While the prospect of Facebook-generated reservations creates an enticing reason to jump in to the social universe, direct revenue generation should not be the main focus of your hotel's Facebook presence. Booking through social media is still a new concept, and most users are still uncomfortable providing payment details through social media platforms (have you?). Though minimal reservations are made through Facebook, we do see traffic being driven from social media to a hotel's website. READ MORE

There are several steps that can be taken to ensure smarter decisions when it comes to repositioning your hotel in the marketplace. Industry vet Steve Belmonte shares these steps that he believes will help your hotel to thrive in this economy whether you choose to renovate, reposition or reflag. READ MORE

Obstacles can be determined by a place, a person or an activity, though the learning from each creates momentum for the future. How often do you face an obstacle in your daily lives, ten or fifty times a day? I am sure that each person has a different meaning for an obstacle, what is yours? The momentum that can be created in both a negative and positive sense is completely driven through an emotional view by the individual facing the challenge. Visualize with me as I embark on my learning's of becoming a high hurdler and finding the meaning of half full. READ MORE

The population may not be getting smaller, but your ability to communicate worldwide can almost make it seem that way. Ninety-three percent of Americans expect companies to have an online presence, and a Web site alone isn't enough anymore. Guests go online to research everything from the cheapest price for hotels to reviews from past guests before making a reservation. And the bottom line is that your hotel cannot afford to ignore this growing trend, as over your head as it may seem (it's not). The point of emerging media is to build relationships with current and potential guests. In the offline world, brands spend millions of dollars and create loyalty for years. In the online world, consumers change loyalty almost instantaneously. You no longer need to spend millions to engage. READ MORE

Spa treatments are at the heart of your spa. Do you know which treatments really sell? Have you integrated flexible, classic standard treatments into your spa's menu that will please guests, generate revenue and achieve measurable results? Take a look at our top 5 treatments and re-think your spa's menu. READ MORE

As the third largest hospitality management company in the United States, Destination Hotels & Resorts maintains a culture of empowerment and operates in a manner that showcases the unique character of each of our properties while offering exceptional experiences and value for our guests. With such a variety of hotels, resorts, conference centers, condominiums, and golf courses within our collection, we find that our focus on the individuality and uniqueness of our properties is vital to the success of our company. This approach is also what our sustainability program, Destination Earth, is built upon. READ MORE

Until now it has been common for hotels to have no formal energy policy, and no genuinely systematic method for managing energy use or documenting a commitment to reduce energy consumption. That situation is about to change. At least if the breathtaking success of the environmental management system standard ISO 14001 is anything to go by - from 0 to 250,000 entities with a fully certified internationally traceable management system in place in only ten years. Now imagine a quarter million businesses around the world managing their energy use to a similarly formal level. Is there any chance the hotel industry will not be included? READ MORE

With the recent ADA Compliance extension granted by the Department of Justice, the deadline for installation of water feature lifts have been has been pushed out until January 31, 2013. During this compliance extension, the department of Justice has announced that it will not enforce the fixed elements provision in the 2010 standards against those owners who purchased otherwise compliant portable lifts prior to March 15, 2012, as long as those owners keep the lifts in place for use and operational during all times that the water feature is open to guest. While this short reprieve has created a collective sigh of relief in the hospitality industry, it should not give license to complacency. It is almost certain that there will be very little leniency for those not compliant by this new deadline. READ MORE

Many people in the hospitality industry know that Revel is Atlantic City's newest beachfront resort. They may know that it is 6.3 million square feet and the hotel tower is 47 stories. They may know about its Ovation Theater where Beyonce headlined four concerts during the premier weekend. They may even be aware of its 1,898 guest rooms, 14 restaurants, 32,000 square foot spa, two nightclubs, 10 pools, a 2-acre sky garden, and 130,000 square foot casino. What most people do not know, though, is that Revel was designed and constructed as the first-of-its-kind, from scratch and without any template. READ MORE

“People don't leave jobs, they leave managers”. What role do supervisors and managers really play in employee turnover? Several studies demonstrate the link between management and key behaviors that drive turnover. This article provides a summary of those aspects of turnover and “productive retention” - retention of your most productive employees. Also discussed are those qualities and behaviors that impact retention and are directly attributed to management, and basic solutions to ensure that “People stay because of their job and managers” is a more common truism in your organization. READ MORE

Although it seems logical to presume that winning plays a significant role in customer's willingness to return to a casino, data collected from the Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI) indicates that it's the casino experience (emotional connection) that plays a significant role in whether or not a customer will plan to visit again. In fact our results found that a good casino experience can reduce or eliminate the negative impact that losing has on customer loyalty. READ MORE

From drugstores to coffee bars, everyone seems to be getting into the loyalty program game nowadays. When a guest has so many loyalty programs at their disposal, what makes them choose Brand A over Brand B? Chances are its not just the points they will earn. How a meaningful, quality guest experience at one property impacts your loyalty program brandwide. READ MORE

Although many global hotel operators are moving forward with sustainability programs, challenges still exist in a rapidly changing field. Chief among them are myths that interfere with adoption of sustainability principles. Three of those myths are the following: (1) green is expensive, (2) guests do not care about sustainability, and (3) hospitality firms can afford to wait on sustainability. To the contrary, sustainable programs save money, and gain guests' attention. Waiting will only increase complexity and expense. In particular, hotels must demonstrate their sustainability programs as part of responses to requests from associations and groups. Meeting planners themselves are working toward greater sustainability for conferences, including carbon neutrality. Three trends that are affecting sustainability are: (1) increasing scarcity of natural resources, (2) technology changes, and (3) globalization. READ MORE

If mobile devices are considered handheld cultural and technological battering rams, trampling steadfast beliefs governing communications, transactions and shopping, then hotels are modern castles. Sometimes criticized as being fortresses against change, there's growing signs from all industries that mobile is marching onward, helping cement a new kind of special relationship with the entire travel industry. Considering that hotels are often end destinations for such travel, hoteliers would be wise adopting mobile's message, learning from the past. Mobile is where guests are going and hotels need to be dialed in for continued success. READ MORE

The need for more meeting space seems counterintuitive. The ability to meet and connect outside of a defined venue grew exponentially while the supply of meeting space stagnated over the last three years. And yet, many conference centers, resorts, and hotels are reporting that they do not have the meeting space that event planners and the like need to host their meetings and conferences. Creating non-traditional meeting space and location may be one of the most promising opportunities in developing or renovating meeting and conference space. But first, we must understand how consumers are redefining value in terms of meeting venues. Architect Eric M. Rahe, AIA, LEED AP, explores these issues and offers some best practices for meeting the demand for meeting space. READ MORE