As hospitality industry executives, being an effective leader is essential for running our companies successfully and promoting a positive work environment for higher productivity and lower attrition rates among our employees. We learn about, and encounter, effective leadership skills from a variety of avenues such as books/articles, first hand experience, education classes, peer discussions, etc. What we don't hear as much about is how important strong management skills are to the organization. For any business to really thrive, consideration of both skill sets is necessary, especially in hospitality. READ MORE

The millennial generation is the most socially aware and feedback-driven yet. To attract and engage this cohort, hoteliers must rethink their success metrics, tying them to a higher level of social responsibility. They must be willing to share more information, more freely, with their workers than ever before. And, they must provide frequent feedback, inviting employees and guests to do the same. For managers who are accustomed to holding information close to the vest, this will require nothing less than a mindset change. READ MORE

In under a decade 50% of all travelers will be between the ages of 44 and 28. Travel for meetings, conferences, and knowledge sharing will undoubtedly play a role. Millennials will also be front and center in planning and hosting business gatherings, and Gen X and Boomers will also continue to be strongly in the mix. This generational mash-up, and the intersecting meteoric rise in technology, poses new and interesting challenges and opportunities for marketing hotels globally. Hotels need to create forward looking, fresh ways to engage with planners -- especially online -- tipping tradition on its head and straddling generations more creatively. READ MORE

Today's millennial traveler is dominating the way that hospitality marketing professionals showcase their products to the consumer. Many of the changes and innovations being seen in the hospitality industry today feature a distinct focus on the millennial. And it's no wonder - millennials comprise a vast segment of the traveling public and it's expected that they will continue to use their discretionary income on travel experiences in the coming years. Best Western Hotels & Resorts is not unlike others in this regard, and we have implemented several strategies to ensure we are evaluating the evolving needs of millennials. READ MORE

Hotels have spent the last decade trying to come to terms with a changing technology landscape that upended not only their sales and marketing strategies, but their operational processes, too. Now they face an even greater shift - one that will change their sales and marketing culture for years to come - the rise of the Millennial generation, and with that, the emergence of Millennial meeting and event planners. In parallel with a rapid increase in Millennial leisure travelers, this new generation of young adults increasingly comprises the largest age group attending meetings & events, which are very often planned by a Millennial. READ MORE