Industry leaders discuss with LODGING how they are preparing for headwinds and challenges in the year ahead.
“There are some headwinds out there. I see rates stalling. Some of the major markets are starting to see some slowdown on rate growth. We’ve gone through this cycle for a while now… Maybe we’ll get a couple more years of this modest, enthusiastic growth that the industry has been enjoying.”
— Jay Stein, CEO, Dream Hotel Group
“A lot of people are saying that 2018 and 2019 will be good, but we have got to get a lot of deals in the ground. The window to get construction done today is getting longer and longer—permitting is getting more difficult, construction companies are hard to find, and costs of goods are increasing.”
— Ron Pohl, Chief Operations Officer, Best Western
“F&B is the future of hospitality, and hospitality is how hotels differentiate from Airbnb and all of those lodging organizations that don’t provide the full dining experience, food and beverage, and hospitality.”
— Alan Roberts, Global Head of Embassy Suites by Hilton
Photo (left to right): Jay Stein, Ron Pohl, and Alan Roberts
