The Tricycle of Guest Service Excellence: A Perfect Model For Remarkable Experiences
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Veronika Mercier | August 14, 2024
Smart Strategies
InterContinental Malta Implements Guestware to Personalize the Guest Experience
Guestware | November 29, 2017
Guestware Guest Response Solution Streamlines Request Fulfillment; Helps Anticipate Guest Preferences Seattle, WA – November 29, 2017 – Guestware announced that InterContinental Malta in St. George's Bay implemented Guestware to personalize the guest experience and simplify staff response to requests. Guestware is an integrated Guest Experience (GX) software solution used by hospitality companies around the world to deliver exceptional guest satisfaction. InterContinental Malta is an exclusive 481 room and suite beachside resort. Click here for more information on how to streamline operations and personalize guest service w...
Why More is More for Today’s Mixed Use Developments
JLL Real Views | November 21, 2017
By Megan Shields As more people flock to urban areas, mixed-use buildings are adapting to tick the work-live-play boxes that turn developments into destinations in their own right. Forward-looking developers are increasingly looking at the broader facilities that make a neighborhood come alive, from trendy shops and restaurants to stadiums that can provide a winning edge. From suburban Boston to Hollywood, the focus is on human-centric designs that provide experiences; as such, some developers are even approaching mixed-use projects like they would a theme park, carving out space for cultural events and entertainment. "Mixed-use develop...
Hospitality Financial Leadership – Testing vs. Trusting
David Lund | November 20, 2017
By David Lund "All of life is an experiment, the more experiments the better." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson When you really want to do something, the "how to" shows up everywhere. Getting into and staying in action is the key. Having and holding onto the notion that we must have the answer first kills our endeavors. Let me give you an example. A client of mine hired me to help him grow his new real estate business. We did some sessions and something was revealed. He had a predisposed notion of how his business should grow. He was close to trying some new ways to grow his business. He had heard the stories of the other more established and succ...
Tourism Tidbits: Sports Tourism
Dr. Peter Tarlow | November 15, 2017
by Dr. Peter Tarlow One only has to examine the controversies surrounding professional sports to know that sporting events play a major role in tourism. In much of the world newspapers devote more space to sports news than to foreign news and major sporting events such as World Cup Soccer, the Olympic Games, the World Series and the Super bowl have become more than national pastimes but also real or quasi real national holiday. Both young and old alike idolize sports figures as role models, so much so that when a sports figure ends up on the wrong side of the law or in a moral crisis that too becomes major news. Perhaps nothing underlin...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 187: Hotel History: Hotel Galvez & Spa, Galveston, Texas
Stanley Turkel | November 15, 2017
1. Hotel Galvez & Spa (1911)*, Galveston, Texas (224 rooms) The Hotel Galvez opened on June 10, 1911, a little more than a decade after Galveston was decimated by the great hurricane of 1900 which claimed more than 6,000 lives. The Hotel Galvez was named after Bernardo de Galvez, the Spanish Colonial Governor who first chartered the Texas Gulf Coast and for whom the city of Galveston was also named. A year after it opened, the Hotel Monthly newsletter billed the Galvez as one of the "best arranged and most richly furnished seaside hotels in America." It was known as the "Queen of the Gulf" and "The Playground of the Southwest." The ...
How the Middle East is Drawing in Chinese Visitors
JLL Real Views | November 13, 2017
By Emily Perryman Whether they're after windswept deserts, archaeological treasures or luxurious beach resorts, China's growing middle class is increasingly considering the Middle East as their next holiday destination. Amid rising affluence levels, the number of travelers from China has soared in recent years, making it the world's largest outbound tourism market. But in addition to visiting countries in the Far East and Europe, Chinese tourists are seeking new destinations off the beaten path. Last year, around 540,000 tourists visited Dubai from China, up from 450,000 in 2015. It makes China one of Dubai's top 10 source markets, acco...
Hospitality Financial Leadership – Runnin’ Down a Dream
David Lund | November 13, 2017
By David Lund Yeah, runnin' down a dream - That never would come to me - Workin' on a mystery, goin' wherever it leads - Runnin' down a dream – Tom Petty In life we think dreams, big ideas and accomplishments are someone else's domain, but not ours. We think those people are special, gifted, magical. They were the ones who were chosen for that higher calling to be that explorer, the writer or the leader that made a difference and really had something special to do and share with the world. Well, that is not true. We all have that something and it is right there, inside of us and we can see it, feel it and we know i...
Do You Train Your Team To Be Locally Authentic?
Larry Mogelonsky | November 8, 2017
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) By now, the phrase 'local authentic experience' has been tattooed on every hotelier's back ever since it started to trend some five to ten years ago. And yet, even to this day many properties have some serious shortcomings in this area, either through a lack of attention to detail when it comes to soft goods and decor items with local flair, or associates' lack of knowledge regarding the immediate neighborhood. True, we have brand standards to abide by, but that shouldn't stop you from engaging in small acts of regional expressionism, especially when you already know that it is such...
Bartech Demonstrates Latest Advances in Hotel Minibar Design and Technology at BDNY 2017
Bartech | November 7, 2017
Global leader in automated minibar innovation to showcase wireless eTray, Neotray and eDrawer solutions New York — November 7, 2017 — Bartech, a world leader in profit-generating automatic minibar solutions for the hospitality industry, is set to present hoteliers with the latest in minibar innovation at this year's upcoming Boutique Design New York (BDNY) show. Taking place November 12-13, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, BDNY attendees visiting booth #364 will have the opportunity to take part in live demonstrations of Bartech's innovative standalone eTray, as well as the adaptive Neotray guestro...
Hospitality Financial Leadership – Four Important Things to Know
David Lund | November 7, 2017
By David Lund By creating and delivering my hospitality financial leadership workshops, I learned four very important lessons. The lessons center around how this workshop helps leaders change and become more financially engaged. ...
Former Head of Mitel Americas Hospitality Sales Joins Percipia Hospitality Solutions as New Global VP of Sales
Percipia | November 7, 2017
Chicago, IL – Percipia, a globally recognized technology leader in the hospitality industry, has named Speleos Dravillas as its Vice President of Global Sales. Speleos, a veteran of the Unified Communications Solutions space, brings his expertise to Percipia as they continue their aggressive growth plans globally. Percipia offers custom solutions to improve both the guest experience and back-office Unified Communications needs. Previously, Speleos oversaw Mitel's Connected Guests Hospitality Sales for the Americas and held previous Sales Leadership roles with Mitel for eleven years. Before that, Speleos, or "Spe," was Chief Busine...
Hospitality Financial Leadership – Using EFTEs
David Lund | October 30, 2017
By David Lund If You Can't Measure It, You Can't Improve It. Management thinker Peter Drucker is often quoted as saying, "You can't manage what you can't measure." Drucker means that you can't know whether or not you are successful unless success is defined and tracked. In the hotel business payroll is the number one cost. STR recently reported that labor made up 50 percent of revenues for a sample of over 4,000 hotels of all types and sizes. Having an efficient and reliable way to measure payroll is critical in any business. In hotels, the impact of payroll is amplified considerably and the need to have so...
Can Japan’s Hotels Keep Up With Soaring Demand?
Jll Real Views | October 26, 2017
By Serene Lim Tourism is booming like never before in the Land of the Rising Sun as visitors flock from across Asia and further afield. While rising numbers are in line with government plans to welcome 60 million tourists by 2030 to help offset struggling areas of the Japanese economy, the hotel industry faces in own challenges in keeping up with growing demand for rooms. Last year, hotel construction starts doubled to 1.96 million square metres, reaching an 18 year high. Major hotel operators are rushing to open before the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 – Marriott leads the pack with five properties as it rebrands existing hotels. Meanwh...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 186: Hotel History: The Harvard Club of New York (1894)*
Stanley Turkel | October 25, 2017
By Stanley Turkel, CMHS 1. The Harvard Club of New York (1894), New York City The Harvard Club of New York at 27 West 44th Street was originally built in 1894 (with major additions in 1905, 1915, 1947 and 2003) and designed by McKim, Mead & White. Its classic Georgian design recalls the buildings at Harvard Yard in Cambridge. In 1966, the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Harvard Club of New York as a landmark despite the opposition of the Harvard Club to the proposed designation. It was one of the first buildings in New York to be named a landmark. It is also listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. O...
Intelity Continues Strong Growth Trajectory with New Customers in 2017
Intelity | October 24, 2017
Millennial travel is contributing to the demand for Intelity's technologies [Orlando, Fla. – October 24, 2017] —Intelity, the creator of the world's first and most widely used integrated Guest Services Platform, is announcing continued record-setting performance and growth, deploying its solutions at properties that include hotels, resorts and casinos throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. "There are several factors contributing to the continued growth and success of Intelity, the main one being our commitment to ongoing research and development of new technologies," said David Adelson, Intelity president and...
Hospitality Financial Leadership – Food Cost and the 80/20 Rule
David Lund | October 23, 2017
By David Lund We have all heard of the 80/20 rule. But I am willing to bet most of you have not heard it in conjunction with the words "food cost." A good friend of mine who was an executive chef explained it to me and I am going to share it with you. So first off, the 80/20 rule states that 80 percent of any result comes from 20 percent of the activity. In food cost, what Chef taught me is the 80 percent of the food cost comes from only 20 items. That's right—the top 20! What he explained was so simple and powerful. Identify the top 20 food items your hotel buys using the dollar value of those items. It takes a bit ...
Serviced Apartments: An Ever-Growing Sector?
Stuart Pallister | October 23, 2017
By Stuart Pallister In the first of two pieces on serviced apartments, we examine the drivers of growth in the extended-stay sector. In the second article, to be published next month, we will examine innovations in serviced apartments in the face of increasing land prices. Call them what you will – serviced or extended-stay apartments or aparthotels – major operators in this sector are looking to differentiate their properties from traditional hotels and Airbnb. That means trying to innovate with new products, while apartment and studio sizes continue to shrink due to rising land prices. And while operators are generally opt...
Innovation … Who’s Really Doing It?
October 19, 2017
By Katharine Le Quesne Certain industries are synonymous with innovation, trailblazing, game-changing. Hospitality is not one of them; a business built on bricks and mortar is not easily – or cheaply – transformed. That said, whilst the industry can be likened to a supertanker that takes time to turn, once it starts shifting direction, the momentum creates lasting change in how hotels are designed and operated. Consumer trends are key drivers of change; and today's consumers have some contradictory desires and motivations, as IHG's 2017 Trend Report also notes. Today's consumer is highly mobile and connected; information-ric...
How Paris Takes Luxury Hotels to a New Level
JLL Real Views | October 19, 2017
By: Neasa MacErlean When the rich and famous head to Paris, there are a select few addresses that their chauffeur-driven cars whisk them to. These are the Palace hotels, the crème de la crème of its luxury hotels scene, which used to be seven and but are soon to be fourteen. "The Paris palaces have history, heritage, beautiful buildings and they cannot be replicated," says Gwenola Donet, JLL's head of Hotels and Hospitality in France. "They're a key reason why Paris will remain one of the three gateway cities in the world for the top hotels, along with London and New York. There will be palaces in emerging cities such as H...
Hospitality Financial Leadership – “Systems”, Don’t Change The People – Change the System
David Lund | October 16, 2017
By David Lund Every system is perfect for the results it creates. The flip side of this is: Don't change or make the people wrong—it is the system that's wrong and the system needs to be changed. Then we will get another result. Keep working the system five percent at a time. Always be re-programming your system, i.e., what version of Windows are we on? We tend to look at the chaos at work and in our own lives and we want to blame someone or something for it. It is the victim crying out that we have been unjustly punished and sentenced to suffer in the mess we are in. We need to rise above this and look at the system we use; see t...
Why Hotels Are Getting Serious About Relaxation and Wellbeing
JLL Real Views | October 16, 2017
By Natasha Stokes With physical and mental wellbeing a top priority for growing numbers of people, many don't like to leave their healthy habits at home when they travel. It's not just a case of a quick manicure or massage; today's business and leisure travelers increasingly expect the types of treatments they're used to at home when they're on the move whether it's a consultation with a sleep doctor, Vitamin C-infused showers or a personal training session. As such, hotels across the world are revamping their fitness and spa operations beyond conventional gyms, saunas and steam rooms to give affluent guests an additional reason to choo...
Use Hotel Website Content to Increase Your Revenue
Vikram Singh | October 12, 2017
By Vikram Singh Contrary to what you might have heard, people still read. We read quiet a lot actually, but much of our reading has moved over to a screen instead of paper. When we are planning travel, we want to read about where we are going. However, the volume of content on hotel websites is shrinking. Plenty of attention, and plenty of space, is given to photos and design. Hotel websites have started to look like clones, favoring heavy imagery and very light content; but that is a mistake. Your website is not an Instagram feed with a booking button. If you replace substantive content with photo captions and a parade of adjectives li...
When Guests Complain, Be All EARS!
Doug Kennedy | October 11, 2017
By Doug Kennedy Considering all of the many components of a positive guest experience during even just a 24 hour stay, and how many guests are in a hotel on any given night, it should not be surprising to any hotelier that at some point during a shift every colleague is likely to encounter complaints. Surely we can and should do all that is possible to prevent short comings, but it is also essential to train everyone how to respond in such a way as to not only fix what is broken, but also to show compassion for the guests' inconveniences. To their credit, most hotel operators seem to be working hard to improve the overall quality of the...
The Month of October’s Hard Start for Tourism
Dr. Peter Tarlow | October 9, 2017
By Dr. Peter Tarlow One day when historians of the tourism industry write about the first part of the twenty-first century they may view the week of October 1 as one of the tourism and travel industry's harder months. The week began with news of terrorism attacks in both France and Canada, and quickly moved onto the tragedy that took place in Las Vegas. Many people will desire to know the personal history of Stephen Paddock and what motivated him. In reality, there are other issues more important than his personal history, and the tourism industry needs to be careful not to allow itself to be seduced into spending a great deal of time o...
