In the last several years, spa development in the hospitality and lifestyle real estate industries has boomed. As more and more spas are built, the challenge will be to find, train and retain staff. For those of you who already have a spa, you know that the spa staff are not exactly like all the other staff at your property. Many of them are care-givers, nurturers and healers. In this article, I will try to give some insight into the challenges and opportunities for staffing your spa with people who are "grounded" and who possess the right skill set, attitude, vision and professionalism to make the spa a successful, marketable and profitable venue within the hospitality industry. Since staffing is so important, I thought it would be beneficial to hear from people who are operating successful spas on a daily basis. Therefore, I invited several well-respected spa operators who have extensive experience to share some of their insights and strategies. READ MORE

When the spa is a successful venture, there is a positive impact on your "core" business which is to sell hotel rooms and lifestyle real estate. If you do not have enough qualified, passionate and dedicated spa staff, it will be very challenging, if not impossible, to provide the type of experience that the guests expect. I have invited five Spa Directors whom I consider to be among the best in the spa industry. They have been selected because of their first-hand experience and proven records of financial success at some of the top spas in the United States. I am very grateful that they have agreed to share their expertise on "staffing for success." READ MORE

Many hotel spa operators are facing their first significant economic downturn. The first because many hotel spas are new, and hotel spas were among the pioneers of the new spa industry that has developed in the past decade around the world. How is the spa industry faring? The newness of this industry means there is no directly comparable historical data. Further in a fragmented spa market data is scarce. This article looks at the performance of a mixed bag of broadly comparable businesses, that is beauty and personal care, to give a flavor of the disparate industry. READ MORE

Ask most parents of young children (10 and under) where they are spending New Year's Eve and Day and the answer you will most likely hear is, "We'll be at home with the kids". Your marketing team's mission is simple: Change that answer to, "We'll be celebrating at a hotel that has an awesome family New Year's Eve Package-it's our tradition!" Kids get excited about New Years Eve; they can stay up late and celebrate. A well-designed package that includes a celebration earlier in the day for the family, and options later for the parents, will provide families with an exciting way to begin each new year and create tremendous good will for your hotel and brand. READ MORE

As the information gatekeepers of your property, your PR team is usually the one who issues news releases, and anything that should become public knowledge. Whether it is an agency or an independent professional, or your own in-house department, it is essential that PR should be notified first of any changes within the property; from something as trivial as a special rate gimmick for one day, to something as serious as ownership change. PR can then strategically respond on behalf of the hotel to the media, the community, and even internally to employees. How do you know if you need PR and why? Read my article and find out if you are in need for a PR presence READ MORE

Each of us as a consumer at one point or another has uttered the phrase "Ok,it's worth it." We have evaluated a situation that required the expenditure of either personal or financial capital and made a judgment call as to the value of what was being spent versus what is being received. When booking hotel or travel packages, travel agents and consumers alike go through that very process. READ MORE

Most hotel management principles focus on enhancing revenue and improving efficiency. An assumption that many hoteliers make inaccurately is that all of the revenue they earn actually makes it to the P&L. Most hotels experience revenue slippage due to problems with error and theft. In the major divisions, revenue control practices are put in place to safeguard against these issues, but these are rarely seen or enforced in the minor operating departments. This article will focus on revenue control in the non-core focus areas of the hotel and what you can do to improve it. READ MORE

In this day and age, it is ever more important to maximize your spa's opportunities for financial success and a positive bottom line. Consumers are making choices now to consider options outside of hotel spas both for convenience and pocketbook reasons. This is creating more bottom line challenges and stress on spas located within hotels and resorts, particularly if they are located within an urban (as opposed to a resort or "destination") environment. All too often, spas are not giving themselves a chance to produce a positive bottom line by not emphasizing some basic tenets required to drive revenue while cost effectively managing expenses. This article will offer a number of initiatives and approaches to achieve and maximize a positive net operating income for your spa. READ MORE

For hotel owners thinking about selling their businesses, it might seem like now is a bad time to list a business for sale. In reality, many potential business buyers are looking, but the businesses for sale that include an offer of seller financing are the ones getting buyers to take notice. If hotel owners are willing to finance at least part of a business sale, they are much more likely to sell the business, as today's economy has made it difficult for buyers to finance an entire business purchase through traditional methods. Read my article below to find out everything you need to know about seller financing in business-for-sale transactions. READ MORE

It's no secret that the most successful projects consist of teams that communicate well and work seamlessly together. Having a clear vision for a project is critical for success. It is vitally important that the design and procurement professionals work in a collaborative manner to ensure design continuity. When the design and procurement aspects of a given project are combined under one umbrella, you create a synergy in achieving the right design at the right cost. READ MORE

There isn't a business that isn't being challenged by our current economy, and hospitality is certainly no exception. During these stressful times, your guests - many of them business travelers struggling with these financial challenges, will need the therapeutic qualities of fitness and exercise more than ever. Neglecting an emphasis on fitness services could be a big mistake, that jeopardizes customer satisfaction and loyalty. Check out national fitness business expert Bryan Green's story "Keep Fitness Strong During a Weak Economy" where he'll tell you how you can "pump up" your business through fitness, in the face of today's economic challenges. READ MORE

It is widely known that the Chinese beauty and wellness market is very large and growing fast. The 370,200 salons and spas in the US are dwarfed by China's 1.72 million salons/spas with their 9 million employees. In addition, it has also been turning in double digit growth rates for many years now and is shortly expected to overtake France as a purchaser of cosmetic products. READ MORE

For obvious reasons, cost cutting is at the top of every business owner's to-do list. Surprisingly, energy expenses are often overlooked as operating costs are evaluated for their impact on a company's bottom line. Energy expenses can be a controllable cost when consumption behaviors are evaluated. According to ENERGY STARR, typical energy expenses account for more than 6 percent of a hotel's total operating costs. These costs have increased approximately 25 percent from 2004 to 2008. By investigating procurement options, analyzing a history of utility invoices, exploring what rates you should be paying, and implementing green energy practices, operators can drive down utility costs without negatively impacting the comfort of their hotels or quality of the guest accommodations. READ MORE

In the current state of fitness in the hospitality industry it is not enough to offer a bare bones non-staffed fitness center consisting of a select few pieces of exercise equipment. To set themselves apart, hotels must now reinvent the whole concept of the hotel fitness center, shying away from the old concept of creating an environment where the avid fitness enthusiast can supplement their at-home workout and try to draw in a new demographic of guests many of whom are intimidated by the traditional gym setting. READ MORE

The outlook for the coming years show countries such as India, Brazil, China & Russia having the largest impact on the consumer market. China is the largest population in the world and recent statistics indicate that 1 out of every 6 people on earth are living in China. This will have a drastic effect on the travel industry and the luxury market. Analysts also forecast that China will be the world's most important luxury market by 2011. As more products become available to more people, the pressure increases to offer something truly special. READ MORE