How can hotels better serve guests with mobility needs? The U.N. Standard Rules of 1993 focus on equalizing opportunities for persons with disabilities worldwide. In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act established equal opportunity and non-discrimination requirements with strict compliance standards. To this day,...
My owners want me to grow profits, but my hotel is already over-performing. If I’m already at the top, what can I do? In 1955, Fortune magazine debuted its list of the top 500 companies. Sixty-two years later, most of those companies are gone. While the...
What will define the hospitality industry in the New Year? As a new year arrives, experts in the hotel industry like to make predictions, myself included. However, I have a different take on this particular question. I believe that 2017 is going to be the year...
How can we ensure guests are safe with all of the reports of global terrorism? First, acknowledge within your team the possibility terrorism can happen regardless of whether you’re in a large city or small town. Don’t be complacent. Second, prepare and take preventative measures. For example,...
What pointers would you give someone about to open a hotel? There are many, but ultimately, the most important is to remember that first impressions count. You also need to truly understand what the “theme” or “purpose” of the hotel is. Once you know that, remember...
How can I make my hotel stand out from the branded competition? We know that our “job” in this industry is to serve others. However, we must also keep in mind that we are the ones who decide how to best do just that. Each day...
Should hoteliers be so focused on millennials? Is it just me or are millennials the most idolized group we’ve ever had to cater to? Consisting of those who came of age around the year 2000, this generation places a high relevance on value and technology and...
What are your thoughts on the Marriott-Starwood merger? While the merger is still in its infancy, a combined $19 billion in revenues and 346,000 employees is quite significant. There are two ways to look at the deal; from the employee standpoint and then that of the...
We know as much about AirBnB as we did about Trip Advisor’s debut. We either dismissed that innovation or we recognized it as a transformation within the industry. A business in 190 countries, offering 600,000 places to stay and 15 million guests is worth noting. In...
