ABOUT
Leora Halpern Lanz, ISHC is Principal of LHL Communications, a marketing communications, branding and media relations consultancy specializing in the hospitality industry, specifically hotels and management companies, investment conferences, hospitality advisory firms, leisure experiences and more. Leora is also full time faculty and Chair of the Graduate Program at Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration teaching advanced strategic marketing and digital marketing practices for hotels, restaurants, festivals, attractions, and leisure experiences. She is also the Chair of the School's annual Hospitality Leadership Summit.
Her consultancy and public relations advisory know-how has enabled her to work with hospitality and tourism executives around the globe. From her home in New York and Boston and throughout the United States she works with clients from Sub Saharan Africa, South America, the Caribbean and more.
Prior to forming LHL Communications in 2014, Leora most recently served as Global Director of Marketing & Communications for HVS, the world’s leading hospitality consulting and services firm. For 15 years, she was responsible for coordinating the global marketing, external promotion, public relations, and social media efforts of HVS’ worldwide office network and comprehensive hospitality services, global conferences and exclusive data and research. She coordinated the internal communications for the firm and contributed to the production of the firm’s weekly e-newsletter, website and intranet.
During her time at HVS, Leora also directed the company’s Sales & Marketing Services division, which provided sales, marketing communications, social media and public relations expertise for hotels and other hospitality clients. Her specialties included operational reviews, marketing plan development, sales and marketing assessments, sales and marketing coordination with a property’s flag, sales action plans, pre-opening marketing, sales direction and training, and publicity and promotions including web marketing.
Prior to joining HVS, Leora served as Director of Public Relations and Advertising for the ITT Sheraton Hotels of New York (for 10 years) and Director of Public Relations for the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau (5 years). She is a graduate of Cornell University with a masters from Boston University and is a member of HSMAI, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW). In 2017, Leora was accepted into the prestigious International Society of Hospitality Consultants. Her articles have been reprinted in dozens of industry publications over the years and she has guest presented to hospitality and communications classes at several universities at the graduate and undergraduate level. Excerpts of her articles are included in the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute’s Sales & Marketing textbook, 6th edition, released in March 2014.
Her efforts have earned her awards and accolades from the prestigious Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) including being named Hospitality Sales & Marketing Executive of the Year for the New York chapter in 2010 and one of the Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Marketing in 2016. She was also honored as Professor of the Year for 2016-2017 by the students of Boston University's School of Hospitality Administration. Leora also serves on the editorial board of Hotel Executive magazine.
