Before we begin, I have some bad news and some good news.

Here’s the bad news: STR projects that the U.S. hotel industry will report a 51% decline in revenue per available room this year, which breaks the previous low reached during the 2009 financial crisis.

The good news? This also means hotel professionals are committing all of their resources to the balancing act of adhering to COVID-19 safety while finding ways to maximize bookings as more destinations reopen. Here are three ways they’re doing that:

1. You’ve seen commercials and social media posts state we’re all in this together, and the hotel industry is no exception. They're revising or eliminating attrition penalties, keeping guests within a hotel block and doing the right thing to ensure supply chains remain seamless at all stages exemplify this philosophy, not just from a business standpoint but also from a moral one.

2. Hotel sales professionals are adding further incentives to book. This may mean booking promotions, rising commissions and eliminating common pre-COVID-19 contract language.

3. Flexibility when booking is a must. Anyone may have to suddenly self-quarantine for the mandatory 14 days, which any hotel must understand if they want to maintain a customer-first reputation. After all, buyers will remember if a hotel doesn’t accommodate.

In short, when you schedule your conference or meeting once restrictions lift, power is completely in your hands.

See us at Morley if you’d like our event professionals to help cover your first post-COVID-19 meeting at all angles.