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
As Consumers and Travel Suppliers Work Through Crisis, Most Travelers Satisfied With Industry Response So Far
J.D. Power | March 26, 2020
60% of travelers agree hoteliers, cruise lines and airlines have demonstrated concern for the health and safety of the traveling public. More than half of the travelers surveyed believe travel suppliers are meeting or exceeding expectations on cancellation policies. A majority of travelers (65%) believe that travel suppliers have provided a good level of information about cleaning procedures. As travelers and travel suppliers struggle to make sense of what impact the coronavirus crisis is having on their personal and professional lives, a pulse survey conducted by J.D. Power finds that the travel industry is genera...
CLASS OF 2020 – Forged in Crisis, The Servant Leader of Tomorrow
Thomas Mielke | March 26, 2020
By Thomas Mielke It has already become clear that the uncertainty caused by Covid-19 has forced the industry to become much more creative and innovate. What will the sector’s executives take from the experiences gained during such unprecedented times of crisis? First and foremost, as a matter of priority, many of the industry’s CEOs have already upped their game and displayed more publicly their ‘servant leadership’, well knowing that during times of crisis, communication and compassion are key to keeping morale high – thus ‘steadying the ship’ so that one is ready for when things improve. Although the sector’s current...
The COVID Crisis Highlights the Need for Hotel Call Centers
Larry Mogelonsky | March 26, 2020
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) The virus outbreak starting in Wuhan is the gamechanger for 2020 and many years to come. Reservations and occupancies will inevitably return, but the ground has forever shifted and this new normal we are just entering calls for new working – and largely virtual – conditions as well as a hyper-effective team to handle the load in lean times. My Own Cancellation Story As everyone is scrambling for new operational efficiencies to do more with less and to do so remotely (for the time being), I am reminded of what I went through to cancel a recent hotel booking for a weeklong stay...
Attend HFTP Townhall With CEO Frank Wolfe on April 2
March 26, 2020
HFTP Townhall with CEO Frank Wolfe, CAE, FIH: How the HFTP Network Can Help You Navigate the Impacts from the COVID-19 Pandemic Every one of us across the globe are feeling the professional and personal impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. At HFTP Global, we have evaluated our collection of resources and educational offerings that will best support our members in the current business climate. Please join HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe as he discusses what the association has been doing to respond and adapt to the current business climate. Frank will draw from his communications with allied industry associations and leading hospitality organization...
FAU Hospitality and Tourism Management Program Offers Lifeline to Workers Struggling During Coronavirus Pandemic
Florida Atlantic University | March 26, 2020
BOCA RATON, Fla. (March 26, 2020) – Florida Atlantic University’s nationally ranked Hospitality and Tourism Management program, within FAU’s College of Business, is offering a free certificate to industry workers and professionals who may be affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Through a series of five online sessions in April, participants can learn about the core components required for success in the industry. The sessions cover hospitality law, career competencies, marketing and revenue management, finance fundamentals and service excellence. “Hospitality will always rebound, but this is the first global crisis where every hospi...
Shift4 Payments Launches Shift4Cares.com to Raise Over $200 Million for Small Businesses and Highlight Economic Impact of COVID-19
Shift4 Payments | March 26, 2020
ALLENTOWN, Pa. and LAS VEGAS — March 26, 2020 — Shift4 Payments, the leader in integrated payment processing solutions, has announced the launch of Shift4Cares.com, a round-the-clock online resource for government agencies, news outlets and businesses affected by COVID-19. The website offers a wealth of valuable information on the economic impact of this pandemic and is part of Shift4’s initiative to raise over $200 million for restaurants and other small businesses — including up to $10 million contributed directly from the company. Valuable Transaction Data Highlights Economic Impact of COVID-19 As the leading payment process...
U.S. Travel Reacts to Coronavirus Relief Package
The U.S. Travel Association | March 26, 2020
Washington (March 26, 2020)—The U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow on Wednesday offered praise for the coronavirus relief package known as the CARES Act, which includes significant priorities championed by the travel industry. But Dow cautioned that there is still work to be done to protect the entirety of the 15.8 million American jobs supported by travel. "With this bipartisan deal, Washington is providing a vital lifeline to protect millions of travel workers and help businesses of all sizes keep their lights on through the worst of the health crisis," Dow said. "No legislative package was ever going to erase 10...
COVID-19: Employer Obligation for Safety, Paid Leave, Wage and Hour
Jonathan Yarbrough | March 26, 2020
By Jonathan Yarbrough The hotel industry is being hit particularly hard by COVID-19 with occupancy rates plummeting for those hotels open during this crisis. Some hotels that are open are operating with a skeleton crew – with exempt managers working alongside hourly employees to ensure that hotel operations run as smoothly as possible under the circumstances. Still, these operating hotels must take precautions to ensure that staff are as safe as possible during this pandemic, while complying with the various, and seemingly ever-changing, employment laws. Wage and Hour Laws and Workplace Safety While safety of employees is certainl...
AHLA Statement on Senate Passage of CARES Act
AHLA | March 26, 2020
WASHINGTON (March 26, 2020) – The following is a statement from Chip Rogers, AHLA president and CEO, on the Senate passage of the CARES Act. “The hotel industry applauds leaders in the Administration and Congress who are working around the clock during this unprecedented public health crisis, to ensure the health and well-being of our country and to pass a financial package that helps save the American worker and the industries that drive our economy, including the hotel industry. We are especially appreciative of Senate Majority Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, and Treasury Secretary Mnuchin for their leadership and driving ...
Boston & Cambridge Lodging Market: Coronavirus Causing Steep Demand Declines, Closures, Layoffs
Sebastian Colella | March 26, 2020
By Sebastian Colella As travel across the country and the world has all but stopped the last few weeks from the threat of COVID19, hotels across the country saw an unprecedented amount of cancellations. The Boston lodging market has been one the hardest hit markets in the United States with demand declining dramatically throughout most of March. Going into the year, owners and operators were worried about increases to supply, estimated at 3.8%, but looked forward to an approximate 25% increase in convention related roomnights and four additional citywides at the city’s two convention centers. Following a weak Q4 performance experienc...
Best Western® Hotels & Resorts Provides Much Needed Relief to Hoteliers
Best Western Hotels & Resorts | March 25, 2020
Phoenix, Arizona (March 25, 2020) – In the face of the biggest economic crisis the hotel industry has ever faced, Best Western Hotels & Resorts (BWHR) is taking steps to ease the financial burden for its hoteliers during this challenging time. Committed to its loyal BWHR family and understanding the tremendous hardship COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is having on its hoteliers, their employees and their families, BWHR’s Board of Directors and Executive Team have implemented unprecedented measures to afford its hotel owners (members) much-needed relief through May 2020. These measures include: Waiving one half (1/2) of Monthly Fees. ...
OYO Hotels & Homes Offers Free Stays to Medical Personnel Fighting the Spread of COVID-19
OYO Hotels & Homes | March 25, 2020
OYO Hotels & Homes is opening the doors to its hotels and offering free stays to doctors, nurses and other medical first responders who are helping in the fight against Coronavirus (Covid-19). Beginning March 24, medical first responders will receive free accommodations at any OYO Hotel in the United States so they can sleep, shower or just get off their feet and recharge. “All of us at OYO are grateful for the bravery and sacrifices all the medical personnel are making to save lives and stop the spread of Covid-19,” said Ritesh Agarwal, Founder and Group CEO, OYO Hotels & Homes. “Our hearts go out to all those impact...
Urgo Hotels Are On Call to Serve First Responders During COVID-19 Crisis
Urgo Hotels & Resorts | March 25, 2020
Bethesda, Md. – March 24, 2020 – With 30 hotels in the United States and Canada, Urgo Hotels and Resorts is standing by to assist first responders, including medical personnel, government officials, and others on the front line of the COVID-19 crisis. Individuals and organizations in need of overnight rooms, function space for staging, or food and beverage service can contact any Urgo hotel for assistance. “With hotels among the essential services approved to operate during the crisis, our hotels are available to facilitate short- and long-term needs that may arise due to the shifts in personnel and resources required to deal with th...
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%...
