But these are afternoon rambles… thanks for your comments!

With the economy looking less like a V and more like a series of Ws or as some suggest, an L, IMHO hotels need to think about the best way to look at their operations to weather these challenging circumstances.

Up until now, the traditional operating dynamic had been between the cost of capital and the cost of labor. While I don’t have any data to back it up, if hoteliers are like other commercial real estate, they probably share a kind of witching hour in 2014, when things come due.

Sometimes knowing these deadlines are out there can bring a genuine sense of urgency into the process – not the herky-jerky kind of crisis mismanagement, but the clarity that comes from knowing what’s really important.

In the not-too-distant future, I suspect hoteliers will have to contend with higher taxes and inflation. I challenge hoteliers to think more about banding together in their efforts to lobby lawmakers. The industry needs initiatives like the Corporation for Travel Promotion, but it also cannot afford to pay more than its fair share of tax, either directly to the Federal government, or indirect taxes like the mandatory arbitration provision in the Employee Free Choice Act.

While all need to remain positive about the outlook, there must be a level of “community organizing” to ensure the hospitality industry is able to go forward on whatever passes for an even playing field.