All eyes are on the spreading coronvirus, COVID-19. Here you can follow the development and the impact of the coronavirus on the Hospitality Industry. Visit the WHO | World Health Organization for more information about the virus.
Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the United States, launches its highly anticipated COVID-19 Indicator Dashboard—a gating criteria dashboard designed to provide high-level updates of current COVID-19-related conditions in global inbound markets for U.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a real-life stress test on the entire travel industry, and the ups and downs of infection rates and lockdown measures have made unpredictability the only thing that is certain.
The UK Government has announced that outbound tourists will have to make a declaration proving their journey is for essential purposes. If successful, inbound UK residents will be faced with a mandat.
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted Americans and the rest of the world in a multitude of ways. None was more readily apparent though than the steep reduction in face-to-face interactions - whether through traveling or in the workplace.
As the governments of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and the European Union broaden or impose quarantine periods for international travelers, the Global Business Travel Association issued the following statement on COVID-19-related travel policies around the world.
"Travel's Next Great Chapter." That's how U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow described the coming era for the American travel and tourism industry following the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic that saw the industry lose 4.
The end of 2020 is not the end of the problems for the global hotel industry, but it does bring hope on the wings of a vaccine that, in time, could be a panacea for wait ails it: fear.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has said that introducing hotel quarantines in the UK would cause irreparable damage to an industry which contributes nearly £200 billion to the UK economy.
Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: "WTTC urgently calls upon the UK government to extend the furlough scheme for those employed in the beleaguered Travel & Tourism sector."
Hotel revenue teams are having to adapt constantly as the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic continues to change on almost a daily basis.
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Although leisure travel is currently a pretty lousy idea in most of the world, there are still times when people really need to travel. (Covid isn't the only emergency in the world right now.) And with hotels struggling to stay afloat, it makes sense that some of them are turning to a new way to delivery hospitality—to take care of their guests.
As coronavirus lockdowns are extended across Europe, protests have flared in its hard-hit hospitality sector, along with warnings that many businesses are on the verge of extinction. Four voices from around the continent detail the impact of the crisis on struggling firms.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused total disruption in the travel industry. Hotel occupancies in Europe dropped 90 percent in May compared with the same period a year earlier, and average daily room rates in the Asia-Pacific region decreased 40 percent.
Worsened pandemic metrics and assumptions of limited early-year travel led STR and Tourism Economics to slightly downgrade their latest U.S. hotel forecast. Full recovery of demand remains on track for 2023, while close-to-complete RevPAR recovery is still projected for 2024.
The words "vaccine passport" have a reassuring ring to them, perhaps conjuring up the image of a sleek, embossed document with watermarked pages and official stamps of approval. Flourished at border controls, it would open travel doors that, for so many of us, have been closed by COVID-19.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi recently joined Marriott International President and CEO Arne Sorenson to discuss how Uber handled COVID-19 and share his thoughts on recovery and the future of travel.
Amid a worldwide pandemic, the lodging industry is facing a downturn that is greater than the past two lodging-market declines combined. During the Great Recession, Greater St. Louis[1] occupancy fell roughly four points from 59% in 2008 to 55% in 2009.
The global leader in third-party hotel management has achieved the WELL Health-Safety Rating at nearly 100 North American hotels, with 200 additional properties enrolled(PLANO, Texas - January 25, 2021) - Aimbridge Hospitality, the leading, global, third-party hotel management company, has earned the WELL Health-Safety Rating for Facility Operations and Maintenance at an initial 96 hotels across North America.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) says the introduction of new hotel quarantines by the UK government would force the complete collapse of Travel & Tourism as we know it.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Oliver Wyman present the Safe & Seamless Traveller Journey webinar, taking place on Thursday 28 January.
The Central/South America hotel industry reported record lows in occupancy and revenue per available room (RevPAR), according to year-end 2020 data from STR.US$ constant currency, 2020 vs. 2019
AT THE END of December 2020, hope returned to the world, including hope for restarting travel, as countries began approving the Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines. Sometime in 2021, when enough people are vaccinated against—and immune from—COVID-19, this could mean a return to globetrotting (or at least less-risky domestic vacations).
There is no joy in recognizing that business travel has peaked and that our industry will never return to its pre-Covid level. Like it or not, there are significant implications for our industry's future.
Just as the race to invent a vaccine dominated headlines months ago, the topic du jour at the center of getting back to life's great pleasures -including cross-border travel- is the health passport. Like most things these days, the race is on to eliminate paper and all of the associated problems and inconveniences.
It has been one year since the first COVID-19 case was reported to the World Health Organization in December 2019. The World Health Organization declared it a pandemic in March 2020. Multiple countries during the pandemic have initiated nationwide lockdowns and restrictions (WHO, 2020).
Hotels in both the Middle East and Africa reported all-time lows in occupancy and revenue per available room (RevPAR), according to year-end 2020 data from STR.
Europe's hotel industry reported all-time lows in occupancy and revenue per available room (RevPAR), according to STR's year-end 2020 data.
Hotels in the Asia Pacific region saw record-low performance during 2020, according to data from STR.
Hit hard by the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian hotels sector witnessed one of its lowest performances ever in 2020, in line with the estimates in our 'India Hotels Outlook' report published in August 2020.
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement on the COVID-related executive orders issued by the White House Thursday, many of which pertain to travel:
If it wasn't obvious already, the latest research confirms it: Americans need a vacation.
Imagine this scenario. A guest arrives after a short flight for a five-night stay. A few days later, not feeling well, she goes to a local hospital for a COVID-19 test. She returns to her guestroom, advises the general manager of the situation, and immediately goes into self-isolation there.
It is obvious that the tourism industry has been devasted by COVID-19. The harsh, but necessary stop to travel created an unparalleled number of job losses around the world and it is estimated that 100.
Sector will need to further ingrain high health & hygiene standards in its DNA through managerial engagement to create a safety culture as it has done with security.Document serves as follow up to in.
Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO: "The latest expected announcement from the UK government, which will force UK arrivals to quarantine in a hotel for up to two weeks at their own cost, will be yet another crushing blow to the ailing UK Travel & Tourism sector.
Canada's hotel industry saw record lows in both occupancy and revenue per available room (RevPAR), according to STR's year-end 2020 data.
Prices of hotels along the east coast continue to drop, although the rate of decline has moderated. Hotels on the west coast enjoyed positive price momentum, both on a quarter-over-quarter or year-over-year basis.
HVS and The Lodging Conference hosted a webinar on January 14, 2021, that provided insights on what lies ahead for the hospitality industry in 2021. A truly distinguished group of hospitality executives shared their perspectives on the changing hotel landscape, along with their thoughts on navigating this unprecedented time.
In Spring 2020, many hotels were forced to furlough most on-property Sales Managers because so much demand for hotels disappeared with the pandemic, requiring any remaining team members to be responsible for market segments which previously were not their responsibility.
There's some good news and optimism from global marketing leaders looking for growth recovery in 2021. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed by the CMO Council say they will boost marketing spend in the coming year and most don't expect to downsize or re-structure their organizations.
Seventy-three percent of chief marketing officers (CMOs) report they will rely on existing customers to fuel growth in 2021, rather than looking to develop new markets, according to Gartner, Inc. The inaugural Gartner CMO Strategic Priorities Survey 2021 shows that 39% of CMOs plan to increase sales of existing products to existing customers, while 34% will introduce new products to existing customers in 2021 (see Figure 1).
Americans are hitting the road again. But they're not traveling to Chicago on business or to Las Vegas and Disney World for vacations. They're going in search of vaccines.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) today released "AHLA's State of the Hotel Industry 2021" outlining the forecasted state of the hotel industry in 2021 and into the immediate future. The report examines the high-level economics of the hotel industry's recovery, the specific impact on and eventual return of business travel, and consumer travel sentiments.
The Global Tourism Crisis Committee has met for the first time in 2021. Organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the cross-sector body met in Madrid during the 113th session of the UNWTO Executive Council to advance solid plans to restart tourism.
U.S. weekly hotel occupancy climbed back to the 40% mark, according to STR's latest data through 16 January. 10-16 January 2021 (percentage change from comparable week in 2020):
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world's largest business travel association, has released the results from its 15thcoronavirus poll, the first in 2021, to measure the impact on business travel following the onset of the pandemic last year.
I see myself as a yogini, first, revenue optimist second. Having spent thousands of hours centering my mind, body and soul- my professional career within the revenue and consulting space has also benefitted immensely from the cognitive gains of daily yoga.
The corona crisis is not without its effects on the leadership style of managers. This was not only revealed by a recent Xing survey, but also confirmed by Thomas Mielke, partner at the international HR consultancy AETHOS Consulting Group.
Year-end U.S. data shows that less traveled markets have generally made more progress in regaining hotel demand. In fact, a majority of states ended 2020 with room demand levels approaching normal, seasonal lows.
The U.S. hotel industry showed performance levels closer to earlier months of the pandemic, according to December 2020 data from STR.
The U.S. hotel industry reported all-time lows in occupancy and revenue per available room (RevPAR), according to year-end 2020 data from STR. In addition to historically low absolute levels in the aforementioned metrics, average daily rate (ADR) came in lower than any year since 2011.
We live in extraordinary times. There are only a limited number of periods in America's 245-year history which have been as transformative as 2020 (i.e., 1776, 1865, 1929, 1945, 1968, 2001). The confluence of a global pandemic, mass civil disobedience, and the transfer of power will undoubtedly affect how we live and work in 2021 and beyond.
A new year brings the reality of a COVID-19 vaccine closer and those dreaming of travel may soon be able to take the trips they plan for in 2021. Given the disruption to the travel industry brought on by the pandemic - leading to reductions in the amount of traveling done last year - what has happened to travel interest among Brits and Americans during that time? Throughout the course of 2020, despite restrictions and lockdowns, more than two in five Brits said they were still interested in travel (43%).
The COVID‐19 pandemic will no doubt drastically change the way business gets done moving forward, especially when it comes to travel. Microsoft co‐founder Bill Gates has even predicted that over 50% of business travel will go away permanently now that remote work and virtual meetings have become the norm.
Travel restrictions are affecting Germans' summer vacation plans - Domestic tourism not impacted as severely by the pandemic - Technological innovations, personalised travel services and the current .
Despite continuing lockdowns, Europeans are progressively interested in trips during the second quarter of 2021 as COVID-19 vaccines are rolled out. That is according to the latest report from the European Travel Commission (ETC) "Monitoring Sentiment for Domestic and Intra-European Travel - Wave 4" featuring data collected in December 2020.
Wellness tourism, one of the fastest growing tourism segments globally in the pre-COVID era, is expected to reach greater heights post-COVID as the pandemic has been a wake-up call for people - never before has health & wellness been more important than it is today.
More than 100 million jobs could return to the global Travel & Tourism sector during 2021, as the world recovers from the crippling COVID-19 pandemic, says the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).
The pandemic in 2020 affected the hospitality industry severely, as we have never seen before. The effects have been even greater than what we saw in 2001 and 2008. This mega event has shaken all our assumptions about traveling, managing hotels, and dealing with customers and hotel owners, management companies, lenders, banks, and team members.
John Fitzpatrick has weathered multiple crises in his more than three-decade career in the hotel industry. He opened his first hotel in New York City during the Gulf War and owned three by the time 9/11 happened.
A major lesson we have all learned from COVID is to look forward, not backwards, as to where the future of career opportunities will be. Two major industries are undergoing fundamental change with no clear vison in sight as to a final destination.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought the global tourism industry to a screeching halt in 2020. With vaccines starting to be rolled out, there is hope international travel can resume soon, but exactly when — and how — is the million-dollar question.
An indispensable solution is "BE PREPARED". We have seen a crisis such as the COVID- 19 like never before, which will help us understand the importance of preparation and to act in accordance. The Hospitality industry was majorly hit, however, some food and beverage businesses tend to modify and adapt to the transitional changes and are successful.
Amid a worldwide pandemic, the lodging industry is facing a downturn that is greater than the past two lodging-market declines combined. During the Great Recession, the Anaheim-Santa Ana[1] market's occupancy fell roughly five points from 69% in 2008 to 64% in 2009.
The global tourism sector is starting the new year prepared to #RestartTourism when conditions allow, with the World Tourism Organization set to again bring together leaders from across the public and private sectors.
By now, we're all well aware of the dire state of COVID-related affairs still facing many tourism and hospitality operators around the world. Specifically for hotels, some of experienced victories by feeding the summer staycation crowds while others have yet to open or are operating on barebones staff.
Airbnb Chief Executive Officer Brian Chesky on Thursday predicted travel would permanently change due to the pandemic with people seeking out thousands of smaller cities and spending more time visiting friends and family.
The Best Western Hotel in the London suburb of Croydon would normally be packed with visiting families, out-of-town construction workers, and business travelers.
Like many of you, I suspect, I didn't have the energy to make resolutions for this year. After all, I was forced into enough changes in 2020 that I'm still adapting to, personally and professionally. It felt right not to put any additional pressure on myself to read more, exercise more, be more organized or drink less.
The latest edition of the Pulse Report, which tracks activity in the month of December, shows that the majority of markets are continuing to feel serious effects of continued uncertainty amongst bookers due to rapid rises in COVID cases across the globe.
Comparing the number of deaths in European countries between the first wave (March-June 2020) and the second wave (September-December 2020), we observe that several countries endured more deaths (per one million people) during the second wave than during the first.
Maria Puetz-Willems and Andrew Sangster about Hospitality, Covid-19 and the Brexit at the beginning of 2021. Maria Puetz-Willems is the founder and editor-in-chief of hospitalityInside.com, a bilingual (German-English) online trade magazine for the international hotel industry.
In December, Scandic's average occupancy rate was approximately 15 percent with continued weak demand in all markets. Ongoing rent negotiations have thus far led to agreements for rent reductions and offers from landlords totaling approximately 850 MSEK.
The HVS U.S. Hotel Franchise Fee Guide provides a comparative review of various hotel franchises based on their applicable franchise fees. The selection of an appropriate franchise affiliation affects a property's ability to compete in its local market, generate profits, and achieve a distinguished image and market orientation.
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement on President-elect Biden's announced plan to combat the pandemic and provide direct relief to Americans:
Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: "WTTC welcomes this major step by the UK government which opens the doors to travellers arriving into England with proof of a negative COVID-19 test, no matter what the type of test they take.
On January 13, Remington Hotels hosted its first virtual "Hybrid Meetings Education Forum" attended by over 200 attendees. The event, co-hosted by several of Remington's leading partners in the meetings and event space, showcased Remington's updated processes and best practices, while also reinforcing its commitment to helping meeting planners navigate hosting events in response to the new normal.
By now, we know that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can and will continue to move around the globe. Even as the COVID-19 vaccine begins to roll out, experts caution that preventative measures will remain necessary.
The need to be reassured that your night's stay is cleaner than ever has never been this critical before in the hospitality industry. With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, heightened measures for cleaning and sanitization need to be imposed, as the safety of both the guests and staff remains paramount in this so-called 'new normal.
Before the pandemic, the Coachella Valley typically welcomed over 14 million visitors annually. The tourism industry generated more than $7 billion in economic impact and supported 53,000 jobs in 2019.
Boston's occupancy levels have been generally stable and well above their 20-year average since 2011. The year-end 2019 level of 75.6% was meaningfully higher than the longer-term average of 70.2%. RevPAR increased at an average annual rate of less than 0.
We have a new PPP Loan authorization bill out of Washington, after months of political wrangling. Congress could have done more, but they did provide for up to $2,000,000 in additional forgivable loans per borrower, along with provisions which specifically cater to the hospitality industry.
U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on the announcement that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will issue an order requiring a negative COVID-19 test before boarding an international flight to the U.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched its new mental health guidelines for the Travel & Tourism sector, which have been compiled to support businesses of all sizes to support the mental health of their employees.
December U.S. monthly meetings and events volume decreased 39 percent over the previous month, according to the latest data from Knowland, the leader in group hospitality analytics for hotels, convention and visitor bureaus, conference centers and other meeting venues.
We are in uncharted territory.
Now that the vaccines are arriving, people are starting to dream.
A company known primarily for its big-city hotels with a business-leaning bent, Langham Hospitality Group would seem among the most exposed to Covid-19's economic wrath.
Coronavirus has changed travel in so many previously unimaginable ways. There's the visible, like having to wear masks on flights or needing to show a negative Covid test result before you're allowed to enter a country.
Happy New Year. The first month of this new year has not shown a great deal of light, although three vaccines in active use globally provide a tinge of optimism.
Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: "WTTC wholeheartedly supports the testing on departure of all travellers to ensure passengers can prove they are COVID-19 free and thus avoid the spread."
Dubai's hotel industry reported its highest performance levels since the start of the pandemic, according to preliminary December 2020 data from STR.
STR's preliminary December 2020 data for London hotels showed slightly higher performance levels compared with the previous month. Year-over-year declines remained significant.
Melbourne's hotel industry reported its highest performance levels since early in the pandemic, according to preliminary December 2020 data from STR.
INNSiDE Manchester, part of Meliá Hotels International, has partnered with one of the UK's leading technical event production and AV hire companies, Sterling Event Group to launch Manchester's first virtual event production studio in a hotel.
Walt Meyer is afraid of getting sick when he travels. Too many people aren't taking COVID-19 seriously, he says.
2020 was an exceptional year in many ways. Relive our highlights.
Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand's leading hotel operator, is playing a key role in helping to restart the Asian tourism industry, after its popular beachfront retreat on Sri Lanka's stunning southwest coast was selected to take part in an innovative new initiative to safely reopen the island to inbound visitors.
The number of people busting out of their countries will start creeping up this spring and rise higher by mid-year, travel industry experts predict, as vaccines and risk-based safety measures are rolled out more widely and spiking coronavirus cases around the world begin to fall once again.
As we emerge from a year of uncertainties, one business reality seems crystal clear: Hybrid meetings and events will be critical in the near-term. To address this dramatic shift in how people meet and celebrate, Hilton is introducing a set of Hilton EventReady Hybrid Solutions.
A crisis is often needed to make drastic changes and the ongoing pandemic is one of the most challenging crises that the world has faced since the Second World War. The COVID-19 outbreak came in suddenly, swept across the world and changed us in an unprecedented way - not only our businesses but even the way we live.
Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: "WTTC supports measures designed to curb COVID-19 and protect public health but calls for the complete removal of unnecessary quarantines."
This past year has been a tough one; a year which was, for many, filled with suffering and loss and I for one, alongside most others, could not wait for 2021 to commence. In reflecting on the last 12 months, I have consciously decided to adopt a different mentality for what lies ahead.
Like many people, I returned to my desk this week after the now-familiar five-second commute between the kitchen and my office at home and pondered what the New Year is likely to bring the UK hotel industry.
We can surely look forward to 2021 with an element of optimism even if we know we are not quite where we would like to be, just yet. 2020 turned out to be hospitality's annus horribilis - despite always trying to keep a sunny disposition, there is no point in pretending otherwise.
Is COVID-19 the Armageddon for the hotel industry? That's the first question I asked Dr. Donald W. Wise, co-founder and senior managing director of Turnbull Capital Group. With over 36 years of investment banking experience in the hospitality industry, he and this firm have been involved in roughly $20 billions of advisory, consultation, note sales, preferred equity and debt placements, and transactional engagements on both the buy-side and the sell-side.
The turmoil of 2020 has affected all of us - every person, company and industry - many in profound and even tragic ways. The hospitality sector is no exception and in fact has endured one of the most harrowing challenges in its history.
Addressing a topic on the mind of everyone in the travel industry, Dr. Anthony Fauci told Newsweek that it is "quite possible" that Covid-19 vaccinations could become mandatory in order to travel to other countries.
In 2018, social scientist Roger Tyers pledged to stop flying for work and leisure. Soon afterwards, he won a research fellowship that included fieldwork in China. So he decided to take the train from Southampton to Shanghai, a journey of almost two weeks.
Expectations for 2021 are high. Earnings estimates are ticking upwards, the stock market continues to crest, and people talk of a "Roaring '20s" boom as Americans emerge from their COVID cocoons to spend, go out, and travel.
One of the defining features of the coronavirus pandemic for working professionals has been the huge growth in communication via platforms such as Zoom. Where previously workers would meet face-to-face, the shutdown in travel and of workplaces has forced so many of us to converse virtually instead.
Most people in the tourism industry are more than willing to say adieu to the year 2020. The twenty-first century's third decade began with extremely high hopes. A mere year ago, no one could have conceived of the fact that by March of 2020 the tourism industry would have been in shambles.
The hospitality industry is navigating through a time of unprecedented change. The shock of COVID-19 pushed what was once considered preferential traveler expectations into industry standards faster than anyone could have imagined.
Hotels for me have always been an enigma. At the forefront, there is glamour, lifestyle, beautiful and functional spaces, interiors which one wishes in their own homes and a space that lets you be; And behind the scenes, it is a factory swarmed with people busy conducting various chores like a clockwork.
"The Travel Bubble is an opportunity for businesses to reopen, and a glimmer of hope for the people that life is getting back to normal." - Saulius Skvernelis, Former Prime Minister of Lithuania.
Hospitality union Unite Here has called Omni Hotels & Resorts' use of millions in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding into question, claiming the luxury hotel chain has failed to rehire workers in line with PPP provisions.
The pandemic has been a great reset button for our industry, but its long tail is only now unveiling itself. Corporate guests won't be back to their 2019 levels by at least the spring of 2021 - groups will take longer still - while many leisure guests are either hunkering down for financial reasons or because they are still fearful of viral spread.
COVID-19 took the world by surprise and has had a drastic effect on not only the way business is done but also on how to survive. With many businesses shuttering their doors due to government-ordered lockdowns, coming up with ways to safely reopen was top on the priority list.
It's been a memorable year for hotel developers, though most would rather forget it. Bereft of financing and severely lacking in clarity over the industry's trajectory, new hotel projects came to a sudden halt in the U.
As we start the new year, I thought I'd break from the traditional customer service and experience topics and get a little personal - maybe even a little motivational.
U.S. hotel profitability fell back to levels seen during earlier months of the pandemic, and year-over-year declines worsened from the previous month, according to STR's November monthly P&L data release.
After a tumultuous 2020, hotels are expected to remain challenged well into 2021, even with cost-saving Covid-era protocols like streamlined dining options and reduced housekeeping likely to extend into the coming year.
Now that coronavirus vaccines are starting to roll out in the US and abroad, many people may be dreaming of the day when they can travel, shop and go to the movies again. But in order to do those activities, you may eventually need something in addition to the vaccine: a vaccine passport application.
2020 will go down in the history books as the air transport industry's most turbulent year to date, with massive fluxes in passenger volumes globally due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Runways emulating plane graveyards served as a visceral reminder of the vulnerable economics of the air transport industry.
STR data for 20-26 December 2020 showed Canada's hotel industry with lower occupancy compared to the previous week.
U.S. weekly hotel occupancy fell to its lowest level since early May, according to STR's latest data for the week of Christmas.
As a fresh round of stricter COVID-related guidelines grip many parts of the world heading into the new year, the hotel industry is still feeling and reeling from the sting of the pandemic, though breakthrough vaccines could be the antidote to spur devitalized demand.
Now that coronavirus vaccines are starting to roll out in the US and abroad, many people may be dreaming of the day when they can travel, shop and go to the movies again. But in order to do those activities, you may eventually need something in addition to the vaccine: a vaccine passport application.
Even prior to COVID-19, the travel experience has always had it stress points, commonly referred to as 'friction.' Friction occurs anytime a customer is frustrated, uncomfortable, confused, angry, impatient, or simply has to expend much more effort than they expected.
There were a few places Roland Le felt comfortable sleeping in London: the doorway of shops he knew were closed and a wooded area near the city's canal. Still, Mr. Le, who became homeless after he lost his job as a cleaner during the pandemic, never quite relaxed.
If you need confetti-spraying machines, free-flowing champagne and noisy concert halls to help you mark the start of a new year, New Year's Eve 2020 probably won't be for you. With Dr. Fauci and the CDC explicitly advising against mass gatherings in the U.
Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. (the "Company" or "Sunstone") (NYSE: SHO), the owner of Long-Term Relevant Real Estate® in the hospitality sector, announced today that it has completed a series of balance sheet enhancing transactions that include: extending the waiver period of the financial covenant tests on the Company's $500 million undrawn revolving credit facility, $185 million of funded term loan facilities and $205 million of outstanding private placement senior notes ("Unsecured Debt Facilities"); addressing its remaining near-term maturities; providing resolution with the special servicer on the mortgage loan secured by the Hilton Times Square; and, reducing the Company's monthly cash burn.
Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. (NYSE: AHT) ("Ashford Trust" or the "Company") today announced that the Company has secured a strategic financing commitment from funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.
There's only one thing that travelers should expect in 2021 with any certainty: It's uncertainty.
Tours are going to look different when travel restarts in earnest.
After spending much of this year 'grounded', you'd forgive people for simply wanting to get away once it's possible again.
We are almost at the end of what has been the most challenging year in the history of tourism.
2020 will go down in history as the year that changed the world as we knew it, in more ways than one. The Indian hotels sector sailed smoothly into January 2020, after a record year in 2019, with 2020 set to be 'even bigger', however, the onslaught of COVID-19 pushed the sector into a tailspin.
Singapore to Ease Border Restrictions on Business Travellers, Myanmar Resumes Domestic Flights on 16 December, First Phase of the China-Laos Expressway has Opened on 20 December, Thailand Fully Open for Travel and Tourists Can Apply for Special Tourist Visa.
One of the most worrisome aspects of how COVID-19 has affected the hotel industry is that we have had to furlough many of our best people. This doesn't necessarily have to be the case, though. My hope in writing about the following management company is that hotel owners and operators can see that often a more bullish approach can work to maintain property solvency and even grow topline revenues in a depressed travel landscape.
We are almost at the end of what has been the most challenging year in the history of tourism.
In April 2020, as part of the significant economic damage caused by COVID-19, hotel average daily rate (ADR) in China, Europe, and the United States dropped 40% below pre-pandemic levels. Since that point, rates in all three regions have improved, but hotels in China are much closer to reaching pre-pandemic ADR.
After the events of 2020, quite a bit of the near-term hotel industry outlook is decidedly better, which is not hard to imagine. But just like with all recoveries, the outlook varies by class, location and customer type.
The Central/South America hotel industry reported its highest performance levels since the beginning of the pandemic, according to November 2020 data from STR.
The Asia Pacific hotel industry reported nearly flat performance levels compared with the previous month, according to November 2020 data from STR.
The availability of Covid-19 vaccines is "no magic bullet" and it will take more to restore consumers' confidence to travel, according to a leading health and safety expert.
Meeting on the occasion of the Global Tourism Crisis Committee, virtually from Lisbon, Portugal, on 9 December 2020, to accelerate the coordination of international cross-border travel principles and protocols in view of a safe and seamless restart of tourism.
Increased privacy and flexibility are two of the stand-out trends that leading data and analytics company GlobalData notes will shape the lodging industry in 2021, alongside longer stays, improved hygiene procedures and more no-touch technology.
Frame's editor at large sits down with Youri Sawerschel, founder of brand strategy and design agency Creative Supply, to talk about the future of hotels, post-pandemic.
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world's largest business travel association, hailed the passage by Congress of a new round of relief funding for Americans and for reeling businesses, including the global business travel industry.
As the daughter of an astrologer, I grew up learning about the lessons we can find in the skies above us. Though I'm not sure how much of it I prescribe to, I do find it interesting, and at times, an eerily accurate depiction of my life.
In what now feels like a distant time, when business travelers were jet-setting around the world to attend meetings and events, some would tack on a couple of extra days to explore and enjoy the destination - a phenomenon that (for better or worse) has been dubbed "bleisure travel.
Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: "While protecting public health is paramount, blanket travel bans cannot be the answer. They have not worked in the past and they will not work now. If a comprehensive and quick turnaround testing regime were in place at airports across the country to test all travellers before they depart, it would ensure only those infected with COVID-19 are isolated and are prevented from travelling.
The impact of COVID-19 has been felt far and wide; across industries, the global pandemic has pushed companies to temporarily shut their offices and shift to remote working. In particular, the hospitality industry had been hit hard and fast, with many employees placed on furlough or being laid off.
Another day, another podcast. This time, Larry and Adam regroup with Matthew Stephens of eHotelier for a 15-minute discussion of what hoteliers can do during Q1 2021 which may be perhaps one of the most erratic stretches amidst the ongoing pandemic.
2020 has been an incredibly tumultuous year within the restaurant industry. Due to the pandemic, the industry has seen closures, bankruptcies, acquisitions, and a complete shift in the way guests interact with restaurants.
The COVID-19 pandemic has sent the hospitality sector, among many other industries, into a tailspin. The resulting impacts of the outbreak have put severe pressure on the sector's normal operations. Among the areas that have been affected in the hospitality industry is consumer experience.
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement on the announced bipartisan agreement on a COVID relief package.
Following its launch in May this year, the World Travel & Tourism Council's (WTTC) highly popular Safe Travels stamp, has now been adopted by 200 destinations around the world.
In the past few months, several state governments have been proactively lending a helping hand to the tourism & hospitality sector in their respective states, providing various relief measures to help the sector stay afloat during these trying times.
The U.S. hotel industry showed lower performance from the month prior, according to November 2020 data from STR.
COVID-19 has presented a challenge for the hospitality industry, unrivaled by the likes of any challenge that came before it. Yet, despite global shutdowns and downturns in travel, there is no shortage of hotels thinking outside the box to attract guests—safely and at a social distance.
As COVID-19 spreads person to person through respiratory droplets, U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone wears a mask when they are around other people (CDC, 2020). As such, many companies have enforced mask wearing policy for their customers and employees (Markowitz, 2020).
As the end of the year approaches we look back at 2020 and discuss some of the most pressing issues that affected the sector: Travelodge, the voice of the sector, Airbnb's IPO amongst others. This episode was recorded in December 2020, before the current national lockdown in England.
In an ever-changing environment, how can the hospitality industry transform, adapt and build for the future of travel? A deep understanding of motivations and behaviors is crucial to predicting how consumers and corporations will view lifestyle pursuits and experiences in the years to come.
We were delighted to connect with Adria Levtchenko, CEO of PurpleCloud Technologies, for a discussion on the future of hotels during this ongoing pandemic during the latest episode of the podcast she hosts, Hotel Happy Hour.
When the pandemic sent global economies into decline, it clinched the end to a decade-long bull run in commercial real estate markets.
Thayer Ventures Acquisition Corporation (the "Company" or "TVAC"), a special purpose acquisition company, today announced the closing of its initial public offering of 17,250,000 units, including 2,250,000 units issued to the underwriters upon full exercise of their over-allotment option, at a price of $10.
As part of ongoing steps to help instill confidence and provide exceptional experiences and solutions for meeting professionals and attendees, Marriott International has identified health protocol options, including COVID-19 testing, which meeting professionals may select for group meetings at certain Marriott branded hotels in the United States beginning in January 2021.
Meliá Hotels International (MHI), owner and operator of 390 hotels around the world, has announced the creation of group experiences, which adapt to the personality of each traveler at sub-brands including Gran Meliá, Paradisus by Meliá, ME by Meliá and Meliá Hotels & Resorts.
Oh, what a year it has been. That statement may mean something different to each of us, but surely, we can agree on the general sentiment it provides. If 2020 felt both like a whirlwind and the slowest year on record, I can relate.
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world's largest business travel association, has released the results of its latest COVID-19 Member Poll.
International arrivals fell by 72% over the first ten months of 2020, with restrictions on travel, low consumer confidence and a global struggle to contain the COVID-19 virus, all contributing to the worst year on record in the history of tourism.
I am reminded every time I go to my almost empty gym that membership is down 70 percent due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I wonder with the exciting news of a vaccine and hope of eventually getting back .
Before the pandemic, customer satisfaction among the travel industries tracked by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) was mixed.
WTTC statement expresses concern over the newly launched Test to Release system.
With US and Europe hotel occupancy rate at its lowest, hospitality companies have to adapt their policies to fit this unprecedented time of COVID-19 pandemic. Hotels have acted so their loyalty programmes can remain at a satisfactory level for customers.
As we close 2020 and look to 2021, Red Roof®, the leader in upscale economy lodging, is continuing to support some of the pandemic's most affected communities: students, first responders, healthcare workers and remote workers with programs tailored just for them, available at participating, select properties.
The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions on domestic and international travel, economic activity, and individual movement are having an unprecedented impact on the lodging and tourism industry in Latin America and worldwide.
Amid a worldwide pandemic, the lodging industry is facing a downturn that is greater than the past two lodging-market declines combined. During the Great Recession, Metro Seattle occupancy fell roughly seven points from 68.
As the world marks the one year birthday of COVID-19, it is reeling from the force of the first wave, battling the second and bracing for a third. Yet, the impact of this pandemic on the real economy (goods and services) remains uncertain.
Hotels Remain Pressured by COVID-19.
The Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA), continues to meet its goal of providing clarity to the boutique hotel industry through research and surveys. This 8th annual Boutique Hotel Sentiment Survey included questions relating to operational changes addressing COVID-19 as well as having a shorter questionnaire, factoring in the industry's intense challenges this year.
AAA Travel expects the vast majority of Americans to stay home this holiday season. Public health concerns and travel guidance are influencing their decisions not to travel over the year-end holidays, a period that typically sees high demand for vacations.
The pandemic has fundamentally changed the way we think and act, leading us to reflect on the motives and pursuits that continue to inspire us to see the world. Following a tumultuous year in tourism, our latest trend report delves into rapidly accelerating trends and forecasts the movements that will define international travel in the years to come—from slow holidays and emerging regenerative destinations, to the latest technologies employed by operators and airports.
Cleaning protocols, sanitary standards and hygiene procedures. In the age of COVID-19, these terms have become omnipresent. Most hotel groups have implemented new security and hygiene protocols to reassure guests and make them feel safe.
The recent surge in COVID-19 infections has dampened expectations for U.S. hotel performance through the first half of 2021, but news of effective vaccines has bolstered projections of U.S. lodging industry recovery beginning in earnest during the second half of next year, according to CBRE's latest hotel forecast.
Months of empty rooms and discounted rates are catching up with hotel owners in Denver and across the country. Unless Congress steps in with more financial assistance or travel spending finds a way to surge, a big shakeout looms next year, industry insiders warn.
As the decimated air travel industry looks to rebuild operations in 2021, one thing is certain: airlines will be competing to win back the all-too-valuable business traveler.
After a year like 2020, it's a safe bet to say that air travel will never be the same again. In an industry that was impacted at every level, countless changes have already occurred in order for airlines to adapt and survive.
To say 2020 has been a tough year is an understatement. And while the last 12 months have brought with them a set of unforeseen challenges, the accompanying stillness has also allowed for new depths of reflection.
Delivering unique and memorable guest experiences and offers is helping put hotels in Australia's gateway cities on travellers radars as international border closures force them to adjust their plans, but state travel restrictions lift.
Depending on the poll you read, 40 to 50 percent of Americans say they will not get a coronavirus vaccine when it first becomes available to them. In a survey of firefighters in New York City, who are essential workers at high risk of infection, 55 percent said they do not intend to take a vaccine if offered by their departments.
The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the climate for hotel lending in Canada. At the start of the year, the hotel sector was preparing for a down cycle in 2020 because the market had been riding high for the past 11 years, since the end of the Great Recession in 2009.
Hannah Smith is a Senior Consultant at STR (I am a huge geek/fan of STR from my hotel management days) and she was able to join me to discuss all the data and findings they are discovering over at ST.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and major international industry bodies have joined forces to call for the immediate restoration of international travel using proven processes and without waiting for or requiring vaccinations.
STR's preliminary November 2020 data for London hotels showed lower levels compared with previous months.
Sydney's hotel industry reported mostly flat performance compared with the previous month, according to preliminary November 2020 data from STR.
U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on COVID-19 relief negotiations in Washington.
A recent national survey commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) shows that nearly two-thirds (69%) of Americans will not travel for Christmas. With a new surge in COVID-19 cases, the CDC recommending that Americans do not travel over the holiday season and new stay-at-home orders in place in states across the country, the holiday season will compound the challenges already facing the hotel industry during this public health crisis.
After partnering back in May for a campaign asking the world to be patient, responsible and "travel tomorrow", the World Tourism Organization and CNN International Commercial (CNNIC) have teamed up again to celebrate the transformative power being unleased as the restart of tourism gets underway.
Holiday Inn-owner Intercontinental Hotels Group has struck an agreement with its creditors to extend waivers of its debt covenants through the end of 2022, the company said in a statement on Friday.
As 2021 quickly approaches, hoteliers and industry experts are beginning to predict which of 2020's trends will stick around as well as new opportunities that could emerge.
There's no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the leisure industry for the foreseeable future. Between the International Air Transport Association predicts that air passenger numbers won't return to pre-COVID-19 levels until 2024 and the news that 82% of travelers have changed their travel plans for the next six months, hotels will have to adapt to this new normal.
The gradual revival of demand in the past few weeks is ushering in a new era of price war tactics in the Indian hotels sector. Hotels are resorting to drastic rate cuts in their quest to attract guests and stay afloat during these trying times.
With would-be travelers grounded by a global pandemic, 2020 has ushered in a new era of amateur bakers and whipped coffee enthusiasts. Yet every day, the desire to travel continues to grow. A recent survey, commissioned by Hilton, found that 95% of Americans said they are missing travel and 90% of respondents believe the country is experiencing a "Travel Memory Deficit" brought on by this lack of travel.
Today's episode is a "can't be missed" for hoteliers. Chris Hartley, CEO of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), shared not only the organization's backstory, but provided a deep dive into the role independent hotels play in travel, future travel trends, and the importance of loyalty programs.
As we enter the final stretch before the end of a very special year, 2020, many are announcing a world of tomorrow, a hotel of tomorrow, a tourism of tomorrow... The pandemic is bringing new life to our professions, and we will not have enough on both hands to build this new world.
The Global Tourism Crisis Committee has met for the last time in 2020, to continue advancing coordination and cooperation among all parts of the sector. The virtual meeting of the Committee, established by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) at the start of the pandemic, was hosted by Portugal ahead of its Presidency of the Council of the European Union, beginning in January.
