What an emotional day it is as I sit down to write my last blog for Hotel News Now.

While some of you were just getting to know me through my blogs when I started writing them in September 2020, I’ve gotten to know many of the great people and places in this industry during my five-and-a-half years with HNN.

I’ve also had the opportunity to work with fantastic people here at HNN, who I know will continue to do great things without me. There are so many great things to say about them, but in an effort to keep this blog on track and not go way off topic, I will tell them later — not that I need to, because they already know this.

Before you forget about me forever, I’d like to reflect on a few topics I would like the industry to keep in mind.

If you’ve been reading my coverage over the last year or so, you know that a main focus for me is diversity. Please keep searching for diverse employees at the line level and corporate level. And please invite more people of color to the stage at industry events. Companies with thought leaders from different backgrounds and experiences are the most successful. Google it and you will find plenty of studies to support that statement.

Another thing I would like to see more of is hoteliers supporting their employees and doing so in a public way. Social media is a great tool for letting your guests and colleagues know you support the LGBTQ community, diversity or even dogs in hotels.

As the industry continues to recover from the pandemic and loosen restrictions, it’s still important to remember people are adjusting to the new normal at different rates. Some guests might still wear masks where there isn't a rule or be hesitant to eat and drink at the lobby bar. That’s OK, and it’s hoteliers’ jobs to make them feel comfortable during this adjustment period.

Last but not least, please don’t forget that weird is cool. If your hotel has a secret space, a fictional character it’s based off of or ghostly tales, tell your guests. I am still a guest, and I still want to hear about weird hotels outside of HNN. Feel free to message me on LinkedIn.

But wait! You've haven't got rid of me just yet.

While I've accepted a position with a publication in a different industry, I will be leaving the hotel world with a bang at the Hotel Data Conference next week. You can catch me on stage Thursday during the “Group Contracting During COVID-19: Lessons Learned (and Long-Term Implications)” panel and the “Tracking Transient: Exploring Trends in Business and Leisure Travel — And How To Reach Guests” panel. I hope to see you there!

I will still observe the industry from the outside and stay up to date on hotel news, so don’t forget about the things mentioned above.

Find me on Twitter @HNN_Danielle or on LinkedIn.

The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hotel News Now or CoStar Group and its affiliated companies. Bloggers published on this site are given the freedom to express views that may be controversial, but our goal is to provoke thought and constructive discussion within our reader community. Please feel free to contact an editor with any questions or concern.