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
Hard Rock International in Partnership with Kailas Companies to Bring Brand to French Quarter with Hard Rock Hotel New Orleans Spring 2019
Hard Rock International | February 16, 2018
Orlando, Fla. – February 16, 2018 – With a presence in more than 75 countries across the globe, Hard Rock International is expanding its hotel portfolio into the historic French Quarter and New Orleans Theater District with plans to open Hard Rock Hotel New Orleans and the Residences at the Hard Rock Hotel New Orleans. Working in collaboration with local developer, Kailas Companies, Hard Rock will amplify The Big Easy with the addition of an 18-story building scheduled to open in the spring of 2019. Located on a landmark corner in the heart of New Orleans, blocks from the sixth largest convention center in the country, the p...
Egypt’s Legendary Mena House Rebrands as Marriott Mena House, Cairo Offering 331 Guestrooms Close to Great Pyramids of Giza
Marriott Hotels | February 16, 2018
Marriott Hotels, part of Marriott International, makes a landmark debut steps away from the Great Pyramids of Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The company announced the rebranding of the legendary Mena House, a historic palace which has played host to Kings and Emperors, Heads of State and celebrities for over 130 years, further enhancing Marriott International's formidable presence in Egypt. "This is a significant moment and a milestone in our journey, a milestone that I am personally very excited about," said Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. "With our long hi...
Midas Hospitality Names Morgan Bilek as Director of Revenue Management
Midas Hospitality | February 15, 2018
(St. Louis, Mo., Feb. 15, 2018) Midas Hospitality, a premier hotel management group, recently hired Morgan Bilek as Director of Revenue Management. In this position, Bilek will implement and execute the company-wide revenue management culture and philosophy. Her responsibilities include handling transient and group pricing strategies, creating a proper segmentation mix, and overseeing revenue management objectives and strategies in order to maximize hotel room revenue at all Midas properties. Bilek has more than 12 years of hospitality experience. Prior to joining Midas Hospitality, she worked as the Director of Revenue Management for a...
HMC to Manage 104-Room Holiday Inn Express in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC) | February 15, 2018
Dallas, TX – Leo Spriggs, President and CEO of Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC), is pleased to announce the management of this 104-room Holiday Inn Express in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to their portfolio of managed hotels. HMC will be working in partnership with new ownership group Newstream Commercial®, headed by Scott Tarwater, President of the company's Hotel and Resorts Division. HMC 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 i...
Other Operated Departments Become Even More Minor
Robert Mandelbaum | February 14, 2018
By Robert Mandelbaum In lodging industry parlance, other operated departments are frequently referred to as minor operated departments. Based on recent trends in other operated department revenues and profits, these sources of income have become less consequential to both the top and bottom lines of U.S. hotels. Other operated departments consist of revenue generating services provided by the hotel, and the vast majority of the costs, operational responsibility and financial risk for providing these services are assumed by the hotel. Examples of other operated departments include gift shops, golf courses, spas, and parking lots. The rec...
What Winesday Teaches Us About Restaurant Marketing
Larry Mogelonsky | February 14, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) One clever practice used in restaurants to drum up sales during the midweek druthers is to devote a given day of the week or period of each day (otherwise known as 'happy hour') to a special promotion, either in the form of unique offerings or unbeatable deals. While this a good start for boosting those slow midweek cycles, numerous other eateries already have these types of programs fully set up with established marketing engines. And when everyone else is running something like this, how will you stand out by directly imitating your competitors? You can't, not unless you change th...
Two Roads Hospitality Publishes Results of ‘State of the Meetings Industry’ Survey With 2018 Trend Forecast
Two Roads Hospitality | February 13, 2018
DENVER, Feb. 13, 2018 -- Two Roads Hospitality, an international lifestyle company featuring an unrivaled collection of individual hotels, resorts and vacation residences, has announced the top meetings trends for 2018 based on data from its recent "State of the Meetings Industry" survey. With more than 300 corporate, association, government and independent planners contributing to its sixth-annual survey - 66 percent of whom control more than $100,000per year in guest room, meeting space and food and beverage spend for their organizations - the hospitality leader has garnered key learnings around meeting planning, execution, ...
Hyatt Enters Agreement with Promotora Comercial Abadan for 144-Key Hyatt Place Aguascalientes in Mexico
Hyatt Place | February 13, 2018
CHICAGO--Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a franchise agreement for the 144-key Hyatt Place Aguascalientes with affiliates of Promotora Comercial Abadan, S.A. de C.V. The hotel will be managed by Grupo Hotelero Santa Fe, one of the most respected hospitality companies in the Mexican hotel industry. Upon its expected opening in 2019, Hyatt Place Aguascalientes will be Mexico's sixth Hyatt Place hotel. "It is our great pleasure to expand the Hyatt Place brand into Aguascalientes, the most populous city in the state bearing the same name and one of the fastest growing destinations i...
Playa Largo Resort & Spa Appoints Kerem Kendigelen as General Manager
Playa Largo Resort & Spa | February 13, 2018
KEY LARGO, FL – February 2018 – Playa Largo Resort & Spa, an Autograph Collection beachfront luxury property situated on the Florida Bay in Key Largo, Florida, is pleased to announce the appointment of Kerem Kendigelen as General Manager. In his new role, Kendigelen will be responsible for overseeing all resort operations, fostering staff development, budgeting and financial planning, increasing sales and revenue, and ensuring total guest satisfaction. With over 15 years of hospitality experience working within top hotel brands, Kendigelen brings a track record of effectively leading and managing all aspects of the luxur...
NewcrestImage Begins Construction of Adaptive Reuse Property in Downtown Houston to Become AC Hotel by Marriott
NewcrestImage | February 13, 2018
NewcrestImage has begun transforming a 104-year-old building in downtown Houston into a 195-room, 10-floor AC Hotel by Marriott, with Houston-based Arch-Con Construction serving as general contractor. Opening is expected during the summer of 2019. The property, located at 723 Main Street, will feature a large fitness center; business center; cocktail lounge; and dining area, which will be integrated with the Zoe Theatre, originally opened in 1914 as a silent movie theatre on the building's ground floor. There will also be approximately 4,000 square feet of meeting and ballroom space with the latest technology for large screen presentati...
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group Expands Its Development Team in the Americas with Nine Appointments
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group | February 8, 2018
MINNEAPOLIS (February 8, 2018) – Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the world's largest and most dynamic hotel groups, today announced the appointment of nine field directors within its development team. This new geographical structure allows the team to work more effectively with franchise owners and operators in addition to other business areas across the organization. "The diverse backgrounds of the newly appointed directors will be an enormous asset to our Americas development team as we execute our new 5-year Plan," said Terry Sanders, chief development officer, Americas, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. "This new team and refre...
U.S. News & World Report Names 20 BENCHMARK® Properties to “Best Hotels List” for 2018
February 8, 2018
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, February 2018 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has announced that 20 of its luxury properties within the company's Benchmark Resorts & Hotels and Gemstone Collection brands have been named to the prestigious U.S. News & World Report "Best Hotels" list for 2018. Villas of Grand Cypress, located in Orlando, Florida, and a Gemstone Collection property, also placed in the Silver Badge Winner category as a Best Hotel in Orlando-Walt Disney World, and in Florida. Silver winners are in the Top 30 percent of all ranked luxury hotels within a destination. Alex Cabañas, CEO, mad...
UniFocus Appoints New Sales and Marketing Leadership
UniFocus | February 7, 2018
Aline Riemenschneider and Michael Wayne Greer head up marketing and sales, respectively; Alex Coleman joins as digital marketing coordinator DALLAS – Feb. 7, 2018 – Positioning itself for continued rapid growth, UniFocus, the Dallas-based provider of the service industry's most comprehensive workforce management systems and tools, has bolstered its sales and marketing organization at both the top and support levels with three strategic appointments. Aline Riemenschneider, VP-marketing, and Michael Wayne Greer, VP-sales, each have strong managerial resumes spanning more than 20 years, respectively. Rounding out the team is ne...
Does Search Engine Marketing Actually Work for Hotels?
Larry Mogelonsky | February 7, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) Search engine marketing (SEM) can be highly profitable, but only when properly executed and when hoteliers are actively engaged with the people who manage their Google Adwords campaigns to carry out what's needed for true success. As a general manager, this starts by asking three questions to your director of marketing: Can you tell me, unequivocally, that the money that we are spending in SEM is generating better returns than the rate of commission paid to the OTAs? What percentage of our SEM budget goes to buying our own brand name – that is, the 'bottom-of-the-funnel' &n...
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, Names Nour Asfari Area Director of Revenue
February 7, 2018
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, February 2018 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Nour Asfari area director of revenue. Ms. Asfari will be based in Benchmark's Orlando office. Kim Nugent, vice president revenue management, made the announcement. "I am very pleased to welcome Nour to Benchmark," said Ms. Nugent. "With her extensive and successful on-property experience, she has a clear understanding and passion for serving customers with dedication, creativity and attentiveness. We look forward to her important contributions to our revenue management team." Nour Asfari brings over a decade of experience withi...
FCS Expands Further by Establishing Presence in the Middle East & Africa
FCS | February 7, 2018
FCS appoints new Senior Director of Sales & Channels to open Dubai office and support exponential business growth Dubai, 7 February, 2018: FCS Computer Systems (FCS), a leading provider of innovative hospitality technology solutions, has appointed Mansoor Khan as Senior Director of Sales & Channels to lead the company's expansion in the Middle East and Africa, where demand for FCS' integrated hospitality suite is growing at an incredible rate. "We are thrilled to welcome Mansoor to FCS, as he brings with him a wealth of international experience and expertise in hospitality technology. The hospitality sector in the MEA region is ...
Talking Environmental Psychology and Guest Experience with Aesthetics Expert Elizabeth Weiner
James Houran | February 7, 2018
By James Houran All people and places give off "vibes." Forming impressions of other people depends on much more than what we consciously see or hear. One UCLA study found that up to 93% of communication effectiveness is determined by more subliminal, nonverbal cues. Our impressions of places are created in a similar manner. In hospitality settings, "staff-guest interactions" are critically important determinants of positive guest experiences, but so too are the unspoken aesthetic aspects that define the physical environments that set the stage for hospitality services. At the 2017 Cornell Hospitality Research Summit, AETHOS spoke with ...
Meisel Holdings Managed Services – Driven by Data, But Powered by Professionals
Meisel Holdings Managed Services | February 6, 2018
Rockville, MD – February 07, 2018 - Meisel Holdings Managed Services is expanding its hotel management division to offer hospitality management services to hotel owners and asset managers in the U.S. Founded by Marc Meisel, a long-time hotel management/development and commercial real estate leader, Meisel Holdings Managed Services specializes in yielding above-market profits and building long-term asset value for hotels and resorts. "We take a fresh approach to hotel management," Meisel said. "We don't blindly rely on "automated intelligence" to analyze data and make decisions. Instead, we collect your hotel's data and market info...
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, Celebrates Cupid with a Sweet Selection of Decadent Desserts for Valentine’s Day
Gemstone Collection | February 6, 2018
Top Chefs Create Glorious, Amorous Sweets for Sweethearts The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, February 2018 … Desserts are the divas of the culinary world – dramatic, intense, and irresistible. Infused with lush liqueurs, topped with peaks of cream, nuts and berries and drizzled with fine chocolate, they are top performers at any time of year, ending a memorable meal in singular style. On Valentine's Day, desserts do double duty, setting a seductive scene with decadent dishes that are, indeed, the food of love. The chefs from Benchmark Resorts & Hotels and Gemstone Collection love lovers. These creative cooks come to the ai...
Training Your Hotel Staff on a New PMS Should Take Minutes, Not Days
February 6, 2018
By Jos Schaap Time is an incredibly valuable currency, especially in the hospitality world. Running a hotel effectively requires efficiency and guest-focus to always be top of mind — which means your staff, internal processes, guest observations (and more) all have to be firmly intact, supported and operating smoothly to ensure ongoing success. While aiming to work smarter, not harder, hoteliers frequently find themselves searching for advanced solutions to enhance daily operations and streamline management efforts. After all, the more time these solutions can save a hotel, the better. This is where the consideration of PMS soluti...
Agilysys CEO Ramesh Srinivasan to Participate on Gaming Industry Panel at ICE Totally Gaming 2018 in London
Agilysys | February 6, 2018
Panel Discussion to Focus on Non-Gaming Revenue Trends for Casinos LONDON, UK — February 6, 2018 — Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading global provider of next-generation hospitality software solutions and services, today announced that Ramesh Srinivasan, the company's President and Chief Executive Officer, will be featured on an executive industry panel at the ICE Totally Gaming 2018 tradeshow February 6-8 at ExCel in London. The panel session, "Gaming vs. Non-Gaming Trends: Making Profit on Non-Gaming Amenities", takes place on February 6. The session will feature a discussion on non-gaming revenue sources and ways to ...
NIMBYism: The Most Significant Cultural Threat for our Industry in 2018
Thomas Mielke, London | February 5, 2018
By Thomas Mielke In a meeting with the CEO of a student housing owner-operator just before the holidays, our conversation steered from 'anticipated challenges for 2018' to local politics and frustrations caused by difficulty in getting through planning permission for new-build developments. The conversation reminded me of others that I have had with hotel companies and developers as well as restaurant operators in the recent past – they all referenced the rise of 'NIMBYism' as something that has caused a lot of frustration to them and their companies. NIMBYism is the acronym for 'Not In My Backyard' – a phrase often used by ...
Hotel Website Conversion Rates: Key Tactics for Improvement in 2018
HEBS Digital | February 5, 2018
By Max Starkov Background As the travel planning journey continues to become increasingly more complex, hoteliers need to be looking for more impactful ways to engage and retain their best potential guests. Today's typical online travel consumer is exposed to over 38,983 micro-moments in any 60-day timeframe, during which time they visit an average of 18 websites via multiple devices in eight sessions before making a hotel booking (Google). Hotels are not just competing with OTAs, their competitive set, and Airbnb—they are also competing with every micro-moment that distracts the travel planner, such as emails, text messages, vide...
HOW TO ENSURE SAFE FOOD TEMPERATURES
ECO-FRIDGE (UK) LTD | February 5, 2018
HOW TO ENSURE SAFE FOOD TEMPERATURES Keep Hot Foods Really Hot, Keep Cold Foods Really Cold Commercial refrigeration cabinets are primarily designed for storing pre-packed cooked meats, delicatessen snacks such as baguettes and sandwiches, beverages, pre-packed salads, dairy products, fruit and vegetables. The open units offer customers these foods in a visually appealing, convenient format. European Union and U.K. regulators require manufacturers, retailers and caterers to keep food that is likely to support the growth of pathogenic micro-organisms (such as bacteria) or the formation of toxins at correct temperatures during preparatio...
