When faced with labor shortages and staffing challenges, take a good look at your leadership-management team and onboarding and development plans, as well as your culture. Employees stay in positions when they feel valued, feel competent, are happy in their environment, and have clearly defined roles and expectations. With how negatively turnover impacts your bottom line, it is increasingly important to make sure you are training and developing the right people. When leaders commit to their people and their culture, they are more likely to retain the type of employees that will best perform in their organization. READ MORE

In the hospitality industry, hotels allocate guest room inventory across multiple channels to optimize guest room revenue. As an industry, we typically do this very well for transient business. However, when it comes to group revenue the discipline is not always the same. Group revenue for many hotels is an integral part of their business plan but all group revenue should not be treated equally. Smart hoteliers leverage data to know the difference between available revenue and preferred revenue. With the help of strong group and meetings dataset, hotels can leverage these insights to improve sales productivity, make smart revenue choices, and ultimately optimize profitability. READ MORE

Jeff Hart, General Manager of the Los Angeles Airport Marriott explores the evolution of hotel club lounges and the everyday ways in which they can elevate their spaces and offerings. Hart discusses tactical tips and strategies that hotels can take to stand out and provide a unique experience for guests. From concierge access to exceptional views, and stellar food and beverage, hotels are finding that guests are willing to pay a premium to have access to a heightened hotel lounge experience, and Hart dives into simple touches and more modern renovations that show the unique ways in which they can level up their spaces, offerings and approach. READ MORE

Sales of economy hotels in 2019 registered a healthy level, despite a decline in the number of limited-service hotels that sold during the year. Approximately 10% fewer hotels sold in 2019 than the number that traded hands in 2018, according to Real Capital Analytics (RCA). This decline was attributed entirely to a dearth of major portfolio transactions, while individual property transactions increased slightly for the year. The U.S. economy continues to hold strong, showing great resiliency. The overall strength in consumer spending and confidence has benefited the U.S. hotel industry, driving this healthy transactions market as hotel demand remained at heightened levels. READ MORE

Mishaps are inevitable in the hospitality industry. But these mistakes don't have to be fatal. In fact, the strategies you put in place to respond to service missteps can become some of your strongest tools to win customers and drive revenue. However, recovery is impossible when you don't know where problems lie in the first place. Recent research shows that only 1-in-4 hotel guests say they'll report any issue that impacts their experience. This is worrisome news for hotel operators. But there are ways to overcome these blind spots and create service recovery strategies that boost your reputation and bottom line. READ MORE