After providing 'creature comforts', conveniences, and an impressive selection of nutritious foods in order to increase their competitive edge in the event and group meeting business, hotels and event planners now find themselves even more challenged to stay competitive. These 'creature comforts' are important in order to be in the competition, but today are not enough to gain a competitive edge; these do help to make attendees comfortable, but comfort has become expected, it is now a standard that is only noticed if it is missing. The competitive edge sought by hoteliers is gained through increased brand recognition which requires lasting or “impactful memory”. READ MORE

Guest Wi-Fi is a powerful way for hotels to create a personalized, memorable experience for group meetings. This article provides tips for hotel on how they can use guest Wi-Fi to engage meetings guests, build brand recognition, and to leverage Wi-Fi as an effective marketing tool to sell to business customers who will be clamoring to secure your meetings space for their next event. Since we all know Wi-Fi is a must for hotels, it should be taken to the next level beyond just giving your customers access to the internet. Wi-Fi can offer a personalized touch that will keep groups and guests returning to your hotel for all their future events and travels. An advanced carrier-class Wi-Fi service is marketing gold for your business customers that will make your property stand out among the competition. READ MORE

Planning a trade show or conference is no easy feat, but planning a successful conference is far more difficult. The weeks and months leading up to the event can demand a lot of long hours and stress and any event planner will quickly become intimately familiar with Murphy's Law. With this in mind, there are a lot of tools available that will make planning these events far less stressful. On top of that, there are apps, software, and digital tools that can actually make the event itself go much more smoothly. Sam Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Network Events gives an insight on the key elements of orchestrating a successful event. READ MORE

No matter what advances are made in the technology, there is still a long way to go before the eRFP process can overcome its growing pains. There are no absolute certainties in how the platforms will adapt to provide a more elegant solution for today's problems. What is certain is the need for platform providers, meeting planners, and hoteliers to bridge the gap between efficiency and effectiveness. Staying on top of new features and updates by the eRFP platforms and taking the initiative to train our teams on proper eRFP etiquette is imperative to the advancement of this technology within the industry. READ MORE

Growth in travel and tourism continues to rise in conjunction with intergenerational lifestyles, shifting values and increasing wellness keynotes. Every generation has unique preferences and imperatives that set them apart and stick. Accounting for nearly half of the population, Millennials and Generation Z have considerable weight in the market share. This article examines perceived values vs. core values and the benefits of incorporating a multi-generational, multi-faceted approach to spa and wellness programming to enhance customer spend and loyalty. READ MORE