In this article we look at interesting statistics and takeaways from the 2019 Leisure Travel Study. The annual research provides a comprehensive look into consumer shopping and booking preferences and behaviors. This year's data shows that hotels are missing out on a huge opportunity to reduce reliance on OTAs and drive more direct bookings, that it may be time to invest in a branded mobile app, that consumers aren't quite ready to embrace voice-enabled technology, and that Millennials really are quite different than previous generations. READ MORE

Digging deep into many of the complexities of creating successful music architecture solutions, we can move into the future of guest experiences. To me, that means bundling the music content service with the audio and video integration. AV technology today has the potential to be so much more than background music and a screen with static information. There are endless opportunities with the latest technology to drive the guest experience and engagement in innovative and unforgettable ways. READ MORE

Way back when, on June 10, 1963, then-President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law – a bold piece of legislation that amended the Fair Labor Standards Act and requires that men and women be given equal pay for equal work within the same establishment. Fast-forward fifty-plus years, and it's apparent that work remains to be done. Today, females in the workplace earn 80% less than white men, with women of color faring much worse. And while the hospitality industry performs better than the national average in terms of the gender pay gap, disparities remain that must be stamped out once and for all. READ MORE

A study of hotels in New Zealand shows both strength in their disaster resilience and a few areas for improvement. The Disaster Resilience for Hotels framework is used as a basis for the surveys which were distributed to hotel general managers and staff. Analysis of the results helps to understand hotel resilience predictors. Hotel leaders can use this information to make evidence based decisions about their organizations disaster management activities and operational choices. Key findings: include front line service staff in planning, hotels need to network with community and government organizations, and operational capacities in disasters need analysis.? READ MORE

Millennials like me are changing our industry, but we're nothing to be scared of. We love to travel and seek new experiences, which happens to be our core business. We like to eat, too, which is great if you are a Chef. Listening to members of my generation, two predominant concepts have emerged that I believe are influencing younger consumers' choices, ideas that are not just trends, but are likely generational and permanent: wellness and authenticity. How hotels provide authentic experiences that contribute to our guests' wellbeing will determine how we create brand loyalty with these critical consumers. READ MORE