Some hoteliers hit the pause button in March 2020 with COVID-19’s arrival to wait and see what would happen. So, why is now the time to press play? Simply put: The world is beginning to move forward and reopen, and halting operations in hopes of the pandemic suddenly vanishing may be more harmful than helpful. For over a year, the world has experienced the first strain of the virus and now it evolves almost daily. The virus and vaccines are adapting which means hotel industries need to as well. Pausing each time something new happens often leaves opportunities untapped. If there is one thing the virus has taught everyone, it’s the importance of evolving and adapting to stay functional, efficient and safe. Hoteliers need to be asking the questions: How can I provide a safe hotel experience for my staff and guests to generate revenue? How can I resume high-quality amenities and services for my guests in a safe and efficient manner? It’s time to press the play button again and market the property, staff and services – now more than ever. While the public slowly eases their travel fears, the best support hoteliers can offer is to clearly advertise the actions the property is taking to provide a safe and pleasant experience for travelers. Marketing the property during these times will keep the hotel top of mind and show how it has adapted to stay ahead of the curve.

Many owners were scrambling at the initial pandemic announcements, not knowing what to do. Some hotels thought doing something was better than doing nothing, however they lacked a plan or strategy on the necessary actions to take. There was no way of telling if these changes would be temporary or permanent. Not having a crisis plan or emergency strategy can be costly, and in this market, losing talent can be just as detrimental as losing revenue. During the start of the pandemic, the hospitality market saw various layoffs. Many hotel owners rushed into laying off staff as services were halted due to travel bans and business closures. Then, as the first round of the Paycheck Protection Program was issued, many tried to reinstate their former staff only to learn they were too late. Their talent had sought other opportunities. Don’t be reactive this year – be strategic! Take 2020’s experiences as a learning opportunity to develop or strengthen the hotel’s crisis management strategy and ensure that it will emerge with organizational stability, a consistent revenue stream and customer trust intact.

The world may be beginning to move forward, however, the term “normal” should probably be thrown out of common vernacular for now. Things may never be exactly the same, but this presents new opportunities. It’s time to stop repeating and regurgitating the old business cycles, models, processes and plans. For the next few years, suburbs, metropolitan areas, neighborhoods, downtowns, outer districts, etc. will reflect a new look and feel, some of which are being highlighted now. Masks, social distancing and safer sanitizing standards may be here for a while. The key to success will be adapting former routines to fit the new standards of safety to provide the best service for staff and guests. So, take a red pen to the old plans and reinvigorate them.