Travel Demand Adds Pressure To Hotel Labor Shortage
Technology Affected Guest Expectations During Pandemic
The increase in demand for hotel rooms during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a double-edged sword for the U.S. hotel industry.
While more demand means increased revenue for hotels, the demand in many cases is too much for hotels to handle amid a labor shortage crisis. Higher demand has allowed hotels to raise rates, but higher rates also raise guest expectations, which can be difficult to meet with smaller staffs.
Hotel executives on the “Boardroom Outlook: Operations” panel at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit shared how their companies are addressing these challenges.Labor
Omni Hotels & Resorts President Peter Strebel said for the first time in his career, he can’t sell out hotels because there aren’t enough staff members. There’s more demand than the hotels can accommodate.
