Technology and automation are making exponential headway touching nearly all sectors of hospitality, including spa and wellness. This article reviews the impact and importance of integrating these systematisations to help stimulate and streamline the functionality and profitability of hotel and resort spa operations. Retooling the focus from manually centered services and embracing advancements in new technologies to support sustainable profitability and continued growth. READ MORE

Over the past decade, hotels have consistently been cited as one of the most likely sources of data breaches - a dubious honor for an industry that relies on confidence. This is a particular challenge because hotels and hotel brands rely on loyalty and trust, and consistent publicity about the insecurity of hotel systems creates the opposite perception in the public. Much of the vulnerability of hotels can be traced to the structure and business needs of hospitality properties, as well as the implementation of new technologies and consumer demands. What can hotel owners and operators do to counteract the trend? READ MORE

Guests constantly hop across different communication channels. To keep pace with them, hotels must migrate through these various platforms to remain engaged. Most modern hotel executives recognize the importance of communicating with guests on the medium in which they are most comfortable. However, identifying and implementing approaches that makes these meetings possible can be more difficult than these executives consider. After all, anyone can send a text message. But meeting and tracking an SLA across an SMS creates an entirely new set of hurdles an owner must address to his advantage. READ MORE

Our industry is the most dynamic industry on the planet - one that is constantly changing, often at a frenetic pace. Our industry resides in every corner of the world, and attracts individuals (our guests) from across the world to spend time with us. One area that will see significant changes over the next five years relates to state minimum wage laws in the US. While the federal law remains at $7.25 per hour for most positions (less for employees in tipped positions if the states recognizes the tip credit wage), many states are implementing minimum wage laws that exceed the federal floor. READ MORE

Don't do it! At least not without some serious thought to be sure there is simply no other way to go. With some very high profile cases of a hotel owner removing the hotel manager founded on common law principles of agency that give a hotel owner the power to revoke the agency, hotel owners and hotel managers might be tempted to rely on agency law as a "Plan B" if the owner-manager relationship sours despite what is in the hotel management agreement. Consider that this might not be the best laid plan as between an owner and manager. READ MORE