In many ways, 2011 was the year reviews and social media went mainstream within the hotel industry - becoming nearly universally embraced by hotel executives as both a key source of customer insight and a tool to achieve operational and service excellence and to drive revenue growth. From my perspective, as founder and CEO of a company that is leading change in the way hotels leverage and benefit from the social web, I would like to share the top trends I see in this area in 2012. READ MORE

Since ADA sensitivity is a growing concern in the hospitality industry, a proactive plan for training would seem prudent. Discrimination - especially subtle discrimination - continues to thrive. It is the everyday stereotypes and assumptions about our differences that are the basis for most unintentional discrimination and a lack of training about sensitivity issues that can result in these inadvertent offenses. READ MORE

The global hotel market is at a tipping point. Booking windows have shrunk from weeks to days, and the increase in mobile bookings is leaving hotels behind who are trying to stick with the old ways of managing distribution channels. If hoteliers are not using the right tools and techniques to maximize bookings across all available platforms, they are risking a fate of continually playing catch-up to those hoteliers who have embraced channel management technology and the advantages that these systems bring. To help hoteliers on the road to a successful channel management program, here are the top five mistakes that are commonly made in this field, and how to avoid them. READ MORE

Over the past 10 years, the web has become a powerhouse for growing business. For the hotel industry, it has changed all the ground rules, from how you interact with your customers to how you drive bookings. Ten years ago, hotel chains started investing in online virtual brochures. These sites were designed simply to lay out the product and drive customers to call centers. As the sophistication of the web platforms increased, rudimentary booking engines were laid into the websites. No one anticipated that this electronic brochure would soon be a key business driver. READ MORE

In the 70's and 80's many communities built Convention Centers as the cornerstone of economic development. The same cities have exhausted their taxing ability so the Convention Centers are left with annual deficits. Rebates have been the answer to offset their costs. Now, Convention Centers have increasingly become competitors in the local market they serve. Becoming a competitor in the local economy is not fair, and they continue to increase rebates. There is little to no government regulation on the amount of rebates, or their business plans. Each city should take a close look at their Convention Center, and get back to basics. READ MORE