Hospitality has become a major industry and one of the most important social phenomena in the United States. The greatest perceived socio-economic impacts of the hospitality sector are increased employment, greater tax revenues to state and local governments, and growth in local retail sales. In this article, Hicham Jaddoud of North Star Mohican Casino uses a critical approach to demonstrate the positive contributions of the hospitality industry on local and regional communities. The article discusses the fiscal and induced contributions of the hospitality industry to local and regional communities, giving concrete examples of initiatives taken by hospitality firms to contribute to the local communities where they do business. READ MORE

In today's noisy world, brands are on a constant quest for more attention. To accomplish this, we often hear people discuss trends and how to best utilize them. One reason to follow a trend may be because you're trying to fit in. However, do you have to necessarily follow suit? In this piece, Amber Natale of the integrated brand development agency Smarthinking Inc. takes a closer look at four questions you should ask yourself to build brands that will stand the test of time and minimize the inherent risk that following trends brings with them. READ MORE

Technology affects every component of our daily lives, even as the executive of a hotel. From the front of house to the depths of the basement, there are opportunities to use technology to make improvements to your business, including one of the most overlooked areas: your hotel's laundry room and operations. There are three main ways the laundry game has changed: the invention of spray rinsing technology, optimum dryness level monitoring and cloud-based machine oversight. These features are changing the way hoteliers spend their time, manage their staff and generate increased revenue, both directly and indirectly. READ MORE

Our responsibility in retail and hospitality is to extend the wellness lifestyle experience to guests in their home away from home. Offering a comfortable sanctuary to a variety of individuals with different expectations is no easy feat. There is, however, one key ingredient that is universal: a GOOD sleep. As hospitality providers, we have evaluated the appearance of everything that might impact a deep night's rest: blackout curtains, soundproof doors and plush bedding. Now, it's time to go beyond the surface to offer a truly healthy, holistic and restorative sleep experience-that's GOOD on every level. READ MORE

Fortunately for the planet, the argument on whether or not hotels should "go green" is over. Now more than ever are hotels embracing environment conservation strategies. Aside from the typical linen reuse programs and energy efficient building features, hotels should look to embrace consumer trends in terms of food and beverage offerings that have a lower environmental impact. In this article, Amanda Hurley CHDM, Corporate Director of Marketing for broughtonHOTELS, explores the idea of hotel restaurants and F&B outlets offering plant-based menus and menu options in order to reduce their environmental impact, increase revenue, and improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. READ MORE