NEW YORK? Just as the 21st annual NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference has relocated to a bigger site this year, moving from the Waldorf-Astoria to the Marriott Marquis in the heart of Times Square, its expanded program will focus on the big picture within the hotel industry. The conference features a wide array of speakers and presentations. Jonathan Tisch, conference chair and president/CEO of Loews Hotels, said that this year?s conference, which will be held June 6 through 8, will be ?not just 48 hours in New York City, but 48 hours of learning.??We think that as we change venues for the first time in two decades, we?ll use this conference as a time to reflect on the industry and all we?ve accomplished over the last several years and look forward to the next millennium,? Tisch said. ?There will be a whole host of general breakout sessions which will allow people to understand the current state of the industry and gather information.? The 13-person executive planning committee put together a program that addresses important industry issues and trends along with aspects of operations, according to Tisch. Technology, Wall Street?s perception of the hotel industry, and employment quality and quantity will be among the subjects highlighted at the conference. Variety Of Workshops In addition to a CEO Q&A session, many workshops will be presented including: ?It?s 1999? Is The Industry On The Decline??, ?To Develop Or Not To Develop??, ?Trends In Public Hotel Company Structures: REIT Or Wrong??, ?The Anatomy Of A Deal,? ?Revenue Management: Growing The Bottom Line,? and ?Owners Are From Mars, Operators Are From Venus.? Lalia Rach, associate dean and director of NYU?s Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Travel Administration, expects the vibes at this year?s conference to be different from last year. ?We?re not as euphoric as we were a year ago. We?re more realistic. I think (the participants) want to be optimistic.They?re uncertain about how optimistic they should be.? Compared to last year, 1999 has not been a year marked by great extremes or change within the hotel industry. Rach pointed out that while occupancy has softened, ADR and RevPar have increased and the ?industry is getting more comfortable with the structural changes that have occurred.? Both Tisch and Rach expect much of the buzz at this year?s event to center around the dynamics between industry players. They expect to hear such questions as, Who?s going to buy whom?, Who will the powerhouses be?, What is the state of the REITs?, as well as much discussion about globalization. The conference will feature the presentation of several awards including Lodging Hospitality?s Stephen W. Brener Silver Plate Award, which will be given to Joseph McInerney, CEO of Pacific Asia Travel Association, on June 7. The IREFAC C. Everett Johnson Award will be presented to J.W. Marriott, chairman of the board/CEO of Marriott International on June 8. Patron and sponsor scholarship awards will also be presented. Robert Pittman, president/ CEO of America Online, and NBC anchor and managing editor Tom Brokaw will deliver this year?s luncheon addresses.
