Wyndham Acquires AmericInn
Photo credit: AmericInn

AmericInn’s portfolio includes 200 mainly franchised hotels with 11,600 guest rooms in 21 states, with 23 more properties in the works. If the deal receives regulatory approval, Wyndham will increase its Midwest and midscale hotel footprint.

When asked about the reasons for the acquisition, Geoff Ballotti, Wyndham Hotel Group’s president and CEO, cited AmericInn’s consistently high guest satisfaction scores in an area where he sees opportunity for growth.

“AmericInn’s guest-centric culture aligns perfectly with our values, making it a fantastic tuck-in brand for us,” he said. “With the global middle class expected to more than double in the next 10 years, we know investing in the midscale segment allows us to offer great experiences and value at price points that travelers need and where they want to be.

It also offers AmericInn guests to access Wyndham Rewards loyalty program.

This was the latest addition to Wyndham Hotel Group’s growing list of brands following the launch of The Trademark Hotel Collection. Newcomers Fen Hotels, and its Dazzler Hotels and Esplendor Boutique lifestyle brands, significantly expand Wynham’s presence in Latin America.

The hotel brand franchisor and hotel management services provider’s portfolio now includes 8,000 hotels and more than 699,700 rooms in 79 countries under the following brands:

  • Dolce Hotels and Resorts
  • Wyndham Grand
  • Esplendor Boutique Hotels
  • Wyndham Hotels and Resorts
  • Wyndham Garden Hotels
  • TRYP by Wyndham
  • Wingate by Wyndham
  • Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham
  • Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham
  • Ramada
  • Baymont Inn & Suites
  • Days Inn
  • Super 8
  • Howard Johnson
  • Travelodge
  • Knights Inn

Answers from Live-Event Best Practices Webinar

We all know that the foundation of brand affinity, loyalty and advocacy is experience. But how do you implement all these new tactics to make your events stand out? Katie O’Brien, vice president of Experience Design at FreemanXP shared the social, behavioral and technological trends that enhance chemistry and create meaning in a Smart Meetings webinar.

Here are the answers she gave to some of your burning questions.

Q: How can you be creative without upping costs a ridiculous amount?

A: Creative doesn’t always have to cost a bunch of money. The best kind of creative should actually save you money. Using design-thinking tools like sketching, brainstorming, objective-setting and using trends to inspire are great ways to generate ideas fast. The best ideas fit within the budget outlined.

Q: What are best practices for getting older or unwilling coworkers on board for revamping meetings?

A: It’s not about age, but personality type. Everyone has a unique perspective. Your job is to find the appropriate approach to get that perspective. I recommend testing out one new approach at a time and see what sticks with whom. Sometimes people just need to be eased into a new kind of meeting, but if you’re slow and subtle they won’t even realize before it’s a completely new experience with (hopefully) a much better outcome.

Q: How do you go about trying to implement new experiences with a team that is set in their traditional ways?

A: Show similar groups with like-minded teams that have taken risks and succeeded. No one wants to be first. It’s scary. But if you can give a strategy to support your recommendation and inspire them to think beyond, it inspires confidence.

Q: Any idea what type of resources (monetary, time, other) are needed to create a virtual reality experience for attendees? It seems like a big investment. Our events (aimed at donors/supporters of our non-profit org) are fairly small, so I think we’d have to plan to use the same virtual reality experience at various events to get the most value for our money and time.

A: You are absolutely right. Creating augmented or virtual reality (AR/VR) content, it’s a long-tail investment, so it would be ideal to think of it as a campaign of several events. Not including hardware, a VR experience is likely to start around $30,000, but when creating customized content, the average is probably closer to $75,000 and often exceeds that amount. Our Digital team at FreemanXP requires a minimum of 4 weeks (generally 8-12 weeks). Add at least 30 days if there is a mobile app requirement because it has to be approved to be in the iOS App Store.

You can view the entire webinar on demand here.

national watermelon day

Summer is winding down and autumn’s nearly here, meaning it’s time to make the most of its seasonal specialties before we have to wait until next year. National Watermelon Day is a welcome reminder that nothing screams summer quite like this iconic fruit. An added bonus: they’re an anti-oxidant and provide a variety of health benefits, including hydration. We’ve come up with some original ways to incorporate this food into your next event—be sure to try them before September’s chill rolls in!

1. Watermelon Sangria

Watermelon can play a role in many alcoholic beverages. But when you mix it with the mighty force of Sangria, you get a truly refreshing blend. Elevate the vacation drink by adding watermelon and lime. If you like things spicy, throw in some jalapenos.

2. Carved Centerpieces

You might need to enlist a little artistic assistance when carrying out your vision, but it will be well-worth the effort. Make flowers, animals, logos—the options are endless people!

3. Served with Raw Fish  

Watermelon is the perfect, surprise addition to a poke bowl or sushi dish. As the fruit supplies an extra hue to the bright mix of colors, its flavor lends a refreshing burst in each bite.

4. Drink Keg

Stir-up any concoction and serve it out of a watermelon. The drink will have hints of watermelon’s invigorating flavor, plus how festive does it look?

5. Sorbet Sandwiches

The idea for enveloping creamy, frosty goodness between two slices comes from the Dominique Ansel Kitchen in New York, a bakery you might remember for being home of the original cronut. Imagine the sensation of this cool dessert on a balmy day.

6. Themed Décor

OK so this might not be a direct use of the fruit, but there’s no denying that watermelon’s colors always pop. You can find watermelon themes in pool floats, tablecloths, string lights, photo booth backdrops—the list goes on and on. Regardless of where the watermelons show up, their eye-catching, summer charm is sure to spur circulation on social media.

3 alternatives to travel ban wars

As if planning weren’t difficult enough, travel bans, restrictions and advisories being issued through legislation, press release and/or tweet can make deciding where to hold an event seem like navigating a mine field—blind folded.

A recent study by Destinations International, PCMA Education Foundation and APCO Insight on the economic impact of what it called The Weaponization of Travel showed that a steady barrage of travel boycotts have brought attention to controversial issues and had an economic impact on the hospitality sector, but have not been consistently effective in changing policy.

The measures launched against states such as North Carolina, Indiana, Tennessee, Mississippi and Arizona have brought negative and positive publicity—and mixed results. The study surveyed travelers about their awareness of the bans and the potential impact on travel intent. One in three surveyed said they are less likely to go to a targeted state, compared to one in ten who say a ban would make them more likely to go to that state.

What the boycotts, bans and advisories issued as a resulted of controversial legislation have done is cost states millions in lost revenue ($141 million in lost meeting and convention-related revenue to Arizona alone in 2010) from relocated conferences and stagnation in room rates.

The study also, helpfully, identified alternatives to limiting travel to a certain place. Some of these ideas might come in handy when you are trying to negotiate a peaceful meeting.

1. Donate to causes

After North Carolina passed HB2 (also known as the “bathroom bill” and seen as discriminating against civil rights) Beyonce went on to perform at a scheduled concert, but spoke out against the bill at the event and encouraged attendees to donate to LGBT groups in the state. Respondents to the survey—particularly those who identified as millennials—saw that solution as being equal to or better than a boycott for effectiveness.

2. Contact politicians directly

In March, NCAA made its feelings known to North Carolina legislators who voted to amend the controversial bill. The report noted that often all of these measures happen together: “Interestingly, the change occurred only after the culmination of the most recent election cycle, when a Democratic governor was elected into power. This suggests that shifts in the political environment… coupled with public outcry and tangible economic impact, may help to create an environment where change can occur.”

3. Participate in the discussion

The goal, most travel ban imposers say, is to bring awareness to an issue. Participating in the conversation is one way to clarify reasons for putting an event in a specific location and communicate values without disrupting the business goals.

Just in case all of those approaches fail, the report noted that the Center for Association Leadership has encouraged members to include language in contracts to make cancellations an option if controversial legislation affects the viability of a meeting. Something to keep in mind in these divided times.

lgbt-friendly events

As June wraps up, we can look back at Pride Month and admire all of the incredible events, demonstrations and strides that helped support the LGBT community. But before we pat ourselves on the back, let’s acknowledge the reality—there’s always room for improvement. And this topic needs to be a year-round focus.

Much of the meeting and event planning industry only recently began evaluating its impact on the LGBT community. Even though you might assume that your meetings and events are free of bias, there’s always an effect. So how can planners be more conscientious? What are the basic steps towards establishing inclusion? LGBTMPA Executive Director David Jefferys and LGBTMPA board member Jim Clapes shared some essential steps in planning an LGBT-friendly meeting or event. We’ll help get you started.

Begin with Location

Choosing the right space in the right location is fundamental to an LGBT-friendly event. Have a conversation with your contact at a potential venue about their prior experience with LGBT-friendly events and any diversity training the staff has completed. Evaluate city policies and attitudes prior to committing.

“It starts with site selections—being aware of city and state policies, including laws that could be discriminatory,” Clapes says. “Make sure you have an open line of communication with your vendors and know what the local climate is when it comes to the LGBT community,”

Are you unsure about a particular state? Just look here.

Most tier 1 cities are progressive. Unfortunately, they also tend to be the more expensive options. If you’re stuck planning in an intolerant city then you should reach out to the local CVB. Inquire about any nearby exceptions to the state attitude, request a realistic depiction of the local atmosphere and perhaps seek advice.

It’s important to take a stand, as well. Make it known to CVBs that any intolerance is unacceptable. You can even point to the major, and very real, fiscal impact of discriminatory legislation. For example, Skift reports that the State of North Carolina has already lost nearly $83.9 million in direct spending from cancellations due to HB2. Voicing concerns and apprehension is not just important to your event. Ultimately, it will benefit the LGBT community and may lead to widespread change.

Set the Stage for Inclusivity

Apply the “Force Majeure/Excuse of Performance” clause: Demand this clause during negotiation. It allows you back out of a contract without liability or damage costs if that state begins enacting any anti-LGBT legislation between the time of signing the contact and the time of program execution. This is especially crucial as the “bathroom bill” floats around.

Get perspective from the LGBT community: Find out how any of the work your organization does might be affecting it and ask what you can do better. Get involved with LGBTMPA to stay connected and informed. After an event, give attendees an assessment on how well you’re accommodating the LGBT community.

Be mindful of gender identity: If you document sex or gender through your registration site, be sure to include “transgender” and “I do not wish to self-identify” as options. If the property allows it, implement an “All Gender Restroom” sign outside of the main meeting area during the event.

Give LGBT a voice: Whether it’s through your program, host committee, marketing collateral, registration mailer or keynote speaker, LGBT needs to have a platform. Also, hosting an LGBT-identified keynote speaker is empowering even if they don’t touch on an LGBT topic.

Be mindful of language: Establish a zero-tolerance policy for homophobic, racist, sexist or any other biased language at your events. Publicize this on your website and during the event. Also, clearly communicate your stance and expectations to your team, attendees, sponsors and vendors. In addition, have panelists and speakers use gender-neutral terms with the pronouns “they, them and their.”

Organize an LGBT networking mixer: Regardless of what brings people together for your meeting or event, this will be appreciated. It doesn’t have to be exclusively LGBT, but it definitely promotes inclusivity.

LGBTMPA

The newly created LGBTMPA is a strong LGBT voice in the meeting and event planning world. Considering a prior lack of representation, along with the association’s booming success, it’s evident that their presence is very much needed.

“I wanted to create an LGBT-focused community where anyone could have a dialogue. It turned out there was no representation anywhere,” Jeffreys says.

He describes LGBTMPA as an organization serving the meeting professional community to provide the ideal network for the advancement and growth of its members in the industry.

“I am very excited to see the amazing growth we have had in such a short time,” Jeffreys says. “It provides the proof to me that the missing piece in the LGBT travel industry has been the groups, meetings and events for LGBT meeting professionals.”

LGBTMPA’s very first workshop and networking event will be held at A Starwood Hotel in San Francisco this November. It will be three-day event, but half-day tickets are also on sale.

Randi TalmageRandi Talmage

AHC & Hospitality named Randi Talmage sales manager of JW Marriott Grand Rapids in Michigan. She joined AHC & Hospitality in 2006 as a concierge for Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids. She then moved into convention services, where she served as assistant director. In her new role, Talmage will work with the hotel team to visit clients, set up calls with perspective groups and build relationships with local businesses.

 

 

Oliver BonkeOliver Bonke

Oliver Bonke was named president and chief operating officer of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts. He will be responsible for the group’s executive vice presidents and the operational division heads of food and beverage, sales, marketing, rooms, engineering, security and quality improvement. Bonke has 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry and previously served as chief commercial officer at Loews Hotels & Co.

 

 

Robert Burnetti Robert Burnetti

Benchmark Resorts & Hotels hired Robert Burnetti as general manager of Topnotch Resort in Stowe, Vermont. He previously served as general manager of Hotel Viking in Newport, Rhode Island, and has 30 years of experience in the industry. He has served in general manager roles at Interstate Hotels Corporation and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Burnetti received his education from Mansfield University in Pennsylvania.

 

 

Lucy Martin Lucy Martin

Lucy Martin was appointed as general manager of The Celino South Beach, a 132-guestroom hotel in Miami Beach that is debuting in the fall. She has already assumed her new position and oversees all aspects of the hotel’s operations. Martin has been curating the identity of the hotel through design, fashion, art and wellness collaborations and partnerships. Previously, she served as general manager at Shore Club in South Beach and was a part of the pre-opening team for 1 Hotel South Beach.

 

Jeff Simic Jeff Simic

Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau hired Jeff Simic as national sales manager. He will focus on meetings involving business trade associations, engineering, science, the environment, and medical and pharmaceutical matters. He will be responsible for attracting groups of more than 250 to Cincinnati and enhancing the region’s reputation as a top national meetings destination. Simic has previously served in roles at Starwood Hotels & Resorts, W Hotel in Washington, D.C., the Mid-Atlantic metro market and Sheraton Premiere at Tysons Corner in Virginia.

 

John Browarsky John Browarsky

Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau named John Browarsky director of convention strategy. For the past 16 years, he has worked in revenue management and will continue to do so in his new role. He will work with the region’s hotels and convention facilities to optimize room-night production of group business. Browarsky previously served as director of revenue management for The Westin Cincinnati. He is an active member in multiple meeting and hospitality organizations, including Certified Revenue Management Executive, Certified Tourism Ambassador and Destination Marketing Association International.

 

Do you have an announcement about a new executive-level job appointment? Email us the good news at [email protected]. 

FAA airline seats

Responding to concerns presented by a consumer advocacy group, a federal appeals court has ruled that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must reconsider its decision not to regulate the size of airline seats as a safety issue.

A three-judge panel from the U.S.  Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit instructed the FAA to “adequately address” a petition filed by the advocacy group Flyers Rights claiming that seats are too small and bunched too closely together. This increases the risk of passengers developing vein clots and slows down emergency evacuations, the group claimed.

Arthur Alan Wolk, a lawyer specializing in aviation law, told The New York Times that the court’s ruling is unprecedented.

“This is the first case I have seen where an organization has successfully challenged the FAA’s basically being asleep at the switch and not fulfilling its safety responsibilities adequately,” he said.

The FAA previously determined that seat spacing was a matter of comfort, not safety. But last week, Judge Patricia A Millett stated that the FAA had cited tests that either did not appropriately address seating space or omitted them entirely because it said they were propriety. She called the issue “the Case of the Incredible Shrinking Airline Seat.”

The Flyers Rights group contends that as Americans continue to get bigger, airline seats continue to shrink. Their petition stated that since the early 2000s, the distance between seats from row to row had decreased from 35 to 31 inches and that in the past decade, the average seat has shrunk from 18.5 inches to 17 inches.

Also, the pitch—the distance between the head rest of one seat the that of the seat in front of it—has been steadily shrinking. Low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines provided a 28-inch pitch, which leaves little legroom for the average passenger. American Airlines had planned to order new Boeing 737 jets with just 29 inches of pitch in the last three rows to make room for an extra row of premium-priced seats toward the front of the planes. After objections from passengers and flight attendants, the airline increased the pitch to 30 inches—still a tighter fit than on its current planes.

The FAA issued a statement saying that it was “studying the ruling carefully and any potential actions we may take to address the court’s findings.” The agency could again deny the petition, but the court warned that it then would need to have an “appropriate record support for its decision.”

In 2016, the Senate and House rejected legislation that would have mandated the FAA to establish minimum seat-size standards. A bipartisan group of lawmakers resurrected a similar bill in March, but no vote has taken place.

Atlanta

Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) has significantly enhanced its meetings and events portfolio by adding key properties in Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Louisville, Kentucky.

Two of the hotels—Omni  Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., and Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center—are currently open. InterContinental Washington D.C.-The Wharf is scheduled to debut in October and Omni Louisville Hotel is slated to open in spring 2018.

“The Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. and the Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center are both outstanding convention hotels in cities of tremendous appeal for meetings and conventions,” said Mark Sergot, ALHI’s chief sales officer. “We are very pleased to add those two fine hotels to our portfolio, and very excited about the two exceptional new hotels that will soon open, the InterContinental Washington D.C. and Omni Louisville Hotel. All four hotels are terrific choices for groups.”

The 834-room Omni Shoreham Hotel opened in 1930 and has been restored to its original, stunning grandeur. It’s Washington, D.C.’s only AAA Four Diamond convention hotel, and features more than 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, divided among 24 rooms, seven ballrooms and scenic outdoor gardens.

Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center, which is connected to Georgia World Congress Center, provides 1,059 guest rooms that boast spectacular views of the city skyline, CNN Center Atrium or Centennial Olympic Park. The property has more than 120,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, which in includes 45 meeting rooms and a 19,864-square-foot grand ballroom.

Situated on the Potomac River in the reimagined Wharf neighborhood, InterContinental Washington D.C.—The Wharf will offer stunning views of the nation’s capital and feature 278 elegant guest rooms with state-of-the-art touch panel technology. The hotel also will provide more than 17,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including several ballrooms and 10 meeting rooms.

The downtown Omni Louisville Hotel will offer features that capture the city’s heritage, including a unique design of intersecting towers that represent the crossroads of the city’s past, present and future, as well as 612 guest rooms inspired by Louisville’s history and character. The 65,000 sq. ft. of meeting space will include the 20,000-square-foot Commonwealth Ballroom, 10,000-square-foot Olmsted Ballroom and 18 breakout rooms.

All of the properties are members of ALHI’s Convention Collection, which now includes 30 properties. ALHI, a leading independent global sales organization that serves the meetings and incentive marketplace, boasts more than 250 luxury hotels and resorts.

hotel booms smaller cities

Planners looking for exciting new places to stage events will have a lot to choose from in the coming years, especially if they are open to taking their show to smaller cities, according to new research from CBRE.

“U.S. hotel demand is still up for 2017,” said Mark Woodworth, senior managing director of CBRE Hotels’ Americas Research, in a presentation made at Destinations International Annual Convention in Montreal. U.S. hotels started 2017 on a strong note, posting a 30-year occupancy high in the first quarter. 2016 ended with 65.4 percent occupancy and 2017 is forecast for 65.5 percent. The long-term average is 62 percent.

Developers are responding by building thousands of new hotel rooms in places you might not expect.

A total of 200,000 sq. ft. of hotel space is in the pipeline in 2017, a number that has been steadily growing from less than 100,000 in 2014. In fact, 39 markets have average hotel-supply growth forecast for greater than 2 percent. The cities with the most growth in supply on the horizon (more than 6 percent) are:

  • Austin, Texas
  • Charlotte, North Carolina
  • New York
  • Houston

Not Luxury, but Not Economy, Either

The types of brands that saw the most growth in the first six months of 2017 were upscale and upper midscale—Hilton Garden Inn, Hyatt Place and Best Western Plus.

Look for new options in outlying areas. More than half the growth is in suburban areas and small towns, Woodworth explained. “A lot of that is because those areas are playing catch up,” he said.

In addition to giving planners fresh choices for backdrops to meetings, the surge in new space can also lead to a decline in occupancy rates and hoteliers hungry to negotiate with planners who are willing to be flexible.

Woodworth predicts occupancy levels will decline in 51 of 60 top U.S. markets in 2017. “It is a buyer’s market, particularly for upper-priced hotels,” he said.

Shop Around

As with all economic indicators, results vary, based on location. Woodworth pointed to expansion markets such as Los Angeles and Denver, where real revenue per available room (RevPAR) is as much as 30 percent higher than the prerecession peak. He compared that to markets still in recovery, such as Santa Cruz, California; Newark, New Jersey; Oakland, California, and Phoenix.

Looking to 2018 and beyond, Woodworth says the fundamentals (business investment and consumer consumption) remain attractive in a majority of markets, but the scale of new supply in some areas could keep prices down there—and provide opportunities for new meeting experiences.

It’s National Intern Day! This is the one day a year when these hardworking, mostly young souls receive well-deserved appreciation. It’s also a great opportunity to commend the importance of the role of interns in general.

Having an intern program is a win-win situation. It gives aspiring professionals the opportunity to ease into the workforce while providing employers with young perspectives and extra sets of hands.

Interns Joe and Sara pose in the office

At Smart Meetings, we were lucky enough to hire several summer interns. Full disclosure—I was an intern myself not so long ago. And I can confidently say that working with our editorial interns, Sara Wildman and Joe Mogannam, has been a very valuable experience. Wildman has written some truly impressive digital content while Mogannam has helped streamline backend processes for the website.

“Prior to this opportunity, I was unaware of the extent of the meetings industry, but I have gained a vast knowledge of all its different elements,” Wildman says. “I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to be surrounded by hard-working, talented professionals. I will take the skills I’ve learned here and apply them throughout my life.”

Joe and Sara pose

Mogannam also values the experience he gained. “The most valuable skill I developed at Smart Meetings is teamwork,” he says. “I worked with many departments, and this allowed me to realize how important it is for everyone to put in 100 percent commitment.”

Anyone working in the meeting and event planning industry knows how fast-paced and stressful it can be. Therefore, meeting professionals highly value interns’ contributions. We all rely on them, but we need to better explain why they’re so fantastic. Here are some of the main reasons meeting planners love their interns, and not just on National Intern Day.

Smart Meetings interns with CEO Marin Bright

1. Fresh outlook

Bringing in a new set of eyes always benefits a brand. And what better way to revamp strategies, diversify materials and update methods than enlisting a newbie? Meeting and event planners are expected to stay up to date on the latest technology, social media, products and trends in general. Having a youthful perspective will broaden your perspective.

2. Genuinely eager

Interns join the team because they really, truly want to learn. Their enthusiasm about the industry and work in general is almost guaranteed to pep up your spirit. Plus, in the passion-driven meeting and event planning field, it’s crucial to remember why you’re working each day—and interns’ positive attitude will remind you.

3. Detail management

Remember those moments when you kept reiterating something so that you wouldn’t forget it before you wrote it down? Well, interns are a much better version of your pen and paper. They can keep tabs on those oh-so-important, but easily forgettable, details. Which venue were you supposed to call back? What time is your flight Thursday? Just ask your interns!

4. Management reinforcement

Internships stimulate mutual learning. As interns absorb industry fundamentals, management is able to sharpen and potentially develop new leadership skills.

5. New connections

Whether your interns are temporary or end up working for you full-time, establishing connections with them is very important. It’s comforting and rewarding to establish positive connections, and who knows, your paths might cross again sooner than you think.