HOSPA CEO Jane Pendlebury on the challenges facing today’s hotel industry

Jane Pendlebury’s journey to the top of the Hospitality Professionals Association (HOSPA) is one of perseverance, adaptability, and an unrelenting passion for the industry. From her early days as a trainee duty manager at De Vere Hotels to leading one of the UK’s most influential hospitality organisations, Pendlebury’s career has spanned decades of change. Today, she finds herself at the forefront of an industry grappling with technological transformation, shifting market dynamics, and ongoing economic pressures. From trainee to HOSPA CEO Reflecting on her career trajectory, Pendlebury recalls, “I did a degree in hospitality and went straight into working for hotels. I worked for a chain hotel and then an independent hotel. Ended up organising conferences and all sorts of bits, but the bulk of my career has been selling technology to the hospitality industry.” Her experience working in hospitality technology proved invaluable when she joined HOSPA, first as a volunteer and later in a leadership capacity. Pendlebury describes her initial involvement with the organisation: “I helped them out on some sponsorship packages, helped them with their conference. And then in 2014, I was taken on as a contractor actually to run their membership and events office. And then a couple of years later, I was promoted to their CEO, which was very nice.” Her long-standing admiration for HOSPA’s role in the industry made the decision to accept the leadership position an easy one. “I thought what they did in the industry was really good, in that they’re able to keep the industry up to date with finance, revenue management, technology—all those sorts of things.” A Dynamic Role in a Changing Industry As CEO, Pendlebury’s responsibilities are varied and ever-changing. She explains, “We are a membership organisation for the UK, so I often interact with members. They tend to be the senior leader in a hotel or any hospitality environment.” This includes finance professionals, chief technology officers, and revenue managers—essentially, anyone in a commercial role within hospitality. Beyond serving members, her role involves liaising with sponsors, ensuring they “are delivering for our members, because we are all about the members, and we try to encourage all of our sponsors to be thought leaders, and not just out there selling systems to hotels.” Managing a team and orchestrating networking events also feature prominently in her day-to-day operations. The Hospitality Landscape Post-Pandemic The Covid-19 pandemic forced the industry into an existential crisis, and HOSPA was no exception. However, Pendlebury and her team responded with resilience. “I’ve learnt to say it was a rewarding time because I don’t think anyone can say they enjoyed it, but it was actually very rewarding for the HOSPA team. We didn’t make anyone redundant or furlough anyone. We all continued to work.” One of the defining moments of the pandemic for Pendlebury was a call she received from a hotelier: “Jane, I’ve never closed a hotel before. I don’t know how to do it.” That single inquiry led to the creation of a best-practice document that helped many other hoteliers navigate the shutdown period. Webinars, which became a necessity during the pandemic, have remained a staple of HOSPA’s offerings. “We did the odd one before, but we’ve continued with those. We record them, we edit them so that they’re then useful afterwards.” The Challenges Facing Hospitality Today The hospitality industry now finds itself contending with new challenges, including rising costs and supply chain disruptions. “I think the biggest problem for your average hospitality hotel owner at the moment, or operator, is things like the supply chain and the cost of the utilities, which are just debilitating.” The cost of living crisis has also affected consumer behavior, and hoteliers are being forced to rethink their pricing and operational strategies. Pendlebury highlights the enduring importance of adaptability: “The industry tends to ride these waves and come out the other end. It’s a bit of a survival of the fittest. Those that have got their eye on the ball and focused and checking their costs are obviously the most likely to survive.” The Future of Hospitality Looking ahead, Pendlebury sees opportunities amid the challenges. London, for example, remains a thriving hotel market. “You try to get a hotel room in London—it’s quite hard and very expensive. I don’t think that will change because it seems to me the more rooms we put in, the bigger the supply, it doesn’t seem to satisfy the demand.” She also points to the importance of marketing and differentiation: “The countryside, the resorts, the privately owned hotels that tend to be outside the city centre—I think it’s down to them to make sure they get their marketing right and they appeal to their local community as well as to the wider British public and world.” One of the industry’s persistent debates is around VAT reductions for hospitality businesses. While other European countries have lower VAT rates for hotels and restaurants, the UK has yet to follow suit. “I think a reduction in VAT would be a massive benefit to the industry, but I don’t think we’re going to see it any time soon, unfortunately.” Lessons from a Life in Hospitality Having spent her entire career in the industry, Pendlebury has accumulated invaluable insights. When asked what advice she would give to newcomers, she shares a lesson from her father: “Don’t be afraid of the unknown. It’s never as bad as you think it’s going to be.” Another piece of wisdom came from a former colleague: “Never fall out with anyone in hospitality because you’ll meet them again.” Even as she contemplates eventual retirement, Pendlebury remains deeply committed to the industry. “I would like to think that HOSPA has again moved forward, as we have done in the sort of six or seven years of my leadership.” For an industry that thrives on connection, adaptability, and service, Jane Pendlebury’s leadership exemplifies what it means to keep hospitality moving forward.