What's New in Event Venues: The Election's Impact on Hospitality, a New Wellness Certification, and More

In Case You Missed It

It's that time again: BizBash has been rounding up the latest and greatest event-friendly venues throughout the country. Check out our features on new and renovated venues in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston/San Antonio, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami/South Florida, Nashville, New York, Orlando/Central Florida, Phoenix/Scottsdale, San Francisco/Northern California, and Seattle—with more to come.

We also shared a case study of how Brooklyn venue Industry City saved CJ Hendry's viral art installation when it had to find a new location overnight. "The expectations that we have set up here at Industry City is that we can do these things right," said managing director Jim Somoza in a recent interview with BizBash. Check out the inspiring story of how the team pivoted venues—and even boroughs!—in less than 12 hours.

Here are six more things to know this month... 

1. The hospitality industry is reacting to a second Trump term.

As soon as it became clear President Donald Trump had won a second term last week, leaders in the hospitality industry rushed to congratulate him. "AHLA looks forward to working with the Trump-Vance administration and lawmakers of both parties at every level of government to keep the hotel industry—and the many thousands of small businesses and employees that power it—moving forward," said American Hotel & Lodging Association interim President and CEO Kevin Carey.

“As we embark on a mega-decade of sports—including the World Cup and Summer and Winter Olympics—a tremendous opportunity is ahead to maximize the competitive strength of the United States as a travel destination,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman. “We stand ready to work with the new administration to realize America’s full potential.”

President-elect Trump's proposed tax cuts and pro-business economic policies may be advantageous for the hospitality sector, reports Yahoo Finance, along with lower corporate taxes and a continued push for deregulation. The administration's focus on infrastructure, including improvements to airports, roadways, and public transportation systems, may also help. However, a rollback on environmental initiatives along with restrictive visa policies from certain countries may have an impact on tourism numbers.

"This aspect of Trump’s presidency could return in his second term, potentially impacting U.S. tourism numbers. Policies like the 'travel ban' from his first term could be reinstated, which may cause uncertainty in the international travel sector," Yahoo Finance reports. "Changes to visa policies, increased security measures, and a greater emphasis on immigration scrutiny could lead to a more selective flow of international tourists, which would particularly affect hotels relying on long-haul visitors from regions such as the Middle East and Africa." Check out the full story here.

2. There's a new wellness certification for hotels and resorts.

This fall, Wellness in Travel & Tourism (WITT) has launched the hospitality industry's first wellness certification for hotels and resorts, aiming to set a new benchmark in wellness travel. Leveraging over 125 years of combined expertise, WITT’s 100-point certification evaluates properties based on five core pillars—healthy eating, holistic healing, nature, movement, and local impact—offering a distinctive standard for wellness accommodations. In addition to certification, WITT provides consulting, expert guidance, and marketing support to help properties enhance their wellness offerings. 

“The 'WITT Certified' seal provides hotels and resorts with a significant advantage in attracting travelers by offering objective and rigorous audits of their wellness amenities and services,” said Robin Ruiz, WITT's CEO and founder. "Think of us as the Michelin Guide for wellness travel. Our forthcoming consumer-facing website will provide travelers the ability to explore WITT Certified hotels, articles, and destination spotlights, empowering them to travel confidently knowing that their expectations and preferences will be met.” Aman New York is one of 100 properties to receive the wellness certification so far. Open since 2022, the luxury property boasts a 25,000-square-foot spa and wellness center.Photo: Courtesy of Aman New York

3. New York magazine got an undercover hotel inspector to spill their secrets.

Ever wonder what it’s like to be an undercover hotel inspector? New York magazine recently chatted with an anonymous inspector for the Forbes Travel Guide, who shared what goes into an inspection, the main things they look for, reliable signs of a top-notch property, and more. “A hotel that stands out is all about consistency and hypersensitivity to detail,” said the inspector in the interview. “Is the lobby arranged so it’s inviting and encourages you to linger? Or are the first things you see fingerprints on a door or chips in the baseboards? Are there papers everywhere on the front desk that can be seen, or is it meticulous? One thing we always look for is a true sense of place. If you walk into a hotel in Hawaii, for example, and it looks like you could be in Dallas, it doesn’t have that.” Check out the full interview here.

4. This Hawaii hotel is a model of forward-thinking sustainability practices.

Looking to host an eco-friendly meeting or corporate retreat? A standout option is Hawaii's Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, a 605-room resort located on 50 oceanfront acres overlooking Keoneloa Bay. One of the resort’s most notable eco-friendly features is a 3,000-square-foot hydroponic garden (pictured below); each week, the former tennis court-turned-lettuce farm produces 400 to 600 pounds of lettuce, microgreens, and herbs that are used for events and in each of the property’s on-site restaurants. Additionally, each guest receives a plastic-free aluminum water bottle upon check-in—which helps to keep 600,000 individual-use water bottles from landfills each year—and 30% to 60% of the hotel's waste is diverted from landfills, wet waste from kitchens is given to local pig farmers for feed, and 100% of green waste is utilized for compost.

The resort also features an 18,500-square-foot solar photovoltaic system and 60,000 square feet of grass-covered roofs to reduce cooling needs and energy use. Any heat that is produced by air conditioning is converted to heating the hotel’s swimming pools to reuse the additional energy. Additionally, the resort is home to a full-service business center where groups can print, make copies, or produce banners and posters to help reduce the need for shipping, further helping to reduce the carbon footprint of the event. “We are dedicated to preserving the natural paradise of the Garden Island by offering several eco-friendly initiatives for our group guests,” said Michael Murphy, general manager of Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa. “When planners book a meeting at our resort, they have access to an incredible team of event experts who work with them to find ways to further reduce the carbon footprint of their event.”Photo: Courtesy of Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa

5. A tech platform is offering instant access to venues' eco-certification data.

In other eco-friendly venue news, BeCause, a Danish sustainability data platform, has partnered with the Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement) to give tourism organizations instant access to eco-certification data for hotels, restaurants, and attractions. This partnership enables destination management organizations to easily monitor and verify sustainable practices across their region, allowing for data-driven decisions and improved strategies against greenwashing. By connecting with over 70 eco-certification bodies, BeCause streamlines data for destinations like VisitEngland, empowering them to meet the rising demand for sustainable travel options with reliable, real-time insights.

"In today's always-on and information-hungry world, VisitEngland recognizes the need to ensure our destinations have access to data that is both trustworthy and accurate. VisitEngland is working with BeCause to ensure access to their platform can help England's tourism industry meet the growing demands of visitors seeking environmentally responsible experiences, from which attraction to check out and which destination to discover to where best to stay to suit their needs," said Andrew Stokes, director of VisitEngland, the first destination to pilot the BeCause-powered data hub. 

6. Asheville, N.C., is working to regain tourism.

Over a month after Hurricane Helene ravaged the area, Asheville, N.C., and its popular Biltmore event venue are starting to reopen as the region hopes to regain tourism, which accounts for 14% of private employment in the area. The New York Times reports that about 1.3 million visitors come to the Biltmore, an 1895 mansion, each year. The property's main house, two hotels, and winery saw little damage from the hurricane, but the property—along with nearby breweries, bars, and restaurants—has seen sparse visitor traffic. 

"Asheville’s immediate problem is the havoc Helene wreaked on its water system," writes The Times. "Water resumed flowing through system pipes in mid-October, but because Helene stirred up so much sediment in the system’s main reservoir, that water is unsafe to drink without boiling. City officials decline to say when that will change. 'Potable water is the holy grail,' said Vic Isley, president and chief executive of the Explore Asheville tourism bureau. Some hotels and restaurants are trucking in clean water, she said. Others have stayed closed instead." Check out the full story here.