The top performing hotel Sales Department will look very different than the model over the past 20 years. With the abrupt loss of demand and loss of traditional markets, it is critical to maximize the role of Direct Sales. Growing market share will be the focus to generate revenues and the successful hotelier in a competitive marketplace will quickly evaluate to devise and execute plans to impact market share. READ MORE
TRENDING
This Week's Top Pick
Civil suits against hotel and motel chains for allegedly benefiting financially from human trafficking are on the rise across the country. On February 5, 2020, the December 2019 request for 38 human trafficking lawsuits pending in 12 states to be consolidated into one federal case was denied. As a result, lawsuits against hotel and motel entity defendants alleging violations of the Trafficking and Violence Protection Reauthorization Act will proceed in a minimum of 12 district courts in the coming months.
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The hospitality industry took one of the biggest financial hits during the pandemic, but it's in the position to make one of the biggest comebacks, including winning back market share from homestay offerings. Customer confidence will drive repeat, continuous traffic, and as leisure travel begins to pick up, hotels are in a competition for cleanliness to earn the trust of their guests through thoughtful upgrades and renovations. READ MORE
For some guests, the presence of a valet at the front door of a hotel is as expected as a bed in a guest room. And for hoteliers, implementing such a program may not seem to require much investment or planning. What they must keep in mind, however, is that valet programs don't come without risks, particularly in the wake of COVID-19. READ MORE
As much as we would like to believe that the bad news is largely behind us, we actually face something much more complicated for the next 24 months: uncertainty - around the virus, how the public will respond, etc. In human history this isn't the first time a pandemic and recession have impacted the human race. READ MORE
September FOCUS
Hotel Group Meetings: Demand vs. Supply
We are taking time to optimistically and critically rethink our meetings, including challenging their essential components, what may be dispensable, and what we've been missing. A meeting planner and small business owner shares her experience on COVID's effects on the planning community, why government needs to pay attention to letting meetings take place, how to get people back to in-person events, and why the pandemic is good for the planning industry. READ MORE
As the meetings and events industry responds to the pandemic, hotels have implemented industry leading best practices to gain event planner confidence. A key component of the events industry, hotels have to quickly pivot and adjust all phases of the buying process, execution, and operational guidelines to meet safely. Keeping the events industry moving forward and delivering on the value proposition of meetings, in smaller and groups, RLH Hotels are delivering. READ MORE
The meeting and event industry faces one of the toughest times in its history. Meeting Professionals International's quarterly Meetings Outlook survey predicted the lowest meeting and event growth on record, with only 36% predicting favorable business conditions over the next year. For organizers that are planning live events during this pandemic, we have a powerful opportunity to demonstrate how events can happen safely. READ MORE
Hospitality expert and podcast host Amy Draheim offers three key tips for hotel sales teams. From zoning in on your audience, to the latest ideas in tech, to learning how to communicate, Amy outlines how to approach communications both during and after the pandemic, to keep your property top of mind. READ MORE
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More from our online Library Archives...
Because high-quality hotel meeting and conference facilities are a reliable way to generate revenue and drive food & beverage profitability, experienced hotel owners and operators understand the value of great meeting and event spaces. The question is what does a "great" meeting space look like, and how has this changed in recent times. There is no one answer, of course, but with the growing trend of businesses and leaders looking for creative and non-traditional spaces for their professional events, more hoteliers are finding innovative ways to identify or create those unique environments and memorable experiences. READ MORE
The advent of eRFPs has transformed the group business model for hotels, making it easier for meeting planners to raise their hands and to consider multiple properties in their hunt for the "one." However, because eRFPs are so widely distributed, they have also introduced complexities and inefficiencies into the selection and selling process. Properties have a tough time knowing which leads are a good fit for their hotel (and sometimes who has serious interest), while buyers are barraged by a high volume of emails and phone calls from well-meaning sales teams at numerous properties -- regardless of whether they are a good match. But that doesn't have to be the case. Creative sales strategies can enable you to analyze incoming eRFPs, to prioritize the ones that are most likely to result in the best conversations, to maximize your impact with every customer interaction, and to ultimately win more deals. READ MORE
