What is your take on the coronavirus and its impact on our industry?
Trending in Hospitality
— 22 experts shared their view



Managing Director & CEO at AETHOS Consulting Group
As an evaluator of leadership capability, I have been asked what it takes to lead in a time of crisis, such as COVID-19. My answer has been simple, “you must be equal parts realist, pragmatist and optimist. This mixture of archetypes is essential in dealing with the fast moving and unknown outcomes of a crisis. see more

Lecturer at IUBH International University
This pandemic will cost many lives and even more jobs, no doubt. Employees in numbers I would not dare to estimate will see their livelihood options diminish – especially those in countries, which do not have reliable financial safety nets. The fight against COVID-19 will stop many sustainable development efforts, because available budgets will be needed otherwise. see more

Founder & CEO Emeritus at HTNG
Well, I had a topic all lined up for this week's column. I had completed most of the research and sat down on Monday to start writing. But with all that is going on in the world, I decided to put that on the shelf for a cycle or two. No one is going to take the time to read anything right now that doesn't talk about the novel Coronavirus and the COVID-19 disease. So, I started afresh and will diverge from my usual approach. see more

Chief Executive Officer, Sustainable Hospitality Alliance
With governments, communities and businesses taking action to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and support the welfare of their people, staff and customers, the hospitality industry is playing their part. see more

Chief Executive Officer of the Kempinski Group
First of all, the health and the safety of our guests and employees is our utmost priority. Health shall come first and we are taking all the necessary measures in our hotels to ensure a healthy and safe environment. We follow the strict guidance and recommendations of international, national and local public health authorities, including the World Health Organization, and implement precautionary measures, including the increased hygiene measures, as they apply. see more

Founder & CEO at Hospitality Net
We are now in the midst of a pandemic that our industry and the whole world has never experienced before. These times will be challenging, but it will be imperative that we stand united, as an industry working towards the future. More than anything, this crisis highlights that we are all in this together. It is with this spirit that we will get through this period and see much brighter times in the very near future! see more

Associate Professor, Hospitality & Tourism Management, Ryerson University
The hospitality business is in a precarious situation when a downturn in the market is caused by global health emergencies like the current COVID-19 epidemic. The top two concerns are 1) Balancing safety without unlawful discrimination and 2) Start discounting or hold prices? see more

Hospitality is said to be one of the oldest businesses on Earth. It is also the largest. Our own 25+ years of guiding the strategy behind protel #hoteltechnology pale to insignificance in the face of the biggest shake-up this industry has seen. COVID-19 is hitting the beating heart of every hotel hard. We at protel will do all we can to avert this mass cardiac arrest as global cashflows slowly dry up into tiny cash dribbles. see more

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at HFTP
Coronavirus Fears Should Be Less Hype and Hospitality Can Help - Early this morning I was pulled off the beach (in my dreams) by a series of rapid-fire instant messages and emails. For those who have kids, it was like one of those middle of the night calls when they are staying overnight at a friend's house. Immediately your adrenaline builds, you get instant sweats and you can feel the beat of your heart reverberating through the entire bed frame. see more

The short-term impact of 2019-nCoV novel coronavirus on the global travel industry has been significant. According to the International Air Transport Association, airlines are set to loose $133 billion in revenue if COVID-19 continues, while travel by Chinese nationals has slowed significantly. Coronavirus has also affected the business community, as major corporations scale back on nonessential travel. This has led to the cancellation of several major global business conferences, including the Mobile World Conference in Barcelona, and the Geneva Motor Show, and of-course ITB Berlin, the largest and most notable travel tradeshow in the world. see more

Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
The global spread of Covid19 and its impact on the tourism industry have taken place with such speed that there has been little time for thoughtful analysis. Nevertheless, the last few weeks bring issues of risk and resilience to the forefront. see more

The coronavirus is an ongoing tragedy for those affected, and our focus should be on containing it. But it's also wreaking havoc on global travel. How much havoc depends on your region, how far the virus spreads and how quickly it can be eradicated, and it's too early even for health experts to answer those questions. But regardless, it's sensible to look for ways to navigate the crisis and mitigate some of the negative commercial impacts. see more

Managing director of Phoenix based Babs Harrison and Partners
It is easy to bemoan - too easy - the stark impacts that the coronavirus is having on travel, everything from flights to cruises, restaurants to weddings. Action is better than talk however, and there are two easy steps we all should be taking in this crisis: see more

Adjunct Professor NYU Tisch Center for Hospitality and Hospitality & Online Travel Tech Consultant
You start your coronavirus preparedness by instituting a no penalty cancelation policy. No questions asked! Second, you institute a strict “No Discounting” policy. Discounting “smells” of desperation and does not generate additional demand! Instead, focus on your property's short-haul and drive-in feeder markets and relearn how to sell on value and not on rate alone. Come up with creative and enticing promotions focused on weekend getaways, girls night out, free parking and gas coupons, special occasions, etc. Don't pause your marketing efforts, but redirect them toward your short-haul and drive-in feeder markets via geo-targeting campaigns!

Dean of Graduate Studies at Les Roches Global Hospitality Education
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been one of the most unpredictable and unknown virus. The statistics on human costs are still raising, as we speak, and its impact has been expressed in terms of economic, social and environmental consequences. In the short term, the hospitality and tourism industry will be on a "pause" mode. Through the last 20 years, our industry is very much variable to external threats but what makes this situation different is the "unknown". Destinations have been affected, hotels have slowed down their reservation while the distribution channels have illustrated partial inactivity. see more

Managing Director HVS and Principal Spa and Wellness Consulting
With the emergence of the Coronavirus, it is more important than ever for people to improve and protect their immune system's health. The hospitality industry has an abundance of opportunities to elevate guest service interactions through this turbulent time. These initiatives can relate to employee management, scheduling, guest stay experiences and meeting and group business. Providing relaxing atmospheres that strong emphasis on service excellence while advocating the importance of personal health, sleep and cleanliness supports the popular message "we care, you matter". see more

PhD, Founder & Editor, Sustainability Leaders Project
From a tourism sustainability point of view, the coronavirus is both a blessing and a curse. On the bright side, it forces organizations to think about different (smarter?) ways to do business, making use of virtual options that do not require travel. This can help reduce flights and with it the climate impact of aviation. With more and more businesses and leading professionals in travel joining the Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency initiative, this is a real opportunity to walk the talk. On the not so bright side, such crises disrupt the industry and prevent people from traveling, which affects destination communities and businesses who depend on this income for making ends meet. The longer the situation lasts, the stronger the respective impact.

Speaker, Trainer, Coach and Leadership Expert
Coronavirus is a significant disruptor. It is causing us to make changes in everything from food prep to cleaning to managing super-conferences and events. I encourage everyone to take personal care and action that makes sense for you and your loved ones. see more


For those that have been around long enough, the nCoV outbreak is a dejavu of what we went through during SARS in 2003. The difference here is that with improved technology, a heightened level of connectivity and mobility, and our changing reliance on each other as an interconnected society, the impact of the virus is more widespread than some would have previously predicted - but this does not mean we need to panic. see more

The COVID-19's impact on the hospitality sector will vary from very to extremely negative depending on the evolution of the epidemy through the northern hemisphere summer. First signs are profoundly concerning. Mass hysteria fueled by traditional and social media, large scale events (e.g., Geneva Autoshow and ITB Berlin) being canceled, a wave of cancellations in all segments even in countries with little to no record of COVID-19 cases. Large hotel groups are already revising their 2020 outlook negatively and, as in previous global crises, I won't be surprised that a freeze in investment and severe staff reduction will follow. see more

We have experienced a variety of natural disasters and multiple contagions in the past and each time we rebound to previous levels of social and business behaviors — the question is though — how long will it take for a complete recovery? see more