TOP NEWS

📆 Choice Hotels International, Inc. concluded its 69th Annual Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, announcing strategic investments and tools for hotel owners. The Ascend Collection surpassed 400 properties, and new signature breakfast items were introduced for Comfort and Country Inn & Suites. Premier Legacy and Developer Awards were given to Burton Hotel Group and Athena Hospitality Group, respectively. A Lifetime Achievement Award was posthumously bestowed on Toshio Muraki, founder of Choice Hotels Japan. Best of Choice Awards recognized top-performing hotels globally, including Cambria Hotel Traverse City and CH Boutique Hotel & Apartments in Australia.

🍷 A bottle of wine that retails for $80 is sold for $400 at a restaurant. The sommelier's storytelling and ability to make diners feel like connoisseurs enhance the wine's perceived value. Sommeliers are not only selling wine but also a curated experience and status. Even in a world abundant with information accessible via Google or ChatGPT, the curation and signaling by sommeliers retain value. The article suggests that jobs are moving towards areas where value is not in providing more information but in offering confidence and status. The differentiation is increasingly in the human elements of curation and judgment. The economic value of knowledge has decreased due to AI increasing its supply, shifting value toward curiosity, curation, and judgment. The article draws on ideas from the upcoming book "Reshuffle," available for pre-order at 70% off until its launch in June 2025. It argues that in a knowledge-abundant market, curiosity becomes a primary driver of return on investment, and the ability to ask good questions is essential for capital efficiency.

💻 Zsuzsanna Albrecht advises on selecting and implementing Property Management Systems (PMS) and optimizing distribution strategies in hospitality. She emphasizes the importance of defining workflows, integration, total cost, flexibility, and strategic implementation for competitiveness and guest experiences. Future-proofing includes cloud-based, modular solutions with open standards. AI, mobile-first experiences, IoT, CRM, and sustainability tech are key trends. Effective upgrades require phased rollouts, data migration, and team involvement. Strategic planning, integration, and a focus on automation and guest experience are essential for operational success and a competitive edge.

🏠 A shift in the hospitality industry reflects the rise of wellness over well-being, with a philosophy of enhancing guests' physical, mental, and emotional state. Hotels aim to offer a holistic wellness experience, as evidenced by Aman's partnership with Novak Djokovic as “Global Wellness Advisor”. This strategy denotes a more comprehensive approach to guest satisfaction, moving beyond traditional relaxation amenities.

🏨 Enhancing hotel guest experience boosts brand identity, competition positioning, guest retention, sales, and revenue. It creates a cohesive journey, leading to reviews and increased traffic. Effective strategies include pre-arrival emails, early check-ins, seamless check-in processes, welcoming smiles, easy communication, local insights, partnerships with vendors, personalized stays, free Wi-Fi, acknowledgment of special occasions, guest preference tracking, eco-friendly housekeeping options, complaint resolution, clear directions, and guest feedback solicitation. Mews, a hospitality platform, enables frictionless self-service, personalized interactions, quick traditional check-ins, digital upsells, space management, flexible payments, and prioritizes meaningful interactions. Implementing these ideas is crucial for exceeding guest expectations and ensuring repeat visits.

🏨 To future-proof hotel distribution in "2025 and beyond," hotels are advised to prioritize direct bookings with mobile-optimized engines and smart incentives like best-rate guarantees. Diversification across OTAs, GDS, and niche platforms is critical, using tools like STAAH’s Channel Manager for strategic placement. Targeted social media marketing on platforms like Instagram and Facebook can attract specific traveler personas. Embracing sustainability, investing in smart infrastructure, adapting to evolving guest expectations, and forming strategic local partnerships can enhance guest experiences and distribution reach. Successful hotels will integrate smart technology, guest-centric thinking, and strategic distribution.

📈 Choice Hotels International, Inc. held its 69th Annual Convention in Las Vegas, with CEO Patrick Pacious emphasizing "Powering the Future" for hotel owners. The company, with over 7,500 hotels worldwide, reported a 44% growth in upscale room count last year and business travelers representing 40% of stays. Loyalty membership surpassed 70 million, direct bookings increased by over 6%, and operational cost savings found exceeded $25 million. Strategic investments are planned in areas like AI, rate management, and digital marketing. Extended stay brands lead with 50% market share, and 500th property opened. Projection of 25 Everhome Suites by end of 2025, and WoodSpring Suites gross operating profits above 55%. Upscale room count reached over 110,000 in 2024, with access to 180,000 rooms through partnerships. 🏨

🏠 Wellness tourism skyrockets as a core hotel industry feature. Global wellness market projected at $6.8 trillion in 2024, set to reach $8.5 trillion by 2027. Younger generations significantly fuel market growth. Wellness a priority for 68% nationally, 67% globally. European well-being motivated travel rose 4 points from 2019 to 2023. Wellness tourism market expected to hit $1.3 trillion in current year. Global Wellness Summit spotlights 2025 trends like analogue tourism and longevity. WHO predicts 60+ population will rise from 12% to 22% by 2050. Trends lean towards science-based longevity and personalized wellness, with technology playing a key role. Emlyn Brown of Accor emphasizes science, authenticity, and holistic approaches in wellness for 2025.