Timeshares and vacation clubs are working to determine what their next product sets should be in order to attract younger buyers. The industry as a whole has consistently increased its revenues over the past decade, but many believe this has been done on the backs of existing owners. There is still a generational disconnect between the product, the marketing and sales processes, and today's younger buyers. The problem for operators is that many are using decades-old acquisition and sales models to reach today's generation of buyers, who are less willing to make big financial or ownership commitments. READ MORE

From self-driving cars to wearables and virtual reality, technology is infused into our everyday lives. Not only has it made our lives easier, but it has significantly shifted consumers' desire to an expectation for technological integration. Whether it's at the office, in an apartment community or their next hotel stay, consumers want the convenience and connection modern technology provides. This concept is already reshaping residential and multifamily communities nationwide and developers are integrating automations into their properties and design process that hoteliers may want to apply in order to curate a seamless and memorable guest experience. READ MORE

From bespoke fashion to technology that adapts to individual biometrics to cars and homes designed to their owners' specific needs and wants, customization and personalization are synonymous with luxury and cutting-edge innovation. Increasingly, hotel brands and any company associated with travel are having to address this ever-growing trend. CallisonRTKL's Hospitality Sector Leader Clay Markham weighs in on the trend for customizable travel, how it works from a design perspective, what technology makes it all work, and what kind of personnel and skills the hotel of the future will need to succeed. READ MORE

Anurak Community Lodge in southern Thailand is winning plaudits for its ecological best practice efforts. Located adjacent to Thailand's Khao Sok National Park – home to a magnificent rainforest ecosystem older than the Amazon – the lodge takes an innovative yet practical approach to sustainable tourism. Its back-of-house operations are built on simple, but effective, recycle, reduce, reuse policies and procedures. The lodge has also cultivated strong community relations with its neighbors. Its latest initiative is its Rainforest Rising project to return a palm oil plantation on its grounds to native forest cover. READ MORE

Leadership has always been at the forefront management training. The four functions of management depict leadership as one of the four. The four that seemed to stand the test of time are controlling, leading, planning, and controlling. Leadership, being the core of management, has manifested itself into the forefront of many hotel executives. Leadership can help hotels to achieve a sustained change and eventually a higher degree of effectiveness. In the absence of effective leadership, hotels are not capable of effectively implementing changes at the competitive level. Hotel leadership is crucial to business success----both from a performance and management level. READ MORE

Legislation is being passed worldwide that seeks to protect consumer privacy; most notably, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Hoteliers, these laws may well apply to you, even if you don't have any properties located in the Golden State or EU. Long story short, for those in the hospitality space, If your bookings include CA or EU resident, you must be mindful of how guests' personal information and data are collected, processed, shared and retained, and poised to implement comprehensive data privacy programs at an organization-wide level to ensure legal compliance. As for the latter, if you haven't done so already, the time is now. READ MORE

User Generated Content (UGC) is a double-edged sword for every hotelier. It's invaluable as far as it delivering positive, authentic guest testaments to future hotel guests. However, it can also elevate a hotel's pain points into the public domain. As hoteliers focus on the balancing act of leveraging guest accolades and damage control, it's easy to lose sight of the impact that UGC ultimately has on room revenues, as well as the potential ways in which hoteliers could be maximizing UGC to further enrich the guest experience and better the property's exposure among potential new guests. READ MORE

From their inception, historic hotels have played a defining role in uplifting a community. Beyond economic generators, they also serve as landmarks and as an expression of a community's larger sense of being. Despite the real estate market waning in some sectors, the hotel real estate market continues to thrive and grow. This continued growth has typically relied on historic preservation incentives and association with national hotel brands. This article talks about the evolution of the historic role of hotels in community revitalization and the ingredients of success. READ MORE

It wasn't that long ago that sustainability and luxury in hospitality seemed to be wildly at odds. While an eco-friendly consciousness was rapidly rising in our industry, it began with back-of-house changes that were aimed at efficiency and carefully made so as not to diminish the guest experience. But, a veritable green revolution has grown since those early days, and today being a leader in sustainable luxury isn't an oxymoron it's a commitment that we at Rosewood Mayakoba take to heart in everything we do. READ MORE

Amenities continue to be a major focus as millennials and post-millennials become an increasingly economically influential demographic. To engender brand loyalty and social media buzz, developers and owners should make investments in design that create authentic experiences and socially activated spaces. Layouts and features that encourage social interaction among guests foster a sense of engagement and community, while the inclusion of biophilic design elements enhance the feeling of a restorative, relaxing and healthy stay. Design can also produce places and features that guests will immediately capture and share on social media – "Instagramable" moments that generate social media "word of mouth." READ MORE

A culture of curiosity and thoughtful hospitality design has driven us as designers and creatives to constantly explore the guest journey and the creation of meaningful experiences. Today's tech-driven fast-paced world amplifies the need to take a step back and reconnect with our natural surroundings. Re-imagining spaces that utilize natural and organic design elements offers a moment of pause and contrast to the rich urbanistic surroundings of which we are accustomed. Nature-inspired design infusion creates balance and fulfills our inherent need to reconnect with nature and the outdoors; in the design world, this increasingly utilized approach is known as "biophilic design" and is adding another dimension to how we curate the hospitality guest experience. READ MORE

It's no secret that engaged employees work more efficiently, improving a hotel's bottom-line results. But they also bring a level of commitment and passion to their work that enhances the level of service, increasing guests' satisfaction and, in turn, their intent to return and recommend. This article explores the factors that impact employee engagement and the role that engagement plays in optimizing a hotel's workforce, ultimately driving top-line revenue. READ MORE

A bold and perhaps perplexing question, but the unfortunate reality is that almost all third-party Quality Assurance audits are designed either to increase membership in a club that guests used to use as a barometer of whether or not a hotel or resort would be good (where mostly today they make these decisions based on social media/OTAs); or to be included in a magazine that some guests refer to for the same reason. The goal of those participating does not necessarily add up to improved service and guest experience-more to influencing guest perception and awareness of the property and so strengthening sales. READ MORE

When it comes to hospitality design experiences, we know that the best hotels support the business traveler, the leisure traveler, and the growing blur between them. The business traveler, specifically, is the most active and engaged guest when it comes to hotel amenities and usage. This is largely due to the fact that they are often spending the bulk of their time in hotel meeting spaces, business centers and conference rooms. So what can be done to make these typically enclosed spaces a source of task, social, entertainment, discovery and aspiration? The answer is likely beyond the walls. READ MORE

As global discussions around climate change become more prevalent, so do conversations around human connection to nature. Incorporating nature and its elements by way of biophilic design is occurring everywhere – throughout our cities, workplaces, hospitals, academic institution and more. Exploring where the hospitality industry fits into these discussions is not only timely, but extremely relevant for hotel operators. Through their decades of industry knowledge and research, HKS Principals Mary Alice Palmer and Sergio Saenz, will discuss how biophilia can influence the psychographics of the guest, transform their hotel experience and guide them to making better decisions for the natural environment. READ MORE