STR Reports U.S. Hotel Pipeline for February 2010

The total active U.S. hotel development pipeline includes 3,551 projects comprising 368,740 rooms, according to the February 2010 STR/TWR/Dodge Construction Pipeline Report released this week ...more

How Green Certification Programs Address Smoking/Nonsmoking - By Glenn Hasek

In the last several years, the number of green lodging certification programs available to U.S. hotels has exploded with programs emerging at the national, state and city level. For the most part, these programs address indoor air quality by encouraging lodging establishments to avoid the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are often found in paints, glues, cleaning chemicals, furniture and other items. ...more

Restaurant Trends - Growing And Emerging Concepts - Data Reflects Change and Activity from November 1, 2009 to March 1, 2010

Update from Restaurantchains.net on growing and emerging restaurant concepts ...more

Brewers Association Announces 2009 Craft Brewer Sales Numbers

Craft Brewer Sales Grow 7 Percent in a Year of Decreased Beer Sales for Other Brewers ...more

Zagat Releases New Texas Dining Survey

Austin and Houston Diners Report Dining Out the Most in America - Though Texas Is Home to Nation's Best Value Dining, Prices Soar ...more

Should My Hotel Use Facebook Ads?

Our clients often ask us if they should use Facebook ads. Many hotels are skeptical about using the ads and question if they will be effective or not. We recommend that hotels do use Facebook ads, but that they do so with clear goals in mind, and that they follow best practices when it comes to designing, targeting, testing, and tracking their ads. ...more

Social Media for Hotels: Taming the Beast - By Daniel Edward Craig

If anything strikes fear in the hearts of hoteliers these days, it’s social media. Seemingly overnight, we’re expected to tune in to dozens of websites each day to make sure no one has badmouthed us or posted an embarrassing video. If they have, we’re obliged to respond in a courteous, guest-is-always-right manner, knowing that everyone is listening - travelers, clients, media and the competition. No pressure there. ...more

Hitwise February 2009 Travel Category Report

38.92% of all visits to the online 'Travel' industry went to the top 10 websites for the month of February, 2010. 48.19% went to the top 20 websites and 69.58% went to the top 100 websites. ...more

2009: Another Year That Confirmed the Internet As the Only Growth Channel in Hospitality - By Max Starkov

The latest eTRAK Full Year 2009 report on hotel bookings by channel yet again confirms that today, the online channel is the only growth channel in hospitality. In the difficult economic environment, when travel supply outweighed travel demand by far, Internet bookings for the top 30 hotel brands increased by a remarkable 6.6% in 2009 vs. 2008 (eTRAK). ...more

In Search of Customer Loyalty - By Madigan Pratt

Every hotel wants more loyal guests. The rewards for individual properties are well documented; loyal customers: ...more

White Paper - Six Mistakes Companies Are Making Today And How You Can Avoid Them

When the economy slows, many businesses react by retrenching and cutting costs in order to weather the downturn.
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Keys to Success - Hospitality Conversations - How To Select The Right Design Firm To Refresh Or Renovate Your Hotel - By John Hogan

Property Improvement Plans or PIPS, are a reality to today’s hotel owners and management groups. If a property is part of a franchised system, dealing with PIPS can be an expensive proposition both at the time of sale as well as in continuing operations. The purpose of PIPs is to keep properties in compliance with all existing and new brand standards, as franchisors strive to maintain brand standards to protect their brands as well as the investments of all the other franchisees.
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Brands on the Brink: Marketing in a Down Economy

Among other victims of the recession, brands have taken a beating. Private labels have gained market share. Consumers are cutting back. Retailers are turning up the heat. According to panelists who gathered to discuss brand strategy at a recent Wharton Marketing Conference titled, "Connecting with the Evolving Consumer," marketers need to be especially innovative when it comes to making sense of the shifting economy -- and profiting from it. ...more

Do You Really Need New Customers? -What Hospitality Businesses Can Learn from Retail - By Ragsdale Hendrie

Many in the Hospitality Industry felt they knew everything about the Customer Experience. Even the very definition of Hospitality percolated with terms like care, attention, excitement, relaxation, special, nourishment for the body, soul and spirit – all oriented to that special cachet, which was ours alone. And, others started to borrow on our expertise, particularly with an emphasis on Customer Service. However, we still owned the distinction, and it rang throughout our Brands. ...more

STR Reports Canada Performance for Week Ending 6 March 2010

In year-over-year measurements, the industry’s occupancy decreased 0.4 percent to 55.3 percent. Average daily rate fell 0.9 percent to finish the week at CAD$125.36. Revenue per available room for the week dropped 1.3 percent decrease to CAD$69.36. ...more

Hotel Prices in the UK and Europe Remain Low

From February to March 2010, the average price of hotels in Europe stayed constant at 93 pounds. Compared to March 2009's average of 100 pounds a night, this represents a seven percent drop. Prices in 34 of the top 50 European cities also decreased in comparison to last year. In contrast, prices in London have increased by six percent. These are the findings of the trivago Hotel Price Index (tHPI) which is published monthly by the hotel price comparison site www.trivago.co.uk. ...more

STR Reports US Performance for Week Ending 27 February 2010

In year-over-year measurements, the industry’s occupancy ended the week with a 2.5-percent increase to 55.3 percent. Average daily rate dropped 4.7 percent to finish the week at US$96.06. Revenue per available room for the week fell 2.3 percent to finish at US$53.15. ...more

STR Reports Canada Performance for Week Ending 27 February 2010

In year-over-year measurements, the industry’s occupancy increased 3.4 percent to 58.4 percent. Average daily rate increased 13.2 percent to finish the week at CAD$140.65. Revenue per available room for the week rose 17.0 percent to CAD$82.16. ...more

New Research Examines Affect of Recession on Luxury Consumer Market

MarketResearch.com has announced the addition of Unity Marketing Inc.'s new report "Luxury Consumers' Attitudes & Motivations Report: How The Mindset Of The Affluent Consumers Has Changed In The Current Recession And What It Means For The Retailers And Brands That Market To Them," to their collection of Affluent Market reports. ...more

Algonquin Hotel - More Than the Round Table - By Stanley Turkel, MHS, ISHC

The 108-year-old NYC landmark hotel has an interesting and unique history. Here’s its classic story. ...more

Webinar: Selling Hotel Rooms to the Video Generation, March 23rd, 2:00pm Eastern/11:00am Pacific

Register for this Complimentary Webinar to Learn What Every Hotelier Needs to Know about using Online Video to Appeal to Different Generations of Travel Shoppers. ...more

VIDEO: Page Position: How to Optimize Conversions Online Using OTAs

VFM Leonardo, the leader in online visual content distribution for hotels, has launched a new episode on VTV Channel: Page Position: How to Optimize Conversions Online Using OTAs with Jean Francois Mourier, Founder and CEO of RevPAR Guru. ...more

Luxury Link Releases 2010 Consumer Survey Results

Online Luxury Hotel Deal Expert's Annual Survey Reveals Preferences, Travel Booking Practices and Most Sought-After Destinations of More Than 6,000 Travelers ...more

Amadeus Survey: 800 North American Travel Professionals Voice Optimism, Innovation for the Year Ahead and Beyond

Travel professionals report a confident outlook and see an increased role for service, technology, and specialization to serve the needs of future travelers ...more

US Airlines February Traffic Slips by 2.4%

With almost 50% of traffic numbers available, the February pax numbers are down by more than (2.4%) ...more

Travel Companies Grapple with 'New Normal'

As the recession sapped demand for travel, hotel operators got creative. They shut down restaurants, closed floors and even cut back on newspaper delivery to ride out the downturn. ...more

City Tourism in Europe Recovers Faster Than Expected

European Cities Marketing (ECM) represents more than 100 major cities in 33 countries. An analysis of a representative sample of European cities conducted by the association shows that the European city tourism market has experienced a surprisingly fast recovery in visitor flows beginning in the second half of 2009. ...more

Total Revenue Management - HSMAI's Revenue Management Advisory Board

Revenue management of hotel inventory has long been the practice for hoteliers worldwide, both large and small, chain and independent. Hotel operators understand and accept the need to forecast customer demand at some level of detail and recommend product availability conditions that will deliver the maximum revenue based on that demand. However, for the most part, traditional hotel revenue management is focused purely on maximizing sleeping room revenue with no regard for any other revenue associated with the hotel guest.
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