Global Hotel Boom - Hotel Investments Rise to 140bn Euro

Worldwide over 1,515 luxury hotels and 2,150 first class hotels with, in total, more than 1 million guest rooms are under construction. ...more

European Hotel Real Estate: a Long, Slow Haul Back

Key highlights from Emerging Trends in Real Estate Europe 2010 ...more

2010 Asia Pacific Outlook - Construction Pipeline Report

At the end of Q4 2009, the Asia Pacific Pipeline stands at 1,783 projects/ 432,931 rooms. As a whole, Asia Pacific has one of the lowest percentage Pipeline decreases of any region from the peak in Q2 2008, second only to Africa. Because China has the second largest Pipeline in the world, total project counts for the region are off just 20% from the peak and total rooms by 16%. ...more

Does HR Outsourcing Really Work?

It’s easy to make a list of reasons why HR Outsourcing (HRO) should work, starting with the promise of substantial cost savings. But when it comes to actually diving in, a lot of organizations are getting cold feet. That’s because they know that a number of big HRO projects have failed to deliver the value promised. Is there a real business case to be made for HRO in light of its uneven track record? ...more

Deloitte Poll: Global Economic Downturn Has Increased Business Students’ Scrutiny of Potential Employers

In a poll of students participating in the Deloitte International Student Business Forum (ISBF), forty-five percent said that the recent global economic downturn has increased their scrutiny of potential employers; forty-eight percent indicated that the recession has diminished their trust in the authority and capabilities of corporate and government leaders; and eighty-seven percent consider strong ethics, integrity, and values important qualities in an employer. ...more

Food Industry Faces Low Profit Margins and Thrifty Consumers Says Plunkett Research

lunkett Research, Ltd. has released its newest market research and competitive analysis report, Plunkett’s Food Industry Almanac, 2010 edition, which identifies and analyzes major trends shaping the food, tobacco and beverage industry. ...more

Plunkett Releases 2010 Food Industry Almanac

MarketResearch.com has announced the addition of Plunkett Research, Ltd.'s new report "Plunkett's Food Industry Trends and Statistics 2010 (Summary)," to their collection of Food market reports. ...more

Social Media Best Practices

A starting point for destination marketers ...more

Mastering Internet Marketing in 2010: Results of the 4th Benchmark Survey on Hotel Internet Marketing - By Max Starkov, Mariana Mechoso Safer and Evan Rosenblum

With 2009 over and hoteliers feeling more optimistic, HeBS sees two very different approaches to hotel Internet marketing in 2010: on one side, some hoteliers are still extremely cautious when spending marketing dollars; on the other, hoteliers are hitting the ground running with more expansive online marketing budgets and an enthusiasm to participate in new initiatives. ...more

Guest Satisfaction - February 2010 Chatter Guard Benchmark Report Is Released

Lodging Interactive, a leading interactive marketing agency servicing the hospitality industry and the publisher of the free Chatter Guard Monthly Benchmark Monitor Report has released its February 2010 report. ...more

Outrageous! The Cure for the Post Recession Blues! - By Carol Verret

It’s almost spring and there are green shoots sprouting in gardens and the economy! It’s time to shake off the deadly serious work attitudes we have adopted and be a little outrageous! ...more

Want To Improve Staff Productivity? Hire Teachers - By Joseph M. Gravish

Every once in awhile an author’s think-piece hits the bulls-eye. A recent article by Elizabeth Green titled ‘Building a Better Teacher’ (New York Times, March 7, 2010) does just that. But what does this have to do with hospitality? Actually, it’s a no-brainer. ...more

Where German Travelers Are Headed in 2010

HotelsCombined reports the top 10 domestic and international travel destinations for German residents in 2010. Statistics are based on the Web site's current booking leads for the upcoming year. Berlin and Hamburg top the list for domestic destinations while New York and London rank highest for international destinations. ...more

Hotel Industry Pulse Index Moving Up - Slowly

The Hotel Industry Pulse Index (HIP) posted a slight recovery in February, according to economic research firm e-forecasting.com in conjunction with STR. After edging down 0.5 percent in January, HIP improved 1.3 percent in February. ...more

Hotwire Reveals Canadian Hotel Rate Report for March 2010

Calgary Tops the Hotel Rate Report for the Third Consecutive Month ...more

Jordan’s Tourism Sector Shows Resilience According to Deloitte Analysis of 2009 Hotel Performance

In what was a testing year for tourism markets globally after the fallout of the world financial crisis, Jordan showed signs in 2009 of withstanding the challenge. The country observed an occupancy rate of 56.1 percent in the 12-month period ended December 2009, according to statistics from STR Global, which reflects a year-on-year decrease of 18 percent. However, revenue per available room (RevPAR) in the same period decreased relatively less, by 5.7 percent, to US$82.11. ...more

Middle East Hoteliers Prove to Be the Strongest

Deloitte has confirmed that hotels in the Middle East achieved the highest occupancy, average room rates and revPAR globally in 2009. Data prepared by STR Global, shows occupancy reached 61.3 percent for the year, while average room rates and revenue per available room (revPAR), stood at US$202 and US$124 respectively. ...more

European Hotels on the Up

Recent analysis by Deloitte has found that recovery in European hotel performance is on the horizon. Demand has experienced an upturn since October 2009, before pushing into positive territory in December 2009 - up 4.2 percent. STR Global results for January 2010 also show a healthy 3.3 percent increase in the region against January 2009. ...more

UK Hotels Forecast 2010 and 2011: On the Comeback Trail

Hotels are on the comeback trail. More accurately hotels appear to be on two separate trails to recovery – a super-highway for London and a much rougher Provincial trail. ...more

World Travel & Tourism Council Forecasts Subdued Growth For 2010

World GDP fell by 2.1% in real terms, with developed economies - a major source of demand for Travel & Tourism - the most severely affected. Households curtailed leisure travel plans, substituting lower-cost short-haul and domestic travel for more expensive long-haul trips, and corporations reduced business travel budgets. ...more

Recovery over a Year Away, Say Hotel Executives

A survey of 417 European hotel executives by international law firm DLA Piper has revealed weak industry confidence and dealt a blow to hopes of recovery this year. ...more

NYC Hotel Business Turns Corner In February

The hotel business in New York City has begun to turn the corner as Sean Hennessey, CEO of Lodging Advisors, told the Greater New York Chapter of the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) that based on an analysis of STR data, he forecasts that New York City hotel RevPAR turned positive in February 2010, the first time since September 2008. ...more

STR Reports US Performance for Week Ending 6 March 2010

In year-over-year measurements, the industry’s occupancy ended the week with a 4.0-percent increase to 54.9 percent. Average daily rate dropped 3.0 percent to finish the week at US$96.05. Revenue per available room for the week was up 0.9 percent to finish at US$52.75. ...more

Nobody Asked Me, But... No. 62 - By Stanley Turkel, MHS, ISHC

Do the Radisson Franchisees Agree with Carlson's billion-dollar Makeover Program? At Last: A Win-Win Victory for Tourism; Congratulations to the Harris Rosen Foundation ...more

Hotel Spas Recession Overload - By Gabrielle Lerner

As we enter 2010, words like, 'economic downturn' and 'recession' are still lingering in everyone’s minds. The service industry among others was significantly impacted by the events commencing in the fall of 2008 and unfortunately, hotel spas were not immune. Hotel spa operators reported that they began to feel the impacts of the economic events early on in 2008, especially those within the luxury hotel segment. ...more

New Survey Provides Hoteliers Insight on Industry Trends

As the hospitality industry continues to recover, hoteliers look for insight on industry trends. To provide that insight, the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and VIZERGY®, leaders in hotel Internet marketing, have teamed up to conduct a dynamic study that will help properties increase their online revenue and understand how their peers are navigating the volatile environment. ...more

The State of Travel and Entertainment Expense Management

New Study Finds That Enterprises Are Beginning to Look at Expense Management Strategically ...more

Can the Design of Guest Experiences Be Copied? - Through The Eyes Of A Hotel Butler - By Osvaldo Torres Cruz

Nowadays, differentiation is one of the main goals every Hotel aims to as a company, because it has been demonstrated that it influences the positioning and achievement of competitive advantages in the international market. Hotels have thus developed dissimilar strategies to achieve differentiation and obtain the success sought. However, it is well known that success is coveted by all, and each day it becomes more difficult to prevent these tools being copied by other Hotels in the process to obtain same results. ...more

Independent Hotels and Resorts Attract Guests, Increase Revenue Using Social Media and E-Marketing to Promote Direct Website Bookings, Loyalty

Personalized Service, Engaging Guests in the Era of Internet & Social Marketing Proves a Winning Strategy for Independent Hoteliers to Outshine Large Chains ...more

New Technology is Cool, But Don't Forget Hotel Marketing Basics - By Neil Salerno

There are certain basics which endure in spite of the advent of new technology. In this highly-competitive marketplace, new technology tends to capture everyone's attention, perhaps with the desperate hope to discover some magic panacea which will solve all our problems. When you find it, please let me know. ...more

VIDEO: 7 Steps to Successful Travel EBusiness – A Holistic Approach

VFM Leonardo, the leader in online visual content distribution for hotels, has launched a new episode on VTV Channel: 7 Steps to Successful Travel eBusiness – A Holistic Approach with Robert Cole the Founder of RockCheetah, a hotel marketing strategy and travel industry technology consulting practice. ...more

Trend Experts Reveal The Travel Industry's Quiet Revolution

Changes in Consumer Consciousness about Environment, Culture, and Interconnectedness Are Creating New Modes of Travel ...more

Increase in Business Trips, New Growth Opportunities in 2010

Results from a new survey of unmanaged business travelers in Best Western’s loyalty program, Best Western Rewards®, provide further indication that the effects of the recession are easing and that more people plan to hit the road for business again in 2010. ...more

This February Up 5.9%; Last February Down (10.5%)

When the acclamation has faded should the cheerleaders be reminded that February 2010 is (5.3%) off where it was in 2008? ...more

Passenger Numbers Flying Up in Asia Pacific - Frost & Sullivan Sees Potential Sky-High Growth Prospects

The recent International Air Transport Association (IATA) announcement of Asia Pacific edging past North America and Europe to become the world's largest aviation market has reaffirmed Asia's leadership prospects in the global aviation arena. ...more

IATA Cuts 2010 Loss Forecast in Half - Strong Start to 2010

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) halved its loss forecast for 2010 to US$2.8 billion (compared to the US$5.6 billion loss forecast in December 2009). The improvement is largely driven by a much stronger recovery in demand seen by year-end gains that continued into the first months of 2010. Relatively flat capacity translated into some yield improvement and stronger revenues. ...more

More Hotels Offer 'pay Before You Stay' Discounts

Pay before you stay, and save. That has been the deal with online travel sites and discount tour operators. Now, an increasing number of hotels are slashing room rates if you ante up in full in advance and forego a refund if you don't show up. ...more