Jonathan Tisch, CEO of Loews Hotels, offers industry advice
Jonathan Tisch is well-known as a top meetings industry leader and CEO of Loews Hotels, which owns and/or operates 17 hotels and resorts in the U.S. and Canada.
Now his name is worth even more to meeting professionals who simply say, “Jon sent me” when calling any Loews Hotel and booking business by December 31, 2009. Through the Loews “Flexible Meetings” program, planners can negotiate competitive rates and get an additional 10 percent of the total room revenue in value-added savings from a range of services. These include food and beverage, audio-visual, health spas, business centers, meetings internet packages, airport transportation, VIP amenities, and more.
But there’s much more to Jonathan Tisch than just a ticket to excellent discounts. Besides his leadership of Loews Hotels and his role as Co-Chairman of the Board and a member of the Office of the President of Loews Corporation, the hotel chain’s parent company and one of the largest diversified financial holding companies in the United States, he is Chairman Emeritus of the United States Travel Association, a Trustee of Tufts University, Treasurer of the New York Giants Football Team, and a Board Member of the Tribeca Film Institute.
He’s also a prolific author, having written the Wall Street Journal besteller The Power of We: Succeeding through Partnerships and Chocolates on the Pillow Aren’t Enough: Reinventing the Customer Service Experience.
ConventionPlanit.com sat down with Tisch at the 2009 ASAE Annual Meeting to talk about some of his many ventures and his views on the meetings industry.
What’s new with Loews? Tell us about the new Loews Atlanta Hotel scheduled to open next year.
The Loews Atlanta will be our 19th hotel, scheduled to open April 10, 2009 in the midtown section of Atlanta called 12th and Peachtree. It is a great opportunity in this current environment because it provides real value, and at Loews we think value is the new luxury. This new property and other Loews Hotels can help meeting professionals get to destinations they may not have thought about or thought possible. It is important for us to help planners understand their opportunities and instead of cancelling meetings to have meetings that are affordable.
You were part of a group of top travel and meeting executives who met with President Obama in March about how the industry can help the economy. What are your impressions of the President and his commitment to supporting the industry?
We were quite surprised as the President spent as much time as he did with us – 30 minutes. We discussed what our industry means in terms of jobs, revenue, and tax dollars to so many destinations. This meeting took place at a time when meetings were being demonized. But when the President took the initiative to meet with us it showed that this administration has as open ear.
How do you see the recovery of the meetings and travel industry unfolding during the coming months?
CEOs and executive directors are taking their cues from the consumer, and the consumer is still under tremendous pressure so there is a lag to the recovery. It may take another six months or more – if you look at other recessions it generally takes six months for a recovery to take hold.
Tell us about your “Beyond the Boardroom” program that you host on Plum TV.
It is the only show on television where CEOs are interviewed by another CEO. We learn how these captains of industry started their careers and achieved success. I’ve dealt with the same issues, so that it a unique aspect of the show – peer to peer discussions. The program currently airs in eight markets on the Fox Business Channel and can be viewed online at http://www.plumtv.com/topics/beyond_the_boardroom.
You are becoming a prolific author, and are working on your third book, Citizen You: Doing Your Part to Change the World. Tell us what that is about and when you expect it to be published.
This book is coming out in May 2010 and will be a discussion on civic engagement and roles and responsibilities in society. It will talk about how people can get involved in their community and demonstrate caring. This started with my role as chair of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
How will the New York Giants do this year?
We are very optimistic that we can put together a lot of wins to get back to the Super Bowl, which will be in Miami Beach. It’s very hard to get to the big game, but we think we can do it.
