Back to Business

IHIF Shows the Industry's strong desire to get Back to Business

?Last week I boarded a plane and went on my first overseas visit representing Duetto. I even got to meet some of my fellow Duettos for the first time, after joining the company in April.

?I was attending the International Hospitality Investment Forum (IHIF), held at InterContinental Berlin.

?In years gone by, attending such an event would not be noteworthy. But this was a first post-Covid (I use that term lightly) event for many of us.

?Yes, there’s now an extra layer of bureaucracy to travel. The testing and vaccination certificates add more administration to the process. You can no longer be as spontaneous about travel as we could be pre-Covid. But that aside, it was just great to be in Berlin. To be in a different city. On a different continent. To have travelled. It felt refreshing.

?And that frisson of a new beginning could be felt at IHIF. Berlin was the perfect host city. Bringing together a wealth of history and a modern vibe from recently opened projects such as the Brandenburg Airport the city is proof that we must learn from the past but continue to focus on the future.

?IHIF resonated with checked positivity.

?The message was that recovery will come in fits and starts. Some markets in Europe are powering ahead and we are seeing somewhat strong performances in leisure markets. Internationally, the reopening of destinations such as Singapore is another strong indicator we are moving in the right direction. And there is a new sense of purpose in heavily vaccinated countries. But concerns continue and confidence is fragile among business travellers.

?Variable demand is here to stay.

?To best navigate that variable demand, hotels need a flexible revenue partner with systems, analytics, and expertise to help steer them through an inconstant recovery period. (See our latest Special Report, How to Build a Net New Revenue Strategy for more on strategies to adopt in the near term).

?We’ve learned new lessons from the pandemic and seen an acceleration of existing trends: increased focus on guest experience technology and the importance of having the right tech stack in place to attract investment and drive performance.

?And events such as IHIF have adapted too, with innovative additions to the program, such as the Adjacent Spaces program - a bold pop-up event for innovators and game changers focussing on alternative asset class investment: extended stay, camping, and shared workspaces, hostels, apartments

Such innovations underlined the message of IHIF that a new age is coming for our industry. There is plenty of appetite for investment and a desire to get back to business, but that optimism is mixed with caution. We heard this in the strong messages from key CEOs such as Chris Nassetta of Hilton and Sebastian Bazin of ACCOR who spoke with praise and respect for the work done by their teams and the industry to get through the pandemic but also with optimism about the opportunities ahead.

?On a personal level, my first experience of traveling for business again was an enjoyable one. British Airways did an amazing job making everyone feel comfortable, safe, and secure onboard. And the service at the Crowne Plaza Berlin where I stayed was faultless.

?The warm welcome of people everywhere I went in Berlin shows how much we need each other. There is no replacement for meeting face to face and doing business in person.

?Congratulations to the team at IHIF for a fantastic event. And congratulations to everyone who jumped on a plane to be there.