The notion that social media is either advertising or free is misguided. As is the idea that the two (advertising and social media) are interchangeable. They each accomplish very specific objectives and should be used in tandem to help guide potential customers to making the choice to stay in your property. Advertising can persuade and create a desire; social media, like a sales associate in a store, can answer questions and advise. Together they can lead customers to the purchase solution that best suits their needs. But, caution, this solution may not be the one that best suits your needs! READ MORE

Time-Out can be defined and made distinct as a voluntary or involuntary stand-still. Ideally it should be considered as a time to recuperate, heal, refocus and realign the physical, emotional and mental state. This can be applied to a single person, team, family or to a business per se. Looking at the current situation in the hospitality and wellness industry it would be very advisable and most beneficial to everyone involved, to voluntarily go into a dedicated Time-Out, an internal and external Detoxification. In the past few years the industry has been thinking and operating with the wrong fuel. It has damaged its engine. Deep scars are now surfacing. READ MORE

The battle to tilt a traveler's decision in favor of a specific brand - be it for a supplier or an intermediary - continues to get intense. The focus is on identifying a "lead" as soon as it emerges in the digital domain, and that's where travel metasearch engines are showcasing their prowess. A travel supplier such as a hotel chain or airline needs to plan astutely for real-time hotel inventory availability/ pricing, and optimize campaign, budget and bid management. Since suppliers are dealing with an increasing number of traffic generation sites, associated costs have gone up. No category is feeling this more keenly than hotels. And importantly, a large component of this expenditure is going into competing with OTAs, either via brand.com or other channels such as metasearch. This is unproductive since travel suppliers are paying multiple times for the same conversions! How much to embrace the metasearch phenomenon is a topic of debate at hotel distribution conferences such as those held by HEDNA in January and June of this year. READ MORE

Capital allowances are a widely misunderstood routine tax relief that taxpayers regularly fail to maximise. An in-depth analysis of capital expenditure on property assets, including their acquisition, can yield HMRC approved reductions in tax. Poorly defined terms for plant and machinery in legislation gives rise to the undervaluing and misallocation of qualifying assets within tax computations. Reviewing historical and current capital expenditure can result in significant tax savings in current years. READ MORE

Packages are valuable marketing components that increase hotel awareness, create value for the guest, and often times drive room nights over need periods. The effectiveness of the package often is dependent upon the elements associated with the overall experience as well as the price point at which the package is offered. READ MORE