Conference and meeting space can play a very different role in the ecosystem of a hotel, depending on factors like its location, targeted audience, and other amenities. In the first article of this series, Eric M. Rahe, AIA, LEED AP, explained that regardless of the type of hotel, there is a shortage of conference and meeting space across the industry. An increased demand from corporate meeting planners for different sizes and kinds of space may indicate that its availability and flexibility will be increasingly important to hotels' operations and revenues. Michael Prifti, FAIA, Managing Principal at BLT Architects, will explore the role of meeting and conference space in different hotel types and how each can strategically maximize its value through design and planning. READ MORE

The impact that one individual can have on others in our world today is singly a person's greatest reward. Look back to the differences that others have made in your life, chances are the value was in listening, mentoring and caring that came with providing your precious time to others. Have you ever put a price on the time you spend making a difference, of course not, you give of yourself because it is the right thing to do! Often in a day of volunteering, whether it is at 7am or 7pm, I often find myself much more productive when completing work thereafter. How about you? READ MORE

Hotel business centers are changing because hotel guests are changing - and the result is that hotels are finding creative new ways for their on-the-go guests to stay plugged in. According to industry trends and surveys, today's guests can be classified into three broad categories - Boomers; Generation Xers; and Generation Y travelers, or millennials. They think differently and they travel differently. For hotels to properly serve these three groups, hoteliers must properly understand who they are and what they want. This column examines the differences between Boomers, Xers, and millennials - their characteristics, their preferences, and especially their technological expectations. READ MORE

Think of all the reasons you haven't developed a mobile application for your hotel: usually the list will include “it's too expensive” or “my guests won't use it” or “my property is small, therefore I don't need one”. Some of those reasons may have been true at one time, but generally speaking they just don't ring true anymore. With an ever-changing market and tech-savvy travelers becoming the norm, a mobile application is quickly becoming a necessity for hotels of all sizes. Without a mobile app, you are cutting off a great opportunity for additional revenue and you could be losing guests. In this article, we will discuss the potential an app has for revenue generation. READ MORE

Congrats! You've done the hard work of putting together a media list, drafting your press release and distributing your pitch and the media is interested in covering your story. Now comes the important part: preparing for the interview. From a blog, to a newspaper, to a live TV interview, this article will provide you with a guide to prepare for any media interview. By following the media training tips included in this article, you will be more effective at communicating your story and your key messages in an interview, which will help create a stronger, more newsworthy story. READ MORE