How First Hospitality Plans for 2026 | David Duncan & Marissa Ballan

Margin pressure. Rate uncertainty. Shifting investor expectations. Welcome to 2026 planning season. During The Lodging Conference, I spoke with David Duncan, President & CEO of First Hospitality, and Marissa Ballan, Chief Investment Officer, about how their team approaches the next phase of the hotel cycle — with discipline, data, and confidence. Here’s what stood out: 👉 First Hospitality has spent months renegotiating contracts and sharpening cost control to offset margin compression. 👉 The company’s revenue management and analytics platform helped 76% of its hotels grow share last month—even longtime assets. 👉 Investors see 2025–2026 as a transition period, with falling rates expected to unlock real opportunity in Q1. 👉 Marissa’s focus: expanding capital partnerships and attracting institutional investors to fuel growth. 👉 David’s focus: building culture through authentic service, not scripted soundbites. They summed it up perfectly: Control what you can. Focus on people. Build transparency and trust. 🙏 Thanks to our friends at Entegra, the world’s leading group purchasing organization. Tap into GPO power to save money and strengthen operations at EntegraPS.com.

Technology shapes the industry — but humanity defines it. At The Lodging Conference, I spoke with Eric Rubino and Ryan Alpert of Extreme Hospitality about how hotel leaders can balance technology, fundamentals, and human connection to stay grounded in an unpredictable market. Here’s what stood out: 👉 Deals are harder to pencil out, so success depends on discipline and daily fundamentals. 👉 Conferences like this one help leaders share ideas, gauge sentiment, and stay realistic—not overconfident or pessimistic. 👉 Great hotel companies use tech to empower people, not replace them. Data informs decisions, but heart drives hospitality. 👉 Extreme Hospitality invests in training and empowerment, teaching rising leaders how to think critically and act confidently, not just follow a playbook. 👉 Guests still crave authentic experiences and human connection—and that’s what keeps hotels from becoming commodities. As Eric said: “We’re not in the business of just selling a room. We’re in the business of delivering an experience.” 🙏 Thanks to our friends at Unifocus—technology that drives value for hotels. Learn how they help operators improve labor efficiency and guest satisfaction at Unifocus.com.

Hospitality pros are feeling the headwinds — but also something else: cautious optimism. For #NoVacancyNews I spoke with Brittney Jones of Brittain Hotels & Resorts to find out what owners are really thinking. From interest rate shifts to #hotel brand reinventions to economic headwinds, we get into the mindset behind the moves. We discuss the emotional fatigue that’s driving hope, the surge in independent hotel strategies, and why experiential travel isn’t just a buzzword — it’s the new baseline. If you’re navigating Q4 with grit and strategy, this one’s for you. 💡 Special thanks to my friends at Entegra — if you're still overpaying, you're doing it wrong. Visit Entegraps.com and get serious about saving. 🎧 Key takeaways: Brittney says owners are cautiously optimistic about Q4 and 2026 Emotional exhaustion is fueling a desire for momentum New brand launches are leaning into memory-making over material perks #Independenthotels are gaining traction — and major brands are watching Brittney shares how Brittain Hotels is adapting to the shift I remind us: if we survived COVID, we can handle anything

Budget season feels tighter—and more uncertain—than ever. At The Lodging Conference, I spoke with Joseph Bojanowski, President of PM Hotel Group, about how he’s tackling budgeting, inflation, and a confusing economic outlook heading into next year.   Here’s what stood out: 👉 Hotels can’t control government shutdowns, tariffs, or global politics—but they can control performance delivery. 👉 Joseph’s team focuses on guest experience and value—if the stay feels worth more, guests are willing to pay more. 👉 Group business shows real strength, with Q1 and Q2 bookings up 107% year over year, driven by strong event demand. 👉 Even as uncertainty grows, consumer travel remains resilient, especially across leisure and group segments. 👉 The path forward? Focus internally—on what you can control, and make every guest interaction count. Joseph summed it up perfectly: “Performance, performance, performance.”   🙏 Thanks to Unifocus , the leader in workforce optimization and labor management technology. They help hotels boost productivity and employee engagement while improving the guest experience. Learn more at Unifocus.com .

Leading a new company doesn’t start with a strategy—it starts with trust. At The Lodging Conference, I spoke with Ben Perelmuter, President & CEO of Remington Hospitality, about how he’s shaping the company’s culture, building his leadership team, and staying focused on what matters most: property performance. Here’s what stood out: 👉 Trust takes time. Ben already knew many on his team, which gave him credibility on day one—but he knows leadership means earning it every day. 👉 He built his executive foundation fast, hiring Jason Krull as COO and Corey Chambers to lead revenue and sales—two people he’s worked with before and deeply trusts. 👉 Their chemistry creates a “one plus one equals three” effect—moving faster because they share shorthand and alignment. 👉 With RevPAR growth slowing and cost pressures rising, Remington focuses on execution, group business, and performance at the property level. Ben’s philosophy is simple: focus on the fundamentals, hire people you trust, and build from the ground up—one brick at a time. 🔗 Watch the full conversation: [Insert link] 🙏 Thanks to Entegra, the leading group purchasing organization helping hotels save money and strengthen operations. Learn more at EntegraPS.com.

We gave control of our hotel inventory away once before. Let’s not do it again. At The Lodging Conference, I spoke with Jeff Wagoner, President and CEO of OUTRIGGER Hospitality Group for hashtag#NoVacancyNews, about how hashtag#AI is reshaping hotel search, discovery, and distribution — and what hoteliers must do to stay in control this time. Jeff drew a clear line between the post-9/11 OTA era and what’s happening now with generative AI. Back then, the industry leaned on online travel agencies for visibility and lost direct connections with guests. Today, agentic AI tools like ChatGPT could either hand that power back to hotels—or repeat the same mistake. Here’s what Jeff shared: 👉 AI isn’t just about asking questions—it’s about how search renders your brand in a conversational environment. 👉 Hotels must feed accurate, high-quality data into AI systems to ensure they show up first. 👉 Understanding geo-based and algorithmic search will soon matter as much as SEO once did. 👉 Operators that invest early will save on distribution costs and regain control of guest relationships. Jeff’s message was clear: The AI era is another inflection point for hashtag#hospitality. Get educated now — or risk falling behind. Thanks to our friends at Unifocus for sponsoring this video. Unifocus , technology that drives value, visit them at Unifocus.com

Tonight we have David Bowman, EVP at NewGen Advisory is here to advise Glenn, Craig, Producer Dave and Doctor Producer Suzanne on how not to screw up a happy hour podcast. Our guess: It doesn't work.

Hotel owners lose money every day on purchasing inefficiencies. AI can change that. On No Vacancy Live, I spoke with Charles Oswald, CEO of Aperture Hotels, and Ryan Zaucha, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Reeco, about how technology transforms purchasing into profit. Here’s what we uncovered: 👉 Tariffs and supply chain shifts push costs higher—but AI can build the optimal purchasing basket in real time 👉 Reeco’s platform breaks down silos between GPOs, broadliners, and direct agreements to deliver live data, not outdated quarterly reports 👉 Pre-coded invoices and allocations save GMs 8–10 hours a week, freeing them to focus on guests instead of paperwork 👉 Even small items matter—one hotel saved $5,000 a year on cranberry juice just by following optimal purchase guidance Charles and Ryan showed how hoteliers can hit the “easy button” for purchasing while gaining visibility, compliance, and serious savings. 🔗 Watch the full episode: [Insert link] 🌐 Learn more about Reeco: www.reeco.com 🌐 Learn more about Aperture Hotels: www.aperturehotels.com

Labor shortages are hitting #hospitality kitchens hard—and it’s not just about headcount. For this #NoVacancyNews, I talk with Franke Jones, senior culinary consultant at Food Buy, about how aging kitchen teams and lack of incoming talent are creating a slow-motion crisis. We break down actionable strategies to help short-staffed kitchens stay productive: • Smart procurement to reduce prep time • Menu rationalization for better cross-utilization  • Streamlining SOPs across outlets • Chef-led consulting that actually understands your pain points If you’re running a resort, #hotel, or restaurant and feeling the #labor squeeze, this episode is your playbook for doing more with less—without burning out your team.  🔔 Subscribe for more hospitality insights and real-world solutions.

McKibbon Hospitality celebrates 100 years in business—and President Bruce Baerwalde joined hosts Glenn Haussman and Dr. Suzanne Bagnera on No Vacancy Live to share how the company continues to thrive. In this episode: ✔️ How McKibbon grew from operating Piggly Wiggly grocery stores to nearly 100 hotels ✔️ Why a culture of trust and “family” keeps associates engaged for decades  ✔️ The strategy behind dual-branded hotels and Florida growth markets  ✔️ The role of #extendedstay in the development pipeline ✔️ How McKibbon invests in innovation and prepares for its next century Bruce’s 30-year career with McKibbon highlights the power of culture, consistency, and visionary leadership in #hospitality.  🙏 Sponsored by Actabl — benchmark your performance this budget season at HotelData.com .  👍 Like, share, and subscribe for more insights into #hotelculture, #extendedstay, and hospitality leadership.