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
Hilton and Cornell’s Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship Bring Student Innovators Together for On-Campus Hackathon
The Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship | December 13, 2019
Students Challenged to “Revolutionize the Customer Journey” – with the Hotel Industry Emerging the Big Winner Hilton and the Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship (PIHE) at Cornell University’s School of Hospitality Administration (SHA) joined forces to bring students from across the University together for a two-day Hackathon on the Cornell campus in Ithaca. The Hackathon focused students on creating personalized digital customer journeys to deliver world-class, differentiated experiences. Among the students that competed at the event, more than 40% were “hotelies,” students at the indus...
Boston University School of Hospitality Administration Presents Hospitality Leadership Summit 2020
Boston University School of Hospitality Administration | December 13, 2019
Leadership in a Rapidly Changing Hospitality World Friday & Saturday, March 20-21, 2020 Connecting established global leaders in hospitality with rising stars of the industry for this symposium designed to inspire, empower, and equip the next generation. (December 13, 2019) Boston, MA – Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration (BU SHA) presents the SHA Hospitality Leadership Summit 2020, Leadership in a Rapidly Changing Hospitality World, Friday & Saturday, March 20-21, 2020 at The Hotel Commonwealth. This symposium features a dynamic line-up of speakers, sponsors, and panel topics on pressing issues and curr...
Today’s Metasearch: Why It Should Be in Every Hotel’s Marketing Mix
NextGuest Digital | December 12, 2019
Hoteliers are always looking for ways to improve their digital strategies and turn every dollar into an even greater revenue-driving initiative. Every hotelier’s marketing mix should include metasearch — especially considering all of the new and exciting updates coming to existing metasearch platforms and search engines. Google and TripAdvisor are rolling out new optimization and targeting options that will allow advertisers to reach relevant audiences and maximize spend. Also, Bing is introducing Bing Hotel Ads, and NextGuest is one of the first agencies to offer connectivity and presence on this important search engine. Download the ...
HITEC San Antonio Announces Best Selling Socialnomics Author Erik Qualman as Opening Keynote
HITEC | December 12, 2019
HITEC San Antonio will be June 15-18, 2020 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas USA Digital leadership speaker and author Erik Qualman will initiate a technology-focused week as the Opening Keynote speaker for the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®) in San Antonio, Texas USA. Qualman has performed in over 50 countries and reached 25 million people this decade. He will present his observations on digital trends and transformation to the 6,000 plus attendees expected at the 2020 event, which offers a high-quality education program and exhibition focusing on the latest in hospitality...
Margaritaville Hotel Nashville Opens Bringing 166 Guestrooms to the Heart of Music City’s SoBro District
Margaritaville Hotel Nashville | December 12, 2019
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 12, 2019 - Margaritaville Hotel Nashville, the newest addition to the Margaritaville portfolio, brings an entirely unique lodging concept to the destination with a "no worries" casual luxury atmosphere. Developed by Safe Harbor Development LLC and managed by Davidson Hotels & Resorts, the 12-story hotel features 166 guestrooms, as well as 52 Margaritaville Vacation Club® by Wyndham suites, and is centrally located a half block south of the Music City Center, near Broadway. Amenities include a rooftop relaxation and entertainment area with an outdoor pool, sundeck, fire pits and live entertainment; a 24-hour fitnes...
Hilton Expands Food Donation Initiative to Nearly 300 Hotels in Time for the Holidays
Hilton | December 12, 2019
Hilton’s efforts will feed more than 160,000 annually, while diverting millions of pounds of food waste from landfills McLean, Va. - As the holiday season approaches, Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is announcing the expansion of its innovative food donation initiative to all of its managed hotels across the United States and Canada, representing one of the largest hotel food donation programs to date. The company expects to donate nearly 100 tons of food over the next year — enough to feed more than 160,000 people — while also diverting millions of pounds of food waste from landfills. “We have a century-long tradition at Hilton of playing...
Noble Mourns Death of Long-Time Executive Mark Rafuse
Noble Investment Group | December 12, 2019
ATLANTA, Dec. 12, 2019 - Noble Investment Group ("Noble") today announced with great sadness the death of long-time executive, Mark Rafuse, from cardiac arrest. He had served in multiple leadership roles with the organization since 1999. "We are heartbroken by Mark's sudden passing," said Mit Shah, Noble's Chief Executive Officer. "Mark was a dear friend and partner and a dedicated steward of our Noble organization. He believed in our team and our mission and was unwavering in his commitment to our endeavors. I was honored to work alongside him for more than twenty years and we are going to profoundly miss his friendship. Our hearts...
JRK Property Holdings Selects Davidson Hotels & Resorts to Manage Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown
Davidson Hotels & Resorts | December 12, 2019
ATLANTA, Dec. 12, 2019- Davidson Hotels & Resorts, one of the nation's leading full-service hospitality management companies, has been selected by JRK Property Holdings to operate Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown. Centrally located in the heart of Music City, the 482-room property is the second in Nashville under Davidsonmanagement. "We are thrilled to welcome Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown to the Davidson family as the fifth Sheraton branded hotel in our premier portfolio," said Davidson Hotels & Resorts President Thom Geshay. "Through our hands-on approach, deep brand familiarity and extensive Nashville experience dating bac...
Parks Hospitality Breaks Ground on Tru by Hilton in Franklin, Tennessee
Tru by Hilton | December 12, 2019
FRANKLIN, Tenn. – December 12, 2019 – Parks Hospitality today broke ground on a new Tru by Hilton property located in Franklin, Tennessee. The 135-room, five-story hotel will be located at 1001 Knoll Top Lane and is owned by Parks Hospitality Group. It is expected to be completed late 2020. “We are very proud and honored to have partnered with Hilton to bring Tru by Hilton to Franklin, Tennessee,” said Trevor Walden, Vice President of Operations for Parks Hospitality Group. “Tru fills a void in the lodging industry for travelers seeking simplicity and value without compromising quality and design. We’re excited to bring this ex...
Apple Leisure Group and Hesperia Hotels & Resorts Debut Secrets Lanzarote Resort & Spa in Canary Islands
Apple Leisure Group | December 12, 2019
NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA – December 12, 2019 - AMResorts®, an Apple Leisure Group® (ALG) company, and Hesperia Hotels & Resorts, one of leading hotel groups in Spain, announced today the debut of the second Secrets® Resorts & Spas branded property in Europe with Secrets Lanzarote Resort & Spa. Following a €10 million renovation, the resort opened on December 9, and is located close to Lanzarote airport and alongside the beautiful marina of Puerto Calero. The property is owned and managed by Hesperia Resorts & Hotels. “We are thrilled to debut this new property on the island of Lanzarote, which marks another successful mi...
FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management Honors Alumni Accomplishments With First Ever Rising Star Awards
FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management | December 12, 2019
Alumni Top in Their Field from Hotel, Beverage, Cruise Management to Restaurants North Miami, Florida, December 12, 2019 … Florida International University’s (FIU) Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management awarded 18 of their top alumni with the very first Rising Star Awards during the first on campus alumni reunion in the school’s 47-year history. The alumni all graduated after the year 2000 and are top in their field in every aspect of the hospitality and tourism industry, from Beverage Management, to Hotel Management to Cruise Management and Restaurant Ownership and Operations. “We’re proud of our alumni and al...
Peachtree Hotel Group Launches Renovation and Rebranding of Four Points by Sheraton Knoxville Cumberland House
Peachtree Hotel Group | December 12, 2019
KNOXVILLE, TENN. DECEMBER 12, 2019 - Officials of Peachtree Hotel Group today announced the temporary transition of the Four Points by Sheraton Knoxville Cumberland House into the Cumberland House Knoxville while the hotel completes a $12 million, approximately six-month renovation to completely transform the hotel. Upon completion of the renovation in the early summer of 2020, the hotel will be rebranded as the Cumberland House Knoxville Hotel, Tapestry Collection by Hilton. “As we enhance the hotel to meet the requirements of upscale travelers to the Knoxville area, we will maintain operations as usual under a temporary, independent, bo...
The Hotel and Resort Macroeconomic Outlook for 2020 and 2021 / MaryJo Finocchiaro
MaryJo Finocchiaro | December 12, 2019
BOCA RATON, Fla., Dec. 12, 2019 - As 2020 rapidly approaches and the hotel industry is wrapping up its 10th consecutive year of growth since the Great Recession, hospitality industry professional MaryJo Finocchiaro, Chief Financial Officer at BRE Hotels & Resorts, offered her opinion on the hotel macroeconomic outlook for the coming year and beyond. "Hotel upcycles typically last for no more than a decade before the industry encounters a period of softening in demand and we're approaching that in the coming year," Finocchiaro said. "Additionally, socioeconomic and geopolitical events have also historically plagued the broader macroeco...
Boosting Your Career in 2020: Advice for Up-And-Coming Hospitality Players
Thomas Mielke | December 12, 2019
Part of the European Emerging Leaders Network Roundtable Discussion Each individual has the responsibility to take charge of his or her own development and career. Those eager to do this should keep the following in mind: Burst the bubble: It is easy to get comfortable with doing what you know works and looking for the commonplace solution. Operating inside the “bubble” of the known prevents you from driving innovation forward. Investigate cross-department and cross-industry opportunities: Employers today are generally quite open to allowing employees to work for a time in different areas within the company, or even to leave ...
Dream Hotel Group Appoints Randy Taormina as Vice President of Operations
Dream Hotels | December 12, 2019
Renowned hotel brand and management company, Dream Hotel Group is pleased to announce the promotion of Randy Taormina to Vice President of Operations, effective immediately. In this role, Taormina will be responsible for successfully leading the operations and lifecycles of two flagship Dream Hotel Group properties – Dream Downtown in New York, NY, and Dream Nashville in Tennessee, which opened its doors to great fanfare earlier this year, as well as other Dream Hotel Group locations portfolio-wide. “It is an exciting time for internal growth at Dream Hotel Group, especially as our Dream Hotels brand continues to expand in new loc...
The Historic Cavalier Hotel & Beach Club Appoints Executive Chef, Javier Cuesta Muñoz
The Cavalier Complex | December 12, 2019
Muñoz Brings Decades of Culinary Expertise to the Iconic Virginia Beach Hotel The Historic Cavalier Hotel & Beach Club is excited to announce the appointment of Executive Chef, Javier Cuesta Muñoz. Muñoz joins the ever-evolving Cavalier Complex team with over 23 years of experience in the kitchen. Recognized as a visionary chef, Muñoz brings exceptional culinary leadership and expertise to the property’s three award-winning dining establishments. With extensive culinary training and a fine-dining background in food-centric cities including Spain, France, and Switzerland, Muñoz leads the Cavalier team with a new global approac...
Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts Selects IDeaS G3 RMS to Optimize Revenue Across Seven Properties
IDeaS | December 12, 2019
Seaside Resorts implements IDeaS’ automated, demand-driven intelligence to streamline and optimize its revenue management processes IDeaS Revenue Solutions, the world’s leading provider of revenue management software and services, announced today it will implement IDeaS G3 Revenue Management System (RMS) across Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts’ independent seven-property portfolio. Looking to improve a labor-intensive, manual revenue management process, Seaside Resorts will integrate IDeaS with Maestro’s rate rules engine, as well as complement its NAVIS system, to enhance its total connected hotel technology ecosystem. Automat...
HITEC Europe Returns to Stunning Mallorca, Spain in April 2020
HITEC | December 11, 2019
It is officially December — and while many are dreaming of a white Christmas, HFTP also dreams of an iridescent spring, when HITEC Europe 2020 returns to Palma, Mallorca, Spain. Azure waters. Limestone mountains. Historic villages. These are just a few choice phrases to describe Mallorca, where business and leisure will collide in the best possible way for hospitality finance and technology professionals in April 2020. HITEC Europe will take place April 21–23, 2020 at the Palau de Congressos. Attendees can look forward to attaining the exceptional professional development that HITEC delivers in an unforgettable Mediterranean travel d...
Key Takeaways Fom the 2019 Western Canadian Lodging Conference: Cautious Outlook, Technological Disruption, and a More Experience-Focussed Industry
Shu Lin (Sharon) Liu | December 11, 2019
By Shu Lin (Sharon) Liu HVS was the Platinum Sponsor for the 2019 Western Canadian Lodging Conference (WCLC) that was held in Vancouver on November 25 and 26, 2019. The event welcomed more than 400 delegates, the highest attendance in the history of the conference. The main takeaways from the conference are briefly summarized in this article. Caution was the dominant sentiment expressed at WCLC 2019, primarily because of challenges specific to the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. While the Canadian lodging sector is currently achieving peak performance levels, hoteliers in Western Canada are expecting a slowdown in growth over the...
NextGuest Wins 9 HSMAI Adrian Awards for 2019
HSMAI | December 11, 2019
NextGuest, a leading authority in hotel digital technology and marketing, has been honored with nine Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Adrian Awards for 2019. These add to the over 500 awards the company has acquired over the years. Now in its 63rd year, the HSMAI Adrian Awards is among the most prestigious hospitality competitions in the world, celebrating the best of the industry. NextGuest is pleased to receive the following awards: Silver Viceroy Hotels & Resorts Instagram Story Ad for Spring Campaign – For many Viceroy properties, the spring and early summer months are nee...
Hersha Hospitality Management Appoints Andrés Padilla as Executive Chef for The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park
The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park | December 11, 2019
El Paso, Texas — December 11, 2019 — Hersha Hospitality Management (HHM) announced Andrés Padilla has been named executive chef of The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park. Chef Padilla will oversee all food and beverage experiences for the 130-room property, including two restaurants & bars, in-room dining and private events. Influenced by Padilla’s travels throughout Mexico, Ámbar Restaurante will serve wood-fired, modern Mexican cuisine. Offering panoramic views of Mexico, New Mexico and El Paso, La Perla is an exclusive rooftop dining and cocktail venue that will feature seafood-driven plates. Set to open in early 2020, the beauti...
What Does the Expectation Economy Mean for Hoteliers in 2020 and Beyond?
Alan Young | December 11, 2019
By Alan E. Young Within the hospitality industry, we are frequently introduced to new, wide-spread economic trends. First, it was the “Mobile Era,” then we got to know the “Age of the Consumer” and the “Experience Economy,” and now, the term on everyone’s mind? The “Expectation Economy.” As we open our doors and usher in the savvy and informed travelers of today, we are met with a long list of heightened expectations that apply to each and every guest touchpoint. Within this modern economy, expectations are high, and so are the stakes for hoteliers. Guests are more informed, demanding, and less patient than ever before. ...
Arthouse Hotel New York City Appoints Ross Fatemi as Director of Sales & Marketing
December 11, 2019
NEW YORK, NY – December 11, 2019 – Arthouse Hotel New York City announces the appointment of Ross Fatemi as Director of Sales & Marketing. Fatemi joins Arthouse to lead the Upper West Side boutique hotel’s sales and marketing efforts and play an active role in its multi-million-dollar renovation slated for 2020. “We are thrilled to welcome Ross to the Arthouse team,” said Barbara Christoph, General Manager of Arthouse Hotel. “His extensive background in lifestyle hospitality and guest experience will help further Arthouse Hotel’s reputation as a cultural catalyst in the heart of Manhattan’s beloved Upper West Side neigh...
Mainsail Lodging & Development Appoints Jon Atanacio as Executive Chef for The Karol Hotel Opening in January 2020
Mainsail Lodging & Development LLC | December 11, 2019
TAMPA, Fla. (December 11, 2019) – The Karol Hotel, the first Tribute Portfolio hotel coming to Pinellas County, Florida, in January 2020, announced today the appointment of Jon Atanacio as Executive Chef. Chef Jon will direct daily culinary operations at the hotel’s signature K Club Bar & Bistro and Vantage Rooftop Bar, while overseeing food and beverage offerings for meetings, corporate events, local catering functions and special occasions in the hotel’s 7,340 square feet of event space. Named by Fred Bullard, a veteran developer in the hospitality industry, in honor of his energetic and accomplished wife, Karol Bullard, this uniq...
