One of the most difficult decisions a hotel owner can face is whether or not to put a property up for sale - especially during a down economy. Values are less than they would be in a boom time, and there are fewer investors and fewer dollars available for acquisitions. Nevertheless, property owners aren't always lucky enough to be selling in a strong economy; many times, it's necessary to sell under less them optimal circumstances. Lower interest rates and financing costs can sometimes contribute to a greater price or at least help to offset declining revenues. READ MORE

How do you explain gender discrimination to someone from a country where women are prohibited from walking in the streets unescorted by a man? How do you explain racial discrimination to someone from a country that is still ruled by a caste system? How do you resolve disputes among supervisors and subordinates when the employees are from countries that have been at war for centuries? There is no industry in which these questions create more of a real-world challenge than the hospitality industry. With many layers of employees - ranging from management to entertainers to housekeeping and maintenance staff, whose formal education may differ and who may be relatively new to this country - the hotel industry has a very diverse personnel structure. READ MORE

Not since the building boom of the late 1980s was followed by the recession of the early 1990s has the hotel industry faced as trying a time as it does today. As then, the period of prosperity in the late 1990s and the seemingly ever-increasing demand for hotel rooms caused significant new construction in markets around the country. Similarly, an economic slide has caused a sharp decrease in business and leisure travel. Today, we have the added factor of the fear of terrorism causing many would-be travelers in the United States and around the world to feel more secure staying closer to home - placing the entire travel and hospitality industry in a precarious position. READ MORE

Many businesses in every industry go through periods in which they have to implement layoffs. The hotel industry is no exception. Since many of a hotel's costs are fixed - the property needs to be maintained, the restaurant needs to stay open - often the only way of reducing costs in the face of revenue shortfalls in through layoffs. Layoffs are always painful, but experienced managers have learned that they are sometimes necessary to protect the long-term viability of the business. Making these situations even more difficult is the possibility that laid off employees - who may be hurt and angry - will argue that they have been victims of discrimination. How do you prevent this type of difficult situation from leading to litigation? READ MORE

The economy is improving, hotel rooms are filling up again, and the marketplace is more competitive than ever. New projects are being planned, investors are looking for opportunities, and hotel owners need to take a hard look at their operations to make sure they are positioned to capture as much market share as possible. Is it time to add onto the property, constructing new guest rooms, or a conference center, or recreational facilities, or a spa? Are there relatively minor expenditures, short of new construction, that can add significant value? As with other aspects of hotel development and management, knowledge of the marketplace, knowledge of your clientele and insight into your own positioning are crucial. For example, upscale isn't always the way to go. What if there is a new convention center? In a large city, with an abundance of luxury hotels within a short distance, perhaps a three-star hotel, offering convenience, accessibility and relatively low cost for business travelers and convention-goers, would be far better. You need to identify your customer and the demands of your location. READ MORE