Charting a Course for 2022 With Tech
Larry and Adam Mogelonsky | September 15, 2021
Siegel Sez: Not Your Father’s Power Socket
September 3, 2021
Industry Happenings
U.S. Travel Reacts to Lifting of Travel Restrictions for Vaccinated International Travelers
U.S. Travel Association | September 20, 2021
WASHINGTON — September 20, 2021 — U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement on today’s announcement that restrictions on international air travel will be lifted for vaccinated individuals: "The U.S. Travel Association applauds the Biden administration’s announcement of a roadmap to reopen air travel to vaccinated individuals from around the world, which will help revive the American economy and protect public health. "This is a major turning point in the management of the virus and will accelerate the recovery of the millions of travel-related jobs that have been lost due to inter...
Horst Schulze Named the Recipient of the 2021 Historic Hotels of America Legacy of Innovation and Inspiration Award
Historic Hotels of America | September 16, 2021
Washington, DC – September 16, 2021 – Historic Hotels of America® is pleased to announce that Horst Schulze has been named the Recipient of the 2021 Historic Hotels of America Legacy of Innovation and Inspiration Award. This is the first time this this annual award is being presented. The Historic Hotels of America Legacy of Innovation and Inspiration Award recognizes the extensive accomplishments of Horst Schulze in pioneering innovative concepts for achieving uncommon success. A thought leader on exceptional service for decades, a legend and inspiring leader in the hotel world, Horst Schulze's teachings and vision have res...
U.S. Economy Faces Daily Loss of Nearly $198 Million Due to Travel Restrictions
WTTC | September 15, 2021
Miami, FL - September 15, 2021 - Latest research conducted by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) on inbound international travel spend has found that the United States economy faces a daily potential loss of nearly $198 million should current border restrictions remain. Based on 2019 levels, of the top 20 most important markets in terms of inbound spending, less than half are currently granted access to the U.S., severely impacting the recovery of the country’s Travel & Tourism sector. Data is based on the inbound spending to the U.S. by countries that are still closed off to travel as listed by the Centers of Disease Con...
Charting a Course for 2022 With Tech
Larry and Adam Mogelonsky | September 15, 2021
By Larry and Adam Mogelonsky The pandemic continues to plague many hotels the world over, and this will continue into 2022 as the corporate and group segments have yet to return to form. Besides the demand-side problems, many markets are also suffering from supply-side issues, namely labor shortages. With North America’s (and possibly the world’s) biggest hospitality technology tradeshow coming up – HITEC, in Dallas this year – we ask how technology can help your property in the near-term, both for cost savings as well as increased labor productivity. Leisure Evolution The pandemic has made an almost irreversible shift in tra...
StayNTouch Joins HITEC Dallas With Guest-Centric PMS Technology Showcase and a Lively Happy Hour
StayNTouch | September 15, 2021
StayNTouch, a global leader in guest-centric hotel property management systems (PMS) and contactless technology, announced today its schedule of events for the 2021 HITEC Dallas, on September 28-30. Although the previous year has been challenging for the entire travel industry, StayNTouch emerged with a string of successes, including the creation of a new integration hub, and the signing of new partnerships with groups such as RBH Hospitality Management, Curator Hotel & Resort Collection, and Design Hotels. This year, StayNTouch joins HITEC Dallas with a full lineup of educational, networking, and social opportunities, including: Tuesd...
U.S. Travel Reacts to Fauci Comments on Domestic Travel Vaccine Mandates
U.S. Travel Association | September 14, 2021
WASHINGTON — September 14, 2021 — U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on comments made by White House Chief Medical Advisor to the President Dr. Anthony Fauci in support of a vaccine mandate for domestic air travel: The science—including studies from the Harvard School of Public Health and the U.S. Department of Defense—overwhelmingly points to the safety of air travel as long as masks are worn. And with the federal mask mandate for all forms of public transportation and U.S. airports extended through January 2022, proper tools are ...
HVS Monday Musings: Staycations – a Trend That’s Here to Stay?
Mandeep S Lamba | September 13, 2021
By Mandeep Lamba, Dipti Mohan It's no secret that after COVID, staycations – vacations near to home, within the same city, or at drive-able destinations – are becoming increasingly popular around the world. Staycations allowed people to escape their daily routines post the many lockdowns, while also helping the hotel industry in weathering the COVID-storm when demand from all other customer groups came to a halt. Furthermore, with the rise of work-from-home and e-schooling, many people were able to enjoy staycations without taking long leaves. In the past year, everyone from homestay and vacation rental owners to hoteliers with propert...
MMGY Reveals How the Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Say They Will Travel Heading Into the Holiday Season
MMGY Travel Intelligence | September 10, 2021
The majority of both groups are making plans, but how they travel may differ KANSAS CITY, MO (September 10, 2021) – MMGY Travel Intelligence, MMGY Global’s research and insights division, has released the findings from the 2021 “Fall Edition” of its Portrait of American Travelers® survey fielded in late July. The report highlights continuing strength in traveler sentiment, including high expectations for holiday travel. It also reveals the vast majority of vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers are planning trips in the months ahead, but the types of trips they are planning are different. Americans’ intent to take a vacation...
Hurricane Ida Impact on Hotels
STR | September 10, 2021
Almost two weeks after Hurricane Ida made landfall, the impact of the storm is becoming clearer. Reports show the latest death toll at more than 130 between the Gulf region and the Northeast, and officials in New Orleans are still advising evacuees to stay away from the affected areas due to continued power outages, road blockages, and disruptions in other essential services. The picture is also coming together on the secondary impact on the hotel industry, not only in the Gulf region, but in those parts of the Northeastern U.S. that were hit by the remnants of this catastrophic storm. We continue to keep those affected in our thoughts ...
Vaccine Tourism Is a Double-Edged Sword
GlobalData | September 9, 2021
Vaccine tourism, where tourist hotspots are now offering COVID-19 vaccinations on holiday to attract visitors, is a double-edged sword as, while it could assist travel’s restart, it also raises the question of vaccine equity as it will further increase the divide between the wealthy and less privileged, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. GlobalData’s Q2 2021 consumer survey found that only 6% of global respondents were not concerned about the impact of COVID-19*. The remaining 94% were ‘extremely’, ‘slightly’ or ‘quite’ concerned. With concerns high, the opportunity to get vaccinated has been seized by m...
Knowland Reports U.S. Meetings and Events Volume Growth of 25.5 Percent for August 2021
KNOWLAND | September 8, 2021
Average space used per attendee at the same level as 2019 for the first time since the pandemic ARLINGTON, Va. — September 8, 2021— Knowland, the world’s leading provider of data-as-a-service insights on meetings and events for hospitality, today released monthly meetings and events data for August. The numbers reveal that August U.S. group meetings volume increased 25.5 percent over July 2021. The Top 25 Markets continue to dominate the growth metrics for number of meetings. This is strong performance as earlier in the year growth was led by the secondary and tertiary markets. • Average attendees increase over 2019 – The ave...
69% of Leisure Travelers to Reduce Trips Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases
AHLA | September 7, 2021
WASHINGTON – September 7, 2021 – U.S. leisure travelers plan to significantly pare back travel plans amid rising COVID-19 cases, with 69% planning to take fewer trips, 55% planning to postpone existing travel plans, and 42% likely to cancel existing plans without rescheduling, according to a new national survey conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA). Nearly three in four (72%) are likely to only travel to places within driving distance. While leisure travel historically begins to decline after Labor Day, it remains critical throughout the year. The new survey highlights the ongoi...
Siegel Sez: Not Your Father’s Power Socket
September 3, 2021
Siegel Sez September 3, 2021 Maybe my age is showing, but I miss the times where Walter Cronkite (OK, that was actually before my time), Dan Rather, Peter Jennings and Tom Brokaw gave us the news we needed every night. Today, thanks to the rapidly changing world of social media, news comes from thousands of sources and probably half of it is made up. I bring this up because recently a few people reached out to me asking if HITEC was canceled. Of course, no one could explain specifically where they had heard this information, but it made me laugh. I guaranteed them that HITEC will not cancel. There are thousands of people in the industry fro...
U.S. Travel Reacts to CDC Guidance on Unvaccinated Travelers
U.S. Travel Association | September 2, 2021
WASHINGTON — September 2, 2021 — U.S. Travel Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation advising unvaccinated Americans to avoid Labor Day travel: “As Labor Day weekend approaches—a traditional peak for leisure travel—the CDC recommendation to unvaccinated individuals is a further reminder that vaccination is the fastest path to normalcy for all, including for widespread travel. The vaccines have proven safe and highly effective, and now with full FDA approval, there is no reason why anyone sh...
Shiji Group Establishes Shiji Canada, Continuing Growth in the Americas
Shiji Group | September 2, 2021
Atlanta, GA, USA September 2, 2021 – Shiji Group, a leading provider of hospitality technology solutions, has announced its further expansion in the Americas market, with the addition of a new leader and operating unit in Canada. Broadening the company’s commitment to the Americas, the newly established Shiji Canada organization will allow Shiji to provide localized sales, services, and support to accommodate Shiji’s growing customer base in the region. To lead this development, Shiji Group has hired Mark Scott, an industry veteran, as the General Manager of Shiji Canada. Mark brings over twenty years of experience within the ...
67% of Business Travelers to Reduce Trips Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases
AHLA | August 31, 2021
Most Are Likely to Cancel Existing Trips Without Rescheduling WASHINGTON (August 31, 2021) – U.S. business travelers are scaling back travel plans amid rising COVID-19 cases, with 67% planning to take fewer trips, 52% likely to cancel existing travel plans without rescheduling, and 60% planning to postpone existing travel plans, according to a new national survey conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA). Despite an uptick in leisure travel over the summer, the new survey highlights the dim outlook for business travel and events, which account for more than half of hotel revenue and...
U.S. Travel Reacts to EU Travel Restriction Recommendation
U.S. Travel Association | August 31, 2021
WASHINGTON (August 31, 2021)—U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on news that the European Union recommends removing the United States from its list of countries for which travel restrictions should be lifted: “This is a disappointing development following the boost in inbound visitation by vaccinated travelers that many E.U. countries experienced this summer. It’s a setback despite the uptake in vaccinations—the tool that’s highly effective against the variants—which are on the rise on both sides of the Atlantic. “Travel is a cru...
Hotel Profit Climbs Higher, but Could Delta Derail It?
HotStats | August 31, 2021
Global hotel performance is improving month by month. That’s the good news. The more pressing concern is if it will remain that way. The hotel industry remains fragile, dodging each and every new impediment thrown its way. The newest snag has been the Delta variant, which has caused COVID cases to spike in many areas and thrown a wrench into the gradual rebound. Just this week, the European Union recommended that Americans be banned from nonessential travel to its member states after a rise in case counts in the U.S. This as the U.S. remains off limits to most European travelers. Still, the hotel industry presses forward. U.S. ...
HFTP Implements Extra Health Safety Measures for September In-Person Events: HITEC and HFTP Annual Convention; Suggests Vaccines for All Participants
HFTP | August 31, 2021
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) announced today additional steps to increase attendees’ comfort level at its upcoming meetings. Co-located are the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®) North America and the HFTP Annual Convention, September 27-30, 2021 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas USA. In consideration of the ongoing pandemic, health safety guidelines and protocols are in place for the protection of all attendees. This includes a strong-recommendation for attendees to be vaccinated. For the adversely-hit hospitality industry, these meetings ...
Business Travel Continues Moving Forward but Uncertainty Around Variants Impacts More Accelerated Recovery
The Global Business Travel Association | August 27, 2021
Alexandria, VA – August 27, 2021 – The business travel industry continues to report an overall willingness and optimism about the return to business travel. However, the rise of the Delta variant and other variants has become a cause for uncertainty and increased concern over the past month. This is according to the latest poll from The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) – the world’s largest business travel association and worldwide leader in education, research, networking, and advocacy for the industry. This poll is the 22nd in a series tracking the pulse of GBTA’s membership of ...
PolyU’s SHTM Partners With World Travel and Tourism Council to Facilitate Sustainable Growth of Travel and Tourism
PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management | August 27, 2021
The School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate and work together for the sustainable growth of global travel and tourism. The World Travel and Tourism Council is a body representing the travel and tourism private sector globally. Its members consist of Chairs, Presidents and Chief Executives of the world’s leading, private sector travel and tourism businesses, who bring specialist knowledge to guide government policy and decision-making. The WTTC has been the voice of the industr...
HSMAI Foundation Distributes Second Round of COVID Relief Grants to Hospitality Professionals Around the World
THE HSMAI FOUNDATION | August 27, 2021
The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Foundation is supporting the hospitality industry by distributing a second round of COVID Relief Fund grants to hospitality professionals worldwide, bringing the total amount of grants to $170,000 distributed to nearly 400 recipients worldwide. The HSMAI Foundation COVID Relief Fund was established in 2020 with the generous support of benefactors and individual donors. The fund provides HSMAI membership and educational grants for HSMAI programs to members and non-member industry professionals in need due to challenging circumstances related to the global pandemic. ...
U.S. Travel Encourages House to Move Forward on Infrastructure Bill
U.S. Travel Association | August 24, 2021
WASHINGTON — August 24, 2021 — U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on the U.S. House of Representatives advancing the U.S. Senate-passed, bipartisan infrastructure bill: “With this bipartisan bill there is a real opportunity to strengthen America’s aging travel infrastructure and revolutionize the way people move around the United States. By investing in the future of infrastructure today, we can ensure greater long-term competitiveness and emerge from the pandemic with stronger systems than ever before. “In addition to providi...
U.S. Travel Statement on Extended Border Restrictions With Canada, Mexico
U.S. Travel Association | August 23, 2021
WASHINGTON — August 23, 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 United States has extended border restrictions on Mexico and Canada through at least September 21: “Travel restrictions are no longer protecting us from the virus – vaccines are. Every day that our land borders remain closed delays America’s economic and jobs recovery, causing greater damage to the millions of people whose livelihoods depend on travel and tourism. “For each month the status quo continues at the Canadian border, Ame...
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