By feature writer Frederic Gonzalo: Insightful details of how travelers consume and share content prior to, during and after a trip.
Hotelier’s Ten Commandments: Perennial success factors that don’t change with the times
By feature writer L. Aruna Dhir: Trends and fads come and go, but here are ten things that will always remain as top factors in a successful hotel business.
The art of diplomacy
By feature writer Larry Mogelonsky: Can I have an English-to-English dictionary please? What we say and hear is often vastly different from what is meant. Communication is fraught and mastering its subtleties should be a consummate career goal.
The ABCs of eTourism
From A to Z, here is a take on essential elements those in the hospitality industry should consider to put a solid strategy in place online and via social media.
Ten steps to building successful group sales promotions
By feature writer Larry Mogelonsky: What makes good sales promotions stand out, and what is the formula to make them successful?
Ignore the Verbal Channel
By Feature Writer Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng: Nine times out of ten the focal point of how hotel employees should talk with guests is on what phrases staff members should say or what utterances should be deemed off-limits. Essentially, it’s little different than the training given to telemarketers. But the instruction we give our staffers must go far beyond this because we interact with guests face-to-face, which is both simultaneously easier in many ways and much harder in several others.
Stop Hiding Behind the Numbers
By Feature Writer Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng: Repeatedly, I ask hoteliers a simple question, “How’s business?” Typically, I get a response like, “We’re down $x.xx in ADR versus budget, but occupancy is holding steady at xx.x%,” or, “REVPAR is solid and we’re $x.xx ahead of comp set.” In all, these types of responses are an excellent one-stop measure of how the senior manager believes his or her business is operating. Unfortunately, they reflect only a narrow focus on short-term financial data.
Have You Tasted Your Own Pie?
By Feature Writer L. Aruna Dhir: We were staying at a mountain resort a few months ago and asked the F&B Manager for his recommendation. While there were a couple of things he could suggest, the rest of the menu he was clueless about. Yes, it was the F&B Manager and he had not had the chance or taken the trouble to test the entire menu out. His lack of first-hand knowledge about the wares of his hotel led us to have one bad meal at the place, coercing us to give a mental black mark to the resort in an otherwise wonderful stay.
Free WiFi: Do the Math
By Feature Writer Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng: Would you pay a buck per room to move your TripAdvisor rating up even so slightly, knowing what the results might be? You probably pay that amount for many other equally important services, especially given that internet connectivity is widely deemed a necessity for numerous consumers. The reasons for not offering this service for free are rapidly depleting. So, what am I missing here?
Eight FAQs About Social Media in Travel
By Feature Writer Frederic Gonzalo: Online marketing and social media in particular have changed how the travel decision-making process takes place, forcing travel brands to adapt their marketing accordingly. Yet, not everyone adapts at the same rate, and there are still many who question the worthiness of efforts in this sphere. Among frequently asked questions I often get on my blog or during and after conferences or workshops I give, I thought I would share a few of my favorites ones. In no particular order, here we go!
