Deanna Ting

You'd think having a hotelier in the White House would be a good thing for the hotel industry, but Trump's protectionist and xenophobic immigration and visa policies have the potential do much more harm than good, not only for his own hotel business but that of his peers, too.

HNA's influence on Carlson Hotels is already taking hold. What will be even more interesting going forward is how HNA leverages its numerous hospitality investments, including Carlson, NH Hotels, Red Lion Hotels and soon, Hilton Worldwide and, possibly Rezidor.

You don't have to be a hotelier or a business executive to appreciate the insights and tales shared by the former Starwood CEO in his new book. This is especially the case at a time when everything around us seems to be in a state of transition or disruption, no matter the industry.

Both CEOs made the case for their respective causes, which would ultimately benefit not only their respective businesses and customers, but the travel industry a whole.

The biggest conclusion here is that hoteliers can't afford to dismiss the impact, however large or minuscule it may be, that Airbnb is having on the lodging industry, and on their bottom lines, too. Plenty of reports may tell us different things, but the universal thread is that Airbnb is here, and it can't be ignored.

We already knew Hilton feels it needs more brands to compete, but weaving this particular "soft brand" into the fold, for lack of a better description, feels a bit like it's more of a blanket statement kind of brand, than one with a truly carved out identity. Or one that doesn't "occupy the same swim lanes" as some of Hilton's other brands — something Hilton CEO Christopher Nassetta has been critical of, in particular, with his company's biggest rival, the 30-brand juggernaut, Marriott.

Unlike Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson, Hilton CEO Christopher Nassetta finds a bit of optimism in the new U.S. administration change, at least when it comes to corporate business travel.

Purchasing a brand like Miraval to enter into the wellness space is a smart move on Hyatt's part, as wellness becomes an increasingly global desire among all consumers, especially among the high-end travelers Hyatt has in its sights.

Judging by Sorenson's open letter to President-Elect Trump in November, it does seem the Marriott CEO is open to working with the new administration, but he's also very concerned about Trump's more xenophobic policies and the harm they could do to the travel industry overall.

Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian knows the key to managing disruption and challenges is to focus on the basics: the customer, and the people serving them.