Insider: Key Considerations When Designing for Owners

By Brian West, Senior Designer, Gensler Los Angeles

When owners and developers collaborate to develop a hotel or resort property the partnership between the two entities can be complicated by the indifference between their independent long-term goals. In my article, "Key Considerations When Designing for Owners” in the Hotel Business Review, I address three key considerations every designer should be aware of when working with hotel property owners.

Insider: Tips on Analyzing and Driving Spa Revenue

By Elaine Fenard, Vice President of Spa Operations, Spa Strategy Inc. and Marchello Chimenti

In our article "Tips on Analyzing and Driving Spa Revenue" in the Hotel Business Review, you will read that creating value through enhancements to the guest experience translates into brand loyalty, repeat business, increased length of stay at the spa, increased spa retail spend, and rate premiums for spa services.

Insider: Best Practices in Hotel Financial Management

By Jed C. Heller, President, The Providence Group

In my Hotel Business Review article “Best Practices in Hotel Financial Management", I outline the key components of a basic financial system and ways managers can use accurate financial information to improve hotel performance on all fronts.

Insider: Five Essential Practices in Accommodating the International Guest

By Sanjay Nijhawan, Chief Operating Officer, Guoman Hotels

In my article "Five Essential Practices in Accommodating the International Guest" in the Hotel Business Review, I outline five essential practices that meet the growing demand for multi-cultural awareness within the hospitality industry.

Insider: The Impact of Increased Education in the Meetings Industry Colleges and Universities Foster Tourism & Hospitality Management Studies

By Tina Stark, President, Association for Convention Operations Management

My article in the Hotel Business Review, "The Impact of Increased Education in the Meetings Industry Colleges and Universities Foster Tourism & Hospitality Management Studies" analyzes the way that education in the meetings industry has impacted the level of operations, customer service and overall performance.

Insider: Planning for Green Legislation: State-Level Mandates a Preview for Smart Hoteliers

By Mark Breuker, Director of Client Solutions, Advantage IQ

In the Hotel Business Review, my article, “Planning for Green Legislation,” details the carbon emission reduction legislation put in place by a few key states: California, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and Washington. These state governments have enacted notable regulations or standards for business.

Insider: Nine Areas Where Hotels Can Green Up

By Mark Breuker, Director of Client Solutions, Advantage IQ

In my article in the Hotel Business Review, “Nine Areas Where Hotels Can Green Up”, I offer the top strategies that hotel operators can implement to maximize the efficiency of their buildings from basement to rooftop. Investing time and capital in reducing energy use provides a huge ROI that no smart business person should ignore.

Insider: Energy Management for the Little Guy

By Mark Breuker, Director of Client Solutions, Advantage IQ

Operators with less than 40 sites often can’t justify the cost of a full-service solution, while some larger hoteliers don’t like to leave bill-paying to energy managers. And managing so many other parts of the business makes staying on top of energy costs difficult. But that’s changing. In my article “Energy Management for the Little Guy,” in the Hotel Business Review, I describe a new solution some energy management companies offer for smaller operators who can’t afford full-service solutions.

Insider: Tracking Your Utility Expenditure Back to ‘Heads to Beds’ for Benchmarking

By Mark Breuker, Director of Client Solutions, Advantage IQ

In my article in the Hotel Business Review, “Tracking Your Utility Expenditure Back to ‘Heads to Beds’ for Benchmarking” I offer advice on how to measure and compare your sites’ performance against an established baseline, which will help hotel operators determine their energy effectiveness as well as identify high-return capital improvement opportunities.

Insider: Compiling Utility Data to Make Capital Spending Decisions

By Mark Breuker, Director of Client Solutions, Advantage IQ

Hotel and resort operators concentrate their efforts on keeping their rooms booked as a surefire way to maximize profits. But one critical component of their business that often falls under the radar is the cost of their electricity usage. There are several steps operators can take to ensure their energy costs are kept under control, while still maintaining their No. 1 priority—increasing heads on beds. In my article in the Hotel Business Review, “Compiling utility data to make capital improvements,” I offer advice on what operators can do to ensure their sites are operating most efficiently when it comes to their energy usage. The process is called ‘benchmarking,’ and it can help operators determine when to make capital improvements, and what upgrades make the most sense.

Insider: Pool Your Resources: Save Electricity

By Mark Breuker, Director of Client Solutions, Advantage IQ

Hotel and resort operators spend a ton of their overhead on electricity. All told, the entire industry spends an average of $5.3 billion a year on electricity, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In my article, “Pool Your Resources: Save Electricity”, in the Hotel Business Review, I lay out a no-cost program franchisors can offer their franchise members to save them hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on their utility bills. It’s called electricity aggregation, and it’s a simple way for hotel operators to drive down electricity.

Insider: 8 Key Points to Effective Integrated Marketing Communications

By Didi Lutz, President, Didi Lutz PR

Read my article in the Hotel Business Review entitled "Applying Integrated Marketing Communications Effectively in Hotels" and let’s explore together some ideas of how to implement a strategic plan that encompasses your hotel’s image, while reaching out to your guests in the most effective way.

Insider: The Role of Social Responsibility in Hotels

By Didi Lutz, President, Didi Lutz PR

As you will read in my article in the Hotel Business Review, "The Role of Social Responsibility in Hotels", practicing social responsibility in your business can also help you from a public relations standpoint. Showing that you care is not complicated. Read my suggestions on how your hotel can make a difference.

Insider: Boutique Hotels: Partnering with Your Restaurant on PR Efforts

By Didi Lutz, President, Didi Lutz PR

My article "Boutique Hotels: Partnering with Your Restaurant on PR Efforts" in this week's Hotel Business Review will provide key points that will help avoid communications pitfalls when it comes to yielding the best media relations for your overall property, regardless of your number of on-premise restaurants.

Insider: Calling All Hotels! Hosting a Television Broadcast Visit

By Didi Lutz, President, Didi Lutz PR

As a hotelier, you want to put your best foot forward when it comes to showcasing your property. Naturally, via media outlets such as print and the web, there are many ways to do this. But what about television? Is it worth the trouble and effort? By being methodical and a little cautious, you can achieve excellent exposure on television that will help you brand your hotel, and you'll read more about this in my article "Calling All Hotels! Hosting a Television Broadcast Visit" in this week's Hotel Business Review.

Insider: How to Make your Boutique Hotel More Distinguished

By Didi Lutz, President, Didi Lutz PR

Are you managing a boutique hotel? Do you find yourself constantly comparing room nights against last year, and tracking web traffic from month to month? Do you find yourself confused when you don’t know why you have not seen any increase in reservations or web visitors, when you’ve invested in priceless ad campaigns? Maybe it is time you look at your hotel and what distinguishes your property from the rest of your competition. Read my article "How to Make your Boutique Hotel More Distinguished" in this week's online issue of Hotel Business Review on how to make your boutique hotel a more distinguished property and get started!

Insider: Maximizing Press that Aligns with Sales and Marketing Objectives

By Didi Lutz, President, Didi Lutz PR

So many times I hear from hotels how their previous pr campaigns totally missed the mark on what the hotel was trying to accomplish: whether showcasing a renovation, introducing a new image, expanding audiences, or recovering from a crisis. Public relations campaigns can be damaging as much as they can be successful if they are not planned to the last detail. By detail, I don't necessarily mean holding countless of fruitless meetings that last for hours with the hotel management, but rather using time productively by taking what was said in a meeting to produce pure public relations results. Read my article "Maximizing Press that Aligns with Sales and Marketing Objectives" in this week's Hotel Business Review for advice and suggestions for clues to PR success!

Insider: Hotels: How to Communicate Effectively with Blogs

By Didi Lutz, President, Didi Lutz PR

The emergence of the Internet as a prime news source has taken every industry by storm. Almost everything can be looked up online. But with the ying comes the yang. While accurate news resources exist to provide us with valuable information, there are certain self-created forums that may harbor trouble: blogs. Interested about blogs and how they could affect your hotel? Read my article on blogs in this week's Hotel Business Review entitled "Hotels: How to Communicate Effectively with Blogs".

Insider: Promoting a Destination and In Turn Your Hotel

By Didi Lutz, President, Didi Lutz PR

Knowing how to promote your hotel may seem easy at first, until you look outside your property and find out what the competition is doing to stand out. Utilizing your destination's hightlights, features and attractions can work to your hotel's advantage, especially if you factor them into your overall media relations strategy. Interested about how to plan a public relations strategy that will incorporate your destination in order to maximize your hotel's exposure? Read my article in this week's Hotel Business Review on "Promoting a Destination and In Turn your Hotel"

Insider: How to Create a Strategic Public Relations Plan

By Didi Lutz, President, Didi Lutz PR

Whether announcing a new property, renovation, new management, or simply introducing new bedding, toiletries, or a new romance package, PR professionals are making everything news by targeting the right outlets. With more aggressive media relations, better targeted messages feeding the media beast, more organized press FAM trips, and effective cross promotional events to spread the word, hotel public relations is marking the beginning of a whole new era.

Insider: Organizing a Successful Fam Trip

By Didi Lutz, President, Didi Lutz PR

Press fam trips typically take a lot of time to be properly organized and planned. Consider them as an investment for the future, since the stories generated from this effort will help your property’s positive word of mouth. For an in-depth checklist to keep in mind when thinking of putting a fam trip together at your hotel read my article "Organizing a Successful Fam Trip" in this week's Hotel Business Review which highlights some do’s and don’ts.

Insider: The Secret to Maximizing Guest Satisfaction Through Mobile Technology

By Don Hay, CEO, Digital Alchemy

My article “The Secret to Maximizing Guest Satisfaction Through Mobile Technology” in the Hotel Business Review discusses how you can prepare for and profit from your guest’s new connectivity. Guests now expect detailed and timely email related to their upcoming stay. A text-only email is not enough.

Insider: Lobby-ists Delight – New Hip Meeting Spots for Hotels Are On The Rise

By Andrew Freeman, President, Andrew Freeman & Company

In my article "Lobby-ists Delight – New Hip Meeting Spots for Hotels Are On The Rise", in the Hotel Business Review, we examine and explore the potential of redefining hotel lobbies as unique venues for new guests, more press and added revenue. Start simply with WiFi and some comfy chairs –and take it to the next level with a chef, a mixologist, or a DJ – and bring your hotel to life in the lobby.

Insider: How to Pump Up Your Hotel Fitness Center with Cutting-edge Fitness

By Bryan Green, President & CEO, Advantage Fitness Products

For a valuable preview of the technological advances taking place in the fitness industry, I encourage you to check out my article in the Hotel Business Review, “How to Pump Up Your Hotel Fitness Center with Cutting-edge Fitness”. Digital interactive fitness products spawned by the digital gaming industry, or the ability to carry video-based personal training programs wherever you go through a simple USB device, are just two examples of the things that hotel and resort executives should considering to ensure that guest satisfaction and bottom line returns are maximized by maintaining a truly contemporary service offering reflective of today’s hottest training methods.

Insider: Managing the Brand Message During Change

By John Ely, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Signature Worldwide

In my current Hotel Business Review article, “Managing the Brand Message During Change,” I provide insight on how to develop or reinvent a brand as part of change management. The importance of a brand cannot be underestimated because it encompasses all your company stands for in the mind of your customers.

Insider: Guest Internet Installation: Common Practices & Complications

By Michael Kasprzyk, CEO, Thinwires, LLC

My article in the Hotel Business Review "Guest Internet Installation: Common Practices & Complications" has some helpful tips for making sure the money you spend on Guest Internet Services goes as far as possible before you run into problems. And even when you have problems, these tips can help you identify, isolate and solve problems on your hotel network faster than ever before.

Insider: Keys to Reaching the Infamous Baby Boomers: The 2nd Hump in Your Hotel’s Generational Marketing

By Bonnie J. Knutson, Professor, The School of Hospitality Business, Broad College of Business, Michigan State University

In my article "Keys to Reaching the Infamous Baby Boomers: The 2nd Hump in Your Hotel’s Generational Marketing", the second of a four-part series on generational marketing in the Hotel Business Review, we examine this second “hump” of your hotel’s four-humped customer camel – The Baby Boom generation.

Insider: Is the Hotel & Travel Industry Ready to Serve Age 50+ Consumers?

By Neale Redington, National Partner in Charge of Hospitality for Deloitte & Touche LLP.

My article featured in this week's Hotel Business Review, “Is the Hotel & Travel Industry Ready to Serve Age 50+ Consumers?”, addresses these demographic changes and the challenges and opportunities it creates for hotel executives in the industry. Due to dramatic demographic changes around the globe and the aging of the baby boomer market, by 2008, companies in a range of sectors – including real estate and hotel and lodging businesses – will have to focus with ever greater savvy on serving the needs of a very different type of consumer: one that is age 50+ or older with shifting biological, psychological, social, and economic characteristics, needs, and expectations.

Insider: First Implementation of the International Financial Reporting Standards and Communication on Performance

By Emmanuelle Beaufils, professeur en comptabilité et finance, Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland

The controversy that have surrounded IAS 39 (recognizing and measuring financial instruments) has been a case of missing the wood for the trees - although there is no doubt that this standard is likely to have a major impact on companies in the financial sector, other IAS/IFRS standards are likely to impact just as much on the balance sheets of large groups and hospitality ones. For example there is IAS 22 (business combinations) and IAS 36 (impairment of assets) which will completely change the way goodwill is treated - depreciation is replaced with the impairment test, which means a strict definition of a model for valuing assets acquired, which will make it possible to monitor the assets over several years. For more on IFRS and on the various practices observed in 2005 in the European hotel groups have a look at my article in this week's Hotel Business Review "First Implementation of the International Financial Reporting Standards and Communication on Performance".

Insider: Vision to Success: An Entrepreneur’s Story

By Don Turner, Chair, California Lodging Industry Association

In my articles on "Vision to Success: An Entrepreneur’s Story" in the Hotel Business Review, I take you through the steps of starting a lodging business and share with you some important tools for success that I have learned along the way. I’ve been running businesses in the lodging and hospitality industry for more than 30 years including restaurant chains and lodging properties. I currently own a small inn in Berkeley, California, as well as a lodging property consulting company that specializes in "turning a sow’s ear into a silk purse." I’ve had challenges and successes along the way and have learned a great deal from my colleagues in the industry.

Insider: Dialing to the Future

By John Piescik, Chief Operating Officer, eStara, Inc.

In this week's Hotel Business Review article, "Using SIP Calling to Lower Telecom Costs", I address a major trend in hotel telephony towards VoIP. While some major hotels have been hesitant to let go of their telephony revenue by migrating to a cheaper VoIP system, many smaller hotels are leading by example and showing how switching could reduce costs and give their hotel an advantage over the competition. Life’s never been easy for the little guy. This is especially true for boutique hotels. While they sometimes win on charm and personalized service, they are often eclipsed by bigger players when it comes to the technology amenities they offer prospective bookers. It’s tough to keep pace with larger budgets, but should these little guys ignore the advantages of technology investment? A joint study by New York University and PhocusWright finds that most organizations do so in order to improve their competitive position (85%), while 76% do so as a means of controlling costs and increasing customer satisfaction.

Insider: 'Sweet Emotion'

By Rob Rush, President & CEO, LRA Worldwide

A few years ago I wrote an article for Brandweek about the Grateful Dead, arguing that they were the greatest brand managers in history. I could have just as easily made the argument that the Dead were pioneers of the "emotion economy," where establishing an emotional connection between company and customer is the key to profitable growth. Deadhead or not, it is easy to appreciate the intensity of the emotional connection between the Grateful Dead in their fans...and draw some parallels to all of the present-day discussions of the importance of "emotion" in the customer experience. That is the subject of my current article in this week’s Hotel Business Review, "Sweet Emotion – Brands Look to Send Customers on an Emotional Roller Coaster"

Insider: Meier & Frank: The Story of How Oregon’s Largest Building Became Home to a Boutique Hotel

By John M. Tess, President, Heritage Consulting Group

In one sense, saving buildings is about real estate development and often making our downtown’s thrive with a unique urban setting. But sometimes – such as with Meier & Frank – saving a building is saving a community’s collective memories. The store perhaps closing and the building going away – as has happened in so many towns – would have had a devastating impact on Portlanders – including me. Thus, to be working on strategies to not only save the building but to revitalize and re-energize it is exciting. Read "Meier & Frank: The Story of How Oregon’s Largest Building Became Home to a Boutique Hotel" in this week's issue of Hotel Business Review.

Insider: The Impact of the Recession and the Administration's Policies on Hotel Food & Beverage

By Professor Marcel R. Escoffier, School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Florida International University, Miami, Florida.

Along with creating a survival plan for weathering this economic storm, the Hotel F+B Director needs to plan for the future as well. In my article "The Impact of the Recession and the Administration's Policies on Hotel Food & Beverage" in the Hotel Business Review I discuss how casual dining restaurant chains are coping with the downturn in the economy, how the food industry in general is coping with ever rising prices, and how you can cope with the challenges which you face in maintaining customer counts.

Insider: 10 Ways to Make Your Hotel Attractive to Investors

By Roger Hill, Chief Operating Officer, Gettys

In the Hotel Business Review, my article, “10 Ways to Make Your Hotel Attractive to Investors,” provides best practices to increase the exposure of your hotel and enhance your success rate when trying to attract the ideal buyer for your property.

Insider: 11 Questions You Must Ask Your Landscaping Firm

By Dennis Baker, President and CEO, Avendra and Mike O’Connell, Director of Strategic Contracting, Landscaping and Golf, Avendra

Whether it's a five-star resort or a two-star hotel, customers rate location as the number one deciding factor when booking a hotel. Obviously room size and décor, attractiveness of common areas and available amenities are critical in that evaluation, but the exterior appearance of the grounds, everything from flowers to plantings to trees, is also important to your hotel’s image. Read more about this in my article "11 Questions You Must Ask Your Landscaping Firm" in this week's Hotel Business Review.

Insider: Five Key Considerations When Designing for Developers

By Brian West, Senior Designer, Gensler Los Angeles

It is important to note that not all designers design alike so when it came to writing my article “Key Considerations When Designing for Developers” for the Hotel Business Review, I was careful to the highlight only the fundamental tenants of design that drive designers in their quest to create. My article focuses specifically on designers of hospitality environments.

Insider: Embracing the Culture of Change in the Lodging Industry

By Steven Belmonte, CEO, President, Partner The Lexington Collection, and President, CEO, Hospitality Solutions LLC

Today, as you will read in my article " Embracing the Culture of Change in the Lodging Industry" in the Hotel Business Review, the lodging industry is much more than a room with a bed – it’s a lifestyle for many consumers and a living for many owners. The latter has been instrumental in changing the franchising model and embracing the demands of the consumers.

Insider: Creating Future Leaders in the Hospitality Industry

By Steve Belmonte,CEO, President, Partner, The Lexington Collection and President, CEO, Hospitality Solutions LLC

In my article titled “Creating Future Leaders in the Hospitality Industry”, in the Hotel Business Review, I address some motivational tools I garnered over the years in building leaders. Simply put, the greatest investment a company can make is helping employees reach their full potential. That investment into employees begets a better future and higher ROI for our industry.

Insider: Why Customer Service Is Still King

By Steven Belmonte, CEO, President, Partner The Lexington Collection, and President, CEO, Hospitality Solutions LLC

My article in the Hotel Business Review, “Why Customer Service Is Still King”, traces the roots of good customer satisfaction to the morale in the office place. Simply put, the greatest investment a company can make is that in its employees. That investment into employees begets company loyalty, mutual rewards, increased motivation, increased company morale, increased productivity, which all leads to greater ROI.

Insider: The Rules of Franchising are Changing

By Steven Belmonte, CEO, President, Partner The Lexington Collection, and President, CEO, Hospitality Solutions LLC

With the advent of the Internet and integrated property systems, hotel membership brands and new, loosely structured franchises are flourishing. Third-party websites, Global Distribution Systems, and strategic alliances allow these new hotel companies to operate at a fraction of the cost of a typical franchise. Franchising vs. Membership... what’s right for you? Read more in this week's issue of Hotel Business Review in my article "The Rules of Franchising are Changing".

Insider: Hotel Business Management and Valuation

By Thomas Pastore, Chief Executive Officer, Sanli Pastore & Hill, Inc.

Although strategic planning simply sounds like “a business plan” to achieve certain objectives, it contains more than just “planning.” In fact, managers who understand the art of strategic planning will go through many steps, including adjusting and evaluating the process. One of the methods I introduce in my article "Hotel Business Management and Valuation" in the Hotel Business Review is to apply the strategic planning index (SPI), developed by Professor Phillips and Moutinho, whom researched the hospitality industry extensively.

Insider: Selling a Hotel – Four Vital Steps in Communicating With Prospects

By Mike Handelsman, General Manager, BizBuySell

When you are trying to sell a hotel and at the same time make sure it continues to run smoothly in the meantime, it is not likely that you will have a lot of time to spend on buyers who are not serious. For more details, read my article in the Hotel Business Review entitled “Selling a Hotel – Four Vital Steps in Communicating With Prospects".

Insider: Tips for Buying a Hotel Online

By Mike Handelsman, General Manager, BizBuySell

From our experience helping thousands of users buy and sell businesses on BizBuySell.com, we have come to notice trends in what buyers can do to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible, and what they should make sure to avoid. From this, we have developed four keys to buying a hotel online. To find out more about what they are - and how to use them - read my article in the Hotel Business Review entitled "Tips for Buying a Hotel Online."

Insider: Selling Your Hotel Online: The Top 10 Tips for Success

By Mike Handelsman, General Manager, BizBuySell

From our experience helping thousands of users buy and sell businesses on BizBuySell.com, we have come to notice trends in what sellers can do to make their business stand out, and what they should make sure to avoid. From this, we have devised our “10 commandments of quality online listings.” To find out what they are – and how to use them to successfully sell your hotel online - read my article in this week’s Hotel Business Review entitled “Selling Your Hotel Online: The Top 10 Tips for Success.”

Insider: Before You Swipe That Card: Do You Know What Fees You are Paying?

By Bob Carr, Chairman & CEO, Heartland Payment Systems

In my article, "Before You Swipe That Card: Do You Know What Fees You are Paying?" in the Hotel Business Review, I highlight two of the 10 initiatives set forth by The Merchant Bill of Rights, a set of industry standards created to promote fair credit and debit card processing practices.

Insider: Guarantee Secure Credit Transactions Before you Swipe that Card

By Bob Carr, Chairman & CEO, Heartland Payment Systems

In my article, "Guarantee Secure Credit Transactions Before you Swipe that Card" in the Hotel Business Review, I explain how you can work with your card processor to maintain compliance with PCI DSS and ensure secure transactions. Armed with the facts about the card processing security, I urge you to take the necessary steps to keep your business and customers safe.

Insider: Demographic Dirty Tricks – Recruiting in a Media Desert

By Jeffrey Catrett, Dean, Les Roches School of Hospitality Management, Kendall College, Chicago

How is the traditional hospitality industry to recruit new management talent without media attention when many of today’s high school students don’t even know the meaning of the word “hospitality”? My article "Demographic Dirty Tricks – Recruiting in a Media Desert" in the Hotel Business Review, I propose a number of innovative solutions to this dilemma that is threatening the future well-being of hotel management education and of the industry itself.

Insider: Four Essential Practices in Delivering a Great Guest Experience

By Sanjay Nijhawan, Chief Operating Officer, Guoman Hotels

Recent years have seen massive developments in the hospitality industry. Hotels are now competing to see who can deliver that added extra service that will set them apart in a competitive market. In my article "Four Essential Practices in Delivering a Great Guest Experience" in the Hotel Business Review, I outline five essential practices that meet the growing demand for innovation.

Insider: Accommodating Seniors - Rethinking the Meaning of Hospitality for Older Consumers

By Jeffrey Catrett, Dean, Les Roches School of Hospitality Management, Kendall College, Chicago

In the Hotel Business Review, I draw on recent experience with my aging parents to consider the challenges the hospitality industry will face in providing superior service to older populations in my article, “Accommodating Seniors - Rethinking the Meaning of Hospitality for Older Consumers“.

Insider: Meeting the Growing Technology Needs of Guests

By Sanjay Nijhawan, Chief Operating Officer, Guoman Hotels

Wi-Fi, online concierges and entertainment on demand – guests now expect the highest quality of technological service from the hotels they stay with. As the technology improves so will the guests experiences and expectations of a stay at your hotel, as you will read about in my article "Meeting the Growing Technology Needs of Guests " in the Hotel Business Review.

Insider: Leading Change in the Dynamic Hospitality Industry

By Mahendra S Rathore, President, Ultima Hospitality Management

We have seen the impact change has brought to the hotel business. The leaders - those who successfully envisioned, embraced and implemented and fostered strategic initiatives - are the winners. Hospitality leaders who embrace change and execute commensurate strategies are the ones who thrive and survive in the crisis’s and are leaders in vanguard. In this week's Hotel Business Review, my article Leading Change in the Dynamic Hospitality Industry outlines how most organizations believe change happens by making people think differently.

Insider: Consistency and Communication: Give employees the tools, information, and feedback they need to get the job done

By Jed C. Heller, CEO, The Providence Group

The hospitality industry prides itself on providing the public with the highest possible level of personal attention and service. For many of our customers, especially business travelers, we are their home away from home. But like any home you may visit, hotels function best when the hosts are happy in their work and performing at peak efficiency. To create such an environment, it’s imperative that you create a workplace environment where employees understand their responsibilities and role in your organization, and where they have the tools they need to perform their work. My most recent article in the Hotel Business Review "Consistency and Communication: Give employees the tools, information, and feedback they need to get the job done" highlights some easy-to-implement ideas to improve communications in your operations.

Insider: Hospitality Education – It’s Time for a Sea of Change

By Jeffrey Catrett, Dean, Les Roches School of Hospitality Management, Kendall College, Chicago

Read my article, Hospitality Education – It’s Time for a Sea of Change, in this week’s Hotel Business Review to gain an insight into the curricular changes needed in today’s hospitality programs and to see why hotel schools must adopt an art and science approach if they wish to stay relevant in today’s increasingly style-conscious hospitality landscape.

Insider: The Expanded Role of the General Manager in the Era of Ownership

By Olivier Bottois, Chief Operating Officer, The Whiteface Lodge Resort and Spa

My article "The Expanded Role of the General Manager in the Era of Ownership" in the Hotel Business Review focuses on the evolving role of the general manager in the era of ownership. With the advent of mixed-use hotel projects – hotel condos, private residence clubs, fractional ownership models – the role of the general manager is changing. Today, experience in real estate can be every bit as useful as expertise in hospitality.

Insider: Gay Marketing: Product Offerings

By Darrell Schuurman, Co-Founder, Canadian Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce

It seems that hotels, and the tourism industry on a whole, are finally starting to realize the benefits of targeting the gay and lesbian travel market. More and more hotels are beginning to court the gay market in hopes to tap into the 65 billion dollars this US market alone spends on travel. But do these businesses really know this consumer; what they want; what they expect? My current article in this week's Hotel Business Review "Gay Marketing: Product Offerings" talks about what products hotels could offer to help them capture the gay and lesbian travel market. The thing that I always stress is if you’re going to try to reach the gay market, you have to be able to support it. Don’t think that you can just throw some of your marketing budget towards it, and they’ll come. That’s just one small component. The market needs to see that you’re committed to them, and offering specific products is one of the ways to show that.

Insider: Gay Marketing: Partnerships

By Darrell Schuurman, Co-Founder, Canadian Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce

My current article in this week’s Hotel Business Review "Gay Marketing: Creating Partnerships" talks about the benefits of partnerships, and why partnerships are important when targeting the gay and lesbian travel market. Whether you’re new to this market, or have been active in it for several years, partnerships go a long way in helping you successfully reach the gay and lesbian traveller. Through the power of partnerships, I believe that the CGLCC has helped to create greater awareness of Canada as a gay and lesbian travel destination. But more importantly, it has helped to drive business to our partners.

Insider: New Research in Gay Travel

By Jeff Guaracino, Director - Regional Communications, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation

Are you missing out? Just last year, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants tracked well over five million dollars in business from the gay and lesbian community, and they know that number is much higher if you count those gay and lesbian travelers that have not yet identified themselves through Kimpton’s customer loyalty programs. If you want to learn more about gay travel, read my article "New Research in Gay Travel" in this week's issue of the Hotel Business Review.

Insider: Gay Commitment Ceremonies: A New Market for Hotels

By Jeff Guaracino, Director - Regional Communications, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation

It seems very quite, but many hoteliers are making headway with measuring the market potential of gay marriage to better understand how to generate room nights and new revenue sources before you do. Check out my article " Gay Commitment Ceremonies: A New Market for Hotels" in the Hotel Business Review and to learn more about the gay and lesbian traveler.

Insider: Trends in Green Construction in the Hospitality Industry

By Rollin Bell, Founder / Chief Executive Officer, PCM Construction

The focus of my current article in this week’s Hotel Business Review, “Trends in Green Construction in the Hospitality Industry,” is how hotel owners and managers can leverage the benefits of green construction practices to achieve cost savings and greater sustainability. By staying ahead of the curve on hotel construction and renovation practices, hotel executives can reap a windfall of long-term savings for their properties and attract a new segment of environmentally-conscious guests.

Insider: Landscaping for a National Chain: What You Need to Know

By Scott Brickman, CEO, Brickman

In my article in this week’s Hotel Business Review, “Landscaping for a National Chain: What You Need to Know,” I speak about savvy hotel executives understanding the importance of creating powerful brands as a way of building and sustaining guest loyalty. This article is intended to help you, as a hotel executive, realize what aspects of landscape maintenance are valuable when making decisions about what firm is right for your needs, and how the presentation of your hotel affects the guest experience.

Insider: Hotel Lobby Renovations: How to Minimize Guest Disruption

By Rollin Bell, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, PCM Construction

My latest article, “Hotel Lobby Renovations: How to Minimize Guest Disruption,” takes a look at some of the different ways hotel executives and contractors can improve the guest experience during a hotel renovation project. While a temptation may exist to focus on the anticipated results of the renovation, it is important not to lose sight of the guests whose perceptions of your brand will be shaped by their experiences during the process.

Insider: Beyond Reconstruction – Tips for Keeping Guests Happy During Renovation

By Michael Goldstein, President & CEO, Packard Hospitality Group

My article in the Hotel Business Review is titled “Beyond Reconstruction – Tips for Keeping Guests Happy During Renovation.” It focuses on the many aspects of hotel remodels and how to achieve success without causing too much of a disturbance to hotel guests.

Insider: China, from Exclusion to Inclusion

By John Poimiroo, Principal, Poimiroo & Partners

As you will read in my article “China, from Exclusion to Inclusion“ in the Hotel Business Review, the next wave of tourism is coming from Asia and one of the first places they want to visit the land to which many of their relations have emigrated… North America.

Insider: Part 2: Anti-Trust Issues - What Keeps Your Lawyer Up at Night

By William A. Brewer III, Partner, Bickel & Brewer and Robert L. Garner, Counsel

Market concentration, emerging antitrust concerns and globalization - these are the issues keeping industry principals up at night. They deserve consideration and careful analysis, as they may set the stage for an industry landscape that becomes even more dynamic, competitive – and volatile. Read "Part 2: Anti-Trust Issues - What Keeps Your Lawyer Up at Night" in the Hotel Business Review.

Insider: Looking for Spa Assistance in all the RIGHT Places

By Jane Segerberg, Vice President JGL Spa Design and Consulting, LLC

In my article "Looking for Spa Assistance in all the RIGHT Places", we briefly examine the state of the spa industry and indications for spa development, then focus on the team of services and what each should bring to the project. The intention is for you, the reader, to have a clear understanding of “who does what”, why each is important and what to expect from each area of expertise.

Insider: Click to Call: Turning Online Lookers into Bookers

By Cid Jenkins, Senior Vice President of Sales, North America, eStara e-commerce optimization services from ATG

My article "Click to Call: Turning Online Lookers into Bookers" in the Hotel Business Review discusses companies are turning to click to call technology that allows users to click an HTML button embedded on a Web site, e-mail, banner ad, search engine or online directory listing, and immediately launches an automated call between the consumer and the contact center to create a personal connection and help eliminate website abandonment.

Insider: The Brunch Buffet: A Financial Gold Mine or a Disaster

By Joanna Harralson, Vice President Operations, The Insight Group International

Featured in the Hotel Business Review, my article, "The Brunch Buffet: a Financial Gold Mine Or A Disaster", addresses some of the do’s and don’ts of what can be a prime guest motivator or a barrier to business growth.

Insider: Meetings: Five Simple Ways Operations are Going Green and How it Affects the Bottom Line

By Bruce Fears, President, ARAMARK Harrison Lodging

Going green is especially imperative to the meetings and hotel industries, as you will read in my article "Five Simple Ways Operations are Going Green and How it Affects the Bottom Line" in the Hotel Business Review.

Insider: Making the Leap from Hotel to Fractional Resort Management

By Tom LaTour, Founding Principal of LaTour Signature Group

For some readers, your hotel management career may just be starting to take off. My advice is to keep acquiring new skill sets and taking on more demanding positions at a variety of properties and companies (both well-known brands and independents) with an eye toward eventually moving into the emerging fractional segment of the vacation-home resort market. Read my article in the Hotel Business Review “Make the Leap from Hotel to Fractional Resort Management.”

Insider: Food & Beverage: Five Hot Trends in the Meetings Industry

By Andy Dolce, Chairman and Managing Director, Dolce International

My article "Food & Beverage: Five Hot Trends in the Meetings Industry,” in the Hotel Business Review provides key points that will help meeting industry executives identify and implement the latest culinary trends and new ways cooking.

Insider: Lighting & Flooring Can Dramatically Affect The Mood of Your Guests & The Value of Your Hotel

By Brenda Lookadoo, Senior Designer, Hatchett Hospitality

There are lots of ways to create ambiance at a hotel and two are especially effective – lighting and flooring. Now these elements have become a vital part of the FF&E mix, so my article in the Hotel Business Review “Lighting & Flooring Can Dramatically Affect The Mood of Your Guests & The Value of Your Hotel“ examines how you can make them work effectively to impress your guests and to build your bottom line.

Insider: Nervous Service

By Roberta Nedry, President, Hospitality Excellence, Inc.

My article in the Hotel Business Review, “Nervous Service”, takes readers through a variety of scenarios where different types of nervous behavior interrupt the flow of service and jeopardize the guest experience. On the other hand, confidence and coolness add to both the guest and employee experience and enhance the overall impact of any service encounter.

Insider: Hotel Concierge: Tips on Combining Technology and Hospitality to Increase the Bottom Line

By Holly Stiel, President, Thank You Very Much Inc.

As you will read in my article "Hotel Concierge: Tips on Combining Technology and Hospitality to Increase the Bottom Line" in the Hotel Business Review, the frantic concierge can be a thing of the past if properly staffed in the front and in the back no matter what size the hotel is. The time has come to reconfigure and re-think what has become established practice. It no longer applies! “Toto, we are not in Kansas anymore!”

Insider: Condo Hotels As Securities: Has The Litigation Boom Begun

By Daniel L. Brown, Esq. and Sean J. Kirby, Esq., Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

My article in the Hotel Business Review is entitled “Condo Hotels As Securities: Has The Litigation Boom Begun”. It explores whether dissatisfied condo-hotel unit owners would seek to assert claims against developers alleging that the sale of a condo hotel unit constitutes the sale of a security, thus giving rise to liabilities under the federal securities laws.