By Theodore Koumelis: Nearly 90% of UK travel managers believe spend on meetings will increase or stay the same in 2013, according to a global survey of travel managers by AirPlus. This is significantly higher than the European average of 79%.
Leadership. There’s Something Funny Going On Here
By James Houran, Ph.D.: April time is prankster season for many cultures throughout the world, and Wikipedia gives a fun, historical background on the popular tradition of "April Fools' Day" or "All Fools' Day." This makes it an appropriate time to explore three critical aspects to sense of humor – something that researchers and HR practitioners alike pinpoint as a core competency for hospitality professionals similar to problem-solving and critical thinking ability.
On the move in March 2013
Global Staff Movements for February 2013 provided by Spectrum International.
Responding to Reviews: Lessons from a Decade of Responses
By Emile Breure: It has been already 10 years since TripAdvisor launched the ability for hoteliers to give a management response to reviews. In 2012 the number of management responses on the world’s largest review site still doubled compared to the year before. No less than 1 out of 4 reviews on TripAdvisor can expect a personal response from a manager. According to the majority of the portal’s visitors seeing these responses improve their impression of a hotel and make them believe a hotel cares about its guests.
International Brands Are ‘Missing a Trick’ in China
Everybody is talking about the huge opportunities presented by the Chinese online travel market, but some players are faring better than others. Pamela Whitby takes a look.
Can a Luxury Resort Disappear and Rematerialize Elsewhere?
By Louis Thompson: Imagine a luxury eco-resort that provides the highest levels of international comfort, extraordinary views, great sports facilities and excellent local cuisine, but emits virtually no carbon dioxide emissions. Imagine if that resort could pack up in a matter of days and move from one extraordinary location to another providing guests with a completely different experience, but leaving no permanent footprint on the site.
Hotelier Notes from Season One of Fawlty Towers
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng: Sometimes in order to understand what sets the bar for good service in the hotel industry, you have to gaze upon the dark underbelly of what is truly and horrifically bad. It's all about contrast; the yin and the yang. To know what would qualify your establishment as a lemon, you need only taking one passing look at Fawlty Towers, the 1970s 12-episode British sitcom starring the magnetic John Cheese as the titular rural English B&B owner and operator, Basil Fawlty.
The Most Effective Strategies for Success
By Heidi Grant Halvorson: For years, I've been trying to convince people that success is not about who you are, but about what you do.
When Should You Choose a Brand for Your Hotel? And When Should the Brand Manage Your Hotel?
By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers: Hotel Lawyer on branding your hotel or running it as an independent. When should you brand your hotel and when should you leave it unbranded? How do you know when the benefits justify the costs? And if you decide to brand, should you go with brand management or an independent operator? What are the considerations? Few decisions are more important. Here is hotel lawyer, Robert Braun to share some insights garnered by our Global Hospitality Group®'s experience in helping clients with more than 1,000 hotel management agreements and franchise agreements.
Ten Phrases That Can Solve Any Work Problem
By Barry Moltz: Conflicts are an inevitable part of running a small business. In fact, effectively resolving conflicts within your company can actually build a strong and diverse team that will keep fresh ideas and creativity flowing. If everyone agrees with the boss's point of view, your company's direction and efforts will get stale fast. That being said, too much conflict isn't desirable either. To achieve the delicate balance, you need to have the skills to intervene when a healthy debate goes awry.
