Today's economic climate requires that spas become more attuned to ways in which they can maximize their net operating income. It is crucial to avoid leaving revenue and profits on the table by not emphasizing the importance of product sales. Many owners and operators neglect this area, and, in doing so, they are cheating their spa out of a potentially large sales opportunity. In addition, the spa guest experience is most satisfying when the consumer not only has a wonderful treatment but when they also gain a measure of knowledge to improve their quality of life. READ MORE

Having enjoyed spend the last decade, the historically high demand volumes and the ensuing economic benefits of expansion and job growth, the current state of the hospitality industry in the United States is less than lucrative. 2010 finds the industry struggling to uncover ways to rebound in this highly competitive industry. How will hoteliers work to recover, recapture and renew the RevPAR for their hotels? What tactics will be used and who will be successful in resetting the baseline for performance in the hotel industry? How can the industry best recapture the demand they once enjoyed? What is “normal” performance expected to be for this year? And the big question—is this the year for the baseline to be reset, rather than dreaming of the easier time of the past? READ MORE

Despite recent news that the economy may be on an upswing, hotels (like many other large and small businesses) continue to look for ways to reduce costs. One method has been to increasingly engage independent contractors in lieu of employees, and to re-classify current employees as independent contractors. However, this strategy can land hotels in hot water, as individuals or classes of individuals may not be properly classified as independent contractors, leading to abuses both to the federal and state government and to the individuals themselves. In our prior Part I of this three-part classification trilogy, we discussed the pitfalls attendant to the incorrect classification of hotel employees as “exempt” for purposes of wage and hour laws. In this article, we turn to the second of three classification issues: the employee/independent contractor dilemma. READ MORE

The recession ushered in new era of hotel discounting. From free nights to one penny rooms, hotels were literally giving away the house. During a recession, discounting may work to bring in business but today, as the travel market begins to rebound, discounting is not the right pricing strategy. This article will examine the real economic impact of discounting and how discounting can not only eat away at your bottom line (or RevPAR), but also erode your customer base and brand image. The article also offers alternative suggestions on ways to increase RevPAR without the slash-and-burn mentality of deep discounting. READ MORE

The Caribbean tourism sector has long been recognized for its leadership in sustainability. The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association set up a non-profit subsidiary Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST) to promote environmental management and sustainability best practices among hotels and other tourism operators. Individual hoteliers have won global recognition for extending the benefits of tourism to visitors, local business, communities and even municipalities. READ MORE