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DEMAND, WAGE GROWTH and ADR increase remain the top concerns in hospitality industry, according to the Hospitality Asset Managers Association's Fall 2024 Industry Outlook Survey. However, about 82 percent of respondents do not expect a recession in 2025. Furthermore, approximately 58 percent have made or plan to make changes to brand or management as part of their strategy. "The overall hospitality industry outlook remains positive from the hotel asset management point of view," said Sarah Gulla, HAMA's president. "For the most part, our member hotels continue to exceed budgeted forecasts, and there seems to be little fear of a recession on the immediate horizon. While demand and wage increases remain persistent concerns, this is a solid time to be in the hospitality industry."

APPROXIMATELY 51 PERCENT of hospitality industry professionals participating in STR's Hospitality Industry Sentiment survey expressed optimism about their business confidence over the next two years. Respondents rated their confidence at "8" or higher on a 10-point scale. Analyzing the results over the survey's first year reveals a gradual, consistent decline in confidence ratings for each time span. Meanwhile, global recession fears have diminished since the last survey, STR said. Among various industry challenges, "concerns regarding a potential recession" saw the most significant drop between the last two surveys, ranking third behind labor costs and supply issues. Energy and utility costs are slightly increasing, while supply chain challenges and group demand issues are gradually diminishing. Regarding hotel performance, outlined trends influence demand forecasting expectations, the survey said. The percentage of respondents anticipating "strong improvement" or "some improvement" is gradually declining across all three hotel demand segments. A majority of experts still foresee growth in both business transient and group demand.

HOSPITALITY SOFTWARE PROVIDER Canary Technologies recently closed a $50 million Series C funding round to research AI guest technology in the hospitality sector, bringing its total fundraising to nearly $100 million. The company's software includes mobile check-in and checkout, tablet registration, upsells, guest messaging, Canary AI and digital tipping. The recent investment round was led by global software investor Insight Partners, who also led the company's Series B, with participation from existing investors F-Prime Capital, Thayer Ventures, Y-Combinator and Commerce Ventures, Canary said in a statement. California-based Canary is led by CEO Harman Singh Narula and President SJ Sawhney. "AI is transforming the way we live, work and travel," said Narula. "Canary is at the forefront of delivering enterprise-grade hospitality AI solutions that empower hoteliers to streamline operations, boost efficiency and elevate the guest experience, This funding milestone is a reflection of the team's hard work and the immense impact that Canary is making for hoteliers, including many of the world's largest enterprise hotel brands. We continue to see significant demand in the market for our products and are excited to extend our partnership with existing investors."

THE DEMAND PREMIUM that extended-stay hotels have experienced over the past two years compared to other types of hotels is beginning to ebb, according to consulting firm The Highland Group. Also, ADR growth decelerated for the fourth consecutive month in July but remains higher than any other period before 2021. The overall hotel industry revenue recovery is now only one half a point greater than extended-stay hotels, according to the US Extended-Stay Hotels Bulletin: July 2022 report by the Highland Group. According to STR, all hotel room revenue was up 12.1 percent in July this year compared to last year. "For the first time in more than two years all three extended-stay segments reported a monthly decline in demand compared to the previous year. Demand declines in economy and mid-price segments, which were less than corresponding falls for all hotels in the same rate categories, are mainly correlated to strong growth in ADR. The upscale segment's demand decline is correlated to both increasing ADR and the contraction in supply," the report said.

Food and beverage department in any hotel is important section of hotel. This department is responsible for maintaining the high quality of food and service, food costing, managing restaurants and bar. There is an increasing demand for qualified service professionals in the Food & Beverage Industry. Get all the food and beverage department news usa all at one place. Do subscribe the Asian Hospitality magazine for more hospitality news and stay updated.

FIRST HOSPITALITY, A Chicago hotel management and development company, recently launched First Analytics, a suite of analytics and reporting tools. The platform helps hospitality leaders make data-driven decisions that drive revenue growth, optimize financial performance, improve guest satisfaction and increase employee engagement, First Hospitality said in a statement. "First Analytics has been at the core of our company's foundation. In this next phase, we are providing owners with real-time analytics through a customized dashboard for on-demand access to achieve their objectives," said David Duncan, First Hospitality's president and CEO. "We have created a solution that strengthens alignment, enables data-driven decisions, and helps us outperform competitors."

MORE WEALTH AMONG 1.5 billion people in India is driving a surge in new travelers with increased disposable income, creating significant demand for hotel rooms across the subcontinent, according to HotStats. This demand spans all asset classes, making it both easier and more challenging for developers and operators to determine what to build and operate. HotStats' latest blog reveals that India's hospitality sector is poised for growth due to its expanding economy, population and market performance. "India mirrors China's growth from 20 years ago, but a key difference emerged when India recently surpassed China as the world's most populous nation," wrote Tareq Bagaeen, HotStats' senior consultant. "While China's population is set to drop below one billion in the coming decades, India will continue growing, reaching 1.7 billion in 30 years. With a growing economy and strong market performance, India's hospitality sector is primed for growth."

U.S. HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES reported a 108.2 percent year-over-year health metric for the fourth quarter of 2024, the highest in four quarters, according to the Hospitality Group and Business Performance Index by Cendyn and Amadeus. Tampa, Houston, and Miami led the top 10 cities in rankings. The index combines event data from Cendyn's Sales Intelligence platform, formerly Knowland, with hotel booking data from Amadeus' Demand360, covering group, corporate negotiated, global distribution system, and events performance, the companies said in a joint statement. Top 10 cities by index: Tampa - 121.4 percent Houston - 120.6 percent Miami - 116.8 percent New York City - 112.0 percent Chicago - 111.6 percent Phoenix - 110.4 percent Detroit - 109.8 percent Louis - 109.6 percent San Diego - 109.6 percent New Orleans - 108.3 percent

The Indian state of Uttar Pradesh eyes investments of more than $3.9 billion (Rs 32,000 crore) in the hospitality and tourism sector, according to a report published in Business Standard. The investment could create an additional 80,000 accommodation units through hotels and resorts, addressing the room availability deficit. Religious tourism surged post the consecration of the Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya on Jan. 22. Uttar Pradesh anticipates an annual tourist footfall of 850 million by 2028, emphasizing the expansion of hospitality units in tourism hubs like Varanasi, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, and Agra, Business Standard daily reported. "To cater to this increasing demand, the state is looking to create a robust supply of accommodation units with the development of hotels, resorts, and homestays," a government official was quoted as saying in the report.

EVERWOOD HOSPITALITY PARTNERS has completed the acquisition of the 184-room LaQuinta I Drive/Convention Center hotel in Orlando, Florida, from Cavalier Florida, LP, the company said. Real estate capital advisory, Cronheim Hotel Capital, helped secure the loan for the acquisition and subsequent renovation of the property which includes upgrades to public and private spaces. The loan, from a Florida-based bank, which provided five-year fixed rate financing with two years of interest only, represented 65 percent of the all-in cost, according to Everwood. The hotel is next door to ICON Park and offers multiple dining and entertainment options. The property is one mile from the Orange County Convention Center and the city's many amusement parks and entertainment venues. Amenities include an outdoor pool and a fitness center. "With its proximity to many of Orlando's top attractions, the LaQuinta is an ideal addition to Everwood's expanding hotel portfolio," said Amit Patel, Everwood's managing principal and chief operating officer. "We continue to seek hotels in prime markets with barriers to new entry and multiple demand generators that help protect against occasional market fluctuations. Following the implementation of our proprietary management and marketing systems, LaQuinta I Drive will become the segment leader for leisure and business travelers in Orlando."

ATLANTA-BASED PEACHTREE Hotel Group recently acquired the Canopy by Hilton Atlanta Midtown hotel in Atlanta. The company's affiliate Peachtree Hospitality Management will operate the property. The 176-room, 15-story Canopy is a lifestyle hotel that opened in 2018 in Midtown Atlanta, according to Peachtree. The area has the largest concentration of arts and cultural attractions and businesses in the Southeast. "Midtown Atlanta is one of the hottest markets in the country right now, and we are excited to be able to make this investment in our backyard," said Brian Waldman, Peachtree's chief investment officer. "The Canopy Atlanta Midtown fits our investment criteria of investing in premium-branded hotels in growing submarkets with strong demand drivers." Nearby are the Atlanta Arts MARTA station, Museum of Design Atlanta, Savannah College of Art and Design and the Breman Jewish Heritage Museum. Other attractions include Pershing Point Park, Ansley Park and Piedmont Park, along with companies such as NCR, Norfolk Southern, Microsoft, Anthem and Google.

GOPPAR FOR U.S. hotels improved in September compared to the month before and it exceeded the pre-pandemic levels, according to STR. Meanwhile, the cost of labor per available room came in higher than the pre-pandemic comparable for the first time. GOPPAR was $84.03 for the month, up from $64.26 reported in August. It was $78.30 for July and $91.23 in June. The performance index was $88.63 in May and stood at $90.96 in April. EBITDA PAR was $60.71 for September, TRevPAR was $222.97 and labor costs per room were $71.52. "Labor costs moved ahead the 2019 comparable due to continued high levels of hospitality unemployment and more spending on contract labor," said Raquel Ortiz, STR's director of financial performance. "Total labor costs were up 5 percent year to date, with all departments reporting higher expenses, except F&B, due to less group demand earlier this year. GOPPAR was the strongest since June 2022, and profit margins came in higher than September 2019. Profit margins have been strong for some time caused by lower employment levels and reduced services."

ALL RECOVERY INDICES of U.S. extended-stay hotels were lower compared to 2019 in May than in April, according to hotel investment advisors The Highland Group. The demand for economy extended-stay hotels declined 1.3 percent for the second consecutive month in May compared to same period last year mainly due to sharp increase in ADR in last few months, the report said. The U.S. Extended-Stay Hotels Bulletin: May 2022 by The Highland Group said that the extended-stay room supply growth was just 1.9 percent during the month. It is the second successive month that the growth was below 2 percent since 2013, and the eighth consecutive month of 4 percent or lower supply growth. The report added that the supply increase will be well below pre-pandemic levels during the near term. According to STR, all hotel room revenue was up 43 percent in May 2022 compared to last year. "In May, mid-price and upscale extended-stay segments reported their lowest monthly change in demand in 2022. Except for February 2021, due to the leap year in 2020, economy extended-stay hotels reported only the second monthly fall in demand in 23 consecutive months," the report said. "Overall hotel occupancy gained more than extended-stay hotels in May compared to one year ago, decreasing extended-stay hotel's occupancy premium to 12 percentage points, and remains within its long-term average range."

DRIVEN BY STRONGER-than-expected demand and moderate supply, CBRE has raised its forecast for hotel performance again this year, resulting in increased occupancy. CBRE revised its forecast for 2023 RevPAR to $97.89, up 6 percent year-over-year and an increase of $0.43 rise from the previous forecast. This positive revision is based on a 65-basis-point increase in expected occupancy compared to the previous forecast issued in February, CBRE said in a statement. Furthermore, the ADR is projected to grow by 3.7 percent in 2023, slightly lower than the previous forecast of 4.2 percent. According to CBRE Hotels Research, this is primarily due to slightly lower inflation expectations and a higher proportion of group travel and shoulder-period demand, which typically have lower rates. CBRE's baseline scenario forecast envisages an average GDP growth of 0.8 percent and average inflation of 4.6 percent in 2023. Given the strong correlation between GDP and RevPAR growth, changes in the economic outlook will directly impact the performance of the lodging industry, CBRE noted. "We are already starting to see signs that the easing of travel restrictions in Japan and China, combined with continued improvements in group and independent business demand, are bolstering demand heading into the heavy summer travel season," said Rachael Rothman, head of hotel research & data analytics at CBRE.

PEACHTREE GROUP RECENTLY launched a restaurant management division to operate quick-service restaurants, starting with coffee shops at hospitals, universities, and other high-traffic locations. The venture, led by Daniel Puglisi, senior vice president of corporate operations in Peachtree's hospitality management division, began with a partnership with AdventHealth, opening a Starbucks at AdventHealth Orlando. Peachtree is in talks with other coffee franchises to expand into high-demand markets with captive audiences, aiming to build a strong nationwide portfolio of quick-service coffee shop locations, the company said in a statement. "Since our founding in 2007, we have consistently grown by identifying inefficient markets and capitalizing on them to achieve strong returns and build sustainable businesses," said Greg Friedman, Peachtree Group's managing principal and CEO. "Expanding into restaurants from our existing hospitality management capabilities was a natural evolution. Our partnership with AdventHealth marks a significant milestone as we look to replicate this successful model across their network and other prime locations."

Home2 Suites by Hilton is now open in Chattanooga/East Ridge, Tennessee. The 101-room, four-story hotel is owned by Vision Hospitality Group, led by President and CEO Mitch Patel. This is Vision Hospitality's second hotel opening this year. Construction of the hotel began in February 2023 and was completed in just over a year in collaboration with Wolftever Development, Vision Hospitality said in a statement. The hotel is located next to the company's Hampton Inn in a mixed-use area of East Ridge. "We are proud to continue our partnership with Hilton and broaden our presence in the East Ridge area by launching this Home2 Suites by Hilton," said Patel. "East Ridge continues to see significant growth with new developments, which creates a demand for quality accommodations. We are pleased to meet this need."

GOPPAR FOR U.S. hotels dropped in July but once again exceeded 2019 levels for the fourth consecutive month, according to STR. The summer peak still brought an increase in demand, but the cost of ramping up to meet that demand cut into profit margins. GOPPAR was $78.30 for the month, down from $91.23 reported in June. It was $88.63 in May and stood at $90.96 in April. EBITDA PAR was $55.29 for July, TRevPAR was $209.66 and labor costs per room were $67.27. "While each of the key bottom-line metrics decreased slightly from June on a per-available-room basis, total profits increased with peak summer room demand and revenues," said Raquel Ortiz, STR's director of financial performance. "Profit margins were stronger than July 2019 for both full- and limited-service hotels, but GOP margins were at lower levels than the previous four months. The dip in margins can be attributed to higher expenses associated with more ramped-up operations as well as the general rise in costs around the country. Rising wages are being somewhat balanced by hotels using more contract labor and reducing benefits costs."

OCCUPANCY FOR U.S. hotels is now expected to finish the year a little down from the previous forecast by STR and Tourism Economics. However, projections for ADR and RevPAR recovery remain on track in the data firms' final forecast of the year. RevPAR is still expected to fully recover this year on a nominal basis, but not until 2025 when adjusted for inflation, according to the new forecast. The updated forecast lowered occupancy by less than a percentage point for 2022, standing now at 62.7 percent compared to the previously forecasted 63 percent released in August. "As expected, group business travel has been much more aligned with pre-pandemic patterns, specifically in October when group demand hit a pandemic-era high," said Amanda Hite, STR president. "Leisure travel has maintained its strength since our previous forecast update, and we expect these strong demand trends in both group and leisure to continue through the fourth quarter. Bottom-line performance has also persisted, with our most recent data showing strong profit margins due to lower employment levels and reduced services. The challenges around labor continue to be a concern, as high levels of hospitality unemployment and more spending on contract labor are pushing labor costs on a per-available-room basis above 2019 levels. We continue to take inflation and the likely recession into consideration, but the hotel industry has continued to show resilience through these tougher times, thus the steadiness of our updated forecast."

STEERED BY SEVERAL factors, including the strong performance by several hotel brands, the Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index increased 1.4 percent in April to a level of 5,430, STR said in a statement. Growth is slowing, STR said, but will continue for the next quarter or more. "Hotel stocks increased in April, and the gains were driven by outperformance from the global hotel brands," said Michael Bellisario, senior hotel research analyst and director at Baird. "RevPAR trends have remained solid in the face of growing macroeconomic uncertainties and continued banking turmoil, and first-quarter earnings generally have surprised to the upside with positive full-year estimate revisions occurring. The Hotel REITs declined more than 2 percent in April and underperformed the RMZ, while the global hotel brands gained just over 2.5 percent and outperformed the S&P 500's return by 100 bps." According to STR, the Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index fell slightly behind the S&P 500, which was up 1.5 percent in April but came in above the MSCI US REIT Index, up 0.7 percent. The hotel brand sub-index jumped 2.5 percent from March to 10,178, while the hotel REIT sub-index dropped 2.6 percent to 1,045, it added. "The industry continues to revert to normal patterns and calendar shifts with growth slowing as forecasted," said Amanda Hite, STR president. "Monthly demand fell year over year for the first time since the recovery began in April 2021, but that decrease can be attributed to an extra Sunday on the calendar this year versus last. Without the extra Sunday, which is historically a low-performance night, demand would have been slightly up from last year. ADR, on the other hand, grew 3.4 percent, while RevPAR was up 1.8 percent - the lowest increase of the recovery thus far. Despite slowing growth, we expect the industry to see further gains throughout the summer and fall."

OCCUPANCY AND ADR in U.S. hotels will continue to grow in 2022, with a year-over-year rebound in RevPAR of 14.4 percent, around 93 percent of pre-pandemic levels, according to PwC. Meanwhile, ADR in the third and fourth quarter of 2022 is expected to surpass comparable 2019 levels. The near-term outlook for the U.S. lodging sector by PwC, titled U.S. Hospitality Directions: November 2021 has said that the vast majority of temporarily-closed hotels will have reopened and demand growth, particularly from individual business travelers and groups, will improve if infection rates continue to drop in 2022. According to PwC report, continued demand recovery will result in an occupancy of 61.7 percent next year and ADR will see an increase of 5.9 percent. The consultancy firm anticipates RevPAR up by 14.4 percent in 2022.