Author: Duk Kim, Global Hospitality Leader

From retail-infused brands to Airbnb, the hospitality industry has seen its share of disruptors over the last several decades. These disruptors have been relatively gradual and allowed time for the savvy hotel brands to anticipate and react to change. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, arrived suddenly resulting in the abrupt shutdown of the entire industry. Brands and hotel owners were left scrambling to figure out how to react and strategize their next moves. Some hotels are taking a wait-and-see approach while others are implementing measures so that they can open as anticipated.