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

The title and article focuses on suggestions which educates the reader on how one truly can demonstrate to the target segments which they invest their marketing dollars in, the level of hospitality and service so they can increase their chances of retaining them as a long term client and/or guest. Evidence of how important hospitality focused service is fundamental in a competitive way, ensuring customer retention and increased bottom line performance, as well as improved return on investment, has been in discussion by several hospitality brands lately. READ MORE

In 2009, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments went into effect providing greater protections against employment discrimination for over 54 million Americans with disabilities. Demographics indicate a growing impact on employers. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 10 percent of people 18 to 64 years of age and 38 percent of adults 65 years and older have a disability. Additionally from 2008 until 2012, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported an increase in total ADA monetary awards from $57.2 million to $103.4 million. It is important for employers to know and comply with their obligations under the ADAAA. READ MORE

Establishing your hospitality brand on social media platforms isn't difficult. However, once there, many brands act as if the job is done. But that isn't the case--far from it! (cue The Carpenters' We've Only Just Begun...). The key is leveraging your social media activity into a stronger brand, greater customer loyalty, more reservations, longer stays, and higher revenues. This article examines 7 proven tactics from e-commerce and online marketers that will turn your social media presence into social media profit. READ MORE

There are multiple indexes around customer experience and in each one there are winners and losers. ACSI says customer satisfaction is improving. JD Power says it's declining. Market Metrix announces quarterly winners of their study. TripAdvisor says something else and so on. There are no clear winners since in each measure the rankings change. Does it matter? Beyond marketing, what value can we, as hotel and brand operators, glean from these indexes? With customers more jaded and armed with information never available before, how do we assimilate ratings, reviews and everything in between? READ MORE

With childhood obesity rates on the rise, and Americans spending an increasing amount of their food budget at lodging establishments, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, which launched an industry-leading philosophy “Food. Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served” in 2011, has broadened its approach to healthy eating by rolling out a new “For Kids, By Kids,” menu. What makes the menu particularly groundbreaking is that Hyatt asked kids, including 12-year old Haile Thomas, an accomplished healthy eating activist, what they'd like to see on menus designed for them READ MORE

Here in Atlanta, Southern food is in our heart and soul. And we like to eat. Not only are we the hometown of the world's favorite soft drink (Coca-Cola), Atlanta today has a vibrant food scene full of James Beard Award winners and Food Network stars, not to mention neighborhood “Mom and Pop” favorites and home cooks who serve some of the best dishes in the U.S. READ MORE

With turnover rate in the food service industry skyrocketing over most other industries, attracting and retaining top performing employees is intrinsic and crucial in today's fast paced world. Businesses are vitally dependent on top performers to provide services that distinguish themselves from other strong competitors. Drawing in talent in our industry nowadays with fierce competition, creative cultures and reputation to produce good quality food gives us challenges, of course, but we like to look at them as opportunities. READ MORE

Ten years ago, hotel bars served a bowl of peanuts and pretzels with a gin & tonic. Today it's house-made cheese curds and sweet kale chips paired with a an artisan, hand-crafted cocktail. As indigenous farm- to-table cuisine pervades dinner menus around the world, innovative bar snacks and small plates are following suit. This trend that invites guests to sample a variety of gourmet items rather than commit to one or two larger dishes is experiencing a significant upswing in the food and beverage industry. What may have started as a simple restaurant trend has naturally translated to hotel bars, where guests demand more than the bare minimum to pair with their pale ale or chardonnay. READ MORE

Employees in hospes industries increasingly experience high levels of burnout and turnover. Patients and guests can be demanding, the hours long and the benefits inconsistent. During holiday and vacation times, when most people are spending extended time with family and/or taking time off from work, employees in the hospitality industry are putting in overtime and feeling stretched to their limits. It is no wonder that the hospitality industry, in general, is accused of creating a turnover culture. While there's no silver bullet for eliminating turnover and increasing employee satisfaction, there are short and long-term strategies that can make a significant impact. READ MORE

There are few businesses where employees are expected to be “on” 24/7 and to always have a smile on their face regardless of how they are feeling. But this is exactly what is required of those who work in hotels. Some say that if you can't stand the heat, then get out of the kitchen. That old saying may have worked well for other generations. But what happens when the next generation isn't as tolerant or committed as the one that came before them? Will you be able to compete for talent with the 9-5 industries and if so, will you still be able to create a five-star experience with employees who resemble characters out of the Zombie movie, The Night of the Living Dead? Here are some steps you can take to prevent this nightmare from happening in your hotel. READ MORE

You would be hard pressed to find someone working in hospitality who has not had days of feeling stressed, bored, or unappreciated at work. Left unchecked for a prolonged period of time these feelings can accumulate and result in what is commonly known as 'burnout.' The symptoms of burnout tend to be initially job related and have been connected to a variety of health problems ranging anywhere from severe depression to violence. Aside from being bad for the health of an individual, burnout is bad for the overall health of a business. Lost productivity, decreased commitment, and high turnover rates are but a few of the organizational concerns that can be directly linked to employee burnout. Fortunately, there are a number of ways for management to respond to and prevent a burnout outbreak in their workplace. READ MORE

Burnout and the resulting turnover of hotel employees is the highest of any industry. To effectively reduce the rate of employee burnout in the hospitality industry, it is important for general mangers to make a commitment to help their employees develop ways to minimize workplace and personal stress on a daily basis. An organization's EAP is proven to be an effective resource for managers and employees alike. READ MORE

With non-traditional workweeks, night shifts, and difficult guests, hotel employees have very taxing jobs. On top of that, the demanding responsibilities and long hours often lead to the condition known as "burnout". Often hotel executives think of this state as irreparable, however wise hospitality leaders know that they can help the employee and retain a valued team member with a few very strategic moves. READ MORE

In today's career-driven hospitality industry culture, with managers and staff devoting an inordinate amount of time to the job, there is need to hit the pause button and think about how to better understand and manage work-life balance issues. Finding solutions to achieve a more productive workforce is an ongoing process. Striking this better balance is the challenge hoteliers face. In this article, the author takes us on his quest to tackle and deal with important issues we all need to need to recognize, embrace and integrate into daily practice. How is your organization dealing with work-life issues? READ MORE