An effective web site design and effective an on-line distribution strategy require expertise. The average hotel professional is bombarded with many ideas and is left wondering which approach to take. Therefore, if relying on expert advice, it is important to have a goal to accomplish specific short-term goals, as well as ensure that the web site is well positioned for future technological advances and for advancements with the search engines, in order to minimize financial risks. In order to achieve the most from your web sites, it is important for owners and managers to re-think and evaluate the following key areas before and during their web site development and implementation: READ MORE

Computers with 17 and 19" monitors have almost become STANDARD. New 108" Plasma Screen TVs (that's 9 feet diagonal) are the rage. Even the screens on cell phones are growing. The mantra of electronic viewing is "bigger is better." Scratch that, "Huge is Better." 360^0 Virtual Tours are just beginning to follow the trend. Virtual Images started out at the postage stamp size of 160 x 120 pixels. As Dial-Up modem speeds increased from 9600bps to 56.6Kbps and computers got more powerful processors like the Pentium "ONE", they grew to 320 x 240 pixels. This is where they've remained for a few years as a few other changes in the Internet came along. It's been worth the wait! The results are stunning! READ MORE

Marketing to unmanaged group travelers presents several challenges, but the opportunity presented far outweighs the barriers. The fact that group travel includes many disparate customer types means it is important to understand to which customers your property or properties is likely to appeal. A team of 13-year-old softball players along with their coach and parents needs something different in a hotel than a group of 5 to 10 corporate executives. An effective marketing program targeted at group travelers requires several key elements, some of which are technical and some of which are simply conceptual or philosophical. First, I would like to address the types of travelers that comprise the group travel market. Second, I will discuss ways to effectively reach these customers. READ MORE

Recent "commoditization" of the hospitality industry has encouraged companies to compete on price, and achieving differentiation through service has required higher investment (higher quality, shorter operation cycles), reducing overall profitability. Every year, surveys are conducted that clearly outline companies' need to reduce costs and increase operational efficiencies. Many companies have already made great headway in accomplishing this goal by reducing complexity, implementing best practices and leveraging best-of-breed technologies. While the hotel industry has experienced strong revenue growth over the past few years, however, bottom-line performance has eroded since 2000, due to escalating expenses, including "non-controllable" costs such as utilities, insurance and government regulation. These costs - along with "controllable" costs such as payroll, staffing and marketing - are expected to only increase in the years to come. READ MORE

The Internet has caused massive change in the hotel industry-new technologies, new competitors and newly-empowered customers have fundamentally altered the face of our business. But massive change can also bring opportunity. Much has been written about how the Internet-and the rise of online travel sites-has been a boon to the consumer, but what about the impact to the hotelier? It really boils down to two things: complexity and control. READ MORE