Tuesday, August 11, 2009

2nd Annual Hotel Symposium

Greetings Readers!

Let me get right to the point. . .today, I attended the 2nd Annual Hotel Symposium here in Indianapolis hosted by the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association (ICVA). As I sat next to hotel General Managers, Directors of Sales, Owners, Government Officials (yep, the mayor was there) and listened to the guest speakers, I "tweeted" the following to my Twitter followers:
________________________________________
"Global Downturn" says STR in relation to the hotel industry!

"The hotel industry is in a tunnel," says PKF.

"Life sucks, Indianapolis sucks less" says TAP as we look at the hotel industry outlook.

"Make less mistakes." Is that the key to surviving this economy? _________________________________________
Are you depressed yet? :( Well, so was I, as I thought about my industry colleagues who are currently weathering the storm. I thought about my students and their futures in my beloved industry. As a tear almost came to fruition, my mind vigorously searched for a light. "Yoohoo, oh light at the end of the tunnel, where are you?"

I reviewed my tweets and I kept coming back to my last post. . ."Make less mistakes." This was the advice of one of the speakers. It sounded so simple. My mind wanted something more sophisticated and I guess I wanted to hear more industry jargon - STAR, ADR, RevPAR, OCC, NOI, MSA - give me something complex that I could hold on to as the truth that would set all hotels in a down economy free. "Make less mistakes."

My mind was now searching for something more positive. I was then reminded of an article I had written entitled "Back to the Basics." I'll share it with you one day! But, there it was, the light, the positive light. Hotels need to get back to the basics of hospitality. Our focus needs to be on clean rooms, friendly service, good food and everything else will follow. The ADR, OCC, RevPAR will rebound quicker right in alignment with the economy, if we just focus on who we are - hospitality.

Thanks for your time! Hang on hotel guys and gals. Keep the faith hospitality students. The light is there, we just need to follow it. . .

Jokima Hiller, MBA, Hospitality & Restaurant
Management Program Coordinator

Faculty Advisor, Travel & Tour Club
http://www.thechefsacademy.com/

The Chef's Academy on the Web
The Chef's Academy on Facebook
The Chef's Academy on Myspace

“We Change Lives, One Student at a Time!"

1 comment:

  1. I believe that with a positive attitude and no mistakes, the hotel industry will see a good turnaround. There is a light at the end of this bleak tunnel - it may not be very bright right now - but it will get brighter. I have faith. Work hard and pull in those customers that may not even know you exist. Have great front desk agents that want to SELL your property - isn't that what they are considered anyway - Sales People? Well now you have my opinion of this market.

    ReplyDelete