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The Hermitage Hotel Is Named 2020 Historic Hotel of the Year by Historic Hotels of America
The Hermitage Hotel | August 27, 2020
WASHINGTON, DC (August 27, 2020) – Historic Hotels of America® is proud to announce that The Hermitage Hotel (1910) in Nashville, Tennessee, has been selected as the 2020 Historic Hotel of the Year. This illustrious award is given annually to a historic hotel whose owners, leadership and employees are careful overseers of historic preservation, by stewarding history, heritage and stories for generations of guests to come. The Hermitage Hotel is receiving the honor of Historic Hotel of the Year for its unparalleled celebration of suffrage history and for demonstrating a long tradition of exceptional customer hospitality and service. “T...
Mergers Ahead for the Post-Pandemic Hotel Industry
Larry Mogelonsky | August 26, 2020
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) Our industry is hurting. While we’re optimists, totally convinced that we can beat the two-year recovery our financial protagonists are forecasting, the world of Wall Street may soon see things very differently. I’m not a betting man, but I’ve got a hunch that mergers are in the offing and may even be essential to keep our industry afloat. Before we look at our near-future state of affairs, let’s backtrack to the largest hospitality M&A deal in the century so far. When announced in the spring of 2016, Marriott’s merger with Starwood was controversial. Would it be appro...
OTO Development Opens Hyatt Place National Harbor
OTO Development | August 26, 2020
SPARTANBURG, SC – August 26, 2020 – OTO Development, part of The Johnson Group, is pleased to announce the opening of its newest hotel, Hyatt Place National Harbor. Located within the 350-acre shopping, dining and entertainment destination of National Harbor, Maryland, this 7-story, 156 room all-suite hotel has picturesque views of a lively waterfront, on-site dining, fitness center and 1,900 square feet of flexible meeting and event space. The onsite restaurant, Bar Harbor, offers a casual dining experience featuring artisan pizzas and exceptional tacos paired with local microbrews. With spectacular views of the Potomac River, the spa...
Boutique Resort, Belvedere Hotel Mykonos Turns to IDeaS to Manage, Control and Maximise Data
IDeaS | August 25, 2020
Popular Greek hotel leverages IDeaS’ revenue technology and Advisory Services to enhance its revenue strategies LONDON—Aug. 25, 2020—One of the “Leading Hotels of the World,” the Belvedere Hotel Mykonos has selected IDeaS G3 Revenue Management System (RMS) to manage, control and maximize data. It also selected Revenue Architect, a revenue performance analysis service conducted by the IDeaS Advisory Services team. By leveraging this service, the hotel will be able to better understand the right revenue opportunities to pursue and how to capitalize on them. With more than 15 different room types including luxury villas, rooms an...
ALICE Releases Free Hotel Preventative Maintenance Checklist
ALICE | August 25, 2020
New York, NY - ALICE, the hospitality industry’s leading hotel management and operations platform, has just published a free hotel preventative maintenance checklist for hoteliers. With more than 15 checklists in the downloadable document, hoteliers can easily print and start using them today. The comprehensive document, the second in a series of hotel checklists, includes preventative maintenance checklists for daily walk-throughs, guest rooms, public areas, and large pieces of equipment (elevators, HVAC systems, fitness equipment, etc.). As hotels resume operations after periods of low occupancy or temporary closures, saving on capital...
What Summer Search Data Really Tells Us About Post-Covid Travel
Larry Mogelonsky | August 19, 2020
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) Travel behavior in the summer of COVID-19 has been erratic and still has a long way to go until it returns to pre-pandemic levels. However, the search data during this recovery period can offer strong clues as to what customers will want from their hotel experiences in the next normal so that operators can adjust their businesses accordingly. Notably, much has already been said about the recent Google Trends numbers which show that search share in many major Western countries for Airbnb and Booking have both trended disproportionately upward relative to Expedia, Hilton and Marriott ...
Hotel Carmichael Caters to Latest Guest Connectivity Trends Using BeyondTV With Voice Activated Technology and Enhanced Wi-Fi by Hotel Internet Servic
Hotel Internet Services, Inc. | August 18, 2020
New luxury property set to open in summer 2020 will provide guests with seamless content casting abilities and contactless control over hotel amenities while guaranteeing a fast and responsive Wi-Fi connection. CARMEL, Ind. — August 18, 2020 — Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, has been selected by Hotel Carmichael, Autograph Collection to provide its guests with the latest in in-room entertainment and virtual assistant technology with the implementation of BeyondTV alongside advanced Wi-Fi capabilities. A newly built boutique hotel opening during ...
Five-Star Laguna Beach Property Finds Success With Digital Marketing During COVID-19
GCommerce | August 18, 2020
Park City, UT, August 18, 2020- Five-Star Laguna Beach property, Surf & Sand Resort, partnered with GCommerce to run digital marketing efforts during COVID-19 to maintain brand awareness in key markets in order to secure market share upon reopenings. The resort placed all efforts on digital channels, with an emphasis on targeting in-state markets. GCommerce leveraged messaging that focused on leisure getaways and escapes, which was relevant while travelers were confined to their homes. The top-performing ad focused on the property being a family-friendly destination and the perfect opportunity to escape city life. Marketing budgets wer...
How Hotels and Resorts Are Stepping up Marketing as Travel Rebounds
NextGuest | August 11, 2020
As travelers become more comfortable with new safety protocols and practices around COVID-19, we’re seeing travel start to rebound around the world. According to STR, hotel occupancy has been slowly recovering, especially in the US and Europe. While the travel industry is not expected to return to pre-pandemic levels until at least 2022, current research shows that consumer sentiment towards traveling will continue to improve throughout the year. Yet due to the quickly evolving nature of the pandemic and the possibility of a second wave, this is subject to change. In the US, a recent spike in COVID-19 cases has resulted in a decline ...
Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Cancun to Debut December 2020
Planet Hollywood Hotels & Resorts | August 5, 2020
Tallahassee, Fla. – August 5, 2020 – Planet Hollywood Hotels and Resorts is pleased to announce that the brand-new Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Cancun will be rolling out the red carpet for its first guests on December 15, 2020. Located in the exclusive resort enclave of Costa Mujeres, a charming, pristine peninsula just north of Cancun’s Hotel Zone, guests will be able to Vacation Like a Star™ in one of Mexico’s most beautiful beachfront locations, surrounded by aquamarine waters and mangroves sprawling with native flora and fauna. This new all-inclusive resort will feature 898 luxury suites, 11 world-class restaurants ...
Rosewood Shanghai to Break Ground in 2022
Rosewood Hotels & Resorts | July 30, 2020
Rosewood Hotels & Resorts® has been appointed by Shanghai-based property development company, Lonsen Land Group, to manage Rosewood Shanghai, a new hotel in mainland China set to break ground in 2022, with an expected opening in 2028. Ideally situated in the heart of Shanghai’s Jing’An District and Suhewan area, an emerging business and cultural hub, Rosewood Shanghai will offer travelers unparalleled access to the city. The announcement of Rosewood Shanghai underscores the brand’s careful, selective growth strategy in Asia and across the globe, as well as the strength of its impressive property pipeline, which is now the most rob...
How Government Loan Assistance Has Helped Prop Up Hotel Profitability
HotStats | July 28, 2020
The tidal wave of COVID-19 has left many in the hotel industry gasping for air amid choppy financial waters. Luckily, governments across the globe have tossed hotels a much-needed financial floatation device. Unfortunately, keeping government loan assistance straight can be tough, especially if you’re trying to keep a hotel running or investments profitable. Wondering how government loan assistance is helping hotels get back on solid financial ground? We’ve mapped out how governments across the globe are using funding to jump-start hotel profitability. How Has Government Assistance Helped the U.S. Hotel Industry...
The Most Important Hotel “Salesperson” Right Now Is Working Behind Your Front Desk
Doug Kennedy | July 22, 2020
By Doug Kennedy As my frequent readers know, I have long advocated for hoteliers to view the front desk as a revenue- generating position, not an operational expense. In previous posts I have provided training tips for upselling at registration, converting “property-direct” voice inquiries, converting those who booked via third parties to booking directly next time, and perhaps most importantly, sourcing leads that can be passed along for follow-up by the hotel sales team. In recent years so many hotel salespeople have forgotten about this “channel,” as there was always a steady stream of leads flowing in from digital sources su...
GCommerce Announces Strategic Partnership With Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa
GCommerce | July 16, 2020
The Forbes 5-Star Resort Engages GCommerce Digital Marketing Agency with its Performance-Based Fee Model Park City, Utah, July 16th, 2020 - Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, a Forbes 5-star and AAA 5 Diamond property, has partnered with GCommerce for digital marketing services. The resort is one of two Forbes 5-star resorts located in Palm Beach. Eau Palm Beach marks GCommerce’s 8th Forbes 5-star property that the company has partnered with, demonstrating the company’s digital marketing expertise in the luxury travel market. “GCommerce was the perfect fit for Eau Palm Beach with their vast experience working with many other Forbes ...
Top 5 Things You Need to Know Now in Hotel Digital Marketing: July Edition
Margaret Mastrogiacomo | July 15, 2020
By Margaret Mastrogiacomo As hoteliers plan their Q3 marketing strategy, it’s important to keep a pulse on the evolving digital landscape to make a greater impact on performance. This month, Google announced updates to Google Image results, Twitter tests audio tweets, and CTV ads rise in popularity. From Search to Social Media and Design, here are the top 5 things you need to know now in hotel digital marketing. 1. Search: Google Image tests add more facts about images with the Knowledge Graph. Google announced it has launched a new feature within Google Image search on mobile to show quick facts about each image in search results. ...
Road to Recovery: Planning for a Marathon, Not a Sprint
Nancy Huang | July 15, 2020
By Nancy Huang The following article is part of a series on reopening tips and strategies for hotels, part of our Road to Recovery guide for hoteliers. Click here to access the complete guide. As countries loosen lockdown restrictions, hotels around the world are cautiously reopening and hoping to salvage what’s left of their high season, while simultaneously adjusting to a “new normal” of enhanced hygiene and social distancing in their daily operations. Unfortunately, while some countries of the world are confidently past the first wave of the pandemic, others are seeing their cases rise, even after having successfully broug...
Another Way to Amaze Your Customers: Pay Attention
Shep Hyken | July 15, 2020
By Shep Hyken I recently wrote about taking the extra step to deliver amazing service. There were three steps: pay attention, care about your customers and put forth extra effort. For this article, I want to focus on the first step—paying attention. Paying attention is more than just the first step. It may be the most important step. One of our readers, Scott Anderson, shared a story about staying at a resort in Mexico. The porter followed Scott and his wife to the room with their luggage. Scott mentioned to his wife how much he would love a Dr. Pepper. (Funny… Dr. Pepper was in the example of the aforementioned article.) He di...
The Game-Changing Rules Around Revenue Optimization
Travel Outlook Hotel Reservations Call Center Services | July 15, 2020
Maximizing Revenue While Adhering to New Service Standards The global pandemic has turned everything on its head, with the hospitality industry hit particularly hard. As hotels slowly reopen, they must adjust their revenue strategies to ensure they drive demand while being careful with their pricing decisions. In such challenging times, it’s tempting to drop room rates to stimulate bookings. But for many travelers, the priority will not be price, but safety. A $100 discount on the room rate is unlikely to tempt the decision-making of many but could end up harming a hotel’s profitability if there’s very little demand to drive in th...
Train Your Hotel Staff to Show Hospitality When Enforcing Mask Requirements
Doug Kennedy | July 14, 2020
By Doug Kennedy With most hotels around the globe requiring guests to wear facemasks in all public areas these days, it has fallen upon the frontline hospitality staff to enforce this policy, which in many cases is also municipal ordinance or decree. Although most guests comply voluntarily, a small minority are voicing their displeasure but still complying. An even smaller, but very vocal minority of hotel guests are challenging our staff’s authority to require compliance in a way that is confrontational and often demeaning. From what I am hearing, it’s the front desk staff who are most often the receptors of a verbal barrage, as th...
How Big Hotel Brands Have Stepped Up Their Hygiene Game
July 13, 2020
The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have rattled the tourism and hospitality industry. The cancellation of flights, conferences, events and hotel reservations have left the industry in sharp decline, with planned travel down 80-90% and global losses estimated at $300-450 billion. So how can hotels prepare, and step up their hygiene protocols to make their establishment safe and trustworthy? What can smaller hotels and lodging providers learn from the best practices of other hotels who are leading the way? 1. Set clear protocols The first step is to be very clear about the safety guidelines and protocols for your establishment – incl...
Economic Theories on COVID-19’s Impact on Hospitality and Tourism
July 13, 2020
Fever, dry cough, and tiredness. These are the COVID-19 symptoms according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Yet those are also the textbook symptoms that the world economy is experiencing today. What is missing is a small footnote that says, “By the way, watch out for the return of the Say’s Law”. If we were at the doctor’s, we would then ask: “Is it serious?” The answer would be: “It depends, we don’t know much about it!” Well, why not? COVID-19's negative impact on the aggregate demand and aggregate supply The COVID-19 crisis, like the 2008 crisis, led to a substantial drop in demand: customers don’t consume, gu...
The Tuxon, Newest Member of Marriott International’s Design Hotels Portfolio, Features Furnishings by Eclipse Hospitality
Eclipse Hospitality | July 9, 2020
PHOENIX, July 9, 2020 - After months of renovation and construction, the newest member of Marriott International’s Design Hotels portfolio, The Tuxon, opened July 3rd in Tucson, Arizona with casegoods manufactured by Phoenix-based Eclipse Hospitality. The Tuxon, pronounced “Tuck-son,” a playful nod to visitors to Tucson who mis-pronounce the silent “c” in the city’s name, joins Marriott’s elite group of more than 300 hotels located around the globe that promise their guests an immersive local experience. The Tuxon is set to be the first Marriott Design Hotels property in Arizona. “Furnishing The Tuxon was a beginning-to-end...
Hotel Marketing in the Summer of Covid
Larry Mogelonsky | July 8, 2020
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) With a vaccine far off, the balance of 2020 and some of 2021 will find us working under a powerful Covid cloud. Marketing is still needed, though, as it’s the lifeblood for driving awareness and generating demand. The summer months and early stretch of fall are critical for maintaining your current audience as well as finding new ones closer to home. While each property will have its own unique circumstances, there are some generalities that you can use to guide your budget planning. Below is a guide, not in any particular order of priority, split into those programs you should av...
Hotel Salespeople – Use Video Email for Personalized, Narrated, Virtual Hotel Tours
Doug Kennedy | July 8, 2020
By Doug Kennedy As those who read my hotel sales training articles or who attend my workshops know well, I am a huge advocate for using a “tech for touch” approach to stand out from the competition. I have long recommended that hotel group and event salespeople embrace the use of personalized video email in many ways, such as networking, prospecting, responding to inbound inquiries, and following-up with those you have spoken with. While this approach is relevant during all market conditions, it is especially important now during this time when COVID-19 has disrupted the meetings and events business and slowed the flood of inbound l...
