The coronavirus outbreak has been tough on the hospitality industry, from Alpha to Beta and Gamma to Delta… now there’s Omicron. Sure, it sounds more like something from a Transformers movie but Omicron is here and hospitality is once again feeling the pinch from the ongoing shutdowns, re-introduction to restrictions, and guests opting to stay at home in general.

It’s easy to break back into feeling down that COVID is reinventing itself and challenging us in different ways, but we’re here to help you and your team get back to doing what they do best, creating memorable experiences for all of your guests (while keeping safe of course!).

In this article, we’ll explain some trends we’ve seen popping up in hotels, restaurants, bars, and cafes around the globe that are helping to engage guests, keep doors open (when possible), offer a sense of hope, and keep a smile on everyone’s face.

One of the key takeaways the hospitality industry has learned during the pandemic is that the playing field has changed to embrace new and elevated customer expectations. These predominantly revolve around improving health and safety standards to appeal to post-pandemic travelers, who will choose hotels that want to make them feel safe and taken care of.

In this new environment of hospitality and changing customer expectations, the loyalty of your guests will also be affected. If you fail to anticipate their health and safety needs and translate them into all the right precautions – they will likely go to your competitors. All of these emerging challenges caused by the pandemic need to be addressed in your loyalty programs, too. 

In this blog post, Emma Worden takes you through the steps to take when setting up your loyalty program for your hotel. 

This year has been one challenge after another for hospitality businesses. The pandemic alone has cost people their job, security, and their overall professional satisfaction, so it’s natural to see business leaders blaming the crisis for the lack of employee morale. 

However, a persisting state of feeling unmotivated and unhappy is not uncommon among hospitality workers. In businesses where there isn’t a well-defined culture, no significant benefits to speak of, or educational programs for employees, staff members can feel less than eager to get up on Mondays and head to work.

In addition to investing in employee engagement opportunities, team-building sessions, and creative communication options, business owners in hospitality need to think of the big picture too: are your employees genuinely happy? 

In today’s blog post, Emma Worden shares with you some insightful hospitality tips to keep your staff happy and motivated.