Somewhere along the way, we came to believe that all it takes to generate value, loyalty, and great ambassadors for our hotel are outstanding facilities, programs, and services. And don't forget those loyalty programs. While that may have been true back in the 20th Century, it is no longer enough in 2019; these qualities are just expected in a hotel. To provide the kind of experiences that will drive guest value and hotel revenues, it takes more than top facilities and good service. In this article, you will learn how a Gum Ball Machine can point your way into this Experience Economy. READ MORE

In the quest to put the customer first, many hotel chains are reevaluating their approach to IT. The advancement of cloud services, Internet of Things (IoT) technology and enhanced mobile connectivity has created new possibilities to improve the guest experience. However, capitalizing on these capabilities means moving away from traditional, centralized IT and implementing a hybrid IT system. Migration brings its own set of challenges when it comes to network and power management. In this article, global power management company Eaton addresses these challenges and shares strategies to help companies improve critical data protection as they shift toward decentralized IT. READ MORE

Approximately 48 million people annually are sickened due to foodborne illness, which equates to roughly one sixth the population of the United States (U.S.), with128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths per year. The estimated annual economic costs related to foodborne illness are approximately $77 billion. Foodborne illness is an urgent problem that threatens the health of people and generates significant economic losses. How can hotels and restaurants take action to reduce the alarming numbers of food safety errors and violations? READ MORE

After a long Request for Proposal process, Amazon finally revealed its two locations for HQ2 in 2018-Long Island City, New York, and Crystal City, Virginia. Despite recent trials and tribulations regarding the Long Island City location, which ultimately ended in Amazon pulling its plans to establish a presence there, the Amazon HQ2 plans for Northern Virginia remain strong. Among the anticipated near- and long-term benefits of HQ2 is an influx of new hotel demand. The Washington, D.C. and New York City HVS Consulting & Valuation teams examine the potential impact on northern Virginia's lodging market in the following article. READ MORE

Hotel Managers are on the frontlines of preventing harassment, discrimination, and retaliation from occurring in the workplace. They are in the best position to spot warning signs that harassment may be occurring and they are most likely to be the first person an employee confides in with a complaint. As such, it is important that managers are equipped to stop harassment and any future harassment lawsuits in their tracks. This article details a "5 Step Plan for Managers" in the midst of the growing #MeToo movement to help them foster harassment free workplaces. READ MORE