The theme of the 2014 Davos World Economic Forum (WEF) this week is of 'Reshaping the World' and the CEOs of both Hilton and Marriott claim that the travel industry is uniquely positioned to make that a reality.

Hilton pledges to 'open doors' for one million young people by 2019

Hilton Worldwide announced a global commitment that aims to impact at least one million young people by 2019 by helping them to reach their full potential. This new initiative will open doors for young people in three ways:

1. Connecting them to the world of travel by enabling them to experience new cultures, contributing to the improvement of the sustainability of the industry and shaping their future with opportunities in Hilton Worldwide's expansive supply chain;

2. Preparing them for success in the world of work, travel and beyond by supporting their basic needs and developing their life and professional skills with mentorships, apprenticeships and Hilton Worldwide's career awareness program, Careers@HiltonLive; and

3. Employing them across all divisions of the business across more than 4,000 owned, managed and franchised hotels worldwide.

"We have been opening our doors to millions of guests for nearly a century. This pledge is a natural extension of our promise to create meaningful opportunities for the next generation of Team Members, guests and business partners," said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton Worldwide.

Research shows that many young people face a grim socioeconomic reality. More than 74 million worldwide are unemployed and nearly 290 million - more than a quarter of our planet's young people - are neither working nor studying.

Travel and tourism is the world's single largest employer, accounting for almost 10 percent of global employment, and it is expected to generate 73 million new jobs by 2022. But simply creating more jobs will not be enough to address the issue if young people are not equipped with the range of skills needed to succeed in today's complex marketplace.

Hilton Worldwide will focus the majority of its corporate responsibility efforts on programs and partners that connect, prepare and employ young people around the world. From supporting young entrepreneurs by connecting them to training, certification and markets to preparing the next generation of hospitality leaders, Hilton Worldwide will work with a range of global and local partners to help one million young people over the next five years.

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