In the current state of fitness in the hospitality industry it is not enough to offer a bare bones non-staffed fitness center consisting of a select few pieces of exercise equipment. To set themselves apart, hotels must now reinvent the whole concept of the hotel fitness center, shying away from the old concept of creating an environment where the avid fitness enthusiast can supplement their at-home workout and try to draw in a new demographic of guests many of whom are intimidated by the traditional gym setting. READ MORE

The outlook for the coming years show countries such as India, Brazil, China & Russia having the largest impact on the consumer market. China is the largest population in the world and recent statistics indicate that 1 out of every 6 people on earth are living in China. This will have a drastic effect on the travel industry and the luxury market. Analysts also forecast that China will be the world's most important luxury market by 2011. As more products become available to more people, the pressure increases to offer something truly special. READ MORE

From the looks of it, doom and gloom seem to surround us at every turn. We hear and read about the downturn in the economy in the newspapers, on the evening news, from the Sunday morning "talking heads", at cocktail parties and business events, around the water cooler and even in supermarket tabloids. This economic downturn is affecting every industry - including the hospitality industry. More and more hotel owners may begin to find themselves in financial turmoil and may have to turn to bankruptcy as a solution to a very difficult set of circumstances. READ MORE

Some soar 30 stories high. With banks of elevators around the perimeter. Towering palms or pines or lush flowering tropical plants. And "surround-sound" and showcase lighting. Others are much more reserved and sedate. Elegant, with exotic Persian rugs, expensive tapestries and museum quality artifacts. While others tastefully blend accents of marble and onyx with clean, contemporary furnishings. Whether you favor grandiose atrium style lobbies, smaller, club-style lobbies or scaled-down, simplistic but ultra-sleek foyers, one thing is certain: lobbies have the power to charm, dazzle and entice you... luring you in and seducing you to stay. Guests' impressions of what they are about to experience both start and end with the hotel lobby. That's why lobby design - the visual images, the total sensory experience - is so important. READ MORE

Have you ever had an annual review and was surprised at the fact that your performance was not up to par? Have you ever given an annual review to a surprised and disappointed employee? All too often employees have no idea how their managers see them or what they can do to improve until it is too late. This practice of yearly or semi-yearly reviews that are subject to surprise is quite ineffective and uninspiring. Ongoing coaching is the perfect remedy. Many managers believe that they already coach, but all too often their idea of coaching is telling people what to do. Good coaching utilizes a specific set of questions and inspires self-discovery, resulting in employees taking personal responsibility for their behavior. READ MORE