By Tiffany DeShazo: It seems that in this age of tweets, texts, status updates, and character limitations, formal writing with correct grammar and spelling has gone right out the window. Acronyms, shortcuts, and abbreviations abound to save time and space. Words and phrases like ‘great', ‘see you tonight', ‘talk to you later', and ‘thanks for your help' are typed as ‘gr8t', ‘c u 2nite', ‘TTYL', and ‘thx 4 ur help'. But is this method of communicating right for your business? You see, the way you communicate to your customers still matters.

By Claudette Covey: Despite the challenges of the economy, budget cuts and new travel fees, business travel has been on the upswing over the past five years, according to Embassy Suites fifth annual business travel survey. Only one in five survey respondents has travelled less for business since 2008.

By EyeforTravel: Personalization means going far beyond just acknowledging that the customer is valued. Understanding what it is the consumer wants, needs and indeed when they want to hear from you and how, sets brands aside from their competitors and wins sales. You can only do this however, if the tools you have permit. Thankfully such tools are advancing.

By Gary Stoller: Many business travellers return regularly to cities' iconic restaurants, places where a famous dish, local cuisine, decor, service or history make an out-of-towner feel as though they're a part of a city or even a regular customer. Restaurant guidebook and online publisher Zagat has chosen iconic restaurants in 15 cities.

By Jackie Cooperman: It's hard to find an elite travel company that doesn't offer packages with spectacular suites and access to private islands. But today's top-grade services go further, customizing over-the-top trips for you and yours.

By Patrick Landman: For many people it is a dream to start their own boutique hotel or bed and breakfast. Most are drawn by the charm of hospitality and see it as a chance to start a new beginning. But opening a hotel, just like any new business, is more difficult than it might seem at first sight.

By Erica Garza: The property website continues to be the hotelier's most important distribution and marketing channel. The main goal of any hotel website is to turn lookers into bookers. A number of factors help to achieve this goal, including eye-catching design and a user-friendly layout. The look and feel of a website may initially grab the user's attention, while the copy contains the core information about the hotel that will convince that visitor to make a booking. Accurate, engaging, and relevant content – all written with the brand's voice in mind – is what gives users that final push to click "Book Now."

By Are Morch: LinkedIn is the leading Social Network in generating leads for brands. How is Hotels taking advantage of this? It starts with Collaboration & Networking that allows your Hotel to build trust with your brand. And then start ask your Network Ambassadors the right questions. What questions have your Hotels asked to increase brand awareness on LinkedIn?

By Jason Nazar: How is it that certain people are so incredibly persuasive? Can we all harness those skills? After studying the most influential political, social, business and religious leaders, and trying countless techniques out myself, these are the 21 critical lessons I've identified to persuading people. This is an overview from a talk I've been giving to thousands of entrepreneurs for a few years now on "How to Persuade People."