In a World of Mobile Lifestyles and Remote Working, What Role Will Hotels Play?
Kimberly Yoong | May 4, 2021
Hotel Recovery
Travelers Prefer Booking Directly With Providers Amid Uncertainty
GlobalData | June 11, 2021
A recent GlobalData poll has revealed a shift in consumer preference towards booking holidays directly, instead of going through an online travel agency (OTA). A total 39%* of respondents said they would typically book directly, followed by 17% that opted for OTAs and price comparison sites. The leading data and analytics company notes that this shift is no surprise, given the flexible cancellation and straightforward refund policies offered by direct booking. Gus Gardner, Associate Travel and Tourism Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The pandemic has caused a significant shift in consumer booking habits. A previous survey in Q3 2019** s...
Tourism Tidbits: Site Beautification and Security Protocols
Peter Tarlow | June 11, 2021
With the rebirth of travel, using site beautification to enhance your marketing and security protocols is more important than ever By Dr. Peter Tarlow This June people from around the world will be seeking new ways to break away from the consistent quarantines and lockdowns and once again experience the beauty of travel. In this world of wanting to break free, a locale’s physical appearance will be more important than ever. Communities that hope to use travel and tourism as economic development tools might do well to consider some of the following points and then work at not only greening their communities but also their bottom lines....
COVID-19 Recovery HVS Global Hospitality Employer Survey
Court Williams | June 10, 2021
By Court Williams, Bhavna Bhatia, Florian Kittler, Jens Busch The COVID-19 crisis brought the hospitality business to a grinding halt last year. As the Hospitality industry prepares for a resurgence globally in the foreseeable future, our team at HVS Executive Search reached out to industry employers and leaders to understand, sense, and address what could be a unified response code across the globe. This presentation summarises the “HVS Global Employer Survey” findings carried out across the United States, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. The objective of the survey was to understand current employer sentiment, obj...
Don’t Discount the Theater of Cleanliness Just Yet
Larry and Adam Mogelonsky | June 9, 2021
By Larry and Adam Mogelonsky Cleanliness is not just about COVID-19 safety but also giving guests peace of mind through the presentation of visual cues that you are in fact abiding by the proper sanitization guidelines. Little things like a protective wrapper around the guestroom toilet seat or spraying down the lobby at peak hours instead of after midnight go a long way towards rebuilding traveler confidence. These are but two examples of what we coined as ‘cleanliness theater’ while others have deployed similar phrasing like ‘hygiene theater’ or ‘high-visibility cleaning’. Importantly, even as we transition out of the pand...
Renovation and Conversion Strategies to Beat the ‘Revenge’ Travel Rush
Javier Coll | June 9, 2021
By Javier Coll With increased vaccine rollout, travel passports and easing restrictions, there is great opportunity for hospitality companies to seize the coming wave of travelers. The Caribbean sector is already experiencing a steady increase in occupancy rates comparable to 2019 numbers (Caribbean Invest). American travelers will look to the proximity of Mexico and the Caribbean as travel resumes, encouraging owners to focus on creating environments with newer, flexible and customizable experiences to fit their needs. Meaningful renovations and conversions that are both time and budget conscious can push a hotel or resort ...
Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index Dipped 2.8% in May
STR | June 8, 2021
HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee, and MILWAUKEE—The Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index dipped 2.8% in May to a level of 5,148. Year to date through the first five months of 2021, the stock index was up 12.6%. “Hotel stocks declined in May and underperformed their respective benchmarks for the third consecutive month,” said Michael Bellisario, senior hotel research analyst and director at Baird. “The broader reopening trade continues to lose momentum despite hotel fundamentals that continue to improve on a sequential basis, which is being driven by strong leisure demand. The return of the business traveler later this year is our key area of fo...
The Middle East’s Hotel Construction Pipeline Shows Decline at the End of Q1‘21
Lodging Econometrics | June 7, 2021
PORTSMOUTH, NH – June 7, 2021 – According to the Lodging Econometrics’ (LE) Q1‘21 Construction Pipeline Trend Report for the Middle East, the hotel construction pipeline in the region dropped to 534 projects/153,225 rooms, down 12% by projects and 11% by rooms year-over-year (YOY). Hotel development throughout the Middle East has slowed over recent years, largely due to the lack of tourism in the region. Repeated crises related to political unrest, civil war, and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic have been major factors in the number of visitors traveling to and from Middle Eastern countries. While this is the seventh conse...
Spotlight on Campus Hotels Leading Economic Recovery
Olympia Hotel Management | June 3, 2021
A Conversation with John Schultzel, Chief Growth Officer of The Olympia Companies Portland, ME – June 3, 2021. There’s growing evidence that campus hotels are a good barometer for economic and pandemic recovery, especially as the industry looks to fall 2021 when colleges reopen and there’s a return to in-person learning. No one knows this better than Olympia Hotel Management, a division of The Olympia Companies, and an industry leader continually refining the concept of campus hotels for the past decade. The company, whose goal is to genuinely and creatively link campus and community, has been in the forefront of campus hospitality,...
Tourist Numbers Down 83% But Confidence Slowly Rising
UNWTO | June 2, 2021
International tourist arrivals were down 83% in the first quarter of 2021 as widespread travel restrictions remained in place. However, the UNWTO Confidence Index shows signs of a slow uptick in confidence. Between January and March 2021 destinations around the world welcomed 180 million fewer international arrivals compared to the first quarter of last year. Asia and the Pacific continued to suffer the lowest levels of activity with a 94% drop in international arrivals over the three-month period. Europe recorded the second largest decline with -83%, followed by Africa (-81%), the Middle East (-78%) and the Americas (-71%). This all follows...
WTTC Projects 2M U.S. Jobs Could Be Created This Year Should International Travel Resume This Summer
WTTC | June 2, 2021
Miami, FL - June 2, 2021 - The latest research compiled by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), reveals that more than two million jobs could be created if international travel reopens before the busy summer period. However, if current restrictions continue and international travel is not allowed to resume at a greater capacity over the next few months, WTTC warns that the potential U.S. job recovery will be cut in half, to only one million generated. WTTC’s latest economic modeling found that $105 billion in the U.S.’s Travel & Tourism sector contribution to the national economy is at stake should travel not resume....
Covid Tested the Limits of Hoteliers’ Strength and Tenacity: Resilience Is Key
Sherri Kimes | June 1, 2021
ITHACA, N.Y., June 1, 2021 -- These and other findings are found in "How Hotels Have Responded to Covid—One Year Later," by Kimes and Roberts. In their worldwide survey of 391 hoteliers, they found that since demand was limited, hoteliers concentrated on trying to generate demand while maintaining rates. There was also an emphasis on providing value-added features rather than offering discounts. While local business has never not been relevant in the hotel industry, the pandemic highlighted its strength and importance. Staycations have been very popular during the pandemic and many respondents plan on continuing them even once travel ...
The Unforeseen Pandemic Outcome: Normalization of the Digital Nomad Lifestyle
Jos Schaap | May 25, 2021
By Jos Schaap In the past 12 months, millions globally have been forced to work from home due to domestic lockdowns and restrictions. Now, after a year of remote work, and as many worldwide are vaccinated in increasing numbers, organizations are getting serious about what a return to the office will look like. However, companies may have a hard time dragging everyone back to the office. The pandemic highlighted many advantages of remote work and employees won’t be quick to give them up. They want to keep their newfound work-life balance. The future looks hybrid: Flexible work is here to stay. While occasional remote working this wa...
Hotels Are Slowly Recouping Business, But When Will the Corporate Guest Return?
HotStats | May 24, 2021
Predicting the return of corporate travel would be a cinch if foretelling the future was foolproof. No one, however, has that extraordinary prescience and even if they did, the future is, at best, murky. The continuing popularity of work-from-home arrangements, the COVID-19 induced reluctance of both individuals and companies to get back out on the road, and issues throughout the travel supply chain are all converging to create a less-than-hospitable environment for individual business travelers. “Before you get corporate travel back, you have to get people back to the office,” said Daniel Lesser, President and CEO of LW Hospitality...
GBTA Poll: Positive Signs for a Return to Business Travel
Global Business Travel Association | May 20, 2021
Optimism and Momentum Grow as Vaccine Roll-out Accelerates Alexandria, VA – The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world’s largest business travel association, has released the findings from its latest poll measuring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and how GBTA buyer and procurement members are navigating the return to travel. The results from the 19th poll in the series are the most positive yet, with increasing optimism, growing momentum for a return to business travel and an increase in bookings – largely due to the success of the vaccine roll-out and introduction of vaccine passports. “It’s reassurin...
U.S. Travel Reacts to E.U. Plan to Reopen Borders
U.S. Travel Association | May 19, 2021
WASHINGTON (May 19, 2021)—U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement: “The European Union’s risk-based, science-driven plan to reopen international travel will hopefully spur the U.S. to heed the many calls for a plan and timetable to safely reopen our borders. The right conditions are in place: vaccinations are increasing, infections are decreasing, all inbound visitors get tested or have to prove they’ve recovered, and it’s possible to determine vaccine status. “Vaccinated Americans can travel to other countries because EU governments know they’re essential tourism spenders and wil...
AHLA Statement on Updated CDC Mask Guidance
AHLA | May 18, 2021
WASHINGTON (May 18, 2021) – The following is a statement from Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, on updated face-covering and physical distancing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Like all Americans, we are excited for a return to normal life, which includes travel. The recent CDC guidelines for vaccinated Americans lifting certain face-covering restrictions was welcome news and should help speed up a much-needed recovery. As an industry, our primary concerns have always been guest and worker safety. Hotels rose to the challenge of the public health crisi...
Pent-Up Demand Ready to Be Unlocked as Travelers Hit the Road to Look for New Experiences
Expedia Group | May 18, 2021
SEATTLE--(May 18 2021)--Expedia Group reveals key insights shaping post-pandemic travel decisions, including emerging behaviors on searching and booking to new expectations on transportation and on-property experiences. The research, called “What Travelers Want in 2021,” surveyed 16,000 respondents in eight markets. The research was first launched in 2020 and tracks traveler preferences presenting new data year-over-year. Travel was put on hold in 2020 when the COVID-19 outbreak changed the plans of travelers all around the world. However, early this year, domestic and international searches began to increase. The desire for travel is ...
Reunited and It Feels so Good: Survey Finds Family Travel a Top Priority for Americans This Year
Wyndham Destinations | May 17, 2021
A new survey from Wyndham Destinations and Atomik Research reveals 72% of U.S. adults will travel to reunite with family and friends in 2021 ORLANDO, Fla.--May 17, 2021--Wyndham Destinations, the world’s largest vacation ownership business, announced today the results of its most recent travel trends survey* which indicate vacationing is on the horizon for a majority of Americans this year. In an online survey of 1,005 Americans, produced by independent creative market research agency Atomik Research, 72% of participants said they will prioritize traveling to see family and friends, with three-fourths agreeing they are likely to do s...
Global Hotel Occupancy Reaches Two-Thirds of Pre-Pandemic Levels in April 2021, and Hoteliers Optimistic for the Future According to New Amadeus Resea...
Amadeus | May 13, 2021
Since the start of the pandemic, hoteliers have had to rethink many aspects of their business to accommodate new safety procedures, cater to changing guest needs and survive in an extremely complex operating environment. New research from Amadeus reveals how the hospitality industry worldwide has adapted, as well as the trends hoteliers think are likely to stay as the industry rebuilds. Amadeus’ Demand360® business intelligence data shows that hotel occupancy levels are now on an upward trajectory. Worldwide occupancy reached 46% in April 2021, up from the low point of just 13% in April 2020. This means that global hospitality occupancy...
Survey: 71% Support Targeted Relief for the Hotel Industry
AHLA | May 12, 2021
WASHINGTON – May 12, 2021 –A recent national survey commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) shows more than seven in ten Americans (71%) support the federal government providing targeted economic relief to the hotel industry as called for in the Save Hotel Jobs Act. The legislation, introduced by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-Fla.), will provide a lifeline to hotel employees, providing up to three months of full payroll support. Recently, AHLA and UNITE HERE, the largest hospitality workers union in North America, joined forces to call on Congress to pass t...
STR, TE Upgrade Latest U.S. Hotel Forecast
STR | May 11, 2021
ATLANTA — May 11, 2021 — Underpinned by stronger-than-expected demand during Q1, STR and Tourism Economics upgraded the latest U.S. hotel forecast just released at the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference. Even with 2021 projections higher, full recovery of demand remains on the same timeline for 2023, while close-to-complete recovery of revenue per available room (RevPAR) is still projected for 2024. “The next stage of the U.S. travel recovery has commenced,” said Adam Sacks, Tourism Economics president. “An effective vaccine rollout and generous fiscal stimulus will drive the fastest single-year economic expansion in nearly 40 ...
Memorial Day Holiday Travel to Rebound to More Than 37 Million
AAA | May 11, 2021
ORLANDO, Fla. — May 11, 2021 — AAA Travel expects a significant rebound in the number of Americans planning to travel this Memorial Day holiday weekend. From May 27 through May 31, more than 37 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home, an increase of 60% from last year when only 23 million traveled, the lowest on record since AAA began recording in 2000. The expected strong increase in demand from last year’s holiday, which fell during the early phase of the pandemic, still represents 13%—or nearly 6 million—fewer travelers than in 2019. AAA urges those who choose to travel this year to exercise caution and ...
Tourism After Lockdown: Shifting Preferences by Accommodation Types
STR | May 5, 2021
Research late last year indicated that travelers’ accommodation preferences had been drastically impacted by the pandemic. However, there is now greater optimism for the eagerly awaited exit from the pandemic as vaccinations continue to expand and more parts of the world “reopen.” With more reason for optimism in the travel and tourism industry, we set out to examine if sentiment toward accommodation type had once again shifted. To better understand this issue and study everchanging attitudes towards travel, STR conducted a quantitative survey in February 2021 using its Traveler Panel. Accommodation winners and losers Overall,...
In a World of Mobile Lifestyles and Remote Working, What Role Will Hotels Play?
Kimberly Yoong | May 4, 2021
By Kimberly Yoong, Borivoj Vokrinek At a time when many of the world’s events continue to be plagued by COVID-19, making plans even a week in advance may seem difficult, much less 10 years into the future. Nearly overnight, the dialogue shifted from “where to for lunch?” to “can you hear me?”. And as hotels emptied out and travel restrictions drag on, many may wonder, where lies the future of hotels? To answer this question, it is first important to recognize that the hotel sector does not exist as an individual silo, but one which forms part of a much wider network: the ecosystem of how we live and work. The cities in which ...
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