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Nobody Asked Me, But…No.150; Hotel History: The Breakers Hotel (1896)* & Whitehall Mansion (1902)
Stanley Turkel, CMHS | October 13, 2015
By Stanley Turkel, CMHS 1. Hotel History: The Breakers Hotel, Palm Beach, Florida Henry Morrison Flagler's first hotel in Palm Beach was the 439-room Royal Poinciana which opened in 1894. It was called the "Queen of Winter Resorts" and was considered the largest resort hotel in the world. In order to build the Royal Poinciana and the Florida East Coast Railway at the same time, black workers were brought from the Bahamas. They lived in a segregated camp, called the "Styx" without running water and electricity. In the center of the six-story building was a large rotunda from which ran several miles of corridors. There were ...
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...
Hotel Brands’ Struggle to Understand Airbnb: The IHG Edition
Vikram Singh | October 8, 2015
by Vikram Singh When I'm on Twitter, I'm usually catching up on some of my favorite comedians (mostly comediennes) and posting my own material. But every now and then, some non-comedic items capture my attention. This live tweet caught my eye on September 30. Sean McCracken* with Hotel News Now posted this update from IHG's annual conference. *(Let's get our "release the kraken" jokes out of the way. I bet he hears them a lot.) Wow. The "Solomons" referred to in the above tweet is not some mid-level manager at IHG trying to shake up the crowds. He is the Big Kahuna/CEO of Intercontinental Hotels Group! At first I could not believe that...
Tourism Tidbits: Tourism Business Networking
Dr. Peter Tarlow | October 5, 2015
by Dr. Peter Tarlow Now that the summer months are over (or in the southern hemisphere about to begin) we are in the shoulder season. This is the time to contemplate our local tourism industry and its role in the wider community. Just as tourism links people and places around the world, so tourism officials also need to link up with other tourism business and government agencies and business to be successful. Tourism networking comes in a variety of "shapes and styles". We can divide tourism networking in many ways, but three simple ways are: tourism networking within the industry and profession, tourism networking with allied industrie...
Lodging Forecast 2016 by Bob Rauch
Bob Rauch | October 5, 2015
For the past several years we have put out our forecast for 2016 at the beginning of Q4 as we've had time to analyze the data and hear from industry experts at The Lodging Conference. This year's conference is this week and while there will be a lot of valuable data, 2015 was such a strong year that the indicators for 2016 give us enough confidence to already forecast for next year. Rest assured, I'll pepper my future articles with the insights gleaned from The Lodging Conference, one of our industry's most useful and successful events I might add, but waiting will only delay your planning for a successful 2016. According to UBS, a stro...
Exceptional Leaders PLUS Exceptional Service = A Successful Season!
Bryan & B.Williams Enterprise, LLC | September 22, 2015
Join Dr. Bryan Williams for a leadership and service excellence training that will educate, inspire and challenge you and your staff to deliver world class service. Two Locations! October 26, 2015: Hilton Naples – Naples, Florida October 27, 2015: Palm Beach Convention Center – West Palm Beach, Florida TWO SESSIONS! *Leading a 5-Star Service Team This session is focused for leaders will review the leadership skills and competencies needed to lead a 5-star caliber team. Special emphasis will be placed on proven techniques and processes used by highly effective leaders worldwide. Learn how to: Build a team of highly eng...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 149; Hotel History: West Baden Springs Hotel (1902)*, West Baden, Indiana
Stanley Turkel, CMHS | September 21, 2015
Availability as an Expert Witness By Stanley Turkel, CMHS 1. Hotel History: West Baden Springs Hotel, West Baden, Indiana In 1855, the town of Mile Lick, a mile north of the giant salt lick and springs in French Lick was renamed West Baden. In 1888, Lee Wiley Sinclair acquired controlling interest in the West Baden Hotel. Sinclair promoted his hotel as a cosmopolitan resort including a casino known as "The Carlsbad of America", an opera house, a two-deck covered oval bicycle and pony track. The Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates held their spring training in the area. Unfortunately, the ent...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 148; Hotel History: French Lick Springs Hotel, French Lick, Indiana*
Stanley Turkel, CMHS | September 8, 2015
Availability as an Expert Witness By Stanley Turkel, CMHS 1. Hotel History: French Lick Springs Hotel, French Lick, Indiana* The first hotel was built on this site in 1845 by Dr. William Bowles as a health resort to take advantage of the natural sulphur springs and mineral water. The original hotel burned down in 1897 but was rebuilt on a grander scale by Thomas Taggart, the mayor of Indianapolis (and later a U.S. Senator). The Monon Railroad built a spur directly to the hotel grounds with daily passenger service to Chicago. Casino gambling, although illegal, flourished at the resort. In its heyday in the Roaring Twenties, the surroundi...
Tripartite Master of Science in Global Hospitality Business Kick Started to Groom Industry Leaders
PolyU's School of Hotel and Tourism Management | September 8, 2015
September 8, 2015 - Twenty-eight eager and excited students were warmly welcomed to the inaugural Master of Science (MSc) in Global Hospitality Business programme at the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL), Switzerland, on 7 September 2015. With an international, business-centred and highly demanding curriculum, the MSc in Global Hospitality Business provides an ambitious programme for future hospitality leaders. Designed by three world-class centres of educational excellence, the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management...
Tourism Tidbits: Tourism & Tourism Trends: Changes in the Way We Spend Our Time
Dr. Peter Tarlow | September 3, 2015
by Dr. Peter Tarlow During the last decades, upward mobile people bragged that they were ever more increasingly busy. The "snowed-under" phenomenon was so powerful that many people were ashamed to take a vacation and when vacations were taken they were usually for long weekends. This work-until-you-drop mentality impacted tourism in any number of ways. For example, many women went through an internal battle between their desire to stay home with their young children and their desire, or need to work. The tourism industry gave many of those women who chose to work an opportunity to enter into the workforce not merely at entry-level posit...
Naked Bootleg: Football Play Gives Game Plan to Hoteliers, Restaurateurs & Tourism Industry Business
Robert Rauch, CHA | September 2, 2015
by Robert Rauch Naked bootleg is a term used in football whereby the quarterback runs counter to his blockers and tries to create a run or pass opportunity with no help from his blockers. The Great Recession forced us to operate our businesses naked because until the last few years, we had no "wind at our backs" from a strong economy and no "compression" from other areas such as conventions or events. We had to build our businesses from scratch during those difficult times and even now, it is incredibly competitive in the sales market. Management today must include creative leadership that stresses the urgency to work as a team and find...
Nobody Asked Me, But…No. 147; Hotel History: The Montauk Manor, Montauk, Long Island, N.Y.*
Stanley Turkel, CMHS | August 24, 2015
My Four Hotel Books; Availability as an Expert Witness By Stanley Turkel, CMHS 1. Hotel History: The Montauk Manor, Montauk, Long Island, N.Y.* The history of modern Montauk on eastern Long Island is intimately interwoven with the legendary real-estate developer Carl Graham Fisher. In 1925, Fisher purchased the entire peninsula of Montauk – over 10,000 acres in total for $2.5 million – to develop as a grand resort. Much of what makes up today's Montauk – its roads, churches, downtown village, harbor area, golf course, and dozens of commercial buildings and homes, were built by Fisher during a whirlwind of development from 1926 to ...
Heart of the House
Bryan Williams of B.Williams Enterprise | August 24, 2015
by Bryan Williams Here is what I believe: You are either serving the customer or you are serving someone who is. Simply put...Everyone's job exists to do something for someone else. Therefore, everyone's job is important, needed, and relevant. The Dalai Lama once said, "If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito". Front of House and Back of House In almost every service-based business, there is the "front of house" (FOH) and the "back of house" (BOH). The FOH consists of all the customer-contact staff, and the BOH is comprised of those folks who are not as seen, but still play a crucial role. Cooks...
The End of Hotel Rate Parity: Much Ado About Nothing
Vikram Singh | August 19, 2015
by Vikram Singh Over the past few months, there has been a lot of talk about the imminent "end of hotel rate parity" and what it means for the hotel industry. Rulings in favor of ending rate parity clauses have been handed down by regulatory bodies in France, UK, Sweden and Italy. (Rate parity is the practice of maintaining consistent rates for the same product in all online distribution channels—Expedia, Priceline, etc.—regardless of what commission the OTA makes.) The reactions to a scenario in which rate parity will not be required or enforced have ranged from "OMG! This is the greatest thing ever!" to "This will destroy the OTA'...
JLL Reports Hotel Transaction Volumes Have Hit a New High: A Video Report
JLL | August 5, 2015
CHICAGO, LONDON, SINGAPORE, August 5th, 2015 – 2015 is on track to be a record year for foreign investment into hotels says JLL (NYSE: JLL) as the company announces that global hotel transactions reached US$42 billion in the first half of the year driven by a wealth of foreign investment. The largest total deal volumes in the first half of the year were witnessed in the Americas at US$24 billion, up 73% year-on-year (y-o-y). This is followed by EMEA, up 55% to US$15 billion, whilst the Asia Pacific region saw a slight decline in investment volumes, down 6% to US$4 billion. Whilst American private equity funds remain the largest source...
Tourism Tidbits: Tourism, Children and Young Adults: Part 2 of 2 – The Outbound Side
Dr. Peter Tarlow | August 5, 2015
Things we need to be aware of to protect our traveling youth by Dr. Peter Tarlow Last month we examined the "inbound side" of youth tourism. That is, positive steps and actions that locations need to do to keep the youth market safe. This month we examine the other side of the coin, what we can do to teach students and young people, who are traveling abroad what they can do to stay out of trouble and to improve their safety. In the case of minors traveling abroad, or young adults in general, these lessons are also important for parents and legal guardians. Once again, it should be emphasized that there is no guarantee of 100% safety whe...
2016 Business Planning Guide by Robert Rauch
Robert Rauch, CHA | August 4, 2015
The hospitality industry is changing by the minute and this often creates challenges for hoteliers to keep up with the latest trends, drive profits and increase guest satisfaction. As 2016 quickly approaches, it is important to put together an actionable business plan, in particular a "digital business plan!" This plan includes your budgeted revenues and expenses for each department! Before jumping head first into your plan, it is important to remember that one person cannot do this alone. Today's hospitality industry is way too complex for a General Manager and Director of Sales to attempt to map out a success plan without a full team....
Nobody Asked Me, But…No. 146: Hotel History: The Iowa Franchise Investment Act of 1992
Stanley Turkel, CMHS | August 3, 2015
Four Hotel Books; My Service as an Expert Witness By Stanley Turkel, CMHS 1. Hotel History: The Iowa Franchise Investment Act of 1992 (On January 15, 2003, I wrote this editorial which was published by Hotel Interactive) As you probably know, there are no federal laws requiring franchisors to abide by the common law duty of good faith in their dealings with franchisees; no fiduciary duty when the franchisor handles its franchisees' money in pooled advertising funds; and no duty of due care that the franchisor must show to its franchisees. It is the absence of national minimum standards of fair dealing that is responsible for most franch...
European Hotel Deals Up 85% on 2014 Says JLL
JLL's Hotels & Hospitality Group | July 20, 2015
20 July, 2015 EMEA H1 2015 volumes up 85% on 2014 UK up 172% on 2014 Private equity funds targeting Europe, particularly UK regional hotels Chinese investment has reached $1.9bn already this year Greek crisis will not put off investors Half year volumes from JLL's Hotel & Hospitality team indicate that 2015 is set to be a bumper year for hotel deals in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). EMEA half-year transaction volumes are up 85% on the same period in 2014 to €13.2bn transacted. This rise is primarily driven by the UK which is pulling away as the stand-out regional leader accounting for nearly 50% of all hotel deals i...
Nobody Asked Me, But…No. 145; Hotel History: Hotel Burnham, Chicago, Illinois (1895)
Stanley Turkel, CMHS | July 20, 2015
"Hotel Mavens" Reviewed by the New York Times By Stanley Turkel, CMHS 1. Hotel History: Hotel Burnham, Chicago, Illinois* Located in the heart of Chicago's loop, the Hotel Burnham is one of the most important early skyscrapers in America. Originally built as the Reliance Building, it was designed by John Root and Charles B. Atwood of the Burnham and Root architectural firm. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976. David W. Dunlap wrote in the New York Times (July 25, 1999): "Six decades ahead of its time, the chrystalline Reliance Building soa...
Service Excellence: I Can’t Imagine a World Without
Bryan Williams of B.Williams Enterprise | July 20, 2015
by Bryan Williams If a grocery store can win a Forbes 5-Stars rating, this store would be it. It's one thing to be exceptional, and it's another to be consistently exceptional. MOM's Organic Store in the Washington DC Metro Area is just that; Consistently Exceptional. I can honestly say that every hotel can learn from the workplace and service culture that MOM's cultivates. Here are a few key points that MOM's excels at (and all hotels can emulate): The Staff is Knowledgeable There's something to be said for competency. If I ask ANY employee about ANY product in the store, they either know the answer or find out. One time, I was in the...
The Transformation of the Hotel Industry from Art to Science
Robert Rauch, CHA | July 8, 2015
By Robert A. Rauch, CHA, President of RAR Hospitality The venerable institution of hospitality has been turning around over the past two decades. The combined impact of shifting demographics and new technologies are the primary catalysts for this metamorphosis. The Internet provides consumers an opportunity to think of the hotels as commodities. Hotels had been lowering prices to gain a competitive advantage from 2009 to 2013 but are now raising prices as quickly as possible, hoping that the music won't stop soon. The many changes occurring today are proof positive that this industry is no longer limited to being an "art." We have offic...
Les Clefs d’Or USA Selects Bryan K. Williams as the Educational Keynote Speaker
Bryan & B.Williams Enterprise, LLC | July 8, 2015
Bowie, MD (July 8, 2015) – Les Clefs d'Or USA has selected Bryan K. Williams to be the keynote speaker of the education session for its 2015 congress in New Orleans, Louisiana. The prestigious, annual event will be held at Le Meridien Hotel from July 13 – 17, 2015. Dr. Williams is a renowned international speaker and author, whose topics focus on service excellence and leadership effectiveness. The purpose of Les Clefs d'Or USA is to enhance the technical skills and professionalism of hotel concierges; foster the development of the hotel industry; and maintain the highest possible standards of service for hotel guests. "We're honore...
Tourism Tidbits: Tourism, Children and Young Adults: Part 1 of 2 – The Inbound Side
Dr. Peter Tarlow | July 6, 2015
Things we need to be aware of to protect our traveling youth by Dr. Peter Tarlow Tourism should be about children, not only children by age, but in a sense the "child" that exists within each of us. Childhood is a time of beautiful naiveté, it is a time of innocence and a time of wonderment within and with a world that is open to exploration. There are whole industries within the world of tourism dedicated to childhood and to children, from, amusement parks to playgrounds from summer camps to places such as the Disney properties around the world, these are carefree centers where the beauty of childhood can be lived in a less stressful ...
