By Robert A. Rauch, CHA: Read on for the trends that will move hoteliers forward in 2013.

This article was originally going to be titled “Inspiration For Your Hotel’s Mobile App” but sadly, after doing some research on hotel apps, we decided to change the title to “What To Avoid When Creating An App For Your Hotel.” It’s important that when you begin something as important as a mobile app, that you are not only using your money wisely, but you are creating something guests will actually use, not something frustrating that leaves them asking why you even built it in the first place. Whether your building the app alone or working with a developer it is important you AVOID the following.

By Amy Rees Anderson: One of the most important lessons I learned during my years as a CEO was that great employees are not replaceable. It isn’t the technology or the product that make a company great, it’s the people. And companies who see their good employees as “replaceable” are wrong. Good employees are not replaceable. Let me clarify what I mean by “replaceable.” Can a company hire someone to fill a position to replace someone else? Of course they can. In today’s market, the world is ripe with candidates who are eager and willing to take the job. But putting a behind in a seat doesn’t replace a great employee. It simply puts a new behind in a seat.

Most of us have been late to work at some point. According to a new CareerBuilder study,  26 percent of workers admit to being tardy at least once a month and 16  percent are late once a week or more. But what excuses do people give  for being late?

By the JMBM Global Hospitality Group.®: We continue to receive calls from hotel owners, developers, investors, lenders, and members of the media asking, "What is the hospitality investment outlook for 2013 and beyond?" There is a growing optimism among industry veterans and many of them are revitalizing acquisition (and a few development) projects. The level of activity has kicked up a notch or two. One thing that everyone likes: barring unforeseen events, the stage is set for continuing improvement in hotel industry fundamentals and hotel valuations for at least 5 years – through 2017.

By Barbara De Lollis: Super-sized hotels are here – and they're not just for Americans. Last year, the Holiday Inn and Sheraton chains opened their biggest hotels ever, both in Macau (or Macao), Asia's version of Las Vegas. And this month, the J.W. Marriott chain on Feb. 27 will officially open its biggest — and tallest — hotel ever, in Dubai.

Industrial design hasn't just caught fire in New York, where the Wythe Hotel attracts its upscale crowd with concrete and brushed steel. Hotels built from canneries, warehouses and plants have been springing up the world over as hip neighborhoods grow out of the apparently fertile remains of the Industrial Revolution. These hotels tend to cater to in-the-know travelers who favor character over opulence.

By Alan Campbell: What is reliability? Reliability means that when a staff member promises to deliver a request it gets done promptly, not hours later. Reliability is a combination of all of these factors that gives the guest a comfortable feeling that “this place works”.

By Don Peppers: What steps can you take to help your service employees recognize customers, and demonstrate your business's humanity?

Leading travel brand Kuoni, has just announced the results of a UK wide survey that looked at the leading reasons why people take a holiday and where they go. With many people now trying to decide when, where and why to take a holiday in 2013, the results of the Special Occasions Travel Survey, which polled 819 Brits over December 2012 via social media channels, unearthed 19 key reasons for travel and the top destinations for these trips.