Most of us eat three meals a day, 365 days a year for a total of 1,095 dining experiences. Surely some of these should be memorable, and that's a key goal for managers at fractional interest resorts. Restaurants and food service are without a doubt the most competitive aspects of the fiercely spirited luxury resort hotel industry. Top-notch hotels and resorts have started recognizing this growing trend and are now being pushed to raise the bar on culinary services still higher as a new generation of "foodies" want more on their vacation menus than just room service and all-you-can-eat brunch buffets. READ MORE

US-based hotel chains are in various stages of adopting corporate environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility programs. The trend tracks rapidly increasing utility costs, growing awareness among guests of global environmental issues such as climate change and scarcity of water resources, and the introduction of a wide variety of "environmentally-friendly" product and technology alternatives. US hotel chains are also taking advantage of collaborative voluntary initiatives at the local, national and international level. READ MORE

The Travel marketplace is at the top tier of the web's explosion of channel aggregation, information, and game changing consumer sophistication. To compete and win, today's hotelier must develop a multi-layered strategy and deploy an array of finely-tuned tactics. And must do so while battling a recovering economy and navigating crowded sea lanes. Special times require special measures, with the keyword being "Specials" - a tried and true marketing tactic that can help you beat your competitors, engages consumers, and can be profitable when smartly done and managed. READ MORE

I've been through an interesting period with a union that has attempted to organize our hotel's dedicated employees. Unions use 'old school' tactics that don¹t work today. In my 35 years in the hotel business, it¹s been drilled into me to take care of your employees and reduce turnover ­ it's paramount to success. Unions don't understand our efforts to take care of our staff. Now, facing declining enrollment, unions' failed efforts to develop new strategies and work in conjunction with business has led to EFCA, which could eliminate the 'secret ballot' election process and lead us down a very slippery slope. READ MORE

In this article, one of a four-part series on generational marketing, we will look at the second "hump" of your hotel's four-humped customer camel - The Baby Boom generation. Boomers have reshaped each phase of life as they have passed through it, due to their sheer size and tendency towards rebellion and creativity. And they are doing so in your hotel. In their middle years now, they are characterized by a desire to stay fit and healthy for as long as possible and to maintain their youthful looks. As they age, they will redefine the term "seniors" in the same way that they redefined other life stages. With continued improvements in medicine and people living longer and healthier lives, their 70 will become the new 50. So what products and services can your hotel offer that will be in sync with the values of this generation? Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing: READ MORE