The Tricycle of Guest Service Excellence: A Perfect Model For Remarkable Experiences
Doug Kennedy | October 4th, 2024
Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino Partners With Travel Outlook to Elevate Guest Service Experience
Travel Outlook, The Premier Hotel Call Center™ | October 2nd, 2024
Las Terrazas Resort Selects GCommerce for Custom Website Design and Development
GCommerce | August 20, 2020
Park City, Utah, August 20th, 2020 - GCommerce, a hospitality digital marketing agency, has partnered with Las Terrazas Resort & Residences to design and develop a custom website for the resort. The property is located on the sandy beaches of Belize’s largest island, Ambergris Caye. The newly improved resort website features the resort’s one-of-a-kind dining and spa experiences as well as activities on the resort and across the island. The goal was to build a website design that captured the resort’s prestigious standing on the island by creating a clean, elegant design. Emphasizing the privacy and seclusion and the many activiti...
Your COVID-19 Recovery Plan Should Include These 5 Marketing Strategies
Amadeus Hospitality | August 20, 2020
Hoteliers have reopened their doors to a more competitive market than ever before. Travelers are spoiled for choice as every property (no matter what audience they previously catered to) is looking to win their business and keep revenue on the books. It will take a thoughtful approach to your hotel’s marketing plan to entice weary travelers in the era of COVID-19. With their heightened expectations for cleanliness, service, and a good deal in an uncertain economy, is your marketing strategy positioned to succeed? Here is your new 5 step action plan to marketing during a pandemic. Make decisions based on your market This may seem ...
IHG Signs With Riteway and Medha Projects to Develop Holiday Inn Resort in India
IHG | August 19, 2020
InterContinental Hotels Group® (IHG), one of world’s leading hotel companies, has signed a management agreement with Riteway and Medha Projects to bring a Holiday Inn Resort to the state of Karnataka. Offering 126 well appointed rooms, Holiday Inn Resort Sakleshpur Western Ghats is expected to open its doors to guests in Q1 2023. Underscoring industry confidence despite challenging times, this is the second signing announced by IHG in India in last three months. Located on the Western Ghats mountain range, in the state of Karnataka, Sakleshpur is in close proximity to Bengaluru, and is a great destination for leisure travellers looki...
Accor and sbe Unveil Asia’s First Mondrian Hotel in Asia
Accor | August 19, 2020
SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 19, 2020 - Accor, a world-leading augmented hospitality group, and sbe, the leading international hospitality group that develops, manages and operates award-winning brands, are pleased to announce the first Mondrian hotel in Asia Pacific. Mondrian Seoul Itaewon, which is being developed in partnership with Yojin Construction & Engineering, marks the fifth property in the Mondrian portfolio. With new hotels slated for Bordeaux and Cannes next year, the Mondrian brand expects to grow its lifestyle hotel portfolio to approximately 15 properties by 2022. Together, Mondrian Seoul Itaewon, Mondrian Bordeaux, and ...
Reaction to the Recent Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal Disney Yacht & Beach Club Resort Decision
Daniel Lesser | August 19, 2020
By Daniel Lesser The monograph “The Valuation of Hotels and Motels” by Stephen Rushmore, published by the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers in 1978, posited the first accepted methodology for separating out income attributable to business (“intangible asset”) and income attributable to personal property from the entire income stream of a lodging facility. The procedure, which to this day continues to reflect the thinking and actions of hotel sector market participants, has been termed the “Rushmore Approach” within the property tax arena. On June 19th, 2020, The Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal issued a fl...
What Summer Search Data Really Tells Us About Post-Covid Travel
Larry Mogelonsky | August 19, 2020
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) Travel behavior in the summer of COVID-19 has been erratic and still has a long way to go until it returns to pre-pandemic levels. However, the search data during this recovery period can offer strong clues as to what customers will want from their hotel experiences in the next normal so that operators can adjust their businesses accordingly. Notably, much has already been said about the recent Google Trends numbers which show that search share in many major Western countries for Airbnb and Booking have both trended disproportionately upward relative to Expedia, Hilton and Marriott ...
STR: U.S. Hotel Performance for July 2020
STR | August 19, 2020
HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee—The U.S. hotel industry showed slightly higher performance from the month prior, but at overall low levels during July 2020, according to data from STR. In a year-over-year comparison with July 2019, the industry recorded the following: Occupancy: -36.1% to 47.0% Average daily rate (ADR): -24.8% to US$101.76 Revenue per available room (RevPAR): -52.0% to US$47.84 The absolute occupancy level was the lowest for any June on record in the U.S., but all three key performance metrics were up from June levels. August weekly data shows occupancy just below 50% due to a slow and steady rise in demand that ...
Be a Professional
Shep Hyken | August 19, 2020
What is a professional? Is it the opposite of an amateur? In the sports world, professional athletes are paid, while amateurs are not. In my business, the title “professional keynote speaker” implies that I’m paid to speak in front of audiences. So, does being a professional simply mean you’re paid to do whatever it is you are doing? I’ll answer that with a resounding, “No!” It’s definitely more than whether or not you are paid. I’ll argue that “professional” can also refer to the way you conduct yourself. In other words, do you behave in a manner that others would perceive as professional? My friend Paul Reil...
Enseo’s, Kris Singleton, Wins Prestigious 2020 CIO of the Year® ORBIE® Award
Enseo | August 19, 2020
Singleton is the latest powerful woman to join Enseo’s executive team. Plano, TX – August 19, 2020 – Enseo®, one of the fastest growing technology service providers in the U.S., congratulates our new CIO, Kris Singleton, on her achievement of winning the 2020 CIO of the Year® ORBIE® Awards recognized by ArizonaCIO. The CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards is the leading technology executive recognition program in the United States, and the selected winners demonstrated excellence in technology leadership. “I’ve always been impressed with Kris. It is wonderful to see her getting the recognition she deserves for her talent and tenaci...
Hotels to Dorms: Converting Hotels to College Housing During the COVID19 Pandemic
Fred DeMicco | August 19, 2020
By Frederick DeMicco, Jackie Guzman Abstract As colleges start classes up in for the fall 2020 semester, many students are moving back to their college towns. Many undergraduate students have guaranteed housing from their universities, but to help with social distancing measures, universities are dispersing their students more than usual. To do this, universities are looking to hotels to house students for the school year. Introduction During the early months of 2020, once it was apparent that the novel coronavirus (COVID19) was a global pandemic, people everywhere started to think of creative solutions to help ease the probl...
ALICE Creates Free Hotel Housekeeping Disinfection Checklists
ALICE | August 19, 2020
New York, NY - ALICE, the hospitality industry’s leading hotel management and operations platform, has just published free hotel housekeeping disinfection checklists for hoteliers. With more than 15 checklists in the downloadable document, hoteliers can download, print, and start using them today. The comprehensive document includes disinfection checklists for guest areas, employee areas and public areas. As occupancy increases, there will be intense scrutiny for housekeeping departments to not only clean, but also sanitize every inch of each guest room - and prove it. The checklists are customizable with extra space for items to be wr...
Travel Community Calls on Congress to Pass Relief Legislation
The U.S. Travel Association | August 19, 2020
WASHINGTON (August 19, 2020)—U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on reports that both chambers of Congress may soon consider separate actions on coronavirus relief legislation: “It is crucial that leaders in Washington return to the negotiating table immediately and continue the important work they started. Since March, more than half of the 15.8 million pre-pandemic jobs supported by the travel industry have disappeared, leaving workers and small businesses in every pocket of America vulnerable to the economic pain of this public health crisis...
Granduca Hospitality Services, LLC Implements Aptech’s PVNG for Reduced Staff Requirements, Scalable Financial Operations
Aptech Computer Systems, Inc. | August 19, 2020
"PVNG Hotel Accounting Software Saves Time and Makes Our Workload Lighter" PITTSBURGH, August 19, 2020 – Aptech Computer Systems announced that Granduca Hospitality Services, LLC installed the PVNG Enterprise Back Office Accounting System to upgrade its financial processes. “It was like going from a Model T to a Ferrari,” said Ben Moore, area director of finance for Granduca Hotels. Granduca’s hotel accounting software evaluation was triggered when its previous system proved not flexible or scalable enough for its needs. “We wanted a leading-edge enterprise back office that was scalable, easy to use with flexible financial r...
Travel Channel Star & Industry Expert Anthony Melchiorri Calls on Congress to Save Hotel Industry
AAHOA | August 18, 2020
Anthony Melchiorri, CEO of Argeo Hospitality, host of Travel Channel’s Hotel Impossible and one of the hospitality industry’s top podcast, Anthony Melchiorri Live, appealed to Congress to address the liquidity crisis facing the nation's hotel owners as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. In a video message, Melchiorri urged lawmakers to enact substantive measures to help hoteliers such as as a second round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), banking relief for holders of commercial mortgage-backed security (CMBS) loans, access to the Main Street Lending Program for commercial real estate, and increased resources for the Economic Inju...
Four Seasons Hotel Chicago to Unveil Extensive Transformation Fall 2020
Four Seasons Hotel Chicago | August 18, 2020
Iconic luxury will be reimagined as Four Seasons Hotel Chicago announces a Hotel-wide transformation. Just steps from the Magnificent Mile and Michigan Avenue shopping district, the 347-room Hotel celebrated its 30-year anniversary last year with the commencement of this multi-million-dollar renovation. Re-emerging this fall as a vibrant hub of culture, style and energy, the Hotel will offer guests a taste of Chicago’s rich history and unique vibrancy through all-new designs and guest experiences. Building upon the hotel’s premier Forbes Five-star Status, the revitalisation includes a reconceptualised lobby and social lounge; a new res...
Top 5 Things You Need to Know Now in Hotel Digital Marketing: August Edition
Margaret Mastrogiacomo | August 18, 2020
By Margaret Mastrogiacomo As Q3 comes to an end and hoteliers prepare their Q4 digital strategy, it’s important to keep a pulse on the evolving digital landscape to make a greater impact on performance. This month, Google Search added flight and hotel features around COVID-19, Instagram launched Reels, and breaking the rules of typography becomes a budding design trend. From Search to Social Media and Design, here are the top 5 things you need to know now in hotel digital marketing. 1. Search: Google search adds flight and hotel features around COVID-19. After a few weeks of testing, Google has officially launched new flight search ...
AAHOA Elects New Secretary and Board Members
AAHOA | August 18, 2020
ATLANTA, Ga., Aug. 18 – Bharat Patel, CHO, of Sarasota, Fla., is the new AAHOA Secretary. Patel is the owner of Gulf Coast Hospitality Solutions, LLC. Previously, Patel served as Florida Regional Director on AAHOA’s Board of Directors. A record-setting number of eligible voters voted in this year’s election. The announcement came at the conclusion of AAHOA’s 2020 Virtual Convention & Trade Show. AAHOA members also elected the following individuals to the Board of Directors: Arkansas Regional Director: Chintu (Danny) Patel Florida Regional Director: Rahul I. Patel Georgia Regional Director: Vikesh (Vik) Zaver Greater...
No Time for Timid Leadership – The Safe Restart of Tourism Is Possible
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) | August 18, 2020
The cost of the restrictions on travel introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is there for all to see. Between January and May, the sudden and rapid fall in tourist arrivals cost an estimated $320 billion. That’s three times greater than the impact of the Great Recession of 2007-2009 on our sector – and this is just for the first five months of the year. The re-opening of borders to tourism is a welcome relief to millions who depend on our sector. But this alone is not enough, especially in view of recent announcements and measures which seem further and further away from the international coordination that UNWTO has been c...
Report: Hotel Industry Facing Historic Wave of Foreclosures
AHLA | August 18, 2020
WASHINGTON (August 18, 2020) – A new national report shows that the hotel industry is facing a historic wave of foreclosures as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate small business hotel owners and its workforce. Since the beginning of the pandemic the hotel segment has faced a historic number of delinquencies and is the most heavily hit sector of the commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) market. Nearly 4,000 hotel industry leaders sent an urgent letter to Congress urging immediate action to help hotels avoid foreclosure and the loss of tens of thousands of jobs. The report, compiled by Trepp, shows that the percentage of...
Aimbridge Hospitality Portfolio Expansion Continues
Aimbridge Hospitality LLC | August 18, 2020
DALLAS, Aug. 18, 2020 - Aimbridge Hospitality, the leading, global, third-party hotel management company with more than 1,400 branded and independent properties across 49 states and 20 countries, is continuing to expand with new additions to its portfolio across all verticals. Since March 2020, Aimbridge Hospitality has added more than 40 properties with over 5,000 guest rooms to its portfolio in addition to over 30 properties in the pipeline as of August 15, 2020. CEO Dave Johnson said, "We are excited about our robust portfolio growth and look forward to a continued positive trajectory." The new additions to Aimbridge's managed po...
NexGen Hotels Plans April 2021 Groundbreaking of Home2 Suites by Hilton in Des Plaines, Illinois
August 18, 2020
(Itasca, Illinois, Aug. 18, 2020) NexGen Hotels, a hotel development and management company, will break ground on its first Home2 Suites by Hilton this April. The property will be located at 1700 S. Higgins Rd. in Des Plaines, Illinois which is less than four miles from O’Hare International Airport The $16 million, five-story hotel has 107 suites and is scheduled to open the summer of 2022. NexGen Hotels is the general contractor and developer for the 63,000-square foot property. Origination Design based in Alpharetta, Georgia is the architect, and Genuine Hospitality Group located in St. Louis, Missouri will manage the hotel. H...
JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort to Debut in Southern California
JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort | August 18, 2020
ANAHEIM, Calif. - JW Marriott, part of Marriott International, Inc., announces the opening of the JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort set to take place on Wednesday, August 19, 2020. Located at the Anaheim GardenWalk, just steps from Disneyland Resort® and the Anaheim Convention Center, the Anaheim hotel provides travelers a luxury, curated experience that exudes warmth and peace. Whether you visit to work, learn, or play, be among the first guests to take part in a luxurious stay in one of the property’s 466 lavish guest rooms, including 19 suites with quiet floors. Boasting barn door entrances to closets and bathrooms and large walk-in showe...
6 Hospitality Trends for Rebuilding Consumer Trust as Hotels Reopen
EHL Insights | August 18, 2020
After what has been a dire time for hotels around the world, the industry is slowly rekindling its operations as lockdown is incrementally loosened. Alas, all is not as it once was. Increased health and safety concerns teamed with a heightened awareness for all things hygiene and social distancing mean hotels will first have to reassure their clientele that going on holiday is both safe and desirable. How will the industry go about regaining consumer trust? What hospitality trends will shape the new normal? EHL Insights presents 6 hypotheses. 1. Safety first Arguably the key factor in instilling trust among consumers is ensuring strict safe...
Ilemona Salifu Appointed Director of Sales, Events and Marketing for Baltimore’s Hotel Revival
Hotel Revival | August 18, 2020
Baltimore, MD – Hotel Revival, an award-winning, Hyatt-managed Joie de Vivre hotel located in the heart of Baltimore’s historic Mount Vernon neighborhood, is pleased to welcome hotel industry veteran Ilemona Salifu as director of sales, events and marketing. Salifu is taking on this new role in addition to his current position as director of sales, events and marketing at Hyatt Regency Baltimore. “Ilemona is a natural leader with a proven track record of establishing and maintaining relationships with clients and colleagues,” said Donte Johnson, general manager of Hotel Revival. “He not only delivers results, but he leads by ex...
