HFTP® Acquires Leading Hospitality Industry Brands: Hospitality Upgrade, Hotel-Online, The CIO Summit and The Executive Vendor Summit
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals | June 25th, 2024
Visa Wait Times Remain Embarrassingly High for Millions of Potential U.S. Visitors
U.S. Travel Association | March 23, 2023
New analysis from U.S. Travel Association shows a concerning lack of progress to dramatically reduce interview wait times for first-time visitor visa applicants—which still exceed a year in the top 10 visa-requiring markets to the U.S. “Millions of potential visitors to the U.S.—who want to come here to purchase American products, see their families and otherwise support the American economy—have no choice but to plan trips years in advance or go elsewhere, given these outrageous wait times,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman. “It’s completely unacceptable and sends a message to the world that inter...
Inaugural HERtels by Choice Development Seminar Empowers the Next Generation of Hospitality Leaders, Advances Choice Hotels’ Commitment to Diver
Choice Hotels International, Inc. | March 23, 2023
ROCKVILLE, Md., March 23, 2023 -- Building on its longstanding efforts to increase diversity across the hospitality industry, Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's leading lodging franchisors, kicked off its inaugural HERtels by Choice Development Seminar with nearly 40 franchise owners, general managers, and hotel associates in attendance as part of a series of events to commemorate Woman's History Month on Monday, March 20. "While industry-wide parity is improving, with more female investors, directors, and leaders in hospitality than ever before, women entrepreneurs still face significant economic and so...
U.S. Travel Applauds Senate Commerce Committee Action on FAA Task Force Bill
U.S. Travel Association | March 23, 2023
U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee’s favorable markup of S. 66, the NOTAM Improvement Act of 2023, which would create a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) task force to improve the Notice to Air Mission system: “This bipartisan legislation forming an expert task force will create the opportunity to strengthen aviation safety and help prevent the system failures that grounded air travel nationwide earlier this year. As Congress addresses FAA reauthorization, it must modernize all aspects of our air system...
Breaking Barriers: Wyndham’s Women Own the Room Signs Over 30 Hotels in First Year
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts | March 22, 2023
PARSIPPANY, N.J., March 22, 2023 -- Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world's largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,100 hotels spanning more than 95 countries, today announced the continued momentum of its groundbreaking "Women Own the Room" program, which in its inaugural year, has signed more than 30 hotels across the U.S. and Canada, 10 of which are now open. The first-ever program by a major hotel company specifically targeting women's advancement in hotel ownership, Women Own the Room is designed to advance and empower women entrepreneurs to break through the predominantly male-dominated hotel indust...
HFTP 2023 Club Summit Has Event’s Largest Registration; Will Address High Priority Industry Topics
HFTP | March 22, 2023
March 22, 2023 (Austin, Texas) — Next week, Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) is holding its annual Club Summit with one of its largest registration rosters in the history of the five-year event. Established in 2018, this conference has quickly become a key program for the association’s club segment offerings. The Summit delivers a vital opportunity for high-level club professionals and industry experts to directly address the topics that are most compelling and important to this specialized segment of hospitality. Scheduled for next Monday and Tuesday (March 27–28) at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Denver D...
AHLA’s Chip Rogers Joins Cast of Hotels ByDesign
AHLA | March 22, 2023
WASHINGTON (March 22, 2023) – American Hotel & Lodging Association President & CEO Chip Rogers is joining the cast of Hotels ByDesign. Hotels ByDesign is a magazine-style television series. Throughout four half-hour episodes, host Mike Chapman will showcase up to 35 of the most architecturally stunning hotels across the Americas. View a preview of the series here. Rogers will be part of a panel of architectural, innovation, and industry experts who will discuss key design aspects of various hotels. “Hotels are at the cutting edge of informed design, as brands and hotel companies are constantly evolving to meet the cha...
Mobius Vendor Partners Receives Vacation Industry Award for Corporate Responsibility
Mobius Vendor Partners | March 21, 2023
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (March 21, 2023) –Mobius VP, LLC, the Indianapolis-based business process firm that developed, deployed and currently manages CustomerCount®, an online customer feedback system, has received the GNEX 2023 Award for Corporate Social Responsibility. The award was presented at the 2023 GNEX Conference in San Diego, CA on February 7, 2023 at the Hotel Del Coronado. CustomerCount, created by MobiusVP, collects, measures and reports customer feedback through branded customized online surveys. These surveys are formulated to measure the quality of the customer experience in more than forty languages. CustomerCount fee...
Spring Travel Demand Underscores Urgent Need for Federal Upgrades to Air Travel System
U.S. Travel Association | March 21, 2023
Air travel will surpass pre-pandemic levels this spring, according to new estimations, underscoring the urgent need for federal government investment in the U.S. air travel system which is already strained by inefficiencies and passenger dissatisfaction. “Periods of high demand—like spring break and holiday weekends—are a stress test that reveal the inadequacies of our current air travel system,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman. “Demand may be high now, but countless frustrating air travel experiences may cause passengers to choose other modes of transportation or simply stay home in the future.” ...
Hotel Industry Icon, Bruce Baltin, Passes Away
March 20, 2023
March 20, 2023− Hotel Industry Consultant Bruce Baltin, an industry icon for more than five decades, passed away suddenly at age 79 earlier this month. He is survived by his wife, Tammi Baltin, his brother, Mark Baltin, his sister, Suzanne Jacobs, and his sons, Steven Baltin and Brian Baltin. Baltin spent his entire career as a hotel consultant. He returned to PKF Hospitality Group as a Director in the US Office in 2022, following a long career with the firm that began in 1970. Baltin became a partner at Pannell Kerr Forster in 1978 and a founding shareholder in the newly launched PKF Consulting practice in 1992. He served as Managing Dire...
Annual TIEWN Gathering Sets New Paradigm for Building a Supportive Community of Professional Women Who Can Help Companies Close the Gender Gap
TIEWN | March 17, 2023
Interactive Sessions Encourage Sharing of Best Practices in Mentorship, Raising Capital, Entrepreneurship, Sustainability, Financial & Personal Well-being, and the Industry’s Formidable Technology Solutions. Los Angeles, CA – In celebration of Women’s History Month and facing the realities underscored by March 14 as Equal Pay Day, the Travel Industry Executive Women’s Network (TIEWN) held its annual Women in Travel & Hospitality Conference on March 2 & 3 at the Westlake Village Inn (Los Angeles). An intimate group of female (and male) visionaries came together to embrace the beauty of our humanity and recognize the unde...
Penn State Hospitality Event to Honor Noble Investment Group Founder and CEO
The Penn State Hotel & Restaurant Society | March 17, 2023
Event sponsors announced, registration open for Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society gala UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Hotel & Restaurant Society Hospitality Executive of the Year event will be held on Tuesday, April 4th at the School of Hospitality Management on the University Park campus. The event, a tradition of the society’s and the school’s since 1960, will include the presentation of the Hospitality Executive of the Year Award to Mit Shah, founder and CEO of Noble Investment Group. Founded in 1993, Noble is an industry-leading real estate investment group specializing in the travel and hospitality sector. T...
HSMAI Honors Chapters With Frank W. Berkman Best of the Best Awards
HSMAI | March 16, 2023
McLean, VA (March 16, 2023) The HSMAI Greater New York Chapter was named the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International Americas 2022 Chapter of the Year as part of HSMAI’s Frank W. Berkman Chapter Award Program — presented at the annual Mike Leven Leadership Conference in Bloomington, MN. The program also recognized “Chapter Best of the Best” award recipients. “It is wonderful to gather back in person and celebrate our HSMAI Chapters and the incredible work produced in 2022,” said Jenny Teeson, HSMAI’s Director, Chapter Management “And a special congratulations to HSMAI Greater New York for winning 2022 Ch...
Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Announces the 11th Annual Pebby Award Winners
Pebblebrook Hotel Trust | March 14, 2023
HOLLYWOOD, Calif.-- Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE: PEB) (the “Company”) today announced the winners of its Eleventh Annual Pebby Awards. The Pebby Award winners were chosen for their outstanding accomplishments in 2022, as determined by the Company. “Our hotel managers continued to excel in 2022,” said Jon E. Bortz, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust. “Each year, the Pebby Awards recognize and celebrate the hard work of all of our property teams, operating companies and asset managers who define success across our organization.” The categories for the Eleventh Annual Pebby Awards are B...
Travel Outlook Offers Complimentary Registration for the Four Pillars of Heartfelt Hospitality Webinar by Kennedy Training Network
Travel Outlook, The Premier Hotel Call Center™ | March 13, 2023
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO (March 2023): Travel Outlook, The Premier Hotel Call Center™, in partnership with other sponsors and the Kennedy Training Network (KTN), is offering complimentary registration in a new, groundbreaking monthly webinar series delivered personally by industry expert Doug Kennedy. The series kicks off at Noon, EDT on Thursday, March 16, with The Four Pillars of Heartfelt Hospitality. The webcast will cover the important philosophical communications essentials that ensure your guests experience sincere, heartfelt hospitality, not just scripted politeness. This webinar will cover: • Hospitality means caring about as wel...
AAHOA’s Spring National Advocacy Conference Brings Together Lawmakers and 200+ AAHOA Members Strongly Advocating for the Hospitality Industry
AAHOA | March 13, 2023
WASHINGTON, D.C., Mar. 10 – Hundreds of Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) Members and leaders from across the United States flew into Washington D.C. for AAHOA’s Spring National Advocacy Conference (SNAC) earlier this week to discuss critical issues impacting America’s hotel owners. As the premier voice of hotel owners, AAHOA seeks to partner with elected officials in Washington, D.C. to identify viable solutions to the biggest challenges facing the industry. The 2023 AAHOA SNAC provided the opportunity for America’s hoteliers to meet with and cultivate relationships with more than 200 elected officials in Was...
UNWTO at ITB Berlin: Setting Priorities for Tourism
UNWTO | March 10, 2023
UNWTO returned to ITB Berlin with a clear message: Tourism is back and committed to delivering positive change that goes beyond the sector itself. Tourism returns – why ITB matters ITB Berlin is the world's biggest tourism and travel trade fair. This week's event was the first in-person ITB for four years and comes as the sector's recovery is well underway. According to UNWTO, international tourism could reach 80 to 95% of pre-pandemic numbers by the end of the year, with 70 million international arrivals recorded in January alone (more than double the number of January 2022). The return of ITB was heralded by UNWTO as proof of str...
Staggering Number of Job Openings Threaten Travel Industry Growth
U.S. Travel Association | March 10, 2023
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman issued the following statement on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics February employment report, in which leisure and hospitality jobs grew by 105,000 and the total economy added 311,000 jobs: “Despite strong job growth, a staggering 1.7 million leisure and hospitality jobs are open—a concerning figure as we head into the peak summer travel season. Travel is essential to our nation’s economy, but its success is reliant on access to workers to serve the traveling public. “One way the federal government should address our workforce shortage is to increase the allotment of H-...
8 New Trends Revealed in HSMAI Foundation’s Annual State of Talent Report
The HSMAI Foundation | March 9, 2023
McLean, VA (Mar. 9, 2023) The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Foundation is thrilled to announce its second Annual State of Talent report. Released with the support of the Foundation’s corporate talent partners, the report highlights eight trends that are impacting the talent within sales, marketing, and revenue optimization departments. The result of hundreds of hours of research, dozens of Executive Roundtables, eight Academic Forums, three major U.S. conferences, three global conferences, and more, HSMAI Foundation provides insight into attracting new talent, developing emerging talent, and engag...
Hilton Spotlights General Managers Across the Globe for Women’s History Month
Hilton | March 8, 2023
Women GMs share their secrets for building inspired teams, developing careers, and raising the bar for women in the workplace March is Women’s History Month, and Hilton has a lot to celebrate. Managing award-winning Hilton properties 365 days a year is no easy feat, and Hilton property leaders work hard— often behind the scenes—to create an environment that allows their team members to provide guests with the best stay possible. Although Hilton celebrates leaders and team members all year long, Women’s History Month provides the perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight on some of our women leaders who are helping make Hilton th...
Women Take ‘Centre Stage’ in Tourism Development
UNWTO | March 8, 2023
To mark International Women’s Day, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and UN Women have jointly reaffirmed their commitment to keep women’s empowerment ‘Centre Stage’ of tourism development. Tourism as a gender equality leader UNWTO research has previously shown the enormous potential of the tourism sector to empower women of all backgrounds. Fifty-four per cent of the global tourism workforce is female, the gender-wage gap is lower in tourism, and the proportion of women in leadership roles is higher than in other sectors. However, much progress is still to be made. Women are still concentrated in lower-paid, precarious ...
The 2023 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America in Film and Television History
Historic Hotels of America® | March 8, 2023
Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing, celebrating, and promoting the finest historic hotels in the United States, is pleased to announce The 2023 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America in Film and Television History List. The historic hotels and resorts selected for this announcement have been the settings for iconic scenes in beloved blockbusters, art house favorites, cult classics, and primetime television programs. Guests of these hotels can retrace the steps of many movie makers and film stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and Alfred Hitchcock through the stor...
Differences in Regional Fanbases: Who Goes Where the Most Before and After Games
Anthony Davis | March 8, 2023
By Anthony Davis Harrison Butker’s kick in the final seconds in Glendale, Arizona to clinch the Super Bowl LVII for Kansas City, ended the hopes and dreams for the Philadelphia Eagles and their fans. The sad and sullen Eagles fans were a sharp contrast from the NFC Championship game, which ended with the Eagles rushing the field to celebrate their victory, and their fans streaming out of Lincoln Financial Field in jubilation, eager to summit the greased light poles and flood the streets of Philadelphia in triumph. This was a severe case of fan excitement and energy, that would have only intensified had the Eagles prevailed in Glendale. In...
In Memoriam: A Tribute to Howard Feiertag, HTM Industry Giant, Educator and Mentor
March 8, 2023
Dear Feiertag Hospitality and Tourism Management students, alumni and friends, With heavy hearts we are sharing with you the sad news: Howard Feiertag, namesake of our program, HTM industry giant, long-serving faculty member, and a kind, generous, charming human being, passed away on March 3, 2023 at the age of 94. Howard amassed over thirty years of experience in virtually every area of the industry including hotel operations, food and beverage, sales and marketing, and meetings and convention management. He led hundreds of extremely popular professional development sessions at major hospitality and tourism conferences. In 1989, it was...
San Diego Claims Top Event Market and Technology Leads as Industry Driver in February
Knowland | March 8, 2023
Data reveals the return of meetings and events in the technology segment, and smaller markets are realizing the most significant percentage of growth ARLINGTON, Va. — March 8, 2023 — Knowland, the world’s leading provider of data-as-a-service insights on meetings and events for hospitality, announced today that the San Diego market led the U.S. meetings and events industry by volume for February. Second place went to Chicago, with Dallas in third. The leading industry driver for meetings was Technology and Healthcare across four of the top five markets. This data is a subset of Knowland’s pipeline generation platform designed t...
