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Unique Forms of Tourism – Thinking Outside the Box
Dr. Peter E. Tarlow | June 10, 2014
by Dr. Peter Tarlow People travel for many reasons. Some travel for business, others travel for a sense of adventure or for relaxation. Leisure travel only succeeds if it provides two essential elements (1) the travel experience must offer something that the visitor cannot obtain at home and (2) the travel experience must provide memories. In fact, we can postulate that the travel and tourism business sells memories. Globalization has done many wonderful things not only for people in general but also for the travel industry. There is no doubt that never before in history have so many people have had so many travel opportunities to place...
Single-Asset Transactions in U.S. Hotel Market Up 40% to $5.7B; On Track to Reach $25B in 2014
June 4, 2014
NEW YORK, June 4, 2014 – Midway through 2014, the U.S. lodging sector is delivering plenty of news to keep investors and lenders bullish. While on the ground at the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, JLL's Hotels & Hospitality experts announced that the sector is on track to reach $25 billion in transaction volumes in the U.S. in 2014. Driving the forward momentum are factors including: An abundance of equity capital, led by private equity and REITs, but also including a diverse array of other investor types, including off-shore buyers Strong debt markets, including the re-emergence of the floating ra...
Nobody Asked Me, But…No. 125; Hotel History: Martha Washington Hotel*; Quote of the Month
Stanley Turkel, CMHS | June 2, 2014
By Stanley Turkel, CMHS 1. Hotel History: The Martha Washington Hotel* In late August 2014, King & Grove Hotels announced that it restored the original name to the Martha Washington Hotel. The Martha Washington Hotel opened on March 2, 1903 as the first New York hotel exclusively for women. All the employees were women with a hostess and chaperones in attendance at all times. An opening day advertisement in the Hotel Gazette showed an illustration of Martha Washington and said: Hotel Martha Washington 29th and 30th Sts., Near Fifth Ave., N.Y. City EXCLUSIVELY FOR WOMEN 450 rooms en suite and single, $1.50 per day ...
Hotel Pay Per Click: Your Single Most Powerful Marketing Tool
Vikram Singh | May 27, 2014
by Vikram Singh I have had a front row seat to the hotel pay per click (PPC) world for the past decade. PPC is not new, but it's rapidly changing. One thing that hasn't changed: hotel marketers and owners are still caught up in debates about its effectiveness and viability. As a result, a lot of hotels are still not embracing the power of pay per click. Google's Golden Goose Time for a reality check: Since its inception in October 2000, pay per click advertising, aka Google Adwords, has been Google's nonstop money-making Golden Goose. Here are some powerful statistics highlighting its power: In 2013, Google officially surpassed $50 bi...
PolyU Signs Agreement to Create Tripartite Master’s Degree in Global Hospitality Business
PolyU's School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) | May 20, 2014
20 May 2014 - The School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) and Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management of the University of Houston (CNHC) have come together to sign a Letter of Intent (LOI) to establish a tripartite master's degree in global hospitality business. The three institutions, representing the best of the East and the best of the West, join hands to nurture talents of a new generation and define the future of the global hospitality industry's development. The signing ceremony took place today at the SHTM's teaching and resear...
Figures for Q1 2014 Show 155% Hike in London Hotel Investment Market According to Jones Lang LaSalle
Jones Lang LaSalle's Hotels & Hospitality Group | May 19, 2014
May 19, 2014 - Q1 hotel investment figures released by JLL show a 155 per cent increase in the London hotel investment market in Q1 2014 compared to Q1 last year and a 33 per cent rise in Asian investment into the capital's hotel market compared to Q4 2013, with private equity firms making up over a quarter of the investment total. Total investment in the London market for this quarter stood at £527.8 million, up by 8 per cent from Q4 2013 and 155 per cent from Q1 2013 when it stood at £207.2m. The largest source of investment in Q1 and Q4 came from the UK domestic market, although the percentage fell by 39 per cent from Q4. The highe...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 124; Hotel History: The Cliff House Resort & Spa, Ogunquit, Maine
Stanley Turkel, CMHS | May 5, 2014
Quote of the Month; My New Book By Stanley Turkel, CMHS 1. Hotel History: The Cliff House Resort & Spa* On April 14, 2014, it was announced that fourth-generation owner Kathryn Weare sold the historic Cliff House Resort & Spa to the Rockbridge hotel investment firm. Sometimes the history of a place and of a family extend so far across time that their identities intertwine and become one. Such a place is The Cliff House, and such a family is Weare. The story begins in 1866. The Civil War had just ended, and the nation turned its attention to reconstruction and rebuilding its spirit. One of the North's military necessities durin...
Hotel Marketing Is Not a Substitute for Innovation
Vikram Singh | April 30, 2014
By Vikram Singh One of the trends I have been noticing is that hotels continually generate hype instead of value. Hyper-marketing on social media platforms has led to a race for hotels to participate in everything; that participation then somehow reflects the level of "modern-ness" or innovation at your hotel. On the contrary, innovation requires time and effort, from ownership and management, and the on-property staff. Asking your internet marketing vendor to bring innovation to your hotel does not work. It just enables them to sell you a new product or service. True innovation, on the other hand, supercharges your marketing. You have ...
The 260-key New-Build Hilton Mexico City Santa Fe Opens in Mexico
Dr. Peter E. Tarlow | April 7, 2014
SANTA FE, Mexico and MCLEAN, Va. - April 7, 2014 - Hilton Worldwide announced the opening of Hilton Mexico City Santa Fe, a 260-room new-build Hilton Hotels & Resorts property in Santa Fe, Mexico City. The property forms part of Samara - one of the five largest mixed-use complexes in Mexico. "We are excited to open our seventh Hilton Hotels & Resorts property in Mexico, as we continue our brand's expansion throughout Latin America," said Rob Palleschi, global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts. "The stylish Hilton Mexico City Santa Fe will welcome travelers with Hilton hospitality and introduce our signature brand elements in thi...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 123; Hotel History: Boone Tavern Hotel, Berea, Kentucky
Stanley Turkel, CMHS | April 1, 2014
Quote of the Month; My New Book By Stanley Turkel, CMHS 1. Hotel History: Boone Tavern Hotel* Built on the old Dixie Highway and named after Kentucky explorer Daniel Boone, the historic Boone Tavern Hotel is located on College Square in Berea, Kentucky. The hotel is owned by Berea College and operated with student workers from the College Labor Program. Students earn money for books, room and board but pay no tuition (valued at $25,500 per year), thanks to the generosity of donors who support Berea College's mission of providing a free high quality education for students primarily from Appalachia who have high academic potential and li...
Avoiding Tourism Marketing Disasters – Part I by Dr. Peter Tarlow
Dr. Peter E. Tarlow | April 1, 2014
(The May Edition will focus on the Recovery) All too often tourism professionals have taken the position that if I do not talk about a potential disaster then it will not occur. Although prayer is good for the soul, tourism is too big a business and too important to the wellbeing of too many people to leave it only to prayer. The old adage that God helps those who help themselves is not only theological but also should be the foundation for any tourism industry's disaster avoidance plan. It is essential then that tourism professionals realize that it is their responsibility to think about all possible problems and have not only a plan t...
How to Supercharge Your Hotel Revenue After Rebranding
Vikram Singh | March 21, 2014
By Vikram Singh A Tale of Two Brands (based on a true story) Once upon a time in December 2012, there was a hotel asset. It lived in a spectacular location, right on the shore of the Pacific Ocean. But alas, it was caught in the middle of an epic battle between The Brand (who managed the hotel) and The Bank (who owned the hotel). This 500+ room hotel was located in one of the fastest-growing cities in the US. The Brand had a strong presence in this location, and in other metropolitan cities. It was a regular haunt of A-list to D-list stars. The Brand was strong, but The Bank was stronger. Someone had to intervene. There are very few pri...
Panelists Discuss Lodging Industry Forecast; 6% RevPAR Increase Predicted for 2014 & 2015
R.A. Rauch & Associates | March 18, 2014
March 18, 2014 - San Diego, CA - R.A. Rauch & Associates (RAR) hosted Onward & Upward: A Lodging Industry Forecast for 2014 on Friday, March 14, 2014 at the company's owned and managed Hilton Garden Inn San Diego/Del Mar. RAR president and renowned "hotel guru" Robert Rauch co-moderated the event with San Diego economist Gary London, president of The London Group Realty Advisors. The distinguished panel also included leading hospitality attorney Guy Maisnik, Partner, Vice Chair, Global Hospitality Group at JMBM; market leading hotel broker Alan Reay, President, Atlas Hospitality Group; and digital media and sales specialist Sand...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 122; Hotel History: The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
Stanley Turkel, CMHS | March 11, 2014
Quote of the Month; My New Book By Stanley Turkel, CMHS 1. Hotel History: The Greenbrier The original hotel, the Grand Central Hotel, was built on this site in 1858. It was known as "The White" and later "The Old White". Beginning in 1778, people came to follow the local Native American tradition to "take the waters" to restore their health. In the 19th century, visitors drank and bathed in the sulphur water to cure everything from rheumatism to an upset stomach. In the 1830s, the resort became well known as judges, lawyers, diplomats, ministers, planters and merchants from southern states visited the Old White resort in the summer for ...
Protecting Our Most Important Asset: Our Children: Tourism’s Fight Against Child Sexual Exploitation
Dr. Peter E. Tarlow | March 3, 2014
by Dr. Peter Tarlow Tourism security has traditionally been about protecting visitors from themselves, from other tourists and from locals who seek to rob and or steal from them, commit fraud against them or in one way or another verbally or physically assault the visitor. Unfortunately not all visitors are angles of perfection, and at least in some nations around the world children are sold into sexual slavery to be used by and at the visitor's pleasure. Despite what most people want to believe there are people who travel for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with a minor. There are many reasons for this sickness, ranging from the...
Nobody Asked Me, But…No. 121; Hotel History: Ponce de Leon Hotel (1888), St. Augustine, Florida
Stanley Turkel, CMHS | February 19, 2014
Quote of the Month; My New Book By Stanley Turkel, CMHS 1. Hotel History: Ponce de Leon Hotel, St. Augustine, Florida* The Ponce de Leon Hotel was built by millionaire Henry Morrison Flagler, Standard Oil co-founder (with John D. Rockefeller) and opened in 1888. Flagler had taken his second wife on a honeymoon to Jacksonville and further south to the seaside village of St. Augustine (the oldest permanent European settlement in the United States). Flagler loved the breathtaking expanse of sea and shore, and enjoyed the clear skies and balmy weather when most of the rest of the country's residents (then concentrated in the northeast) were...
The Key to Consistent Service by Bryan Williams
B.Williams Enterprise | February 12, 2014
Do all customers deserve great service? What about those who always find something to complain about? How about those who never tip...or never say "thank you"...or never seem to smile, ever? Up to this point, most of my writing, consulting, and training have always been based on the premise that all customers deserve the best we have to offer. After a recent encounter, however, my eyes are now open and I understand a very important truth that I never fully grasped before. At some point, we have to realize that our motivation to provide exceptional service cannot be based on the customer or whether he or she deserves it or not. Grocery s...
Hotel Marketing Cannibalization: Is Your Hotel Website Traffic Eating Itself?
Vikram Singh, co-founder, Madbooker | February 7, 2014
By Vikram Singh Hotels, bed and breakfasts, and vacation rentals are all competing for their market share of today's travelers, who are armed with multiple devices and tools to search for lodging . Even if you get their clicks, it's getting harder to keep their attention. Add to the mix Airbnb, deep pocket OTA's, and meta search engines, and you are now competing in the big leagues, no matter how big or small your lodging operation is. Now there is one competitor you absolutely do not need – yourself! Cannibalization of your hotel website traffic happens when you help your visitors leave your site via external links. It takes a lo...
Tourism Tidbits: Marketing in Good and Challenging Times by Dr. Peter Tarlow
Dr. Peter E. Tarlow | February 5, 2014
Marketing is never easy, especially when we are selling a non-tangible and often considered superficial or non-essential product. Many consider tourism such a product. It is the job of the tourism marketer to convince the public that a vacation is more than a mere want; that it is also a need. In 2013 the Board of Directors of the American Marketing Association approved the following definition for marketing: Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. (Approved July 2013). The defin...
Nobody Asked Me, But…No. 120 Hotel History: Wolcott Hotel (1904); Quote of the Month; My New Book
Stanley Turkel, CMHS | January 28, 2014
By Stanley Turkel, CMHS 1. Hotel History: Wolcott Hotel (1904)* Although it opened on March 1, 1904, the Wolcott remains one of New York City's best-kept hotel bargain secrets. Centrally located on 31st Street, just 3 blocks down Fifth Avenue from the Empire State Building, the Wolcott was designed by one of the most famous architects in the United States, architect John H. Duncan (1855-1929). He came to prominence in the early 1890s when he designed the Ulysses S. Grant's Tomb and townhouses for some of New York's richest families: Otto H. Kahn, Arthur Lehman, the Goelets and Strausses. Duncan also designed one of the greatest public ...
Top 5 Resolutions Hotels Should Make to Boost Online Revenue
Vikram Singh | January 22, 2014
By Vikram Singh We have entered a new year of awesome possibilities. The hospitality and lodging business is poised for more disruption, innovation and growth. I would love to see my readers address and implement a very simple list of hotel marketing strategies this year. Doing so will help boost your online revenue and make your marketing more meaningful and self-reliant. 1. Own Your Best Revenue Channel: Your Website This is an excellent year to take ownership of your most important digital asset. Amazingly, the majority of hotels, B&B's, and vacation rentals today are still "renting" their websites. You simply cannot be doing thi...
Nobody Asked Me, But…No. 119; Is Marriott’s Edition Brand Outlook Bright? What Makes a City Great?
Stanley Turkel, CMHS | January 14, 2014
Quote of the Month; My New Book By Stanley Turkel, CMHS January 14, 2014 1. Is Marriott's Edition Brand Outlook Bright? With the recent $815 million sale of three Edition hotels by Marriott to the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, hotel analysts were bulllish over the development prospects of the Edition brand. However, I am more doubtful about the future success of this new brand for two major reasons: 1) the partnership of Marriott and Schrager is so outlandish that it has failure written all over it 2) with only two Edition-branded hotels in operation (London and Istanbul), guest reaction is unknown and unreliable. Let's wait and see w...
3 Ways to Get Heads in Beds for Your Hotel
Hotel Success Now | January 3, 2014
Hotel owners of 2 and 3 star hotels find standing out may be a challenge. Many consumers believe that there is not much of a difference in the economy to mid tier segments because they are considered "cookie cutter" hotels. The truth, is that hotels in their respective tiers have many ways to differentiate themselves. I will mention 3 ways to make your hotel standout thus presenting you with the advantage when competing for bookings increasing Average Daily Rates (ADR) and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPar). 1. Consistent Online Presence, you hear about this all the time from your brand about updating your photos, videos and descriptio...
Tourism Tidbits: The Tourism Outlook for 2014 by Dr. Peter Tarlow
Dr. Peter E. Tarlow | January 2, 2014
A New Year is a chance for new beginnings. What is true of the world in general is also true of tourism. The tourism industry does not live apart from the rest of the world. It is deeply attached to the economy's undulations, sensitive to issues of security, and can be impacted by a host of unexpected events, ranging from a health crisis to a natural disaster. Certainly 2013 had its successes and challenges and we can expect that 2014 may offer more of the same. Although no one can predict the state of the world throughout 2014, here are some trends that tourism specialists and professionals may want to watch. 1. The state of the econom...
