HFTP® Acquires Leading Hospitality Industry Brands: Hospitality Upgrade, Hotel-Online, The CIO Summit and The Executive Vendor Summit
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals | June 25, 2024
Industry Happenings
Here’s Where Travelers Are Headed Post-Summer, Pre-Holidays
AAA | September 23, 2024
WASHINGTON, DC (September 23, 2024) – If there’s ever a time of year to hit the open road or jet off to a bucket list destination, it’s now! In many parts of the U.S., temperatures are dipping and leaves are changing, creating the perfect conditions for a picturesque fall getaway. Autumn is also an ideal time to travel internationally, especially to Europe, when it’s less busy compared to summer. “This time of year is known as shoulder season in travel which means mild weather, fewer crowds, and better prices,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “AAA booking numbers show more people are flying this season ...
WTTC Reveals Pandemic’s Heavy Toll on Women and Youth in Travel & Tourism Jobs
The World Travel & Tourism Council | September 23, 2024
Belem, Brazil: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in collaboration with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism, today launched a new report revealing the stark impact of the pandemic on woman and youth employment within the global Travel & Tourism sector. Almost 70 million people working in Travel & Tourism lost their jobs during the pandemic, but women and young people were disproportionately impacted because their roles were more likely to be in the worst affected areas such as hospitality and food services. While the sector has broadly seen a strong recovery, the ‘Social Trends in Travel & T...
AHLA Statement on the Introduction of the HOTEL Act
AHLA | September 20, 2024
WASHINGTON (Sept. 20, 2024) – American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) Interim President & CEO Kevin Carey released the following statement after the introduction of the Halting of Trafficking and Exploitation in Lodging Act, or the HOTEL Act, which encourages federal workers traveling for business to stay at hotels with anti-human trafficking programs. “The HOTEL Act recognizes the crucial role hotels play in the fight against human trafficking, and we are proud to support this important legislation,” said AHLA Interim President & CEO Kevin Carey. “We look forward to working with Reps. Smith and Krishnamoorthi an...
NEWH, Inc. Launches Second Annual Martha’s Mentors Program
NEWH | September 20, 2024
Empowering the Next Generation of Hospitality Leaders—Applications Open Until November 1 Shawano, WI, September 20, 2024 - NEWH, Inc. (Network of Executive Women in Hospitality), a premier association committed to advancing education, mentorship, and networking in the hospitality industry, is thrilled to announce the opening of applications for its second annual Martha’s Mentors Program. This transformative 10-month initiative aims to connect emerging hospitality professionals with seasoned industry leaders, fostering meaningful relationships that inspire growth. Named in honor of Martha Tillim, a respected industry veteran and b...
HSMAI Announces the Passing of President and CEO Bob Gilbert
HSMAI | September 20, 2024
Gilbert Proudly Led the Organization for More than 30 Years, Through Industry-Changing Events Including the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks, 2008 Recession, and Covid-19 Pandemic FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: McLean, VA (September 20, 2024) – It is with profound sadness that the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Americas, HSMAI Foundation and HSMAI Global, announce that President and CEO, Bob Gilbert passed away on September 19, 2024. In July 2024, the organization announced that Gilbert had accelerated his retirement plan as a result of a serious health issue following 30 years of executive leadership for HSMAI. ...
HerOwnership Conference Ignites Empowerment: AAHOA Unites Women Hoteliers for Leadership and Growth
AAHOA | September 18, 2024
REDONDO BEACH, CA, September 18—Women hoteliers from across the nation converged at the 2024 HerOwnership Conference by AAHOA, a dynamic two-day event crafted by women for women in the hospitality industry. Centered around the empowering themes of executive presence, hotel ownership, and mental health and wellness, the conference inspired attendees to connect, lead, and thrive in an industry where their voices and leadership are more important than ever. Some 300 people attended the event, which marked the third annual HerOwnership Conference for AAHOA. "The hospitality industry stands out because women comprise most of the workforce,...
Marriott International Announces 2024 Winners of Masters of the Craft Competition, Adds New Pastry Category
Marriott International, Inc. | September 17, 2024
Marriott International announced the winners of Masters of the Craft, a culinary, beverage and pastry competition designed to foster creativity and innovation while highlighting exceptional chefs and bartenders within the company’s food, beverage and pastry community. Adding pastry to the competition brought attention to a space that has extraordinary talent across the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of brands. Over the past three months, over 1,600 exceptional culinary, pastry and beverage professionals from 181 Marriott Bonvoy properties across the U.S. & Canada competed in local and regional Masters of the Craft competitions to prove t...
HSMAI Announces First Ever Commercial Futures Forum
HSMAI | September 16, 2024
McLean, VA (Sept. 16, 2024) – The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International is excited to announce the first ever Commercial Futures Forum, which will take place on Oct. 28, 2024 in San Antonio, TX, held in conjunction with The Hospitality Show produced by AHLA and Questex. This inaugural event, planned by an HSMAI steering committee of Chief Commercial Officers, will bring together top commercial leaders to explore the evolving dynamics of business travel and loyalty within the hotel industry. The half-day forum, themed “Understanding the Changing Dynamics of Business Travel,” will address the commercial impacts o...
AAHOA Joins Rally in Opposition to New York City Council’s Proposed Safe Hotels Act
AAHOA | September 12, 2024
NEW YORK CITY, September 12, 2024—The Safe Hotels Act, proposed by the New York City Council, would negatively impact the city's hotel industry, which contributes millions annually to the local economy, according to speakers at an industry rally held Thursday, September 12, at New York City Hall. AAHOA joined other industry associations and organizations to oppose the proposed Safe Hotels Act Int. No. 991. If passed, this act would prohibit hotels from operating without an additional license and prohibit using subcontractors for core functions such as housekeeping, front desk, and security. Among industry leaders, AAHOA Treasurer Rahul ...
Travel Price Index (TPI) Shows Positive Signals For Travelers
U.S. Travel Association | September 12, 2024
WASHINGTON (September 12, 2024)—Following today’s CPI report, U.S. Travel Association Vice President of Research Josh Friedlander released the following statement: “With overall inflation cooling to its lowest level since 2021 and gas prices down significantly, travelers have reason to be excited about their plans, even as we conclude one of the biggest summer travel seasons ever. Prices of travel-related goods and services have grown less than those for the economy broadly, both annually and compared with prior to the pandemic. U.S. Travel’s Travel Price Index grew just 0.9% annually in August, compared with 2.5% for the broader CPI...
Protect NYC Tourism Coalition Rallies Against City Council’s Catastrophic Hotel Bill
AHLA | September 12, 2024
Int. 991 will damage hotel and tourism industry, force thousands to lose their jobs and harm New York’s economy NEW YORK (Sept. 12, 2024) – Today, over one thousand hotel owners, workers, and small business owners, as part of the newly formed Protect NYC Tourism Coalition, rallied on the steps of City Hall to fight against the City Council’s so-called “Safe Hotels” bill. The Coalition has also sent a letter asking the City Council to reject the bill, Int.991, as it threatens the sustainability of New York City’s hotel and tourism businesses and puts the livelihoods of thousands of dedicated workers at risk. The Coalition inclu...
BLLA Announces Winners of the 2024 Boutique Hospitality Awards
BLLA | September 11, 2024
Celebrating Excellence in Boutique Hospitality Worldwide Los Angeles, CA (September 11, 2024)—The Boutique Lifestyle Lodging Association (BLLA), the original boutique hotel association established in 2009, is proud to announce the 2024 BLLA Awards winners. Now in its fourteenth year, the BLLA Awards continue to honor the most daring and innovative achievements in the global boutique hospitality industry, recognizing the world's finest hotels, visionaries, and partners. 2024 Award Winners In the Best Boutique Hotel Under 50 Rooms category, Hotel 1928 in Waco, Texas, claimed the top prize, celebrated for its unique charm and dedication...
Hotel Room Innsights Report: Hotels.com Pulls Back the Covers on the Surprising World of Hotels
The Hotels.com | September 10, 2024
Lost and Found: A pet lizard, $6 million watch and car tire are some of the oddest items left in hotel rooms around the world Room Service: An Evian filled bathtub, burnt toast, 4lbs of bananas and a caviar hotdog top the most bizarre room service orders Hidden Hotel Perks: A 400-year-old Japanese garden and guitar concierge are among the hotel perks you never knew you needed September 10, 2024, AUSTIN — Today Hotels.com launches its annual Hotel Room Innsights Report*, uncovering surprising services and stories from more than 400 partner hotels worldwide. This year’s report reveals the astonishing items left behind by guests, w...
The Hospitality Show Announces Additional Program Highlights
The Hospitality Show | September 10, 2024
NEW YORK (Sept. 10, 2024) – The Hospitality Show, the industry’s leading technology and operations event produced by Questex and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), has revealed new highlights that have been confirmed for the 2024 program. The Show will feature three distinctive keynote sessions from industry heavy hitters: On Monday, Oct. 28, famed chef, author, educator, and humanitarian José Andrés will lead a presentation titled, “Changing the World Through the Power of Food.” On Tuesday, Oct. 29, author and franchise expert Scott Greenberg will discuss the game-changing steps to elevate franch...
HSMAI Announces 2024 Sales Leader Forum
HSMAI | September 9, 2024
McLean, VA (Sept. 9, 2024) – The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) 2024 Sales Leader Forum, will take place on Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington, DC. Organized by HSMAI’s Sales Advisory Board, this year’s event focuses on advancing the hotel sales discipline by providing off-property sales leaders with essential knowledge on top trends, strategic insights, and best practices in today’s evolving landscape. Held annually, the Sales Leader Forum is an HSMAI Commercial Strategy Event that aims to equip attendees with practical information, insights, and strategies designed to enhance their action plans ...
BDNY 2024 Set to Redefine Hospitality Design With Unmatched Innovation and Networking Opportunities
BDNY | September 9, 2024
NEW YORK, NY (September 9, 2024) — Boutique Design New York, the leading trade fair and conference for the hospitality’s boutique and lifestyle design community, returns to the Jacob K. Javits Center on November 10-11, 2024. This year’s two-day event promises to set new standards in the industry with cutting-edge products, groundbreaking design discussions, and an array of networking events that bring together the world’s most influential design minds. EXPERIENCE INNOVATION AT EVERY TURN BDNY will immerse attendees in the latest trends and innovations shaping the hospitality boutique design industry. Featuring a curated selection of...
Survey: 4 out of 5 American Travelers Embrace Biometrics Use at Airport Security
U.S. Travel Association | September 6, 2024
Washington -- Following record-breaking air travel over Labor Day weekend, the U.S. Travel Association along with Ipsos released survey results underscoring traveler preference of biometric technology screening to keep air passengers safe and provide greater efficiency at airport checkpoints. “By overwhelming margins, air travelers support TSA’s use of biometric technology at airports to strengthen security and improve the travel experience,” said Geoff Freeman, U.S. Travel Association President and CEO. “Travelers embrace next-generation technology at the same time a small cadre of members of Congress seek to take air travel ba...
Sheila Johnson To Receive Peggy Berg Castell Award at The Lodging Conference 2024
AHLA Foundation | September 5, 2024
WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 2024 -- AHLA Foundation announced today that trailblazing entrepreneur and hotelier Sheila Johnson will receive the Peggy Berg Castell Award at The Lodging Conference 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona in October. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to elevating and advancing women in the hospitality industry. As Founder and CEO of Salamander Collection, Johnson has built a portfolio of properties in the United States and Jamaica, emphasizing the importance of showcasing each hotel's unique environment. The Salamander Collection is the largest Black-owned luxury hotel company in Am...
Out of Office: Understanding American Vacation Trends
Expedia Group Media Solutions | September 3, 2024
Americans are notorious for leaving vacation days on the table. Despite the numerous benefits of taking time off from work, over half (53%) of Americans don’t plan to use all their paid time off this year. It’s a troubling vacation travel trend, especially compared to other countries where taking extended breaks is more the norm. According to Expedia’s annual Vacation Deprivation Report, on average Americans receive only 12 days off annually, the fewest of any country surveyed, and the top reason for not using all their time off is because “life is too busy to plan or go on vacation.” That’s a lot of missed opportunities for m...
CEO Pay in Hospitality 2024
AETHOS | September 3, 2024
With the pandemic largely in the rearview mirror, the last twelve months have been about interest rates, less transactions, and wild presidential election cycles worldwide. The hotel industry will be impacted in significant ways as these issues unfold. On the other hand, operational fundamentals have been strong, contributing to CEO pay marching upward. Average CEO pay in the industry rose to USD $9.8M, from the previous year’s $9.5M. Most of this increase came in the form of short-term incentive pay, making the correlation between stronger operating fundamentals and CEO pay. Interestingly, “other compensation” also increased indicat...
Your Input Requested: Corporate Digital Responsibility Code for the Lodging Industry
HFTP | September 3, 2024
The importance of corporate digital responsibility has been pushed to the forefront with the many data breaches and the latest CrowdStrike incident. It is proven that even a cybersecurity technology company is not immune to problems and issues. To that end, HFTP recently formed the Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR) Task Force for the Lodging Industry. The aim is to establish a Hospitality Code of Digital Responsibility. Learn more about this project through this comprehensive article. To complete the project, the task force needs your help. We kindly invite you to complete a survey asking to rank a list of identified i...
USALI 12th Revised Edition, Deep Dive: Other Reporting Guidance
USALI | September 3, 2024
Just released, the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI) 12th Revised Edition has been meticulously updated by the Global Finance Committee (GFC) with guiding principles to enhance transparency in reporting, broaden data sets to better inform decision-making, and align with contemporary practices. To support its release, GFC members are also presenting a series of monthly “USALI 12th Revised Edition, Deep Dive” webinars. Accompanying the webinars are correlating blog posts, including this one for the webinar “USALI 12th Revised Edition Deep Dive: Other Reporting Guidance.” Learn more and register to a...
Hotels To Celebrate National Hotel Employee Day
AHLA | August 30, 2024
WASHINGTON (Aug. 30, 2024) – Top hotel industry groups, including the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers, and the Latino Hotel Association, will recognize National Hotel Employee Day today and throughout the weekend along with hoteliers across the country. AHLA and the National Day Calendar established National Hotel Employee Day in 2022 to honor the nearly two million employees who work in America’s hotel industry. It is observed annually on September 1. Every day in communities across the nation, hotel empl...
HFTP Announces 2024 CHAE of the Year Award Recipient: Samantha Sheffield
HFTP | August 29, 2024
HFTP is thrilled to announce Samantha Sheffield, CHAE as the recipient of the 2024 Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive (CHAE®) of the Year Award for her outstanding achievement. The CHAE of the Year award honors the individual that scored the highest on the CHAE certification exam within a given year. She will be recognized at the HFTP 2024 Annual Convention, taking place this October 23-25 at the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. Sheffield is the CFO and assistant general manager at Bay Colony Golf Club in Naples, Florida, a position she has held since October 2019. During this time, she has also been...
