Hotel Leaders Focus on Strategy, Lessons from 2009

SAN DIEGO-”I am shocked to report that during an industry study, hotels ranked No. 1 in brand disloyalty, while airlines came in second out of 26 industries …” So said moderator Adam Weissenberg, vice chairman and national managing partner of Deloitte & Touche LLP, during his opening remarks in the Hotel Leaders Outlook panel at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit held at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Although that report is a bit disconcerting, the industry experts that spoke on the panel managed to focus on the positives: the good things they learned in 2009; and strategies for 2010.

2009 Happenings and 2010 Opportunities

“There were plenty of good things that happened in 2009, mostly in the makeup of the culture of the company,” said Eric Danziger, president and CEO of the Wyndham Hotel group. “Because it was such a tough year, it forced companies to listen, to learn, to learn how to react and to learn how to work more closely as a team.” Danziger pointed out that during the good times, companies don’t really spend as much time working hard―really hard―to find the right answers.