With mobile technology gaining ground almost daily, the hotel industry is under pressure to keep up with guests' expectations. Recent research shows 65 percent of guests would pay more for hotels that offer the mobile technology they consider essential. Fulfilling these wishes requires hotel companies and chains to make significant investments in hardware, software, staff recruitment, and training. Hotel management also faces the challenge of ensuring that their back-end systems and procedures are capable of meeting the risks and vulnerabilities that accompany the shift to mobile technology. Biometric authentication offers the opportunity for hotels to address these risks using the latest in technological advancements. READ MORE

Having been a hospitality recruiter for most of my career, I am often asked about the difference between Retained and Contingency executive search. On several occasions, it has come to my attention that the hiring manager at the hotel or at corporate level understands intuitively what the differences are but are often not aware of the implications and/ or are too narrowly focused on the cost aspect. Although there are hybrid formulas combining Retained and Contingency search, the goal of this particular article is to provide an overview of both types of search and explain the respective pros and cons of each. READ MORE

Instagram is simply a social networking site that is now part of our marketing lexicon. Developed in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, the app was sold to Facebook about two years later and is now part of the Facebook empire. At its core, Instagram is simply an app that enables its users to upload (i.e. "post") photos and videos clips. These posts can then be viewed by other users who can "like" them as well as "follow" a user or a brand. Instagram is all about sharing visually. In this article, you discover how being on Instagram can add incredible value to your hotel. READ MORE

Creating a large and loyal fan base is a brand's ultimate goal, and it is clear that beach resorts have some of the best products in the world for attracting repeat customers. Some amenities and services are more obviously enticing than others and some might even be overlooked when trying to attain and maintain popularity among guests, but all in all it might not even be what you would expect. Excellence Resorts has come up with a short list of our successful branding and customer service approach when it comes to bringing the same guests back year after year. READ MORE

The California legislature recently passed SB 970, which requires hotel and motel employers in the state to provide 20 minutes of human trafficking awareness training to all employees by Jan. 1, 2020. While the penalties for non-compliance are minor (an order mandating compliance), no establishment wants to become a hotbed for trafficking activities. In this article, Attorney Megan E. Walker reviews the issue of trafficking in hotels, the new training requirements under SB 970 and indicators of trafficking that may be helpful for hotel staff to identify victims. READ MORE