Artificial intelligence will never replace the warmth and welcome of personal interaction; however, in the hospitality industry, it can be an effective tool to enhance the guest experience. AI can help smooth out touchpoints and anticipate guests' needs. While the guest is at the center of any hotel or resort experience, AI can also benefit brands with back-of-house efficiencies like improving supply chain, staffing, scheduling and more. Used correctly, AI has the potential to vastly improve the hotel guest experience. It is a tool that can make hospitality brands more profitable, but only as a complement to the human touch. READ MORE

Revenue management and marketing can seem like two different worlds. Different in many respects, many revenue and marketing teams operate without true cooperation. In this article, Marcela Trujillo with Total Customized Revenue Management (TCRM) explores the similarities and differences between revenue and marketing teams, uncovers the potential of a partnership between the two disciplines and explains how a collaboration can work to attract the perfect customer - one who will not just stay at the hotel or resort, but will also spend within the property and increase total asset revenue. READ MORE

Labor costs are a significant portion of any hotel's total operating costs. At the same time, hotel property management companies are competing with other service industries to find enough qualified (and affordable) entry-level and experienced candidates. No one wants to lower service levels or possibly negatively impact guest satisfaction. The solution applies in applying new technologies that can enhance worker productivity, job satisfaction and the overall hotel experience. This article discusses how today's best hotel task optimization software platforms can accomplish these goals and make a positive contribution to a hotel's bottom line. READ MORE

The Pod Hotels will be expanding from five to fifty properties over the next decade across North America and, eventually, globally. BD Hotels has appointed Rani Gharbie as Head of Acquisitions & Development to lead this robust expansion plan to key markets such as San Francisco, Miami, Austin, Boston, Nashville, Seattle, Toronto, and Mexico City. The Pod Hotels portfolio includes New York-based Pod Times Square, Pod 51, Pod 39 and Pod Brooklyn, as well as Pod Washington D.C. with two more hotels in the direct pipeline - Pod Philly and Pod LA. In addition, there are over ten ongoing discussions for new deals. READ MORE

What is the way forward? The future is indeed bright for mixed use projects. Buoyed by a young, sophisticated, urban demand base (millennials and Gen Z) which is willing to fork out big bucks if unique, personalized experiences are delivered, stake holders have been falling over themselves to jump on to this bandwagon which has long term implications for their return on investment. On the one side constant innovation keeps the demand fertile and on the other, intelligent pricing keeps the bottom line thriving and happy. This is a heady cocktail that no self-respecting stakeholder will be willing to pass up. READ MORE