As every chef knows, providing fresh, wholesome, attractive seafood is the desire of every hotel's food and beverage operation. However, providing customers the seafood they want in an increasingly environmentally-conscious world can be a difficult task. Numerous issues confront us in today's seafood marketplace. In fact, more often than operators like to admit, the products they think they are buying are not what they are getting. Besides mislabeled products, another major concern is agreement on a clear, and universally accepted standard for "organic" seafood. But, with proper oversight and a desire to be proactive, you can create a program that is both in tune with the wishes of today's hotel guest and creates value for your company. READ MORE

The spa industry is sitting in the vortex of a perfect storm... The first front in this storm system is an aging population who have the desire and means (and as they retire, the time) to do what it takes to "stay forever young", as evidenced by the fact that of that 60 is the new 40. The second front of the system is that many are defining youth with matrices that only start with external looks and extend well into more complex issues of quality of life, disease prevention and psychological well-being. The third front of the perfect storm is related to the American medical system. Our health care system is failing. To that end, spa regimes, meditation, nutritional supplements, and lifestyle classes are some of the ways that consumers are supplanting their allopathic care. The last component to complete the storm is the fact that boomers are savvy, result-driven consumers who collect experiences the way their parents collected possessions... READ MORE

The difference between a franchise agreement and a management agreement often comes down to the almighty dollar. Each agreement provides a different level of control and access for both the hotel owner and the brand owner. So which agreement should a hotel owner choose? That decision comes down to the brand operator, the lender and costs considerations. While some hotel owners flirt with management agreements, the franchise agreement is becoming increasingly common, and seems to be taking hold even within the full service sector of the hospitality industry. READ MORE

Looking for an asset manager can sometimes be equated to looking for Waldo. Everywhere you glance in a "Where's Waldo?" drawing you think you spot the cartoon character wearing his famed red-and-white striped apparel. Upon closer inspection, however, you realize that the red-and-white striped image that caught your eye is simply camouflage on another look-alike. Sound familiar in your business? Unlike Waldo, owners wear many hats - especially multi-property owners and those with supplemental real estate investments outside of hospitality. Managing a vast portfolio can't be done alone, so oftentimes these owners hire a management company to oversee day-to-day operations. But who's watching the watchdog when the asset isn't performing and investment objectives aren't being met? READ MORE

Managers and employees need to be better prepared to work in the fast paced hospitality industry. The rigors of the economy, community interaction, public policy and keen competition need to be handled by well prepared managers and employees. Education, training and professional development has become increasingly important and in the current climate education appears more important than ever. The issue for many employees and or their employer is when is there time to get the needed education and or training? This article provides a guide to those thinking about and or seeking additional education in general and more specifically a distance education (DE) option. There are many choices but the issues of fit and program quality are key for student success. READ MORE