With rising energy costs, government regulations, consumer expectations, and requests for proposals asking for environmental metrics, sustainability efforts are an increasingly top priority for hospitality companies around the globe. With countless strategies and tactics aimed at reducing environmental impact, effective measurement can make the difference between assuming you are making progress, and knowing you are making progress. Such distinctions are especially critical at a time when resources are tight, and every dollar counts. READ MORE

According to the TripAdvisor 2012 Industry Index, cost reduction is the number one reason for implementing eco-friendly hospitality practices. The survey received more than 25,000 responses from hoteliers around the globe of which 66% chose cost savings. Other reasons mentioned were because it is an industry trend (51%), guest demand (29%), marketing and public relations purposes (25%), because the competition has it (13%), regulation (7%) and to increase room rates (3%). READ MORE

It's a real pleasure for guests to spend time in a well-run hotel. From the greeting at the front door, to the efficiency of the people behind the front desk, to your nice clean room and a place to eat and drink, sometimes it's not as good as home - it's better. It takes a real commitment to operating excellence to achieve that guest experience. Think about it - your hotel runs 24 hours a day, and of course you have to make sure everything run smoothly in rooms, meeting areas, restaurants and bars, in fitness centers and pools. All of that without even mentioning the areas that most guests never see but rely on like the laundry facility that cleans their sheets and towels and the mechanical rooms that heat and cool the property. READ MORE

Perhaps no other industry is as deeply rooted in the delivery of a quality customer experience than hospitality. Yet, while other industries such as financial, healthcare and retail have senior level customer experience officers within their companies, hotels do not. Are we better or worse for it? Reading about the anticipated rise of customer experience management (CEM) in 2013 got me thinking about its potential impact on hospitality. In an industry built so squarely on creating customer experiences, how do we even define customer experience management? READ MORE

We are going to be seeing more and more hotels change flags this year as loans come due and many franchisors stop giving out "hall passes," to properties with no money to renovate. These franchisors are tired of waiting for properties to live up to current standards and are going to insist on fulfilling the Performance Improvement Plan or changing the flag. READ MORE