The growth of China's hospitality and tourism industry has been well documented and predictions are that it will soon rival many other popular destinations. Less well-known is the role that the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Expositions (MICE) industry is playing in that growth. This article discusses how the MICE industry is fueling hospitality sector growth, especially in China's smaller cities and resort areas, and the factors that will determine whether this growth is sustainable. READ MORE

“Going green” has been as much a regulatory mandate as a moral responsibility for many businesses. The commercial laundry industry—and by extension the hospitality industry—has worked with the Environmental Protection Agency to meet one critical environmental goal: eliminating the pollutant NPE, once a common component of laundry detergent, from the laundry process. Eliminating and improving laundry chemicals has many environmental benefits, and taking action in favor of the environment can boost the reputation of a hotel. In this article, Joseph Ricci, head of the TRSA commercial laundry association, explains the implications for the hospitality industry. READ MORE

Ideally, humanity, or at least the one's involved in the health and wellness industry, should by now be aware of the fact that there is much more to the every day grinding than just the mundane existence. The one's who are honestly and genuinely tuned into the yet invisible spheres, plugged in - so to speak, and living deep down in the well of the energy whirl, are very well aware of the huge opportunities that are yet to come, in regard to health, healing, wellness, prosperity and pure bliss. However, it is still a challenge not be distracted by all the useless, artificial distortions, self-centeredness, and chit-chat that drives humanity apart. READ MORE

Think back to the last time you stayed in a hotel. Did you notice anything that seemed eco-friendly - maybe there were recycling bins located throughout the hotel, perhaps there was a towel reuse program or maybe you even saw solar panels on the roof? Fortunately, these scenarios are becoming more and more common as hotels and resorts are catching on to and embracing sustainability practices - practices that are not only in demand from their customers, but that are also reducing operating costs significantly. READ MORE

Businesses, including the hospitality sector, often argue that there's no customer demand for sustainability, so they do not focus on grabbing opportunities to work strategically towards becoming part of the solution. Very few innovations have come from customer demand - on the contrary, innovation and the success that follows, is often thanks to daring leaders, those who can foresee the development of society and really take the lead; in short leaders who show leadership! READ MORE

California's unprecedented drought led to government mandates in 2015 requiring water agencies to cut residential and business water usage by 25 percent. For hotels, the mandates also include specific rules about irrigation, serving water only upon request, and encouraging reuse of guests' towels and linens. While the mandates represent a starting point for water conservation, many California hotels are already ahead of the game: finding ways to reduce water consumption without compromising the guests' experience. They have produced a steady stream of water-saving ideas for hotel bathrooms, laundry, landscaping, and kitchens--all of which are transferable to hotels almost anywhere. READ MORE

Glenwood Hot Springs has been an environmental trailblazer since long before terms like “carbon footprint,” “eco-friendly” and “sustainability” became commonplace. It actively harnesses the geothermal energy of the mineral hot springs for snowmelt and to heat domestic water supplies. The Glenwood Hot Springs Lodge was recognized with a TripAdvisor “Green Leaders” award in 2013 for its environmental practices. In addition to harnessing geothermal heat sources on-site, Glenwood Hot Springs has also adopted practices that include the use of state-of-the-art materials and energy-efficient technology that add up to not only dollars saved, but to a cleaner, healthier environment for visitors and the community. READ MORE

It is obvious from the proliferation of new brands and the desperation to find new technology to improve the guest experience that there is a growing feeling that the SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) approach to custom satisfaction has become unsatisfactory, and that now the big hotel groups are searching for a solution. Unfortunately the hotel industry as a whole seems to be unaware of how quantum science, religious traditions, ancient cultures, and heart energy research are all showing that their shareholder-oriented, guest experience concept is based on erroneous principles and thinking, and on an obsolete worldview. Ironically, the solution is closer than their life's vein and implementing it is so simple and almost cost-free. READ MORE

So much of what we do as hotel managers boils down to how we treat our team members. Not only must we be good role models, but we must also be observant and correct bad behavior before it turns into a habit. Three scenarios are presented to illustrate how overlooking certain actions may have negative consequences. From there, steps are outlined to help managers effectively coach their associates and ensure that all parties perform optimally from then on. READ MORE

Environmental sustainability and the desire to reduce the amount of food wasted are top trends in today's society. It has been reported that approximately one-third of hotel users consider the “green-ness” of potential service providers when making their purchasing decisions. Composting is one example of the types of “green” practices that customers such as these resonate with and when implemented into its operations can help to enhance the customers' perceptions of the organization. The following will detail the benefits and challenges of composting and composting programs as well as provide guidance on how to implement one into your operation. READ MORE

The transition from gas powered, combustion engine cars to electric vehicles (EV's), and even hybrids, has been relatively slow. However, later this year, new models with lower price tags, sleeker styling and improved batteries with more range are expected. Couple EV improvements and expanding infra structure with looming emissions regulation, the transition from combustion engine to EV is positioned to accelerate in the near future. READ MORE

Despite decades of effort, hotels continue to use more energy than they actually need to fully achieve their business mission and at the same time fail to extract maximum value from the energy they buy and from the time and effort put into managing that energy use. This article suggests why this is so, and puts forward an approach informed by ideas from Albert Einstein himself. Taking AHLA advice in 1984 would have given the hotel industry 30 years of energy profits; now's the time to avoid a second miss. READ MORE

After cautiously testing the cloud computing waters for almost twenty years, the hospitality industry has been diving in head first lately, and for the most part, made nice, controlled entries with minimal splash. And for the majority, the dive was followed by a graceful, controlled float to the top. Others, however, found themselves disoriented, bumping into other swimmers, and gasping for breath. The cloud is indeed like a community pool in many ways, but after reading this article, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to quickly find your lane and swim faster laps than ever. READ MORE

High potential talent retention is the thing that keeps me up at night. And nowhere is this a greater challenge than with millennials. I am thrilled when they stay and grow with us, and heartbroken when I have invested in them and they leave. Our industry needs new paradigms to attract, motivate and retain millennials. The expectation that they will manage their careers “the way we did” must be cast aside. Millennials are quickly becoming the foundation of successful companies today surpassing Gen Xers as the largest generation in the U.S. Labor Force according to Pew Research Center. READ MORE

Hiring and retaining great talent is by far one of the most challenging aspects facing businesses today. Hotel owners or operators know all too well that employee turnover in hospitality is high - and it can cost your property 100-200% of an employee's total compensation. In fact, the U.S. Bureau for National Affairs estimates employee turnover costs U.S. businesses $11 billion annually. So, what can you do to lessen turnover and keep those dollars flowing through to your bottom line? Focus on employee engagement. READ MORE