The author is making an attempt at creative writing in his quest to try new things. It got a bit out of control. But here it goes. Unedited, so sorry!
Most of of 55,000 hotels in America, before 2008 were:
Safe
Secure
Clean
Everything in Working Order
Well Maintained Building
Shelter from Outdoors (Weather, Wild Animals)
Plenty of Food and Water
Prepared for Emergencies
Limited Waste
Positive Working Environment
Excellent Career Trajectory
Employees highly engaged
Positive Cultural Exchange between Guests and Employees
Then, following the fastest growing revenue and profitability period in the history of mankind, a pandemic hit in 2020, and crushed the industry. Movie theatres, closed and abandoned, malls empty, zombies everywhere - well, kidding - no zombies but it looked like a zombie movie out there. 1.5M out of the 2M workers in hotels were out of a job and there was no light at the end of the tunnel, no end in sight. Experts said, the industry will likely never get back to where it was in 2019, the most optimistic said, 2027, maybe 2026.
Then, May 2022, Top Gun: Maverick was released and everything seemed to be back to normal. American hotels achieved higher revenues and profits than the peak of 2019!
But all, was not well. Only 1M workers came back, and they were mostly new to the industry and 750,000 were employed by 3rd party labor companies and had no loyalty to the hotel company that managed the hotels. What seemed like a party "The industry is back!" - reality struck and the nightmare got worse.
Even more depressing, we are reading articles about space tourism and that hotels may be in outer space in just 10 years! Who is going to be running those hotels and keeping guests safe if we don't have a massive amount of passionate service leaders in the field today? Probably robot zombies, or maybe just one big 3rd party contract labor company with an Uber driver as Captain of the rockets that go back and forth.
It was a far cry from the idea of Space Tourism, a concept and industry that began to take shape in the early 2000s. The first notable milestone in space tourism can be traced back to April 28, 2001, when American businessman Dennis Tito became the world's first paying space tourist. Tito, a former NASA engineer, flew to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft as a client of the Russian space agency, Roscosmos. His eight-day trip to space cost him an estimated $20 million. The industry was certain that the cost would eventually go down to make space travel accessible to the regular person within 20-30 years. We're kind of track for that to happen, but we have just a couple concerns!
(key in music and trailer with that guy's deep voice speaking) Just like Tom Cruise, two new kind of heroes emerged - -
As the world spins forward and civilization teeters on the edge of the abyss, there is one thing that I know will remain constant: the need for hotels. Hotels are essential because they provide life's fundamental needs, such as shelter, safety, food, and water. And if we're lucky, some joy and happiness knowing we're not alone. But what happens when we venture beyond the boundaries of Earth and start to colonize space? Who will run the hotels that we'll need then?
As an arrogant hotel asset manager and investor, my friends and I currently think we run the hotel universe but we've become quite fearful that we don't know that much about actually running hotels, and know that we won't always be in charge.
That's why we need heroes like John Bardonia and Andrea Borton to step up and take the reins when the time comes.
John and Andrea are the ones who understand that hotels are more than just a place to sleep. They're a home away from home, a place to find comfort and companionship when you're far from your loved ones. They know that the hospitality industry isn't just about making money - it's about making a difference in people's lives and keeping them safe, sometimes from themselves!
John Bardonia was just your average building, maintenance, housekeeping, and security engineer before the world went to hell in a handbasket. But little did anyone know (because employers constantly dismissed his resume and job applications), but he was in the US Navy, and was trained to build and repair jet engines and get them safety off the aircraft carriers using Catapult Launch Pad Systems! So, when the apocalypse hit, John was ahead of the game and was the one who kept the lights on and the water running and the people safe in his hotel. He became a jack-of-all-trades, fixing anything and everything that went wrong.
Andrea Borton, on the other hand, was the HR and workplace culture leader. She was known for her infectious positivity and her ability to motivate even the most jaded employees, most without any experience at all. Andrea's special skills will keep people together during times of adversity, something we all take for granted today.
When John and Andrea met, it was like lightning striking. They knew that they were meant to work together to save the hospitality industry. They quickly assembled a team of hospitality entrepreneurs who were just as passionate about providing shelter, safety, food, and water to the survivors of the apocalypse.
And so, John and Andrea became the unlikely heroes of the hospitality industry. They ran their hotels with an iron fist and a heart of gold. They provided a safe haven for survivors, and they never turned anyone away, even if they couldn't pay.
Their team of hospitality entrepreneurs was loyal to the bone, and they all worked together to make sure that every guest had a pleasant and memorable stay. They even managed to find joy and happiness in the midst of the apocalypse and shared that joy with every guest who walked through their doors.
As the years went by, John and Andrea became legends in the hospitality industry. They expanded their hotel empire to every corner of the universe, and they continued to provide the basic necessities of life to every traveler who needed it.
But as humanity started to venture into space, John and Andrea knew that they would need to adapt. They began to train a new generation of hotel managers, ones who understood the unique challenges of space travel.
Space travel was a new frontier, and it presented a host of challenges that hotels on Earth didn't have to deal with. For starters, there was zero-gravity. Living in zero-gravity can be disorienting and uncomfortable. Hotels in space would need to provide some kind of artificial gravity, either through rotating habitats or some other means.
Food was another issue. Space travelers would need to eat, and they'd need food that was nutritious and easy to prepare in zero-gravity. Hotels would need to provide dining options that catered to a variety of tastes and dietary restrictions.
Entertainment was also a consideration. Being cooped up in a spaceship for months on end can be boring. Hotels in space would need to provide a variety of entertainment options, from movies and TV shows to virtual reality experiences.
Safety was perhaps the biggest concern. Space travel can be dangerous, and hotels would need to be equipped to handle emergencies like fires, air leaks, and radiation exposure. Hotels would need to have the latest technology and equipment to ensure the safety of their guests.
Comfort was also essential. Even in space, travelers would want to be comfortable. Hotels would need to provide comfortable beds, temperature control, and amenities like spas and fitness centers. They would need to be designed to provide a comfortable and welcoming environment for their guests.
But perhaps the most significant challenge facing hotels in space would be the isolation. Traveling in space for long periods can be mentally and emotionally challenging. Hotels would need to provide opportunities for travelers to connect with each other, whether through social events or shared experiences.
John and Andrea knew that the future of the hospitality industry lay in space, and they were determined to be at the forefront of that revolution. They began training a new generation of hotel managers, ones who understood the unique challenges of space travel and who were committed to providing safe and comfortable accommodations to travelers.
Their company quickly became the go-to training ground for hotel managers, and they trained hundreds of managers every year. Their training programs covered everything from safety protocols to customer service, from managing finances to creating a welcoming environment.
John and Andrea knew that they wouldn't be around forever to run their hotels, but they were determined to leave a legacy. They wanted to ensure that the hospitality industry continued to evolve and grow, providing safe and comfortable accommodations to travelers no matter where they were.
As the first hotel in space was being built, John and Andrea knew that they had done everything they could to prepare for the future. They had trained a new generation of hotel managers who were committed to providing safe and comfortable accommodations to travelers, even in the harshest of environments.
Sadly, John and Andrea wouldn't be around to see the first hotel in space open its doors. But they knew that their legacy would live on through the managers they had trained, the hotels they had built, and the countless travelers who had found safety and comfort in their accommodations.
The first hotel in space opened its doors to travelers from all over the world, and it quickly became the go-to destination for those venturing into the final frontier. It was a testament to the vision and dedication of John and Andrea, who had spent their lives preparing for this moment.
The hotel was designed to cater to the needs of travelers in space, providing artificial gravity, nutritious food, a variety of entertainment options, and the latest safety equipment. It was a home away from home for travelers, a place to find comfort and companionship when they were far from their loved ones. Also, all of the space hotel revenue was shared equally between the employees and managers that worked so hard to learn how to take such great care of people and to keep them safe.
And as the hotel in space continued to thrive, the legacy of John and Andrea lived on. Their company continued to train a new generation of hotel managers, ones who were committed to their team members and travelers.
In the end, the hospitality industry continued to evolve and grow, adapting to the changing needs of travelers as they explored the universe. And it was all thanks to the vision and dedication of John and Andrea, the hotel industry visionaries who had dedicated their lives to providing safe and comfortable accommodations to travelers, no matter where they were.
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