Four Trends for Beyond Revenge Travel 2.0
Larry and Adam Mogelonsky | March 2, 2022
Although Pre-Pandemic Profitability Will Remain Elusive, the Industry Will Make Strides Toward Recovery in 2022
Fran Worrall | January 5, 2022
Coronavirus
Visiting Loved Ones May Drive Tourism Recovery
PolyU School of Hotel and Tourism Management | August 29, 2023
Whilst many tourists travel to experience new places, cultures and activities, others are visiting friends and relatives (VFR). VFR travel showed remarkable resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many expats and immigrants returning to their countries of origin to weather the storm with loved ones. However, little is known about how pandemic-associated travel constraints were experienced by VFR tourists. Dr Pearl Lin of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, working with co-researchers from Macao, have constructed an impressive new framework to pinpoint the travel constraints experien...
Anger Over COVID-19 Layoffs Keeping Hospitality Workers From Returning to Jobs
The University of Houston | January 3, 2023
HOUSTON, Jan. 3, 2023– Researchers at the University of Houston Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership say many skilled hospitality workers who were furloughed or laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic are angry and unlikely to return to the industry. During the first few months of the pandemic in 2020, travel and dining out declined rapidly putting severe financial strain on hospitality organizations, especially those in the lodging and food and beverage sectors. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the hospitality industry lost nearly 8 million hospitality jobs were lost, making it the hardest-hit industr...
Travel & Tourism Sector Expected to Create Nearly 126 Million New Jobs Within the Next Decade
WTTC | April 21, 2022
One in three of all new jobs set to be created within Travel & Tourism Travel & Tourism GDP could reach 2019 levels by 2023 MANILA, Philippines: The World Travel & Tourism Council’s latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) reveals the Travel & Tourism sector is expected to create nearly 126 million new jobs within the next decade. The bullish forecast from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, also shows the sector will be a driving force of the global economic recovery, creating one in three of all new jobs. The announcement was made today by Julia Simpson, President & C...
Tourism Outlook: A New Spring in Its Step?
STR | April 6, 2022
Global tourism receipts were well below the pre-pandemic level in 2021 as travel restrictions and uncertainty persisted, and changing consumer behavior dented economic recovery. But now, in the spring of 2022, some two years since COVID-19 forced governments to impose lockdowns and severe travel restrictions, there are plenty of signs of optimism for the future of tourism. This is true even with potential macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds. STR has evaluated consumer views and behaviors throughout the pandemic, and our latest survey, conducted in February 2022, canvassed opinion from a global audience to gauge sentiment and the out...
U.S. Travel Calls on New White House COVID Response Coordinator to Phase Out Pandemic-Era Restrictions
U.S. Travel Association | March 24, 2022
WASHINGTON — March 24, 2022 — The U.S. Travel Association renewed its call in a new letter to incoming White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha to replace pandemic-era travel advisories, requirements and restrictions with endemic-focused policies that will enable travel to resume fully and freely. In recent weeks, the British and Canadian governments have taken similar actions to ease remaining restrictions on travelers. The letter to Dr. Jha notes that, despite declining hospitalizations and infections, increased vaccination rates and immunity, and a more robust public health infrastructure to manage the virus, th...
AHLA Statement Regarding Omnibus Funding Package
AHLA | March 14, 2022
WASHINGTON – March 14, 2022 –Following Senate and House passage of a $1.5 trillion government-funding package, AHLA President & CEO Chip Rogers released the below statement. “While we are disappointed this package does not include the targeted COVID-19 relief hotel employees and small businesses have needed since the early stages of the pandemic, the bill contains a number of victories for hoteliers. The legislation secures $50 million for Brand USA – a vital public-private partnership dedicated to increasing international tourism to America, driving the nation’s economy and our industry. In addition, the bill would giv...
Tourism Tidbits: With The Possible End of the Pandemic, It Is Time for Tourism to Help Travelers Make New and Pleasant Memories
Dr. Peter Tarlow | March 2, 2022
By Dr. Peter Tarlow As a special edition of Tourism Tidbits was published last week, this edition turns to other matters. Please pray for an end of the conflict in Europe and for peace not only in Europe but throughout the world. Although during the month of March much of the world is still deep in winter, there is the hope that the worst of the bitterly cold weather is now behind us. There is also the hope that potentially the tourism industry can go beyond all the hassles and lockdowns due to Covid-19 and return to a somewhat normal tourism industry. March is the month when tourism professionals need to remind themselves that th...
Four Trends for Beyond Revenge Travel 2.0
Larry and Adam Mogelonsky | March 2, 2022
By Larry and Adam Mogelonsky Last week we looked at some immediate trends that hoteliers should consider for the rest of 2022 as each property contends with the reopening and the huge swell of incoming travel encapsulated by the buzzy term ‘Revenge Travel 2.0’. All operators have to be ready to pivot on a dime, especially with the headache of labor shortages, but that doesn’t mean you can ignore what the years ahead will bring. In fact, if you don’t then you may find your business left behind by all the forces at play. What we stress from firsthand experience through our hotel asset management consultancy is that all the long-te...
With New CDC Guidance, Travel, Aviation, Business Groups Urge Biden Admin to Lift COVID Travel Restrictions
U.S. Travel Association | February 28, 2022
WASHINGTON — February 28, 2022 — With new guidance issued Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that relaxes many COVID-era policies—including indoor mask wearing—the U.S. Travel Association, the American Hotel and Lodging Association, Airlines for America and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are appealing to White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeffrey Zients in a letter that urges the Biden administration to replace pandemic-era travel advisories, requirements and restrictions with endemic-focused policies that enable travel to resume fully and safely and the American economy to accelerate its recovery. The...
COVID-19’s Impact on the Silicon Valley Lodging Market
John Berean | February 23, 2022
By John Berean, Noella Moon One of the main economic engines of the San Francisco Bay Area, Silicon Valley experienced tremendous growth during the last business cycle. Major companies such as Google, Apple, and Meta (formerly Facebook) have expanded their presence in recent years, which has historically translated to strong lodging performance. However, with the onset of the pandemic and a market-wide shift in policy toward remote working in 2020, hotels have been severely affected, particularly in terms of average rate. Moreover, the influx of new supply over the last several years has been significant, which has substantially heig...
How Will Hospitality Emerge From the Pandemic? Findings From EHL Research Day
Andrew Brenner | February 21, 2022
EHL Hospitality Business School entitled their research day “Navigating the Covid Storm”, where the future of the hospitality industry was discussed by EHL faculty members. The afternoon’s insights reflect the diversity of subjects investigated by EHL researchers and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the hospitality industry. “Welcome back to the new abnormal, how may I help you?” By Andrew Brenner Small, family-owned firms fared well Sifting through the winners and losers of the pandemic, Dr. Cédric Poretti, Assistant Professor of accounting, found that when a family owns 20% or more ...
Although Pre-Pandemic Profitability Will Remain Elusive, the Industry Will Make Strides Toward Recovery in 2022
Fran Worrall | January 5, 2022
By Fran Worrall As the new year begins, industry experts are increasingly hopeful about the state of hospitality. After almost two years of an unprecedented downturn and despite ongoing effects of the pandemic—including the emergence of new COVID-19 variants and increased consumer awareness regarding health and well-being—2022 looks to be more promising as the industry figures out how to fulfill guest expectations without compromising safety. HU/HO recently sat down with three hospitality insiders—Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) President & CEO Bob Gilbert, Knowland CEO Jeff Bzdawka, and Kalibri Lab...
As Omicron Emerges, the Business Travel Industry Shows Concern for Potential Economic Impact but Stays the Course on Returning to Corporate Travel
GBTA | December 16, 2021
The recent emergence and yet-unknown trajectory of a new COVID-19 variant is the latest development on the road to recovery for the business travel industry. Due to the omicron variant, many business travel practitioners are concerned about the potential economic impacts in the industry. Most companies, however, are taking a wait-and-see approach before introducing new restrictions or requirements for business travel as a result of the omicron variant. Additionally, a clear majority feel countries should require international visitors to prove they are fully vaccinated, and that pre-trip negative tests should be required regardless of vaccina...
Holiday Travel Forecast: Cloudy With a Chance of Omicron
trivago | December 14, 2021
DÜSSELDORF, Germany - December 14, 2021 - With cold weather driving people indoors, concerns about variants like Omicron and ever-changing requirements, international holiday travel planning has slowed around the world, according to new data from trivago N.V. , a leading global accommodation search platform. Much like 2020, domestic travel is the preferred option as consumers look to reunite with friends and family. From the US to Germany and the UK to Italy, most travelers are choosing domestic destinations with one exception: Dubai which appeared in the top 10 searches for holiday travel from each country. Dubai has become one o...
Tourism Tidbits: Returning a Sense of Fascination to Travel and Tourism
Peter Tarlow | December 6, 2021
By Dr. Peter Tarlow These last two years have not been easy. Tourism professionals have seen tourism industries that just a few years ago were highly successful now needing to fight for their survival. Certainly, world pandemics play a major role in this decline. It would be, however, a mistake to blame all of the industry’s problems solely on the pandemic. Careful observers of the travel and tourism scene were already noting potential problems, from poor customer service to over-tourism just a mere 24 months ago. Often a reason cited for this decline is the high price of airline tickets and the fact that businesses had begun to...
U.S. Travel Reacts to Tighter Entry Restrictions for U.S. Arrivals
U.S. Travel Association | December 2, 2021
WASHINGTON — December 2, 2021 — U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on the Biden administration’s announcement that it would tighten the pre-departure testing window for entry to the U.S. from three days for vaccinated travelers to one day: “We hope this measure to narrow the pre-departure testing window will be temporary until more is learned about the Omicron variant. In the meantime, the travel industry urges everyone to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible. “It has long been known that measures to combat the virus and its v...
AHLA Statement on Pandemic Risk Insurance Act of 2021
AHLA | November 3, 2021
WASHINGTON – November 2, 2021 – Following the introduction of the Pandemic Risk Insurance Act of 2021, American Hotel & Lodging Association President and CEO Chip Rogers released the below statement. “AHLA applauds Rep. Maloney for introducing this legislation, which would help ensure America’s travel industry has a critical safety net in the event of a future pandemic. Had this bill been law before COVID-19, hotel owners could have purchased affordable insurance that would have helped keep thousands of workers employed and offset the billions in economic losses hotels have experienced since. COVID-19 is the worst economic...
Global Hotel Performance Moderates With Summer’s Close
HotStats | October 28, 2021
The cold hard truth is arriving with the chillier weather: global hotel performance has a ways to go before it's back to its former self. In the U.S., there is, however, cause for optimism. First, COVID case count: According to The Washington Post, new coronavirus infections in the country have dropped nearly 60 percent since a September spike due to the Delta variant. The seven-day average is also down some 58% since a mid-September infection peak. Coupled with a decreasing case count is the recent Biden administration decision to lift COVID-19 travel restrictions for fully vaccinated international visitors beginning November 8, a ...
U.S. Travel Reacts to Additional Details on Nov. 8 International Air Travel Policy
U.S. Travel Association | October 26, 2021
WASHINGTON – October 26, 2021 – U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on the Biden administration’s announced policy for entry of international air travelers, beginning on November 8: “U.S. Travel has continuously advocated for the safe reopening of our borders, and today’s guidance detailing how international air travelers can prepare for resumed travel to the United States starting November 8 provides much-needed clarity for planning. We are grateful this additional detail has been made available as we move to reopening to fully v...
AHLA Statement on White House Travel Announcement
AHLA | October 18, 2021
WASHINGTON – October 18, 2021 – American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) President and CEO Chip Rogers released the below statement following a White House announcement that it will lift travel restrictions for foreign visitors who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 beginning Nov. 8. “Hotels have kept travelers and employees safe as a result of our industry’s rigorous health and safety protocols, and we continue to encourage our workforce, guests and all Americans to get vaccinated. We applaud President Biden’s move to reopen America’s doors to international, fully vaccinated visitors from around the globe. It’s a ...
London’s Outlook: An Analysis by Hotel Class
STR | October 11, 2021
When booking a hotel room, guests are considering more factors than ever in deciding which property to call home in their destination. One of the many considerations is price, and by extension hotel class, which leads us to this latest analysis of occupancy on the books in London. Examining future occupancy levels by class allows for a better understanding of the traveler booking rationale for the upcoming months. Merry Christmas and not such a Happy New Year The short-term outlook for London is positive as summer ends and the industry transitions into the typically slower autumn and winter months. Leading bookings in the short-term are...
A Brighter Future for Colombia?
STR | October 11, 2021
Colombia’s accelerated vaccination rollout and lessened restrictions on eligibility pushed the country’s vaccination rate to 32.1% as of 22 September, according to Our World in Data. Is that growing vaccination rate helping improve hotel performance in this key South American country? The answer would seem to be, yes, but to a lesser extent for some areas of the country. As noted in one of our first articles regarding the early stages of Colombia’s recovery, the country’s hotel performance has been closely tied to the pandemic timeline. Most recently in August, Colombia’s hotel occupancy reached 48.8%, which was 76.9% of the 20...
Rising Costs, Staffing Shortages and Multi-Speed Recovery Play Havoc With the UK Hotel Sector
HVS | October 7, 2021
06 September 2021, London: Resetting the hotel balance sheet to be fit for recovery was the theme of the latest conference organised by global hotel consultancy HVS, legal expert Bird & Bird, publishing group EP Business in Hospitality and restructuring advisory firm AlixPartners. Addressing both in-person and online delegates yesterday [5th October 2021) Graeme Smith, EMEA head of hospitality & leisure at AlixPartners considered the support received by hotels from lenders, resulting in limited restructuring activity, despite disruption that the pandemic caused. “There are now a number of different lenders, the landscape ...
Vaccines and Reopened Borders Driving Tourism’s Recovery
UNWTO | October 4, 2021
International tourism enjoyed signs of rebound in June and July 2021 as some destinations eased travel restrictions and the global vaccination rollout advanced in many parts of the world. According to the latest edition of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, an estimated 54 million tourists crossed international borders in July 2021, down 67% from the same month in 2019, but the strongest results since April 2020. This compares to an estimated 34 million international arrivals recorded in July 2020, though well below the 164 million figure recorded in 2019. Moderate rebound for most destinations Most destinations reporting data for June and...
