Liquidity and Risk - The Party's Over - By Scott Smith MAI
In the 2007 edition of Hospitality Investment Survey PKF Hospitality Research (PKF-HR) stated that, 'the lingering question on investors' minds is how to maximize yield in a capital induced frenzy of lowered revenue growth expectations, increasing upward pressure on operating costs and questionable exit expectations further on the horizon'. In 2008, it is evident that liquidity in the market has been drastically reduced, RevPAR expectations have been revised downward, and transactions have slowed considerable. ...more

Hospitality Lawyer with perspectives from the top: Insights and advice from Tom Baltimore, President of RLJ Development - By Jim Butler, author of www.HotelLawBlog.com
What a difference a year makes! Where we've been and where we're going. Practical advice and observations from Tom Baltimore. ...more

Ernst & Young's Global hospitality insights highlights the growing lifestyle hotel trend
In today's competitive landscape, hotel companies must distinguish themselves while satisfying consumer tastes. Primary and secondary markets are being targeted by developers in the US and around the world as locations for 'lifestyle hotels,' which have become more and more popular. Learn about this niche in our new issue of Global Hospitality Insights: following the lifestyle trend. ...more

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Big Brother is Watching - By Lorenza Alessie
Lorenza Alessie, associate director at HVS Executive Search, investigates how professional and social online networks such as Facebook and Linkedin are affecting the face of recruitment. ...more

Top Hotel Industry Performers in a Turbulent Time - By Keith Kefgen and Becca Ickowicz
CEO compensation in the hotel industry continues to be an important issue in the midst of an economic downturn. Based on our pay-for-performance model, Jon E. Bortz of LaSalle Hotel Properties was underpaid by 111.9% or $2.1 million in 2007. ...more

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Food & Beverage - A Time To Listen To Your Guests - By Joe Dunbar
Whenever the economy turns down and discretionary income declines, the advantage shifts from hot new concepts to established names. The recent strike in Hollywood left many new programs without writers. These shows were just starting to build an audience. The strike put plenty of these shows out of the lineup when the strike ended too late. Previous winners survived. ...more

Restaurant Trends - Growing And Emerging Concepts - Data reflects change and activity from March 14, 2008 to July 14, 2008
Update from Restaurantchains.net on growing and emerging restaurant concepts ...more

C-Store Operators See Foodservice Opportunities in New Light, Says Technomic
Higher gas prices may be hurting customers at the pump, but c-store operators are sharing their pain. With gross margins on fuel hovering around 5 percent, it's no wonder that many c-store operators are taking a fresh look at their foodservice programs, where margins are easily over 40 percent and may exceed 60 percent. ...more

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'Not a Site, but a Concept': Tapping the Power of Social Networking
Mini USA, the American branch of BMW's Mini Cooper line, tracks everything being said about its brand everywhere on line -- in blogs, discussion groups, forums, MySpace pages and much more -- then uses what it learns to guide advertising campaigns. ...more

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Tourism growth in Asia remains robust according to Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels' Digest Asia 2008
Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels identified Malaysia and Vietnam as the key growth markets in Southeast Asia, with Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia continuing to be strong markets for predominantly intra-regional travel. The Indian sub-continent is also expected to continue its growth trend. ...more

U.S. hotel industry posts record revenue, pre-tax profits
Pre-tax income for the United States hotel industry in 2007 increased 5.3 percent to a record $28 billion, according to the recently released 2008 Hotel Operating Statistics (HOST) Study issued by Smith Travel Research (STR). ...more

Canadian Occupancy, ADR, RevPAR - Week Ending July 12, 2008
Published in conjunction with STR (Smith Travel Research) and endorsed by the Hotel Association of Canada. This publication summarizes weekly occupancy and average room rates from major cities in Canada. ...more

Solid First Semester 2008 Perfomance for French Hotel Industry
With a 1.2% RevPAR increase, June shows positive growth compared to the previous year's exceptional results. All hotel categories display excellent occupancy rate levels. ...more

Pope's Visit An Unexpected Blessing for Sydney Hotels
Despite widespread concern in the hotel industry that World Youth Day would prove to be a debacle for the Sydney CBD accommodation market, data released today by leading hotel consultants Horwath HTL and STR Global demonstrates that the event did deliver improved revenue for the industry. ...more

Monthly U.S. Lodging Performance June 2008
Monthly summary of Occupancy, ADR and REVPar for the United States. ...more

2nd Quarter Lodging Review for 2008
Quarterly summary of Occupancy, ADR and REVPar for the United States. ...more

UK Remains Largest Online Travel Market In Europe But Its Share Expected To Reduce
The UK remains the single strongest performing market in terms of online travel expenditure achieving nearly double the online sales of its closest contender Germany, according to the new European Online Travel Report 2008 recently published by EyeforTravel. ...more

Weekly U.S. Lodging Performance for the week of July 13 2008 - July 19, 2008
Weekly summary of Occupancy, ADR and REVPar for the United States. ...more

US hotel occupancy reached 65.0 percent in the three months ending June 2008, down 2.5 percent versus second quarter 2007
Smith Travel Research (STR) announced second quarter and first half 2008 results for the U.S. lodging industry today. ...more

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The butler and service in the guest's micro- and macro-environment - By Osvaldo Torres Cruz
The butler plays an important role in the quality control of the services offered to the guest during his/her stay. ...more

Don't Wait Until It's Too Late! - By Rick Welch CHA, CHME
Everywhere I turn headlines and online internet publications are littered with bad news as major hotel companies and research companies across the country release their second quarter sales. Hyatt, Wyndham, Sheraton, Choice, IHG, Marriott, and Best Western are but a few of the companies that issued press releases reporting losses of occupancy and sales in the second quarter from the prior year ranging from 2.4% to 9.2%. ...more

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Online transactions are critical to growing the ASPAC Market
Tapping the e-commerce market is key to reaching the tech savvy Asia-Pacific electronic distribution market, experts told attendees at HEDNA's ASPAC Meeting, held 9 July 2008 at the InterContinental Hong Kong. ...more

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AAA Travel Professionals Say Travelers Adjust Plans in Response to Rising Gas Prices
Travelers will change plans, but won't shy away from travel overall ...more

Visa Study Shows Canada and Mexico are Top Destinations for Americans Traveling Abroad
While Interest in International Travel Remains Strong, Americans Traveling Abroad Are Staying Closer to Home ...more

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Cornell Study Highlights the 'Pitfalls' of Reliance on Frequent Traveler Programs
Though they are widely used in all segments of the travel and tourism industry, loyalty programs are unable to increase a hotel or airline's average purchase frequency among their patrons. ...more

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