OCEAN CITY — At its annual trade event next month, the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association (OCHMRA) will feature a lecture by Anthony Melchiorri, host of “Hotel Impossible.”
Melchiorri brings his 20-plus years of experience in the business as the “hotel turnaround expert” and host of Travel Channel’s original series “Hotel Impossible,” which premiered its fifth season in October 2014. In this weekly one-hour program, he helps turn around the business of a hotel not living up to its potential or struggling to survive. After assessing each property, he works closely with the owners and staff to determine its biggest problems. Melchiorri has mere days to formulate a plan, revamp the hotel and re-motivate its staff in order to save these properties from going under.
The 41st Annual Ocean City Spring Trade Expo will not be his first visit to Ocean City. In the summer of 2013, Melchiorri was in Ocean City and filmed an episode at The Lankford Hotel on 8th Street and the Boardwalk.
“I am elated to bring Mr. Melchiorri to our Expo. His no-nonsense approach will challenge our attendees to evaluate their own businesses so they’ll be able to deliver guest experience to make customers return,” said OCHMRA Executive Director Susan L. Jones.
Melchiorri has a proven track record of understanding a company’s vision and bringing its individual parts together to create a finely-tuned profit machine. With an acute attention to detail, he has developed and repositioned some of the finest, high-profile properties in the U.S., including the first Nickelodeon Hotel and Resort and the landmark Algonquin Hotel.
Put on the fast track to success early on, Melchiorri began his career at the landmark Plaza Hotel as director of front office operations. By age 29, he became a seasoned professional and was selected to be general manager of the Lucerne Hotel in 1997. Under Melchiorri’s management, the Lucerne was developed into one of the top hotels in New York City, and selected as the New York Times Travel Guides Best Service Hotel.
On Monday, March 9, at 9 a.m., he will appear in the new Ocean City Performing Arts Center, located within the Ocean City Convention Center, prior to the Expo opening at 11 a.m. You must be registered to attend the expo to receive free admittance. For more information on registration, visit www.oceancitytradeexpo.com or call 410-289-6733.