This report is part of the World Luxury Index™, an international ranking and analysis of the most sought-after brands within the luxury industry. This study covers 70 luxury hotel brands within 10 key luxury markets and provides insights on the interest coming from luxury consumers.

It's Friday and after a hard week of hospitality, ehotelier would like to invite you to stop for a bit and relax with a coffee and a feature we would like to call Der Schlusspunkt (meaning ‘full stop' in German). Der Schlusspunkt is a collection of hospitality snippets – some funny, some fascinating, some naughty, but all written by hospitality insiders who are in the know and have seen things you will have to read to believe. Der Schlusspunkt will feature every Friday on ehotelier and begins this week with ‘The Funny Side Up'.

By Hugo R. Mechelse: Turn down service is one of the creative perks in hospitality, but does it always work? Personally I always wonder what is and what is not appreciated by the guest. For this, we first and foremost have to answer the most vital question: what do we want to achieve?

By feature writer Doug Kennedy: A frequently discussed topic at industry conferences these days is call conversion ratios. With the increased emphasis on reservations sales development, companies are recognizing the importance of turning "inquiry-only" calls into bookings. One of the most important indicators of success in this area is the call conversion ratio, which refers to the total number of reservations inquiries received as compared with the number of reservations booked. So, what is a good call conversion ratio?

By Jean Francois Mourier, CEO of REVPAR GURU: Close your eyes and imagine what the hotel industry will be like in one year's time, in five years' time and in 20 years' time. What will hotels look like? Will hotel operations have changed drastically? Will value still be the primary factor for consumers when booking a stay? Will flagged or boutique properties be more popular? Will the technology that we use today still be used in the distant (or not-so-distant) future? When I dream, here¹s what I imagine the hotel industry will be like in the future.

By feature writer Bryan K. Williams: It’s about your heart. With all I’ve written about touchpoints, anticipating needs and steps of service, none of them can compare with your heart. Your heart is what connects with people. Your heart is what allows you to listen empathetically. Your heart is what causes you to give a genuine smile to a complete stranger. To create consistent, world-class service on your team, there must be a regular discussion about the heart and its role in driving service excellence.

Global Staff Movements for April 2013 provided by Spectrum International.

By Babs Davidson: The influx of apps lead many, including those in the hospitality industry, to contemplate the need for a personalized app for their individual properties. At this point, I'd like to enlist the phrase my mother and many others have used throughout the centuries to discourage hopeful, yet misguided souls: "If so-and-so jumped off a bridge, would you do it?" The same applies to apps – not all industries should take the leap. In most instances, individual hotels simply do not and should not need to create a mobile app.

For the first time, Hurun Report reveals differences in travel preferences and behavior between luxury travelers in First and Second/Third Tier Cities.