OCEAN CITY – A new campaign is expected to highlight the selfless acts of hospitality workers in Ocean City.
This week, the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association (OCHMRA) launched its “Hospitality Heroes” campaign, an effort to share stories of inspiring resort hospitality workers who have gone above and beyond for guests and residents.
“Everyone is experiencing an enormous amount of stress and pressure and combined with all the social media negativity, we thought it was important to spread some positivity,” OCHMRA Executive Director Susan Jones said.
Each week, submitted stories that celebrate local hospitality workers and their efforts will be featured on the HMRA website, social media platforms and shared with news media including full page color ads in The Dispatch, which is sponsoring the print effort.
The launch of the Hospitality Heroes campaign comes after a stretch of violent incidents and unruly behavior in and around Ocean City.
On Sunday, for example, the Alaska Stand announced it was closing its doors early because of customer problems. Other businesses, including the Crabcake Factory Poolside, didn’t even open on Sunday because of safety concerns. And in a social media post Monday, 2nd Street Bull on the Beach said it would temporarily shorten its hours of operation until further notice.
“Unfortunately due to unruly behavior on the boardwalk and surrounding area, we will be closing at 8 p.m. until further notice,” the message reads. “This is to ensure the safety of our staff and customers. We wholeheartedly regret having to go to these extreme measures but the safety of everyone is our main goal.”
Jones noted the Hospitality Heroes campaign is meant to uplift hospitality workers and the community.
“Folks have never worked harder, employees are being yelled at for asking customers to wear a mask, for their food taking too long and everything else you can imagine,” she said. “The lack of respect and civil unrest in our nation is overwhelming; so, we are trying to bring a ray of sunshine to all.”
Each week, the HMRA will select a story and the submitter will receive a $50 gift card from a local restaurant. And on Sept. 1, a winner will be drawn for a $500 case prize.
Local Hospitality Hero stories and photos can be submitted to [email protected]. Story submissions will be accepted through Aug. 24.
