Booking Ninjas CEO David Harroch draws on his observations of the hotel & hospitality industry while he contemplates a close call in his family, as his mother recently recovered from COVID-19. He reflects on the current impact of the pandemic, and its implications for a "new normal." The author remains profoundly optimistic about our ability to rebound, empowered by our innate resilience and ingenuity, our capacity to innovate, and by taking bold strategic initiatives. The crisis is in itself a disguised opportunity, and those who lead effectively will be the ones who thrive once the crisis lifts.

Hotels traditionally provide guests an escape from ordinary life, particularly those looking for luxury experiences. But I pose an alternative view of what hotels can do for society right now. The world needs safe spaces, virus containment, and protected recovery areas. As the pandemic continues to develop, we at Samuelson Furniture want to proactively start a discussion with our colleagues to help combat and support the nation.

"We are in uncharted territory, but we also know that this crisis will pass. The hospitality industry has weathered many a storm and will continue to do so. We are a resilient, imaginative and eminently human industry and by working together and acting swiftly, we can plan successfully for the upturn," writes Pedro Colaco, CEO and Founder of Guestcentric Systems. In this article, he shares how Guestcentric is working closely with the hospitality industry and tech leaders to build for a brighter future, launching the non-profit Rooms Against Covid to support relocated healthcare professionals as they tackle the crisis head-on.

The U.S. hotel industry has been blindsided by the COVID-19 Global Pandemic Black Swan Event. Instantly, hotel owners have found themselves with empty hotels, depleted cash reserves, and wondering how they will be able to make their monthly mortgage and utility payments along with payroll which were hardly ever considered to be a problem in the expansionary period leading up to COVID-19. Struggling hotel owners today have many financing strategic options available to them, but many do not even know that these options exist. Hotel industry financier Harry G. Spirides outlines some of these options for them in this article.

I decided ten years ago that Revinate would focus exclusively on providing software solutions for the hospitality industry. We developed a solution that could work for other industries, but we decided not to expand into different verticals. We made this decision because I believe that being a great partner means knowing your customers' challenges and business inside and out, and to do that well, you have to stay focused. Now, with COVID-19 wreaking havoc on the industry, we truly are in this together. I know it will be a battle, but I am confident that we will come out successful on the other end.

Travel plans postponed, meetings cancelled, dropping or nonexistent occupancy rates, most hoteliers have never faced a situation this serious. With these growing challenges from the effects of COVID-19, hoteliers and Food & Beverage professionals need to know what they can do to keep their properties afloat. This article covers what hoteliers can do to actually capitalize on their circumstances to work with their salespeople, their F & B leaders, and their employees and generate income, while taking care of their valuable associates. You won't want to miss this opportunity to learn how you can survive this COVID-19 Crisis.

Data has become hospitality's most valuable resource, allowing hoteliers to personalize each and every guest touchpoint, from which upsell offers to present before the stay, to which amenity to feature in a loyalty offer. For data to be actionable, though, hoteliers need a way to bring together disparate sources of data to create a single guest profile. A Guest Data Platform is hospitality's answer, making personalized marketing possible for every hotel and group. Marc Heyneker, Co-Founder and CEO of Revinate gives a heads-up on where we stand with hotel data at this time and advice on how to use it to your advantage.

The hospitality industry thrives on innovation and operational improvements, and maximizing convenience and comfort for guests is crucial. However, in today's digital age, the stakes are growing exponentially higher. Brand loyalty increasingly hinges on how well an organization deploys and integrates its digital technologies. In addition, hotels and other hospitality businesses are under increasing pressure to improve efficiencies while cutting costs and providing white-glove service. At the center of this equation is the internet of things (IoT). These connected solutions can establish stronger relationships with guests, while introducing opportunities to improve operations, safety and security - all while trimming costs.

Let's talk solutions, indeed. So much coverage has focused on the spread of the corona virus and the business impact – but where is the open debate about solutions? What should the hospitality industry do, in light of the global concern, travel restrictions and financial impact? This article is really a rallying call to our industry, to start an honest discussion with operators, investors and individuals about ways to mitigate and manage the risks of this global emergency. Let's get a grip and pool our collective ideas to help colleagues across the world as they grapple with the effects of the corona virus on global travel and tourism.

Across industries, loyalty programs are a virtual battlefield where the fight for customers is happening. From airlines to retail chains, credit cards and hotels, companies are competing aggressively for business by offering loyal customers better perks than rivals. The ascendance of loyalty programs represents a unique threat to independent hotels, however. The challenge is redemption. Large hotel chains allow travelers to earn and redeem points at thousands of properties globally. Big hotel brands don't hold all the cards, however. As independent hotels figure out loyalty programs, they are better positioned to implement them effectively and deliver world class service.