The hospitality industry is experiencing a sea change, thanks to several brand disruptors at work. Think about the sharing economy, leading fashion designers entering the hospitality arena to extend their brands, including Karl Lagerfeld, the emergence of "boutique hostels," Airbnb and its upstart emulators, mega mergers, and the rise of hyper-local, micro-boutique hotels. And that's not all. Communal ironing rooms, triple-tall bunk rooms and 24-hour text service to stay in touch with the reception staff in place of a phone in the room, are among the features stirring the pot in the hospitality world as well. Read more... READ MORE

Personalizing the guest experience is all the rage right now, and hotels are eager to capitalize on opportunities to monetize. Loyalty programs are no longer just marketing initiatives but also revenue management strategies to control top- and bottom-line performance. As travelers demand more tailored accommodation experiences—blame the millennials, of course—a “customer-choice pricing” model may be the best way to deliver the ideal product to the ideal guest at the ideal price. READ MORE

Planning on expanding your hotel's rooms division? There are many questions which you must answer first. Will the expansion prove profitable? Will construction costs be manageable? Will the market respond positively to the expansion? Hotel operators must weigh the benefits and costs associated with such a daring move in expanding their rooms division. The decision to expand is a very expensive, and time-consuming venture. Considering the factors presented here may help hotel owners and operators to make their room expansion plans go as smoothly as possible. This article will discuss those benefits and costs so as to assist with this physically and financially oriented decision. READ MORE

What are your hotel's most recent challenges? Is the list too long to name? The struggle remains the same as your revenue remains flat. It's time to rethink your plan. Are you prepared to take on the new millennial traveler that is taking the industry by storm? Knowing how to market to this creative and driven generation is key to capturing their interest in your property. How will your hotel review, relate and connect to this new traveler to achieve this process successfully? The millennial group traveler has hit the market strong and they are willing to spend. Are you willing to prove to them you are the destination that is the "in the now" place to be? READ MORE

Ron Shah, the founder and CEO of Bizly, provides a glimpse into the future of hotel events & group revenue. With recent announcements from Marriott, Hilton, and IHG - the industry is facing tremendous change, and this article highlights some of the important considerations that hoteliers must make when strategizing for maximizing event & group revenue in the years ahead. Amongst the topics covered include the importance of ROI measurement, how to improve speed & efficiency, evaluation of technology considerations, and how to best stay aligned with hotel brands around growth in this critical category. READ MORE