How Hospitality Teams Get Ready for Major Events
Across the Southeast United States, the hospitality industry sees a steady wave of major events from spring to summer: everthing from international sporting competitions to global music festivals and conventions. Miami, Orlando, Nashville, Atlanta, and other cities routinely see surges in travel that test hotel operations and staffing capacity.
The inclusion of FIFA World Cup 2026– the largest in the event’s history – is going to put the usual seasonal surge on steroids, as it were. Industry estimates tell us that nearly 750,000 additional international visitors will be travelling to the United States to take in all the action.
“We expect a strong increase in hotel occupancy across U.S. host markets, along with a broader tourism boost as fans visit multiple cities and extend their stays.”
“Mega-events concentrate demand, and the global reach of the World Cup is unmatched,” said Aran Ryan, Director of Industry Studies at Tourism Economics. “We expect a strong increase in hotel occupancy across U.S. host markets, along with a broader tourism boost as fans visit multiple cities and extend their stays.”
To understand how hotels are preparing for FIFA and all of these surges, we spoke with Yuri Puig Malloch, Director of Services for the Southeast Region, who oversees staffing operations across multiple states in this ever-dynamic market. As she says, preparing for major events “isn’t just about staffing; it’s about communication, planning, and partnership.”
Yuri: The Southeast is one of the busiest hospitality regions in the country. Cities like Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, and Nashville host major conventions, sporting events, music festivals, and seasonal tourism peaks.
Take a look at major events that have already happened or on the horizon.
Events like the Miami Open tennis tournament (March 15–29) and Ultra Music Festival (March 27–29) brought thousands of visitors to South Florida this spring, filling hotels and increasing demand for hospitality workers across the region. Orlando is home to The Happiest Place on Earth and is also one of the busiest, continually teeming with visitors. In early 2026 alone the city will host more than 50 major conventions and trade shows, including the popular Open Orlando (April 25-26), widely considered one of the largest cheer competitions in the world. That will bring in tens of thousands of participants and probably six-figure total attendance over the full event. Nashville, self-described Bachelorette Party Central, will see added throngs with the St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Nashville Marathon (April 25-26). This major fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will see 25,000 runners and thousands of spectators fill the city’s streets.
And as we all know, this summer is FIFA World Cup in North America with two cities in the region front and center. Atlanta’s hospitality venues will be at or near capacity (June 15-July 15) as will Miami (June 13-July 5), requiring additional staffing demands and careful preparation.
I’m struck by how one of Miami’s World Cup steering committee members pegged the impact. He said that “this is seven Super Bowls in five weeks…we estimate this will be a billion-three in economic impact for the seven games.”
All of these events fill hotels and create enormous demand for workers across departments—from housekeeping to kitchens to banquet service. When those events overlap with tourism season, it puts real pressure on hotel operations. Which puts real pressure on us to deliver the staffing solutions they require to meet and exceed customer expectations.
Yuri: Honestly, fewer properties plan ahead than people might think.
Some leaders do an excellent job preparing months in advance; they will start bringing in additional employees early so they can train them before the rush arrives. Remember, it’s not just about the number of staff but their preparation and delivery of quality services.
But I’ve been in the business a long time so I get it. Many hotels are dealing with daily operational pressures, so planning tends to happen much closer to the event. Sometimes we get calls the day before saying, “We need 40 room attendants tomorrow.”
The industry is fast-changing and we need to keep pace regardless of ideal preparation planning.
Yuri: The best clients treat workforce planning like any other operational strategy: They start early, they budget for it, and they integrate surge staffing seamlessly with their current workforce.
“They know demand is coming, so they invest in training people ahead of time rather than waiting until the last minute.”
For example, one client will hire and train dozens of additional housekeepers weeks before spring break or a major event. They know demand is coming, so they invest in training people ahead of time rather than waiting until the last minute.
When hotels prepare this way, the service level stays strong even when the property is full.
Yuri: It depends on the type of event, but typically we see surges in:
Large conventions and festivals create demand across the entire property. It’s not just guestrooms. Spa usage and food and beverage operations also expand dramatically. It’s a pretty simple equation and one borne out by our experience and the historical trends of our clients. When visitors are in town they are looking for a whole array of fun activities – dining, self-pampering, excursions. They have time and money saved up and they are going to liberally spend both. Venues need optimized staffing levels to handle all of this demand.
Yuri: Recruiting is the hardest part of the job today. And to be honest it needs to be. Our clients demand the highest quality hospitality professionals because their guests demand the highest quality hotel experiences.
On average, for every one person we place we interview four to five candidates. Background checks, skills verification, and availability all factor into our rigorous process. One of the reasons we enjoy long-standing partnerships is that our clients know it’s not just a numbers game, it’s a qualified numbers game. That takes time and constant filling of the talent funnel.
“Our clients know it’s not just a numbers game, it’s a qualified numbers game.”
Strong planning from the hotel side makes such a difference in their successful staffing strategy. We have decades of experience fielding, vetting, and training great staff. The more time we have to do so and plan appropriately the more easily we can meet the high standards and high numbers of individuals required of us.
Yuri: For us, it comes down to communication and presence on-site in real time.
“When our teams are actively involved in the operation, they can anticipate issues before they become problems.”
We always encourage our managers to be present at the property and engaged with the hotel leadership team. In practice that means reviewing schedules, understanding forecasts, and checking in during events.
When our teams are actively involved in the operation, they can anticipate issues before they become problems. Let me put it this way: Partners don’t let partners down. And we are partners every step of the way.
Yuri: Transparency. Transparency. Transparency.
Hotels and hospitality venues know how difficult it is to attract and retain great workers. It’s a numbers game in which we all play. As such, you cannot overpromise in this industry.
If a hotel asks for 50 workers tomorrow and you only have 10 available, you have to be honest about that. And our first instinct as hospitality professionals is to say yes. (By nature and by training we are people pleasers and it’s hard to say no.) But transparency dictates that we level with them. Then you work together to build a plan based on that foundation of trust.
When you operate with that level of transparency and commitment, clients trust you—and those relationships last many, many years.
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