HOTEL BUSINESS REVIEW
FEBRUARY FOCUS: Hotel Social Media

9 Ways to Respond to the Millennial Imperative

By Michelle Wohl VP of Marketing & Client Services, Revinate | February 2015

They're as ubiquitous as Boomers, and they're on the road. The Millennial cohort, now as large a segment of the U.S. population as the Baby Boom, is the fastest-growing travel segment, according to American Express Business Insights, and Millennials will soon comprise the majority of travelers worldwide. While Millennials are like everyone else in a lot of ways, there are some strong differences in their affinities and desires that make it imperative that hoteliers change their ways. Understanding how to please this group of more than 1.7 billion members is critical to the hospitality industry. We combed all the research and identified nine themes that drive Millennial travel. Let's look at effective ways to engage this new generation of travelers by responding to each of these themes. **Technology = Ease** According to Nielsen, Millennials have a more positive view of how technology is affecting their lives than any other generation. More than 74 percent feel that new technology makes their lives easier.(i) And then, they get to the hotel. Waiting in line to check in or trying to flag down a waiter poolside seems so old-fashioned to this crew. There's a better way. Marriott's mobile app lets guests to check-in prior to arrival and lets them opt in to receive alerts when their rooms are ready. Getting off the plane at noon and receiving a text that the room is ready for check-in would delight any Millennial. Ritz-Carlton released a mobile app that provides mobile ordering at poolside or for room service, as well as app-based service requests. It may seem odd that an old-school, luxury hotel brand that is known for excellent service would let guests replace the personal touch with a touchscreen, but this ties into another Millennial theme: More Tech, Less People. **More Tech, Less People** For Millennials, luxury often means not having to deal with a live person. They are more comfortable making requests digitally instead of asking a concierge or making a phone call. In fact, the majority of them would just as soon be served by robots, according to a survey by Software Advice.(ii) Indulge them by letting them order up more towels or get a restaurant recommendation in real time with an app instead of making them go downstairs or talk on the phone. While you might not understand the difference, ask any Millennial how often he talks on the phone, and you'll likely hear, “Only when my parents call me.” This doesn't mean that Millennials don't go for traditional luxury services. They do - in a big way. In fact, they're more likely than older travelers to seek out hotels with luxury services such as dry cleaning, massage and spa services, according to a Chase Card Services survey.(iii) If you can make ordering these services seamless via mobile or in-room technology, it's a big win. This preference for machine over human extends to complaints, as well. These consumers are more likely to complain online about issues with a hotel rather than seeking out a staffer and asking for a fix. Because of this, it's crucial for hoteliers to monitor social media to resolve problems before guests leave, according to the EY Global Hospitality Insights 2014 report. **Alone Together** They might not want to talk face-to-face with others, but they enjoy being hanging out in public places. Describing Millennial culture in its 2014 report, E&Y wrote, “Although Millennials place less importance on face-to-face contact than prior generations, they have a strong desire to be actively social, including via telecommunication and social media. This hybrid of simultaneous social interaction in both physical space (sharing) and virtual space (communication) describes a phenomenon of isolated togetherness.” To put it more simply, although they may look like they're focused on their phones and not each other, this group does enjoy being around others at the same time. To meet this desire, some hotels are expanding their public areas to include more seating, casual dining while working and lounges. PentaHotels is a great example of a hotel brand that appeals to Millennials. It promotes its pentalounge - a combined lobby, reception, bar and cafe - as a "lifestyle lobby." Each pentalounge is designed as a lively gathering place for hotel guests and locals. I stayed at a PentaHotel in Hong Kong recently and was amazed by the amount of different public spaces that were available: a game room and a library, in addition to multiple lounges and restaurants. The guest room itself was lovely, but I only needed it for sleeping and showering. **Always On - WiFi** Everyone wants good, free WiFi. There's no generational difference in that: It was most-desired amenity overall in a recent Hotels.com survey.(iv) That said, the WiFi experience seems to be a more important influence in repeat bookings with Millennials. Gallup's 2014 Hospitality Industry Study found that reliable internet access and problem resolution were the key criteria in repeat bookings for Millennials, while Generation X valued the hotel staff's ability to resolve problems and service reliability. Baby Boomers and Traditionalists - the oldest generation -- valued responsive employees and problem resolution.(v) **Better Natures** Millennials want to spend money with companies that are improving the world. They have seen the rise of companies like TOMS, which gives a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair it sells; or Ben & Jerry's ice cream, which aims to create prosperity for everyone that's connected to its business: suppliers, employees, farmers, franchisees, customers, and neighbors. Unlike the sometimes cynical Gen X'ers, Millennials do think that they can influence change, so they value companies with philanthropic programs. Entrepreneur Magazine reports, “More than 85 percent of Millennials correlate their purchasing decisions and their willingness to recommend a brand to the social good efforts a company is making. Businesses interested in selling to Millennials can't afford to ignore the opportunity to create social good.” Seven out of 10 of these young adults identify themselves as social activists - and they believe that shopping counts as activism. According to a 2011 study of Millennials by Take Part and ad agency TBWA, four out of five say they're more likely to purchase from a company that supports a cause they care about. Moreover, the majority are willing to spend a bit more on products from socially responsible companies, according to the Nielsen Global Survey on Corporate Social Responsibility.(vi) And three out of four believe that corporations should contribute to society.(vii) To address this Millennial theme, be as specific as possible about your corporate social responsibility endeavors and, if possible, tie them directly to the guest experience. For example, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants has partnered with Dress for Success, the organization that provides professional clothing, training and job-hunting support to disadvantaged women. Kimpton does a great job of quantifying its contributions while getting guests involved: When guests use the code DFS when booking, $10 of the daily room rate goes to Dress for Success, and guests can get a 15 percent discount, as well. Environmental responsibility is also important to this cohort. Almost every hotel offers guests the option of re-using towels and linens, so properties need to come up with more initiatives. Take a tip from Banyan Tree and its youthful brand, Angsana. Sustainability is at the heart of the brand promise. You can't visit a property without a reminder of the good that the brand does in its local community. When I checked into the Angsana Long Co, I was provided with a bracelet made by someone in the local community as a symbol of the tie the hotel keeps with its local community. **Business and Pleasure** Younger business travelers want to take advantage of the trip to do some sightseeing, as well as take care of business. Eighty-four percent of them are likely to add a few says onto a business trip to explore the area at their leisure, according to a 2013 survey conducted by Hilton Garden Inn.(viii) This represents a good opportunity for hotels: 96 percent were likely to book extra days if the hotel gave them a discount. In the Hilton Garden Inn Discovery and Connection Survey, Millennials cited experiencing new things as the best benefit of business travel, while 37 percent were excited to meet new people while on the road. With this in mind, hotels can differentiate themselves by providing much richer information that the typical lists of restaurants and nearby attractions found in guest-room information books. Just don't expect them to stop by the concierge desk to find it. In line with the More Tech, Less People theme, take the time to build out your mobile app to link to a variety of rich-media sources for local information. **Just for Me** Millennials want to personalize their hotel experiences in the same way that they do their phones. The more unique offerings a hotel can provide, the more loyal these customers will become. Two-thirds of Millennial high-frequency travelers rated “unique rewards” as an important factor when choosing a hotel loyalty program, compared with just 43 percent of their older counterparts, according to Deloitte's Winning the Race for Guest Loyalty study. Instead of points, Deloitte found, Millennials highly valued soft benefits such as VIP treatments and exclusive experiences. Hotels should also look at opportunities for surprising and delighting Millennials when they are on site, because Millennials will likely share the experience with their networks. Hotels can access public profile information to see likes and dislikes and use that information to create a memorable experience. For example, a San Francisco Giants fan in town during a televised game would be floored if he opened his door after a long day of meetings to find two beers and a bag of peanuts, along with a note from the GM wishing the Giants luck tonight. You can be sure that he would share a photo of the amenity on Facebook and Instagram, and tweet about the experience as well. **Experiential** Millennials have grown up with more information about other cultures and easier access to affordable travel than any generation before them. Through social media, social gaming and free communications platforms like Skype and GChat, Millennials can engage with people all over the world. As a result, they are more comfortable with and even drawn to meeting new people and experiencing new cultures. Two thirds of Millennials told Deloitte that unique experiences mattered, and they prefer authentic experiences to hygienic ones. In fact, a study by Skift has shown that Millennials are more likely than other generations to participate in peer-to-peer rental services such as AirBnB or Uber. Since experiencing local sites and people is important to Millennials, hotels should do everything to appeal to their desire for authenticity. Some Kimpton hotels, for example, leads guests on a morning run, sharing local knowledge about the area. Another hotel, Amansala, in Tulum, Mexico, provides cooking demonstrations of local specialties. **Last-Minute** How does having the world's information constantly available in your pocket change things? Millennials, who have never had to dig up information, don't always plan travel the way older generations do; they assume that what they need will be always available - and that includes hotel rooms. EY Global Hospitality Insights 2014 believes that capturing demand for same-day rooms via local sales channels will grow in importance along with the growth in Millennial travel spending. Even legacy travel aggregators like Expedia and Orbitz now have "available tonight" sections, while mobile-only or mobile-first startups including HotelTonight and Jetsetter cater to younger travelers. Hoteliers can help sell unsold rooms through these channels and can take advantage of millennials' love of last-minute offers by including an advanced check-in offer with upgrade possibilities. Responding to Millennial culture may require a bit of a shift in the way we've always handled marketing and guest relations. But remember, everyone is digital now. Many of these ideas will be welcomed by all your guests, even if they're not part of the soon-to-be Millennial Majority. *References* *(i) Nielsen. [Millennials: Technology = Social Connection][1]. February 26, 2014.
(ii) [The Value of Robotic Room Service][2] IndustryView 2014
(iii) [Millennials Indulge in Luxury Hotel Services][3]. June 10, 2014.
(v) Travelers Rank Complimentary Breakfast and Free WiFi as Most Valuable Hotel Amenities. April 8, 2014. [http://press.hotels.com/en-us/news-releases/travelers-rank-complimentary-breakfast-and-free-wi-fi-as-the-most-valuable-hotel-amenities-in-global-survey/][5]
(v) [http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/173537/hotels-engage-gen-Millennial-guests.aspx][6]
(vi) Nielsen Global Survey on Corporate Social Responsibility, Q3 2011 and Q1 2013
(vii) TBWA and Take Part, The Future of Social Activism. [http://pndblog.typepad.com/pndblog/2013/09/infographic-the-future-of-social-activism.html][7]
(viii) Millennials Take New Approach to Work-Life Balance, According to Hilton Garden Inn Survey. June 26, 2013. [http://news.hiltonworldwide.com/index.cfm/newsroom/detail/23578][8]* [1]: http://www.nielsen.com/content/corporate/us/en/insights/news/2014/Millennials-technology-social-connection.html [2]: http://www.softwareadvice.com/hotel-management/industryview/robotic-service-report-2014 [3]: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140610006008/en/Millennials-Indulge-Luxury-Hotel-Services-Chase-Marriott#.VGuI5vZ0xjo [4]: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140610006008/en/Millennials-Indulge-Luxury-Hotel-Services-Chase-Marriott#.VGuI5vZ0xjo [5]: http://press.hotels.com/en-us/news-releases/travelers-rank-complimentary-breakfast-and-free-wi-fi-as-the-most-valuable-hotel-amenities-in-global-survey/ [6]: http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/173537/hotels-engage-gen-Millennial-guests.aspx [7]: http://pndblog.typepad.com/pndblog/2013/09/infographic-the-future-of-social-activism.html [8]: http://news.hiltonworldwide.com/index.cfm/newsroom/detail/23578

Terms & Conditions

The following are terms of a legal agreement ("Agreement") between you and HotelExecutive. By accessing, browsing and/or otherwise using this web site, HotelExecutive, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agreed to be bound by these terms and conditions, and to comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including U.S. export and re-export control laws and regulations. If you do not agree to all of these terms and conditions, you may not access, browse and/or use HotelExecutive. The material provided on HotelExecutive is protected by law, including, but not limited to, United States copyright law and international treaties.

These terms of access apply to your access to and use of HotelExecutive and do not alter in any way the terms and conditions of any other agreement you may have with HotelExecutive for products, software, services or otherwise, unless otherwise directed by HotelExecutive. If you breach any of these terms and conditions, your authorization to use HotelExecutive automatically terminates and you must immediately destroy any downloaded or printed materials and discontinue use of any hyperlinks to HotelExecutive.

1. USE RESTRICTIONS

Copyright. All Site materials, including, without limitation, text, pictures, graphics and other files and the selection and arrangement thereof are copyrighted materials of HotelExecutive © 1996-2016, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, or by the original creator of the material. Permission is granted to display and use the materials on HotelExecutive for private individual, educational and noncommercial use only, provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright and other proprietary notices contained in the materials. You may not, however, distribute, copy, reproduce, display, republish, download, or transmit any material on HotelExecutive for commercial use without prior written approval from HotelExecutive. You may not "mirror" any material contained on HotelExecutive on any other server without prior written permission from HotelExecutive. Any unauthorized use of any material contained on HotelExecutive may violate copyright laws, trademark laws, the laws of privacy and publicity and communications regulations and statutes.

Trademarks

The trademarks, service marks, trade names and logos (the "Trademarks") used and displayed on HotelExecutive are registered and unregistered Trademarks of HotelExecutive. In addition, all page headers, custom graphics, icons and scripts are service marks, trademarks and/or trade dress of HotelExecutive, and may not be copied, imitated or used, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of HotelExecutive. You acknowledge that the Trademarks used and displayed on HotelExecutive are and shall remain the sole property of HotelExecutive or the Trademark owner. Nothing in this Agreement shall confer any right of ownership of any of the Trademarks in you. Further, nothing in HotelExecutive shall be construed as granting, by implication, estoppel or otherwise any license or right to use any Trademark used or displayed on HotelExecutive, without the express written permission of HotelExecutive or the Trademark owner. The misuse of the trademarks displayed on HotelExecutive, or any other Content on HotelExecutive, is strictly prohibited.

Hyperlinks

You are granted a limited, nonexclusive right to create a hypertext link to HotelExecutive provided that such link is to the entry page of HotelExecutive and does not portray HotelExecutive or any of its products or services in a false, misleading, derogatory, or otherwise defamatory manner. This limited right may be revoked at any time for any reason whatsoever. You may not use framing techniques to enclose any Company trademark, logo or trade name or other proprietary information including the images found at HotelExecutive, the Content of any text or the layout/design of any page or any form contained on a page without HotelExecutive's express written consent. Links to third party sites on HotelExecutive are provided solely as convenience to you. If you use these links, you will leave HotelExecutive. HotelExecutive has not reviewed all of these third party sites and does not control and is not responsible for any of these sites, their Content or their policies, including, without limitation, privacy policies or lack thereof. HotelExecutive does not endorse or make any representations about third party sites or any information, software or other products or materials found there, or any results that may be obtained from using them. If you decide to access any of the third party sites linked to HotelExecutive, you do so entirely at your own risk. You acknowledge and agree that HotelExecutive shall not be responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by, or in connection with the use of or reliance on any such third party sites.

Downloadable Materials

Any software, including codes or other materials that are made available to download from HotelExecutive, is the copyrighted work of HotelExecutive and/or its suppliers and affiliates. If you download software from HotelExecutive, use of the software is subject to the license terms in the software license agreement that accompanies or is provided with the software. You may not download or install the software until you have read and accepted the terms of the applicable software license agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, copying or reproduction of the software to any other server or location for further reproduction or redistribution is expressly prohibited unless otherwise provided for in the applicable software license agreement in the case of software, or the express written consent of HotelExecutive in the case of codes or other downloadable materials.

Limited Access

Except as otherwise expressly permitted by HotelExecutive, any access or attempt to access other areas of HotelExecutive computer system or other information contained on the system for any purposes is strictly prohibited. You agree that you will not use any robot, spider, other automatic device, or manual process to "screen scrape," monitor, "mine," or copy the Web pages on HotelExecutive or the Content contained therein without HotelExecutive's prior, express, and written permission. You will not spam or send unsolicited e-mail to any other user of HotelExecutive for any reason. You agree that you will not use any device, software or routine to interfere or attempt to interfere with the proper working of HotelExecutive. You agree that you will not take any action that imposes an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on HotelExecutive's infrastructure.

Additional Use Restrictions

You shall not post, transmit, e-mail, re-transmit or store material on or through any of the services provided by HotelExecutive (the "Services") which, in the sole judgment of HotelExecutive: (i) is in violation of any local, state, federal or non-United States law or regulation, (ii) is threatening, obscene, indecent, defamatory or that otherwise could adversely affect any individual, group or entity (collectively, "Persons") or (iii) violates the rights of any person, including rights protected by copyright, trade secret, patent or other intellectual property or similar laws or regulations including, but not limited to, the installation or distribution of "pirated" or other unauthorized photos or software products that are not appropriately licensed for use by you. You shall be responsible for determining what laws or regulations are applicable to its use of the Services. In addition, you may only use the Services in a manner that, in HotelExecutive's sole judgment, is consistent with the purposes of such Services. If you are unsure of whether any contemplated use or action is permitted, please contact HotelExecutive at editor@HotelExecutive By way of example, and not limitation, the following uses described below of the Services are expressly prohibited:

A. upload, post, e-mail or otherwise transmit any information, data, text, software, music, sound, photographs, graphics, video, messages or other materials (collectively, "Content") that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortious, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, sexually intolerant or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable;

B. impersonate any person or entity, including, but not limited to, a Company official, forum leader, guide or host, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity;

C. forge headers or otherwise manipulate identifiers in order to disguise the origin of any Content transmitted through the Services or develop restricted or password-only access pages, or hidden pages or images (those not linked to from another accessible page);

D. upload, post, e-mail or otherwise transmit any Content that you do not have a right to transmit under any law or under contractual or fiduciary relationships such as inside information, proprietary and confidential information learned or disclosed as part of employment relationships or under nondisclosure agreements;

E. upload, post, e-mail or otherwise transmit any Content that infringes any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright or other proprietary rights of any party;

F. upload, post, e-mail or otherwise transmit any unsolicited or unauthorized advertising, promotional materials, "junk mail," "spam," "chain letters," "pyramid schemes" or any other form of solicitation;

G. upload, post, e-mail or otherwise transmit any material that contains software viruses, worms or any other computer code, files or programs designed to interrupt, destroy or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware or telecommunications equipment;

H. interfere with or disrupt the Services or servers or networks connected to the Services, or disobey any requirements, procedures, policies or regulations of networks connected to the Services;

I. intentionally or unintentionally violate any applicable local, state, national or international law, including, but not limited to, regulations promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any rules of any national or other securities exchange, including, without limitation, the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ, and any regulations having the force of law;

J. 'stalk' or otherwise harass another user of HotelExecutive or Company employee or official;

K. promote or provide instructional information about illegal activities, promote physical harm or injury against any group or individual, or promote any act of cruelty to animals. This may include, but is not limited to, providing instructions on how to assemble bombs, grenades and other weapons, and creating "Crush" sites; and

L. effecting security breaches or disruptions of Internet communication. Security breaches include, but are not limited to, accessing data of which you are not an intended recipient or logging into a server or account that you are not expressly authorized to access.

M. advertising to, or soliciting any user of HotelExecutive to buy or sell any products or services through the unauthorized or impermissible use of the Services. You may not transmit any junk email or chain letters to other users. If you breach this Agreement and send unsolicited bulk email, instant messages or other unauthorized commercial communications of any kind through the Services, you acknowledge that you will have caused substantial harm to HotelExecutive, but that the amount of such harm would be extremely difficult to ascertain. As a reasonable estimation of such harm, you agree to pay HotelExecutive $500 for each such unsolicited email or other unauthorized commercial communication you send to each user through the Services.

2. DISCLAIMER WARRANTY

HotelExecutive, including all software, functions, materials, and information is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. HotelExecutive disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to, warranties of non-infringement and implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, title, merchantability of computer programs, data accuracy, system integration, and informational Content. HotelExecutive does not warrant or make any representations regarding the operation of HotelExecutive, the use, validity, accuracy or reliability of, or the results of the use of the materials on HotelExecutive or any other sites linked to HotelExecutive. The materials of HotelExecutive may be out of date, and HotelExecutive makes no commitment to update the materials at HotelExecutive. HotelExecutive does not and cannot guarantee or warrant that the files available for downloading from HotelExecutive, if any, will be free from infection, viruses, worms, Trojan horses, or other code that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. HotelExecutive does not warrant that HotelExecutive, software, materials, products, or services will be uninterrupted or error-free or that any defects in HotelExecutive, software, materials, products, or services will be corrected.

3. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

In no event will HotelExecutive, its suppliers or other third parties mentioned at or in HotelExecutive be liable for any damages, including, without limitation direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages, damages resulting from lost profits, lost data or business interruption arising out of relating to the use, inability to use, or resulting from the use of HotelExecutive, any web sites linked to HotelExecutive, the materials, software or other information contained in any or all such sites, whether based on warranty, contracts, statutes, regulations, tort (including but not limited to, negligence) or any other legal theory and whether or not advised of the possibility of such damages. If your use of the materials or information from HotelExecutive results in the need for servicing, repair or correction of equipment or data, you assume all costs thereof.

4. REVISIONS TO THIS AGREEMENT

HotelExecutive may revise this Agreement at any time without notice by updating this posting. By using HotelExecutive you agree to be bound by any such revisions and should therefore periodically visit HotelExecutive and page to determine the then current Terms of Access and Use conditions of use to which you are bound.

5. TRANSMISSIONS

Any idea you transmit to or post on HotelExecutive by any means will be treated as non-confidential and non-proprietary and may be disseminated or used by HotelExecutive or its affiliates for any purpose whatsoever, including, but not limited to, developing and marketing products. You are prohibited from posting or transmitting to or from HotelExecutive any unlawful, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene, scandalous, inflammatory, pornographic, profane material or any other material, including but not limited to any material that could give rise to any civil or criminal liability under both domestic and international law.

6. YOUR WARRANTIES

You warrant to HotelExecutive that:

You are the sole owner of all rights in the materials posted or uploaded by you (including all related copyrights) or that you have the absolute right to license their use as provided in this section. While you will retain ownership of the copyright in the materials posted or uploaded by you, you agree that all materials posted or uploaded by you shall become part of a database, and that HotelExecutive will own the compilation copyright in that database. In addition, you hereby grant HotelExecutive a perpetual, worldwide, irrevocable license to use, reproduce, modify, publish, publicly perform, publically display and distribute such materials, and portions of such materials and any derivative works created from such materials, in print, electronic and other media, by any means now known or developed in the future. We may sublicense all of our rights and licenses or assign them to third parties. Neither HotelExecutive nor any third party using the materials in accordance with this section will be obligated to pay you any royalties or other compensation for use of the materials.

You will comply with these Terms of Access and Use including, without limitation, the USE RESTRICTIONS set out in Section 3 above;

You agree to indemnify and hold HotelExecutive harmless from any claim or damages (including any legal fees in relation to same) made by a third party in respect of any matter in relation to or arising from your use and/or membership arising from any breach or suspected breach of these Terms of Access and Use by you or your violation of any law or the rights of any third party.

7. ACTIONS WE MAY TAKE AT OUR SOLE DISCRETION

HotelExecutive may take any or all of the following actions at our sole discretion:

Remove any member profile (including photographs) or other material that, in our sole discretion may be inappropriate or we suspect to be illegal, subject us to liability or which may violate these Terms of Access and Use or where required to do so by law;

Issue members with verbal or written warnings and may take such further action as we deem appropriate if such warnings are not heeded;

Suspend or terminate a member's access to the members's area of HotelExecutive or a member's account without notice at any time;

Inform the appropriate authorities and provide them with information regarding any suspected illegal activity; or bring legal action against a member or other user of HotelExecutive in relation to any breach of these Terms of Access and Use or any illegal or suspected illegal activity.

8. GOOD SAMARITAN CONTENT AND COMPLAINT PROCEDURES POLICY

A. Policy

We have provided opportunities for you to contribute Content to our Site. It is our policy, however, not to allow any Content which may constitute intellectual property infringement; violations of federal, state, or local law; obscene or defamatory material, or may otherwise be unacceptable or inappropriate. Upon learning of such Content, we will attempt, and you hereby give HotelExecutive the right, to delete, edit, remove, disable, change, or restrict access to or the availability of the Content, which in our sole discretion, is otherwise unacceptable or objectionable. We may or may not notify you about what action we take with respect to the disputed Content. The provisions of this section are intended to implement this policy but are not in any way intended to impose a contractual obligation upon us to undertake, or refrain from undertaking, any particular course of conduct.

B. Complaint Procedures

If you believe that another user or other third party has posted Content which violates this policy or specifically the USE RESTRICTIONS in Section 3 above, you may notify HotelExecutive via e-mail at editor@HotelExecutive . In order to allow HotelExecutive to respond effectively, please provide HotelExecutive with as much information as possible in your correspondence, including: (1) the nature of the right infringed or violated (including any applicable registration numbers of the federally-registered intellectual property allegedly infringed), if applicable, or the unacceptable or inappropriate Content; (2) all facts which lead you to believe that a right has been violated or infringed, if applicable; (3) the precise location where the offending Content is located; (4) any grounds to believe that the party or user which posted the Content was not authorized to do so or did not have a valid defense (including the defense of fair use), if applicable; (5) if known, the identity of the party or user who posted the infringing, offending, or inappropriate Content; and (6) in the case of alleged copyright infringement claims, information sufficient to identify the work and your claims to ownership.

C. Indemnification/Waiver of Certain Rights

By contacting HotelExecutive and complaining of an alleged violation, you agree that the substance of your complaint shall constitute a representation made under the pains and penalties of perjury pursuant to the laws of the State of California. In addition, you agree, at your own expense, to defend and indemnify HotelExecutive and hold HotelExecutive harmless against all claims which may be asserted against HotelExecutive, and all losses incurred, as a result of your complaint and/or our response to it.

D. Waiver of Claims and Remedies

We expect all users of our Site to take responsibility for their own actions and cannot and do not assume liability for any acts of third parties which take place at our Site. By utilizing the Good Samaritan procedures set forth herein, you waive any and all claims or remedies which you might otherwise be able to assert against hotelexecutive under any theory of law (including, but not limited to, intellectual property laws) that arise out of or relate in any way to the content at hotelexecutive or our response, or failure to respond, to a complaint.

E. Investigation/Liability Limitation

You agree that we have the right, but not the obligation, to investigate any complaint received. By reserving this right, we do not undertake any responsibility in fact to investigate complaints or to remove, edit, disable or restrict access to or the availability of Content. We will not act on complaints that we believe, in our sole discretion, to be deficient, incomplete, or otherwise questionable. If you believe that Content remains on HotelExecutive which violates your rights, Your sole and exclusive remedy shall be against the user or other party responsible for said content, not against HotelExecutive. your sole and exclusive remedy against HotelExecutive shall be to terminate your use of HotelExecutive and service.

Digital Millennium Copyright Act Compliance. As set forth in Subsection (b), you must contact our agent if you believe that a work protected by a U.S. Copyright which you own has been posted on our Site without authorization or that our Site, in some material way, contributes to its infringement. It is our policy in appropriate circumstances, if possible, to terminate the access rights of repeat infringers and other users who use HotelExecutive in an inappropriate or objectionable manner.

9. COOPERATION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT

HotelExecutive reserves the right to fully cooperate with any law enforcement authorities or court order requesting or directing HotelExecutive to disclose the identity or other information regarding any user or member alleged by any governmental entity to be using HotelExecutive or any Content or materials available in, at, through or in association with HotelExecutive in violation of any law or regulation, or in violation of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the posting of e-mail messages, or publishing or otherwise making available any such materials. By accepting this agreement you waive and hold harmless HotelExecutive from any claims resulting from any action by HotelExecutive during, or as a result of, its investigations, and from any actions taken as a consequence of investigations by either HotelExecutive or law enforcement authorities

10. APPLICABLE LAWS, VENUE, JURISDICTION & MANDATORY ARBITRATION

If any provision(s) of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be contrary to law, then such provision(s) shall be construed, as nearly as possible, to reflect the intentions of the parties with the other provisions remaining in full force and effect. HotelExecutive's failure to exercise or enforce any right or provision of this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision unless acknowledged and agreed to by HotelExecutive in writing. The section titles in this Agreement are solely used for the convenience of the parties and have no legal or contractual significance. This Agreement may be assigned in whole or in part by HotelExecutive. This Agreement may not be assigned in any manner by you without the express, prior written permission of HotelExecutive.

Any and all disputes or controversies of any kind, including but not limited to any performance, duty, obligation or liability arising under or related to this Agreement which are not first resolved informally, shall be determined by binding arbitration in San Francisco, California, in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association. The final award in any such arbitration proceeding shall be subject to entry as a judgment by any court or competent jurisdiction, provided that such judgment does not conflict with the terms and provisions hereof. The jurisdiction of the arbiter (or arbiters) with respect to legal matters shall be limited only by the statutory and common law of the State of California and the United States.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any and all disputes, which the parties cannot informally resolve, regarding the scope of issues or matter with the jurisdiction of the arbitrator, shall be resolved by a separate dispute resolution process whereby HotelExecutive, in its sole discretion shall elect the dispute to be resolved by either (1) a court of competent jurisdiction in the State of California or (2) a panel of three new arbitrators.

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California notwithstanding any conflict of laws provisions. You and HotelExecutive agree that the venue for all legal disputes, controversies, actions of any kind arising under or related to this Agreement shall be San Francisco, California. You and HotelExecutive further agree that in case of any litigation regarding this Agreement, you irrevocably and unconditionally (i) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the County of San Francisco, California for any litigation or dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, (ii) agree not to commence any litigation arising out of or relating to this Agreement except in the California Courts, (iii) agree not to plead or claim that such litigation brought therein has been brought in an inconvenient forum, and (iv) agree the California Courts represent the exclusive jurisdiction for all litigation relating to this Agreement.

11. MEMBERSHIP FEES

Hotel Business Review Subscriptions

If you choose to purchase a subscription, member subscription payments can be made in U.S. Dollars, as well as a variety of international currencies. Membership terms are Annual Recurring, and Monthly Recurring. The Annual Recurring subscription is an annual commitment and subscribers will be charged each consecutive billing cycle. Annual Recurring subscriptions can be cancelled after the first billing cycle and within 30-days of the billing date for a full refund. Monthly Recurring subscriptions are ongoing and subscribers will be charged each consecutive monthly billing cycle. Monthly Recurring subscriptions can be cancelled after the first month and within 7 days of the monthly billing cycle for a full refund.

12. PAYMENT AUTHORIZATION

Payment for the services provided to you in, at, through or in association with HotelExecutive may be made by automatic credit card, debit card, direct debit, bankwire or Paypal and other approved payment means offered in, at, through or in association with HotelExecutive, and you hereby authorize HotelExecutive and its agents to transact such payments on your behalf.

You hereby authorize HotelExecutive's Internet Payment Service Provider to charge your credit card to pay for your membership to HotelExecutive. You further authorize HotelExecutive's Internet Payment Service Provider to charge your credit card for any and all purchases of products, services in association with HotelExecutive. You agree to be personally liable for all charges incurred by you in association with your access or other use of any content provided by HotelExecutive or any third party in association with HotelExecutive. You acknowledge and agree that your liability for all such charges shall continue after termination of your access or any type of membership arrangement with HotelExecutive.

In the event that you have chosen to have your membership automatically rebilled, unless and until you notify HotelExecutive that you wish to cancel or terminate your membership to HotelExecutive, you hereby agree and authorize HotelExecutive's Internet Payment Service Provider to automatically renew your membership to HotelExecutive on a continuing basis and to charge your credit card (or other payment means you have selected) to pay for the ongoing cost of your membership. You hereby further authorize HotelExecutive's Internet Payment Service Provider to charge your credit card (or other approved payment means you have selected) for any and all purchases of products, services and entertainment provided to in, at, through or in association with HotelExecutive.

13. PRIVACY POLICY

The following is the Privacy Policy for HotelExecutive

We can be reached via telephone, email, or online at our contact page. When you visit our site we do not log any information regarding your domain or email address. Information Sharing: We do not share user information with any third parties other than via press release distribution as described below.

Hotel Newswire is a newswire service that distributes press releases on behalf of our users. If you decide to submit a press release for distribution through our system we will transmit your entire press release including any personal information therein contained to our media contacts and online distribution points including search engines. This is the only redistribution of your information that we engage in. Your submission of press releases through our system indicates consent with this policy. The information we collect during your registration process is used to notify users about updates to our service and inform users of any special events hosted by Hotel Newswire. This information is not shared with other organizations for commercial or non-commercial purposes.

Cookies: Our system requires the use of cookies to enable the user to log back into our website to access information from the newswire, without having to log in each time using the required username and password.

If you do not want to receive email from us in the future, please let us know by following instructions included in our communication with you. Users who supply us with telephone numbers online may receive telephone contact from us regarding their account, or informing them of new products and services available on the HotelExecutive website. If you do not wish to receive such telephone calls, please edit your account and remove your phone number from your account profile. This can be done from your user account menu.

Ad Servers: We do not partner with or have any relationship with any ad server companies. From time to time, we may use customer information for new uses not previously disclosed in our privacy notice. If our information practices change at any time, we will post the policy changes to our website to notify you of these changes and provide you with the ability to opt out of these new uses. If you are concerned about how your information is used, you should check back at our website periodically.

Upon request we provide site visitors with access to all information (including proprietary information) that we maintain about them. Users can access this information by logging in to their account.

Security: We always use industry-standard encryption technologies while transferring and receiving user data exchanged with our site. We have appropriate security measures in place in our physical facilities to protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of information that we have collected from you on our site. We do not store credit card information in our systems.

If you feel that this site is not following its stated information policy, you may contact us.

Receive our Newsletter

Tech-Driven Dining: How Innovative Solutions are Revolutionizing Hotel F&B Operations

By Jacqueline Villamil, Chief Executive Officer, Strategic Solution Partners

In today’s hospitality landscape, technology is not just a supportive tool but a transformative force. Hotels, especially in food and beverage (F&B) operations, leverage advancements like artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced data analytics to streamline efficiency, improve guest satisfaction, and boost revenue. From operational improvements to personalized dining experiences, these technologies are reshaping F&B departments, addressing the dual needs of operational excellence and enhanced guest experiences. But what exactly makes these advanced technologies so essential for today’s F&B operations, and how are they transforming the way hotels serve and engage guests? The Rise of...

A Hotel Marketer's Bold Blueprint for Unified Commercial Strategy

By Stephanie Smith, Founder & CEO, Cogwheel Marketing

Why do commercial strategy silos persist? Here's a perspective from a marketer, undoubtedly biased but fueled by a desire for unity and efficiency. Constructing a Champion Football Team Imagine if sales were the offense, the unit charging forward to score goals or points. They directly engage with prospects and clients, transforming opportunities into revenue through aggression and direct action aimed at securing business. Marketing then serves as the midfielders, pivotal for both defense and offense. They create opportunities, set the game's pace, and strategically position the hotel in the market to support the offense's efforts....

The Influence of a Digital Worker Through Automation and AI in the Hospitality Industry

By Dr. Ajay Aluri, Founding Director & Associate Professor, Nemacolin Hospitality Innovation and Technology

The concepts of automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have been around for decades, but their actual adoption and application are currently being used and applied successfully in the hospitality industry. Digital workers, software robots designed to perform tasks that are repetitive in nature, usually executed by human workers, such as data entry, data extraction, form completion, transaction processing, file movement, and more, offer high-tech digital solutions that enhance much-needed operational efficiency. While the terms’ automation’ and ’AI’ are often used interchangeably by both professionals and academic researchers, it is crucial to establish clear standards when employing different levels of...

Three Main Areas Leaders Can Improve Remote Work Policies

By Lacey Leone Mclaughlin, Executive & Leadership Coach, LLM Consulting Group

COVID-19 changed everything. We all learned that sometimes you must travel with a mask. In the office, how we work dramatically changed. Zoom was just another business software before COVID-19. Today, it’s a verb. Entire etiquette has emerged around how to behave on a Zoom call. For workers and leaders, the office is still changing. Some people are back to the office. Others are working half at the office and half at home. COVID-19 created a whole new world for business leaders, team members, and everyone else in an organization.Those changes are still manifesting throughout the travel and hospitality sector....

Using Digital Solutions to Overcome Labor Crises and Enhance Efficiency

By Tony Fernandez, Chief Executive Officer & President, MTech Mobility

The hospitality industry has grappled with significant labor shortages in recent years, not only impacting businesses across the board but also creating severe challenges for many workers. Notably, the restaurant sector stands as a major employer in the U.S., with the National Restaurant Association reporting nearly 15 million individuals working within this industry. Staffing shortages have become increasingly severe, with many restaurants unable to fully staff their operations. In fact, the restaurant industry lost more than one million jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, and recovery has been slow. The latest figures indicate that 81% of restaurant operators report facing staffing...

Duffy's Sports Grill: A Review of One of The Best Customer Loyalty Programs in The Nation

By James Downey, Professor Emeritus, Lynn University

One of the best customer loyalty programs in the country was started in Florida back in 1985 with founder Paul Emmett leading the charge. Here is the history of that restaurant chain from its corporate website: “The original “Duffy’s Drafthouse.” was founded by two childhood friends turned business partners in Lake Park, Florida in 1985. In addition to plenty of beer choices, Duffy’s had only 4 items on the menu: Grilled Mahi Sandwich, Hot Ham and Cheese, Smoked Sausage and ½ lb. Cheeseburger. All of these original items were served with potato chips so there was no need...

Creating a Culture of Resilience and Inclusion in Hospitality Leadership

By Kelly Meerbott, Executive Leadership Coach, YOU Loud & Clear, Inc.

Diversity numbers can tell you who is in the room. Culture determines who speaks, who is heard, and who stays. In hospitality, the stakes are high. Hotels and restaurants still report persistent staffing gaps even after significant rehiring. Early in 2025, a national survey from the American Hotel & Lodging Association found that nearly two thirds of hotels were still experiencing labor shortages (AHLA, 2025). At the same time, voluntary quits in accommodation and food services remained among the highest of any sector, with a June 2025 quits rate of 4.9 percent according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor...

HOTEL BUSINESS REVIEW FEBRUARY FOCUS: Hotel Social Media

9 Ways to Respond to the Millennial Imperative

By Michelle Wohl VP of Marketing & Client Services, Revinate | February 2015

Terms & Conditions

Receive our Newsletter

HOTEL BUSINESS REVIEW
FEBRUARY FOCUS: Hotel Social Media