• Valet Services: Know the Risks
• By John Welty, President, SUITELIFE Underwriting Managers, Ryan Specialty Group

For some guests, the presence of a valet at the front door of a hotel is as expected as a bed in a guest room. And for hoteliers, implementing such a program may not seem to require much investment or planning. What they must keep in mind, however, is that valet programs don't come without risks, particularly in the wake of COVID-19. READ MORE

• Asset Owners/Managers: Your Path Forward
• By Robert Post, CEO, Knowland

As much as we would like to believe that the bad news is largely behind us, we actually face something much more complicated for the next 24 months: uncertainty - around the virus, how the public will respond, etc. In human history this isn't the first time a pandemic and recession have impacted the human race. READ MORE

• A Direct Sales Reboot and Reset in the Time of COVID-19
• By Brenda Fields, Founder, Fields & Company

The top performing hotel Sales Department will look very different than the model over the past 20 years. With the abrupt loss of demand and loss of traditional markets, it is critical to maximize the role of Direct Sales. Growing market share will be the focus to generate revenues and the successful hotelier in a competitive marketplace will quickly evaluate to devise and execute plans to impact market share. READ MORE

• Navigating a New World of In-Person Meetings with Virtual Benefits
• By Allison Kinsley, Chief Meeting Architect, Kinsley Meetings

We are taking time to optimistically and critically rethink our meetings, including challenging their essential components, what may be dispensable, and what we've been missing. A meeting planner and small business owner shares her experience on COVID's effects on the planning community, why government needs to pay attention to letting meetings take place, how to get people back to in-person events, and why the pandemic is good for the planning industry. READ MORE

• Preserving the Value of Meetings and the Role Hotels Play in Gaining Planner Confidence
• By Kaaren Hamilton, VP, Global Sales, RLH Corporation

As the meetings and events industry responds to the pandemic, hotels have implemented industry leading best practices to gain event planner confidence. A key component of the events industry, hotels have to quickly pivot and adjust all phases of the buying process, execution, and operational guidelines to meet safely. Keeping the events industry moving forward and delivering on the value proposition of meetings, in smaller and groups, RLH Hotels are delivering. READ MORE

• Getting Back to Live: How We Can Plan In-Person Conferences Again
• By Annette Gregg, Sr. Vice President, Meeting Professionals International

The meeting and event industry faces one of the toughest times in its history. Meeting Professionals International's quarterly Meetings Outlook survey predicted the lowest meeting and event growth on record, with only 36% predicting favorable business conditions over the next year. For organizers that are planning live events during this pandemic, we have a powerful opportunity to demonstrate how events can happen safely. READ MORE

• 3 Ways to Rethink Your Group Sales Strategy
• By Amy Draheim, Founder, ABD Creative

Hospitality expert and podcast host Amy Draheim offers three key tips for hotel sales teams. From zoning in on your audience, to the latest ideas in tech, to learning how to communicate, Amy outlines how to approach communications both during and after the pandemic, to keep your property top of mind. READ MORE