The Tricycle of Guest Service Excellence: A Perfect Model For Remarkable Experiences
Doug Kennedy | October 4, 2024
Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino Partners With Travel Outlook to Elevate Guest Service Experience
Travel Outlook, The Premier Hotel Call Center™ | October 2, 2024
Top Read
5 Reasons to Reevaluate Your Metasearch Marketing
GCommerce | February 14, 2024
TAs are gaining share, which means less profitable business, missed opportunities to connect with your guests, and losing out on valuable 1st party data. What can you do? Start by looking at your marketing channels that drive the most direct bookings. Metasearch is #1 and is the primary battleground to win back share from the OTAs. Start taking back your direct bookings with our playbook - 5 Reasons to Reevaluate Your Metasearch Marketing Strategies. ...
Overcoming the Huge Disconnect Between Service Mottos and What Guests Actually Experience
Doug Kennedy | February 12, 2024
By Doug Kennedy I have always been a huge fan of articles written by Alan Young, CEO of Puzzle Partner, but I was super happy to read his most recent article entitled Has the ‘New’ Service Culture Become the ‘No’ Service Culture? In this publication. I definitely suggest that my readers click and read the full article wherein Alan calls out and challenges major, iconic brands to live up to their lofty company mottos and read his pointed questions to them. His work has inspired me to write more about the disconnect between brand messaging and operational delivery, along with discussion questions for your next leadership meetin...
Embracing Technology Without Losing the Human Touch in Hospitality
Alan Young | February 8, 2024
By Alan Young I have been chatting with a number of hotel operators over the last few weeks, and one thing is constant between each and every one of them: we must continually improve our service delivery as the adoption rate of technology is moving at lightspeed. Why? Because when technology is so incredibly prolific, we need proof of humanity and authenticity. Hotel operators want to embrace technology to help them run their businesses more effectively, but not at the cost of losing their hotel's “human touch.” In a world increasingly dominated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other technological advancements, the hospitality in...
Quoting Higher Rates and Overcoming Objections Regarding Rate/Availability Restrictions
Doug Kennedy | February 6, 2024
Doug Kennedy’s Next Training Webcast; Complimentary Registration Now Open Sponsored By Travel Outlook, Better Talent, and Track Hospitality Software Register your team and participate live, or view the recording, of Doug Kennedy’s next 40-minute training webcast scheduled for Monday, February 19, from Noon – 12:40 pm EST. REGISTER HERE “As many resorts, vacation rental companies, and hotels enter the peak booking season, now is a great time to train your reservations team on tactics for successfully selling the higher rates that your revenue managers have most likely rolled out this year,” said Kennedy. Due to today’s h...
Paramount Hospitality Management Partners With Travel Outlook, The Premier Hotel Call Center to Boost Conversions
Travel Outlook The Premier Hotel Call Center™ | February 1, 2024
The Southern hospitality giant embraces technology solutions in their new partnership. Santa Fe, New Mexico, January 31, 2024 — In a search for a trustworthy technology partner that’s experience and reputation in the hospitality industry match the high standards at Paramount Hospitality Management™, the company has partnered with Travel Outlook, The Premier Hotel Call Center™ to combat labor shortages and increase conversion rates. Paramount Hospitality™ has been a titan of the hotelier industry since its inception in 2001. Founder Marco Manzie has worked in the hotel business since he was 17. He took his decades of experience...
Getting Rates Above $750 Then Above $1000 Per Night
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | January 24, 2024
By Adam and Larry Mogelonsky In the realm of luxury properties, charging around the $500 per night price range has come to be expected for any brands around the world since the pandemic, but the pursuit of rates exceeding $750 or $1,000 per night is now a strategic objective. But with great rate comes great expectations. Ergo, owners and operators in this space understand that guests paying in this premium range demand more than just the basics. Guest expectations for this $500 to $750 range encompass not only a remarkable lobby and well-appointed rooms but also enhanced services and upgraded amenities. Premium dining and spa services a...
Refreshing Hotel Fitness for 2024 With Mobility Training
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | January 10, 2024
By Adam and Larry Mogelonsky Last year, wellness debuted as the next big thing for hotels. Within the broader banner of ‘wellness’ is fitness and exercise, where most hotels have focused on getting new weightlifting equipment, buying new cardio machines, making their gyms accessible 24/7, setting up some sort of healthy food outlet, and then programming in yoga, Pilates, step or another form of group class. What’s perhaps missed in this conversation is the importance of mobility (or substitute this word with balance training or flexibility) and how it can change one’s outlook on fitness, movement and preventing joint pain. There...
Complimentary Registration Now Open For Doug Kennedy’s Next Training Webcast: Contemporary Approaches for Upselling at Check-In
Doug Kennedy | January 8, 2024
Sponsored By Travel Outlook, Better Talent, and Track Hospitality Software Register your team and participate live, or view the recording, of Doug Kennedy’s next 40-minute training webcast scheduled for Monday, January 22, from Noon – 12:40pm EDT. REGISTER HERE “Lately, too many hotels seem to be relying on pre-arrival drip campaigns to upsell guests to higher-priced accommodations. The problem is that guests’ inboxes are flooded with similar offers from airlines, rental cars, and other hotels on their itinerary, so most just ignore them,” said Kennedy, “And that’s assuming they don’t get marked as spam.” Kennedy bel...
Amadeus Data Reveals Los Cabos, Mexico to Be Top Hotel Destination for Christmas and New Year’s Travel
Amadeus’ Demand360+ | December 7, 2023
Unique forward-looking market insights show the top global destinations for holiday travel, with Mexico and APAC leading the way As we head towards the festive season, hoteliers are preparing for demand as people look to travel over Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Global technology provider Amadeus, with its unique forward-looking business intelligence data, is seeing a peak in demand over the Christmas and New Year period across major markets around the world. Amadeus’ Demand360+® data as of November 27, 2023, shows that global hotel occupancy for the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s is already at 23%. This is up 10 % fro...
Why Legacy Systems Can Limit Revenue Potential When It Comes to Attribute-Based Selling
Aaron Shepherd | November 28, 2023
By Aaron Shepherd Are outdated technologies preventing your hotel from meeting guest expectations and maximizing profitability? In the hotel industry, profitability is increasingly influenced by a variety of market changes, including the introduction of new technologies, shifting consumer preferences, and fluctuating operational costs. In response to these challenges, the industry is turning towards innovative pricing strategies, with Attribute-Based Selling (ABS) (also known as attribute-based pricing) emerging as a notable trend. Research from the Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA) suggests that hotels implement...
Ten Ideas to Add Memorable Details to Your Hotel
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | November 15, 2023
By Adam and Larry Mogelonsky “It's attention to detail that makes the difference between average and stunning.” (Francis Attenbury, 1663-1732) To put this into an adage that we prefer and have used, “The story is in the specificity.” As a thought, how many times have you stayed at a hotel where the interior of the guestroom offers no distinctive finishes so much so that you could wake up and not know what brand or city you are in? While this may be fine for the economy and midscale hotels-in-beds operations, if you want to chart a course for above-market ADR increases, your hotel needs an identity. Some of this comes through ...
IDeaS Releases 2024 Hotel Technology Predictions
IDeaS | November 15, 2023
Gathering insight from industry leaders around the world, IDeaS prognosticates on what may be in store for 2024 MINNEAPOLIS—Nov. 15, 2023 — IDeaS, a SAS, company, the world’s leading provider of hotel revenue management software and services, released Future Forecast: Six Hotel Technology Predictions for 2024. Gathering information from some of the top minds in the industry, IDeaS releases six bold hotel technology predictions that it believes will shape the year to come. Key predictions include: • The continued breakdown of hospitality data silos: The hospitality industry collects an incredible amount of valuable guest data, b...
Leading the Culinary Lifestyle Segment With Christopher Hunsberger of Appellation
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | November 8, 2023
By Adam and Larry Mogelonsky Every hotelier knows in their heart of hearts the importance of giving guests a great experience. It’s the lifeblood of hospitality. Yet beyond impeccable service and a flawless guestroom, so much of that hotel experience is crafted by what else is happening onsite. This is what we often label as a ‘reason to visit’ which can be a spa, golf, the pool, beach access, proximity to attractions, activities, funky décor or a mix of several of these and more. In this case, the focus is F&B as that reason to visit, yet normally we would still write about its importance as a part of the overall hotel exper...
Nashville Hits 31.5 Percent Meeting and Event Growth in October, According to Knowland
Knowland | November 8, 2023
October event volume increased 12.8 percent compared with last year ARLINGTON, Va. — Nov. 8, 2023 — Knowland, the world’s leading provider of data-as-a-service insights on meetings and events for hospitality, reports Nashville experienced strong growth for meetings and events since last year at 31.5 percent. Las Vegas came in second with 20.3 percent year-over-year growth. Overall, U.S. industry growth of meetings and events increased by 12.8 percent. This data is sourced from Knowland’s sales intelligence platform designed to help hoteliers build and protect a hotel’s revenue base. Nashville was the hot spot for conventio...
Paramount Lodging Advisors Successfully Transacts Chicago Renaissance OHare Hotel
Paramount Lodging Advisors | November 7, 2023
CHICAGO, IL - Paramount Lodging Advisors (PLA) has successfully executed the sale of a Marriott-branded Renaissance Hotel situated minutes from Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Managing Director Mike Schlictman and Director Andrew Makhlouf, along with Partners Bennett Webster and Brent Clemens represented the seller in the transaction. The full-service 362-key Renaissance Hotel opened in 2005 and features over 9,000 SF of meeting space and the Asado Urban Grill restaurant. The upscale property is ideally located in the top 3 MSA market of Chicago....
Katathani Collection Grows Resort Revenue by 15 Percent With IDeaS G3 RMS
IDeaS | November 1, 2023
Real-time analysis and precise room-type pricing elevate Thai-based resort’s revenue management approach SINGAPORE – Nov. 1, 2023 – IDeaS, a SAS company, the world’s leading provider of hotel revenue management software and services, today announced that Katathani Collection has grown revenues across two of its resort properties by 15 percent with IDeaS G3 Revenue Management System (RMS.) Katathani Collection adopted IDeaS G3 RMS across two properties: Katathani Phuket Beach Resort and The Shore. Katathani Collection is an award-winning, Thai-based hospitality group operating in Phuket, Khao Lak, and Chiang Rai. Faced with grow...
How Technology Is Making De-Flagging Easier and Levels the Playing Field for Going Independent
Aaron Shepherd | October 31, 2023
By Aaron Shepherd, the CEO and Co-Founder of APS (Above Property Services) For many of us, entrepreneurship is a terrifying pursuit. Breaking away from the traditional mold to create something new or different is, admittedly, the path of more resistance. It takes courage, innovative thinking and creativity, agility, relentless execution and unflappable commitment to make it work – and even then, many ventures will fail. But those ventures that do find success act as a beacon to anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit; a sign that big dreams can, sometimes, glean even bigger results. Within the world of entrepreneurship, however, exists ...
AHLA Partners With IncentiFind to Identify Sustainability-Related Savings for Owners, Operators
AHLA | October 30, 2023
New partnership makes it easy for hoteliers to find $70 billion of incentives like tax credits, grants, fee waivers WASHINGTON (Oct. 30, 2023) – The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and IncentiFind today announced a new partnership to help AHLA’s more than 30,000 members identify sustainability-related cost savings. IncentiFind, a leading green building incentive database, offers more than a half million incentives, including tax credits, grants, fee waivers, rebates, and bill credits. These lucrative credits support the implementation of green measures like energy efficiency, renewables, water conservation, and more, ...
Travel Outlook’s Annette, The Virtual Hotel Agent™ Revolutionizes the Caller Experience at Camelback Resort
Travel Outlook The Premier Hotel Call Center | October 26, 2023
Travel Outlook's revolutionary technology is assisting Camelback Resort answer significant front desk call volume. SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO (October 2023): In every corner of industry, technology is helping companies break barriers and challenge convention. The hospitality industry is no exception, and conversational AI is making its mark, providing a new option for effective and consistent customer service. Many of the calls a hotel front desk receives are repetitive, simple requests, asking routine questions about check-out times, luggage handling, the breakfast location and hours, and general travel information. These types of questions...
Case Study: Boar’s Head Resort, Charlottesville, Virginia
Auto-Chlor | October 25, 2023
Commercial dishwashing solution ensures spotless dishes through precise chemical dosing while reducing waste, cutting costs, and minimizing environmental impact Hospitality companies are seeking products and services to achieve sustainability goals while keeping their environment clean, safe, and operating efficiently. Boar’s Head Resort, a AAA four-diamond country resort owned by the University of Virginia Foundation, was looking for a way to ensure dishwashing operations used the proper chemical dosage and could be efficiently operated and maintained. They opted for the Auto-Chlor System, a commercial dishwashing model focused on recyc...
Knowland’s Market Segmentation Analysis Feature Now Available for Property-Level Hotel Sales Teams
KNOWLAND | October 25, 2023
Add-on feature helps sales teams better understand specific market segment performance, plan account strategies, and gain insight into competitive activities ARLINGTON, Va. — Oct. 25, 2023 — Knowland, the world’s leading provider of data-as-a-service insights on meetings and events for hospitality, announced an add-on feature explicitly designed to help on-property sales teams better understand and target the right group segments booking in their market. Sales teams are often challenged to understand what groups have met in their competitive set. Knowland’s Market Segmentation feature delivers detailed insight into group busi...
Travel Outlook’s Omnichannel Telephony Enhances Guest Service and Reduces Hotel Labor Expense
Travel Outlook The Premier Hotel Call Center | October 19, 2023
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO (October 2023): In a world where seamless communication is paramount for business success, Travel Outlook is now offering an omnichannel telephony system for its hotel clients. This new system will revolutionize the way hotels connect with their guests, offering a unified and consistent communication experience across all channels. Travel Outlook understands that communication is the cornerstone of success in today's fast-paced business world, and their omnichannel telephony adapts to a hotel’s unique requirements and helps them stay ahead of the competition. The omnichannel system brings together the best of bo...
Shiji Signs Global MSA With Marriott International for Infrasys Cloud POS
Shiji | October 17, 2023
Marriott International has signed a global contract with Shiji that will enable the expansion of Shiji’s Infrasys Cloud POS to Marriott hotels all over the world. CHEVY CHASE, Maryland, USA, October 17, 2023 - Shiji, the global hospitality technology innovator, announced today that a Master Service Agreement has been signed which will allow for expanded use of Infrasys Cloud Point-of-Sale (POS) in Marriott International hotels in Africa, Asia Pacific, the Caribbean and Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East. Infrasys Cloud POS is Shiji’s flagship POS, built for enterprise hotel companies as a cloud-based POS. Infrasys Clo...
Mobile Check-In Technology Enhancements Beyond Just Checking In
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | October 4, 2023
By Adam and Larry Mogelonsky The check-in experience is perennially under the microscope because first impressions are everything. When you consider the context of the guest that’s arriving – jetlagged, lower back pain from being crammed like sardines into an airplane, stressed from being in a foreign city – it makes sense to prioritize upgrading this aspect of the hotel stay, particularly when there are so many tech vendors who can help you solve the challenges of long lineups and disgruntled travelers who may not want to deal with a front desk agent. First and foremost, we must mention the non-mobile upgrades because they are im...
