Occupancy numbers appear to be disturbingly lower than usual for this current off season. No doubt that this is due, at least in part, to rising prices across the board, the inevitable reaction to soaring fuel costs. Many of our guests, both the individual travelers and the corporate meeting planners, are finding the need to do some serious belt-tightening. Even our wealthy travelers are reconsidering their vacation plans. What that means to the hotels and resorts is that we need to sell more to the people who are already in our properties. We must encourage everyone on staff to find all the opportunities to "cross sell" our facilities and motivate our guests to spend, spend, spend, beyond just paying the basic room rate. READ MORE

Hopefully, it will be the only part of your strategic Public Relations plan that you will never have to execute: a crisis plan is often times the most important part of the communications strategy. A crisis is usually referred to as an event that can affect a property in a negative way. This can be anything from a fire, to a guest relations issue, a computer glitch, or it can result from a renovation, a management change, new ownership, etc. The effects of a crisis can be short term or long term, and many times the damage can be irreversible. When a crisis is handled poorly, it affects your reputation, brand management, and most of all your credibility- and when credibility is badly damaged, the affects can be fatal to your business. READ MORE

What happens when seafood smells fishy? Or when the smell of French fries shows up where French fries are not being served? Why do guest or even employee noses curl up or curl down when certain smells are encountered? The smells that surround us affect our well-being throughout our lives and hospitality leaders have a "scent-sational" opportunity to guide the impact of smell in guest service delivery and impact. READ MORE

The group events business is booming. In fact for hotels such as Fairmont, IHG and Hyatt, group events-everything from corporate events and trade shows to family weddings and reunions-are huge business. To be exact, they represent a $30 billion market that comprises up to 60% of their revenue. As I have stated in previous articles, technology today plays a big role in attracting meeting planners, securing their business and retaining them as long-term customers. In these articles I have looked at the specific types of technologies that hotels should be looking at-everything from collaborative online group management technologies, to Blackberry mobile phones and automated room list solutions. Now it's time to take a step back. What promise and possibilities do these technologies really allow the hotel to offer meeting planner looking to find a home for their next event? READ MORE

"When something stinks, it's usually the head." This fishing phrase has interesting applicability for hoteliers. In fact, when hotel guests receive unsatisfactory service at a restaurant or are displeased with their hotel stay, it could be the result of a number of things, but the most likely reason for these problems is a lack of, or poor leadership team. Although often overlooked, having a strong and knowledgeable leadership team is one of the most important assets at any hotel property. In fact, it is the leadership team that determines the success of the property, particularly during renovation, an economic downturn or a slow season. A hotel's leadership not only affects the guests, but also the entire staff and the overall services provided. READ MORE

Through the months, I have written on several aspects of spa retail management and this issue's topic on Creating a Strategic Retail Plan is crucial for the future success and sustainability of the spa as a strategic business unit (sbu) of the hotel. As a sbu of the hotel, the spa's strategic retail plan should consider the overall strategy of the hotel and find ways to create a congruent plan of action so that seamless results are achieved. This sends a dynamic message in the branding of the spa as a cohesive unit. READ MORE

If the lobby is the heart and the guestrooms the soul, the foyer serves as the connective tissue of a hotel or resort. A series of pathways and vistas that break the guests' visual experience in a way that doesn't give everything away all at once while, a foyer, at the same time, prepares and connects them to what comes next. Here are five elements that must be taken into consideration when designing foyers for their maximize impact and efficiency. READ MORE

Brand standards not only effect the guest experience, but they also effect the value placed on the hotel by hotel owners, lenders and investors. The juxtaposition between the desire of the brand to upgrade its brand standards and the desire of the hotel owner, lenders and investors to keep a tight grip on the bottom line can be complicated - and the brand standards are a critical component in the equation. The pendulum appears to be swinging in the direction of greater influence being exerted by the easily recognized and well known branded hotels. The credit world finds comfort in a name on a hotel that has a solid history and reputation, and investors seem to be similarly eased by mobilizing capital resources into a branded hotel. But what is the brand standard in the area of hotel operations and management? READ MORE

While hotels spend tremendous time and energy looking for strategic ways to make the most of their operation, they often fail to look at the fact that the property sits in the middle of a large parking facility. This facility often takes up as much real estate as the hotel itself, but because parking is outside of the core focus of the industry, hotel parking facilities are rarely strategically managed. Utilizing an asset management approach for parking is equally as effective as it is for rooms income, and can often make a significant improvement to an asset's overall value. READ MORE

Becoming green is not a one-time thing: it requires a concerted effort over time from a number of people and departments. This article will outline some recent trends in developing an environmentally responsible corporate policy, the steps to build a green program in a property or group of properties, and information about what should be covered by written policies and procedures. READ MORE

No longer are hotel goers "thinking big" when they book their reservations. Small, themed, and unique hotels frequently steal guests from the most luxurious of hotels. Whether large or small, the difference between a successful hotel and one with far too many vacancies often is simple - a solid public relations plan that delivers essential information to entice potential guests. A strong public relations plan complements your business goals. By increasing brand awareness among targeted groups of prospective guests, you can grow sales and revenues. Following a precise public relations plan including contributes to the goals of any hotel owner. READ MORE

This article provides just a few ways to help promote your hotel's brand by utilizing the reservations staff - there are many more. The Internet has changed the way we shop and research services and products. It represents a better opportunity to promote your brand than the old days when mass advertising was all that existed. Remember, even with online booking services, many potential guests still make a call into the property to learn more. Either way, by personalizing the experience you can raise your chances of landing that prospect. READ MORE

The advancement of technology has made the world a smaller place. Movies, television, and now the Internet have created a world which has fostered a better understanding of and access to different cultures. But, does this familiarity and exposure lessen cultural characteristics or nuances? Is it correct to assume that this familiarity creates instant purchases of your product? And does this also ensure that your product will be selected over your competition in these markets? This article will address key components to consider when planning and implementing global marketing campaigns or initiatives or in just reaching specific international markets. READ MORE

There is a hush in the concert hall. All the players are in place. Our talented concierge maestro pauses for a moment reflecting on the complexity of his performance depending on so many others to make it happen. He raises his baton with humility, confidence, finesse and pride; he knows when to call on the strings, the brass, the woodwinds and the timpani. The global concierge chorus is ready to sing. They all acutely feel the expectations of the sophisticated audience and together they are ready to dazzle with their music. READ MORE

As oil penetrates the $130-a-barrel mark and natural gas prices increase to rates four times what they were since the late 1990s, the use of green building (or building green) has taken seed to a new beginning to reform the cost of energy across all sections of industry. Green building is no longer just another popular cause or fad; it is here to stay as a vital and profitable part of the commercial real estate and construction industries. Anyone in the building trades or anyone involved with real estate investing or leasing needs to understand fully -- green building trends, opportunities, and consequences that can affect all areas including building codes, insurance rates, employee health, customer satisfaction, and more. This article will set out to serve as a survey of the important fundamentals and forecasts of what has happened and what will happen going forward in the efforts to build a green environment. READ MORE