January is renowned for being a tough month for hotels across Europe, with poor weather conditions and a slow start to the year after Christmas and New Year holidays delaying business as usual. But for many of Europe’s hotel markets lower revenue levels coupled with a high fixed-cost base have resulted in much lower profits being recorded this month.

By Caroline Morse: Just because you're living out of a suitcase doesn't mean you can't be fashionably (and appropriately) dressed for every occasion. Are you guilty of any of these crimes against travel fashion?

By Alan Campbell: The Mid-Year has started and the budgets are in, well they should be. The marketing forecast has been studied and the experts have voiced their opinion. Moderate to slow growth for the remainder of 2013. The luxury class fared somewhat better. The crisis struck, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and only time will tell what else, election, as said now the national debt and ramifications (stock market) .The oil prices get higher and travelers decrease. Uncertainty strikes again just when you thought it was safe to go back. Makes you wonder what is next on the list of things that can happen.

By Thorin Klosowski: Whether you're straight out of college or starting a new career path, that first job can be scary. You might think you know the ropes, but it's a lot more than just getting your work done. Here are a few tips I wish someone gave me before I took my first job.

The results of the 55th annual Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards are in, and this year we have more luxury hotels, restaurants and spas on our list than ever. After checking in and checking out properties around the world, Forbes Travel Guide’s professional inspectors uncovered 18 new Five-Star hotels, five new Five-Star restaurants and four new Five-Star spas you’ll want to add to your must-travel list.

By Harumi Ozawa: Passers-by in Tokyo's busy Akasaka district have started to notice something odd about a 40-floor hotel — it has shrunk to about half its original height. Slowly but surely, and with none of the explosions or dust normally associated with the demolition of skyscrapers, the hotel is being torn down.

By Patrick Landman: We have been always in favor of a more long term coherent strategy and have always encouraged our clients to do the same thing. But does this still hold up, if a strong worldwide brand like Starwood is stepping away from what many of us have seemed to agree of being the best long term strategy. What if the large chains all start slashing their rates? What if 5 star hotels price themselves at a level where they compete with 3 and 4 star hotels? Can we throw Rate Integrity out of the window?

By Eric Magnuson: In an increasingly connected world, social media has the power to make or break a brand in a relatively short time. Although companies recognize the opportunity, they are challenged in defining a clear and effective way for an organization-wide adoption of social media best practices. Typically, most companies only leverage a fraction of the possibilities; social media initiatives are often implemented in isolation without proper insight onhow making social media strategy a priority can effect an entire organization.