We see so much written these days on the similarities and differences in the lifestyles of Millennials, Gen X, Gen Y and Baby Boomers. How are Hoteliers navigating through these differences and similarities so the investment in bringing so many people together for a meeting is realized by the host? While some may think the answers are very obvious, there certainly are opportunities for individual hotels and brands to make their mark and make claim to more market share. At the end of the day, market share defines how effective our brand message, marketing dollars and direct sales efforts are serving our owners and associates who depend on those results for their livelihood. READ MORE

Industry metrics have 2017 poised to be another banner year in the meetings business. The trend looks to only continue into the foreseeable future presenting new challenges and opportunities to meet, and hopefully exceed, the expectations of the client, planner, and hotel alike in this dynamic environment in which we find ourselves. The influx of meetings has increased over the last few years considerably along with the expectation to create a memorable 'experience' has meeting planners and hotels donning the 'creative hat' more frequently to provide a unique event that resonates long after the meeting has concluded. READ MORE

A lot is said about maximizing hotel revenue per available room, but what of revenue per available square meter? It's a broadened mindset that may be needed from any hotel that aspires to attract the world's several million business travelers to their property but doesn't quite know where to begin. Indeed, as Hotel Analyst's Katherine Doggrell recently observed: “MICE has been a thorn in the side of the sector since windowless rooms with biscuits were invented. Any hotel worth its salt has to have them, but selling them is ... hardly an efficient process. Dead space in which many go to die.” READ MORE

Since first coined in the early 1980s, the boutique hotel is one with quite the noteworthy story. Though a story of evolution, its true claim to fame is how its model has changed the industry. A look at today's hotel landscape showcases the undeniable influence boutique hotels, generally 100 rooms or less and almost always independently owned and many times self-managed, have had on the industry. Whether in design, location, in-room amenity options, or the locally supported one-off venues that make every 'must see' destination guide, the distinctive characteristics that define these hidden gems have gone mainstream. READ MORE

Meeting planning in today's world is more complex than ever. Whether you're a planner or a supplier, our jobs are now 24/7. We are dealing with shorter lead times than ever, tighter budgets (on both sides), and expectations based on the perfection projected by social media and reality TV. Our job is no longer simply about dates, space, rate - we now need to compete at a world-class level on a daily basis. As a supplier, it takes extreme creativity at the venue level. Starting with the initial design, event space must be as flexible, innovative and as Instagram-worthy as possible. READ MORE

The ability to create memorable experiences and drive emotional connections with your customers is a differentiation strategy that works. It is our job to develop a differentiation strategy to create unique and memorable experiences for guests and meeting attendees. These experiences need to be genuine, and they need to be authentic. It is the only way to create an emotional connection, and what I have discovered is once these experiences become branded, once they become turn-key, it can back-fire on you. Once the experience is no longer authentic, it can be viewed as contrived or artificial, which goes against what you are trying to accomplish. READ MORE

Engagement and commitment are at the core of our professional lives in a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week operation. No matter the size or complexity of the box, engagement and our commitments should be a core fundamental that not only surfaces in our every interaction, but guides and directs our proactive decision making and our strategies and executions. Hospitality 101 teaches us as hospitality professionals, to engage with our guests, to make eye contact at 10 feet, to speak within 5, to escort when possible and to use our guests name in conversation. READ MORE

Meeting planners have more than enough to think about when it comes to searching for the perfect venue - and eco-consciousness is increasingly making its way top of mind for many. It is currently estimated that the average hotel guest generates 2.2 pounds of waste each night of their stay. And, with the meetings and event industry recently being deemed as the second most wasteful sector in the United States by the EPA, we at JW Marriott Austin knew we had to go above and beyond to deliver more efficient meetings and events with the lowest possible carbon footprint. READ MORE

Hotel companies are continually seeking to understand and define what the discerning traveler desires and how to deliver at a level of creativity and consistency that exceeds expectations. I like to define touchpoints as any product or moment experienced by the guest, specific to a hotel or resort landscape. Our goal, as leaders, is to understand what these touchpoints or opportunities for interaction are and then to architect the experiences at an elevated level at every one of these defined opportunities. The best international luxury hotel brands have done a tremendous job of understanding touchpoints that pertain to the individual leisure traveler. READ MORE

Hotel sales managers and meeting planners have been working together for decades. We have had our ups and downs with everything and anything that could go right and wrong. That said, at the day we are here for our clients and guests. With that common ground established; now how do we achieve our common goal? For me, I am 100% transparent with my meeting planners, groups, and guests. I teach my team to not be in it for the next best group that comes along. We want to create strong partnerships with our colleagues for the long haul. READ MORE

Out of the $250 billion of hospitality revenue from transient and leisure business, only 10% is spent on marketing. And although your hotel website provides the top source of marketing ROI for your organization, meetings and events are a close second. Build your marketing plans to support planner behaviors all year, and you'll quickly fill your group business need dates. With business intelligence and support from your destination, you'll be able to use seasonality to build brand awareness, develop stronger relationships with planners, and intercept the competition before they even see it coming. Here are some of Cvent's go-to tips for improving seasonality-supported strategies for hotel sales and marketing teams. READ MORE

As demand for hotel rooms drives increasing ADRs and climbing occupancy rates, hotel sales teams and revenue managers are honing sales strategies, evaluating deployment and group segment potential, and strategically choosing the right mix of room inventory allotted to their transient and group segments. Pursuing the best segments and selling smartly is the name of the game in an economic environment in which many hotels can afford to be particular about the business they book. Previously, it has been easier to analyze market performance for the transient segment than the group segment but now it's becoming just as clear for the group side due to recent advances in technology. READ MORE

After providing 'creature comforts', conveniences, and an impressive selection of nutritious foods in order to increase their competitive edge in the event and group meeting business, hotels and event planners now find themselves even more challenged to stay competitive. These 'creature comforts' are important in order to be in the competition, but today are not enough to gain a competitive edge; these do help to make attendees comfortable, but comfort has become expected, it is now a standard that is only noticed if it is missing. The competitive edge sought by hoteliers is gained through increased brand recognition which requires lasting or “impactful memory”. READ MORE

Guest Wi-Fi is a powerful way for hotels to create a personalized, memorable experience for group meetings. This article provides tips for hotel on how they can use guest Wi-Fi to engage meetings guests, build brand recognition, and to leverage Wi-Fi as an effective marketing tool to sell to business customers who will be clamoring to secure your meetings space for their next event. Since we all know Wi-Fi is a must for hotels, it should be taken to the next level beyond just giving your customers access to the internet. Wi-Fi can offer a personalized touch that will keep groups and guests returning to your hotel for all their future events and travels. An advanced carrier-class Wi-Fi service is marketing gold for your business customers that will make your property stand out among the competition. READ MORE

Planning a trade show or conference is no easy feat, but planning a successful conference is far more difficult. The weeks and months leading up to the event can demand a lot of long hours and stress and any event planner will quickly become intimately familiar with Murphy's Law. With this in mind, there are a lot of tools available that will make planning these events far less stressful. On top of that, there are apps, software, and digital tools that can actually make the event itself go much more smoothly. Sam Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Network Events gives an insight on the key elements of orchestrating a successful event. READ MORE

No matter what advances are made in the technology, there is still a long way to go before the eRFP process can overcome its growing pains. There are no absolute certainties in how the platforms will adapt to provide a more elegant solution for today's problems. What is certain is the need for platform providers, meeting planners, and hoteliers to bridge the gap between efficiency and effectiveness. Staying on top of new features and updates by the eRFP platforms and taking the initiative to train our teams on proper eRFP etiquette is imperative to the advancement of this technology within the industry. READ MORE