POLITICS:

Hotel industry leaders are lobbying to be included in President Biden’s infrastructure proposals, viewing this as one of the last opportunities to receive federal funding. The hotel industry is among the last that have not received federal aid, despite severe economic repercussions of the pandemic.

SOCIAL:

Individuals from eight different countries weighed in on what factors most influence their travel plans. Contrary to pre-pandemic priorities, price is no longer the primary driver of travel decisions. Safety and security are top considerations.

ENVIRONMENT:

Agritourism is on the rise, in part due to the pandemic, which is causing travelers to seek out more remote destinations. It supports local businesses and farms while bringing visibility to the agriculture industry and educating travelers about food source and preservation.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

Here are some tips on how to deal with burnout.

ECONOMIC:

One economist at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit was optimistic that the U.S. will recover quickly from the effects of the pandemic. Technically, the nation is in a cessation, not a recession, which means rate of recovery should be swift.

TECHNOLOGY:

As hotels innovate in a pandemic landscape, some are doing away with room categories in favor of feature-based inventory management. Enabling guests to self-select room features can increase revenue and customer satisfaction.

LEGAL:

Marriott International launched a new, enhanced human trafficking awareness training with the goal of training all on-property associates to recognize and respond to indicators of potential human trafficking by 2025.