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Insight: Partnerships are the key to hospitality

Patrick Dunphy, CIO, Hospitality Technology Next Generation (HTNG), on the importance of partnerships

The hospitality industry is slowly exiting the worst effects of the pandemic, but uncertainty and roadblocks remain prevalent in certain subsectors. The conventions, meetings and events business ground to a halt during the worst months of 2020 and into 2021, and the impact of the world’s shutdown during that time remains. The lingering effects include decreased demand relative to pre-pandemic levels, complicated and rapidly evolving local regulatory requirements, staffing levels and skills, meeting planner uncertainty, and the unpredictable and time-sensitive supply chain.

 Many hotels are evaluating new meeting and event technologies to attract meeting planners and differentiate their brand and/or property from others. Some companies are making big bets on virtual and/or augmented reality experiences, the metaverse and other technology suites, but the hospitality industry is several years away from full-scale adoption (at best). Despite the slow adoption of these technologies (or failure to deliver an experience more compelling than a typical web-conference), the hotel’s ability to help meeting planners orchestrate an online/offline event, navigate local health regulations, and develop partner-driven revenue share programmes to provide value-added services, will have a significant impact.

 Service providers, third-party event management companies and OEMs have a significant opportunity to capture market share if they work together and/or directly approach hotels to showcase what is possible with current technology, both in and out of hotel properties. When navigated successfully, this will help many companies earn a long-standing and profitable relationship. The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) provides a platform to build these relationships through our committees and workgroups, including the Hybrid Meetings & Events Technology team.  For more information, contact workgroups@ahla.com.