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
AAHOA Reschedules 2021 Convention & Trade Show
AAHOA | January 26, 2021
ATLANTA, Ga., Jan. 26 – The 2021 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show is being rescheduled to August 3-6. It will still be held in Dallas, Texas, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas (KBHCCD). “AAHOA prides itself on delivering America’s hoteliers, vendors, and partners the best convention and trade show in the hospitality industry. With the end of the pandemic in sight, it is our goal that attendees to the 2021 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show be able to gather safely as we continue on the road to recovery and celebrate the resiliency of our industry. Therefore, we are rescheduling our Convention & Trade Show for A...
The 2021 West Federation CHRIE Conference on February 18-20, 2021: Hospitality Stronger, Together
January 26, 2021
This virtual conference will provide insightful talks by key leaders in hospitality, travel, and tourism to spark creativity for leading our industry beyond the challenging COVID times. Speakers from Disney, Marriott, Hyatt, Smith Travel Research (STR), the Hilton College and many more. Please join us for the 2021 West Federation CHRIE Conference on February 18-20, 2021 sponsored by the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management at Northern Arizona University. The theme of this year’s conference is "Hospitality Stronger, Together". This regional conference will offer a diverse array of opportunities, for both WFCHRIE members and non-...
MEDIA ADVISORY: U.S. Travel Association’s State of the Travel Industry Event
U.S. Travel Association | January 25, 2021
Wednesday, Jan. 27, 1 p.m. EST | Webcast from the National Press Club Media Teleconference to follow at 1:40 p.m. U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow will lay out his vision for continuing to rebuild America’s travel and tourism industry, which has been hit harder than any other U.S. economic sector by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dow will address the lingering challenges to travel, the prospects for reopening as testing and vaccines become more widely available, and the policy prescriptions that can lay the groundwork for a restoration of lost jobs and a return to travel norms. Among the policy topics that ...
Hilton Announces 2020 CEO Light & Warmth Award Winners
Hilton | January 25, 2021
MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today revealed its 2020 CEO Light & Warmth Award winners, the company’s highest form of global team member recognition. Each of the 13 team members and franchise employees being celebrated brings Hilton’s purpose to life and truly exemplifies the company’s vision, mission and values each day. In 2020, more than 650 team members from across Hilton’s global managed and franchise network were nominated by their colleagues. Finalists were selected by a committee of representatives from across the company, with the 13 winners chosen by Hilton’s President and CEO Christopher J. Nassetta. Since 201...
Reaction to President Biden’s Executive Orders on Travel
U.S. Travel Association | January 22, 2021
WASHINGTON (January 22, 2021)—U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement on the COVID-related executive orders issued by the White House Thursday, many of which pertain to travel: “We welcome the president’s focus on policies that will encourage safe travel and help restore the millions of U.S. travel jobs that were lost last year. “The CDC’s inbound testing requirement is the key to reopening international travel and it adds another important layer of safety. If the testing requirement is going to work on a global scale, it has to be flexible and reflect where testing resources are avai...
Confidence Is Growing for a Return to Business Travel
the Global Business Travel Association | January 21, 2021
Alexandria, VA (January 21, 2021) – The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world’s largest business travel association, has released the results from its 15th coronavirus poll, the first in 2021, to measure the impact on business travel following the onset of the pandemic last year. The latest survey finds that more than half of respondents expect most of their employees will return to the office by Q3, in line with a return to non-essential business travel and a growth in traveler confidence. “While we continue to face challenges for our industry, there is light at the end of the tunnel and projections for a return t...
How Hotels Are Faring in Transformative Times
Daniel Lesser | January 20, 2021
By Daniel H. Lesser We live in extraordinary times. There are only a limited number of periods in America’s 245-year history which have been as transformative as 2020 (i.e., 1776, 1865, 1929, 1945, 1968, 2001). The confluence of a global pandemic, mass civil disobedience, and the transfer of power will undoubtedly affect how we live and work in 2021 and beyond. The COVID-19 pandemic that commenced in early 2020 represents yet another demarcation in life “before” and “after.” 2020 began as geopolitical tensions spiked on January 3rd, and the U.S. stood at the brink of war when an American drone strike near the Baghdad Inter...
Travel Industry Welcomes President Biden, Vice President Harris
U.S. Travel Association | January 20, 2021
WASHINGTON (January 20, 2021)—U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement on the inauguration of Joseph R. Biden Jr. as the 46th president of the United States: “On behalf of America’s travel and tourism industry, I congratulate President Biden and Vice President Harris on their inauguration and welcome their leadership in Washington. “President Biden is acutely aware of the economic pain the pandemic has inflicted on our industry and its workforce, and we are encouraged by the administration’s focus on providing additional, direct relief to businesses in the hardest-hit industries. ...
AHLA Statement on Inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris
AHLA | January 20, 2021
WASHINGTON (January 20, 2021) – The following is a statement from Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, on the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. “On behalf of the hotel industry, we congratulate President Biden and Vice President Harris on their inauguration. Today’s peaceful transfer of power marks a new chapter as our country moves forward together. Over the last year, our nation, and the world, has faced incredible difficulties, but we are resilient, and working together we can overcome these historic challenges. “As an industry, we continue to face h...
Over 100 Million Global Travel & Tourism Jobs Could Be Recovered in 2021
WTTC | January 19, 2021
London, UK: More than 100 million jobs could return to the global Travel & Tourism sector during 2021, as the world recovers from the crippling COVID-19 pandemic, says the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). A strong summer of travel is expected as the sector begins its road to recovery from late March onwards, with many major travel companies reporting a significant rise in forward bookings. The sector’s revival is backed by WTTC’s latest economic forecast, which gives further hope for the year ahead to businesses and millions of people employed in the sector worldwide. Last year, during the height of the pandemic, W...
MDO Survey Reveals That Travelers Are Hopeful for 2021
myDigitalOffice | January 18, 2021
myDigitalOffice & Knowingli market research shows a growing appetite for travel and confident in hotels to keep them safe Bethesda, MD - myDigitalOffice today announces the results of a travel sentiment survey, performed with Knowingli, a market intelligence firm. As we cautiously enter 2021, the question on seemingly everyone’s mind is: What’s next? Throughout 2020, the coronavirus pandemic aptly disrupted any fiscal predictions experts had for their respective industries, and hospitality was left in a notably precarious position. As communities around the world came to a collective standstill, the prospect of travel did as we...
6 Key Learnings From an Unprecedented Year in Hospitality
Matthieu Mauguin | January 18, 2021
By Matthieu Mauguin An inspiring look at the gains and losses that the Covid crisis has brought upon the Hospitality industry. The future is remarkably hopeful and full of innovation-driven malleability. Resiliance and courage displayed by the industry At the end of 2019, hospitality professionals seemed to have a good idea of what to expect in 2020. From the impending advent of new AI solutions to the generalization of online marketing, most analysts predicted that the industry would keep on riding its growth spur towards a complete digital transformation. Enter the COVID-19 outbreak, and, alongside it, the emergence of an apocalyp...
5 Steps to Building a Successful Hotel Marketing Plan in 2021
Amadeus | January 18, 2021
As hoteliers hope to rebound from the lingering effects of COVID-19, they are presented with the challenges of repositioning, retargeting, and reviving their respective brands to meet the needs of emerging demand in 2021. To capture the most opportunity moving forward, hoteliers will have to look to multi-channel marketing strategies to drive bookings and optimize their property’s ability to return stronger this year. Here are 5 key steps to consider: 1. Take a Data-Driven Approach to Evaluate Market Conditions As each region recovers at its own pace, hotels are now required to have a more in-depth understanding of their feeder markets...
Hotel Lawyer on PPP2 and the COVID Relief Bill’s Changes to Paycheck Protection Program
Jim Butler | January 13, 2021
By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® 13 January 2021 We have a new PPP Loan authorization bill out of Washington, after months of political wrangling. Congress could have done more, but they did provide for up to $2,000,000 in additional forgivable loans per borrower, along with provisions which specifically cater to the hospitality industry. As Jay Thompson and other members of our Corporate team write below, Congress has made obtaining a PPP loan and getting forgiveness for that loan easier. They have also expanded the definition of what can be an “eligible expense” upon which to base a PPP loan, and they have allo...
U.S. Travel Reacts to CDC International Travel Testing Mandate
U.S. Travel Association | January 13, 2021
WASHINGTON (January 13, 2021) — U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on the announcement that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will issue an order requiring a negative COVID-19 test before boarding an international flight to the U.S.: “We appreciate the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s announcement of a COVID-19 testing requirement for inbound international travelers. “A testing requirement provides yet another layer of safety for international travel, and should be accompanied by other risk-based policies—incl...
Nominations Now Being Accepted for GBTA WINiT Awards
the Global Business Travel Association | January 12, 2021
Alexandria, Virginia (January 12, 2021) - WINiT by GBTA, the only group of its kind in the business travel industry, is now accepting nominations for the WINiT Virtual Awards and Gala. WINiT, a network driving positive change for the career advancement of women in travel-related industries, will honor the women, men, and organizations who have led the way in promoting this important mission at its March 8, 2021 WINiT Virtual Awards Gala 2021. There are seven opportunities to nominate a person or an organization; the deadline to submit nominations is February 5, 2021: Pinnacle Awards: Outstanding Woman of the Year Founders In...
WTTC Says Unvaccinated Travelers Should Not Be Discriminated Against
WTTC | January 12, 2021
Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: “WTTC wholeheartedly supports the testing on departure of all travellers to ensure passengers can prove they are COVID-19 free and thus avoid the spread. “It will take a significant amount of time to vaccinate the global population, particularly those in less advanced countries, or in different age groups, therefore we should not discriminate against those who wish to travel but have not been vaccinated. “Only a tiny percentage of people around the world have so far received the vaccine, whereas there are vast numbers who have not, but who could be tested, show a negativ...
Las Vegas Sands Announces Passing of Company Founder and Industry-Changing Entrepreneur Sheldon G. Adelson
Las Vegas Sands Corp. | January 12, 2021
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 12, 2021 -- Las Vegas Sands issued the following statement announcing the death of company Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Sheldon G. Adelson: Our founder and visionary leader, Sheldon G. Adelson, passed away last night at the age of 87 from complications related to treatment for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Born to immigrant parents and raised in a poor section of Boston, Mr. Adelson went from a teenager selling newspapers on a street corner to becoming one of the world's most successful entrepreneurs. His achievements in the integrated resort and hospitality industry are well-documented. In Las Vegas, Macao a...
Why HR Practitioners Look Forward to Rolling-Up Their Sleeves as 2021 Provides Opportunities To ‘Build Back Better’
Thomas Mielke | January 11, 2021
By Thomas Mielke In Conversation with Susan Meinl... Susan Meinl is an industry veteran, having spearheaded for well over two decades the HR function within one of the original associations set-up to support small boutique hotels across the globe. As global HR leader at Design Hotels (www.designhotels.com), she has witnessed and shaped the organisation’s journey from start-up all the way through to its (gradual) acquisition by Starwood Hotels & Resorts / Marriott International. After more than twenty years within the corporate world, Susan has now decided to set up her own practice, honing-in on leadership coaching, and HR facilit...
WTTC Says New Travel Measures to Curb COVID-19 Should Replace Quarantines
WTTC | January 8, 2021
Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: “WTTC supports measures designed to curb COVID-19 and protect public health but calls for the complete removal of unnecessary quarantines. “Requiring inbound travellers and holidaymakers to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 pre-departure test should ensure safe travel. This will be critical to encourage essential bookings for future flights and holidays. “However, there is still uncertainty around the type of tests which will be accepted upon arrival, and they must be made widely accessible and affordable for all. “But unlike many other countries where the proof of a negativ...
Saying Goodbye to 2020 With Gratitude
Matt Peterson | January 8, 2021
By Matt Peterson This past year has been a tough one; a year which was, for many, filled with suffering and loss and I for one, alongside most others, could not wait for 2021 to commence. In reflecting on the last 12 months, I have consciously decided to adopt a different mentality for what lies ahead. I recently came across a quote from the theologian Paul Tillich which read “suffering introduces you to yourself and reminds you that you are not the person you thought you were.” It was followed by the comment, “suffering teaches us gratitude.” Wow. So, in retrospective, I choose to reflect on 2020 with gratitude. I am grateful f...
Can Hotels Claim Business Interruption Insurance Due to a Pandemic?
HotStats | January 7, 2021
Does a pandemic qualify for business interruption insurance? It’s a question hoteliers shouldn’t be asking themselves, but rather, their insurance company. COVID-19 was swift and pernicious, bringing the hospitality industry to its knees. As hotels find their footing, filing a business interruption claim with their insurer is of the essence, regardless of the ambiguity over whether a pandemic qualifies a business for such relief. Insurers, unsurprisingly, have denied the vast majority of these claims, which have in turn triggered scores of lawsuits asking courts to make insurers honor their contracts. Insurance companies contend t...
Q&A: Chris Nassetta Reflects on a Challenging 2020 and His Optimism for the Return of the Golden Age of Travel
Hilton | January 6, 2021
The turmoil of 2020 has affected all of us – every person, company and industry – many in profound and even tragic ways. The hospitality sector is no exception and in fact has endured one of the most harrowing challenges in its history. But amid that challenge came an opportunity for resilience, along with important lessons and insights for the future. Hilton President & CEO Chris Nassetta, a 37-year industry veteran, shared his perspective on this unprecedented year – what he experienced, what he learned and what he’s most looking forward to in the new year. What was your biggest challenge of 2020? It’s so hard to pi...
The 32nd Hunter Hotel Investment Conference Will Take Place in 2021
January 6, 2021
The Hunter Conference reschedules from March to May 10-12, 2021 Atlanta, GA: Back in March, we made the difficult decision to cancel our 2020 conference with the hopes of resuming in March 2021. In our commitment to deliver the most relevant content, meaningful networking, and the opportunity to gather again safely—the 32nd Hunter Hotel Investment Conference will take place May 10-12, 2021 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. Our focus remains consistent: a hotel real estate and finance conference designed for owners and investors. More than ever, we believe that it is vital to provide a place and time for the hotel industry to come toget...
