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
Plan for What Is Coming
John Hendrie | March 25, 2020
By John Hendrie Well, we really do not know what that is or what it will look like, but change is inevitable, shifting, declarative, sneaking and lasting in many cases. And, you, as the Brand architect, must prepare, react and manage the current disruption and ultimate reentry into the marketplace. As demand shifts, service and product quality become more important and scrutinized. You have a choice – you can reintroduce yourself with a faint fizzle or bust upon the stage with dramatic bursts. The Coronavirus has not given us many benefits, but there is one which gives us all some reach and potential – training and development. How ...
Hotels Nationwide Sign Up To Support First Responders; Provide Housing
AHLA | March 25, 2020
WASHINGTON (March 25, 2020) – In an effort to support communities across the country during this unprecedented public health crisis, the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) today announced a new initiative – Hotels for Hope – to connect hotel properties with the health community, struggling to find housing and support as the COVID-19 public health crisis grows. The newly launched initiative, just announced in partnership with AHLA partner state associations across the country, has identified over 6,500 properties nationwide located in close proximity to established healthcare facilities that are at the ready to assist gover...
Latest Data: Coronavirus to Cause 5.9 Million Travel-Related Job Losses Before May
U.S. Travel Association | March 24, 2020
Data Picture Has Gotten Considerably Worse in Past Week Washington (March 24, 2020)—Revised projections show a worsening impact of the coronavirus on the U.S. economy: a loss of 5.9 million jobs by the end of April due to declining travel, according to data released Tuesday by the U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics. The figures indicate that the economic damage from the public health crisis is accelerating: a similar analysis released last week forecast 4.6 million jobs lost to travel declines before May. "The coronavirus crisis is hitting the travel economy hard, and it's also hitting fast," said U.S. Travel Association P...
Hotel Industry Crisis: 8 Do’s and Don’ts for Distressed Hotels
Jim Butler | March 24, 2020
By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com 19 March 2020 Hotel industry crisis: 8 Do’s and Don’ts for distressed hotels by Jim Butler and Guy Maisnik JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® As the COVID-19 crisis grows in the US and elsewhere outside China, hotels and restaurants are among the businesses hardest hit. In select markets like Seattle and San Francisco, hotels are reporting single digit occupancies and crushed ADRs. Many hotels do not have the cash flow to keep their doors open. The major hotel companies are talking of furloughs for tens of thousands of hotel employee...
HSMAI Provides Special Report and Other Resources for Hospitality Professionals in the Midst of Coronavirus Crisis
HSMAI | March 24, 2020
The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is providing resources to help hotel and travel industry professionals stay informed about the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak on hospitality and tourism industry sales, marketing, and revenue optimization, and put crisis management techniques into play through its Global Coronavirus Resources webpage. A leading resource is the new HSMAI Special Report: Crisis Communications for Hospitality Marketing Professionals. Presented with the support of HSMAI’s Organizational Member companies, the Special Report features 10 case studies developed from winners i...
Now Is the Worst Time for Hoteliers to Stop Selling
Greg Johnson | March 24, 2020
By Greg Johnson We are all dealing with a crisis that is unprecedented, causing us to rethink the way we tackle our everyday jobs and how people are traveling. This is causing our hotels to run with a skeleton crew, all sharing in the responsibilities of the various tasks needing to be done. Hotel sales leaders have, in general, been protected from jumping into the daily operations of the hotel so that they can devote most of their energies towards keeping the future funnel of business coming into the hotel. That is not our current reality, though. With our past designated job descriptions being discarded in an effort to continue to ...
U.S. Travel Applauds REAL ID Deadline Extension
The U.S. Travel Association | March 24, 2020
Washington (March 24, 2020)—U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement on the announced pushback of the October 1, 2020 deadline for full enforcement of the REAL ID Act: "Extending the REAL ID deadline is clearly the wise course of action at this juncture. "We've asked DHS that the delay of the REAL ID enforcement deadline remain in place until the current economic environment improves and DHS can certify that access to air travel will not be negatively impacted after REAL ID enforcement begins. "The already difficult task of bringing the country closer to REAL ID compliance is now clearly im...
The Adoption of a Long-Term Perspective in a Time of Crisis: Why Now Is Not the Time to Let Your Marketing and Communications Go Dark
Alan Young | March 24, 2020
By Alan Young It’s been just over a week since the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus, or COVID-19, a global pandemic. Since then, the information surrounding the continued transmission of the virus has evolved at a rapid pace, taking business owners and employees across industries for a wild, and notably scary ride. Each day, we awake to a news cycle brimming with critical updates that directly impact the well-being of our business, the experience of our clients, and find ourselves wondering: What could possibly come next? And now, as more closures commence around the world, social distancing practices go into effect,...
Beekeeper, Whispr Offering Hotels a FREE ‘Cleaning Task Lists’ App to Fight Covid-19
Beekeeper | March 24, 2020
Smart-checklist app from Beekeeper’s innovation partner, Whispr, is ensuring guestrooms and public areas meet CDC guidelines to prevent further virus spread. San Francisco, March 24, 2020 — Is your hotel “Covid Clean?” It can be, thanks to a new app that gives housekeepers step-by-step cleaning instructions that follow Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines to stop the spread of the virus. Beekeeper, a mobile-first communication platform for frontline workers, is now offering the “Cleaning Task Lists” by Whispr app FREE to its customers. The smart checklist will work on any Android or iOS device and can be activated...
STR: France’s Daily Hotel Occupancy Plummets to as Low as 3.3%
STR | March 23, 2020
LONDON—As the COVID-19 situation in France has worsened, the country’s daily hotel occupancy plummeted to as low as 3.3% on 17 March, according to preliminary data from STR and In Extenso TCH. Daily occupancy in the country was as high as 65.3% on 26 February and had been positioned above 30% through 12 March. However, a sharp downward trend began as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases grew and the government implemented measures to combat the spread. STR’s most recent data for 17 March showed that just three of 100 rooms on average were occupied in the country. At the market-level, Paris reached a daily occupancy peak...
The Importance of Financial Relief for the Hotel Industry
Anne R. Lloyd-Jones | March 23, 2020
By Anne R. Lloyd-Jones The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is having a profound impact on the hospitality industry, as travel restrictions, limits on large gatherings, the closure of restaurants and bars and, perhaps most influential, fear of the virus, have brought travel—and most other aspects of hospitality—to a virtual halt. According to Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA), “The impact to our industry is already more severe than anything we’ve seen before, including September 11th and the Great Recession of 2008 combined.” With some hotels reporting occupancy levels of below 20%...
Fuel Launches ‘Crisis Management Resources for Hotels’ Master List to Help Hoteliers Navigate the Coronavirus Pandemic and Other Adverse M
Fuel | March 23, 2020
New comprehensive resource guide provides hoteliers with up-to-date information, tips and strategies during times of adversity and economic uncertainty Myrtle Beach, SC – March 23, 2020 – Fuel, the premier provider of hotel marketing software and digital agency services for the hospitality sector, announced the launch of a new online resource to benefit the hospitality industry as it works to combat the effects of the COVID-19 virus, titled the “Crisis Management Resources for Hotels” Master List. This newly created resource is an aggregated collection of crisis management tools, information and best-practice tips from organiza...
MGM Pledges $1 Million for Employee Emergency Fund and Donates Close to Half a Million Pounds of Food, Equivalent to 400,000 Meals Across the US
MGM Resorts International | March 23, 2020
LAS VEGAS, March 23, 2020 - MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) today announced an array of initiatives intended to support those impacted economically by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including a $1 million crisis and disaster relief pledge into an employee emergency grant fund and donating the equivalent of 400,000 meals across the United States. "As we confront extraordinary events and an unprecedented global pandemic crisis, we know that this is an extremely challenging and uncertain time for many of our employees, their families, friends and neighbors and we are committed to help those in need," said Bill Hornbuckle,...
Thousands of Travel Orgs Unite in Urgent Plea for Relief
The U.S. Travel Association | March 23, 2020
Washington (March 23, 2020)—More than 6,000 travel industry and related organizations on Friday sent a joint letter to congressional leadership requesting aggressive and immediate financial relief in light of the coronavirus pandemic. The signees—which include organizations in transportation, lodging, recreation and entertainment, food and beverage, meetings, conferences and business events, travel advising and destination marketing—represent businesses that support 15.8 million American jobs. The U.S. travel industry is predicted to lose 4.6 million of those jobs in the next six weeks because of the virtual shutdown of travel cau...
McKibbon Hospitality Establishes Associate Assistance Fund
McKibbon Hospitality | March 23, 2020
Tampa, FL (March 23, 2020) – In the 94 years that McKibbon Hospitality has been in business, we have never endured more challenging times. COVID-19’s impact on our business, our industry, our communities and the entire world, have been rapid and nothing short of devastating. For that reason, we’ve been forced to make extremely difficult decisions, including completely suspending operations at several hotels and laying off the majority of our highly valued associates. As a result of recent layoffs, Tampa-based hotel management company, McKibbon Hospitality, has established an associate assistance fund in respons...
Hilton Partners With Leading Companies to Find Temporary Jobs for Displaced Hotel Team Members
| March 23, 2020
As the hospitality industry responds to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Hilton is partnering with leading companies to connect workers from temporarily suspended hotels with hundreds of thousands of short-term jobs created by the global pandemic. Hilton Team Members, and others in the industry seeking employment, will be given direct access and in some cases expedited access to temporary jobs on the Hilton Workforce Resource Center at companies such as Albertsons, Amazon, CVS, Lidl, Sunrise Senior Living and Walgreens. These partners recognize the power of a service culture and the value of hospitality skills training Hilton Team M...
Let’s Celebrate Our Heroes of Hospitality Who Come Through in Crisis
Doug Kennedy | March 23, 2020
By Doug Kennedy As we begin week two of the most challenging era in the modern history of the hotel and lodging industry, I am reminded of one of my all-time favorite quotes: “It has been, and continues to be, our responsibility to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.” - Conrad Hilton, founder of Hilton Hotels Although many hotels are closed and others reducing staff, plenty of other hospitality workers woke up today, put aside their own personal concerns about health and family, put on a uniform, and went to work. Today and in the coming weeks, frontline heroes will be doing extraordinary things for their guests...
8 Ways Hotel Contact Centers Can Mitigate the Impact of COVID-19
Cloud5 Communications | March 23, 2020
As the hospitality industry faces unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of hotel reservations and airline bookings are being cancelled or postponed. It’s daunting to imagine that each caller wants to talk to a live person to ensure their transaction is handled correctly. This extraordinary call volume puts unparalleled stress on industry call center operations and your brand at risk. If calls are handled well, you have the chance to minimize revenue loss and grow customer loyalty. If not – you not only lose the short-term booking, but the lifetime value of the guest. In today’s environment, your call center ...
Hotel Tech Company Launches Covid-19 Support Platform
#hospitalityhelps | March 23, 2020
San Diego, March 23, 2020 -- As Covid-19 spreads, communities have an urgent need for beds as field hospitals, for quarantine, and to house for patients as well as health professionals who are caring for them. The founders of hotel industry software provider Cloudbeds and their team created #hospitalityhelps to connect property owners and operators with health care providers, providing facilities during this time of need. Hospitality professionals willing to open their facilities can provide their information via #hospitalityhelps to assist government and healthcare agencies in need of open beds. “With each passing hour, we face an eve...
Global DMC Partners Launches “Together at Home” Webinar Series for the Meetings, Events, Travel and Tourism Industry
Global DMC Partners | March 23, 2020
Washington, D.C. – March 23, 2020 – As many companies around the world are doing their part to combat the spread of COVID-19 by instructing their employees to work from home, Global DMC Partners (GDP), the leading global network of independently owned destination management companies (DMCs) and creative event experts, is launching a brand-new weekly webinar series designed not only to combat social isolation but also to educate, innovate and inspire members of the meetings, events, travel and tourism industry. Each week, GDP will host a featured subject matter expert with topics ranging from resiliency and leading through change to health...
Coronavirus Impact On Hotels & A Plan For Recovery
GCommerce Solutions | March 23, 2020
What is the current digital marketing landscape for the hospitality industry? First, let’s summarize the larger impact of COVID-19 on the industry. Current Impact of COVID-19 on the Hotel Industry According to American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA), the hospitality industry has lost 1.5 billion in room revenue and is on pace to lose $1.4 billion per week due to COVID-19. In the last few days, we have received word that many hotels have either already closed their doors or are planning to in the immediate future, all due to the impact of COVID-19. While these numbers are staggering, let’s take a look at what our hotel digit...
Beekeeper to Host ‘Communicating During COVID-19’ Webinar on Wednesday, March 25
Beekeeper | March 23, 2020
Hoteliers from North Point Hospitality and InTown Suites will discuss best practices to communicate and connect with employees during the coronavirus pandemic; Beekeeper extending FREE Trial for hotels of its operational communication platform through June 2020. San Francisco, March 23, 2020 — Are you prepared for COVID-19? Are your employees prepared for a crisis? Do you have a communication channel for every single employee? On Wednesday, Beekeeper, a mobile-first communication platform for frontline workers, will host a webinar discussing how to prepare for and handle a crisis, from connecting your employees to communicating effect...
Hotel Online’s Siegel Sez 3/20/2020: COVID-19
March 20, 2020
If you are worried about a recession coming, then don’t be. It is already here. I am not an economist, but I know for the economy to thrive money needs to be spent on non-essential things. Things like going out to dinner and taking vacations which has pretty much come to a grinding halt. We have all heard the comparisons to 9/11 and 2008. I don’t see any correlations to 9/11, but there are similarities to 2008 because today it is all about the economy crashing and when it will recover. The big variable is that today it is caused by a virus and simply put until we get our arms around the coronavirus (COVID-19), we won’t start the recover...
