The hospitality industry is undergoing revolutionary changes. Long gone are the days of opening the doors of a boutique hotel in a desirable locale and waiting for your guests to arrive. In order to be successful in today's marketplace, hoteliers must first identify a potential brand opportunity to successfully create and implement a unique hotel branding strategy that allows their properties to compete in a global marketplace. In addition to identifying and developing that strategy, there are many other key factors that affect the overall success of the hotel including concept development, ownership philosophies, management styles, and guests' needs and expectations. READ MORE

The current economic situation will not change as quickly as one would hope. In fact, it could be more necessary than ever to continue adjusting expenses to account for the continued change in revenues. More importantly in an industry where labor is the biggest operating expense, the challenges are still greater than in other industries as productivity is tied more conspicuously to quality of service and consequently, to overall guest satisfaction. At a time when watching expenses is crucial because revenues have gone flat, no business can afford to mishandle what revenues are available. Therefore, it is imperative for hotel and company managers to project labor properly and frequently based on productivity indicators READ MORE

The hospitality industry as a whole, and various sectors within the industry in particular, continue to face challenges arising from changes in the local, regional, national and international marketplace. We will identify and briefly discuss some of these emerging issues. READ MORE

A sophisticated real estate investor may know all the ins and outs of purchasing office buildings, retail venues, residential complexes, and mixed-use properties, but may fall short when it comes to identifying and avoiding potential landmines in hotel acquisitions. While purchase agreements used in hotel acquisitions may appear familiar at first glance, there are several key differences purchasers and sellers should be aware of before jumping into a hotel acquisition. Since every acquisition by a purchaser requires a sale by a seller, this article will provide some insight about things to look for during the entire hotel sale and acquisition process. READ MORE

A heightened emphasis on customer satisfaction is not a bad thing at all, and wise hoteliers are realizing that improving customer service is now a much more direct way to increase sales and bookings than it was just a decade ago. But how is an improvement in customer service best accomplished? There are a few guiding principles that can help hoteliers improve the guest experience at their properties and subsequently boost their consumer reviews, land more bookings and encourage repeat visits. Hotels, take heed!  This article examines the importance of customer service and positive online reviews in increasing occupancy rates and RevPAR. READ MORE