Leadership Luncheon- Economic Impact of The Hospitality Industry

The Economic Impact of the Hospitality Industry and How to Lead When Everyone Has Left the Building
No other industry was hit as hard as the hospitality industry during the Covid pandemic.  An estimated $111.8 billion in room revenue was lost nationwide in the first two years.  Hotels are not meant to close - ever.  Yet, in this 24/7 profession, many hotels were forced to close their doors for extended periods of time.  Staff, who left to find steady employment elsewhere, are now reluctant to return.  Banks that had been flexible with the hotels over the worst of the pandemic are now expecting their mortgage payments.  Inflation is driving up the costs of food and beverage prices and supply chain issues are delaying any building materials needed to maintain the hotel itself.
In this session, Larson will discuss the economic impact of the hospitality industry to the regional economy and how to lead when both the staff and the customers are nowhere to be found.


Heather Larson is a seasoned hospitality leader with several years of sales management experience at a number of upscale Chicago hotels including the Allegro Hotel, WhiteHall Hotel, Drake Hotel and the Fairmont Hotel.  She joined the team at Meet Chicago Northwest in 2010 as a Sales Manager.  She quickly became Director of Sales and in June 2021 she was named President and CEO.  Heather also sits on the Board of Directors of the Schaumburg Business Association and is current Chairman of the Board for the International Association of Exhibitions and Events Midwest Chapter.  She is also a mayoral appointee to the Arlington Heights Economic Alliance, Rolling Meadows Economic Development Commission and the Schaumburg Business Development Commission.  In the past, she has served on the board for both Meeting Professionals International and Hospitality Sales and Marketing International.  She is a recent empty nester, living in the northwest suburbs with her husband of 23 years.  She has two children away at university.