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Optimism among global mid-market business leaders rose to 67% in the first half of this year and they are markedly more optimistic about their prospects with global optimism having increased by 8%.

The index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19

COVID-19 provided some hard lessons for the hotel sector. It is time to turn those into sustainable and well executed growth strategies.

The index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19

The index results for 12 key sectors of the mid-market reveal just how much or little the various parts of the economy were impacted by COVID-19.

Travel, tourism and leisure sector of the economy has been worst hit by COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented level of disruption to the global hotel industry. A combination of local lockdowns and travel restrictions has resulted in many hotels having to close temporarily or operate at a fraction of their available capacity. As the crisis continues to evolve, it is still unclear what shape the industry will emerge in.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in lockdowns and travel restrictions in every part of the globe, with a huge impact on the global aviation industry. It is clear that operators, airports, lessors and support businesses need to look at all the options open to them to survive.

Hear Gillian Saunders speak on innovation and trends in the hotel industry from 9.00 – 09:45 am at the Africa Hotel Investment Forum on 12 October.

In my view, too many hotels are not being bold enough in developing a service offering that differentiates them or engages their customers for the long term. The basic organisational structure has hardly changed since the 1800s!

In the battle for guests, branding has traditionally been a powerful weapon. Customers, whether travelling for leisure or business, sought familiar names that offered a consistent experience. Innovative loyalty programmes encouraged them to return to the same hotel groups again and again.

Guests are less loyal and more demanding than ever before. They use online travel agents (OTAs) and aggregators to find the best hotels and deals – which helps operators fill their rooms, but at a cost.

The power of personalisation: Hotels’ roadmap to 2020

I recently finished an Asian tour to connect with our firms in the region and to meet some of their clients. The trip has been an eye-opening experience and a great opportunity to focus on this high-growth region.

The hospitality and tourism industry is hotwired into the global economy; how businesses in the sector prepare for and respond to economic shocks is critical to long-term growth prospects.

Established players in the hospitality and tourism sector are having to work harder than ever to find growth. A series of recent events have disrupted demand in the short-term, but longer term, the rise of the digital economy is threatening traditional operating models and sales channels. Businesses in the sector need to be alive to the challenges posed by online travel agencies and aggregators (OTAs), as they try to build their brand and maintain market share.