It's no secret that millennial travelers, such as myself, are leery of traditional marketing and find it inauthentic. Conventional advertising and hotel marketing, as we used to know it, are one of the many victims being demolished by Gen Y's aversion to old-school ways of doing things. It's now up to hotel brands to throw away some of their worn-down marketing practices and instead act as visionaries in their own industry, creating genuine and remarkable marketing avenues and experiences that excite, intrigue and engage millennial travelers. So, farewell to in-your-face hotel ads. Adios, one-way marketing messages. READ MORE

As is often our responsibility to inspire the next generation of hoteliers, I recently participated in a career fair at a local college. It is without saying that, as hotel executives, our schedules are rarely flexible; but I felt the opportunity was worthy. So rather than excuse myself with a polite apology and blame my regrets on a busy schedule, I accepted the honor because I knew the day would take me on a trip into a galaxy filled with new life forms: Millennials, a target market many say is essential to the travel industry's future. READ MORE

It's not just the baby boomers and it's not just the millennials, it's everybody. Over the past few years the travel experience has changed across the board. Heads in beds is the cherry on the top but it's no longer the goal, and that's because our guest wants more, and we want more for them. This is the “new traveler” they are the young business professional by day, silent-disco seeker by night and they are the older tourist with a camera who still needs full strength wifi for all of their devices. The lines are starting to blur but there is one constant. READ MORE

By the year 2020, millenials will comprise over 50 percent of the U.S. population and they are poised to overtake previous generations in their zest for business travel. According to research conducted by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) millenials are nearly twice as likely to want to travel for business then baby boomers (45 percent to 26 percent, respectively). In addition, a strong majority of millennials, 57 percent, say technology can never replace face-to-face business meetings. So ready or not, here come the millennials, the next generation of road warriors, packing their smart devices and looking for b-leisure, READ MORE

Most hotel executives understand the strong connection between employee retention and solid financial performance. At the same time in an industry where annual turnover rates average 27-37%, improved retention rates can seem more like a distant objective than something truly achievable. This is especially true if your hotel is not listed in Fortune Magazine's 100 Best Places to Work. The drivers of employee retention are about much more than an admired brand, strong financial performance and best practice HR programs. The best results are achieved when managers at all levels embrace four important principles. READ MORE