Marketing's Evolution: The Revenue-Generating Power of Community in the Connection Economy
Why industry leaders are moving from the traditional marketing playbook in the new community era.
By Ivana Johnston, Co-Founder and CEO, Puzzle Partner
Opinion Articles
Personalization versus Customization with Aleksandra Kotle, GM of Crockfords Las Vegas
As we see time again, the story of a hotel is the story of the people working at the hotel. This is especially true for the luxury hospitality segment where service excellence, exclusive amenities and personalization are hallmarks of an experience worthy of the term ‘luxury’. With so much buzz around personalization these days, what is often missed is the precision of service delivery necessary to execute this attention to detail at scale, for which there’s no truer form of expressing this precision than through customization of the guest journey in a seamless blend of meticulously curated experiences.
By Larry Mogelonsky and Adam Mogelonsky
Hunter Conference Takeaways: Survive 2025
The 36th Hunter Hotel Investment Conference took place this week at Atlanta’s Marriott Marquis, with the theme “Elevate Your Game” inspiring session topics and conversations throughout the event. This article provides our key takeaways from the conference.
What the Department of Labor Says about Restaurant Managers Taking Tips & How to Stay Compliant
It was a busy Saturday night at a luxury resort restaurant. Short-staffed and overwhelmed, the Assistant Restaurant Manager, Alex, rolled up his sleeves and started bussing tables, taking orders, and running drinks. Guests were happy, and the team appreciated Alex’s effort—but when tips were pooled at the end of the shift, a server hesitated: Can Alex really take part of the tips? Isn’t he management?
By Chuck Simikian, Human Resources Consultant, Cayuga Hospitality Consultants
HVS Las Vegas Casino & Hotel Market Outlook 2025
Visitation and other tourism indicators in 2024 met or exceeded most 2023 totals. Las Vegas hosted 40.8 million visitors in 2024, surpassing the 40-million visitor threshold for the second year in a row. Gaming revenue for Clark County in 2024 was $13.5 billion, setting a new annual record for the third straight year. In 2024, occupied room nights, as well as total occupancy (83.6%), continued to lag pre-COVID pandemic performance; however, ADR and RevPAR reached record levels.
By Shannon Okada, Managing Director of Gaming with HVS, HVS
Building Momentum: The Resurgence of the Downtown St. Louis Hotel Market
The Downtown St. Louis hotel market steadily recovered from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic until 2024, when the recovery stalled due to a correction in leisure demand and disruptions at the convention center. However, subsequent airport passenger traffic growth and completion of the convention center’s expansion, along with other trends and developments, provide a stronger outlook for the market in 2025 and beyond.
By Daniel McCoy and Kaitlyn Hennessy
Unlocking Value for Hotel Wellness at Lotte New York Palace with a Robo-Massage
If you would have asked us a year ago whether or not a robotic massage would work at a hotel wellness center, our answer would have been, “Only rarely.” Our judgment didn’t completely rule out these automated treatment tables from the welltech conversation, but we firmly believed that a great massage is achieved from both the physical pressure on muscles in combination with the psychological restoration that comes from the patient-therapist relationship.
By Larry Mogelonsky and Adam Mogelonsky
2025 Hotel Transactions: Market in Motion
Every January, the ALIS conference serves as a barometer for the hotel investment landscape, and in 2025, the mood was optimistic yet noticeably more restrained than in recent years. Regulatory optimism and improving labor dynamics were offset by potential tariff headwinds, lack of interest rate relief, and the rising cost of new tech and satisfying evolving guest preferences. These are but a few issues reshaping the industry in ways that demand both strategic foresight and operational agility. While some trends continue along familiar trajectories, others signal a reshuffling of the deck.
By Charles Oswald, CEO of Aperture Hotels and member, Cayuga Hospitality Consultants
President Trump’s $5 million Gold Visa for foreign investors. An end to EB-5 or simply an additional avenue for wealthy foreign investors?
The news is full of headlines about President Trump’s announcement last week (February 25, 2025), that in the next two weeks, he will propose a $5 million “Gold Card” program to replace the EB-5 program. The new program would allow wealthy individuals to pay $5 million directly to the US government to obtain US citizenship.
By David Sudeck and Jim Butler
What is contributing to the dynamic growth of Montréal’s hotel supply and demand?
The Montréal hotel market has made a strong comeback from the pandemic, experiencing a 4.6% rise in room supply, in contrast to the declines in Downtown Toronto and Vancouver. This expansion, combined with a rebound in air travel, extensive hotel renovations, and effective tourism promotion, has positioned Montréal as the most resilient market. With substantial investments and a thriving meetings and events sector, the city’s hotel industry is undergoing a significant evolution.
By Monique Rosszell and Léa Vaksman
Baltimore Hotel Market 2025+ Outlook
This research article analyzes the performance of the hotel market in Baltimore for the trailing four quarters ending in Q3 2024, with a specific focus on key metrics such as occupancy, average rate (ADR), and revenue per available room (RevPAR). The report highlights the positive impact of the removal of approximately 2,500 hotel rooms from the downtown supply and discusses the potential for improved hotel performance in 2025. With strong growth in ADR and RevPAR despite some challenges in the market, the analysis suggests a robust outlook for the city’s hotel sector as demand continues to strengthen, and hotel operators capitalize on reduced supply to push rates and increase occupancy.
By David P. Fuller, National Hotel Property Tax Practice Leader, CBRE, CBRE Hotels
Family Experiential Resorts Finding Success
As travel rebounds from the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, family travelers are increasingly seeking unique and memorable experiences when selecting a destination. While this trend is not new, it has gained momentum post-pandemic, as many travelers are opting for indoor waterpark resort getaways in addition to other travel. This increase in demand prompted action from resorts as many reevaluated their strategies, enhancing amenities and activities – whether through new developments, renovations, or expansions – to cater to evolving traveler preferences.
By Adam Zarczynski, Manager, Hotel & Leisure Advisors (H&LA)
Boston Hotel Market Update: Ten Things to Know for 2025
The Boston lodging market continues to progress, steadily closing the gap on pre-pandemic RevPAR levels (inflation adjusted). With the new-construction pipeline empty and a record year anticipated in the convention sector, the market’s future is among the brightest in the nation.
By Erich Baum and Brian Bisema
The Labor Cost Squeeze
The hospitality industry in Georgia and the Southeast is at a crossroads. As the region prepares for major events—including Atlanta’s MLB All-Star Game (2025) and FIFA World Cup (2026)—hotels are gearing up for increased demand. However, operators face a major challenge: rising labor costs, stagnant employment recovery, and declining Net Operating Income (NOI).
ALIS 2025 CBRE Takeaways
It was wonderful to see everyone at ALIS in Los Angeles. The conference went off without a hitch, meeting rooms were full, and although the outlook for fundamental performance remained muted, investor sentiment was strong, echoing what we saw in our recently released second annual U.S. Hotels Investor Intentions survey.
By Rachael Rothman, Head of CBRE Hotels Research and Data Analytics, CBRE Hotels
Navigating the US Hospitality Landscape in 2025: Strategies for Growth Amid Dynamic Market Conditions
The U.S. hospitality industry stands on the cusp of a transformative period in 2025. While the road ahead presents challenges, it also offers promising opportunities for growth driven by economic stabilization, evolving traveler expectations, and a return to foundational revenue strategies. As stakeholders across the sector prepare to navigate this dynamic landscape, PwC US's latest Hospitality Directions sheds light on key trends shaping the industry's trajectory in the coming year.
By Jeanelle Johnson, Principal, Travel, Transportation, and Hospitality, PwC US, PwC (US)
Hotel Fundamentals Continue to Languish Amid Flat Occupancy Rate
2024 was an eventful year around the world with elections held in more than 60 countries, representing nearly 50 percent of the world’s population. One of the most consequential results was Donald J. Trump winning the U.S. presidential election, who along with the Republican Party also won majorities in both houses of Congress. In addition to representing the third straight U.S. Presidential election during which the incumbent party lost, the year was notable for many additional incumbent losses around the world.
By Daniel Lesser, President & CEO, LW Hospitality Advisors LLC (LWHA)
Halifax Hotel Market Revitalization
The Nova Scotia lodging market, particularly in Halifax, has experienced rapid growth in the years following the pandemic. With welcoming immigration policies and a perceived lower cost of housing, the province has seen substantial population growth and increased capital investment, fueling lodging demand. In 2024, provincial RevPAR levels are projected to reach 128% of their 2019 benchmark, driven by rising ADR and an enhanced hotel supply.
A New POV: What Hospitality can learn from the TikTok Timeout
That sound you heard this past weekend was 170 million people hitting the roof at not being able to access TikTok for roughly 12-16 hours.
By Andrew Hopson, Food and Beverage Leader, Andrew Hopson
Beyond Check-In
As we close the chapter on a transformative 2024 and step into 2025, Newport Hospitality Group continues to lead the charge in redefining operational excellence. Our mission is clear, to empower our general managers and directors of sales with the tools they need to deliver exceptional guest experiences. By leveraging innovative systems, we aim to streamline processes, enhance performance, and allow our leaders to focus on what truly matters—our guests.
By Whitney Altizer, Chief Commercial Officer, Newport Hospitality Group