Jesse Rathner

🌆 5 Top Trends Shaping Chicago’s Hospitality Industry in 2024! 🌟 Chicago’s hospitality scene is evolving rapidly, driven by key trends that are redefining guest experiences and business strategies. Whether you're a local business owner, hotelier, or just someone keen on staying ahead of the curve, these insights are for you! Dive deeper into these trends and learn how they can impact your business! Check out our latest blog post for a closer look. 👉 https://lnkd.in/guhAR3ZC #HospitalityTrends #DigitalMarketing #Chicago #HospitalityIndustry #Sustainability #WellnessTourism #MarketingStrategies

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🌆 5 Top Trends Shaping Chicago’s Hospitality Industry in 2024! 🌟 Chicago’s hospitality scene is evolving rapidly, driven by key trends that are redefining guest experiences and business strategies. Whether you're a local business owner, hotelier, or just someone keen on staying ahead of the curve, these insights are for you! 🟢 Sustainability: Green initiatives are more than just buzzwords—they’re becoming standard practice in Chicago’s hotels and restaurants. 🌿 🔍 Tech-Driven Experiences: From AI-powered chatbots to virtual reality tours, tech is revolutionizing the guest experience. 💻 🧘‍♂️ Wellness Tourism: Wellness is in! Visitors are craving more than just a place to stay—they want holistic experiences that rejuvenate the mind and body. 🧘‍♀️ 🎨 Local Culture & Authenticity: Guests are seeking genuine, local experiences. Think collaborations with local artists, chefs, and musicians to bring Chicago’s unique culture to life. 🏙️ 📊 Targeted Marketing: Data-driven strategies are taking center stage, helping businesses reach their audience more effectively with personalized campaigns. 📈 Dive deeper into these trends and learn how they can impact your business! Check out our latest blog post for a closer look. 👉 https://lnkd.in/guhAR3ZC #HospitalityTrends #DigitalMarketing #Chicago #HospitalityIndustry #Sustainability #WellnessTourism #MarketingStrategies

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What role does landscape design play in elevating the wellness experience for hotel guests? CEO and Principal Scott LaMont answers this question, along with a handful of others, on the Wellness in Hospitality podcast! Listen now through the link below. #edsaplan #landscapearchitecture #planning #design #podcast

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Venue Selection Trends: Shaping the Future of Event Planning The venue selecting industry is experiencing a significant shift, influenced by technological innovation, changing attendee needs, and economic challenges like rising costs. At Strategic Site Selection, we’re at the forefront of these changes, helping our clients navigate the shifting landscape. Here are five key trends shaping venue selection today: 1️⃣ Creative Solutions for Rising Costs With higher expenses across the board, event planners and suppliers are finding new ways to maximize budgets while delivering exceptional experiences. Efficiency and innovation are the keys to success. 2️⃣ Bridging the RFP Gap Timely and detailed responses to RFPs remain a challenge. Venues that prioritize responsiveness and transparency are standing out in a competitive market. 3️⃣ Contract Flexibility Under Pressure Venue contracts are becoming more complex, with planners seeking flexibility to adapt to uncertainties. Clear communication and proactive negotiation are essential. 4️⃣ Experiences and Connections Matter Most Immersive experiences and structured networking opportunities are no longer optional—they’re expected. Venues that offer creative spaces and unique engagement opportunities are highly sought after. 5️⃣ Sustainability and Inclusion Lead the Way Sustainable practices and a commitment to DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) are now top priorities for venue selection. These values resonate with both planners and attendees, setting the tone for impactful events. At Strategic Site Selection, we’re passionate about helping you find venues that align with your goals, values, and vision. Let’s make your next event unforgettable! 💬 What trends are shaping your venue choices this year? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. #EventPlanning #VenueTrends #VenueSelection #IndustryTrends #Sustainability #DEIA #CreativeSolutions #YourPartnerInPlanning #StrategicSiteSelection

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Thanks for the shout out, BizBash, in this great article on the emerging hotel trends for 2024.

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🚀 At EventConnect, we listen to our partners and innovate to meet their needs. That's why market visits like the one where we captured this video with @Faheem Amini, General Manager at Holiday Inn Express & Suites Coon Rapids-Blaine Area, are so crucial. In this insightful discussion, Faheem highlights the growing need for seamless integration and automation in the hospitality industry. As he shares, automating reservation processes and integrating systems can significantly enhance efficiency, benefitting the hotel and its partners. 🔍 Key Takeaways: •Faheem emphasizes the need for integration between our systems and their property management system (PMS) to streamline operations. •Automation will significantly reduce manual steps, improving room counts and reporting accuracy. •Real-time feedback and collaboration drive these innovations and ensure mutual success. We're proud to work with partners like Faheem, who help us push the boundaries of what’s possible. Stay tuned as we innovate and evolve solutions to serve our industry better. 🤝 Interested in how EventConnect can enhance your operations? Connect with our Sales team for a demo: https://lnkd.in/ecerN2R6 #Hospitality #Automation #Integration #EventManagement #CustomerFeedback

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Kennedy Training Network, Inc.'s Doug Kennedy has a message for hoteliers that think they don't get phone reservations any more: "Today’s reservations in inquiries are disguised as 'quick questions' which untrained staff simply answer, causing direct booking opportunities to be lost, along with the chance to 'own the guest relationship' and to cut down on third-party fees. Recently, a prospective new client said 'We actually don’t get many phone reservations anymore, but we do get a lot of questions.' Sure enough, just as they said, most callers were only asking questions about things like amenities, bedding configurations, fees, and services. Then we pointed out the obvious: there is a reason why people ask these questions, and it’s not that they are just curious!" 🤯 If you really want to capitalize on 'quick question' calls to your hotel, consider using a Central Reservations partner like Customer Direct to maximize revenue by converting those calls to direct bookings. We partner with some of the best brands in the industry and we'd love to partner with you! Read Doug's entire article on Hospitality Net here: https://lnkd.in/ehtErYiy

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While AI has recently dominated discussions at SLIF, hospitality veteran Bill Walshe brought the conversation back to what matters most: authentic human connection and the pride that powers exceptional service. https://hubs.li/Q02Z-1Jv0

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5 ways creative outdoor spaces not only enhance the guest experience, but also boost profitability: https://loom.ly/8qbocMU #HotelDevelopment #HotelOperations #HotelOwners #HotelManagement #HotelProfitability

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💡 What if there was a way for hotels to generate revenue and enhance guest / conference attendee experiences ALL AT ONCE? In this interview with The Modern Hotelier, Rich O'Brien explains to Michael Parisse of HSMS and Steve Carran how modern digital signage is changing the game for hotels and event spaces. How? 💰 New revenue streams 🎨 Customizable content 🤝 Collaborative opportunities As Rich explains, "It's a win-win to be able to adapt the messaging, drive revenue, and enhance the guest experience." Working with a trusted digital signage partner will: ✅ Install digital signage and ensure all maintenance is provided with no added fees 📝 Update content to include new sponsorships, messages, and images as needed 🆘 Provide 24/7 support Discover more about the power of digital signage for hotels and events - Watch the full video interview here: https://lnkd.in/eWgyB7Vw

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It's 2024: When will "Women in Hospitality" features become unnecessary? As we wrap up our series, here's what these women had to say about it. #HOTELS #hotelnews #hospitality #hospitalityindustry #hospitalitynews #hotelindustry #womeninhospitality

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#Hoteliers need to understand the usable spaces outside of ballrooms and meeting rooms to maximize group demand. https://bit.ly/3SYJbqJ #hotelmeetings #groupdemand #alternativespaces

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For visionary hospitality professionals, technology is more than just a tool—it’s a strategic opportunity. We’re fortunate to have partners like GoodNight Stay, who fully commit to the digital guest experience with Enso Connect and are seeing phenomenal results. The impact speaks volumes: 💰 Over $250,000 in revenue in the first six months of implementation 📈 Average monthly upsell revenue of $40 per listing ⚡️ Rapid time to value: just 6 days With nearly every other visitor to Phoenix staying at an Enso-connected property, we’re well on our way to Arizona (and beyond!) domination, all thanks to our incredible partners at GoodNight Stay. And this is just the beginning. Curious to see how they did it? Read the full case study—link in comments! Stay tuned, we’re gearing up to deliver even more tools to elevate revenue and efficiency in the coming months. #VacationRentals #ShortTermRentals #BoutiqueHotels #HospitalityProfessionals #HospitalityPros #GuestExperience #GuestMessaging #GuestCommunication #HospitalityAI #HospitalityTech #HospitalityTechnology #UnifiedInbox #Upsells #HospitalityRevenue #RevenueManagement

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The theme of this year’s Restaurant Leadership Conference seemed to be labor! Nation's Restaurant News reported that since the pandemic, the restaurant industry has been forging ahead to embrace the new normal. Retention is top-of-mind for many executives who are re-examining wage and benefit packages to attract and hold on to top talent in an attempt to decrease turnover costs - “executives noted those propositions are now about more than just wages, but also benefits, training and development, culture/buy-in.” The fundamental job experience for employees needs to hit a few vital points. The consensus seems to be - “is their job satisfying, purposeful, as simple and safe as it can be? Happier employees equal happier customers.” Now is a great time to do some spring cleaning and update old benefits packages, training programs, onboarding plans, and career pathways for existing employees. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, Escoffier Global can help! Give us a call today ☎ 844-914-2682. #NRN #Retention #RestaurantIndustry #EmployeeBenefits https://lnkd.in/eSgJvKif

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Check out The Daily Pour’s newest post, detailing how self-pour systems are redefining pickleball. Discover how these 12 pickleball venues use self-pour technology to boost guest engagement, streamline operations, and maximize fun. 👉 Dive into the complete article here: https://hubs.li/Q02P05KN0 #Pickleball #SelfPour #TechInSports #PlayerExperience

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A lot of people have experienced the front end of the hospitality industry but have not thought about what goes on behind the scenes. Richard Camarota was the most recent Takeaways guest and has been in the restaurant industry for many years. Learn his Takeaways today only on YouTube!

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From cumulative calculations to compensation policies, our latest blog by Cheryl Barnet offers a comprehensive guide to managing your event's guestroom attrition. What's more, be sure and check out SHW's updated Venue & Hotel Sourcing webpage! https://lnkd.in/etWNh4qn #VenueSourcing #HotelAttrition #EventPlanning

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