Ghosting in Hospitality
When you treat your pipeline like a dating App, you swipe away real revenue
After over 25 years in the hospitality industry-spanning hotels, food & beverage, nightlife, and large-scale events—I’ve seen trends come and go. But one recent behavior has no place in our business: Ghosting.
What was once a term reserved for dating apps has crept into the culture of hospitality—and it’s eroding the very foundation of what this industry was built on.
Ghosting is not acceptable. Not in operations. Not in human resources. Not in sales. Not in leadership. It just doesn’t have a place in hospitality.
Hospitality is rooted in communication, responsiveness, and the ability to make people feel seen, heard, and valued. When someone reaches out - whether for a partnership, an event inquiry, a job, or a vendor opportunity - ignoring that communication isn’t just unprofessional. It’s bad business.
We recently had a HNW client with a $190,000 event budget. They recommended a potential venue. Ironically, we had just attempted to connect with an executive at that hotel brand’s HQ for another project. Multiple emails and outreach attempts went completely unanswered.
I shared this with the client. “Then let’s go with whoever you feel confident in.” So, we pivoted—and reached out to the competition.
Within three hours, the CEO of the competing brand personally replied to our email. Not only did they introduce us to the head of the department we needed to speak with, but they also asked to remain cc’d on the email chain through to completion to ensure the deal was handled properly.
That’s leadership. That’s culture. That’s the difference. That’s Hospitality.
That includes when a qualified professional reaches out directly to a hiring manager or executive after applying, and receives nothing but silence from HR. In today’s competitive labor market, this kind of radio silence is not only disrespectful - it’s damaging to your employer brand. Candidates talk. Reputations spread. And top talent remembers who didn’t bother to reply.
Ghosting at the Director, GM, or VP level is inexcusable, it sets a precedent. It teaches your team that silence is an acceptable form of communication. It’s not. And when this behavior becomes normalized across departments—from events to HR to partnerships and marketing - it silently chips away at your culture, your pipeline, and it’s a reflection of your brand, your bottom line, and it cuts sales and referrals.
Responding takes a minute. Even a simple, “Thanks for reaching ou - this isn’t a fit right now,” preserves professionalism and respect. The hospitality industry is smaller than you think, and relationships are currency. That next message you ignore might carry a $190,000 opportunity—or simply end up in the inbox of your competitor who communicates.
Hospitality is human connection.
It’s not just good manners. It’s good business.
Frederic T. Wyatt, Hospitality Executive and Luxury Events Architect
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