Cleaning is important not only from the point of hygiene but also from the point of safety, security and complying with legislation. Hygiene is an important issue to all kinds of accommodation seekers irrespective of whatkind of accommodation they seek. When the accommodation provider continues to ignore hygiene that will meet guest expectations, no guest is going to return back. Key to any successful cleaning programme is the employee should learn about the brand's core value for which they are working. Accommodation providers should conduct regular audit on hygiene and keep staff well trained on what to look on their daily rounds. READ MORE

The slow, but steady, rebound of the economy has lead to cautious optimism about the immediate future of the commercial real estate market as assets begin to trade again. Lenders are beginning to get back into commercial real estate lending and have been conservative with terms depending on the overall financial strength of the owner and industry experience. Institutional investors have a distinct advantage over private investors as far as access to capital through both the debt market and private equity offerings. Some are even buying mortgage loans as a way to gain control of an asset. READ MORE

As a whole, the pantry program should be a simple to supply, simple to manage effort that adds thousands of dollars to your bottom line each month. The frustrations that GM's and Management Companies run into happen to every group that I work with. They are typically easy to resolve issues that are conquered with a clear plan, some core sales data, and the realization that the revenue opportunity that the Pantry presents is worth the upfront planning and effort. READ MORE

I recently had to give a prediction for the future of IT in the next five years to Computerworld magazine for their list of premier leaders in IT. They asked me to offer my boldest, most out-on-a-limb prediction. Mine was that the traditional IT department operating in a specific industry will cease to exist as IT will continue to migrate towards the community model. If you work for a major hotel company in an IT position, the nature of your job will change, period. READ MORE

When hotel executives think of smartphone and other mobile technology, guest self-service applications are most likely to come to mind. After all, consumers increasingly use mobile applications to check in and check out, order room service, schedule wake-up calls, make restaurant reservations,request luggage pick-up and confirm car rentals. It offers the ultimate in convenience, ease-of-use and efficiency. Yet, this same technology can also be employed by hotel staff to boost productivity and streamline operations. READ MORE

From the kiosk at the limited-service, select-service hotels, and extended-stay properties to the full scale “shopping centers” at the convention and resort hotels, retail operations are a critical component of the hospitality industry. Clearly, retail operations can be beneficial to the bottom line, but savvy hotel owners look beyond percentage rent and thoroughly analyze how the retail offerings at their hospitality product enhance the entire programmatic experience, and the competitive market position of their hotel. READ MORE

Supporting employees through sexual misconduct in guest service positions is an often over-looked and very important part of keeping the ambiance and integrity of any hotel spa facility high. Encouraging spa and hotel management with ideas on responsibly and positively training employees to handle sexual misconduct appropriately. Let's explore training guest service receptionists to identify potential sexual misconduct, as well as the definition of sexual misconduct by law, and what options are available for counseling therapists, separating the "sex industry from luxury spa". READ MORE

Protecting your guests' cardholder data beyond the Payment Card Industry requirements is critical. To provide additional protection and combat the threats to your hotel and guests, select a security provider with a solution that gives you the very best protection available. There are many options, but one that employs end-to-end encryption, does not charge "junk" fees and utilizes both software and hardware offers the best, most comprehensive protection. READ MORE

The drive to go green by hotels comes not so much from environmental concerns as from economic considerations. How then, does an expensive butler department fit into this fundamental drive to balance shrinking budgets? Perhaps a more fundamental question could be visited first: is there still a demand for luxury in the hospitality world? This may sound like a question that could only come from a Martian or a socialist or communist zealot, but at the 32nd NYU International Investor Conference held in midtown Manhattan during early June, a gathering of preeminent capitalists, the first workshop was entitled Luxury: Postmortem or Post AIG? READ MORE

We all appreciate that a hotel functions as a critical component of the travel experience. Over the years, I've come to think of the hotel stay itself as a journey as well. From arrival and check-in, through corridors and public areas to experiencing the accommodations, enjoying the dining options . every moment forms a key element with potential for making the entire visit an adventure that is at once enjoyable, memorable, and worth repeating. Smart design is the first step in ensuring this journey is a success every time, and presents an important opportunity for developing a brand storyline. READ MORE

Loyalty programs have a long and rich history in our culture, but what does a loyalty program today look like? What are our expectations of them as travel and hospitality marketers? We need to think beyond the traditional membership-based approach of earning points for a free night's stay or an upgrade. Traditional loyalty programs no longer make sense for travel and hospitality organizations and the travelers they serve. Instead, a well thought out Customer Dialogue Management (CDM) Program monitoring behavior and orchestrating cross-channel communications is what today's travel and hospitality organizations need to develop true loyalty and engagement. READ MORE

Customer complaints are a regular part of the hotel business. No matter whether the feedback is justified or nothing more than the grumblings of chronic complainers, the way we resolve the complaints of guests makes a lasting impression. Listening is the key to constructive complaint resolution. Satisfying the customer emotionally is not about solving the problem. Instead, it is about listening to and understanding the customer's perspective. When we listen, we get the information we need to demonstrate our understanding of the customer and keep the conflict headed toward constructive resolution. READ MORE

It seems ironic that fitness centers, meant to be vehicles for health, can actually foster unsafe environments. The threat of injury prevalent within gyms can not only put the member's health at risk but also lead to litigation against the facility. As a business owner you must protect your investment by limiting risk through due diligence in both design and operations. This article highlights a number of areas within the gym setting that have lead to the majority of the lawsuits filed against fitness centers and steps you can take to decrease these liability risks. READ MORE

Hotel managers, operators, investors, and analysts typically now use RevPAR as a basis for their hotel performance measure and analysis. This widely used measure reflects the guest rooms revenue on a per room basis, thereby monitoring the success or otherwise of the hotel's rooms inventory management. Hoteliers aim to maximise RevPAR by means of an occupancy and average rate trade off. Rooms revenue makes up a large portion of total revenue. Typically, full-service three- to five-star hotels derive about 50-65% of their revenues from rooms. Budget and extended stay hotels with limited additional facilities make up to 90% of their revenues from rooms. While RevPAR is one of the most recognised and used performance measures in the hospitality industry, providing general market trends and some revenue indications, there are some pitfalls to be aware of when analysing a hotel's performance based solely on RevPAR. This article shows the major pitfalls of RevPAR, and elaborates on the advantages of using a complementary performance measure, GOPPAR (Goh-Par). READ MORE

The U.S. has grown accustomed to being a top destination in international travel, but recent data shows that the number of foreign travelers visiting the country is declining. Although this year showed a slight increase in foreign travel to US markets, it is not enough to offset the sharp losses we experienced after September 11th. While the travel industry is making small progress, greater initiative is needed to revive our status in the international community. With the domestic economy faltering, the travel industry should be more aggressive in exploiting the dollar weakness to its advantage and bringing more foreign money to American shores. READ MORE