The Tricycle of Guest Service Excellence: A Perfect Model For Remarkable Experiences
Doug Kennedy | October 4, 2024
Crafting a Unique Employer Brand for Today’s Talent Market
Veronika Mercier | August 14, 2024
Smart Strategies
How to Handle Lost Luggage: A Lesson From the Airlines
Shep Hyken | March 3, 2021
By Shep Hyken It’s been almost a year since my last business trip. I’m excited as I’m writing this article because I’m about ready to take the first trip since the COVID-19 lockdown. I reflected on what I love about travel, and even some of what I don’t love. Falling into the latter category of what I don’t love is checking luggage. I’m not sure if there is a term for this phobia, but I have the fear of airlines losing my luggage. Many of us “road warriors” choose to be “luggage minimalists” and pack everything into one small piece of luggage that fits in the overhead. If the trip is under seven days, I can usual...
What Drove Hotel Values to Decline in 2020?
Joseph Pierce | March 3, 2021
By Joseph Pierce The once-in-a-century pandemic has caused hoteliers to endure a firestorm that decimated the hotel and leisure industries. The growing COVID-19 cases across the U.S., as well as government restrictions on travel that further stress demand, continue to leave the hotel industry significantly behind pre-pandemic levels in terms of revenues, profitability and valuations. Gateway cities such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles are experiencing some of the highest delinquencies in the nation as international travel and tourism in the U.S. remains at a near standstill. Other markets, such as Houston, have been especially ...
Sustainable Travel Statistics: 6 Facts to Open Your Mind
EHL Insights | March 2, 2021
What do industry professionals need to know about the 'new norm' in tourism? In this article we take a deeper look at 6 sustainable travel statistics. While COVID has upended the $8 trillion global travel industry, the pandemic has also paved the way for tourism and hospitality professionals to reflect, rethink and reshape the sector, making it better - and ultimately more sustainable - for people and places around the world. As UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: Sustainability must no longer be a niche part of tourism but the new norm for every part of our sector. That means an opportunity to build back better and create ...
Owner Tracy Prigmore Talks Diversity, Representation & Early Exposure to Hotel Ownership
Hilton | March 1, 2021
To be globally successful, Hilton must be locally successful, one hotel at a time, working together with a diverse array of owners who reflect the communities and guests we serve. Whether through supplier diversity programs, multicultural marketing to diverse customer segments, partnerships with nonprofit organizations or identifying inclusive paths to ownership, Hilton is helping pave the way to more diverse and inclusive growth. A staunch advocate of these efforts is Tracy Prigmore, founder of TLTsolutions and She Has a Deal, and owner of Hampton Inn by Hilton Waldorf in Waldorf, MD. As Black History Month comes to a close and we lo...
The Top 10 Trends Impacting and Transforming Meetings in 2021
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company | March 1, 2021
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas - March 1, 2021 - BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, announces the Ten Top Trends that are impacting and transforming meetings in 2021. The trends were observed by Benchmark’s portfolio of 80 meeting hotels, resorts and conference centers located coast to coast. Benchmark is the leading U.S.-based independent hospitality management company, operating award-winning properties within its Benchmark Resorts & Hotels, Gemstone Collection and Benchmark Conference Centers brands. Benchmark’s 2021 meeting trends were announced by Eric Gavin, chief sales officer. “If there’s one thing we l...
Tourism Tidbits: The Dark Side of Tourism
Peter Tarlow | March 1, 2021
Protecting some of our most vulnerable: the fight against human trafficking during the age of pandemics 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. Tourism security professionals must also deal with the threat pf terrorism, aimed at transportation hubs, major events, and the food and lodging side of the travel and tourism industry. In the world of pandemics, tourism security is also about keeping those who ...
Reducing Friction Makes You Money
Shep Hyken | February 25, 2021
By Shep Hyken Reducing friction is all about creating an easier experience for the customer. In my book, The Convenience Revolution, I identify six ways to create convenience. The first, reducing friction, is tied to all five other principles. And, all of them focus on creating convenience and reducing friction for customers. But how about we look inside our organizations and the way we conduct business internally? Do we think about the friction we cause our employees? What extra work do they do because of antiquated systems and processes? For our outside customers, when we reduce friction, they find it easier to do business with ...
HSMAI Perspective: Problems With the Pipeline
Robert A. Gilbert | February 23, 2021
By Robert Gilbert I’ve written before about the severe underrepresentation of Black professionals across the executive level in the hospitality industry — including in senior sales, marketing, and revenue optimization positions. There are many different reasons for this, but new research by the HSMAI Foundation highlights a big one: We’re not investing sufficiently in the talent pipeline. In a review of undergraduate hospitality programs at the 19 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) offering them, we found that enrollment and graduation rates have been trending downward for at least the last five years: ...
How to Upsell 101: Too Much Choice Can Lead to No Choice
ROOMDEX | February 23, 2021
By Jos Schaap Shouldn’t lots of choices be good for customers? If you ask most people whether they like having a choice, the answer will be yes. How can options possibly be a bad thing? Anyone who has worked in hotel marketing has, at one time or another, been asked to fit numerous offers into one email. Pre-arrival emails, in particular, are crammed to the hilt with hotel information and upsell choices. We call it the shotgun approach. Having a lot of choices is great — until it’s not. Many people argue that more choices equal more conversions. Rationally speaking, the more choices you offer your customers, the more sales you ...
Enliven Offerings With Social Media, Luxury Hotels Urged
PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management | February 23, 2021
23 February 2021 - Social media may be the best way for luxury hotels to tap in to China’s enormous consumer market, according to a groundbreaking study co-authored by Mr Xinhai Mou, Dr Lisa Gao of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a co-author. The global luxury sector is growing, and in an era of information overload, platforms such as WeChat and YouTube enable hotel managers to bring luxury experiences vividly to life. Drawing on a sample of affluent Chinese consumers, the researchers show how luxury hotel managers can develop curated social media content to meet the needs of the...
Hospitality Financial Leadership: Moving Part 2
David Lund | February 22, 2021
By David Lund In the hotel business if you want to get ahead you better be ready to move. It’s the way in which you can multiply your opportunities and increase your chance for greater personal prosperity. That’s the way it was explained to me many years ago and it has certainly been my experience. On the flip side, moving is not easy and it can take its toll on you and the people in your relationships. One aspect of moving is the accumulated experience it allows you to gain. The work exposure as well as life itself. Learning how to survive and excel in different work environments and locations is seducing and intoxicating. Once you...
Hospitality’s ‘Hot Seat’ Leadership Series: COOs – A Tale of Two Fortunes
Andrew Hazelton | February 18, 2021
By Andrew Hazelton, Thomas Mielke Part II In our roles as organizational advisers to the hospitality industry on all HR-, talent- and recruitment-related aspects, we are frequently being asked: “What can we [or I] do differently to stay ahead of the curve?”, often followed by, “What profiles, backgrounds and leadership skills are currently most sought after by the market?”. This natural curiosity about the ‘hot functions’ is keeping both organizational leadership teams as well as individual executives preoccupied. How can one best reshuffle or complement one’s existing leadership team? Are there specific experiences or ...
The ER Strategy 2.0: Small Improvements Add Up
Shep Hyken | February 17, 2021
Not long ago I wrote about how small improvements can make a big difference. Even just a 1% improvement can make an impact. And, if you focus on 1% (or more) again and again, over time you will make big improvements that will have a positive impact on your customers, employees, internal processes, and your bottom line. You’ll find ways to save money, make money, develop better ways of doing business and much more. One of our team members at Shepard Presentations reminded me of an article I wrote a long time ago, and that maybe it was time to revisit the concept. The article she was referring to was written almost 10 years ago and w...
Heart of a Lion: The Harsh Reality of Entrepreneurship
Magnuson Hotels | February 17, 2021
By Thomas Magnuson There are a billion different reasons which drive people to become entrepreneurs. Some people are driven by a desire to help people and some people just want to go for money. I don’t think Jeff Bezos thinks about money at all and I don’t think Bill Gates did either. I truly think Jeff Bezos was consumed with efficiency and providing more things at a lower cost. I think Bill Gates’ dream was putting a computer on every desktop in the world and imagining the increased standard of living if everyone could have open access to education. Whatever the reason, the reality is the same for everyone, whether it’s rom...
Is Your Hotel Barking Up the Right Tree?
Sonya Taylor | February 16, 2021
By Sonya Taylor Was it the picture of our staff’s adorable dogs that interested you in this article, or was it the punny title? Regardless of your answer to that question, I can tell you with 100% certainty that if you are not pet friendly, you’re missing out on a “Mastiff” opportunity. Why Should I Have a Pet Friendly Hotel? Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a steady increase in hotel guests searching for accommodations for the whole family, including FIDO. Boomers and Millennials finally agreed on something, they want to travel with their beloved fur-babies. Now that we are in the midst of a pandemic that has pivoted...
HEADTRASH: The Leading Killer of Human Potential
Renie | February 15, 2021
February 15, 2021 - Aspire & RCI Institute Founder Renie Cavallari is releasing her new book HEADTRASH: The Leading Killer of Human Potential on February 25th. This personal development book aimed at business leaders is a guide to dump your HeadTrash for less anxiety, bigger potential, and a better quality of life. Currently available for preorders, HEADTRASH is filled with practical strategies and heartwarming true stories that provide an inspirational self-improvement guide to master the taunting negative voices in your mind that turn up your fears, undermine your leadership effectiveness, and weaken your personal power. “A master ...
Stay or Leave? Internship Stress and Coping Strategies in the Hotel Industry
| February 11, 2021
By Shan Shan Chien The hospitality industry has been regarded as the most challenging and stressful working environment compared to any other industry sector. As a former waitress in the banquet hall of a five-star hotel and a Michelin starred restaurant, I deeply understand the required components of multi-tasking in a fast-paced environment, while maintaining service quality simultaneously. Even though almost every new graduate from a hospitality-related program is highly encouraged to participate in an internship program before entering the workforce, the burden of stress can sometimes twist the interns’ intention to enter the hosp...
New Paper From WTTC Shows Importance of Travel & Tourism in Driving Global Economy and Enhancing Social Progress
WTTC | February 11, 2021
London, UK - February 11, 2021 - The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents global Travel & Tourism private sector, has released a new Social Impact Paper focusing on the Travel & Tourism sector, which has been compiled to showcase the importance of Travel & Tourism as a driver of social impact. This paper is part of a major WTTC initiative and that will see further work in the future. The first iteration of the initiative is the Social Impact Paper, which shows how much of an important role Travel & Tourism plays, not only in driving economic growth, but also in enhancing social progress across the...
The Show Starts When the Phone Rings
Shep Hyken | February 11, 2021
By Shep Hyken You may or may not know that I’m a magician. Some of you may know that I’m also a musician. But today I want to talk about being a magician. Growing up throughout high school and college I performed at parties, corporate events and comedy clubs. That experience in show business gave me the stage chops to start my business as a professional speaker. I share this background to give you some context. Many of my friends are professional entertainers. A friend I’ve known for years is Jeff McBride, an amazing magician who performs throughout the world and resides in Las Vegas. I was reading an article by Jeff in a ...
In Employee Compensation, You Get What You Pay For
American Accounting Association | February 10, 2021
LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL - Feb. 10, 2021 - A study of more than 400 managers in a national hotel chain finds that the more those managers are compensated relative to their peers, the better their performance. Researchers argue that the results would hold true across industry sectors. "In many companies, employee performance is rewarded with bonuses – so companies pay for what they get out of each employee," says Jim Hesford, co-author of the study and an associate professor of accounting at the University of Missouri – St. Louis. "In this case, the company didn't pay remarkable bonuses. But we found that higher compensation results in be...
Key West Most Expensive U.S. Destination for Presidents Day
| February 10, 2021
MIAMI - Feb. 10, 2021 - Key West is the United States' most expensive destination on Presidents Day weekend this year based on cost of lodging, according to a survey conducted by Cheaphotels.org. The survey compared hotel rates in destinations across America for February 12-15 – the dates for this year's Presidents Day weekend. Only hotels rated 3 stars or more and located close to a beach or city center were considered. In Key West, travelers will spend $472 per night for the most affordable double room, the survey revealed. Breckenridge and Beaver Creek, two ski resorts in Colorado, complete the podium at nightly rates o...
Changing Rules for a Changing World: Why Doing Good Is Now Very Good for Business
Jeff Venza | February 10, 2021
By Jeff Venza In the world of professional sports, athletes dedicate hours honing their particular craft through the meticulous acquisition and practice of a specialized set of skills. But before they step foot on their arena of choice, they have to learn the rules of the game. After all, you can’t play the game — certainly, you can’t play to win — if you don’t know how the game is played. In the realm of business, the same rules apply. A successful venture into entrepreneurship doesn’t simply require the ideation and creation of a great or otherwise unique product or service. Business owners have to know their industry, und...
Is Togetherness the Next Destination for Travel?
IHG | February 8, 2021
8 FEBRUARY 2021 IHG Hotels & Resorts releases insights into future travel showing renewed optimism and resolve for human connection For generations, travel has inspired storytelling in books and songs and fueled the growth of cultures and civilizations. But over the last year, the world went on a different kind of journey, swapping passports for puzzles and beaches for binge-watching. Now, a new survey* from IHG Hotels & Resorts reveals how much people are longing for human connection, to be with their loved ones, and to make new memories. Close to 60 percent of survey respondents said they canceled up to four trips (leisure and ...
Hotel Sales for Today’s Remote Buyers Requires More Than “Steps,” “Funnels,” “Wow,” and FAB Phrases
Doug Kennedy | February 8, 2021
By Doug Kennedy Although the pace of change has accelerated during the pandemic era, the hotel sales habitat has been evolving rapidly for years. Yet when our KTN team conducts group sales shops and our sales “lead flow” audits, we find that most - but not all - hotel salespeople are stuck in the early 2010s. This is not surprising, given that too many hotel sales training programs are still focused on outdated models such as sales funnels, feature-advantage-benefit (FAB) phrases, and “wowing your prospects.” In the pre-pandemic years, too many hotel companies put ongoing training on the back burner altogether. Those who did s...
