September FOCUS Hotel Group Meetings: Demand vs. Supply
It is a great time for hotel group meetings. It is expected that once again this sector will grow by 5-10% in 2020, partly due to the increasing value of in-person group meetings. Because people now spend so much time in front of their screens, face-to-face interactions have become a more treasured commodity in our modern world. Plus, the use of social media reinforces the value of engagement, discussion, conversation, and networking - all areas where group meetings shine. Despite this rosy outlook, there is a concern that demand for meetings far exceeds the supply of suitable venues and hotels. There are very few "big box" properties with 500-plus rooms and extensive conference facilities being built, and this shortage of inventory could pose a serious challenge for meeting planners. In addition to location concerns, the role of the meeting planner has also evolved significantly. Planners are no longer just meeting coordinators - they are de facto travel agents. Cultural interactions, local dining, experiential travel, and team-building activities are all now a part of their meeting mix. Plus, they have to cater to evolving tastes. Millennials are insisting on healthier venues and activities, and to meet their demands, hotels are making yoga breaks, fresh-pressed juices, plant-based diets, state-of-the-art gyms, and locally-sourced menus available. Millennials are also insisting that meeting venues practice Corporate Social Responsibility, which means upholding sustainable and ethical values; investment in the local community; health and well-being of employees; and general business practices that reflect being good citizens of the planet. Finally, there is a growing trend to merge meetings with other local events, such as music festivals, sporting events, and cultural attractions. The December Hotel Business Review will report on issues relevant to group meetings and will document what some hotels are doing to support this part of their operations.
Last month's feature articles...
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
In a world struggling with how to balance COVID-19 threats with the havoc it is wreaking on the overall economy, health and safety are the first imperatives. But right behind is an urgent need to communicate why business events can and should be utilized as key tools for supporting broad-based economic recovery and renewal. READ MORE
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
The pandemic has hit the hospitality industry especially hard, forcing companies to look for ways to drive costs and inefficiencies out of their operations to help them survive the economic downturn and get their people back to work. One solution that's been gaining traction is the digitization of payments. These virtual solutions leverage third-party technology to automate back-end processes; protect against disputes and fraud; and provide more privacy, security and flexibility to consumers. READ MORE
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
While some hotels have opened their doors to quarantine-weary consumers, not all are operating on full capacity. For those hotels that have explored reopening, having food and beverages available to consumers is key. However, to get consumers to return to their establishments, these restaurants need to stress the importance of health and safety. READ MORE
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
Travel is an unstoppable force, but especially in the early days of COVID-19, the industry was pacing at its slowest speeds in history. Despite the bleak numbers, throughout 2020, Hilton has remained hyper-focused on the company's purpose and over-delivering on customer needs. Frank Passanante, senior vice president, Hilton Worldwide Sales – Americas, takes readers through this unique period, reiterating the importance of leadership through listening and innovation. READ MORE
Hospitality expert and podcast host Amy Draheim brings a unique perspective as a marketing consultant and a restaurant owner. According to Amy, marketing strategy begins at the end result: the guest experience. She suggests that hotel restaurants "think like a food truck"-be flexible, adaptable, streamlined, and when possible, take dining experiences outdoors. Next, harness the power of guest reviews to highlight key features of the new guest experience. When it comes to marketing messaging, hone in on the voice of your brand. Go beyond safety protocols and get personal. Guests are craving more than a great meal-they're longing for connection. READ MORE
Virtual meetings and events have been a trend in recent years. Yet, this niche area has grown in an exponential manner in 2020 by necessity. Industry-wide, the trend is not expected to be short-lived. From the perspective of meeting and event planners, moving events online now while planning for more long-term shifts in the marketplace has proven to be a difficult endeavor. READ MORE
While it may be challenging to stay in business amid a global pandemic, there are several strategies you as a restaurant operator can follow to not only increase your chances of survival but also come out stronger on the other side. Kevin Krapp from The Indigo Road Hospitality Group presents seven ways to help keep your restaurant afloat at this time. READ MORE
The mammoth task of keeping guests safe during a pandemic requires operational changes which must be communicated to employees to ensure success. Guests must feel certain that staff who greet and serve them demonstrate comprehensive safety practices, and that your spaces are pleasing and safe. Successful leaders can leverage technology training tools to build new levels of efficiency and compliance that result in high levels of guest satisfaction and confident staff. READ MORE
The hotel food and beverage (F&B) environment has been impacted significantly by the coronavirus pandemic, leading to many chains being forced by circumstances to pivot to a new way of operating. In the short-term, many hotel F&B divisions have looked at repurposing their spaces, while others have simply stopped operating for the interim. As we move towards the post-Covid world, here's what I expect to see happening in F&B as hotels try to get back to the new normal. READ MORE
When COVID-19 hit, hospitality tech solutions went from a nice to have to a necessity for many hospitality operators who are working to stay open and keep customers and staff safe. However, with bars, restaurants, and hotels at limited capacity, now is the time for venues to look into tech that can also help them beyond the pandemic to see what tools they can use long-term and implement now while they have the time. READ MORE
In the world of online food ordering, consumer behavior has shifted rapidly to migrate phone orders to orders via website or mobile app. As guests return, hotel operators should take the need for online ordering throughout their premises seriously and make plans now to evaluate the best venues and use-cases where digital food ordering can enhance and improve guest satisfaction. The change will be slow at first, but then accelerate as guests and business travelers return in larger quantities. Digital ordering itself is just the start of the food ordering experience that will change, and brands should begin testing these technologies now so they are prepared when guests return en-masse. READ MORE
Hotel Revenue Management continues to evolve at a blistering pace. Driven by technological innovation and new distribution channels, there are some dynamic opportunities for expansion in this fast-growing field. The technology is primarily designed to help revenue managers further refine their operations and pricing models to maximize hotel profit. For example, hotels can't be all things to all people, so a key strategy is to precisely identify their target audience. By employing geo-targeting techniques and analyzing behavior such as previous bookings, on-property purchases and online shopping practices, there is an increased capability to define guest demographics. By segmenting customers in more specific ways, hotels are able to create more personalized experiences which, in turn, allow managers to optimize their room rates. It is also an effective way to fulfill the unique needs and preferences of the individual. Another methodology is to consistently monitor the competition's pricing strategies. There are software tools that analyze a competitor's current rates, and then allow a hotel to make its own pricing adjustments. It is also a useful means to conduct forecasting models. Other technologies that are being integrated into a revenue manager's toolkit include Artificial Intelligence in the form of automated algorithms, and Voice Recognition (VR) for data inquiries, rate changes, and booking behavior. Predictive and analytic software programs are also being leveraged to provide more forward-looking data, instead of the usual reliance on historical performance. These metrics allow managers to be more proactive - rather than reactive - with their revenue strategy. The October issue of the Hotel Business Review will examine these developments and report on how some leading hotels are executing their revenue management strategies.
