Quoting Higher Rates and Overcoming Objections Regarding Rate/Availability Restrictions
Doug Kennedy | February 6, 2024
Education
KDU University College Penang, Malaysia, Is Newest AHLEI Global Academic Partner
the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) | December 14, 2015
Orlando, Florida, December 2015—The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) has signed a Global Academic Partner (GAP) agreement with the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts (SHTCA) at KDU University College Penang in Malaysia. SHTCA began offering a diploma in Hotel & Catering Management in 1991, and since 1997, has offered students the opportunity to obtain prestigious Swiss diploma and degree qualifications without having to go abroad, with the IMI Diploma in International Hotel & Tourism Management and 3+0 IMI BA in International Hotel & Tourism Management. In June 2012, SHTCA introd...
Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives Earns AHLEI’s Certified Guest Service Property Designation
the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) | December 10, 2015
Orlando, Florida, December 2015 — The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) has awarded Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives the Certified Guest Service Property designation. To earn this distinction, the property trained employees with AHLEI's Guest Service Gold®, with 80 employees earning the Certified Guest Service Professional (CGSP®). Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives is the first property in Maldives, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, to earn the title of Certified Guest Service Property. Tourism is the country's leading industry, so earning this designation provides the resort, which opened in Dece...
Cornell Offers Spreadsheet to Generate Optimum Restaurant Seating
the Center for Hospitality Research | November 30, 2015
Ithaca, NY, November 30, 2015 – A new tool from the Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) allows restaurateurs to optimize their reservations and seating using Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet. The tool and description, "Instructions for the Restaurant Reservations Optimization Tool," by Gary Thompson, are available from CHR at no charge. Thompson is a professor at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration. "The tool uses the Solver add-in for Excel, which allows restaurant operators to determine their best mix of tables and also decide which reservations they should accept based on their demand forecast," Th...
AHLEI Publishes New Edition of Managing Technology in the Hospitality Industry
the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) | November 19, 2015
Orlando, Florida, November 2015—Even though hospitality is a people business, technology still touches nearly every area of hospitality operations. The seventh edition of Managing Technology in the Hospitality Industry, published by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI), provides readers with a comprehensive introduction to the information technology needs of lodging properties and food service establishments. Written by Michael L. Kasavana, Ph.D., this textbook presents an overview of the basics of purchasing, implementing, maintaining, and managing a variety of technology systems. The content covers appl...
Cornell Report Shows Hotel Brand Conversions Can Boost Performance
the Center for Hospitality Research | November 16, 2015
Ithaca, NY, November 16, 2015 – Hotels that convert from one brand to another generally see improved occupancy, revenue, and profit—provided they choose a strong brand that fits their property. An analysis of hundreds of brand conversions over nearly two decades, published by the Center for Hospitality Research (CHR), found that hotels that changed brands, including those that changed from independent to brand, improved their top and bottom lines. However, this was not true of all brand conversions. The report, "Hotel Brand Conversions: What Works and What Doesn't," by Chekitan S. Dev, an associate professor at...
PolyU to Honour Esteemed Hotelier and Supporter Mr Ho Kwon Ping
PolyU School of Hotel and Tourism Management | November 12, 2015
The School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is very pleased to announce that the Chairman of its Advisory Committee Mr Ho Kwon Ping will receive a Doctor of Business Administration honoris causa degree at the University's 21st Congregation on 14 November 2015. Mr Ho, Founder and Executive Chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings, will receive the honorary doctorate alongside four other distinguished figures to be recognised for outstanding accomplishments and contributions to their fields, education and the broader community. One of Singapore's most prominent business figures, Mr Ho received his hig...
Center for Hospitality Research Reports on the New Science of Service Innovation
the Center for Hospitality Research | November 11, 2015
Ithaca, NY, November 11, 2015 – The trade-off between hotel room rates and search engine results; the importance of top-down innovation in European hotels; the parallel learning curves of guests and employees during organizational change; technological innovations in restaurants; and the use of analytics in energy management and in understanding customer comments in social media: these and many other topics are explored in a set of four far-reaching reports issued by the Center for Hospitality Research (CHR). The reports summarize selected presentations from the four tracks of the Cornell Hospitality Research Summit (CHRS). The re...
Carver Hotel Group Continues Expansion, Adding Directors of Talent Management & Business Development
Carver Hotel Group | November 11, 2015
CHG welcomes Jarrod Durrence and Nikki Hudson ATLANTA, GA – November 11, 2015– Carver Hotel Group, the hospitality infrastructure powerhouse, announced that Jarrod Durrence and Nikki Hudson have joined the CHG team to help springboard the growth momentum the company experienced over the past year into 2016. Durrence will serve as director of talent management for CHG. With more than 10 years in human resources within the hospitality industry, he is a multi-faceted director who offers extensive knowledge in analyzing human capital and operational needs. His vast experience covers every aspect of human resources including staf...
Cornell Analysis Finds Confusion in Recent Supreme Court Employment Decisions
the Cornell Institute for Hospitality Labor and Employment Relations | November 6, 2015
Ithaca, NY, November 6, 2015 – Two recent holdings by the U.S. Supreme Court have been hailed as "victories" for employees seeking personal accommodations under civil rights law. However, a new analysis from the Cornell Institute for Hospitality Labor and Employment Relations (CIHLER) finds little real change—along with considerable confusion—regarding the Court's actual holding. The analysis, "The United States Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Employees in the Young and Abercrombie Cases: What Do They Really Hold?," is written by David Sherwyn and David B. Ritter. Sherwyn is the John and Melissa...
Strand Hospitality Assumes Management of Holiday Inn Express & Suites Atlanta Downtown in Georgia
Bryan K. Williams | November 3, 2015
November 3, 2015 - Strand Hospitality recently assumed management of the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Atlanta Downtown. This 173-room historic hotel, built in 1918, has been recently renovated offering both new innovations and historic charm. Located in the heart of Atlanta, the hotel is an easy walk to Philips Arena, Georgia Aquarium, and many other attractions. The property has 4,000 square feet of meeting space, including the rooftop Savannah Room with great views of the city. Strand is excited about the opportunity to build upon the successes of this great property. ...
Labor Costs and Related Expense Reporting in the 11th Edition of the USALI
October 27, 2015
Implementation of the 11th Revised Edition of the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry The 11th revised edition of the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI) was published in the spring of 2014, with an implementation date of January 1, 2015. The responsibility for revising the USALI lies with the Financial Management Committee (FMC) of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA). Throughout the implementation process, the FMC has received several questions from the worldwide lodging industry. To answer these questions, the FMC has created a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document on the USA...
Leadership Excellence: Leaders are Lifters
Bryan K. Williams | October 26, 2015
By Bryan K. Williams (Dedicated to: Doug Brooks, Charles DeFoucault, Carter Donovan, Jim McManemon, Diana Oreck, Theo Gilbert-Jamison, Angela Hornsby and Horst Schulze) The best leaders are lifters. Plain and simple. They know how to lift the hearts, hopes, esteem and performance of their staff. If you are my leader, then my life should be better somehow. There should be something amplified about me in a positive way, as a result of being on your team. You should challenge me and encourage me. You should insist that I do my absolute best, always. Nothing less will suffice. With you, I know that there are additional levels of excellence ...
PolyU Study Finds Chinese Luxury Hotels Equalling Foreign Rivals
PolyU's School of Hotel and Tourism Management | October 23, 2015
October 23, 2015 - Domestic travellers in China are equally satisfied with foreign and domestic luxury hotel brands, according to Professor Cathy Hsu of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in a recently published research article. Considering the brand evaluations of domestic travellers at both foreign and domestic brand luxury hotels, Professor Hsu shows that any previously perceived differences in quality between the two no longer exist. Chinese hotel guests, she writes, are now "just as satisfied" when staying at domestic brand hotels as they are when staying at their foreign coun...
The Maslow Hotel Becomes First Certified Guest Service Property in South Africa
the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) | October 22, 2015
Orlando, Florida, October 2015—The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) has awarded The Maslow Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa the Certified Guest Service Property designation. To earn this distinction, the property trained employees with AHLEI's Guest Service Gold®, with 65 employees earning the Certified Guest Service Professional (CGSP®). The Maslow, a Sun International property, opened in 2013. The 281-room property serves a primarily corporate clientele, but also caters to local and international leisure guests. "Our vision was always centered in creating an empowered, engaged and integr...
Love Your Work: Leadership & Service Excellence with Bryan K. Williams
Bryan & B.Williams Enterprise, LLC | October 19, 2015
Professionalism is about doing what you are supposed to do, when you are supposed to do it, whether you feel like it or not. Work is not meant to be something that is begrudgingly done or tolerated. It's easy to spot someone who work with joy in their hearts. They don't see their customer as an interruption of their work, but rather the purpose of it. Topics: Week 1: Be Consistent Week 2: WOW Somebody Week 3: Learn Preferences Week 4: Universal Service Rules Week 5: Own Your Work Week 6: Love Your Work Contact us to learn how you can bring Dr. Williams into your organization. You will receive a complimentary module from our popu...
Duetto’s Marco Benvenuti is 2015-16 Pillsbury Institute Entrepreneur in Residence at Cornell’s SHA
Duetto | October 19, 2015
New York, October 19, 2015 – Marco Benvenuti, Chief Product and Analytics Officer and co- founder of Duetto, has been named Entrepreneur in Residence by the Pillsbury Institute at Cornell University's School of Hospitality Administration (SHA). Benvenuti will teach courses at SHA, hold regular office hours on campus and participate in other academic and social programs in the SHA community. His first quarterly visit begins on October 19th. Benvenuti holds an MMH from Cornell, where he currently serves on the advisory board of the Center for Hospitality Research at SHA. "I am proud to begin serving as Entrepreneur in Residence at t...
PolyU Collaborates with Professional Bodies to Launch Club Managers’ Assoc. SHTM Student Chapter
PolyU's School of Hotel and Tourism Management | October 19, 2015
19 October 2015 - The School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University launched the first student club in club management in Hong Kong on 9 October 2015. The Club Managers' Association SHTM Student Chapter collaborates with the Club Managers' Association of Hong Kong (CMAHK) and Club Managers' Association China Chapter, the professional bodies based in Hong Kong and Mainland China representing the interests of club managers of their regions. Joining the inauguration ceremony held at the SHTM's training restaurant Bistro 1979 were Mr Richard Coate, Vice President of CMA Hong Kong and G...
Cornell Study Focuses on Ending Human Trafficking
the Center for Hospitality Research | October 15, 2015
Ithaca, NY, October 15, 2015 – Throughout the world, human traffickers use hotels and other hospitality locations to kidnap and exploit their victims, many of whom are children. A new report from the Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration calls on the industry to fight back against trafficking of children. In the report, "Adopting the Code: Human Trafficking and the Hospitality Industry," Michele Sarkisian outlines the dimensions of the problem and gives specific strategies for ending this practice. Sarkisian is president of P3 Advisors, and a CHR research fellow. T...
ORLA and Travel Oregon Adopt AHLEI’s Guest Service Gold® to Train Hospitality Employees Statewide
the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) | October 14, 2015
pictured: AH&LA senior vice president of member relations Matthew MacLaren, right, presented plaque to ORLA CEO and president Jason Brandt; and ORLA Education Foundation executive director Wendy Popkin Wilsonville, Oregon, October 2015--The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association Education Foundation (ORLAEF) has signed an agreement with Travel Oregon to be the customer service training provider for Oregon's travel and tourism industry using the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute's Guest Service Gold® program and Certified Guest Service Professional (CGSP®) designation. The statewide training initiative w...
Get Motivated! Tips to Be Unstoppable in the 4th Quarter
Bryan K. Williams | October 13, 2015
By Bryan K. Williams Motivation: What moves you? What motivates you? What moves you? What inspires you to be more than you usually are? People oftentimes ask me questions like that. The truth is, several things motivate me. For the purpose of this article, I will only focus on two. #1: I am motivated by seeing people treated well. I mean exceptionally well. It particularly excites me when the recipient of the kindness and the giver of the kindness don't know each other. I love that! #2: I am also motivated by seeing people who work with pride, passion, and professionalism. You know the ones. The men and women who work with a purpose. Yo...
ALIS Working with the Former HELP Co-Chairs to Bring ALIS Summer Update to the Northeast
the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) | October 13, 2015
Washington D.C., October 12, 2015 – In exciting news, the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) is pleased to announce that it will be working with the former Hotel Equity & Lender Perspectives (HELP) Conference co-chairs, James F. O'Connell, Chad Crandell, and Ken Wilson, to bring one of its Summer Update programs to Boston in July of 2016. 'We are delighted to be working with Jim, Chad, and Ken, to bring ALIS Summer Update to Boston," stated Jim Burba, president of BHN and chair of ALIS. "They are well respected hotel investment executives and also know what the latest trends and opportunities are in the New England regi...
The Power of Owning Your Work: Leadership & Service Excellence with Bryan K. Williams
Bryan & B.Williams Enterprise, LLC | October 12, 2015
There is something very special about seeing someone who cares about what they are doing, how they are doing it, and who they are doing it for. In this week's video clip, listen as Bryan discusses an experience he had with a phenomenal team member from Whole Foods. Some people mistakenly believe that exceeding expectations is a gradual step up from meeting expectations. It is not. They are actually two…different...things. If you want to exceed, then you must intentionally think of ways to exceed. Those who own their work always look for ways to exceed. Topics: Week 1: Be Consistent Week 2: WOW Somebody Week 3: Learn Preferenc...
Canadian Management Company Commits to Guest Service Gold®; 38 Hotels Earn CGSP® Designation
the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) | October 9, 2015
Orlando, Florida, October 2015—The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) presented Certified Guest Service Property plaques to 38 Canalta Hotels' properties during the company's annual management summit on October 6 in Alberta, Canada. The properties earned the designation after training their front-line staff with AHLEI's Guest Service Gold® program and certifying them as Certified Guest Service Professionals (CGSP®). Canalta is the first management company to achieve company-wide Guest Service Gold® certification for all of its properties. Headquartered in Drumheller, Alberta, Canalta Hotels empl...
New Guest Service Gold®: Golden Opportunities Program Expands AHLEI’s Guest Service Training Options
the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) | October 7, 2015
Orlando, Florida, October 2015 — The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) has introduced a new Guest Service Gold® training program that offers seven NEW elements to inspire and motivate hospitality professionals. Guest Service Gold&rreg;: Golden Opportunities prepares individuals for the Certified Guest Service Professional (CGSP®) certification exam. Organizations can also use the original Guest Service Gold® (now renamed Guest Service Gold®: Making Connections) to prepare employees for professional certification. The program, which is available in print and online formats, focuses on the fo...
