Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

One Year Ago Today

It was March 3, 2020 when I felt the first sting of what was about to become the most devastating year of a generation.

I was in-market with a client interviewing community leaders and stakeholders for a project. The day prior, America recorded its 100th case of the virus and all six deaths were confined to a senior living facility in the State of Washington. It still wasn't "real" to most of us.

And then, the GM of a resort sat down with me for her interview...and revealed they had just had their first cancellation. It was a piece of business that was valued at $1 million...and it was to have occurred the following week.

As I look back upon the last year, I marvel at how America's response to the incoming threat was so wrong. And, I ache for all those who have lost loved ones and livelihoods.

Reimagine a Floor?

Many restaurants that have managed to remain open for the past year are hanging on by a thread, praying for the weather for outdoor dining to return, government restrictions to relax and consumer fear to subside. 

I'm not sure how I missed this piece by Laurie Jo Miller Farr that ran last month in The Travel Vertical, but the concept of restaurants and hotels partnering at a high level is brilliant. As she opined: "Urban hotels are removing beds, dressers, nightstands from hotel suites and re-furnishing them as private dining rooms. Limiting interaction with others, there’s a waiter to serve plated meals from a nearby restaurant and some of the guests are opting for an overnight stay. Aimed at a local targeted audience, why not?"

If you missed the story too, catch it here. This could be the bridge to Summer.

Image Credit: Le Crocodile in Brooklyn

Ghost Hotel Kitchens

We talked about Ghost Kitchens last Fall...those restaurant and food truck operations that pivoted during the pandemic in an effort to keep people employed. These entrepreneurs flipped their then underperforming kitchens to provide other culinary genres for take-out and delivery (thus "ghosts"). Imagine a Mexican place also doing pizza under a different name. Or Italian. Or...anything.

So why not apply the same concept to hotels? Those that have maintained food service operations typically do so as a loss leader (it doesn't directly make money but is central to the hotel's overall appeal...and, thus, profitability). 

These kitchens typically sit empty at lunch. Why not target those local businesses that still have employees working on site to provide lunch delivery?

Check out this recent article from Skift for more inspiration.

And, it took a pandemic to realize what an opportunity this has always been, sitting right in front of our eyes?

Oy.

Missing a Market?

As Americans over 65 are increasingly in line for their vaccinations across the country, one could make the case that they may be the first back out on the road.

Indeed, TravelAbility's Jake Steinman said as much in an article he posted earlier this week, adding that this cohort is also sitting on 70% of this nation's discretionary spending power. They're also more likely to require special accessibility features in hotels, restaurants and attractions.

Sounds like a perfect time to start re-imagining how we all serve this growing market. To get you motivated, check out our conversations with Jake, Greater Lansing's Julie Pingston and Visit Mesa's Marc Garcia on DMOU podcasts.

Room Immersion

Themed hotel rooms are nothing new. The Sybaris chain of hotel suites for amorous couples was launched in the mid-70s. A couple years ago, Travel & Leisure featured 20 such rooms around the world including homage rooms to 007, Batman, Star Trek and more. In Fort Wayne, home of pro music gear supercenter Sweetwater, select rooms in one of their hotels are tricked out in various music motifs and genres for visiting musicians. And, I've raved before about a '60s-looking hotel on the outside doubling down on being a '60s hotel on the inside, complete with shag carpeting and lava lamps.

My new fave is a collaboration between our friends at VisitLEX and the simply sensational 21c hotel. Based on "The Queen's Gambit" (if you've yet to stream this gem, treat yourself), you can now immerse yourself in chessmaster Beth Harmon's world...right down to imagining chess moves as you lie in bed.

Simply brilliant. And, channeling Samuel L. Jackson, "what would make sense in your town?"

The Chilling View from the Cliff

I'm sure that our political leaders believe this is all a case of Chicken Little. And sadly, they likely believe the data coming from the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) is being manipulated to paint a darker picture than reality warrants. Of course, that begs the question: If the AHLA isn't surveying its members, who would? 

The latest intel is scary as shit. 71% of hotels will be forced to shutter in the next 6 months without immediate assistance from local, State and Federal governments. I'm quite sure that the release of the vaccine is causing our elected officials to believe that they've dodged a bullet. Surely, impacted businesses can hold on until Spring, they likely think.

No. Every day that this industry is forced to wait is a death warrant for some of those 71%. The study shows that 71% will fail by June...but how many will close in January and February, typically the slowest occupancy months of the year in North America? 20%? 25%? 

And how many restaurants and retailers, hoping against hope that they'll score enough revenue over the Holidays will wake up on New Year's Day and say "we're out?"

If action doesn't come swiftly, I wonder how many elected officials will have challengers in the next election that have lost everything because of our government's ham-handed response to the virus, have a compelling story to tell and knowledge of what it takes to make an economy hum...and will kick their uncaring partisan asses to the curb.

While it's the last thing I want to see...we'll likely all be better off in that scenario.

Who's Working?

I've always been fascinated that nobody seems to care that the two most important jobs in the land are simply ignored for two months every four years. Indeed, the jobs of those running for re-election at any level are pretty much abdicated as incumbents turn their focus solely on keeping their jobs.

In a normal year, I suppose we could let this slide...but, this is far from a normal year. There are initiatives on the table that require immediate attention. Not after the election and not after the inauguration. Now.

And, as the Senate turns its attention to confirming a Supreme Court Justice (when the ranking Party blocked the previous administration's attempt to fill an empty seat on the grounds that an election was nigh), forgive me for my short-term view of the world. In the hotel world alone, the absence of another round of Federal relief will force 74% of hotels to lay off additional staff and 67% would face closing their doors and moving into foreclosure.

And, the Administration is tinkering with another round of aid to the airline industry because they've got a bigger lobby.

Every hotel in the land should ensure that every employee is registered to vote. And, every hotel should provide transportation to the polls next month for those that choose to vote in person.

Because this Congress and this President have failed you all.

 

Bringing the Pain Front and Center

The team at the Cabarrus County CVB has been masterful at their use of video during the pandemic. Their "Pit Stop" video early in the crisis was one of the most hopeful and heartfelt videos we saw last Spring.

I know that many of us in the Destination Marketing sphere believed that the unimaginable carnage that descended on the travel and hospitality industries during the second and third quarters of this year would result in a newly sophisticated appreciation of our role in the economies and quality of life in our communities. While many people supported their favorite businesses by stepping up their patronage of those that could deliver product virtually, distantly and/or take-out, so many of our community leaders have yet to fully understand the acute pain.

With all due respect, they have been dealing with their own struggles and, unless they knew someone from the hospitality and performance sectors, they haven't yet experienced the pain.

Donna Carpenter and her crew are back with two new videos. One encourages area businesses to get certified as safe and healthy with the voices of local partners spreading the message. Which, of course, is the most effective way to get viewers engaged.

But, it is the second video that is so amazingly powerful. "The State of the Hospitality and Tourism Industry" peels back the happy face we typically show the world to showcase the pain our partners experience as they are forced to layoff staff and potentially close their doors. It puts a face to the pain; it gives voice to the agony so many feel.

And, we can surely hope that it will resonate with Local, State and Federal leaders that there are so many of their constituents crying out for their help.

Ready to Take THE Pledge?

We are loving the ingenuity of Destination Marketing Organizations around the world that are developing and deploying Pledges that go both ways (visitors respecting destinations and businesses promising a safe environment). But, the Pledge we all need to be intentional about was offered up yesterday by a coalition of 19 Black DMO Executives.

In their Open Letter, they spoke their truth and asked hard questions; questions that typically get a "sure, we do that." But, if our industry really did, there'd be more than 19 signatures on this document. N'est-ce pas?

It's time. Pledge that you'll do more than talk about it, find tired excuses and continue to kick the can down the road.

It starts at home with our DMO Boards and Professional Staff. We all know we can do better. We must.

Time Has Come Today.

The Future of Destination Marketing

Just weeks before "the VID," David Peacock was named to head up a consortium, convened by Simpleview, called the Future Tourism Group. Its raison d'etre: to focus on destination development through a lens of tourism stakeholders and their digital presence.

During this crisis, David has been interviewing industry leaders, delving into the concepts that will, hopefully, result in existential changes in the way Destination Marketing Organizations drive their communities forward.

I am honored to have been one of those that David reached out to interview...and allowed me to share my thoughts on the future of this unfortunately misunderstood and undervalued sector. If you'd like to listen in to our conversation, you can find it here.

And, thanks so much to David and Simpleview for the opportunity. You guys rock.