With consumers increasingly eager to amass interesting, diverse and unusual experiences when they travel, hotels are equally eager to be of assistance. They rightly view it as another way of providing value and, by extension, helping ensure repeat business. Upscale and luxury hotels have teams of concierges on staff to assist guests in this regard, while limited and select-service hotels have no such resource at hand. Consequently, they end up leaning on ever-resourceful guest services managers and even front desk agents to get the job done, matching guests with the right recommendations and then providing reservations as needed and directions. READ MORE

While hotels ultimately strive to be an inviting place where people can relax and recharge while traveling, many hotels & resorts have embarked on a new mission: becoming ambassadors to help to educate visitors about their unique location and the interesting people who live there. Every destination has a story to tell. And we're all in the business of creating and sharing "experiences" these days. Establishing partnerships with key local community organizations can nurture unique guests moments, build buzz through traditional media outlets, provide exciting new content for social media and ultimately result in brand loyalty. READ MORE

Every year, hoteliers and hotel groups evaluate where their bookings come from, and more importantly, which channels are most profitable. This is no easy task, and there are pros and cons associated with many of the hotels options. In this article, we will take a look at the battlefield of OTA vs. direct bookings. Does it make sense for the hoteliers, and if so, when would it make sense, and what are some of the things that hoteliers can do to optimize the value they would see from the OTAs. READ MORE

To attract modern holidaymakers, hotel operators must offer not only a top-notch complex, amenities and services, but a unique and sustainable experience that cares for the local culture, environment and people. David Quintana, vice president of strategy and development at Grupo Xcaret, explores these new challenges facing the hospitality and tourism industry. As the Mexican company's lead architect, he faced this very question when designing and building the first hotel in one of the company's popular ecotourism parks in the Mexican Caribbean. The hotel had to be both eco-friendly and luxurious if it was to be successful, and that's no easy feat for any architect. READ MORE

The hotel industry is taking great steps to improve the sustainability of their businesses, but onsite dining might be inadvertently overlooked. Restaurants are complex businesses and improving the environmental performance of foodservice can be challenging, oftentimes because of this complexity. Should you start with sustainable food sourcing or plant-based burgers? What about replacing old equipment with their Energy Star qualified equivalents? What about cage-free eggs, or LED lighting, or demand-controlled ventilation? You can quickly get bogged down in decision paralysis. Learn about four ideas to get started on your restaurant sustainability journey from the National Restaurant Association's Jeffrey Clark. READ MORE