by Kevin Gaffney
NEW YORK, N.Y. – There’s no doubt that the hotel industry has changed a lot since I earned my Hospitality Management degree. Intuitive digital platforms make for intense competition unlike anything we’ve ever seen. The staggering implications of the Internet are still being sorted, adapted, and occasionally fought in the hospitality world.
Trade shows have adapted to a digital world with displays, networking, and experiences that must be visited in-person to be fully appreciated. As society continues to focus on experiences over objects, hotels are well poised to capitalize on what is regarded by many as a key experience—travel.
As you ponder whether to travel to New York for HX: The Hotel Experience Powered by AAHOA, think of your guests who have made the decision to travel to your hotel. They have plenty of digital options, but they have chosen an in-person visit.
You too have many educational and experiential options, but you know better than most that there’s no substitute for being there. You’ve heard a lot about the Foodservice Pioneering Concept, and now it’s your turn to see it, feel it, and walk around it.
You know that a firm handshake with exhibitors, some familiar and some new, is a great way to start a friendship and business relationship. Chatting up colleagues in the halls, grilling experts during educational sessions, and socializing after the show are all invaluable.
HX is the one place where your people are everywhere. They know your triumphs and headaches. They know your successes and failures. They can help and they want to help, but you need to take that step and register for what is sure to be an exciting show during exciting times. I look forward to seeing you there.
Kevin Gaffney is group show director for HX: The Hotel Experience Powered by AAHOA, scheduled for Nov 10-11, 2019, at the Javits Center in New York.