I was speaking with a long-time colleague and friend the other day, someone with decades of global executive experience in this industry, and the conversation quickly devolved into a lament. Not about the usual tech woes or distribution headaches, but about something far more fundamental: the outright price gouging that’s become standard practice in too many corners of hospitality. When people at that level start questioning the very integrity of our pricing, you know we’ve got a problem.
We were talking about the absurdity of some pricing out there. Imagine paying twenty-six bucks for a bottle of water at a casino, or seeing a Holiday Inn, a brand historically synonymous with consistent, accessible stays, trying to command $1100 a night. It makes you wonder: what happened to the concept of a fair rack rate, or any discernible relationship between price and genuine value? What happened to the designated standard of a hotel, and the pricing that used to align to it?
Sure, legally, can you charge it? Absolutely. Supply and demand, algorithms, dynamic pricing – these are the usual refrains. But at what point does a conscience kick in? At what point do we, as an industry, step back and ask if we’re delivering a reasonable value for the product we’re selling? Or have we just abandoned all pretense of ethical pricing for a free-for-all? When the very people who built successful careers in this industry start to feel that something is genuinely amiss, that’s a red flag waving furiously in the wind.
The truth is, destinations, including places like Las Vegas, are feeling the pinch. And frankly, many of us in the know point to this exact expense and gouging as a big part of the problem. When guests are paying a resort fee and getting no housekeeping for their trouble, or shelling out exorbitant sums for basic amenities that were once included, the well of goodwill quickly runs dry. It’s not just about what the market will bear; it’s about alienating your customer base, eroding trust, and turning what should be a memorable experience into an exercise in fiscal endurance. We preach hospitality, but practice price exploitation. The two simply don’t sit well together.
Life is so tech. But when the price tag on a bottle of water demands a moral compass, we’ve clearly lost our way.
Mark Fancourt
