22 Bright Spots from 2022
Many good things happened in 2022. To close out the year, we’d like to highlight a few of our favorites—in the hospitality industry and beyond:
1) US travel and tourism continued their recovery this year, with hotel occupancy up from 56%in 2021 to 63% in 2022 (STR). Moreover, occupancy is expected to rise again in 2023.
2) Inflation in November fell to its lowest level since the end of 2021 (7.1%).
3) US scientists made a promising nuclear fusion breakthrough, heating a tiny hydrogen plasma pellet to over 180 million degrees Fahrenheit using lasers. This released a huge amount of energy, suggesting that nuclear fusion could one day be an unlimited carbon-free energy source.
4) The nation’s largest rescue shelter was opened in Alabama to save 5,000 dogs a year!
5) There was immense growth in Carbon Capture Projects, showing the potential for huge emissions cutbacks.
6) Hospitality is Working, in affiliation with the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), launched the Workforce & Immigration Initiative to support the US workforce and address workforce shortages in leisure and hospitality.
7) NASA’s web telescope captured the clearest image of Neptune’s rings in the past 30 years.
8) 10 countries created a conservation network that will speed up the protection of marine ecosystems, which is critical to fighting climate change.
9) The world’s solar energy capacity continued to expand, surpassing 1 terawatt (TW).
10) The first black woman to ever serve on the US Supreme Court, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, was sworn in.
11) The 988 suicide and crisis hot line launched in the US – replacing the 10-digit number making it easier to dial and remember.
12) After Hurricane Ian, Floridians came together in 24-hour shifts to rescue stranded pets.
13) Research from Expedia Group shows the highest levels of optimism across the travel industry since 2020 – most professionals expect leisure (71%) and business (70%) travel to return to pre-2020 levels within two years.
14) The COVAX global vaccination program delivered over 1 billion doses of the COVID vaccine.
15) Maya Angelou became the first black woman to appear on the US quarter.
16) NASA’s DART mission successfully crashed into an asteroid in the first test of an inter-planetary defense system.
17) The “No Surprise Act” was passed to people from receiving surprise medical bills. protect people
18) The U.S. Interior Department announced that it would phase out single-use plastics at all national parks.
19) Engineers at Stanford developed solar panels that can generate electricity at night.
20) The bipartisan Equal Pay for Team USA Act, landmark legislation to ensure all athletes who represent the US in global competition such as the World Cup, Olympics and Paralympics will receive equal pay and benefits regardless of gender, passed both the House and Senate.
21) During a national baby formula shortage, Texas restaurant owner Benji Arslanovski gave it away free to feed babies in his community.
22) Hotel companies across the US united around sustainability priorities like energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation, and responsible sourcing practices in a new initiative called “Responsible Stay.”
Innvision Hospitality wishes you a Happy New Year full of bright spots! Contact us about any hotel FF&E needs you have in 2023!
