fran worrall
How Hotels Are Getting Back to the Business of Meetings
Fran Worrall | January 26, 2021
Although in-person events may look different, the outlook is optimistic By Fran Worrall With the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine, can the return of meetings and conferences be far behind? Although the pandemic has no doubt changed the way events will be held—at least for the foreseeable future—most hoteliers and industry experts are feeling optimistic. In fact, many properties and meeting planners are already glimpsing signs of life after COVID. “We’re seeing an increase in inquiries, especially in the second half of 2021,” said Blair McSheffrey, vice-president of global & hotel sales at Sonesta, who attributes the uptick...
The Outlook for Hospitality, Part 4: Technology Vendors Discuss Their Plans for the Future
Fran Worrall | December 16, 2020
By Fran Worrall Two weeks ago, in Part 3 of our series on the outlook for hospitality, we asked some of the industry’s leading technology vendors to discuss the solutions that are helping the industry recover. Not surprisingly, many companies have experienced an overwhelming demand for contactless solutions—from mobile food and beverage ordering to keyless entry systems. Other companies have seen rapid adoption of new business intelligence and CRM technology. Without exception, every vendor we interviewed has met the challenges surrounding the pandemic head-on, with many of them releasing new and improved solutions that offer low-to...
The Outlook for Hospitality, Part 3: Technology Vendors Reveal the Solutions That are Helping the Industry Recover
Fran Worrall | December 2, 2020
By Fran Worrall Last week, in Part 2 of our series on the outlook for hospitality, we asked some of the industry’s leading technology vendors the following question: How has your company pivoted to meet the new demands the industry is facing? Overwhelmingly, the vendor community has risen to meet the challenges surrounding the pandemic, responding in a variety of creative ways—from offering clients free or discounted services to speeding the development of solutions that provide safe alternatives for guests and support long-term recovery. This week, in Part 3 of our series, more than 30 leading hospitality technology vendors reve...
The Outlook for Hospitality, Part 2: How Vendors Are Pivoting to Meet New Industry Demands
Fran Worrall | November 16, 2020
By Fran Worrall In the fall issue of Hospitality Upgrade, we began our four-part series on the outlook for the hospitality industry by asking vendors the following question: What are your thoughts on the future of hotels and the industry in general? Overwhelmingly, respondents were optimistic. Despite the seriousness of the pandemic and its devastating impact on hotels around the globe, most vendors agreed that the industry is resilient and will recover. Some said it would come back even stronger than before. Not surprisingly, most believe that technology will play a key role in the process. In Part 2 of our series, we asked the foll...
AAHOA President & CEO Cecil Staton Talks Politics and the Campaign to Assist Hoteliers
Fran Worrall | November 12, 2020
The Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) is the nation’s largest hotel owners association, representing nearly 20,000 members who own almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in communities across the country. Recently, Hotel Online talked with AAHOA President & CEO Cecil Staton about the association’s ‘10,000 Letters, One Purpose’ campaign, which encouraged hoteliers to engage with members of Congress and the White House to implore them to pass a stimulus package that would eas...
The Outlook for Hospitality: Silver Linings in the Midst of Crisis
Fran Worrall | November 2, 2020
Vendors Address The Future of The Industry, Part 1 By Fran Worrall During the past seven months, the hospitality industry has faced the worst crisis in recent history. As COVID-19 has spread around the globe, hotels have been forced to lay off employees, curtail services and in some cases close. At some point, however, the world will regain its equilibrium. Consumers will be eager to travel again. And businesses will want to hold group meetings and conferences. What will the hotel landscape look like? Can anything positive come out of this crisis? We talked with a number of vendors for this multi-part series on the outlook for ho...
Technology Companies Help Hotels Get Back to Business
Hospitality Upgrade | July 16, 2020
From virtual events to product discounts, these vendors are stepping up to accelerate industry recovery by Fran Worrall, Hospitality Upgrade Editor As the travel industry begins to rally, technology companies are taking steps to help their customers get back to business. Strategies run the gamut from complimentary webinars and virtual learning events to special promotions and discounts, all designed to enable hotels and other hospitality venues to reopen confidently and economically amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Industry giant Oracle Hospitality, with support from HTNG, a global trade association dedicated to uniting hospitality compan...
COVID-19: Industry Leaders Speak Out on the Future of the Meeting Business
Hospitality Upgrade | March 12, 2020
by Fran Worrall, Hospitality Upgrade Editor Yesterday, the World Health Organization announced that COVID-19—the viral disease that has swept the globe and killed more than 4,200 people—is officially a pandemic. At the same time, President Donald Trump announced that travel from Europe to the U.S. would be restricted for 30 days, beginning tomorrow at midnight. Analysts are saying the virus is having a bigger impact on global aviation than 9/11. And a recent Skift Research survey indicates that nearly one-third of U.S. travelers are deferring their plans. A number of industry conferences and meetings have been cancelled or postponed, a...
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