Look into your crystal ball and describe how your industry will have changed by 2030: "In 25 years, I anticipate our customer base largely will be composed of the Millennial generation -- those individuals born in the 1980s and 1990s. In a recent survey, this group showed that they are very traditional in many ways and enjoy being close to their families.
"In the future, I also believe technology will change many services provided by our industry, particularly with regard to guest contact. Fully automated check-in and check-out services will be common, although properties such as ours as well as others in the luxury sector will continue to emphasize personalized interactions.
"Sophisticated in-room entertainment will encourage many guests to stay in their rooms for longer periods and enable business travelers to conduct much of their business from the comfort of their guest rooms. New electronic entertainment will rival, or surpass, technology that most people have in their homes."
What are the major challenges the industry will face in reaching its goals over the next 25 years? "As construction and real estate costs continue to climb dramatically, financing will be a challenge for many startup ventures in the industry. With the scarcity of available, undeveloped land, we also will be faced with striking the right balance between development and desert preservation.
"Additionally, in our seasonal industry here in the Valley, labor will be continue to be a challenge, with constantly fluctuating staffing levels because of the ebbs and flows of customer demand. And, as in other industries, providing affordable medical benefits for employees will be a struggle as health care costs increase exponentially."
Reality check: How do your hopes for the industry differ from a more practical vision of the future? "Hope: Technology will improve and enhance the services we are able to provide in the hospitality industry. Guest comfort in-room will be personalized and tailored to individual preferences.
"Reality: As technology becomes more advanced, the industry will have to keep pace, but also preserve the priceless, albeit intangible, power of face-to-face human interaction."
Scott White, executive vice president, Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau
Look into your crystal ball and describe how your industry will have changed by 2030: "By 2030, Phoenix will outgrow its reputation as a resort destination. The city will be one of the most recognizable in the world, falling in line with international icons such as New York, Chicago and San Francisco. Phoenix Civic Plaza will have just completed another expansion and have more than 1 million square feet of exhibit space. The convention center will attract more than 500,000 delegates a year, fueling a multi-million dollar economic engine for the city.
"Downtown Phoenix will have more than 7,000 hotel rooms. Arizona State University and the collaborative medical and bioscience campus will be expanding for the third time and have more than 20,000 students and faculty. Central Avenue will become the Michigan Avenue and Fifth Avenue of Phoenix, and will attract visitors from all over the world. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport will have direct non-stop flights to and from Hong Kong, Paris, Moscow, Berlin, Rome, Seoul, Beijing and Sao Paulo.
"The global world will experience sensory overload and the desire to attend conventions, go on vacations and escape home base will be even greater in 2030. People will want to meet in person, and the lure and aura of the magnificent desert Southwest will continue to draw millions and millions of people to greater Phoenix."
http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2006/01/02/focus5.html
