The BLLA Events Team sits down with Amit Patel, Business Line Manager, Hospitality at Corporate Spending Innovations, as he prepares to attend the 2023 Boutique Hotel Investment Conference on June 7-8.
BLLA: What are you hoping to get out of your participation in the Boutique Hotel Investment Conference?
AP: Our participation in this conference will help provide insight on where boutique organizations see growth opportunities around destination, experience, and services; as well as see how organizations streamline internal processes to continue to support higher guest engagement.
BLLA: How did you come to enter the hospitality industry?
AP: I entered the hospitality industry as a front-line worker over 20 years ago, which led into manager positions with brands like Marriott, Hilton, and IHG. I transitioned to corporate oversight and executive roles within hospitality management organizations over the past decade but still stay very close to my operational roots.
BLLA: What is the mission statement of your company?
AP: Our mission is to help hotel organizations simplify the complexity of managing vendor payments across multiple properties, digitize back-office accounting processes to eliminate fraud, monetize vendor relationships through automation, and create time and revenue to support the guest experience.
BLLA: What does boutique mean to you?
AP: Boutique means crafting a unique, non-standardized experience stylized to a specific lifestyle theme with an individualized personal approach to service.
BLLA: What are the top three trends that you see in the boutique hotel investment space?
AP: I see high design/decor factors continuing to shape the market. Boutique hotels will also trend toward more unique locales or niche markets. Additionally, technology will play a more significant role in delivering more upscale personalized services to capture and build the guest experience.
BLLA: Why do you believe boutique hotels are a good investment?
AP: Travelers continue to look for new experiences in destination locations, or themed experiences in more local areas. As family/work balance continues to be a priority, travelers will value personalized unique experiences more than standardized services, which will drive demand and increase margins for organizations willing to cater to those individuals.