In an article published by Hotel News Now on March 25, Greg Duff discusses how independent hotel groups are coping with the sudden drop-off in group demand related to the spread of COVID-19.
The coronavirus crisis has all but halted travel everywhere and sent everyday life into a tailspin. “Independent hotels are finding that they are able to respond to the situation with quick, more flexible responses for lost group business and all kinds of other guests,” says Duff, adding that, “These properties have been able to respond on a local or regional basis, rather than adopting a national approach.”
The magnitude of lost rooms depends entirely on the hotel location, the event dates and nature of attendees. As with the entire hospitality industry, group cancellations have been particularly high in areas where the outbreak has been most prevalent.
“Hotels are too busy reacting to the wave of cancellations to spend a lot of time seeking news bookings. That may change in the coming weeks or months, as most business scheduled for the next few weeks or months is canceled,” explained Duff.
For the full article, you may click here.
