Abu Dhabi Hoteliers

Abu Dhabi Triathlon 2013

2013-02-17T21:23:00.001-08:00

CUISINE FOCUS: Year of the Chinese

2013-01-30T00:52:00.000-08:00

Hakkasan Dubai
Middle East operators are capitalising on a gap in the market for authentic Chinese F&B
There’s been a surge in the number of Chinese restaurants hitting the regional scene in the last few years: from Hukama at The Address Downtown Dubai to Shang Palace at the Dubai Shangri La and The China Club on Dubai’s Baniyas Street, not forgetting of course, Chinese chain P.F Changs.
Then you’ve got Ruby Wu’s at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Doha, China Garden in Bahrain and Tang Chao in Kuwait – the list is endless.
And with 1,128% rise in Chinese and Hong Kong visitors to Dubai alone between 2001 and 2010, it’s no wonder.
The growing demand from Chinese visitors has impacted on the foodservice industries, not to mention the number of Middle Eastern visitors with China’s economy booming and predictions of it hitting more than 7.5% of its economic growth target.Story continues below

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THE LAST BITE: Carluccio on love, life and pasta

2013-01-30T00:37:00.000-08:00

Italian chef Antonio Carluccio
Italian chef Antonio Carluccio took five minutes to chat to Caterer during the Dubai launch of his new book Antonio Carluccio: A recipe for Life and shared the secret behind the perfect bowl of pasta
What is your new book about?
The new book sees me look back over my culinary experiences and features a range of tales from where I grew up on the Amalfi Coast, the launch of my first Carluccio’s Caffe in Neal Street Covent Garden London and how I got to be where I am today.
From all of the places you have travelled, what has been your favourite?
All of the places I’ve visited have offered something unique and different. While Italian cuisine will always be close to my heart, I don’t think I could settle back down in Italy – that’s primarily down to me having seen too much of the rest of the world!
How well understood is Italian cuisine in this region?
The understanding and awareness of Italian food in the Middle East has really grown over the last few years. Lots of new Italian brands are entering the region, cookery programmes are including more Italian dishes and Italian celeb chefs are visiting the region – like me! Most importantly it is getting much easier to source quality ingredients locally.
What’s your favourite ingredient to work with?
Mushrooms are my favourite ingredient to work with and as a result tagliatelle with funghi is my favourite Italian dish.Story continues below

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How to create an outstanding hotel Facebook page

2013-01-30T00:22:00.000-08:00

Martin Kubler
Martin Kubler starts the New Year with top tips on establishing a fantastic Facebook page that’s sure to be a favourite among guests
Welcome to 2013! I hope you had a happy and social festive season and haven’t given up on your New Year’s resolutions yet.
One of my many resolutions, aside from eating healthier and going to the gym, is to make hotels even more social in 2013 and I thought I’d start the year by looking at one of the cornerstones of a hotel’s social structure: your Facebook page.
What makes a great hospitality Facebook page? Here’s a hint: It’s definitely not just the number of “Likes” a page has gathered.
CLICK HERE FOR KUBLER'S FAVOURITE FIVE HOTEL FACEBOOK PAGES IN THE REGION
We are all in the business of hospitality and providing a friendly greeting upon arrival and a sincere farewell will always remain some of the most important aspects of our work. A great Facebook page should reflect that.
Firstly, your Facebook page should be visually appealing with engaging timeline imagery that changes regularly. It’s the first thing your online connections see when looking at your page, so make the most of the 815 x 315 pixels Facebook allows you for the timeline cover image.
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HOTELIER'S 10TH ANNIVERSARY: A decade in motion

2013-01-30T00:07:00.000-08:00

Louise Oakley
In 2003, Hotelier Middle East launched to inform, educate and champion a niche but burgeoning hospitality industry. Ten years on and the growth has been phenomenal.

Hotels in the region are respected on the world tourism stage for setting best practice standards in product, service and innovation. Development is filtering out from Dubai, with markets such as Ras Al Khaimah, Saudi Arabia and Qatar showing huge potential for success.
Visitor numbers to the region grow a staggering amount year-on-year and contrary to the fears expressed now and again, demand continues to outstrip supply, with a wealth of new infrastructure — from airports to attractions — in the planning to support the sector further still.
Hotelier Middle East has been here to track the changes and challenges over the years, from the global recession to the Arab Spring, charting the industry’s recovery even in the most unlikely of circumstances. And as the hotel industry developed and the hotelier community grew, so too did Hotelier, which is now read by more than 30,000 senior professionals across the Middle East.
In 2005, the Hotelier Middle East Awards launched and in the same year Caterer Middle East grew from a supplement of Hotelier into a standalone title — testament to the demands of the region’s dynamic F&B sector.
Three years later, HotelierMiddleEast.com was launched as the world moved online, social media pages followed, but still, the print magazine was sought after month-on-month, requested by CEOs, general managers and executive committee members alike.Story continues below

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CEO INTERVIEW: Risk taker - Rotana's Selim El Zyr

2013-01-29T23:52:00.000-08:00

Selim El Zyr
Two decades since he took on international operators with the launch of the first UAE-based hotel company, Rotana president and CEO Selim El Zyr is still taking risks. He reveals the group’s expansion plans in some of the region’s most volatile markets, but says Rotana is in safe hands of the man he has earmarked to one day continue his legacy
Just over 20 years ago Selim El Zyr took the brave step of co-founding Abu Dhabi-based Rotana, the first local hotel management company in a market dominated by international chains.
Sitting in room 2013, the Royal Suite at the Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi, which was Rotana’s first hotel to open in 1993, El Zyr says this is where it all began — with a risk.
“I had a lot of contacts working for different companies — Sheraton, InterContinental, Hilton, Hyatt — and all of them said ‘Selim, why are you doing that? Go and work for a company. Why would you start this?’,” recalls El Zyr.
“I said I want to try it and in the worst-case scenario I can go back and get a job.
“My immediate target was to open a successful hotel. The existing hotels that were in operation were the Hilton, Sheraton, InterContinental, Meridien and there was a hotel under construction which is Le Royal Meridien today.Story continues below

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10TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: Hotelier highs and lows

2013-01-29T23:37:00.000-08:00

Noblet recalls launching the region's first alcohol-free hotel chain.
Michel Noblet, President & CEO, HMH – Hospitality Management Holdings
What brought you to the Middle East, and why have you stayed/returned?
I first came to the Middle East in 1992 while working for Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts. I left the region in 1996 only to return the very next year.
In 2003, I founded HMH – Hospitality Management Holdings in partnership with H.E. Sheikh Faisal bin Sultan Al Qassimi and H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Faisal Al Qassimi.
Can you share three personal career highlights of the past 10 years?
This year (2013) we celebrate the 10th anniversary of HMH – Hospitality Management Holdings.
I think the formation of this group and its expansion in the region is definitely the biggest highlight of my career. We were the first to have an alcohol-free chain in the Middle East with Coral Hotels & Resorts offering a safe and family-friendly environment.Story continues below

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JW Marriott Marquis Dubai's outlets uncovered

2013-01-16T00:51:00.000-08:00

F&B director Anthony Tutle and director of culinary Thomas Rebler

F&B director Anthony Tuttle and director of culinary Thomas Rebler say its taken a fusion of cultures to develop the world class offering at JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai

After much anticipation, the new JW Marriott Marquis Hotel in Dubai has opened its doors to the public.
Being crowned the tallest hotel building in the world at 355 metres, just 26 metres short of the Empire State Building, and which will feature 1,608 rooms once the second tower opens, the Sheikh Zayed Road situated hotel comprises 14 F&B concepts.

It goes without saying the hotel has certainly set its sights high with the challenge of filling 2,500 seats for dinner each night.Story continues below

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PURCHASING POWER: Ritz-Carlton's Mohammed Naeem

2013-01-16T00:36:00.000-08:00

Mohammed Naeem

Mohammed Naeem, procurement manager at The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain, shares the secrets of finding a good supplier

How long have you been in hotel purchasing?

I have been in hotel purchasing for seven years.

What products are you on the lookout for?

I am currently searching for good-quality food and beverage operating supplies, room amenities, guest supplies, furniture, kitchen equipment, chillers and boilers.

What area of your hotel are you most proud of?

I am proud of our very special suite product at the hotel, our 23 villas. Each villa has its own swimming pool and private access to the beach. They are low lying, surrounded by azure waters, and each has a distinctive identity and allure.

The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain’s villas introduce a Caribbean-style exterior and an infusion of contemporary and Asian touches within the interior design. Within this exclusive sanctuary, you escape the ordinary world and enter a world where idyllic stretches of sand slope gently into warm waters of magnificent turquoise blue.

Tell us about one of your most successful deals?

Last year we were really struggling to find a sofa and chair fabric already existing in the hotel that was required for re-upholstery. The local vendors who supplied it previously quoted a really high price for the exact same fabric. After several days of research I was able to find a vendor in Dubai who could produce the same fabric.Story continues below

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68 New Hotels Totaling 15,735 Rooms Opened in the Middle East and Africa Region During 2012 Reports STR Global

2013-01-16T00:21:00.000-08:00

The Upper Upscale segment added the most new rooms in 2012 with 3,600 rooms in 10 properties, followed by the Luxury segment (11 hotels with 3,508 rooms) and the Upscale segment (16 hotels with 3,467 rooms).

The Middle East/Africa hotel industry opened 68 new hotels with 15,735 rooms in 2012, according to data from STR Global.

The Upper Upscale segment added the most new rooms in 2012 with 3,600 rooms in 10 properties, followed by the Luxury segment (11 hotels with 3,508 rooms) and the Upscale segment (16 hotels with 3,467 rooms). The Midscale segment reported the largest increase of new rooms added in 2012 compared with new rooms added in 2011, rising 79.5 percent with 10 hotels and 1,431 rooms. The Economy segment reported the smallest number of new rooms in 2012 with 242 rooms in two properties.
The Middle East/Africa hotel development pipeline comprises 478 hotels totalling 119,233 rooms, according to the December 2012 STR Global Construction Pipeline Report.

Logos, product and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

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Educational Institute Celebrates 60 Years of Hospitality Training

2013-01-13T01:40:00.000-08:00

The training arm of the American Hotel & Lodging Association since 1953, EI is committed to providing hospitality professionals with industry-focused training, professional certification, workforce development programs, and online learning.

The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI) celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The training arm of the American Hotel & Lodging Association since 1953, EI is committed to providing hospitality professionals with industry-focused training, professional certification, workforce development programs, and online learning.
“At a time when there were very few professional development opportunities available for hotel workers, EI stepped in and filled a need,” said Robert L. Steele, III, CHA, president and COO of the Educational Institute.

The idea for EI was first proposed in 1949, when Arthur Landstreet, a Tennessee hotelier and chair of the American Hotel Association’s Education Committee, requested an independent training organization to prepare hospitality personnel. Industry response was lukewarm. Finally, Hilton vice president J.B. Herndon embraced education as the focus of his AHA presidential platform, announcing the formation of the American Hotel Institute (EI’s original name) when he accepted the presidency in 1951.
The actual organization did not become a reality until 1953, when EI had its beginnings at Mississippi State University. The school’s faculty worked closely with hospitality leaders to determine the industry’s training needs, developing a 12-course home-study curriculum for middle managers. EI moved to Michigan State University in the late 1950s, drawing on the expertise of professors at MSU’s hospitality school. In 1997, the company’s headquarters moved to Orlando, Fla., while maintaining an office in Michigan. Since 1994, EI has also had a field office in India.

Over the years, EI’s offerings have grown from home-study courses (now offered in both print and online formats) to include professional certification, training videos and DVDs, compliance training, online learning, and even a mobile training app. Resources are offered in multiple languages to serve the needs of EI’s global customers on six continents.

EI’s first customers were hotel supervisors and managers who wanted to get ahead, but who didn’t have the time or money to enroll in a college program. In the 1970s, EI developed its first professional certification program for general managers, the Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA). Other certifications followed. EI textbooks began to be used in college and university hospitality programs worldwide, and in the 1990s, EI reached out to the high school and workforce markets, as well as to military hospitality operations. International customers include schools, hotel associations, tourism ministries, and hotel groups.
“EI has kept pace with the education and training needs of the hospitality industry for six decades and we continue to explore new avenues for delivering the professional development content that will help our industry thrive,” said Steele. “Our anniversary is an occasion both to reflect on the past and to commit to the future, as we work with schools, hospitality organizations, and international partners to achieve our goals.”
To learn more about the Educational Institute, visit www.ahlei.org.

Logos, product and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

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BEST PRACTICE CASE STUDY: Rezidor's Think Planet

2013-01-13T01:25:00.000-08:00

Radisson Blu Resort Sharjah.

Rezidor officially launched its Think Planet initiative in September, with the aim to cut its global energy use cut by a quarter. We find out why, how and what the results have been so far
With its Scandinavian roots, some people may overlook Rezidor’s grand announcements of energy efficiencies and schemes to cut carbon emissions, thinking it is somewhat expected.
However, no-one can ignore the great strides being made by a company that has launched a programme to cut its energy use by 25% globally in five years.
The Think Planet programme officially launched in September, but was initially announced internally in January, with staff training videos and documents sent out in April to properties across the world.
The first stage in the process was to achieve Green Key’s eco-label – something all 31 of Rezidor’s Middle East properties have done, with any new property set a six-month target to achieve the goal.Story continues below

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Starwood Hotels Expects Continued Growth Momentum In 2013

2013-01-13T01:10:00.000-08:00

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. said Wednesday that it anticipates a strong year of openings and hotel deals to be signed in 2013, building on its growth momentum in 2012.

Stamford, Connecticut-based Starwood expects to see increased conversion momentum in Asia Pacific, Latin America and Europe during the year. The company noted that in 2012, it signed the most hotel deals since before the global economic crisis.

Frits van Paasschen, President and CEO of Starwood Hotels said, "Rising wealth, increasingly global businesses and a digitally connected world are creating unprecedented demand for travel and new travel patterns, and we continue to be as bullish as ever about our long-term growth." van Paasschen added, "Whether it's manufacturing in Vietnam, mineral resources from Nigeria, or outbound tourism from Brazil, Russia, India or China, globalization is spurring economic development and creating many exciting expansion opportunities for our business."

Starwood noted that in 2012, it signed a total of 131 new hotel management and franchise agreements that represented a 17 percent increase over 2011 signings levels. This includes 31 conversions, 12 of which opened during 2012.

Starwood said that consistent with macroeconomic growth trends, nearly two-thirds of its new hotels in 2013 will open in fast-growing markets.

The company plans to open its first property in Tajikistan, while also expanding further in Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Hungary, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, in addition to perennial growth markets like China and India.

According to Starwood, Asia remains a high-priority market, accounting for about one quarter of the company's existing hotel rooms and over half of its pipeline. Starwood has over 150 properties in its luxury portfolio under the St. Regis, Luxury Collection and W Hotels brands. Over the past five years, Starwood has nearly doubled its global luxury footprint. The company noted that fifteen percent of its pipeline of new hotels are in its luxury portfolio.

In 2013, Starwood will celebrate the opening of the St. Regis Abu Dhabi and the re-openings of two luxury icons and members of the Luxury Collection, the Gritti Palace and Prince de Galles, following multi-million dollar restorations.

Further, Starwood expects 2013 will be a strong year for its upper upscale brands. The company noted that Sheraton will continue to fuel its growth with nearly 20 planned openings in 2013. Meanwhile, Westin expects to open its 200th hotel this year.

Starwood said that its mid-market portfolio, which includes Aloft, Element and Four Points by Sheraton, has grown over 60 percent since 2009. The three brands account for about one third of the company's global development pipeline and nearly 45 percent of expected hotel openings worldwide in 2013. The company will open its 250th mid-market hotel this year.

Source: RTT News

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Big Boss Boo-Boos: 6 Leadership Mistakes to Avoid

2013-01-13T00:55:00.000-08:00

By Lindsay Olson

If you've recently been promoted, congratulations. It's an honor to receive a promotion that puts you in a leadership role. But be wary: You carry a great deal of responsibility that can easily be taken away should you not live up to expectations. Not to set off alarm bells, but of people who have been promoted, a full 40 percent of them will fail within their first 18 months on the job. Most of the failure stems from a few key leadership mistakes that The Forum Corp.'s President and CEO Andrew Graham outlines:

1. Alienating your team. Graham says that you likely got your promotion by standing out from others, but now that role has changed. Rather than focusing on continuing to shine alone, you need to help your subordinates stand out. "If your subordinates or peers perceive that you care more about your interests than theirs, you will lose them. And once you lose them, you will lose, period," he says.

2. Keeping the same mindset. You got where you are by being really good at a few key skills for the job. You can just about toss those out of the window if you want to be a good leader, because, as Graham says, your focus should now be on "high-value activities that deliver business results through the team." It's all too common for new managers to make the mistake of focusing on low-value activities (think: TPS reports) that don't benefit the team and that are others' responsibilities.

3. Not asking for help. You're the leader now. That means you're expected to know everything ... doesn't it? Not at all. Rather than being overconfident you can handle a situation you've never encountered before, the smart thing is to ask for input from others. "Asking for help is not a sign of weakness; it's the contrary," stresses Graham. Understand that your team will respect you for saying you don't know the answer to a question, but that you will make it a priority to find it.

4. Making all the decisions alone. Leaders should lead, not dictate. But many feel like the key to leading is taking on all the decisions on their own. Rather than being seen as a fine leader, you will be resented for leaving your employees out in the cold on a decision they felt entitled to weigh in on. Instead, involve other team members in your decision-making process so that you build a sense of community and democracy, not a dictatorship.

There's more… continue reading the remaining Big Boss Boo-Boos on the US News Money Blog

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Are Hoteliers Moving Away from OTAs with Direct Bookings?

2013-01-09T00:11:00.000-08:00

The online booking space is changing fast and a handful of powerful OTAs now dominate the market. Where does this leave hoteliers?

Whilst the wrangling between hoteliers and OTAs continues, the industry is looking at ways to sidestep the high-commission demanded by OTAs. Developments in online consumer trends may benefit the hotel industry and enable them to weaken the power wielded by OTAs.
In the lead up to our hotel technology special issue in February, we asked some of the industry's major players a single question:

Industry View: Are UK hoteliers aiming to attract more direct bookings and take potential bookings away from high-commission OTAs?

"No", says Stephen Dodman, Revenue Director from Macdonald Hotels and Resorts"Yes", says Rupert Gutteridge from Guestline"Yes", says Yunna Takeuchi from evolution"Yes", says Ryan Haynes from eRevMax - RateTiger"Yes", says Suresh Acharya from JDA

"OTAs will always have a place in the market, helping to drive new customers to a brand," explained Stephen Dodman, Revenue Director from Macdonald Hotels and Resorts. "Indeed, research highlights that along the research-to-buy cycle, customers will use an OTA site. So by working with OTAs we can position our business front of mind with customers previously unfamiliar with Macdonald Hotels."
"However, once we have engaged a guest, our strategy is to encourage that guest to directly book with us for their next visit."
There's more… continue reading the complete article "" on the Hotel Industry Magazine website

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Fairmont The Palm Opens in Dubai

2013-01-08T05:34:00.000-08:00

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts debuts a new addition to its growing portfolio in the Middle East - Fairmont The Palm. The property is owned by international residential and resort developer IFA Hotels & Resorts (IFA HR).

The luxurious resort is located in the heart of the iconic Palm Jumeirah, the world’s largest man-made island shaped in the form of a palm tree. It is ideally located next to key leisure areas and business districts, major city landmarks and two ‘world firsts’ – Burj Khalifa, the tallest free standing building and The Dubai Mall, the largest retail development.

Fairmont The Palm will feature 381 guestrooms and suites, including two presidential suites, 3,000 square metres of meeting space, outdoor leisure facilities with four swimming pools, a private beach club, Children's Activity Centre, as well as a variety of dining facilities featuring sea, garden or pool views, a Fairmont Gold product and a Willow Stream Spa.

The resort will also house the newest addition to the brand’s private residence club offering, Fairmont Heritage Place, The Palm, Dubai, featuring 10 one- and two-bedroom residences.
Award-winning design firm DSA Architects International was tasked with developing a landmark destination on the Palm Jumeirah that would match the prestige and the prominence of the archipelago. This was achieved through a contemporary design brushed with Arabic influences, incorporating the natural elements of sun, sea and sand, given the colour palate of beige, ecru, tan and light hues and natural building materials of granite and marble.
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Culinary Travel: Hotels for Food Lovers

2013-01-08T05:19:00.000-08:00

By Melanie Nayer

Food has always been a focus at fine hotels. From farm-to-table plates to foraging tours and wine cave dinners, food lovers can count on luxury hotels for mouth-watering menus.
Food & Wine recently named their top hotels for food lovers, which range in concept from celebrity chefs to fancy vending machines. I've added a few of my favorite hotels for food to their list. Whether you're into private picnics, extraordinary room service or feasts fit for a king, these hotels are sure to fit any palette.

My favorite hotels for food:
The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, CA: Brunch is a work of art at The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay in California. Every Sunday, the hotel's main restaurant Navio turns itself into what can only be described as food heaven. Sunday brunch at Navio's was named Best in the Bay Area by San Francisco Magazine and the Best in Silicon Valley by the editors of San Jose Mercury News. It's not for the faint of heart. The $88 meal includes multiple trips to the various stations and a cocktail or glass of champagne. From oyster and sushi stations to various roasted meats, vegetarian sections, dim sum and of course, a dessert alcove, Resort Executive Chef, Xavier Salomon spares no expense when it comes to the best-loved meal of any Sunday. Mouth-watering food photos from Sunday brunch at Navio are below:

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Five Trends to Look For in Travel this Year

2013-01-08T05:04:00.000-08:00

By Tatiana Rokou

According to an article by USA Today, travellers should expect to pay more for airline tickets and more in fees across the industry in 2013. Gasoline prices are predicted to remain lower, however.
According to USA Today, there are few certainties when it comes to travel. But in this new year, travelers can count on one thing: They'll have to spend more money if they want to fly. Airlines had a profitable 2012. And industry analysts say they'll probably have an even better 2013 if they keep raising fares, charging more fees and cutting back on the number of flights.

That may push some travelers to their cars. If it does, they won't see record high gasoline prices at the pump for the first time in two years. Consumers may celebrate other victories in the new year, as the Department of Transportation considers broader restrictions on some airline practices.
But expect hotels, rental car agencies and even cruises to adopt some airline strategies that will end up costing travelers more.

Here's a rundown on what travelers can expect to see in the new year, as proposed by USA Today.

Higher Airfares

Outside of some short seasonal sales, don't count on fares dipping in 2013. The price of an airline ticket has been creeping up for the last two years. Airlines raised fares seven times last year and nine times the year before, according to Rick Seaney of price-watching site FareCompare.com. This year should bring more of the same.
"I expect to see more than 2012's half-dozen domestic hikes, as the scale of pricing power continues to tip to the airlines," Seaney says.
Airlines have pared the number of available seats to match more accurately the number of travelers vying to fill them, while multiple mergers in the industry have reduced competition on some routes. Those factors, along with high, fluctuating fuel prices, have given airlines the leeway to charge customers more, Seaney and other analysts say.
"We've seen so many fare increases so far ... but we haven't seen a resulting drop-off in demand," saysKevin Schorr, vice president of Campbell-Hill Aviation Group, an airport and airline consulting firm.
As a result, he says, airlines have room to continue to raise fares. "To the extent they can maximize revenue, they're going to do it," he says.
Is there a bright side to higher fares? Seaney says there could be. "We are likely to see some of those airline profits invested back into a woefully neglected product," he says, "with newer and updated aircraft."
More Fees
Paying for a trip will look less like a prix fixe menu and more a la carte this year. Airlines collected $924 million in baggage fees alone in the third quarter of last year. They made another $652 million from fees to change reservations.
Travelers no longer howl as much about them. Others in the travel industry have taken notice and are charging fees for services that used to be part of a ticket or room rate.
"Checked-bag fees have been a big success for airlines, and consumer pushback over the course of time has declined," says Jay Sorensen, president of IdeaWorks, a consulting firm that specializes in so-called ancillary revenue. "We are now in a period of acceptance."
Hotels, rental car agencies and even cruises are now charging for services that really don't cost much more to provide.
Some hotels have guests pay extra for room safes, luggage storage and restocking mini-bars.
"This is something they do anyway," says Bjorn Hanson, dean at the NYU-SCPS Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management. "There's no cost involved."
Rental car companies have become expert at charging for extras. The base price for a rental car might look attractive, but you can easily double that with a GPS locator and infant car seat.
"In the car rental world, I would expect to see lots of options being added for which you are charged a fee as opposed to a base fee," says Adam Weissenberg, vice chairman and leader of Deloitte's U.S. Travel, Hospitality and Leisure practice, which released an outlook predicting robust domestic growth for travel companies in 2013.
Cruise lines also are trying out fees. Carnival Cruise Lines rolled out a pilot program called "Faster to the Fun" for $49.95. It includes early embarkation and priority dinner seating. On many ships, you can pay $30 or $40 more a person to dine at a higher-end restaurant rather than the venue included in the fare.
Blaise Waguespack, an aviation marketing professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, wonders how many more fees airlines can find. "The big issue is, how many more fees can you create?" he says.
US Airways began offering one: a premium meal in economy class on international flights for $19.99. Southwest, which heavily markets its no-baggage-fee policy, says it's going to impose a "no-show" fee this year if you don't come and take a seat you've reserved.
More Airline Consolidation
Delta and Northwest. United and Continental. Southwest and AirTran. In the last four years, those airline pairs have joined forces in a flurry of megamergers that have swept the U.S. airline industry. Expect maybe one more this year.
"A merger of US Airways and American is inevitable," says airline analyst Bob Herbst of AirlineFinancials.com. "I expect a formal announcement of the merger during the first quarter of 2013."
American's parent company, AMR, filed for bankruptcy protection in Nov. 2011. Since then, it's entered into a non-disclosure agreement with US Airways to discuss a possible union, a shift that American's pilots, flight attendants and mechanics have said they'd like to see. British Airways has also expressed interest in having a stake in American.
American CEO Tom Horton has repeatedly said he wants the carrier to remain independent after it restructures, but that would make it an exception among the large network airlines. US Airways and America West joined in 2005, followed by Delta and Northwest in 2008, United and Continental in 2010. Low-cost carrier Southwest's purchase of AirTran was completed last year.
Other alliances also are forming. Delta announced at the end of the year it was buying a 49% stake inVirgin Atlantic, a partnership that will give it greater appeal to the premium-paying passengers traveling between New York and London's Heathrow Airport.
And it's not just big carriers that may decide to link up in 2013. "It's possible that some of the smaller low-cost carrier airlines could decide to merge in order to be larger, stronger competitors," says Henry Harteveldt, travel industry analyst with Hudson Crossing.
Some industry analysts say the winnowing of airlines gives those that remain more power to boost fares, and shrinks competition in some markets. But a recent report by professional services company PwC US concluded that the spate of mergers the last decade hasn't dampened competition. On average, it found, the top 1,000 routes were served by just under two carriers in 2004, and competition was roughly the same in 2011.
Gasoline Prices
Some relief at the pumps is in sight in 2013. After setting records each of the last two years, gasoline price hikes are predicted to subside a bit.
"I don't believe 2013 will feature as high of a yearly average as 2012," says Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst at GasBuddy.com, which monitors gas prices. "The good news for motorists is that booming domestic production is leading to high inventories of crude oil."
The average price for a gallon of gasoline nationally came in close to $3.63 a gallon last year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects prices should average $3.43 per gallon this year.
Brian Milne, energy editor for Schneider Electric, says demand for gasoline fell 3% last year because of the poor economy. The growth of energy-efficient cars also dampened demand, he says.
"The economy has been so terrible," Milne says. "When people are unsure of the economy, unsure of their status, afraid of losing their jobs, they cut back on discretionary spending and are more careful with their finances, and that tends to mean less gasoline demand, as well."
Expect the highest prices when refineries switch from winter to summer blends in March and April, and when Gulf Coast refineries brace for hurricane season in August and September, DeHaan says.
Passenger Protection
The Transportation Department has taken a more aggressive role in protecting air travelers the last four years, and it isn't letting up.
The department's latest proposal, which is expected early this year, could force airlines to provide common fees, such as those charged to check luggage and pick seats, to websites that compare airfares.
"With so many extra fees, consumers are getting a bit punch-drunk," says Charlie Leocha, director of the advocacy group Consumer Travel Alliance and who's on a department consumer advisory board.
It's a contentious debate, because airlines prefer to sell tickets on their own sites and pay to be included in comparison sites. Nicholas Calio, president of the industry group Airlines for America, opposes the proposal, saying the "reasoning is flawed."
It's not clear yet what will be in the rule. But the department in December said it was actively working on the rule "that could require, among other things, that optional fees be displayed at all points of sale."
Separately, the DOT's Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection will continue reviewing suggestions to make air travel easier. The panel's recommendations in October called for greater transparency in ticket pricing, simplifying contracts that accompany plane tickets and providing relief areas at airports for service animals.
Source: Travel Daily News

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Succession Planning: 6 Tips for Passing the Torch

2013-01-08T04:49:00.000-08:00

Alexandra LevitIt's the beginning of another year, and many of us are looking forward. But many small-business owners aren't looking far enough forward-they don't want to deal with the day when someone else will take over their companies.

An important part of long-term success is developing your top talent so they can eventually replace you and other key players. Succession planning doesn't have to be painful. After all, your organization is evolving, and you don't want all the great progress you've made to be undermined due to an unplanned departure.
Along with Tim Kuppler, founder of consultancy The Culture Advantageand author of the ebook Building a Performance Culture, I offer this basic blueprint for succession planning that can be implemented by organizations of any size.

Track Potential Successors

Identify potential leaders on your team by reviewing 360-degree survey feedback, performance reviews and personality and strengths assessments. Ensure that your selections reflect your organization's ideal culture and that they will keep things moving in the right direction. Keep tabs on where potential successors are headed by noting key development actions, resources and timeframes. Organize everything with a grid that makes it easy to compare one candidate to another.

Leverage Your Team

Gather your current leaders together to provide input on the most critical competencies, skills and attributes of successors. Set aside time for meetings where succession planning is the only focus. Devise a rating scale so potential candidates and supporting documentation can be reviewed objectively. Note that open discussion may bring out political sensitivities, especially if family members are involved.

Facilitate Growth

Great leaders are created, not born. Make sure potential successors, especially those who are new supervisors, have access to general management training so they "get it right the first time." Mentoring programs are also beneficial for providing extra coaching to accelerate learning. Give employees options for potential mentors instead of making assignments where fit or trust issues could exist. Make sure mentorship is a two-way street. Your current leaders can learn a lot from the questions and approaches raised by potential successors.
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The Smart Hotelier's 2013 Top Ten Digital Marketing Resolutions

2013-01-08T04:19:00.000-08:00

By Max Starkov & Mariana Mechoso Safer

As we find ourselves in a new year full of possibilities, now is a good time to reflect on events that impacted our industry in 2012 and how you should plan your digital marketing efforts throughout 2013. The continuing transformation of travel consumers into multi-device and multi-channel users, the explosive growth of the mobile and tablet channels, the proliferation of new social media platforms, and ongoing Google algorithm updates are just some of the topics that made headlines last year.
This is also the perfect time to review your business goals and objectives. What did you achieve in 2012 that you would like to improve upon this year? What business goals did you not achieve? Were you distracted by the next big thing and as a result lost sight of hotel digital marketing fundamentals? Which digital channels and formats most effectively reach today’s hyper-interactive travel consumers and generate the highest ROIs? What strategy should hoteliers adopt to stay competitive in this increasingly convoluted digital world we all live in?

The 2013 Top Ten New Year’s Digital Marketing Strategy Resolutions, presented by HeBS Digital for the 13th consecutive year, answers these questions and provides guidance on what hoteliers should do to succeed in the year ahead. With an improved outlook for the industry, technological advances, and the usage of mobile devices growing exponentially, opportunities for incremental revenues abound.

Here are the Top Ten Digital Marketing Resolutions your hotel company should consider adopting in 2013:

1. I believe that 2013 is the Year of the Three Screens in Hospitality: desktop, mobile and tablet. I will deliver a customized and user-friendly experience across these three screens.Situation:
Internet users exhibit behavioral patterns when browsing the Internet and the desktop website, mobile and tablet devices address different needs at different times of the day and week. Users searching Google utilize their desktop during the day (office), mobile devices during lunch breaks and happy hours, and tablets in the evening when lounging (Google).

According to Google, seven percent of all searches come from tablets versus 14 percent from mobile devices (smart phones) and 79 percent via desktops in 2012. In 2013, searches from mobile devices will experience an increase of 68 percent and searches from tablets will increase by more than 180 percent. Desktop searches will experience a decline of four percent. Across HeBS Digital’s hotel client portfolio, tablets already generate 200 percent more room nights and 430 percent more revenue than “pure” mobile devices:

Sources of Traffic and Bookings by Device Category January-November 2012:

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NEW OPENING: Dubai's Ocean View hotel, JBR

2013-01-08T04:04:00.000-08:00

The lobby's light up walls allow for different moods to be created.

No stranger to Dubai’s The Walk JBR, JA Resorts & Hotels opened Ocean View Hotel on the beachfront in December. Hotelier Middle East gets an exclusive preview to see where US $136 million investment has been spent, and how it will be earned back.
Click through to the next pages to reveal the names of our interviewees at the hotel, exclusive details about the new property and photographs.
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10 THINGS YOU DIDN''T KNOW... Emirates Palace

2013-01-08T03:49:00.000-08:00

102: The number of lifts that work alongside eight escalators. There is a maximum capacity of 55 people per lift.

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Top 20 hotel technology trends

2013-01-08T03:34:00.000-08:00

Hotelier looks at what is happening in the world of hotel technology and highlights some of its favourite gadgets, solutions, systems and gizmos
Continue reading for top 20 innovations...
1 Invisible door lock
Hotel security is an issue that often rears its head for all the wrong reasons. Hoteliers are left with the challenge of making hotel stays safe without turning the hotel into a fortified prison.
But a breakthrough of the positive kind has been made by VingCard Elsafe, the company behind the world’s first invisible door lock —Essence by VingCard.Story continues below

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Jump Start Your Group Business for 2013

2012-12-31T08:36:00.000-08:00

By Brenda FieldsAs 2012 comes to an end, it is an opportune time to evaluate what worked and what didn't work, and incorporate those initiatives and practices to ensure the foundation for financial success. A smart and honest assessment and evaluation coupled with timely implementation, will place owners and managers in a stronger position to withstand economic uncertainties or situations that occur over which they have no control.Properties that relied on group business were at a particular disadvantage in 2012 due to world wide economic conditions and, in the US, a "wait and see" attitude, until after the Presidential election in November.The application of social media, mobile marketing, and technology, in all of their forms, has, in many cases, diverted attention from direct sales and its value. Direct sales is typically the most controllable and quantifiable part of a marketing plan. When structured and implemented effectively, direct sales can achieve the best ROI, even when the cost can account for 50% of the entire marketing budget. Social media metrics are based on soft indicators such as the number of impressions or the number of "likes", whereas, direct sales metrics are based on revenues, rates, and/or roomnights and are probably much more meaningful to a business.

Are there strategies that will efficiently and cost effectively impact group business even in an uncertain environment? This article will address some tips to penetrate this market regardless of market conditions to ensure that your property(s) is positioned for success for the new year. Establish a Strategic Plan: It is tempting to jump on every new social media platform with little, if any, understanding of the platform and who it actually reaches. More often than not, a lot of time and energy is spent with little return. But a well-founded plan is the key to staying true to the property's position, thereby ensuring that every initiative is well thought out and is quantifiable. It is the foundation from which all actions stem. The position determines what services and amenities are offered; to which type of business the property caters; and pricing. With the positioning in place, it is important to determine the most realistic mix of business on any given day, for a year out, as the patterns and demand for business change daily based on season, day of the week, holidays, and local factors. That level of detail will provide the basis of the sales plan and it will provide the basis for which market segments and the volume the sales department solicits, at what rates, and will identify rate opportunities and need periods. Depending on the property, it may be wise to segment group business into all the various sub-markets i.e. corporate, association, SMERF, leisure, weddings, etc. The key to success is the understanding of each segments' demand periods and plan your budgets and goals accordingly. Otherwise, a "first come first served" approach to booking business will invariably displace revenues that cannot be offset with future bookings. Taking the time to quantify the business on a daily basis allows for well-founded goals for the sales team and for the individual sales manager and keeps the focus tight.Stay True to Your Target Market(s):One of the first steps of the strategic plan is one of the most basic. That is, identify your target audiences. Without that focus and understanding, it will be tempting to waste valuable resources on the latest tool or to just follow the competition. For example, wedding parties and corporate groups have different needs and different expectations in choosing a venue. A property can certainly cater to multiple markets, but having a clear understanding of those specific customer needs and a clear understanding as to how to reach them will result in a better ROI.Once you drill down to what will really drive the targeted group business, look at what the actual customer/meeting planner or decision maker will require in making a decision. Did Tweeter feeds or Facebook "likes" generate group business? Many properties are spending countless resources to develop an avenue that does not generate group business and have overlooked smart uses of technology and resources. Does your website have "user-friendly" information that is clear, concise, and downloadable for each type of targeted customer? Is the group contract tailored to the group and sent in a timely manner? Do you offer amenities that the target market wants and needs? Free Wi-Fi in the meeting room may be more important to the corporate group than an iPad in the guest room for reaching the hotel concierge. But a bride may prefer a massage to free Wi-Fi. Identifying those needs, tailoring it to the target markets, and marketing it to those customers is key to winning those clients.Most meeting planners and clients will still want to "see it, feel it, and touch it", regardless of how well organized the website is or how user-friendly it. Personal interaction is key to the sales process and is the primary component to make the sell. Not every need or every concern can be listed by a client in an RFP. It is the skillful approach by the sales person that will uncover those issues and resolve any concerns, resulting in booked business.Prospect Efficiently:Many times, the sales person or sales leader is at a loss as to find new prospects. The tight security of companies has made it virtually impossible to prospect through cold calling. Company directories rarely exist for external use and unsolicited emails many times, end up in the spam file. But there is business to be uncovered and the smart leaders will take the right steps to ensure that their sales people can uncover group leads. Some tips are:
As we know that people do business with people they know, it's therefore important to be visible. Join industry associations where the membership is comprised of meeting planners and influencers. Some examples are: Meeting Planners International; Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International; International Special Events Society, and Biz Bash. In addition to joining, it is also important to actively participate. Active involvement contributes to her/his credibility, professionalism and overall image with the potential client. These associations have membership directories and the chances of a sales person reaching a decision maker are greatly enhanced.
Monitor the local news on a daily basis to know about the local business environment. Real estate deals can result in new business for a hotel. And usually by the time a new business has relocated to your area, the hotel deals are already done. The key is to be the first.
Get involved in your local community. Being a good citizen and good community member will once again allow you to interact directly with the movers and shakers who are responsible for sending business your way. But, be consistent. Sometimes, hotel management is no better than "ambulance chasers" who try to benefit from a crisis. Even good deeds during a crisis will backfire if they were strictly self-serving. An authentic and ongoing approach to doing good deeds is key to being an important and respected part of the community.
Take Stock of your Property and your Competitors:Unfortunately, it is far too common that an established sales person has never been to a competitive property. Without that first hand knowledge, it is impossible to sell effectively if a customer is shopping your property as well as your competition. Information gained by a personal visit cannot be duplicated by a visit to a web site or an internet search. A thorough understanding of the competitors' properties, as well as the sales person's property, creates a position of strength for the sales person in negotiating rates or conditions of booking. A personal visit will enlighten the sales person on all the soft elements in a property. How was the person greeted? Were the public spaces clean? Did the staff appear professional and well groomed? Were the meeting room walls in good repair or in need of painting? That level of detail, combined with an honest assessment of his/her own property and good sales skills, will place the sales person in a better position to book the best business at the best rate.Develop a Staff with Excellent Sales Skills: Lastly, although the sales and marketing landscape has changed over the years, sales expertise is still critical for success. Owners and managers may find that the sales force books business at rates that are below the budget; or book business that unduly burdens operations and at high costs; or looses business to a less desirable competitor. But have steps been taken to arm the sales department with skills that will allow them to deal in a competitive booking environment? It is the skilled and professional sales person that will develop loyalty and inspire confidence with clients, despite product deficiencies or outside factors over which the property has no control. It is the excellent sales skills that will convert leads or inquiries to actual business and also excellent sales skills that will produce the highest revenues. How much revenues are left on the table just because the sales person does not possess the product knowledge or great sales skills to sell at a higher rate? It is the most successful sales person who has a good understanding of the hotel as a business. What does a 6:00pm group check out mean to the over-all business? It typically means that expenses are significantly increased to cover the additional labor costs required to clean those rooms long after the housekeeping staff has left. Armed with those sets of skills, the sales person is fully prepared to negotiate in the best interest of the hotel while simultaneously ensuring that the client's needs are fully met. That winning formula will help foster client loyalty and will help minimize any issues that may have come up during the client's stay.So rather than follow the pack, the successful owner/manager will take charge and ensure that they customize expert plans and develop skilled sales people who can impact business regardless of market conditions and who enjoy the challenge! Let's enter 2013 with a new passion.Brenda Fields is a marketing specialist in the lodging industry. Her experience includes senior marketing management positions in luxury, boutique, convention hotels, and conference centers. Representing a "who's who" roster of clients, Brenda has worked with a number of industry leaders and innovators, from hotelier Ian Schrager and NYC real estate developer Harry Macklowe, to global brands including such as Starwood Lodging Corporation. In addition to major hospitality brands, Brenda's consulting practice includes a wide range of independent properties around the country, such as The Kitano Hotel, New York; Woodlands Resort and Inn, Summerville, South Carolina; Bel Age Hotel, Los Angeles, CA; Mondrian Hotel, West Hollywood, CA, and more. Brenda brings a hands-on approach to problem solving along with her three-decade long record of results as both a consultant and in corporate marketing to each challenge. She has honed a reputation for helping owners and operators achieve target revenues through development and execution of cost effective, workable strategic plans that maximize profits and build stronger, sustainable brands. Brenda is Past President of Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International Chapter in NYC; served on the Americas Board for HSMAI, and was named one of "The Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing" by HSMAI". Brenda is an industry speaker and author and serves on the Editorial Board of Hotel Executive.com, is a regular contributing editor to international publications. About Brenda Fields

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The Next Mister Hotel

2012-12-31T07:36:00.000-08:00

By Alan Campbell
You will face many challenges in the hotel/hospitality industry that will test the strength and the mettle of your character. You will be called on to do extraordinary things under trying circumstances with little to no additional resources with which to do them. You will be challenged. You will challenge. You will win. You may fail. You will be on call 24/7. Your boss, your peers, and all those that work with and for you will expect YOU to know ALL the correct answers to any given course of action to take concerning the property you manage. You will listen. You will advise. You will demand. You will cajole. You will threaten. You will twist arms. You will get angry. You may cry. You will hire. You will fire. You will be hated. You may hate. You will get frustrated. You will have joy. You will have sorrow. You will be the all-knowing, all-seeing guru to many. You will be a complete idiot and ass to others. You will be a charming host. You will mingle with all, no matter their station in life. You will comfort. You will disappoint. You will make a profit. You may get fired. You will be responsible for the well being of perhaps hundreds of employees that depend on your actions for their livelihood, wile at the same time your actions and decisions--all of them--will be under microscopic scrutiny by YOUR boss-the owner. You will, if you love the profession, have one of the most wonderful roller-coaster rides of your life. Sound exciting? Are you up to the challenge of what exceptional hotel general managers may be called on to do day in and day out?
The above listing can be applied to almost any industry or profession, but it is especially typical of service industries, with the hotel/hospitality industry being one of the largest in size and number of personnel, and perhaps the most visible one, as well. It is not a profession for the faint of heart, the main office desk general, the business theorist, the profiteer, the calculator, the banker, or the insecure. Bluntly speaking, to be a successful hotelier, you have to have guts, chutzpah, gall, panache, along with all the character accouterments that go with those expressions. You have to wear and show your sincerity at all times. You must have the Patience of a Job, the Fortitude of a Paul, and the Humility of a St. Francis. Perhaps Eliseo, a fictional character in la vita è Bella, a 1997 Italian film, said it best:
You're here serving, you're not a servant. Serving is the supreme art. God is the first of servants. God serves men, but he's not a servant to men.
Hospitality, true hospitality, if you are not aware of it yet, carries with it the force of religious zeal. You must believe in the worthiness of your profession and in yourself and your abilities with all your heart and soul, and today, right now, in this moment, you have the opportunity to learn lessons of a lifetime NOW-if you know what to look for! Lessons that will benefit you. Lessons that, if you heed them, may well help make you .
Are you up to the challenge?

If you are one of the more fortunate of the invaluable middle management individuals still employed within the hotel/hospitality business as I write, then this advice is for you primarily. And, if you happen to be a struggling general manager weighed down by seemingly impossible demands from above and ever mounting concerns from below, then it's time to straighten your spine and perform the Admiral David Farragut Maneuver: "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead." Or the Admiral "Bull" Halsey equivalent: "The Third Fleet's sunken and damaged ships have been salvaged and are retiring at high speed toward the enemy." The enemy, in this case, being apathy, inaction, low morale, lack of vision, dispiritedness; in other words, guts to do what is necessary to stay not only afloat, but to navigate successfully through dangerous shoals and channels to the port of success; the guts to rise above yourself.
Will you take the challenge?
Lionel, a fictional character in Maid in Manhattan, a 2002 film, perhaps stated what the essence of service is all about after quitting his job as head valet for a prestigious Manhattan hotel because of how Miss Ventura, his trainee, a maid, was treated and fired:
To serve people takes dignity and intelligence. But remember, they are only people with money. And although we serve them, we are not their servants. What we do, Miss Ventura, does not define who we are. What defines us is how well we rise after falling.
But I digress-you middle managers, and others coming up the hospitality ladder, have the unique, perhaps enviable, position within the hospitality hierarchy to learn firsthand from all those above you what specific actions they are doing to either succeed or fail. The hotel/hospitality industry, worldwide, is going through some unusually long-term trying times, with no near future imminent cure in sight. For you that survive downsizing, layoffs, bankruptcy, and closures, this is your opportunity to learn what works, what doesn't, as well as your time to voice and push forth your own well thought-out ideas.
However, in order to accomplish any of this, you have to know what you are talking about; you have to have ALL your ducks in a row and accounted for. In order to be believable, you have to have done your homework, the kind of homework-research-that would put to shame a PhD's. dissertation. More importantly, though, you have to hone your people skills to a fine pitch. Theory and knowledge alone-without the human touch, the people skills, the hospitality skills, if you will-is useless. If I may be permitted to coin a phrase, what you need is Hospitality Holism.
So, if you read, learned, and heeded the reasons, whys, and wherefores for what is happening in the hotel/hospitality industry, and you now not only believe but know how to survive these times unscathed if only you were the general manager. You are full of hot air. You are delusional and should immediately consider going into a different line of business as far away from the service industry as possible. You will not succeed with that mentality. Book learning and theory, along with the basic people skills you learned growing up and exercise currently at your job are but basic stepping stones to what is really needed to succeed. Hospitality Holism, if you will, is the essence of Don Quixote's "Impossible Dream" in Man of La Mancha, when he sings he's "willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause," or the essence of "You've Got to Have Heart" from Damn Yankees. You don't learn things like that from a book, you learn it through walking daily through the fires of hell with your head held high expecting full well that at the other end is your success, your life; a life molded, formed, and burnished by the crucible of experience.
Again, I ask, are you up to the challenge?
For the sake of argument, let's say you've walked the walk and talked the talk, and you've won. You are at the top. You are King of the Mountain. Congratulations. You have made it to Mister Hotel! Now, of course, most of your time is going to be spent in maintaining that kingship. After all, there are many other want to be kings that want your position, your crown, and even though you may share your kingdom, you don't want to give up your kingship-that would be a no-no.
Your ideas got you to the top, but in order to stay at the top, you need a stream of original ideas or modifications of older ideas to stay at the top, and that requires constant hard work. The kind of hard work that many who are now or have achieved that top can no longer maintain it because they did the unforgivable; they sat or are sitting on their laurels. Laurels that, sooner than you think, will wither and die. Unfortunately, too many in the industry, at all levels, think and act this way. They have given in to creeping complacency. And complacency is the most insidious killer of all, no matter the industry, organization, or society-it killed every empire that ever existed, and then some.
Just look at what has gone on before in our immediate past and ask yourself while you are at it if the powers that be learned from it: all the government induced recessions (my opinion), the oil/gas debacle of the 1970s and, of course, and the recession (depression-my opinion) we are currently in. Were any of us prepared for it? Not many, I would venture. How are we coping with it? Some better than others, I am sure. What this all boils down to, is that history repeats itself, and if you don't want to end up on history's dung heap, then you best have a rose garden full of ideas, thorns and all, to keep yourself permeated with the smell of success.
The challenge is yours.
Remember, and never forget, that you will be responsible for the properties that you will manage, either for yourself or for others. You must keep up with and be aware of all of the economic trends and hospitality industry indicators around you. Use those indicators, not as your sole guide, but as a basic guide to keep you on the correct path. To quote Shakespeare, "What's past is prologue" (The Tempest)-in other words, pay attention to what you have learned from the past, for it is the setting for your present, and the harbinger of your future-learn from it! In today's technical world you have access to information I never had. My technical formative hotel/hospitality experience was computer less: Reservation Racks was then the only game in town as the guest management system, and all other operations were done manually-handwritten or on a manual typewriter. Can you even cite a time when you saw any salesperson total up your bill or someone else's bill and calculate the tax, all by hand? Do you feel confident enough in your calculating abilities right now to do the same?
Today, of course, you have at your disposal a myriad of computer programs to help you in the decision-making process of running a hotel: STAR Reports, RateTiger, TravelCLICK, IDeaS, etc., as well as a host of others, all promising you the moon and competing for your dollars. But no matter what program(s) you use, I implore you to know them inside and out, know what they can do for you, know what they cannot do for you, know their limitations, and never ever rely on them totally. No program or machine can, as yet, take the place of a human being. The problem for many, especially in today's technology infested world, is that they rely so much on that technology that they no longer know how to use or feel "gut feeling technology", which, as many of you know, is accurate more times than not.
I have been in this "people business" for over 40 years and the truth be known, I would not trade a moment of it for anything else. It has been and continues to be a fascinating experience with rewards equal to but a few other professions. It is a feel good industry, in which both the giver and the receiver feel like winners. In some, maybe many, aspects, you are a purveyor of dreams. Spin them wisely, and you too may well be .

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