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Smart Strategies
New Book Available from Educational Institute Shares Stories of Century-Old Hotels
American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute | November 13, 2013
Lansing, Michigan, November 2013-The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI) has added a new book from author Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC, to its online store. Built to Last: 100+ Year-Old Hotels East of the Mississippi is a charming tribute to historic properties both grand and quaint. Hotel history buffs will delight in this new book that features 86 sections devoted to telling the tales of hotels that are at least 100 years old. Illustrated with antique picture postcards, the hotel histories include fascinating stories of single-minded developers, brilliant and accidental architects, dedicated owners, famous and infamo...
Nobody Asked Me, But…No. 114; Hotel History: The Ansonia Hotel; Quote of the Month; My New Book
Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC | November 4, 2013
By Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC 1. Hotel History: The Ansonia Hotel* The Ansonia Hotel was built as a luxury apartment hotel on the upper west side of New York in 1904. Its resplendent apartments contained multiple bedrooms, parlors, libraries and formal dining rooms with high ceilings, elegant moldings and bay windows. The hotel had a central kitchen serving pantries on every floor so that residents could enjoy meals prepared by professional chefs. Its exterior turrets, balconies, carvings, scrolls, medallions and moldings make the Ansonia a Beaux-Arts confection. In "New York, New York: How the Apartment House Transformed the Life of t...
Tourism Tidbits – Traveling to and with the Sound of Music by Dr. Peter Tarlow
Dr. Peter E. Tarlow | November 4, 2013
Tourism has many forms, and the niche tourism market is not only a growing market, but also understanding one niche helps tourism and travel professionals to apply the same principles to other niche markets. One such market is the music and music festivals as a travel and tourism motivator. Although often overlooked, both music and tourism share a great deal in common. Both are good for the soul, both attempt to lift a person's spirits and both help the person leave the doldrums of everyday life and enter into new and challenging worlds. Certain areas of the world have done an excellent job of using music both as a way to create special...
Google Analytics vs. Adobe Site Catalyst for Hotels by Vikram Singh
Vikram Singh | October 30, 2013
Marketing is evolving, especially the Internet kind. Website analytics have come a long way in the past decade. We have access to more information than ever before. You can now monitor in detail how people are interacting with your website, where they are coming from, and where they are going. Google Analytics vs. Adobe Site Catalyst (previously called Omniture) is one of those questions that I get asked regularly, so here are my thoughts. I have been an ardent user/supporter of Google Analytics for a while. I am amazed at the power and value it provides for free. On top of that, almost every year Google Analytics rolls out product upda...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 113; Hotel History: St. Regis Hotel in New York; Quote of the Month
Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC | October 23, 2013
By Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC 1. Hotel History: St. Regis Hotel in New York* In 1904, Colonel John Jacob Astor broke ground for the building of the St. Regis Hotel at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 55th Street, in the most exclusive residential section of New York at the time. While the hotel was under construction, Astor was unable to come up with a name for his new hotel. During Astor's visit with his brother-in-law on a beautiful lake in the Adirondacks in upstate New York, Astor's niece offered a solution: "Uncle Jack, why don't you call it after this lake- Hotel St. Regis?" After doing some research on the name, he found that the ...
East Meets West – Hospitality Schools in Switzerland and Hong Kong Sign Student Exchange Program
October 16, 2013
October 16, 2013 - The School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) in Switzerland have recently entered into an agreement on launching a student exchange programme dedicated to the development of students, particularly in the areas of global outlook and cultural appreciation. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Professor Kaye Chon, Dean and Chair Professor of the SHTM, and Professor Michel Rochat, General Director of EHL, today (16 October) at the SHTM premises in Hong Kong. The signing ceremony was witnessed by important officials f...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 112; Hotel History: The Drake Hotel in New York
Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC | October 14, 2013
Marriott CEO Tells U.S. Congress: Get Back to Work; New York Investigating Airbnb and HomeAway; Quote of the Month; My New Book By Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC 1. Hotel History: The Drake Hotel in New York On a front page story in the Metropolitan section (October 6, 2013), the New York Times reported "Harry Macklowe Gambles Again: A developer known for wild swings of fortune builds a Park Avenue apartment tower a quarter-mile high." On the site of the old Drake Hotel (demolished in 2007), Macklowe is building a luxurious apartment building which, upon completion, will be, at 1,398 feet the tallest residential tower in the Western Hemisp...
Tourism Tidbits: The Threat of Terrorism in Planning Major Event Security / Dr. Peter Tarlow
Dr. Peter E. Tarlow | October 8, 2013
Recent events around the world have proven once again that holding a major event is no easy matter. Not only must a community deal with the event itself but there are always logistics, marketing, and public relations that go hand in hand with a major event. To make matters even more challenging we live in a world of political unrest. Major events are of course targets for terrorism. They also may incite local protests that have nothing to do with terrorism. These demonstrations are byproducts of the event and may occur before or during the event. The demonstrators then use the event as a means to vent frustrations or as a means to piggy...
Death by Data: How Misusing Hotel Analytics Data Can Hurt Your Revenue / Vikram Singh
Vikram Singh | October 2, 2013
Analytics is an amazing and powerful tool. Voltaire/FDR/Stan Lee (depends who you ask) has said, "With great power comes great responsibility." This is particularly relevant to Analytics users in the hotel industry who are making marketing decisions. Unfortunately, a lot of people misuse the power of hotel analytics, and end up hurting their hotel asset by limiting its online revenue or wasting precious time and marketing dollars. Here are some changes you should make in your online marketing strategy to avoid common, yet costly, mistakes. Note: Google Analytics is one of my favorite Google products of all time. I have been evangelizing...
Nobody Asked Me, But…No. 111; Hotel History: The McAlpin Hotel; What Makes a City Great?
Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC | October 2, 2013
Quote of the Month; My New Book By Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC 1. Hotel History: The McAlpin Hotel General Edwin Angustus McAlpin (1848-1917) was a successful business man and president of the D.H. McAlpin & Co. tobacco company. He owned several large tracts of real estate in Manhattan, including one on 34th Street and Broadway which he developed into the McAlpin Hotel. When it opened in 1912 it was the largest hotel in the world. The New York Times commented that it was so tall at 25 floors that it "seems isolated from other buildings." With a staff of 1,500 it could accommodate 2,500 guests. The 1500-room McAlpin Hotel was designed...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 110; Still Undistinguishable and Undistinguished by Stanley Turkel
Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC | September 23, 2013
Hotel History: George Charles Boldt (1851-1916); My New Book; Quote of the Month By Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC 1. Still Undistinguishable and Undistinguished For many years, I have been a critic of hotel guestroom design because most chain hotel rooms are undistinguishable from the competition. I am reminded of this truism every time I look at the excellent photographs on the Hotel Chatter website. If there was no identifying caption, you could not tell if you are looking at a Marriott, Westin, Wyndham, Sheraton, Hilton, Radisson, Hyatt or InterContinental Hotel. 2. Hotel History: George Charles Boldt (1851-1916) In its December 6, 191...
Nobody Asked Me, But…No. 109 Hotel History: Howard Dearing Johnson (1896-1972)
Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC | September 13, 2013
Host of the Highway and The Orange Roof; My New Book; Quote of the Month By Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC September 13, 2013 1. Hotel History: Howard Dearing Johnson (1896-1972), Host of the Highway and The Orange Roof The Wyndham Hotel Group unveiled new plans for its Howard Johnson brand on September 10, 2013, including a new logo and conceptual exterior and interior designs. "Howard Johnson is a brand that for millions of travelers conjures fond memories of ice cream cones and family vacations," said Eric Danziger, Wyndham Hotel Group president and CEO. "It's a name that carries with it incredible equity. Reinvigoration is about growing...
Service Excellence: The Professional’s Pledge / Bryan Williams
B.Williams Enterprise | September 10, 2013
September 10, 2013 From this day forth, I will be ashamed if I intentionally give anything less than my best. I have value, and was not put on this earth to begrudgingly exist. No, I was put here to make a meaningful and positive difference in the lives of others. Every book I've read, every class I've attended, and every lesson I've learned was not for me alone. I was blessed with such knowledge so I may use it to bless others. Otherwise, if I keep it to myself, I am being selfish. Yes, I am being unprofessional. To be professional is what I am called to be. To take pride in my work is what I am called to do. Henceforth, I will always ...
Nobody Asked Me, But…No. 108 Is It Fair?; After Two Years in the Making; A Preview of My New Book
Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC | August 27, 2013
Quote of the Month By Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC 1. Is It Fair? So you bought a Hilton franchise because you believed that the Blackstone Group was a strong owner. Now, Blackstone has begun preparations for an initial public offering and has hired the Goldman Sachs Group, Bank of America's Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley to find appropriate buyers. What recourse does a Hilton franchisee have? None at all. While the franchisee can't sell his hotel without Blackstone's approval, Blackstone can sell the entire Hilton Corporation without the approval of its more than 4000 franchisees: (consisting of Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, DoubleTr...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 107: Are Franchisees Agents of Franchisors?
Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC | August 12, 2013
Manhattan's New Water Source; Brand USA Needs Our Help; Quote of the Month By Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC 1. Are Franchisees Agents of Franchisors? Did you read that a federal district court in Utah recently found evidence that a Best Western franchisee was actually the "agent" of the franchisor? The evidence was based on the fact that Best Western had strict requirements for its franchisees, showing its ultimate authority. The evidence described that Best Western had control over the buildings, grounds and public areas and how they should be kept. And it showed how the hotel chain ruled over the housekeeping department and how guest roo...
Service Excellence: Find a Way To Make It Happen / Bryan Williams
B.Williams Enterprise | August 6, 2013
"As long as it is legal, ethical, and moral, find a way to make it happen". That was the directive which was programmed into my brain very early in my career. I remember it vividly. It was on my first day of work at new employee orientation at the Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas in 1996. The general manager passionately spoke about the need "to move heaven and earth to delight" our guests and creating memorable experiences everyday. Although I worked in a luxury property before, it was obvious that this was another level of service excellence altogether. I love exceptional service, and I love people who are passionate about giving exceptional ...
It’s Time to Burst the Hotel SEO Bubble: What Hotels Really Need to Know / Vikram Singh
Vikram Singh | August 2, 2013
by Vikram Singh Hotel search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the most debated online marketing techniques in our industry. That's because its efficacy is hard to prove, and techniques have to constantly change to outmaneuver Google's updates. Google maintains strict control and secrecy about how they manage and update their search engine results pages. Of course, there are guidelines posted on their Webmaster Central product, and a few utterances here and there. This leaves the floor open for some serious speculation... Cue in the SEO "experts." I am not an SEO expert, nor have I played one on TV. But I am definitely a trained SEO o...
Nobody Asked Me, But…No. 106; What Is A Hotel Manager?; Quote of the Month / Stanley Turkel
Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC | July 29, 2013
By Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC 1. What Is A Hotel Manager? In 1963, the Loews Hotel Corporation published a small booklet with 18 black and white photographs from vintage movies. The booklet was named "What Is A Hotel Manager?" The captions under the photographs were funny then and, I believe, are still funny fifty years later. The booklet's dedication and introduction read: Dedication: It is with deep appreciation that we thank Tom Troy, Harry O'Brien, Pierre Bultinck, Frank Berkman, Arthur Levey, Henry Judermans, John Braun and Jerry Olin without whom this booklet would never have been possible. Introduction: A hotel manager is a man o...
What really matters to guests in resort hotels is personal transfer, wi-fi, and property safety
Status Solutions | July 25, 2013
Jennifer Dunphey and Konrad Rzasa, hoteliers, travel connoisseurs, and serial entrepreneurs, have a popular Facebook destination for high end global travel, White Collar Vagabond. From tips to traveling with your dog across borders to how to outfit your Costa Rican cabina on the cheap (get goods in Panama), the site is a treasure trove of how global citizens live the good life. Recently, in conjunction with hotel situational awareness authority Status Solutions, the pair posted a few questions to their 9,000 followers about what really matters in the boutique hotel experience. They asked questions about safety and service that are top o...
Tourism Tidbits: On Being A Great Tourism CEO and Industry Leader / Dr. Peter Tarlow
Dr. Peter E. Tarlow | July 18, 2013
Many people outside of the tourism industry tend to think of tourism and travel as an ongoing never-ending party. Yet anyone who has ever worked in the world's largest peacetime industry knows that travel and tourism professionals spend long hours at work and that travel and tourism works to a great extent like any other large corporation. Just as in other businesses tourism and travel professionals need to deal with budgets, have to justify lost opportunities and must overcome the issue of spoilage. The loss of revenue from an unsold airline seat or hotel room can never be recaptured. Travel and tourism executives have other problems t...
Service Excellence 101: The Smile Reserve
B.Williams Enterprise | July 12, 2013
by Bryan Williams Some people believe that they have a limited supply ofkindness. After the first ten people, for example, their "smile reserve" will dry up, and there will be no more smiles for anyone else. Their "anticipate needs" reserve will be empty, and their "learn preferences" reserve will be depleted. They feel like they can't actually be nice to every customer they meet. It's not possible! Or is it? Commuter flight Recently, I was on board a small commuter plane that was staffed with one flight attendant. The first person to board the plane was an elderly lady, and I saw the attendant give her a warm hug and big smile before s...
7 Days Group Holdings Limited Completes Previously Announced Keystone Merger
Vikram Singh | July 8, 2013
GUANGZHOU, China, July 8, 2013 -- 7 Days Group Holdings Limited (NYSE: SVN; "7 Days Group" or the "Company"), a leading economy hotel chain based in China, today announced the completion of the merger contemplated by the previously announced agreement and plan of merger dated February 28, 2013 (the "Merger Agreement"), by and among the Company, Keystone Lodging Company Limited ("Parent"), Keystone Lodging Acquisition Limited ("Merger Sub"), and Keystone Lodging Holdings Limited ("Holdco"). As a result of the merger, the Company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, which was approved by the...
PAR Springer-Miller Systems Extends the Atrio® Platform with the Addition of Atrio POS
PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc. | June 25, 2013
The Industry's First Multi-Tenant Cloud-Based POS System June 26, 2013 - New Hartford, NY - PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc. (PSMS), a wholly owned subsidiary of PAR Technology Corporation (NYSE:PAR) and the leading provider of guest-centric hospitality management systems announced today the newest module of the ATRIO Hospitality Technology Platform, ATRIO POS. With ATRIO, PSMS pioneered and delivered a new generation of technology for the industry by moving the hospitality industry to The Cloud, creating a new user experience, and thereby a new way of doing business. ATRIO POS, the next generation point of sale system, reduces the Tot...
Attention Vacation Rental Reservations Agents: Go Beyond Website Search Support
Doug Kennedy | June 24, 2013
by Doug Kennedy As President of a hospitality industry sales training company for most of my entire career, I have had the opportunity to conduct reservations sales training for just about every niche of the lodging industry. I have trained five star hotels and one-star youth hostels; destination hotels and all- inclusive resorts; city center and airport hotels, conferences centers and ski resorts. But there is one niche of the lodging industry that has by far the biggest need for training such as we at KTN provide: the vacation home rental industry. I recall often hearing reservations agents at my traditional resort clients saying "Dou...
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