Luxury Hoteliers Magazine 2nd Quarter 2019 | Page 36

ELEVATE YOUR EXPER-TEAS: STAFFING YOUR PROPERTY WITH A TEA SOMMELIER By Iris Estrada According to the Tea Association of the United States, tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, second only to water, and is found in almost 80% of all U.S. households. Although tea is commonly associated with older generations, it’s Millennials and health advocates who have revived the love for loose leaf in the United States. A survey conducted by YouGov found that people under 30 were evenly split between their preference for coffee and tea (42% prefer coffee, while 42% prefer tea), compared to 70% of people over 65 who say they prefer coffee. Tea is not only giving coffee a run for its money – sugary sodas and carbonated drinks are also losing consumers to the healthier alternative. 36 ILHA