When new online technologies such as web-conferencing and Skype first came on the scene, the international meetings industry's first reaction was to view them more as a threat than an opportunity. Some research companies and 'experts' even happily predicted the total demise of the face-to-face meetings industry within 10 years, given that such technologies appeared to offer a compelling business case backed by significant cost savings compared to 'live' meetings. READ MORE

In the same way that Strategic Meetings Management and online technology transformed the buying process for corporate meetings and events during the past decade, a transformation is now taking place on the supplier side as we enter a new phase of online group lead management. Online group lead technology and processes have continued to mature while online channels have proliferated. Those sales managers who know how to utilize these resources to their utmost will be successful in shifting share from their competitors and increasing revenues. READ MORE

Rohit Talwar is a futurist for the global travel industry and author of the Hotels 2020 study commissioned by Amadeus. In this article, Rohit draws on the study findings to explore how customer behaviors might evolve, discusses how technology could transform the future travel experience and explores the strategic implications for the branded hotel sector. READ MORE

In pricing and revenue management, hedging your bets with a tried-and-true process may actually be riskier than taking a chance on something different. It sounds counterintuitive, but the fact is that the conservative route to pricing practices is costing big hospitality firms millions in revenue, risking their future viability. Over the past few decades most hotel chains have adopted some form of automated revenue management (RM) system. But there are still some medium and large chains that have not. Worse yet, as some of these chains churned through acquisitions and ownership changes, their RM systems were abandoned or shut down. During the last decade's brand consolidations, industry realignment and ownership changes, business intelligence (BI) tools were growing in maturity and sophistication. READ MORE

Running a hospitality business today is much more complicated and requires more resources than in the past. When talking about this topic, the feedback from senior managers of international hotel chains is always the same: "Everything changed... The clients changed, as did their satisfaction threshold." Due to the Internet, social media and the low cost phenomenon, the customer of today is more informed, travels more, and as a consequence, he is much more demanding. He looks for excellence, for sophistication, for unique emotions and experiences, but... he doesn't lose sight of his wallet. READ MORE

A trend is defined as "a current general direction" or "a gradual change or development that produces a particular result". Hmmm - do we want to follow or lead? Here is a hint - we've seen some financial trends lately that no one wanted to follow. We have also seen trends come and go in the hospitality industry and some have been very expensive and fleeting, others have had a great return and are enduring. If you are looking for the latest and greatest trend to add to your spa to garner a media flash, stop here. With over 22 years in the very young, dynamic and constantly evolving Spa Industry, I have seen spa trends come and go. This article will examine enduring trends, evolving trends and fleeting trends and discuss how to identify trends that are enduring with a positive impact for years to come. READ MORE

In 2010, the hospitality industry regained the number one spot as the top industry suffering from data breaches, accounting for 40 percent of reported incidents. As cybercriminals shift their attention to small hotels and restaurants in an effort to “play it safe,” the situation could conceivably become even more dire if hoteliers don't proactively protect their businesses. It's time that hoteliers confront this reality, implement effective data security measures and take the target off their backs. With the right technology and security policies, it's easier than you might think. READ MORE

In this article, Tom O'Rourke, President and CEO of O'Rourke Hospitality Marketing, discusses the importance of informing your guests that you have a hotel app available and explaining how they will benefit from using it. The more guests that download your app, the more successful your mobile strategy will be. The article lists 11 valuable tips on easy and cost-effective ways to promote your app and increase downloads. It also addresses the question of how many downloads a hotel should expect to receive. READ MORE

Municipalities throughout the U.S. are on the proverbial financial ropes and that is not good news for prospective hotel developers. Taxpayers are realizing public long term debt obligations will be harder to meet and this will create new pressure on politicians. We will discuss how we got here, where it is headed, and best practice strategies hoteliers can use to obtain financial incentives in future public-private partnerships. READ MORE

Gone are the days when a single-lens motion picture or lantern slide projector displayed rudimentary images - such as short films and slides - on a canvas screen. Today's über-sophisticated meetings technology features crisp, pristine high-definition, high-resolution projection and mega screen technology that enhance any meeting experience. READ MORE

What technology trends are planners having to "plan through" and what's the impact on expectations of our facility partners? Social media and mobile technology have completely changed the face of meetings. The future of increased virtual and hybrid components at most meetings and conventions will be the challenge. What is your facility's capacity to handle the connection bandwidth required? Are other facility investments beyond capacity going to pay off? READ MORE

Training comes in many forms. The method of training is dependent upon the trainer. Successful trainers know how to perform to get results from their material and stimulate the student to want to know more. The goal of all trainings is to provide further education in the field of expertise which will deliver knowledge for both the student and the customer. The return is a satisfied professional of services, a profitable business and a new dedicated customer. READ MORE

Just how do you maintain that balance between freedom and control, and still get the job done to the standard you expect? On the one hand you can't afford to supervise your team the whole time, but on the other you are concerned that if you don't, they'll be things that get missed. Have you ever noticed when you are away for a day or two, or even a few hours, your team seem to be able to solve their own problems? Conversely abdicating responsibility and leaving your team totally to their own devices can be equally daunting and inherent with risks. So just how do you strike the balance? READ MORE

Renovation projects are successful only when a host of elements come together. The processes and systems that companies develop over time to improve their overall operating performance are often times referred to as Best Practices. Whether you think the term 'Best Practices' is a fad or not, successful companies are often that because they do certain things very well. We have been in the business of owning, operating and renovating hotels for over 40 years and the following is our list of best practices when it comes to successfully renovating hotel properties in an operating property. READ MORE

In the ever-changing world of social media, what you post becomes your voice and your brand. Since TripAdvisor and Facebook puts you in the spotlight, why not give the audience something positive and exciting to talk about? Times have changed, but people haven't. They still want to do business with those they like. Don't be remembered for the negative response or scenario that happened on one of your bad days. It's time to use your voice in a positive way to bring enthusiasm to your property. READ MORE