Highs, Lows and Some In-Between: 2022 in Review
What a year. 2022 was a mix of setbacks and recovery, coupled with seemingly contradictory economic and consumer data.
By Aaron Szyf and Jamie Mageau
Opinion Articles
Top Concerns and Trends for Hoteliers in 2022
As we get ready to flip the calendar to a new year, we are reflecting on the hospitality industry in 2022, which has proven to be a dynamic and interesting year. Many of the challenges that plagued the industry in 2021 still exist but in many instances to a lesser extent. By year-end new challenges such as the highest inflation rate in 40 years and the fear of a recession have started to have an impact. But the industry remains flexible to the needs and desires of the guest and continues to pivot to meet the challenges of the future.
By Joseph Pierce, Director of Appraisal & Consulting Services, Hotel & Leisure Advisors (H&LA)
The World Cup: From a Hospitality Perspective
The World Cup is one of the most highly anticipated sporting events in the world. Every four years, professional athletes from across the globe come together to compete for the envied title of World Champions.
Hotel Employees Thankful for Panic Buttons
Few people start their workday expecting an emergency to happen, but according to American Aerospace Engineer Edward Murphy Jr. who worked on safety-critical systems: “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” If you’re not a believer in “Murphy’s Law,” just ask any of the 701 hotel workers who needed help last year while on duty and survived the ordeal because they were equipped with an Employee Safety Device (ESD) or panic button.
By John Stachowiak, CEO, React Mobile
Transformational Resilience in the Hospitality Industry
EHL Hospitality Business School recently hosted a conference entitled “Transformational Resilience in the Hospitality Industry” where a panel of industry players, ranging from academics to executives to practitioners, discussed the current state of hospitality. Among the topics discussed, the labor shortage was a recurring theme as were the potential solutions to overcoming this global issue. Coping with hospitality’s labor shortage is proving to be a tall order; there's no magic wand but solutions exist - some bolder than others.
Industry Perspectives: Looking Ahead for the Travel Industry
Over the last several weeks, many travel businesses released their Q3 earnings where CEOs made statements and shared trends, insights and more. This helps us understand how some of the largest corporate players are viewing the recession, the state of their sector’s recovery and the general economy.
By Jamie Mageau, Director of Research Products, U.S. Travel Association
Spending More to Become the Most Cost-Efficient Hotel Operator
“You cannot save your way to success. You must invest,” is how Andrew Carey, CEO of Newport Hospitality Group (NHG), started our latest interview. As a management company with a portfolio of select and full-service hotels across the Eastern Seaboard, we focused our discussion on what leading management companies such as NHG are doing to continually produce above-benchmark results for their owners during these turbulent past few years.
By Larry Mogelonsky and Adam Mogelonsky
Tourism Tidbits: Developing Shared Leadership for Successful Tourism
All too often tourism entities talk about “partnerships and sharing leadership”, but actually mean by that phrase: “let’s see what you can do for me.” Agency-centric tourism, however, is becoming more and more difficult to manage successfully. Industry leaders in tourism, both in the private sector and in the public sector are learning that in today’s post-Covid competitive market; communities and even entire nations need to work together toward a common good. To help you achieve this level of cooperative marketing and success consider some of the following ideas:
By Peter Tarlow, President, Tourism and More
The weak pound is set to drive demand for UK staycations
As the cost-of-living crisis continues apace, and the value of pound remains low, affordable staycations are back on the agenda with people choosing to holiday near UK tourist hotspots, instead of taking trips abroad. With this in mind, AGO Hotels is looking at what this means for its own business and the wider UK hospitality market.
By Lionel Benjamin, Co-Founder, AGO Hotels
How to Reframe Gendered Language in Hospitality
Gendered language is all around us…and nowhere more so than in the hospitality industry, where it has become synonymous with etiquette.
By Aby Hawker, CEO of TransMissionPR, hertelier.com
Hotel Data Security Update: Hotels, Hotel Owners and Employee Personal Information
Hotel operators and owners have long been focused on the privacy of the personal information they collect from guests – because of the global nature of the hospitality business, hotel brands have focused on complying with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and beginning in 2018, the Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the first comprehensive law designed to protect the privacy of consumers’ personal information.
By Robert Braun, Partner, Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell, LLP, JMM
One day of shadowing a hotel GM
At my workplace as part of the training I had an amazing opportunity to shadow our hotel GM, Mr. Ray. Just to give an idea, our hotel is 1013 rooms five-star property located in Indianapolis and famous as one of the best convention hotels in America. At the same time, Mr. Ray was a multi-property GM as all the other hotel GMs in the area reported to him on a regular basis. It was truly an eye-opening experience that broadened my horizons and deepened my knowledge about hotel operations. Everything that I will cover in this article specifies particularly Mr. Ray’s style of leadership, therefore it should be used as an insight rather than a strict rule-book on how to be a hotel GM. As every GM may have their own style of leadership depending on personality and the hotel’s needs
By Sultan Nurdaulet, Leadership Trainee, sultanhotelier.com
Q3 Business Travel Tracker: Restricting Policies Limiting Business Travel are Diminishing
Company policies restricting business travel are diminishing for both small and large organizations. The negative impacts of reduced business travel are increasingly evident.
By Jamie Mageau, Director of Research Products, U.S. Travel Association
Tourism Tidbits: Will There Be a Crisis Recovery for Tourism?
There can be no doubt that the last few years have not been easy ones for the entire travel and tourism industry. From the airlines and cruise ships to the hotel components of tourism, profits have for many decreased and the word “bankruptcy” is heard with ever more frequency. Although the summer of 2022 was a banner year for tourism, it would be a mistake to believe that Covid has not made many people afraid to travel. Although it appears that we have left the crisis of 2020-2021 behind, new problems and the use of virtual conferences might well put a dent into the business travel market. Europe is in an especially dangerous situation and the winter of 2022-2023 may be a very cold winter both indoors and out of doors.
By Peter Tarlow, President, Tourism and More
Using data to tell travel stories
What is your reaction when learning that 15% of the world -- 1.22 billion people -- can afford to travel internationally today and that, in 2050, 25% of the population -- 2.44 billion -- will have that ability?
By Arnie Weissmann, Editor in Chief, Travel Weekly, travelweekly.com
Take Your Family to Work Day On The Beach? The Surprising New Boom in Blended Travel and the Start of a Long-Term Change
Picture this - You’ve just woken up and find yourself watching the stream steadily rise from your waiting coffee mug as you stand perched at the kitchen counter, taking in the view that stretches beyond the window. The sky is a visually intoxicating blend of warm hues, pink, orange, and purple, set against a sprawling, tropical landscape that is currently humming to life. Just down the street from your quaint abode waits the ocean, and the sound of waves breaking on the shore has become a luxury you can’t believe you once lived without. A familiar ping snaps you out of your trance, and your eyes lock onto your laptop and then over to the clock. If you play your cards right, you can answer a few emails, head down to the beach for a 7 AM surf, and then be back at your desk in time for your 9 AM team meeting.
By Alan Young, VP, Strategy | Hospitality, Infor
5 Reasons Why Employee Safety Devices are a Must-Have Budget Item for 2023
Hoteliers are knee deep preparing 2023 budgets, but until the hospitality industry is back in full swing, many will be looking for ways to short-cut spending. Employee safety, however, is one area of operations that hotel owners cannot afford to ignore.
By John Stachowiak, CEO, React Mobile
Hygiene-driven efficiency: a value-driving benefit for hotels
The last two years have been a turbulent period for hotel operators. Some hotels have struggled to bring customers in, while others have adapted their operating models and have prospered. Those hotels that have struggled must now ensure a laser-sharp focus on efficiency.
By Dr Lisa Ackerley, Director, Medical and Scientific Engagement, Hygiene, Reckitt Benckiser, Inc. (Lysol)
The hospitality industry is evolving
The last two years have impacted the hospitality industry significantly with staffing shortages, government restrictions, supply chain issues and the unpredictability of customers as they continued to weigh up the risk and reward of socialising indoors.
By Jonathan Mills, Chief Executive (CEO), Choice Hotels EMEA, Choice
Sentipensante – The Perfect Word For Teaching The Spirit of Hospitality
Having written hospitality and sales training articles for over two decades now, I’m often asked “How do you continue to come up with new ideas every month?” Truth is that it’s actually quite easy when you’re out on the road conducting training just above every week, spending time with the real experts in this industry such as the frontline superstars who make it all happen for guests.
By Doug Kennedy, President of the Kennedy Training Network, Kennedy Training Network (KTN)