Content is king. That’s a fact we’ve quickly learned in this information-based millennium. Today, we often measure power by how in the know we are. Whether we are entangled in the tentacles of technology or just trying to live as simply as possible without being overwhelmed by it, many of us are driven by what’s new, who’s doing what and how it may impact our business or personal life.

In today’s increasingly complex hotel industry, being in the know means having an intricate understanding of the hotel ownership structure — sometimes referred to as a labyrinth — with a focus on how it affects business.

Consumers don’t necessarily care about ownership structures as they are more concerned with what the brands promise and whether or not an individual hotel is actually delivering on them. It’s the hotel owners, managers and franchisees who dictate how a hotel will run and ultimately whether it delivers on the brand promise and attracts the hotel guests needed to survive and thrive.

As has become customary every fall, in this double issue of Hotelier, we’re happy to present this year’s edition of The Who’s Who Almanac, listing the industry’s top players, including the owners, developers and managers who are part of the dynamic hotel industry as well as the designers, brokers, bankers and consultants who supply them.

In addition to providing this in-depth almanac, featuring addresses and contact information, we also produce a visual of the complex ownership structure, known as the Who Owns What? Poster. In the almost two decades of producing this mammoth project, it has taken on a life of its own. Though its genesis came at a time when REITs were changing the face of the industry daily, today the changes are less frenetic but always impactful on our understanding of the Canadian hotel structure.

And what better way to see just how complex this industry truly is than unfolding the poster and placing it on your office wall to help you navigate the hotel landscape. In fact, it’s always gratifying to see this chart displayed by many leading hoteliers as well as industry analysts and at the universities and colleges producing the next stars in hospitality. It means we’re effectively doing our job. The always changing and fluid industry will keep everyone guessing as to how this chart will continue to evolve over the coming years.

Happy reading!

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