he 2018 Knowledge Sharing Summit & Marketplace in Norfolk, Virginia this past
February was a truly unforgettable
experience. From the informative and educational Spotlight Sessions and workshops, to the fun and exciting Marketplace Crawl and Shindig, this year’s Summit had something for everyone to enjoy! Follow us on a trip down memory lane as we recall all that the #AIHPSummit2018 had to offer our attendees.
On Saturday, February 24th, and Sunday, February 25th, the AIHP, Select Registry, and StayVA staff worked tirelessly to ensure that everything was ready to run smoothly throughout the week. Your AIHP Board met Saturday afternoon, prior to the Knowledge Sharing Summit, with a full agenda for discussion. The focus of the face-to face board meeting was to lay out the AIHP business plan for 2018. Rob shared some of those initiatives during the Annual Membership breakfast at Summit, but he will be sharing more information with the full membership in the coming days regarding AIHP’s 2018 initiatives and priorities. The Select Registry Membership Gathering and State Association Forums were held throughout the day on Sunday, and were a great chance for attendees to gather with friends and associates of our Partner associations.
The Allied Partner Spotlight Sessions kicked off Monday, February 26th. These Spotlight Sessions provided our Allied Partners the platform to speak directly to Summit guests about their unique products and services, and attendees were able to learn more about each of our Allied Partners before the hubbub of the Marketplace Crawl! This year, we were excited to present twenty-one Allied Partner Spotlight Sessions.
The long-awaited Marketplace Crawl began Monday afternoon in the Main Ballroom. What a fun time this was! Each Allied Partner booth provided tickets for tastings of local Virginian wines and beers for visitors, and attendees were able to mingle with friends, relax with a drink, and find out about how the Allied Partner services and products could improve business, provide comfort, or boost productivity at their property. The Marketplace, consisting of fifty-seven great companies and over 130 company representatives, remained open for the rest of the Summit, and was the go-to place for browsing, shopping, and making industry connections.
Emily Spiers of AIHP recalls the satisfaction in witnessing the buzz of excitement and the sharing of goods, services, ideas, knowledge, and conversation flowing freely at the Marketplace. “It was a live entity . . . It had energy and movement. The innkeepers were excited to see the new companies we brought in, and the Allied Partners were excited to see the masses of innkeepers! Old friends seeing each other again, and new friends meeting for the first time in person, with a common bond: hospitality. We are all bound by one thread, and that’s the thread of a healthy industry.”
After the Welcome and Opening General Session (crashed by none other than Virginia-native and former President James Madison) on Tuesday, February 27th, we were excited to check out “Passion Projects Brought to Life: Four Talks to Spark Inspiration.” These TED Talk-style speakers, including Trishula Oswald, Florent Sciberras, Christian Williams, and Nikki Harth, spoke on various topics and inspired the attendees to recognize and ignite their own passion in hospitality.
Inspired and freshly-fueled by the “Passion” talks, Summit attendees were ready to jump into the workshop sessions! With three to four workshops taking place concurrently throughout the day, it was important for attendees to narrow down which sessions would be most helpful and relevant to their innkeeping needs. Attendees who wanted to focus on increasing Heads in Beds could attend a number of educational workshops, including “Ten Steps to a Successful Digital Marketing Plan” (White Stone Marketing) or “Five Ways to Compete for Mobile-Centric Guests” (Innkeeper’s Advantage). Attendees hoping to learn more about running the Back of the House could attend “Credit Card Processing” (Wise Merchant Solutions) or “Innkeeper Liability: The Evolution of Guest Safety” (Robert Goss, Inn at Monticello, Attorney). For our Aspiring Innkeepers, we were thrilled to offer a variety of informative workshops, including “A Beginner’s Guide to the New Inn Owners Online Presence” (Acorn Internet Services, Inc.; InsideOut Solutions; White Stone Marketing). With so many great sessions to choose from, everyone had a wonderful time learning and sharing important industry knowledge.
Tuesday evening, after the Future AIHP Leaders Gathering, we were excited to premier a fun new way to attend a particular small-group session — over a delicious Norfolk meal! Called Brain Food, this event allowed Summit attendees to choose from a list of given topics, such as “All Things Food,” “Family-Run Properties,” and “Accounting, Books, Financial, & Money,” just to name a few, and join the topic’s group at a delicious Norfolk restaurant within a four-block walk of Hilton Norfolk | The Main. This was an amazing opportunity to make new connections, discuss a given industry topic at length over dinner, and discover why Norfolk, Virginia is a sizzling culinary destination!
Wednesday, February 28th, kicked off with the StayVA Annual Meeting & Member Breakfast and more insightful workshop sessions, including “The Science and Art of Quality Coffee” (Standing Stone Coffee Company), “Ten Steps to Making Google Happy and Improving Your Revenue” (Acorn Internet Services), and “Marketing for the New Innkeeper” (Bushnell & Bushnell Services, Inc.; BandBFinder.com). Later in the afternoon, Summit Keynote Speaker Jeff Fromm, author of Marketing to Millennials and Millenials with Kids, gave a presentation on “The Financial Impact of Millennial Influence on Travel” and “How to Win with Modern Consumers.” Fromm, also known as the “Millennial Marketing Guy,” shared important research from his top-selling books and highlighted what he considered to be the best practices in the market today from companies forming brand engagements that are winning with Millennials.
On Wednesday night, Summit attendees enjoyed the event that everyone was waiting for — Shindig! We enjoyed a delicious dinner featuring Virginia victuals, and The Bellevue Rhythmaires put on an amazing show. We are so appreciative of all those who donated items for both our Silent and Live Auctions, and a very big thank you to those who bid on the items at Shindig! The monies raised will support AIHP's strategic plan and our B&B's for Vets program that we host each Fall. We raised $7,596 through the Silent Auction and $34,500 for the Live Auction. Thank you for your support, and a special thanks to Linda Hayes, ijk Partners, and her team for all of their hard work.
Thursday, March 1st, was the final day of the Summit. Attendees made the rounds of the final workshop sessions, including a discussion regarding an important industry study. Rob Fulton and Janice Hurly with BedandBreakfast.com were pleased to present some of the findings from a recently-completed study conducted by Phocuswright regarding how travelers, suppliers, and intermediaries connect. Sponsored by BedandBreakfast.com/HomeAway and AIHP, the research positions Bed and Breakfasts as a legitimate sector of the broader lodging marketplace, and the data describes the digital shift occurring in B&B’s, both on the consumer and operator side, and assesses the importance of B&B’s to various travel segments with a focus on the Millennial traveler. The research also defines key trends and identifies opportunities for growth. The study will be shared with the industry in the coming days, so look for more details.
AIHP was pleased to be able to be a sponsor of the study to support the need for critical research for the independent hospitality industry. Please consider making a contribution to our AIHP Go Fund Me Page, established to support our efforts to raise funds for industry research.
The 2018 Knowledge Sharing Summit & Marketplace ended with a bang at the “It’s a Wrap!” Luncheon and Awards Ceremony. Kathryn Bundy, Owner of the Foxfield Inn, received the Chair of the Board Award. It is the third time a person has been recognized with this special award.
Two newly established awards are the Founders Award and The Voice of Innkeeping Award. Dee Fegan, Owner of 30 Timber Road Bed & Breakfast, and Cape May Historic Accommodations were presented with the Founders Awards, and Steve Hiatt, owner of the Bottger Mansion of Old Town, was recognized with The Voice of Innkeeping Award.
(Winners from top left: Kathryn Bundy, Cape May Historic Accommodations, Dee Fegan, Steve Hiatt)
This year’s Summit was one of the absolute best ever! We at AIHP are so grateful to our amazing members and Allied Partners who helped to make this event the amazing success that it was. Now it’s time to get ready to join us for next year’s Summit in sunny Cincinnati, Ohio! See you there!
INN SUCCESS
Knowledge Sharing Summit & Marketplace
The Best Summit Ever!
2018
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