Toyoko Inn, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year, has 250 hotels in Japan and 10 sites outside Japan.