ThinkGrowth Day 2: Associations & the future of independent hospitality

This session, led by former innkeeper and marketer Scott Hall with association leaders Sarah Gaze (Association of Lodging Professionals) and Mark Rehl (Select Registry), explains how lodging associations help independent properties navigate rising costs, shifting traveler behavior, and rapid tech change while staying guest-focused. They outline the concrete value of membership (education, advocacy, quality-assurance inspections, marketing reach, shared data infrastructure, and a peer community)and offer reassurance that owners can adopt new tools like AI and modern marketing step by step, with support from trusted partners instead of trying to figure everything out alone.