In the ever-changing world of social media, what you post becomes your voice and your brand. Since TripAdvisor and Facebook puts you in the spotlight, why not give the audience something positive and exciting to talk about? Times have changed, but people haven't. They still want to do business with those they like. Don't be remembered for the negative response or scenario that happened on one of your bad days. It's time to use your voice in a positive way to bring enthusiasm to your property. READ MORE

Is your hotel one of the many subject to seasonal demand? Whether it's summertime in Vail or hurricane season in Miami, not many hotels are lucky enough to experience a yearlong boom in business. Staffing needs can vary wildly from high to low season and luckily, the H-2B visa was designed with exactly that in mind. The H-2B visa is a non-agricultural worker's visa meant to fill an employer's need on a temporary basis, defined as either a one-time, seasonal, peak-load, or intermittent need. Lucky for those in the hotel industry, qualifying positions include food servers, front desk workers, housekeepers, line cooks, ski lift operators and others, as long as you can clearly demonstrate that the need is seasonal or otherwise temporary in nature. READ MORE

The comp set, or the Smith Travel Research Competitive Set analysis, is often used by hoteliers as the benchmark for their pricing or marketing strategy. But savvy hoteliers know that in today's marketplace, the comp set is no longer a robust or thorough marketing or revenue management measure. Hotels that successfully market outside their comp set can expand their potential customer base, avoid a 'following' marketing and pricing scheme, improve the reach of their brand by exploring new markets, and position themselves to better compete in this challenging environment. READ MORE

Social media marketing is one of the newest, most exciting marketing trends out there and its potential for revenue generation and brand development is enticingly high. But there is a caveat: like any marketing tactic, ad-hoc implementation will only achieve limited results at best. For a social media program to achieve a noticeable level of success, it has to work with your overall marketing strategy, not against it and certainly not as an afterthought. So here's how you can get the most out of your social media strategy. READ MORE

In today's market, hoteliers are more concerned about their marketing programs drawing in new guests than about developing a brand or laying the groundwork for a successful 2013.  Fortunately, positioning your hotel for future success and accomplishing your short-term marketing goals are not mutually exclusive concepts.  There are several ways to market your hotel for future success without compromising the pressing needs of today.  In this article, I will examine these tactics so that you can get started sowing the seeds for your property's future success. READ MORE