This article details how hotels can reduce and control the costs of water, sewer and energy and improve and maintain guest satisfaction. It describes the importance of Balanced Flows and why most hotels don't have them and don't know they don't have them. The elements that drive actual flow rates in showers and sinks are discussed in a way that clarifies their importance to understand why most hotels have unbalanced flows. Because water, sewer and energy rates are rising all over the globe, it is becoming more important for owners and managers to understand what can be done so that they do not continue to waste more water and costs. READ MORE

What if… the transformation to sustainability is happening right now? In a recent global survey, a majority (69%) of the 1500+ participating top executives stated that their organizations are integrating the Sustainable Development Goals into their business strategy. Young people are taking to the streets inspired by the Swedish 15 year old activist Greta Thunberg, and in March this year students at 2052 places in 123 countries participate in this grassroots protest against the lack of powerful initiative to fight climate change, by us grownups. Great things are happening in all corners of the world, - What if, this is the start of the change of a paradigm that we see right now; and could it be a good idea to be prepared and part of the solution? READ MORE

Bali's international reputation as a leading tourism destination has come under a growing threat – plastic waste on beaches and in popular dive sites. Bali Province, consisting of the main island of Bali and several small neighboring islands, accounts for approximately 40% of all of Indonesia's international visitors. The growing numbers of foreign and domestic visitors as well as the prevalence of single use plastics is challenging Bali's the waste management infrastructure. Well publicized videos, visitor photos and media coverage have drawn international, national and local authorities' attention and call to action. The hotel industry, local entrepreneurs and community-based and charitable organizations have initiated beach and ocean clean-up, plastic recycling, education and awareness campaigns while looking for longer term solutions. READ MORE

The tourism industry relies on the beauty of nature and its creatures to attract visitors, but at the same time the industry is creating negative impacts through the over-use of single-use plastics. With some predicting that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by weight in the next 30 years, the time for action is now. With 4700 hotels globally and more than 1000 in Asia Pacific, Accor is doing its bit to act sustainably by committing to reducing its use of plastics and signing on to the WWF PACT: Plastic ACTion. READ MORE

Guest satisfaction data, while critical, will do little to increase intent to return and recommend if an operator lacks the ability to view it in the context of other key aspects of the hotel's business. Today's hotelier must break down the departmental silos that have traditionally assigned guest satisfaction to marketing, employee engagement to human resources and productivity to operations, to gain a holistic view of the factors impacting the guest experience and, ultimately, drive business. READ MORE

The Statler opened in 1956 as a 1001-room hotel, convention center, and gathering place for the "Who's Who" to lodge when visiting Dallas. Notable guests include Conrad Hilton, Coco Chanel, Liberace, Tony Bennett, The Jackson 5, and Tina Turner. The hotel had its last occupancy in 2001 and was listed on the National Park Service "Top Ten Most Endangered Building" list. After many failed redevelopment attempts, Centurion American acquired The Statler and historically renovated and reimagined the building as a true mixed-use project. The building now features a 159-room Curio Collection hotel and 219 luxury rental apartments and was recently inducted into Historic Hotels of America. READ MORE

Over the past 33 years, I have been privileged to work in just about every hotel department imaginable – in desirable locations all over the world. Each experience helped grow my knowledge of the industry and most importantly, fueled my passion. As many in this industry can relate, with this passion comes great respect for what individualizes a hotel and its experience. As General Manager of the beautiful Pelican Grand Beach Resort – one of the only true beachfront, boutique resorts on Fort Lauderdale beach – there is so much about this property that drives me as a hospitality leader and inspires our guests daily. READ MORE

Just as the days of endless, tasteless buffets are gone from the all-inclusive resort experience, so are the endless, thoughtless playlists that come from the on-property sound systems. The à la carte restaurant approach that has become common place at all-inclusive hotels needs to be applied to music in the hotel industry. We'll take a look at how much music has evolved in the hospitality world and what needs to happen for it to come full circle as part of the branding and upfront story. Music is an important driver when it comes to the guest experience and the bottom line. READ MORE

Resilience can mean a lot of things to different people. In the real estate world, resilience is becoming a much talked-about topic relating to the ability of a building to withstand environmental threats. Understanding what those threats are, their magnitude, and their likelihood of occurrence are all part of the assessment of building resilience. While the topic itself can be depressing, resilience should be viewed as something to be embraced. Knowing the worst threats your building faces and its chances for surviving those threats will have a big impact on your long-term planning. READ MORE

What makes a hotel eco-friendly? While there are numerous green certifications a hotel can earn, a hotel that works to minimize its impact on the natural environment through any number of green efforts can proclaim itself eco-friendly. Everything from installing water efficient toilets to starting composting programs falls under the eco-friendly category. So, if a hotel is considering exploring some environmentally friendly actions, who should they call? An insurance broker might not seem like the first person a hotel should contact when considering green efforts, but having the right insurance coverage in place ahead of time will not only help the hotel with its plans to go green, but might even help save some green in the process. READ MORE

The unintentional outcomes of meeting and exceeding guest expectations can come in different shapes and forms. However, there are not many that involve economic, environmental and social impacts all nicely bundled together as the issue of food waste. Many tried to find a solution, but there is no silver bullet for now. However, that should not take away from the number of initiatives, technologies and projects that have been successfully carried out in many hotels and restaurants. Exploring the clever ways people and organizations looked to tackle this challenge only underscores the complex nature of food waste in hospitality. READ MORE

Welcoming the new generation of cooktops into hospitality follows the technological progression over the past twenty years to move from coil cooktops, to ceramic cooktops, to the new induction cooktops being introduced into the marketplace. Each iteration has improved the sustainability profile of the cooking equipment, while also improving the safety for both the user and the facility, but has been met with challenges based on costs per key. This article will provide detailed calculations of the savings attributable to sustainably selected cooktops used in the extended stay segment as an example of the fiscal benefits to socially responsible green product selection. READ MORE

Hotels, much like any other consumer product, can differ drastically from one another. While hotels used to attempt to cater to the traveler simply seeking a place to sleep at night, they must now cater to a wide range of demographics with varying needs and wanted elements in a hotel. Leisure travel is becoming increasingly multigenerational, which can be attributed to the changing dynamic of the American household. The hospitality industry is being pushed towards a more inclusive and experiential design, allowing those of all ages and backgrounds to experience and enjoy all that the local environment has to offer. READ MORE

What impact does revenue management really have on sales? Are the two departments separate pieces or can they work together to optimize every revenue stream? How can these two departments, with similar but unidentical goals, collaborate to maximize a hotel's success? With specific examples, top tips and expert advice, Marcela Trujillo and Shelley Maher of Total Customized Revenue Management (TCRM) present a thorough analysis of revenue management and sales and explore both the benefits and the challenges that arise from a strategic partnership. READ MORE

The expectation for a travel experience to mimic at-home smart capabilities is coming fast, and it's only a matter of time before all hotel guests expect to be able to simply speak a directive to order room service, request valet bring their car, or adjust the temperature. Now is the time for brands to embrace building a strategy for voice search and utilizing smart speakers in-room. Discover the key challenges and opportunities that voice technology presents and what its popularity could mean for the travel and hospitality industry. READ MORE