Ingram's June 2026

Q: Short-term rentals through plat- forms like Airbnb and VRBO were ex- pected to fundamentally disrupt tradi tional lodging. How has that actually played out in this market? A: In terms of inventory, short-term rentals in KC are relatively modest. There was an increase tied to the World Cup, due to several local decisions and an expedited approval process. My honest opinion is that they serve a different kind of traveler— extended-stay travel, groups, families, or people wanting a kitchen. Hotels have never been focused on limiting consumer choice. Our priority is leveling the playing field— making sure everyone adheres to the same operational and safety standards. Q: When competing for a major con vention or conference, who are our rivals, and what does this city need to do better to consistently win that business? A: It varies. In the convention space, destinations are always keeping up with the Joneses. KC is generally lumped in with or compared to similarly sized destinations— places with comparable accessibility and convention center offerings, like Nashville, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati—but KC is very competitive with those and others. With all the development we’ve done over the past several years, this is a great opportunity to capitalize on that and continue investing to remain competitive. Q: If you could identify one struc tural change that would strengthen the long-term health of the hospitality sector in Greater Kansas City, what would it be? A: This industry doesn’t operate in a vacuum. Our success is directly related to the strength of the destination—to what the city does to invest in the visitor experience. The destinations that consistently attract visitors are the ones that recognize tourism as an eco nomic driver—and that benefits not just the hospitality industry, but residents too, because it helps keep taxes lower through the eco nomic activity that business drives. We need to keep investing, and if KC remains commit ted to enhancing the experience and investing in those assets, it can thrive for many years. We have the wind at our back—the momen- tum is there. We just need to stay real about it.

As we look at the next generation of book ings, we want to build on the momentum we have now—momentum created by large groups that put us on the world stage, like the World Cup. We’re also making sure city leaders understand the value of investing in that kind of visitor infrastructure, because it generates real economic impact. Q: Work force has been a persistent challenge across hospitality since the pan demic—recruiting, retaining, and training front-line staff. Where does the Kansas City market stand on that issue today com pared to two or three years ago? A: We’re doing better than we were a few years ago. One of the biggest focuses of ours as an association is to help build that funnel—that work-force pipeline—for the industry. Every hotel would love a larger pool, but staffing levels have leveled off compared to right after the pandemic, when things were dire. What excites us most as an asso ciation is the future—the students who are curious about what’s available and what hos pitality looks like as a career path. So many people aren’t aware of the different oppor tunities in hospitality, and the tremendous amount of flexibility and upward mobility it provides—there’s interest in sales, market ing, finance and HR, all of it encompassed in this industry. It’s one of the few where hard work, attitude and experience can open as many doors as a university degree. We’ve been spending more time engaging with high schools, colleges, and workforce develop ment partners—annual job fairs, internships, student presentations, and scholarships for those pursuing hospitality as a career. Q: When you look at the national picture, what macro forces concern you most for the health of the hotel sector here over the next 18 to 24 months? A: The uncertainty around interest rates, construction costs, and labor costs— all of those things influence the industry in different ways. Higher costs affect new development and day-to-day operations. Consumer sentiment affects how travelers make decisions, and the industry feels the economy as a whole. The benefit KC has is a diverse mix of demand drivers—not just convention business, not just sports.

“Our success is directly related to the strength of the destination—to what the city does to invest in the

visitor experience.” — Andrea O’Hara,

Executive Director, Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City

part of the KC hotel industry—not only for Downtown properties, but also around the metro, because it creates compression and fills hotels outside of downtown too. The back half of 2026 is softer, but that’s not unique to us—it’s just the sentiment around travel right now, and a lot of cities are navigating that same economic uncertainty. Looking ahead to 2027 and beyond, we’re in a strong position. It’s also important to remember our fundamentals—we’re centrally located, known as affordable, and Midwest hospital ity is a real thing. People love coming here, and once they’re here, they come back. We’re definitely getting looked at for different types of conventions now. Q: Tell us a bit about the relationship between Visit KC and the hotel com- munity. A: One of our strongest selling points is the relationship between Visit KC and the hotels. It’s definitely a competitive advantage—when meeting planners cite us as a convention location, they notice that synergy within the hospitality com munity. KC does that extremely well. We’re all working toward the same goal: attract ing visitors and driving economic impact.

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I ngr am ’ s

Kansas City’s Business Media

June 2026