Editorial

Dear Insiders,

The problem of staff shortages really does have many facets. During our research into the issue, the following sentence from hotelier Gerald Kink from Wiesbaden immediately stuck in our ears: Where within a very short time rents of €1,000 per room per month were accepted, which before were only €700, there is now no money left over to pay reasonable wages. That's quite a criticism.

Other hoteliers building staff accommodation might only be able to offer them to employees in three or four years' time. That's how long German approval procedures take. One hotelier managed to get 15 cooks from Italy on his own, but hiring foreign staff from non-EU countries is almost hopeless. German bureaucrats are brutalising the industry.

Of course there are two sides to every story, but the situation is really precarious. Why did it take a virus to make it clear that employees have been so badly treated for so long? Now, staff can't even be found for love nor money! The magic word is "work-life balance" and the buzz word here is the 4-day week, as already highlighted in our last edition. Our tour d'horizon through the employee malaise today touches on many other aspects and provides voices from the field.

The other big quandary of the moment is the lack of sustainability. But this is an area where the sector can still play a proactive role. It's not too late yet. Sarah Douag highlights options for the hotel industry following discussions at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. And these don't start with recyclable furniture, they start with energy!

According to one study, the accommodation sector needs to invest €868 billion over the next 20 years to reach net zero by 2050. This is roughly equivalent to the entire annual revenue of the global lodging industry... Courageous entrepreneurs, however, acknowledge: With a sustainable concept you can earn even more money than before! So off we go, with a whole lot of courage and regardless of all the burdensome mega-numbers!

The mayor of Amsterdam is also boldly leading the way: She wants a green city and a different kind of tourism. With a series of new and stricter regulations, the capital of the Netherlands is now taking aim at speculators, real estate investors, rental platforms and even hotel developers. Amsterdam backs up its words with deeds - and is quick about it.

Consider yesterday's announcement by the state-controlled Chinese hotel conglomerate Jin Jiang that it will now provide its own definition of sustainability for the entire industry to be little more than a joke. China, the world's biggest emissions offender, wants to give us lessons?

The Austrians have once again shown courage: As of this Monday, the 2G rule is valid nationwide. And starting from next Monday the state of Upper Austria sends the vaccine refuseniks into lockdown! It’s the only option. The 4th wave is already choking up the hospitals. Fred Fettner describes Austria’s ups and downs ...

Discussions about 2G are also growing in Germany, individual groups such as arcona as well as private hotels are imposing the 2G rule on their own initiative - and guests are rewarding it. Italy, on the other hand, is staying cool and doesn't see a lockdown coming: The Green Pass has proven its worth, also in the hotel industry.

You can find more interesting news from the digital world and from the real estate market. Even the small news articles have it in them today.

Stay courageous! Courage heals misery. That's eight times I use the word courage in this editorial. It really does bring us forward.

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Dear Insiders,

The enormous media attention given over to the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow this week is certainly justified. A lot is at stake. It's all the more astonishing then that some heads of state continue with their dithering. But it's also disappointing to read in a WTM report that prior to corona, only 25 percent of 700 business leaders surveyed had sustainability as a their first priority on their radar.

Sarah Douag has filtered the hospitality-related news from this COP26 week and can't understand why the tourism industry doesn't want to tackle Net Zero by 2030. Even with today's technology and with greater collaboration, many things could already be much "greener," one critic claims. What is missing is simply courage and determination. Otherwise, it remains wishful thinking.

This is also the view of Wolfgang Neumann, who, as Chairman of the Sustainable Hotel Alliance, this week managed to partner with the WTTC/World Travel and Tourism Council: The SHA network will support this global body as a hospitality specialist in the future. It also calls on hotel investors and developers to become involved as "affiliates" in order to be able to accompany the hotel sustainably throughout its entire life cycle. You can read the initial information on this here with us today.

The next big industry issue remains staff shortages. The pond in which hotels are able to fish is getting emptier and emptier. Fred Fettner describes the situation in Austria, where there is a lack of seasonal workers, especially from Eastern Europe, for the winter. 60,000 Hungarians alone are tearing a big hole. Even English ski instructors are in short supply. The call for global freedom of movement in the choice of workplace is growing louder. Politicians once again don't understand anything about the practical side of things - not even the fact that the peak season starts in December and no one wants to enter in the middle of it, on 1 January , when many deep-pocketed guests have already half left again...

Out of employee necessity, upscale hotels are now eliminating salad buffets and white tablecloths or closing two days a week. Far too few have the courage for the 4-day week, which Christian Grünbart introduced in his Austrian 4-star hotel three years ago. Even in German companies bound by collective agreements, this is possible from a purely legal point of view, one employment lawyer assures. Working four days and enjoying three days of free time - that works wonders, as the hotel owner reports, and with lower costs in the long run, too.

Theory and practice thus mark out this edition. Once again, we bring you a range of market news from across the whole of Europe, Hilton describes the profile of the traveller in 2022 in a report, the EU analyses the short-term rental market and the figures of Covivio, one of the largest hotel owners in Europe, underpin the upswing in the European hotel industry.

And what's next for the market? Tell us what you think - next Sunday, the hospitalityInside Investment BAROMETER 2021, again in cooperation with Union Investment, will close after four weeks. Last opportunity to comment on assets and contracts of the future. Just a few clicks - and you will receive the complete evaluation afterwards if you wish. Your answers will of course remain anonymous.

Have a good week. Till next Friday.

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Dear Insiders,

The situation is good. And the outlook? This is the headline for one of our short news articles today, the title aptly describes the current state of the industry. After the positive summer trend, it's becoming increasingly likely that autumn at least will also be golden. Presumably also Christmas/New Year as well. But then what?

The Q3 reports of hotel groups make encouraging reading. Whitbread, the parent company of Premier Inn, announced that it will spend £23 million on pay rises and one-off bonuses. Who among the medium-sized companies will be able to afford increases on that scale?

Answers to these questions were already available at Expo Real: The only way to compensate for the lack of employees and rising costs is through higher prices plus digitalisation and automation. Small and large hoteliers have indeed understood this by now. Overnight they have learned to love digital and demand revenue management tools, open PMS, solutions for easier bookings...

And even for BIM, Building Information Modeling - a tool that ensures total transparency for your new-build project, right down to the last incorrectly laid cable in the wall, allowing complete error-free work in the end. Hotelier Martin Kemmer from Place Value described it at the Expo Real, Premier Inn and Soulmade were also enthusiastic about this tool. After all, it ensures buildings can be copied faster thereby speeding up expansion plan - even for wooden hotels. In another discussion, Ruby, apaleo and Hotelbird also describe how technology is helping them to become more efficient and save money.

Much of what that nebulous word 'digitalisation' previously meant is now becoming more precise, more practical, more pragmatic. Feel your way forward, every step, even the smallest, is a step into the clear. It's the technology that will save your bottom line, not the euro saved on the kilo of meat in procurement.

Over the next 10 days, the US and Thailand will once again open their borders to international travellers. Two names synonymous with popular destinations, for business and leisure. China, an insider told me this week, also plans to end its no-covid strategy in the spring. Everything is moving again.

The Austrians are already stepping on the gas: Their winter season needs to be a success this time around, if only to make up for the total loss of 2020/21. Fred Fettner's article shows: There, too, only strategic planning, clear rules and technology help to ensure that guests have a good time so that they are happy to pay. That's the goal, nothing else. New tech tools along the way are definitely allowed.

And last but not least, we now need a last push from you for the hospitalityInside Investment BAROMETER! There are only nine days left, so click here and answer the multiple choice questions with a click. Or don't you want to know which property classes are attracting most investment and which types of contract will be most popular in future?
 

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Your opinion? maria[at]hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,

Today, we take another look at Expo Real and what real estate and financial experts think about the industry: The still attractive German real estate market also ensures that hotels keep their feet in the game without becoming game commodities.

However, investors and banks are counting on operators to reflect hard on their concepts and to actively support asset management. "We must look ahead with humility," says Martin Schaller of Union Investment - a phrase that all stakeholders are likely to place over their next meetings as a motto.

The Dorint Hotel Group has already shown humility with tough restructuring in the 15 years in the run up to corona. It is therefore all the more pleasing that the current figures and booking trends give the group every reason to hope for a good start to the new year. CEO Karl-Heinz Pawlizki reports.

At the ready for talks at the trade fair, he had the 2020 Annual Report in his briefcase. The report is a transparent account of the past year with market figures, Dorint facts and comparative graphics. Almost an historical document of the entire run of the pandemic, also available for our readers today.

Sustainability came up in almost every conversation at the fair: ESG and EU taxonomy have now penetrated deep into everyone's consciousness. The changes now hurtling towards the hotel industry, begin again in the investment and real estate industry, with "Sustainable Finance" - and so today also with us with an article about Green Bonds.

In "50 Shades of Green," Beatrix Boutonnet, our finance specialist, explains what it is and whether it makes sense. The first hotel groups are already looking at this new form of finance.

The final Business Travel Analysis of the German Travel Management Association VDR provides sober reading: Figures from 2020 confirm beyond doubt that business travel will shrink permanently by 30%.

But hotel players continue to believe strongly in the future of travel: The Italian TH Resorts wants to quickly transform itself into TH Group and become the second largest tourist operator in the country. Hilton has found the digital key to multi-room bookings with one click, and a new trio comprised of a hotelier and two non-hoteliers venture forward with the new Big Mama Hotels brand. We round off this issue with interesting personalia and further market news - AND with a call to take part in our annual Investment BAROMETER!

Now in particular, just after the Expo and the many conversations with colleagues and business partners and even more so after this multi-faceted issue, surely you have an opinion on the yield from individual property classes and on contract forms? Just one click on this link and you can start immediately.  Anonymously, of course. As participant you can order the detailed results.

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Your opinion? maria[at]hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,

I’ve never seen so many happy faces in a crisis! Expo Real made it possible this week, the "hotel family" was able to come together once again. The restart was a success. And the message from the hotel industry: We've survived! And we will live on!

With around 30 exhibitors - half as many as in 2019 - it held the flag high for the entire industry - and higher than expected. Hoteliers have already had their first positive talks with banks and investors. Exhibitors and visitors alike praised the quality of their discussions and the less hectic pace in the halls. And the trade fair was also pleased to welcome 19,200 participants - more than expected.

The aisles were very busy on Monday and Tuesday, even with many last minute appointments. Five minutes before the start of the hotel conference, the Forum was still eerily empty - by 10 a.m. sharp, all 80 seats were occupied and the last few were already lining up at the back. And it stayed that way the whole day.

In the magazine, Susanne Stauss and Sylvie Konzack have summarised the discussions about operators and creditworthiness, about hotel real estate in the stress test and the new diversity in hospitality following the pandemic. Both these contributions are a current reflection of market woes and market trends.

From everything, I discerned a new, unexpected background: Self-criticism. Hoteliers, investors and developers described their pandemic fears, their hesitations, their worries, their solutions. They were realistic descriptions and clear affirmations in favour of change.

How do you feel about the current market situation? Tell us! Visitors as well as subscribers will find access to the current hospitalityInside "Investment BAROMETER" in cooperation with Union Investment on our page 1 as well as here. How do you see the changes in the real estate classes directly after Expo Real? Take the survey here.

Today we are not only summarising Expo Real, but all our events in September and October: from our HITT Think Tank in mid-September to our current impressions from our joint stand World of Hospitality, as well as the Expo Real hotel conference and of course our networking event BRICKS & BRAINS, which started with an “explosive atmosphere", quite literally:

One hour before the start of the event in the new Adina Werksviertel Munich, the 84m-high hotel tower had to be evacuated: An aerial bomb had been found on the neighbouring property. As well as overseeing the guest evacuation, the fantastic Adina team managed to move the entire set-up including food for our event with 120 guests to a safe alternative location 100 meters away within 45 minutes! 88 guests still managed to make their way through traffic chaos, roadblocks and police checks. The last ones walked the last mile, one switched from the taxi to an e-scooter...

What an appreciation for the event, what a cheerful mood, despite the hardship! The bomb was defused, the mood remained excellent and later everyone went to the Adina for a guided tour of the hotel... HospitalityInside says a big thank you to EVERYONE, but especially to the Adina team with Matthias Niemeyer at the helm !!! This industry rises to any challenge! We've always felt it, now we know it.

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Your opinion? maria[at]hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,

The trade fairs are back again! Just like us, many people are happy about the restart of the Expo Real on Monday – after the IHIF in September in Berlin, the second large real estate party. Finally, the family feeling again!

In the background, however, things are getting to the point. How do concepts and real estate types change, whom do investors and banks still trust, how can the staffing problem be solved, which innovation is helpful? The industry is swinging between the poles – at least that's my snapshot prior to the Expo Real. It also directs the focus to topics, which will be discussed at the hotel conference.

As the real estate industry takes place and sustainability lurks everywhere, Susanne Stauss provides critical, demanding and encouraging voices from our Think Tank, which took place four weeks ago. Not the investors are driving the topic but the consumers. What humiliation. Wooden hotels already exist, but building authorities and banks still believe, that these buildings will burn faster than the chairs they are sitting on. Those who are not afraid of sustainable construction can find good solutions in models, modules and BIM. Invesco, the Zech Groupe, Soulmade and Drees & Sommer are reporting from the practice.

And today, we are starting the INVESTMENT BAROMETER in collaboration with Union Investment again – our current survey about hotel assets and the market. Please participate online, from your office, home office or during an Expo break. Here is the direct link to the Barometer! Those who participate will get a detailed analysis in their mailbox, if they want. For newcomers: You will find all details on our page 1 today!

Not only STR and Fairmas provide figures constantly to help the evaluation of the current performance. This week, the WTTC analysed the consequences of the pandemic and named the global job killer rate: 62 million jobs were lost in the tourism industry in 2020. And at the current recovery speed, the number of jobs will probably only increase by 0.7% this year.

And the UNWTO complains that non-uniform rules and vaccination rates are hampering further recovery. 18 months after the outbreak of the pandemic, there is still no reliable economic perspective. But: The "Covid pill" is on the horizon. This is really good news from the pharmaceutical giant Merck this week. As medication, the pill can be distributed globally without any problems and is able to help more quickly. The market rates of the hotel chains rose after this announcement.

At Accor, the mood for lifestyle is increasing: Ennismore finally belongs to the group officially, including 25hours by 100 percent now. We have asked them about the personnel changes, amongst other things.

Time and again, it's the background details that make deals interesting. The extra call always means more effort, but it also provides pleasure, fun and more knowledge. Therefore, we were very happy when we heard via a – general – media analysis that the consumption of news during the pandemic increased and is still increasing. And that high-quality editorial content has been more in demand and still is, also beyond the topic of Covid-19!

Therefore, I'm not willing to participate in one topic this week: The antisemitic accusations against the Westin Leipzig. The nature and the scope of the media coverage by the public service media as well as trade media, which should know better, has a disastrous effect on the industry. Sensitive topics with unclear facts shouldn't be click machines.

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Your opinion? maria[at]hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,

Last Sunday, the German electorate gave their verdict on the chaos and failures of the previous government coalition. Yet too courageous they weren't. With a lot of luck and a tiny lead, the previous finance minister Olaf Scholz will now presumably become "the new Merkel". This is the guy who grabbed for the "bazooka" for the industry in March 2020, promising it big and unbureaucratic solutions - and then went on to nearly shoot down the entire sector.

Should the now widely expected "traffic light" coalition of Red, Yellow and Green come about, lobbying by German industry will become more difficult.

I don't understand the discussion of Germany's 3G or 2G rule, which is incomprehensible to me. It should really only be the 2G rule that's to apply if we're finally to get rid of this virus. On the other hand, if this were the case, the restaurant and catering sector in particular would lose even more turnover. Do you think you'll have fewer grumbling guests with 3G than if you applied 2G? Every additional euro made this year because of 3G could pay for itself many times over next year. The sector is far from out of the woods.

A lot of patience is still required. STR's numbers definitely signal that. Macy Marvel has analysed the summer of 2021/2020 at the European level, and has also taken a look at the exploding pipeline. With so many plans in the making, demand and ADR will shrink significantly. But the US is allowing entries again and the UK is relaxing further from next Monday.

Good news from the German Serviced Apartment sector. This summer it has already approached the pre-Corona level: Leisure guests have discovered the segment.

And the back and forth about 3G or 2G is reflected in stark form today in Fred Fettner's report on Austrian plans for the upcoming winter season. The pull of the snow and the cold ski season is already greater than 2019! That's why the lifts have to work, but how do you check vaccination status and tests at the lift? 3G is set only to mean long queues here. But 2G at the ski lodge is hardly the best solution either as it would exclude people again.

Wouldn't digitisation be able a help here? Not at all - this time, its data protection rules that are the hurdle. Unbelievable how complicated, convoluted and confusing our systems and structures are. We are still very far away from a functioning digital society.

No, it's no coincidence that our news stories today are almost all about sustainability. The floods of info on this topic on my desk are growing daily. Now companies like Deutsche Seereederei just have to realise that you shouldn't announce "green" properties and brands twice in a row if you can't give any details; all you're doing then is greenwashing.

But a lot is happening in the industry now, and a lot of good things too, as our Sustainability Mix shows. And in the same way, the news from the real estate world is picking up again.

Till next Friday!

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Your opinion? maria[at]hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,

"Corona is over," the conductor of a full intercity train said on Tuesday. I don't see it that way. German Health Minister Jens Spahn spoke this week of an end to the pandemic in the spring - provided we achieve herd immunity. I'm still sceptical about that. Not least because we don't yet know who will be in charge in Germany after the federal elections on Sunday.

And a third thing got me thinking after the conference of the IHA International Hotel Association this week in Berlin: There are hoteliers who have quickly forgotten all the hardship and stress of the last 18 months, as well as the millions in aid paid into their accounts - and then immediately crave a return to the "level of 2019" again.

At the other extreme are those highly sensitive souls, who respond to every little vibration. There are also "vibes" for change in the hotel association, but the transformation process will still be long, and painful. The discussion about the loss of employees has shown how unshakable the self-confidence of the "old school" still is.

Eyes open for change! For the worse as well as for better. Numbers make the pandemic misery visible: For example, in the Europe-US comparison, a data analyst's GOP numbers per available room show the disastrous decline in room rates, profitability, housekeeping - and in surprisingly rapidly rising labour costs.

The pressure to change remains great, so keep your eyes open! "The world is facing unprecedented challenges, we will need unprecedented answers," said London-based investment professional, world and economic analyst Wes Paul in his keynote speech at our HITT Think Tank two weeks ago. Much of what he said sounded dramatic, but unfortunately it is also very true.

Today we summarise his key statements and are pleased to be able to transmit his message to all of you: "It's the best of times and the worst of times for you, but it's also an opportunity for this industry to lead by example. We can be an example of change, we can influence behaviour. We can be the ones to show in the private sector that it's more profitable to do it right. And we can show that we're forward thinking by adopting technologies where others are hesitant, while embracing those changes that can improve outcomes." He is a firm believer in this crisis-buffeted and crisis-tested industry.

Only two weeks to go and many of us are packing our bags again for Expo Real. Finally! The hospitality marketplace there is something to behold! And the trade fair will once again hold a hotel conference, this time with five discussion panels. All this information, also about the World of Hospitality can be found on our page 1 - as well as the links to the 15 exhibitor profiles under the menu button "Marketplace" with the landing page of the joint stand. 

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Your opinion? maria[at]hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,

The 4th HITT, the first hybrid event: HITT 2021, which took place at the Co-Working Space in Munich on Monday and Tuesday was great fun. At the location, an abundance of positive energy was floating around, the vivid conversations continued until late into the night. But the virtual participants were also full of praise; they were able to join live with sound and video. Technology makes many things possible – including sustainable concepts in your hotel businesses.

For two days, our Think Tank addressed the interlocking power package of sustainability and digitalization. 16 internationally renowned speakers in 10 sessions – from the great investment expert and future focused Wes Paul from London to the self-confident Six Senses CEO Neil Jacobs and imaginative Accor CTO Floor Bleeker to all the other top-profile speakers with decades of expertise around the globe…

Susanne Stauss lists them all; and she has summarised core statements for our subscribers. You will find a summary on page 1, with quotes from the participants.

It was a lot of information – with a steep learning curve. In the background, asset managers are thinking about new KPIs such as the carbon footprint per room, politicians are preparing concrete regulations, traditional developers are experimenting with modular construction methods using different materials, and individual entrepreneurs with successful wooden hotels are not receiving any funding at all.

In the field, a lot is still going wrong. But in the hotel industry, there is still little well-founded knowledge about how to go about it. In any case, without digital measurement, there is no data und therefore no proof of savings, from which lower costs and higher returns can be derived. Digitalisation makes sustainability possible! All experts agreed on this, and: Owners need to take the first step, calculate, invest, and then share the costs. Collaboration is the bedrock of the future!

In any case, the groundwork has been set for next year. Sustainability & Digitalisation will remain our topic. Save the date: June 27/28, 2022 – hopefully again in Berlin and on the ship!

Today's other topics: Holiday homes and apartments are among the winners of the corona crisis. Sylvie Konzack analyses in figures why they leave traditional hotels behind in Germany. Also current in the event and trade fair business, which is picking up again: a remarkable Higher Regional Court ruling about hotel cancellations in the pandemic. Hotelier and guest have to share the costs.

In the German hotel market, things are slowly improving, but not in Switzerland yet. New studies and market reports alternate between hope and hardship. Poland's hotel pipeline is currently churning out plenty of new chain hotels; in Spain, the chambermaids are fighting for their own booking platform because they only want to promote hotels that treat them fairly; and among the unicorns of the world, SiteMinder is now preparing for its initial public offering.

Today, you need to dive deep into the topics… Enjoy!

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Your opinion? maria[at]hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,

This issue is crammed full with material for further discussion. I start with Accor CEO Sébastien Bazin. The pandemic has made him "humble". He blames himself for not taking the employee issue as seriously as he should earlier. "We employers were blind! We must accept our fault too!"

He's been thinking about solutions - and he wants to hire more people from the "talent pool" which is the millions of refugees who lost their jobs because of Covid-19. He is also thinking of many well-educated people, not just the lower ranks. Accor has already been feeling its way forward.

For Bazin, the next pool with potential is the "remote industry". Accor is already testing ideas here at 400 hotels in France. Vacant conference spaces and rooms converted to offices are revenue-promising alternatives for those who work from home in the area and who need a quiet place to work and hold meetings.

I met Sébastien Bazin last week in Berlin; he was in a chatty mood. He announced a new roll-out for franchisees, a new digital platform, talked about soft brands, cash cows and mega markets. What I personally liked: He thought first on some questions and then spoke. Some CEOs prefer the reverse order.

Also on the topic of those working from home, Radisson CEO Federico González unveiled the convertible room: The rooms can be transformed by two people from a comfortable hotel room into a meeting room for eight within 15 minutes. The meeting furniture and the room divider come out of the ceiling. A video shows the principle, but detailed information will be available at the end of October. We also talked to the two biggest franchisors in the world at IHIF: Wyndham and Choice. There's movement everywhere.

In our last issue, we highlighted the summer season in the Germany, Austria and Switzerland region as well as in Italy and Spain with solid figures and opinions. Today, Sarah Douag analyses the "hot months", which in some cases brought France records, but generally depressed the Dutch and the Belgians.

The mixed feelings in these three countries remain: Indeed, France promised further financial support to the industry from October onwards, while the Netherlands and Belgians will be left pretty much empty-handed. The mixed summer in the hotel industry in Central Europe is also reflected in the airline statistics: Bookings did not even reach 40% of 2019 volumes.

But it gets even more dramatic than that: With a minus of 80%, the business travel segment in Germany in 2020 took the biggest plunge in its history. Remote working is already influencing the figures for the first half of the year, as the recently published business travel analysis shows.

The market is in flux, everywhere: Bill Gates is now the majority shareholder of Four Seasons. Is that good? Sarah Douag weighs in. Innegrit Volkhardt of Bayerischer Hof Munich has sold her 51-room jewel, Hotel zur Tenne in Kitzbühel to the owner of the Fairmont Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg: a Bavarian add-on for the luxury hotel in the north.

Overall, the German hospitality industry is slowly starting to recover, but the announcements from politicians are still hotly anticipated, especially in the city hotel industry: Bridging Assistance III Plus has been extended until 31 December 2021. That's decided. Meanwhile, Olaf Scholz is going on the hunt for voters by promising in the media as a candidate for chancellor to keep the reduced VAT rate permanently.

There is a lot to discuss and a lot more knowledge to build in order to properly assess the current dynamics.

That's why our team is now looking forward to Monday and Tuesday - to our Think Tank and the thematic power package of Sustainability & Digitalisation! There will be 16 top-class experts speaking and discussing in 10 rounds, and a few more participants will come to Munich in person than we will have digital listeners and viewers. This means that we are also fully in line with the event trend. Now set for its 4th edition, the HITT is to become a sustainable event itself... We look forward to the dialogue with our guests!

Enjoy reading today's issue!

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Your opinion? maria[at]hospitalityInside.com