By Caroline Cooper: The recruitment process can be costly, so any business that wants to try to get it right first time with a minimum of disruption. So what exactly can you be doing before a vacancy even exists, or once your search is on, to attract and hire the best people to your business?

By Robert Mandelbaum: The way travellers communicate on the road has changed dramatically over the years, and these changes become evident when analyzing the revenue earned by U.S. hotels from their guests for use of telecommunication devices and services. In lodging industry parlance, "telecommunications revenue" includes monies received from the guest use of hotel room phones, fax machines, and internet connections.

By Miriam Salpeter: Job seekers should not forget in-person networking. No matter how useful online networks are, candidates who use those tools as stepping stones to meet people in person will access opportunities and resources beyond those available online.

By Paul Brady: You're probably doing something wrong if you can't give your product away. An authoritative new report from global consulting firm Deloitte has put the travel industry on alert, declaring the death of brand loyalty. Of the 4,000 frequent travelers surveyed, only two in five people said they "always" want reward points, miles or upgrades.

By Julie Joyce: We've been talking about social media for what seems like ages now. However, unless you've seen it grow from the ground up, it's not an immediately clear concept – you and your clients may not be on the same wavelength. One concept that can still confuse the heck out of clients is social media link building. So let's dig into why social media matters, which networks/platforms have value and which don't, and methods of using social for your own link efforts.

By Rosemary McClure: In Shanghai, guests at the Peninsula Hotel will greet the Chinese New Year by snaking through the lobby doing a lion dance. In Bangkok and Beijing, they will celebrate at the Peninsula's afternoon tea. And in Hong Kong, they will watch the city's colorful holiday fireworks show explode over Victoria Harbour while sipping Champagne on the Sun Terrace.

By Charlotte Cripps: Travel takes on a new meaning when you follow in the footsteps of film stars. You could request Bungalows 1, 7 or 21 at the Beverly Hills Hotel in LA, where Marilyn Monroe liked to stay, from $1,500. Or you could check into the Harlequin Suite at London's Dorchester where Richard Burton proposed to Elizabeth Taylor in the pink marble bathroom, which costs from £7,455 per night.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has unveiled the 12 finalists for its 2013 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards. Award applications were received this year from 46 countries, representing all continents. Finalists in four categories were selected, ranging from entire countries, to global hotel groups, international airlines, luxury tour operators and small eco-lodges.

By Jessica Stillman: McKinsey outlines popular ways managers misuse their time. Do you recognize yourself in any of these four types?

By Natasha Dragun: Russian hotels regularly top “world’s most expensive” lists, so it should come as no surprise that rooms across the country take luxury to new levels. Here are 10 of the most over-the-top experiences that money — lots of it — can buy.