I actually got into a conversation on linked in today! Go figure… I haven’t used it much as the “professional facebook”, but every once in awhile meaningful discussion about the industry pops up…. even then I typically don’t dive in. But it is interesting…. so much conversation about the recession being over, and hoteliers, ownership, and properties are popping up their heads to see if they see their shadow. As real winter looms, our proverbial “winter of discontent” wanes. But instead of being rife with joy… let’s cast our doom & gloom nets out a bit. If you look anywhere in media – fear and panic are often confused and countered by people’s desire to find the light at the end of the tunnel. There are two types in this debate…. the sky is falling, or it’s looking up.
Well… I am cautiously optimistic. The Dow hit 10,000 today, briefly, and a “painful recovery” is nothing in light of 80% of economists saying “The Recession is Over”. What’s more – It isn’t just the normal public mags, but trade mags are being VERY cautious in saying… “recession lifting, let’s get back to it!”. In fact, not many are even highlighting articles about it… it is just a general “how to weather the rest of it”, “ideas for getting out of the recession” and the like. There are articles like this (and here about a community’s B&Bs, and I have seen many like this about international markets) all over the internet… little niches surviving or doing great!
It is a good feeling to see people conversing about an end to our economic woes. Of course, I don’t forget that it is the talk and panic that drives the initial problem, as well as talk and optimism that can drive us out of the “mud” on our bottom line…… that is……decidedly….. black. In fact, that negativity and existential concern about hotels and their future still pervades the news feeds. But let’s not give the time of day to those who pander to the lowest common denominator… let’s look at a tried and true brand who’s consistent and professional tone to the industry is a good earmark for our collective concerns: Marriott’s blog post.
I think it sums up the problem we hoteliers currently have… we would like to celebrate the dow at 10K, or the economists reporting, en masse, “it’s getting much better!”. The problem is the reality, and that many hotels in standard, normal markets can feel the pinch for some time longer.
Another reason to hesitate…. we are growing, but current growth is *slow*. I don’t have the articles on me, but I do know that lenders are still holding all the keys because the value of properties since 2007 have basically halved (Hotel Business Vol. 18 No. 19 Oct 7-20, 2009)… which is ground shakingly tragic. The foreclosured and distressed will hit the market soon, and more problems will be discovered than are currently known. But on the other side of this coin, it is time for equity and ownership to start finding PHENOMENAL deals. Everyone should be able to buy a hotel in the coming year (joke)….
Economic recovery and slow growth is one thing… but we are hotels, and we might need to take a closer look at the national unemployment rate. The economy might be recovering, but our industry is so COMPLETELY controlled by labour and unemployment, I am worried it will give a false sense of security when certain segments might still get hit hard.  I saw Tom Callahan the other day from PKF in San Francisco, and he said the basic consensus is that we will not hit q4 2007 or q1 2008 ADR and RevPar until 2014… which is…. depressing. But it is only a climb up from here. As long as you retained some rate parity, the property should be able to bounce back. If you are like Vegas, you may have dug a hole so deep, you will have issues “digging up”. =)
(To be fair, even some people think that Vegas is finally on an upswing, or at least battling the recession. True their tourism is down, their rooms are empty…. but finishing City Center in a climate like this is amazing, and frankly… although they are reducing flats @ $2000 / sq ft possibly to below $1000 / sq ft…. I am shocked 55% of it has been sold.)
All this being told… I think the slide and panic is over. Our awful day at the beach is done, and what happens next is shaking out the blanket to clear the sand…. and we will see what is jarred loose from the hotel economic fabric. The problems that are still to come are not pro-longed troubles for hotels, it is simply the back end of the recession working itself out. Until then…. buckle up…. I doubt it will be too bumpy a drive home, but it’s gonna be a long ride.
Yes I am fully aware of how many metaphors I used in this. =) Good luck EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU… be well, hang tough… and see you on the other side!
Someone once remarked that you shouldn’t let a crisis go to waste.
With the economy looking less like a V and more like a series of Ws or as some suggest, an L, IMHO hotels need to think about the best way to look at their operations to weather these challenging circumstances.
Up until now, the traditional operating dynamic had been between the cost of capital and the cost of labor. While I don’t have any data to back it up, if hoteliers are like other commercial real estate, they probably share a kind of witching hour in 2014, when things come due.
Sometimes knowing these deadlines are out there can bring a genuine sense of urgency into the process – not the herky-jerky kind of crisis mismanagement, but the clarity that comes from knowing what’s really important.
In the not-too-distant future, I suspect hoteliers will have to contend with higher taxes and inflation. I challenge hoteliers to think more about banding together in their efforts to lobby lawmakers. The industry needs initiatives like the Corporation for Travel Promotion, but it also cannot afford to pay more than its fair share of tax, either directly to the Federal government, or indirect taxes like the mandatory arbitration provision in the Employee Free Choice Act.
While all need to remain positive about the outlook, there must be a level of “community organizing” to ensure the hospitality industry is able to go forward on whatever passes for an even playing field.
Great thoughts, and thank you so much for your comments…. the community organizing is vital – as things begin to settle down with the economy, it is absolutely redefining how brands will exist and be perceived. Luxury isn’t just a bad word because of the Obama vs. AIG debacle… it’s a bad word because the american public is re-centering it’s definition of these concepts, and we are going through our own cultural “restructuring” as boomers pass and the meaning of “luxury” is more about feeling good about what you drive, rather than looking good in it. As the consumer culture in this country gets a little more realistic – berries grown nearby last longer, and you are supporting your community; wanton waste isn’t a lifestyle that makes us feel good, or is something we need – hotels are going to have to stay on their toes and be very open minded about how they are able to re-brand or situate themselves in this new economy. It isn’t just the death of opulence….. and saying you are “green” is just the beginning. It moves us toward a culture where consumers choose on deeper intellectual levels than “that’s fancy” or “someone told me that is very luxurious”. It is a moment in time where consumers have all the power, and they are going to force hotels into a more holistic economy than they have ever lived in before. The hotels that do what you say, Brian, are the ones that will be able to stay on top of the industry. I fear a lot of nervous, old school hoteliers might get damaged in their myopic approach to handling their brands….. if you close yourself off from your consumer, you chance the consumer having the ability to alter, own, and close down your hotel.
But these are afternoon rambles… thanks for your comments!