With Millennial travelers on the rise, the hotel industry is adjusting to accommodate the needs and expectations of this influential demographic. Millennials grew up with the Internet and they are tech-savvy and active with social media. Looking to meet their guests' interest in staying connected while traveling, hotels are reinventing lifeless lobbies and common areas to lure a new generation of travelers who work and socialize differently. Introducing the most recent hotel add-on: the e-lounge, a gathering place fully equipped with tech essentials to entice modern-day travelers. READ MORE

Affiliate marketing is a marketing tactic that many hotels overlook, either because they aren't aware of it as an option or because they don't see the value in it. Well, I'm here today to tell you all about why affiliate marketing is a great tactic to increase online traffic and bookings - and the best part is, you don't pay a dime until you see results. READ MORE

In this article I try to present a strategy by which hospitality service providers can both protect and strengthen their existing brands by deepening its connection to the local landscape and community. By examining the public's increasing interest in locally grown and produced food products, and why this trend is important for hospitality professionals to pay attention to, I also hope to provide readers a few ways that both hospitality and food service professionals can continue to provide the powerful value proposition that the industry offers to the public, through connecting its fine dining services back into the local foodshed. READ MORE

Like many other industries, resort food and beverage services have experienced numerous challenges over the past few years as the U.S. economy suffered. The biggest challenge in this economy is the budget, which is getting smaller for labor. We've needed to do a lot more cross-training, utilizing the same people for different tasks. Another aspect is the food costs. You've got to be buying smart. You have to know who your customers are and this is more important than ever. Before they go out to eat, they have a good idea of what they want to spend and or what they can afford to spend. These days, you have to have not only the passion, but the drive to stay in this business. I've been in this business for more than 30 years, since 1982. If I didn't love what I do, I just wouldn't be doing it. READ MORE

Melissa Paston, catering sales manager of The Kitano, New York's only Japanese-owned hotel, discusses how the property sets itself apart through authentic Japanese food and beverage experiences for meetings and events, highlighting the hotel's heritage. As authentic food experiences are of such mainstream interest in the right now, the hotel provides guests with the ability to incorporate traditional Japanese menu items and experiences which translate to a high-value, memorable event or meeting. Traditional offerings range from kaiseki delicacies through the hotel's Michelin-rated restaurant, Hakubai, and the organization of traditional tea ceremonies for a truly unique team-building session during a corporate meeting. READ MORE