What steps do Hotel HR Managers need to take to determine if the Affordable Care Act (the “ACA”) requires that changes be made to the healthcare benefits offered to employees by January 1, 2015? Although the seasonal exception may apply to employees in the hotel industry, the fact that the definition for “full time” employees under the ACA lowers the threshold number of hours an employee needs to work to be considered a “full time” employee from 40 hours a week to 30 hours a week, requires that HR Managers recalculate whether the fifty (50) full-time of full-time equivalent employees cutoff has been met. In addition to factors that must be considered in determining if the ACA applies to your hotel, this article outlines what HR Managers need to do to prepare for the January 1, 2015 effective date of the ACA. Risks for non-compliance are outlined so that HR Managers are aware of how to act prudently in protecting businesses from unnecessary costs that can be avoided through understanding the law and taking responsive action. READ MORE

As people are becoming aware of the new sense of consciousness, they are also in the process of discovering their bodily limits as well as their infiniteness; all pretty much at the same time. More and more people are inclined to step aside from old-fashioned and outdated systems, currently presented in all societies around the world. There is a very powerful shift happening around the world that unites likeminded people who are ready to establish a new system of collaboration and cooperation instead of the old system of competition that has separated humanity and created endless fights and wars. No one is better than the other; we are all unique. READ MORE

AirBnB has done a wonderful job of crafting a perception as being a threat to hotels. However, as the dust settles, AirBnB may end up being no more than a niche product appealing to those who have few qualms about staying with strangers. Shared economy businesses like AirBnB will certainly influence the industry just as OTA's did in the early 2000's. But, the industry will adapt and learn to compete effectively against the emerging shared economy players. It is time to consider businesses that have been around longer than AirBnB that have been enabling the siphoning off of revenue from hotels. READ MORE

Money never sleeps, and neither do hotels. It's often one of the biggest challenges faced by hoteliers: maintaining facilities to the standards expected by discerning guests, and determining how and when to upgrade those facilities without turning away or losing business. Hotels need upgrades, but it's important to keep guests happy while major physical changes are occurring around them. Careful attention must be paid in facility upgrades, and hoteliers must minimize guest disruption and use renovations as an opportunity to refresh and maximize branding and revenue generating opportunities. READ MORE

Once you have made the decision to target the LGBT market, and have taken the necessary steps to become market ready (see my last article), you now have the challenge of building LGBT customer engagement. It is important to point out that, until now, I've been referring to the LGBT traveller as one homogenous market. You need to keep in mind that this is not actually the case; this market is comprised of a variety of segments. There are various ways that you could segment the broader LGBT market, such as by age, family composition, experiential, and so on. Ultimately, for any successful strategy and execution, you need to clearly identify your core target segment and have a firm understanding of their specific travel habits and motivators. The following is a variety of insights that will assist as you work on building your LGBT customer base and long-term loyalty. READ MORE