With hotel executives discussing the newest updates to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating systems, LEED 2012, due to be released in November of this year by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), many are asking what this will mean to the hospitality industry. Trish Donnally, ForrestPerkins’ director of communications, talks to top hoteliers and sustainability specialists and reveals why LEED 2012 could be a game changer.

Some of us prefer to pay for well-made products that operate effectively, yet when we try to buy a cell phone, landline phone (or almost anything else you care to name) that has not been made in China (usually with as many short cuts as possible to maximize profits) it proves practically impossible. The ubiquity of it all makes for a grim shopping experience. Extrapolating into the hospitality world, imagine if hotel ratings were adjusted so that two-stars were reported as five-stars because occupancy rates were insufficient in “higher-end” hotels to justify the service levels of “old-style” five-stars.

Your domestic brand is growing beyond your shores. How can you effectively – and efficiently – establish brand identity in a new country? This is the tale of two sisters who are in the throes of doing just that. From the 1997 opening of its New York flagship to the brand’s official launch in 2007, TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION has made its global intentions clear. That ambition was finally realized with the opening of Trump Ocean Club International Hotel & Tower Panama in July 2011 followed by Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto in January 2012. These back-to-back launches have put the brand tenets that have played so successfully on the domestic front to their first international test.

Great employees know the importance of good customer service. They are willing to dedicate themselves to the success of the company they work for, especially if they are motivated and recognized for their success. Let them know how important they are to the company and to the customers. Pat your employees on the back for a job well done – they need you and you need them!

In today’s competitive hospitality market, it’s essential to approach improvements and renovations with a comprehensive strategy and an understanding of how you can benefit from a variety of tax deductions available to hotel owners. Can improvements actually pay for themselves through smart tax strategies like cost segregation and making energy efficient upgrades? Can you still take advantage of past renovations or somehow take a deduction for new equipment purchased or leased this year? Looking at the big picture and working with the right professionals as you plan your renovations and upgrades can provide a big payoff in tax savings and boosting your cash flow this year and in years to come.

In general, hotel managers are not comfortable making strategic decisions in times of rapid and uncertain changes. Most decision-makers have some feel about the occurrence of future events that range from a high degree of confidence to a vague and ill-defined level of discomfort. Change can actually be segmented into two components – anticipated and unanticipated. If change consisted only of anticipated components, then there would be little if any risk involved for the hotel. It is the unanticipated component that is the source of risk. Not knowing what the future will hold that strikes fear into managers. The challenge, then, is to make sure that any risk the hotel takes is a calculated risk. While this sounds easier said than done, there are several techniques you can use to minimize risk. In this article, you’ll learn the top three.