In expectation of higher travel, hotels are adding extended-stay properties, work spaces, and social attractions. Precarious promise of travel: Still, despite an increased desire to hit the road, there are significant headwinds that could delay the travel recovery. Consumers are wary of inflation and have concerns about COVID-19.

As a post-pandemic era materializes, tech is still facing supply chain challenges just as other sectors like travel and hospitality are rebounding. At the same time, inflation is still steering people away from buying expensive tech products and toward cheaper grocery goods. For Big Tech, this translates into layoffs and hiring freezes as it’s forced to rein in excess growth. Startups aren’t immune.

On this episode of Brand Anatomy, where we get exclusive looks inside leading brands, Briefings director Jeremy Goldman sits down with Dorothy Dowling, CMO of Best Western, to discuss the changing needs of today’s travelers given rising inflation and pent-up post-pandemic demand, and the importance of loyalty programs to better serve customers.

That same month, Toast launched Toast for Hotel Restaurants to help hotels streamline guest restaurant ordering through integrations with their property management systems (PMS). And BentoBox competitor Olo introduced Olo Pay in February to streamline online ordering and payment for restaurants.

Hotels, for instance, may benefit from payment technology that integrates with property management systems—while hair salons may need checkout software that combines scheduling and payments. Offering tailored solutions lets providers broaden their market scope and build client loyalty.

Hotel. Consumers’ return to hotels offers co-brand programs an opportunity to tweak their value propositions to grow. Summer hotel stays are bouncing back, per June 2021 Skift analysis, foreshadowing ongoing growth in the market in the near term.

Prior to the pandemic, business travelers accounted for over 40% of spending on airfare and lodging, according to the US Travel Association. However, business travel had only reached about half its 2019 levels as of last year. That means the booming rebound has been overwhelmingly driven by leisure travelers.

Prior to the pandemic, business travelers accounted for over 40% of spending on airfare and lodging, according to the US Travel Association. However, business travel had only reached about half its 2019 levels as of last year. That means the booming rebound has been overwhelmingly driven by leisure travelers.

The trend: Roughly 30 million workers typically join the labor force over the summer for jobs in restaurants, stores, and hotels serving US consumers taking breaks from work and school. But with roughly two jobs available for every unemployed person in the US looking for work, the tight labor market is making it difficult for retailers and restaurants to add staff.

These enhancements let Block attract more restaurant clients and capture a larger share of the hospitality market: US food services and drinking place sales are expected to grow 14% year over year in 2022 and hit $929.79 billion, per Insider Intelligence forecasts.