Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino Partners With Travel Outlook to Elevate Guest Service Experience
Travel Outlook, The Premier Hotel Call Center™ | October 2, 2024
Debunking Common Myths About AI: Why Human Hotel Staff Are Still Irreplaceable
John Smallwood, President of Travel Outlook | September 17, 2024
Operations
Why You Should Mobile-Enable Your Hotel Staff
Hotelogix | April 23, 2018
The digital revolution is here. And, as a hotelier, you certainly cannot ignore the shift of guest preferences towards hotel mobile apps. Many studies indicate a sharp rise in the adoption of mobile technology in hotels. Mobility, powered by internet, has changed the game for the hotel industry when it comes to engaging with guests and serving them competently. This new technology in hotels is impacting guest expectations in many ways. Here are some of them - 83% guests require hotel service promotions on their mobile devices 70% of people who install mobile apps are reward members 73% people use mobile apps for hotel booking in jus...
Dual Branded Fairfield Inn & Suites and TownePlace Suites Opens in Louisville, Kentucky
Fairfield Inn & Suites | April 20, 2018
Louisville, KY – April 20, 2018 – Marriott International, Inc. announced that a combined 79-room Fairfield Inn & Suites hotel and 78-suite TownePlace Suites hotel in Louisville, Kentucky is now open for business. Located at 10110 Champion Farms Drive, the hotel was developed jointly by Poe Companies of Louisville, KY, White Lodging of Merrillville, IN and REI Real Estate Services of Indianapolis, IN. The hotel is owned by SuiteLou NE, LLC and managed by White Lodging Services of Merrillville, Indiana. The four-story property will share lobby space, an indoor swimming pool, a fitness center and a patio with a fire pit and...
Midas Hospitality Promotes Lucinda Fryman to Corporate Director of Revenue Management
Midas Hospitality | April 20, 2018
(St. Louis, Mo., April 20, 2018) Midas Hospitality, a premier hotel management group, recently promoted Lucinda Fryman to Corporate Director of Revenue Management. In this position, Fryman will oversee the revenue management team while providing direction and leadership that is in accordance with the company's mission. She will also be responsible for training, systems and standards in order to achieve growth and innovation. Fryman will oversee the development, execution, and measurement of the organization's strategic planning for all market segments and revenue streams. Fryman has more than 20 years of hospitality experience. Prior to...
Top Concerns Hotels Need to Know About the GDPR and How to Prepare Your Action Plan
HEBS Digital | April 20, 2018
By Margaret Mastrogiacomo, Vice President Strategy By now you've probably heard of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and should have started considering the effects of this regulation on your hotel website, data strategy, and hotel digital marketing. With the GDPR just around the corner, we've put together an overview that includes an explanation of the GDPR, the top misconceptions, and the most important considerations that will need to be implemented on your hotel website and included in your digital strategy. What is the GDPR? The GDPR is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the...
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Opens New Hotel Near the Southern Shores of Lake Powell in Arizona
April 19, 2018
Minneapolis - April 19, 2018 - Country Inn & Suites® by Radisson, a leading upper midscale hotel brand, today announced the opening of Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Page, AZ. Located at 880 Haul Road, the hotel is the perfect destination for outdoor enthusiasts with its convenient location near the hiking trails at Horseshoe Bend and the picturesque views of Glen Canyon and the shores of Lake Powell. The new hotel features the brand's latest design, which includes modern interiors, stylish furnishings and spacious guest rooms and suites. "We are thrilled to welcome this beautiful addition to our portfolio," said Aly El-B...
IHG, Along With Al-Futtaim, Open the Holiday Inn Dubai Festival City and Enter Agreement for New Staybridge Suites Dubai Festival City
IHG | April 19, 2018
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world's leading hotel companies, has further strengthened its long term alliance with Al-Futtaim, one of UAE's most progressive business conglomerates, with the opening of the highly anticipated Holiday Inn Dubai Festival City, the largest Holiday Inn hotel in the UAE. On this occasion, the partners also announced the signing of a management agreement for Staybridge Suites Dubai Festival City, which will debut the brand in Dubai. To mark this twofold celebration, IHG's global leadership team including Global CEO, Keith Barr and CEO EMEAA, Kenneth Macpherson were present for the signing and...
Rezidor Hotel Group Signs Agreement With Rauðsvík ehf and S26 Hotel ehf for New Build 195-Room Radisson RED Reykjavik
Rezidor Hotel Group | April 19, 2018
Rezidor Hotel Group AB (REZT), publicly listed on Nasdaq Stockholm, Sweden and part of Radisson Hotel Group, is proud to announce the signing of the first ever Radisson RED in the Nordics, scheduled to open in Iceland's capital, Reykjavik, by 2020. Radisson RED is Radisson Hotel Group's upscale, select service hotel brand that presents a playful twist on the conventional. Radisson RED hotels inject new life into hospitality through informal services where anything goes, a social scene that's waiting to be shared and bold design that kick-starts the fun. "We are thrilled to introduce our bold Radisson RED brand to another vibrant and urb...
Why Not List Your Hotel on Airbnb?
April 19, 2018
Ever since Barry Manilow's drummer, David Rozenblatt, convinced Airbnb to start renting out whole properties in 2010, it has been technically possible for a hotel to be listed on the platform. However, it was only recently that Airbnb began to actively court the hotel sector. The segment particularly targeted by the sharing economy platform is boutique hotels and bed and breakfasts (B & B's), which can offer the 'personalized experience' that Airbnb seeks to provide to its customers. By August 2017, Airbnb had listings for 15,000 boutique hotels, about 10 months after introducing them to the platform, according to th...
Suburban Capital, Inc. to Develop $26.3 Million Hyatt Place at Pembroke Park in Virginia Beach
| April 18, 2018
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (April 18, 2018) — Suburban Capital, Inc., a privately held commercial real estate company headquartered in Virginia Beach since 2000, announced plans to build a 92,000-square-foot Hyatt Place at Pembroke Park at 281 Independence Blvd. The company owns and operates more than 2,500,000 square feet of commercial real estate in six states throughout the Southeast. Suburban Capital's portfolio is comprised of office, retail, hotel and industrial properties, as well as Happy Boxes, a proprietary self-storage brand with more than 6,000 units. "This announcement of Hyatt Place continues to validate Town Center and our...
BENCHMARK® Names Scott Ward Director of Sales & Marketing for Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort in Curacao
Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort | April 18, 2018
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, April 2018… BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Scott Ward director of sales and marketing for Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property in Curacao. John MacMullen, Benchmark's regional director of sales and marketing for Florida and the Caribbean, made the announcement. "Scott has an impeccable reputation as a sales and marketing professional across the Caribbean region, so Benchmark jumped at the opportunity to secure him as part of our team," said Mr. MacMullen. "He is an experienced and knowledgeable leader who will bring new energy and...
Using Wine to Show How Much Customers Care About Industry Jargon
Larry Mogelonsky | April 18, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) To use wine as an case study but feel free to ruminate on your own example, a big part of the sales process is helping customers decide upon what bottle or glass to buy. While it's always a delight to exchange a few sentences with a fellow oenophile who understands some of unique qualities of specific growing regions or varietals, most of the time we end up dealing with beginners who know the difference between red, white and rose, and not much else. A problem arises when we attempt to sell to these neophytes by using jargon that they may not fully comprehend. The response to the qu...
Radisson Hotel Group Signs With Cebu Landmasters for New 146-Room Radisson RED Cebu Mandaue, Philippines
Radisson Hotel Group | April 17, 2018
Singapore - April 17, 2018 - Radisson Hotel Group™, one of the world's largest and most dynamic hotel groups today announced the signing of an exciting new property, Radisson RED Mandaue in Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines. The Group introduces its ageless mindset hotel concept, Radisson RED to the city for the first time. Scheduled to open in Q4 2021, Radisson RED Cebu Mandaue will form part of Astra Centre, a major new mixed-use development of Cebu Landmasters, Inc. in this dynamic coastal city, which lies in the country's Central Visayas region. Easily accessible via two major expressways and the expanding Mactan-Cebu Internatio...
Tax Day: Hoteliers Call for More Transparency and Oversight in Taxing Airbnb
AHLA | April 17, 2018
AHLA: "Time to end Airbnb's secret and voluntary tax deals with state and local governments" WASHINGTON, DC – The American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) called on state and local government leaders on National Tax Day, to start taxing Airbnb and other short-term rental sites with the same oversight and transparency as hotels, especially in light of Airbnb's recent announcement that it will start including hotels as part of its listings and the continued growth of commercial Airbnb operators. AHLA also called on state and local government leaders to reject Airbnb's pursuit of voluntary collection agreements (VCAs) unless it ...
HOLIDAY INN® Orlando Airport Hotel Completes Multi-Million Dollar Renovation and Transformation Into Brand’s New H4 Design Concept
Sarona Holdings | April 17, 2018
Orlando, Florida (April 17, 2018) – The Holiday Inn® Orlando Airport hotel has recently completed a multimillion-dollar renovation to the property's 290-guest rooms, conference facilities, lobby and other public areas to reflect the Holiday Inn brand's innovative H4 design concept. Sarona Holdings of Orlando, Florida, the hotel's ownership and management group, has transformed the seven-story, dual-tower property to meet the needs of today's guest with a modern open living-room concept, increased technology and comfortable guest-rooms that adjust to the travelers' needs. InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world's ...
HMC Adds Sleep Inn & Suites Longview North to Portfolio of Texas Managed Properties
Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC) | April 16, 2018
Dallas, TX - Leo Spriggs, President and CEO of Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC), is happy to share the addition of the Sleep Inn & Suites Longview North Choice Hotels® to the company's list of Texas managed properties. The company continues its ongoing business expansion which is made up of full service, conference center, select service and limited service hotels. HMC is one of the country's largest third-party privately held hotel management companies, ranked in the top 40 of all third-party privately held hotel management corporations. The hotel is located near Tomlison Parkway and Loop 281, just north of Longview's ...
California’s Legendary Lake Arrowhead Resort & Spa Joins Benchmark Resorts & Hotels Management Portfolio
Marriott International, Inc. | April 16, 2018
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, April 16, 2018 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has added one of Southern California's most acclaimed properties to the company's Benchmark Resorts & Hotels portfolio: Lake Arrowhead Resort & Spa. Located in the San Bernardino National Forest along the shores of Lake Arrowhead, the Four Diamond Resort is part of the Marriott Autograph Collection. "We are honored to add this prestigious and historic resort to our growing list of California properties," says Benchmark CEO Alex Cabañas. "For decades, the resort has been a favorite with Hollywood celebrities and several fi...
Joy Wemmer Appointed Director of Sales for Hilton Garden Inn Annapolis Downtown, Maryland
Hilton Garden Inn Annapolis Downtown | April 16, 2018
ANNAPOLIS MD (APRIL 16, 2018) -- In advance of its May 2018 opening, Hilton Garden Inn Annapolis Downtown has appointed Joy Wemmer as Director of Sales. A seasoned hospitality professional, Wemmer will help lead a staff of 50 at the soon-to-open hotel, which comes to the revitalizing Annapolis arts district via total renovation of an existing lodging property. Wemmer was only 14 when she got her first job as a waitress, and thus accrued nearly a decade of hospitality experience by the time she graduated from Washington College. Joy always liked the fast-paced environment of F&B -- and she loved meeting new people -- so moving into h...
SHR Names Chief Product Evangelist and Director of Product Management
SHR | April 16, 2018
HOUSTON, TX, April 16, 2018—SHR, Sceptre Hospitality Resources, a pioneer in advanced hotel distribution technologies and developer of Windsurfer® CRS, announced the promotions of associates Estella Hale and Doug Tucker. Estella Hale will be adding to her already rich history with SHR by moving from Vice President of Product to becoming the company's first Chief Product Evangelist. In her new position, she will act as the voice to SHR's vision of being the most trusted brand for hoteliers, working to inform, persuade, and convert the clients she serves toward their best hospitality technology. Estella originally joined Whitebo...
Radisson Hotel Group Strengthens Its Americas Sales Team With Appointments of Laurie Czyz and Angela Galeziowski
Radisson Hotel Group | April 12, 2018
Minneapolis - April 12, 2018 - Radisson Hotel Group today announced two new appointments to its Americas sales team. These new team members will play a vital role in executing sales strategies aligned with the company's 5-year operating plan. Laurie Czyz joins Radisson Hotel Group as senior director of Meetings & Events and will lead a team executing group sales strategies and partnerships in the Americas. Meetings & Events represents more than 25 percent of the business for Radisson Hotel Group in the Americas. Prior to joining Radisson Hotel Group, Czyz was with SAI Properties, where she led hotel and area sales efforts by inc...
BENCHMARK Names Eric J. Bates General Manager of Eaglewood Resort & Spa, Chicago
Eaglewood Resort & Spa | April 12, 2018
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, April 2018 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Eric Bates general manager for Eaglewood Resort & Spa, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property located in Itasca (Chicago), Illinois. Greg Champion, Benchmark's president & COO, made the announcement. "It is such a pleasure to welcome Eric to Benchmark and to Eaglewood Resort & Spa," said Mr. Champion. "I can't think of anyone more qualified to take this property to even greater levels of business success, given Eric's previous experience and understanding of the Chicagoland market. We look forward to his leader...
Hotel Equities Selected to Operate New Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott® Toronto East Breaking Ground July 2018
Hotel Equities | April 12, 2018
ATLANTA, GA - (April 12, 2018) – Atlanta-based Hotel Equities announced its selection as the management firm for a new-build Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott-Toronto East located in Ajax, Ontario. Owned by Attica Hotels Ltd. and developed by Suncity Development Ltd. of Toronto, ON. The 120-room property is scheduled to break ground July 2018. "We are pleased to expand our management portfolio into the town of Ajax, one of the fastest growing markets in Canada," said Joe Reardon, Sr. Vice President of Business Development & Marketing for Hotel Equities. The firm has a proven track record of success with our recent growth ...
How Future-Proof Is Your Hotel PMS? Download Free 10-Point Checklist Now
StayNTouch | April 12, 2018
Hotel technology innovator StayNTouch introduces the definitive 10-point checklist to put your property management platform to the test In a service-oriented industry like hospitality, it is critical to keep up with technology advancements. According to the 2016 Trends vs. Technologies Report, 78% of decision-makers across all sectors agree that keeping up with tech trends is vital, and 86% agree that it gives their competitive business advantage. While there isn't a silver bullet to future-proof your business, making the right technology decisions to match your goals will help set up your hotel for success in the long run. In many resp...
Voice Search and Digital Voice Assistants: The Next Big Thing in Hotel Distribution and Marketing Background
HEBS Digital | April 12, 2018
As one of the most exciting trends in hotel marketing and distribution strategy, voice search has galvanized the hospitality industry, both in preparation for evolving consumer behaviors and technology advancements. Termed "the next billion" by the Wall Street Journal, voice search through digital assistants is here and the possibilities for the technology are endless. With the forthcoming generation of Internet users worldwide preferring communication with images and, most importantly, voice activation, there is a great opportunity for hotels in this landscape. Speaking to a digital voice assistant that can understand and execute a req...
RLJ Lodging Trust Announces CEO Succession – Leslie D. Hale to Become President and Chief Executive Officer
RLJ Lodging Trust | April 11, 2018
BETHESDA, Md.--RLJ Lodging Trust (the "Company") (NYSE: RLJ) today announced that President and Chief Executive Officer Ross H. Bierkan will retire from the Company, effective at the end of the term of his existing employment agreement on August 22, 2018. In alignment with the Board's executive succession planning, the Board of Trustees has named Leslie D. Hale as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective August 22, 2018. Mr. Bierkan will not stand for election at the 2018 Annual Meeting, and Ms. Hale will be nominated for election at the 2018 Annual Meeting. Ms. Hale currently serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating ...
