Mobility ranked at the top of every technology trend list last year and the opportunities for the hospitality industry are endless. Whether it is revenue enhancement, customer engagement or efficiency gains, there is a broad understanding and acceptance that mobility is on the rise. During the last HTNG Asia conference, which took place from 6-8 February in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the Dubai-based luxury hospitality group, Jumeirah, shared its views on strategic mobility issues such as ROI, browser versus app and 'bring your own' versus standardization and integration to existing systems. Here are some of the most important opportunities and issues as Jumeirah sees them. READ MORE

In today's world, loyalty programs are practically a requirement in the hotel industry. But who beyond your front desk team really knows your loyalty program? Sharing a point balance at check-in is great, but having a bartender tell a guest how many points that martini just earned them can be even better. Engaging and educating your staff on your property's or brand's loyalty program can have surprising benefits including happy guests, happy associates, and a healthier bottom line. READ MORE


In today's socially connected, consumer-led world, there are few sources that are more effective at helping companies gather competitor information than social media. Social Business Intelligence, a methodology to make sense of unstructured feedback on the web, enables organizations to capture competitor performance, as defined by customers online, and analyze it to realize a clear and timely understanding of competitor strengths, weaknesses, and initiatives. READ MORE

Over the past year, a lot has changed in the hotel reputation management industry. And these changes require a new set of buying criteria. We've seen social media tracking technology move from being simply a way to aggregate guest feedback into a powerful business intelligence tool that can provide deep insights into customers, business performance, and the competitive landscape. Managers throughout the hotel organization-from sales and marketing to revenue and distribution to operations and quality-all the way up to the executive suite and hotel management groups, are all using different parts of the tool to improve performance. With this in mind, let's look at some of the criteria I suggest you use when shopping for a social media management tool. READ MORE

What is the underlying goal of your hotel fitness center? For many it is seen as a required amenity to offer guests - a space used by only those that are health conscious. Hotels often go through the trouble of allocating space for the gym and spend thousands of dollars on equipment but fall short of marketing the space. The time has come to change the view of the hotel fitness center. Now, given the shift to a more health conscious society, the gym can be used as a vehicle to drive business. with the correct marketing. So what actually goes into marketing the hotel fitness center? How does it differ from marketing the hotel as a whole? This article defines some basic marketing techniques you can incorporate into your overall marketing plan to promote your hotel fitness center and draw new business into your property. READ MORE