By feature writer Alan Campbell: Some CEO’S are being thrown out the window. What has happened here? It seems that the powers to be are beginning to see that just maybe these people aren’t producing.

By Emily Ditman: According to AIS Media, 89 percent of diners research restaurants online before visiting in person. A study conducted by Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration found that approximately 50 percent of respondents stated they make restaurant reservations online, and about 40 percent of those completed the reservation on the restaurant’s own website. Outlined in the article are ten website functionality and action steps for successful website design and the marketing of the restaurant website.

By Rayna Katz: Sending a message that it is recovering and then some, the hotel sector’s strength is now at Herculean levels. The top tiers are slightly less fertile for investment than the lower-priced chains but overall, the industry is having a golden moment.

By Janet Meiners: Facebook contests are becoming good marketing strategies for businesses of any size. You’ve probably heard Facebook success stories from big brands with large budgets. They often have elaborate landing pages, TV commercials, paid blog posts and celebrity endorsements. What about the small business that doesn’t have thousands to spend? This list is for you.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and NRG Energy, Inc. on Friday announced a new global alliance to expand the use of renewable energy systems at Starwood properties.

By feature writer Noelle E. Ifshin: Restaurant owners are often frustrated by not achieving their goals in relation to quality, customer satisfaction and financial benchmarks, yet many times they have not given themselves the appropriate tools to do so. Tools for your restaurant such as the newest, most integrated POS system, the most expensive kitchen and bar equipment, and even the best operating systems and procedures do not mean anything without a well-trained staff. People run your business and your business is only as good as your people.  An effective training program is an owner’s key tool to ensure consistency in product and customer service, which is a basic tenant of running a restaurant. Here are four key elements of such a program

By Andrea Mann: User-generated content can be advantageous for gathering information about a hotel's amenities and services or learning about a travel experience from a previous guest's point-of-view, but it can also be controversial because this information is provided by the public and is often uncensored. Does that mean that user-generated content is not credible?

By Patrick Landman: Wow! Visiting the latest addition to our hotel portfolio last week, I could not help it but to notice I was truly impressed by the dedication of its owners to deliver excellent guest service.  They have true hoteliers blood running through their veins. Let me share this inspiring story of genuine Scottish Hospitality with you.

By Nancy Trejos: Here's a wake-up call: The hotel front desk will do one better than ringing your phone in the morning. They'll send an actual human being to your room. Don't worry. They won't come in and kiss you good morning. But they might bring you coffee.

According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourism receipts hit a new record in 2012, reaching an estimated US$ 1075 billion (euro 837 billion) worldwide, up 4% in real terms, from US$ 1042 billion (euro 749 billion) in 2011.