Let's explore the emerging industry of electric vehicles and how adjusting your hotel properties to accommodate these vehicles will affect your sales, marketing, and reputation in the future. In addition, this article discusses ways car charging stations work, how rental car companies can help your business, and how electric cars will affect the hotel industry, among many. READ MORE

FF&E design can be a challenge, but we suggest that you focus on five high-impact areas: the lobby, technology, beds and bedding, case goods, and lighting. Our tips provide priorities that should make your job easier - and they certainly will create a hotel that impresses your guests. So if you're looking for a more perfect FF&E design experience, start here! READ MORE

Thinking Green is not just the 'right thing to do;' in the long run it is fiscally responsible and also adds to the overall guest experience. Ever since our company launched a series of initiatives aimed at promoting environmental practices to reduce environmental impact, improve the bottom line as well as satisfy owner and guest expectations for environmentally conscious hospitality practices we have noticed a substantial rise in corporate "green" awareness and a significant impact on our bottom line. To get the job done, we adopted a number of action items. READ MORE

The gatekeeper. Yes, the mis-perceived dreaded gatekeeper (i.e. the executive assistant). Not like the receptionist at the front desk of a luxury hotel, waiting to check you in and cater to your every need. No, the wall between you and an executive with whom you'd like to do business. Yet, it just doesn't have to be that way. It is simply another myth that can be dispelled with real-life situations, resulting in a higher conversion of cold approaches to warm approaches. In this article I've listed five methods that, if appropriately utilized, should increase the likelihood that you will successfully engage the executive gatekeeper in a mutually positive and productive dialogue. READ MORE

How important is it for convention services managers (CSMs) at hotels, convention centers and convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) to work together? According to Devon Sloan, CMP, Director of Events at the Hilton Tucson El Conquistador, a united, consistent approach is paramount to anevent's success. ""There really must be a united front as none of us can succeed without the cooperation of the other," she said. All meeting professionals must keep consistent communication to ensure their clients feel all are united and collectively have their best interests in mind. READ MORE

Over the last few years we have seen a significant increase in awareness and concern regarding the environmental impact of business. It is impossible to pick up a newspaper or magazine, or watch television, without being reminded of global warming and climate change. We must all recognize that protecting our environment for future generations is our responsibility, and every business has a social responsibility to consider its environmental impact, and take reasonable steps to mitigate it. In this article I have therefore highlighted a number of simple steps we can all take to reduce our carbon footprint, providing tangible environmental benefits without the need for costly developments or radical changes in how we run our businesses. READ MORE

Diversity is no longer a lofty idea for the future and wishful thinking. Nor is it something regional affecting select sections of the country. From vendors to guests, staff to neighbors, diversity is here, it is now, it is universal. Revisiting existing strategies and tactics and implementing new ones to accommodate true diversity and inclusion in your hotel is not only socially responsible, it is just good business. READ MORE

Engineers are the "fix it" squads who make things tick, click and stick to ensure that a property operates smoothly and without inconvenience to the guest. In fact, engineers don't just do their jobs: they provide some of the most intimate moments with guests - fixing things in their rooms and around the property usually surrounded by guests. What service skills could and should they have in addition to fixing things? READ MORE

Social media has quickly become the topic that is keeping some marketers on edge. While some marketers have a full understanding of the capabilities and reach of social efforts, others are still in the information gathering phase and quietly asking themselves if social efforts are really important to their brand. Dozens of questions continue to perplex marketers and brands even as the wave of social media participation continues to evolve. As a juncture is approached, marketers are reaching a point of saturation in social programs which could soon force them to join forces within their segmented social programs. READ MORE

As hotel development in North America slowly regains impetus, Jim Holthouser, global head of Embassy Suites and full service brands, Hilton Worldwide, and William Fortier, senior vice president, development, Americas, Hilton Worldwide, examine how the Embassy Suites Design Option III prototype and the Kit of Parts approach have sustained brand viability through the economic downturn and continue to support developers as the industry rebuilds. While site selection is a key component to success in the hotel industry, in-depth understanding of the marketplace and a flexible approach to design are equally vital. READ MORE

In the beginning of the year, we talked about the importance of investing in Marketing and Public Relations, since these areas are key in order to build up a property's message and enhance its brand. Of course, many businesses continue to scale back, and have even eliminated PR and Marketing efforts entirely. In most cases, that decision turned out to be unwise. In a Social Media, SEO-era, your hotel's name must be out on the Internet. Period. Hotel online reputation is one of the reasons why PR and Marketing are no longer budgets that are considered "optional." READ MORE

Even for an industry that is as TV-centric as travel, digital integration is crucial to success. Direct response TV is the best driver for sending customers online to book immediately or to gather needed customer data. On the surface, using DRTV to drive online reservation looks like a simple task. But it's not. There are a lot of considerations a DRTV advertiser needs to make when integrating online data capture and reservations with a successful TV spot. We've identified the top ten, and they go for beyond the simple listing of a URL. Meshing DRTV with online booking will help the travel industry achieve its full digital potential. READ MORE

Most hotel management agreements contain a "performance test" that gives the Owner of the hotel an option to terminate the management agreement if the Operator fails to achieve one or more financial benchmarks in the operation of the hotel. Many of these performance tests were negotiated under very different economic conditions than prevail today. Given the new reality that prevails in the hotel industry, Owners, Asset Managers and Operators should be reviewing the performance tests in their existing management agreements to determine if it is time for renegotiation. This article explains the components of a typical performance test in a management agreement and recommends areas for examination and negotiation. READ MORE

Providing a good experience for your guests should always be the goal of your hotel's entire staff, not only for your visitors' comfort but also to build brand loyalty. There are just a few easy steps you and your staff can use to turn current sales into future ones. For example, teach your team to foster good relationships with guests during every encounter, whether it's providing them with the tools to offer sightseeing tips or empowering them to resolve conflicts as they arise. By practicing these and the other simple tips outlined in my article, your staff will create positive experiences for your guests and will facilitate a profitable relationship for your hotel. READ MORE

In today's ultra-networked world, you are only as good as your reputation. Your guests are telling your story, and no amount of PR or advertising can stop this. It doesn't matter how much you embrace social media: you cannot afford to ignore reputation management. Reputation management for hotels often focuses on reviews written by guests on sites such as TripAdvisor, but also involves monitoring other websites and networks. In this article, we address some of your top questions on this topic, and include some thoughts from Brian Payea, trade relations manager at TripAdvisor. READ MORE