Skip to content

Search

Latest Stories

Article: The travel industry needs diversity

National protests for racial equality can lead to ‘meaningful change,’ author says

AS RACIAL TENSIONS remain high in the U.S., the travel industry needs to take steps to ensure diversity, according to a guest article on the U.S. Travel Association’s website. That includes hiring more people of different backgrounds and facing the unconscious bias against people of color that still permeates society.

The column, “A Discussion on Race and Racism in the Travel Industry” by Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination DC and USTA’s national chair, is based on a webinar he led on June 11 with other black industry leaders. Panelists included Michelle Mason, president and CEO of Chicago-based Association Forum; Brandon Meyers, chief revenue officer of travel software producer ADARA; and Ernie Wooden Jr., president and CEO of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board.


The motivation for both the article and the webinar was to address the subject of racism in light of the May 25 death of George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the hands of four white cops. Several other members of the hospitality industry, including AAHOA and the CEOs of Hilton and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, to issue statements supporting the call for justice.

“In the weeks since the death of George Floyd, the issue of systemic racism in America has rightfully been at the forefront of the national conversation, driving a groundswell that cannot and must not be ignored,” Ferguson said. “Our industry is among those contemplating a path to meaningful change.”

The webinar involved an uncomfortable conversation about race, Ferguson said, but it is a conversation worth having.

“This is not simply an issue of diversity and inclusion. There need to be discussions about slavery and Jim Crow, and how these are not issues of the past, but issues that have echoed through the centuries and affect us today,” Ferguson wrote. “Racism is systemic, and we all have a role to play in discussing its origins. This is a learning and growth opportunity.”

Ferguson and the other webinar participants shared their personal experiences in which they were marginalized because of their race. For him, it was an incident that happened when he received an award at an industry event.

“I had just delivered remarks, professionally dressed in suit and tie. But the moment I stepped off the stage, someone assumed I was a waiter and asked me to refill their glass,” Ferguson wrote. “You can be dressed in business attire and speak professionally and still be targeted because of your skin color.”

The travel industry needs diversity because diversity is strength, Ferguson said. It’s also demanded of them by their customers.

“As leaders in tourism, we need to ask ourselves: do black visitors feel safe and welcome in our destinations? Do we represent diversity in our marketing?” he said.

More black people should be recruited, and promoted, in the travel industry, he said. Conversations are fine, but they have to be followed up by action. Ferguson said several members of the webinar talked about the actions they are taking.

Meyers works with his sales executives to recruit from historically black colleges and universities, for example. Mason is creating an internship program for underserved communities.

“Reach out to your black peers, both professionally and personally, to have frank conversations and learn more about how you can support efforts to end systemic racism,” Ferguson concludes. “Whether your staff is currently diverse or not, honest discussions about racism are necessary.”

More for you

Peachtree Group loan
Photo credit: Peachtree Group

Peachtree backs $42M loan for AFC deal

Summary:

  • Peachtree provided a $42 million floating-rate loan to Banyan Street Capital for the acquisition and repositioning of Atlanta Financial Center in Buckhead.
  • The deal delivers capital at a reset basis, with comps pricing 98 percent higher, reflecting strong collateral and execution.
  • It recently launched a $250 million fund to invest in hotel and commercial assets mispriced from market illiquidity.

PEACHTREE GROUP PROVIDED its first mortgage loan to Banyan Street Capital for the acquisition and repositioning of the 914,774-square-foot Atlanta Financial Center in Buckhead, Georgia. Peachtree said the office sector is at an inflection point, similar to the retail segment previously.

Keep ReadingShow less
Trump’s Proposed Visa Fee Threatens Seasonal Hospitality Workforce

Report: Trump visa fee sparks summer staffing fears

Summary:

  • Trump’s proposed $250 Visa Integrity Fee faces pushback from groups relying on seasonal J-1 workers from Latin America and Asia.
  • J-1 visa holders often work as housekeepers, amusement park staff, and lifeguards from pre-season through Labor Day; more than 300,000 use the visa annually.
  • DHS and the State Department have not clarified how the fee will be implemented or who qualifies for a refund.

A $250 VISA Integrity Fee in President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill is drawing criticism from groups that rely on seasonal workers from Latin America and Asia on J-1 and other visas, Newsweek reported. The organizations warn the cost, though sometimes refundable, could reduce the summer workforce that supports U.S. beach towns and resorts.

Keep ReadingShow less
Wyndham & Grubhub Offer Free Delivery to Guests & Staff

Wyndham, Grubhub offer free delivery to guests, staff

Summary:

  • Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is partnering with Grubhub to offer free product delivery to guests and staff at nearly 6,000 U.S. hotels across 20 brands.
  • A Grubhub account is required to activate the complimentary Grubhub+ membership; no credit card is needed and the membership does not auto-renew.
  • Wyndham recently deployed Elavon’s cloud payments interface to more than 6,000 U.S. and Canadian franchisees.

WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS and Grubhub, an online ordering and delivery platform, will offer item delivery to guests and staff with no delivery fees and other benefits. The service is available at nearly 6,000 U.S. hotels across 20 brands, with orders placed through the Grubhub app on-site or by scanning a hotel QR code.

Keep ReadingShow less
U.S. Hotel Construction Hits 20-Quarter Low in June

CoStar: Hotel construction drops in June

Summary:

  • U.S. hotel rooms under construction fell year over year for the sixth straight month in June, hitting a 20-quarter low, CoStar reported.
  • About 138,922 rooms were under construction, down 11.9 percent from June 2024; the luxury segment had 6,443 rooms, up 4.1 percent year over year.
  • Lodging Econometrics recently said Dallas led all U.S. markets in hotel construction pipelines at the end of the first quarter, with 203 projects and 24,496 rooms.

THE NUMBER OF U.S. hotel rooms under construction declined year over year for the sixth straight month in June, reaching a 20-quarter low, according to CoStar. Additionally, more than half of all rooms under development are in the South, mostly outside the top 25 markets.

Keep ReadingShow less
G6 Hospitality Launches 24/7 Guest Support From August 1
Photo credit: G6 Hospitality

G6 launching 24x7 guest support on Aug. 1

Summary:

  • G6 Hospitality will launch 24x7 guest support on Aug. 1, expanding the current 18-hour window.
  • Escalations from phone, email and social media will be handled promptly by trained staff.
  • The service supports G6’s tech and service investments, including the AI-powered My6 app.

G6 HOSPITALITY, PARENT of Motel 6 and Studio 6, will launch a 24x7 customer support service for guests starting Aug. 1. The service extends the previous 18-hour window to full-day availability via phone, email and social media.

Keep ReadingShow less