As the opportunities for digital marketing tactics increase, so do the affiliated expenses. The savvy hotelier will spend some time in 2014 analyzing their distribution channels to determine the true costs affiliated with each revenue stream. Once costs are identified, then a channel optimization process ought to be created and should drive your digital marketing strategy. The attached article reviews some fundamental steps each hotelier should take in 2014 to create a strong digital marketing strategy that will increase sales. READ MORE

Organic! That word is everywhere in today's world. Consumers are seeking Organic food for healthier lifestyles. Restaurants are showcasing more Organic menu creations and even growing their own organic gardens. People are choosing more Organic lifestyles and exploring ways to simplify their lives and become healthier. Organic farming means no drugs, synthetic chemicals or hormones are used. Organic business growth means new business that comes from existing business or customers. Organic organizations are known to encourage and respect the teams within and encourage new ideas and teamwork; to encourage employees to perform at their best! So.. what about Organic Service? How would we apply today's big "O" to daily interactions and service delivery to guests? READ MORE

For the past decade, it seems like whenever there is a glaring need (or desire) in a particular city, some establishment “pops up” to temporarily meet that need. We've seen Pop-Up Restaurants, Pop-Up Hair Salons, Food Trucks, and Pop-Up Retail. The next stage in this evolution, which meets the need of hotel scarcity during big events like the Olympics or Summerfest, is the Pop-Up Hotel. Pop-Up Hotels are temporary lodging establishments, that can include virtually all the components of a hotel room, including beds, furniture, showers, toilets, electricity, and WiFi, that open and operate for a finite period of time which dovetails with a given event. In this article, we look at the growing trend of mobile lodging, and the civic and legal challenges to this evolving hospitality movement - one that very few municipal governments and competitors had ever anticipated. READ MORE

Paul Hudson has a wealth of experience solving problems for travelers. Having worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years, Hudson has held previous roles as Head of Overseas Operations at Neilson Active Holidays, Product Development Manager and Overseas Director at Cosmos Holidays, and Regional Manager for First Choice Holidays. Hudson is currently Operations Director at Luxury Family Hotels (LFH), where he is responsible for the operation of eight hotels in the UK. This article focuses on Hudson's service recovery philosophy. His adage is 'Fix it, plus one', and he encourages excellence in service recoveries through training and empowerment. READ MORE

Whether we are engaging others at the personal level or representing a hotel property or organization, each of us forms a wide array of relationships. Some are personal or family relationships - our spouse, other family members, our neighbors or the merchants we frequent. Other relationships are created by and impact our professional and business lives. These business relationships include those made with our key executives and other team members, as well as those established with investors, vendors and other strategic partners. READ MORE