Blog

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the hospitality industry with unprecedented force. Cancellations for meetings & events poured in as states began to enforce stay at home orders and closures for all non-essential businesses. As the country begins to reopen, a new landscape will need to be created for meetings and events.

Meeting planners will want and expect the following 10 items in the aftermath of COVID-19.

1. Assurance that public areas are routinely sanitized
2. Assurance that guest rooms have had proper cleaning and rooms are safe
3. Mask and glove policies for employees that interact with guests
4. Touchless service including check-in/check-out process and keyless entry to guest rooms
5. Understanding of the new food and beverage sanitation standards
6. Understanding of new restaurant social distance standards
7. Understanding of meeting room setups with social distancing standards implemented
8. Attrition flexibility since for the next 6-12 months it is anyone’s guess on who will actually travel to an event
9. Cancellation flexibility if there is a second surge or another pandemic in future years
10. Flexibility on guest room rates since for the next few years travel will be considered high risk for meeting attendees