I need to first acknowledge that this article was inspired from an email I received in response to one of my previous articles. The author of that email, let's call him Mr. Smith, was very upfront and critical of some of my suggestions on how hotels can attract the gay and lesbian market. He was blunt, but I appreciated his comments. Not only did it give me a title for this article, but it made me really take a step back and validate everything that I've been promoting. I decided, as I was responding to his letter, that I should actually share my comments with all of you. If Mr. Smith had these strong concerns, others must as well. I've incorporated bits of his email into this article, which by the end will hopefully give you a better sense of whether or not marketing to the gay and lesbian consumer has truly "gone too far". READ MORE

Mukesh Mowji, 2005 vice chairman of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, authored a short editorial in the November issue of the AAHOA Lodging Business magazine titled "Illuminating the Way: DIWALI and the Community". In this article, he encouraged people of all nationalities to join in this "Festival of Lights" which begins on November 1st and to give thanks for the health, good fortune, knowledge and happiness that so many people have. In researching this article, I found that despite the facts that India has the 2nd largest population in the world and Indians have made major contributions in many industries, DIWALI is a holiday known to only a limited number of Westerners. With that in mind, I discovered the following... READ MORE

With legal recognition and a growing public acceptance of same-sex unions around the world, a new business opportunity for hotels to host formal celebrations and to create honeymoon packages has been created. In fact, gay tourism is a growing industry representing more than $50 billion spent annually in the United States. Considering that is estimated that there are around 15 million adult people who identify as GLBT in the United States, that is an incredible per trip spend. READ MORE

Safety, progressive politics (such as gay marriage) and even immigration (policies that don't discriminate against gay people) all play a factor in travel decisions. The latest research found that among gay travelers the top seven U.S. destinations are New York City, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles-West Hollywood, Palm Springs, Ft. Lauderdale and Chicago. The top seven European cities are London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Florence and Venice ties with Berlin. READ MORE

In my previous articles, I've talked about the benefits of targeting the gay and lesbian travel market, and what this market looks for when travelling. However, when trying to reach a new market like this for your property, it can be somewhat overwhelming, requiring both time and financial commitments. Depending on the size of your property, you may not have a sufficient supply of resources to put behind your new entry into the gay and lesbian market. That's where partnerships can play an important supportive role. By forming partnerships within your city or region, you can overcome some of those challenges and thereby facilitate your move into the new market. READ MORE

You provide wireless internet for the business traveller. You provide swimming pools and water parks for families. You provide discounts for seniors. But what do you need to provide for the gay and lesbian traveller? Is it any different from the mainstream 'straight' traveller? Simply put, no, it's no different. The gay and lesbian traveller still demands and expects the same general products services as the mainstream traveller. They want the spa, the workout facilities, the business centres. But there are still services and products that your hotel can offer to go that extra mile, and provide a message of commitment to the market. After all, since you've already invested heavily in this market, it only makes sense to provide products within the hotel that are targeted as well. READ MORE

Considering the state of travel industry and changing travel patterns, is not a surprise to anyone that 2008 is optimistically predicted to be relatively flat. In some markets hotel general managers say they are being asked by corporate headquarters to lower their already budgeted occupancy levels. As the economy dips, hotels and others within the hospitality industry are again turning their attention to what may be this year's shining star, the gay and lesbian traveler. They are loyal, resilient and as a group, they have more discretionary income when compared to other groups, almost $800 billion. More, historically, they continue to travel even in tough economic times, even after 9/11. READ MORE

The gay and lesbian market is one market that hotels and other tourism-based companies have for too long overlooked, or simply chose to ignore. But can the industry continue to ignore this market? Can you? The simple answer, in my opinion, is no. And why would you want to? Most hoteliers understand the importance of diversifying their markets, but many aren't completely sold on the gay and lesbian market. I've identified three main reasons for why you and your hotel should choose to target this market. READ MORE

Last month I talked about the emerging gay and lesbian travel market, and why it's a market worth targeting. So now that you're convinced this is a market your property wants to enter, the question now is "How do you do it?" Deciding to enter the market is a big step, and making sure you do it right is critical. But don't worry, you don't have to go it alone; at the end of this article is a short list and description of some of the key organizations that can assist you in getting started within the gay travel market. These groups and businesses are great resources as you begin to reach out to this market. There are three main areas to consider when reaching the gay and lesbian travel market: Promotions, Relations, and Community Involvement. READ MORE

By now, since reading my last article, you've already started to take the first step in the product development phase: providing diversity training to your staff. With this training, you have the basics you need to offer the gay and lesbian traveller an experience where they can feel comfortable and the service they receive meets their expectations. But how do you build on that? How do you enhance that to really make your property appeal to, and capture, the market? Product development and packaging is where you get to be creative and have fun. Through the development of new products that are created specifically for the gay and lesbian market, you can provide them with the tailored experience that they are looking for. You might be thinking to yourself that you don't have any "gay" product to work with; that you have nothing that would be appealing for a gay and lesbian package. Where do you look? READ MORE

At the recent Americas Lodging Investment Summit conference there was quite a bit of good news - the industry has just finished up the year with record profits for 2006! Transition dollar volume is also at all time high and 2007 is expected to be another record year for RevPAR growth, industry profits and transactions. There was also some not so good news - supply growth is escalating; the rate of RevPAR growth is decelerating and there has been a significant decline in international business (as a percentage of total demand). Additionally, many hotels are facing increased expenses and human resource challenges. And there are also many areas of uncertainty. What does this all mean in terms of where we at in the investment cycle? And where do we go from here? READ MORE

In a tough economic time, it is of vital importance to discuss methods that will not only help you avoid slumping sales, but also to help you grow your business. There are six specific tactics I discuss in this article, from details on how to utilize natural and local search offerings to the importance of building the top of your funnel for your long-term growth. This list is by no means meant to be a comprehensive guide to running a recession-proof online program. However, these are the first steps you can take to ensure the health of your business, now and to come. READ MORE

Haven't spas been around long enough that we know what they are? Why is it important to answer the question? And, even more emphatically, "Why do we care what a spa is"? The understanding can help properties develop, renovate or evaluate their spas or spa plans to produce a more successful spa business. The pasteighteen months have certainly had the hospitality industry scrambling, and at the same time; scrutinizing, evaluating and reflecting on what is valued by our guests. Don't stop here - read further to gain an understanding of 'spa' READ MORE

Hotel owners can face tremendous pressure when selling their business, which may prompt them to market the business through all possible channels. Sellers must remember, though, that confidentiality is crucial to ensuring that vendors, partners and customers stay on board as potential buyers become interested. Revealing that your business is for sale can have major repercussions that could impact your bottom line and the ability to secure an interested buyer. There are a few ways to keep your sale confidential, however, while still exposing the right information to potential buyers and maximizing the sale price. READ MORE

Today's hospitality world presents a constant ebb and flow of sales and marketing challenges, especially with recent changes in the economy. With that in mind, there may be people on your hospitality team who present an undiscovered sales and marketing resource. Savvy hoteliers can make a strategic move in their overall sales strategy by harnessing the power of the concierge position. Before I tell you how and identify six ways to maximize this often underused resource, let me explain why this strategy will work. READ MORE