Industry Luminaries Share Insight Into Latest Hospitality Trends and 2017 Forecasts

Industry Luminaries Share Insight Into Latest Hospitality Trends and 2017 Forecasts
at BLLA Annual Leadership Symposium;

2016 Boutique Hospitality Awards Announced

BLLA Connects almost 300 Hospitality Heavy Hitters and Leading Elite Travel Advisors
for Three-Day Symposium in LA

Los Angeles (November 1, 2016) – Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association (BLLA) successfully closed its 2016 Annual Leadership Symposium held at the new Luskin Conference Center last Wednesday October 26.  The three-day event embraced industry leaders and successors worldwide encompassing boutique hoteliers and industry’s most sought-after vendors and media partners. The conference debuted the first-ever collaborative educational day together with UCLA Extension with a program aimed to cultivate the exclusive, authentic boutique and lifestyle industry, and also announced the winners of the annual BLLA industry awards.

With discussions from over 75 speakers, the conference revealed key industry trends and industry predications for the year ahead. Additionally, BLLA partnered with CBRE to create a standout official report for the world’s upscale boutique and lifestyle space providing an in-depth industry analysis and key statistics through 2017. This backed up many of the panel discussions that furthered the industry growth and performance, especially in the Airbnb segment, ensuring boutique hotels are performing at ever-increasing occupancy levels, with record-high gross operating profits to be achieved through 2017. Nashville, Los Angeles and Louisville are predicted to be the three top expanding markets at current.

Modern day wellness and eco and the Five Senses for Hotel Design were hot topics discussed at the conference and labeled as emerging trends and essential for the industry, providing an analysis of the necessities needed within the market today. Authentic experiences are a must for guests, and hoteliers are taking strategic approaches to ensure the industry is growing to the needs of their target consumers and staying ahead of industry competitors such as Airbnb.

"It was an honor to welcome some incredible speakers to this year’s annual leadership conference. We are continuously connecting industry leaders to discerning travelers and experts worldwide and pride ourselves as being the official association for the boutique and lifestyle hospitality space", said BLLA Founder and CEO Frances Kiradjian. "This year we added something to our conference that is an industry first – we provided a scholar program in partnership with UCLA to encourage education within the boutique and lifestyle space which proved an utter success". 

During the symposium, BLLA hosted a jubilant awards gala at The Beverly Hills Hotel, honoring some of the most admired talent across the hospitality industry. The 2016 Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association Award recipients are;

LIFESTYLE HOTEL OF THE YEAR
1 Hotel Central ParkԻ
New York, NY

BOUTIQUE HOTEL OF THE YEAR
Hotel Vandivort
Springfield, MOԻ

HOTEL RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Compère Lapin (@ The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery)
New Orleans, LA

HOTELIER OF THE YEAR
Henry Kallan, President & Owner
The Library Hotel Collection (LHC)

PERSON OF THE YEAR
Xavier A. Ramirez, Owner
Playa El Combate, Puerto Rico

BLLA SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR
Mark & Amber Natale
Smarthinking Inc.

BLLA BOARD MEMBER OF THE YEAR
Paula A. Argento, Esq., Argento Venture Group
BLLA Co-Chair

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About the Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association (BLLA)
The world’s most innovative and progressive organization dedicated to the luxury independent boutique lodging and lifestyle industries. The association connects the world’s most dynamic executives with cutting edge business and operational insight. BLLA’s membership benefits allow access to the world’s leading minds in the space through events, research and education. Our mission is to provide leadership and opportunities for global recognition and connections to the world’s best hotels, vendors and manufacturers. All resulting in strategic interactions and access to information that helps people and organizations thrive. Join the movement that BLLA gave birth to in 2009 and become a part of something that is truly unique, exciting and inspirational. www.blla.org

Contact: Ariana Squillacciotti
J Public Relations
[email protected]
Tel: +1 212 924 3600