February 2012
55 posts
Restaurant Trends - Growing And Emerging Concepts... →
Update from Restaurantchains.net on growing and emerging restaurant concepts
STR: US Hotel performance for January →
The U.S. hotel industry in January reported increases in all three key performance metrics, according to data fromSTR.
Overall, the U.S. hotel industry’s occupancy rose 4.1 percent to 49.4 percent, its average daily rate was up 3.9 percent to US$100.74 and its revenue per available room increased 8.1 percent to US$49.78.
Among the Top 25 markets, Chicago, Illinois, rose 15.4 percent in...
Hotels - 5 things to know: 21 February 2012 →
Story Highlights
• Travelodge working through debt restructuring • New Orleans reports largest ADR, RevPAR increases in January • STR: US had most hotels in January development pipeline • Choice reports RevPAR boost, slow portfolio growth • Greece bailout agreement reached Tuesday
CKE Restaurants CEO: Too many regulations hurt... →
This is a rush transcript from “Your World,” February 16, 2012. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
10 employee types that drive managers crazy →
I’ve had employees I wanted to strangle. I’ve also had CEOs who wanted to strangle me. I don’t blame them. I can be pretty annoying at times. But overall, the pluses usually outweighed the minuses so no crimes were committed and everyone lived to work another day.
That said, some employees are such royal pains in the you-know-what, such impediments to getting things done,...
Hotels - 5 things to know: 17 February 2012 →
Story Highlights
• TravelClick: Booking pace up for 2012 • 10 trends that will shape the travel landscape • Trivago: Hotel prices falling with temperatures in Europe • Australian hotels report total 2011 return of 17.8% • Facebook to roll out ‘timelines’ for brands
10 trends that will shape 2012 →
Story Highlights
“Consumer intentions are indicating that leisure travel will achieve small but positive gains in 2012,” said Carroll Rheem, director of research at PhoCusWright.
Now might be the best time in years for travel companies to raise capital, said Lorraine Sileo, VP of research for the company.
The consumer sentiment on mobile is they tend to book on smartphones only as a...
STR reports US hotel pipeline for Jan. '12 →
The total active U.S. hotel development pipeline comprises 2,736 projects totaling 293,143 rooms, according to the January 2012 STR/McGraw Hill Construction Dodge Pipeline Report released this week. This represents a 1.6-percent decrease in the number of rooms in the total active pipeline compared to January 2011. The total active pipeline data includes projects in the In Construction, Final...
Hotel execs: Economic conditions improving →
Story Highlights
REIT veteran Randy Churchey said most real-estate investment trusts are focusing on urban, full-service hotels, which bodes well for companies looking for action in secondary and tertiary markets.
While challenges definitely are there, 2012 is shaping up to be a positive year for hotel owners.
Financing conditions, including the high-profile, loan-to-value ratio...
U.S. Hotel Stock Index Upticks in January →
According to STR, the Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index ended January with a 13% increase to 2,288. The index ended 2011 at 2,025. The Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index also outperformed the S&P 500 and the MSCI REIT (RMZ) in January, which increased 4.4 percent and 6.3 percent, respectively. “The Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index started the year off strong, showing investors are confident in the hotel...
Changing of the guard at Marriott →
For more than 20 years, the head of Marriott International has vacationed at the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale. And his company has 33 hotels and 4,200 employees in the Miami area, with a total of 270 hotels statewide.
That portfolio is growing locally: After opening the first JW Marriott Marquis in Miami in 2010, the company is developing a hotel under another...
7 signs of a dysfunctional company →
While companies may not have political parties to deal with, polarizing leadership and divisive management are real and entirely common issues that destroy organizational effectiveness and ultimately lead to operating failure in companies big and small.
Since we can’t really solve a problem without identifying it first, here are seven signs of a dysfunctional company with polarizing...
Travelocity - Consumers Plan More Travel in 2012 →
Travelocity’s annual “Traveler Confidence Report” reveals a majority of consumers, 53 percent, plan to travel more in 2012 than they did in 2011 despite a lack of confidence in the state of the economy. This is an 18 percentage point year-over-year increase from 2011. Of those respondents who planned on increasing their travel this year, about two-thirds plan to increase their...
Hotels - 5 things to know: 13 February 2012 →
Story Highlights
• Distribution special report: Seasonality and discounting on demand • MINA says it’s close to acquiring 42 UK Marriott hotels • HIP: Hotel activity declines in January • Hotel industry divided on flash deals • TripAdvisor warns against ‘TripAdvisor Select’ scam
Cause and effect: Discounting and demand →
Hoteliers have long disputed the age-old question: Does lowering rates increase demand and drive more revenue?
The answer is a matter of price elasticity. If average daily rate is elastic, then lower prices would generate sufficient incremental demand to offset revenue lost through discounts. If ADR is inelastic, then a rate reduction would not generate enough incremental demand to offset the...
Wi-Fi is tops while turndown is thing of the past. →
54% of travelers have canceled reservations because they found better amenities elsewhere. TripAdvisor, Inc. announced the results of its first-ever 360 degree survey, which reveals U.S. lodging trends according to those who know them best: travelers and hospitality business owners and managers. Surveys of more than 1,000 U.S. travelers and more than 600 U.S. hotel representatives shows that...
Hotel Marketing - Exposing Five Popular Myths of... →
Over the past few weeks Joe Buhler and I have been having numerous Google+ conversations concerning the effectiveness of social media. Joe is a principal of buhlerworks, an expert in development and execution of social web marketing strategies. Several conversations dealt with the many myths surrounding social media so I asked Joe to write a guest column on the subject for Hospitality Marketing...
Hotel News in Brief →
Wednesday News in Brief
Some current conversation starters…
Non-negotiable: Hotel Industry Priorities for 2012 →
2012 will be a challenging year for the hospitality industry. Facing continued global financial uncertainty and intense pricing pressure, hoteliers will need to exploit innovative marketing tools to gain the competitive edge.
Here are 2012’s five trends to watch. The smart money will prioritize accordingly.
STR: US Hotel results for week ending 4 February →
The U.S. hotel industry experienced increases in all three key performance metrics during the week of 29 January-4 February 2012, according to data from STR.
In year-over-year comparisons for the week, occupancy was up 5.5 percent to 51.7 percent, average daily rate increased 3.1 percent to US$100.45 and revenue per available room was up 8.7 percent to US$51.98.
“This week Dallas, which hosted...
Hotels - 5 things to know: 10 February 2012 →
Story Highlights
• Report: Fraud rampant in hotel industry • STR preliminary numbers: Strong January for US hotels • Las Vegas rates up 10.7% in 2011 • Travelocity: 76% of consumers plan to spend more at hotels • TripAdvisor’s earnings strong; Expedia misses estimates
Photo Tour - AAA's Five Diamond hotels for 2012 →
For the 75th year, AAA unveils the “best of the best” hotels with its Five Diamond Awards list for 2012 - and Hotel Check-In is here to give you a sneak peek at the latest winners.
Here is the photo tour of the winning properties assembled for you.
Cornell Center for Hospitality Research Observes... →
The Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration celebrates 20 years of service to the hospitality industry in 2012, with events designed to create new knowledge, share information with the hospitality industry, and connect industry practitioners with academic researchers. In other words, it will continue to do what it has been doing—sponsoring and...
Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index up in Jan. →
The Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index ended January with a 13.0-percent increase to 2,288. The index ended 2011 at 2,025.
Robert W. Baird & Company and STR partnered to create the Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index—the first widely available U.S. hotel stock index in the hotel industry. The index combines Baird’s financial markets expertise, the data processing of STR and the up-to-the-minute...
US hotel industry looks for deal pace to pick up →
Hotel companies and real estate firms are optimistic that U.S. deal transactions will pick up this year despite concerns about Europe’s economy and challenges in obtaining debt financing.
While a business-led economic recovery has helped lift U.S. hotel occupancy rates, development is still a soft spot as tight credit conditions have limited new-hotel builds. Still, there is a growing...
Hotels - 5 things to know: 9 February 2012 →
• Super Bowl hotels see 907.2% revenue increase: STR • US hotels post 8.7% weekly RevPAR gain: STR • Wyndham execs attribute Q1 gains to online traffic • DOJ clarifies ADA mandate on pool-lift requirement • Hilton, Marriott top brands in US: BDRC
Icky Stuff: 20 Ways to Upset and Lose Customers →
Check around you - the look, feel, smells and sounds that customers notice when they spend time at your bar, café or restaurant.
Familiarity makes it easy to overlook a host of unpleasant, icky* things we make them experience.
Ask someone you trust to do a brutally honest review of your venue, from front door to rear entrance. Here are a few of the nasties they may find:
North Korea’s super-sized hotel is set to open —... →
North Korea’s Ryugyong Hotel ranks among the world’s most remarkable — and mockable — buildings. It’s taller than New York’s Chrysler Building and wider at its base than an average city block. Constructed almost entirely of concrete, it looks like a rocket ship, casting a jagged shadow over Pyongyang’s gray vistas.
But the Ryugyong has also never opened for business, which is why, for years,...
STR: Upper-midscale hotels top weekly gains →
The upper-midscale segment reported the largest increases in occupancy and revenue per available room during the week of 29 January-4 February 2012, according to data from STR.
The segment’s occupancy rose 7.9% to 51.5%, and its revenue per available room increased 11.5% to US$47.28. The segment’s average daily rate was up 3.4% to US$91.79.
The upscale segment reported the largest increase in...
D.C.’s old post office to become 250-room Trump... →
The General Services Administration has chosen Trump Hotel Collection, the lodging brand that bears the name of the New York real estate magnate, to turn the historic Old Post Office pavilion on Pennsylvania Avenue into a luxury hotel with at least 250 rooms, conference facilities, a spa and restaurants.
Robert Peck, GSA’s Commissioner of the Public Buildings Service, issued a statement Tuesday...
Will travelers ever find independent hotels on... →
Will RoomKey.com - the new hotel giant-backed search engine designed to rival Expedia and other independent travel booking sites - offer more than hotels with names such as Hyatt, Hilton and Holiday Inn?
We’ll see.
Hotel industry tracker HotelNewsNow.com reports that the start-up is now trying to lure groups of independent hotels to expand offerings beyond most of the major chains.
World's tallest hotel to open in Q4 →
The JW Marriot Marquis Dubai, the emirate’s latest ambitious landmark, is set to open in the fourth quarter of this year, according to developers Emirates Group.
The hotel will soar 355 metres above Dubai’s Business Bay development, making it the tallest all-hotel building in the world, pushing the 72-storey Rose Reyhaan Rotana hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road into second place.
CMA Pledges $10 Million to Country Music Hall of... →
CMA has pledged $10 million to “Working on a Building: Country Music Lives Here,” the capital campaign that will finance the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s expansion from 140,000 square feet to more than 350,000 square feet. This donation is the largest philanthropic gift in the not-for-profit, Nashville-based educational organization’s history.
National Restaurant Association Announces 2012... →
Some great new items out there, be sure and take a look!
TheNational Restaurant Association today announced the recipients of the 2012 Kitchen Innovations™ (KI) Award, which recognizes cutting-edge kitchen equipment in the foodservice market. An independent, expert panel of judges comprised of internationally recognized food facilities consultants, multi-unit executives and design experts...
Denny's Restaurants Supports Homeless Waitress'... →
A 32-year-old waitress in Hollywood, Florida is on the move once again. This time she is organizing a massive jobs initiative that calls for big businesses to offer employment opportunities to the communities that have supported their success. Denny’s Restaurants has taken the lead by partnering with The Rebuild Your Life Project, Patterson’s empowerment outreach for women.
“I...
STR Reports US Hotel Performance for the Week... →
The U.S. hotel industry experienced increases in all three key performance metrics during the week of 15-21 January 2012, according to data from STR. In year-over-year comparisons for the week, occupancy was up 3.9 percent to 51.4 percent, average daily rate increased 3.7 percent to US$99.96 and revenue per available room was up 7.8 percent to US$51.39. Among the Top 25 Markets, Anaheim-Santa...
Restaurant Industry Set to Outpace National Job... →
Despite sluggish recovery by the nation’s economy, the restaurant industry is projected to expand in 2012, according to the National Restaurant Association’s 2012 Restaurant Industry Forecast released today. Total restaurant industry sales are expected to reach a record high of $632 billion in 2012 – a 3.5 percent increase over 2011, marking the second consecutive year that industry...
Westgate Park City Resort & Spa Wins Worldwide... →
Congrats, Mark Waltrip. Great Job!!
Westgate Park City Resort was recently honored with one of the resort industry’s most coveted golobal awards.
Timeshare and fractional industry professionals from around the world gathered for the Perspective Magazine Awards Gala at the Hacienda Tres Rios Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico at the conclusion of GNEX 2012 – The Global Meeting Of Minds on Thursday,...
Lodge Operation: The Significance Of Excellent... →
The business of resort operations is an integral part of a productive and profitable lodging company. The operations management has an impact on the entire resort including the scale, quantity, high quality, value, profitability and swiftness of the delivery of companies and it’s important that main business management practices are utilised to make sure you provide top of the range services. An...
Personal panic alarms - Technology Would Protect... →
Great idea for hotels? Share your thoughts….
If a proposed contract for New York City hotel staffers is approved, personal panic alarms (panic buttons) would be part of a measure to improve safety for those staff members.
The proposal between the Hotel Association of New York (the association of hotel owners) and the New York Hotel Trades Council AFL CIO (the union of hotel workers)...
No Business Like Snow Business: The Economics of... →
Great article about the ski business. All lessons I remember well from my years with the American Skiing Company (God rest its soul!)
Don’t be confused by the soft powder. Ski-nomics at Vail and Whistler/Blackcomb is a hardened and savvy industry. Meet the mile-high strategies that keep America’s largest ski resorts in the black.
The view is best from the top. It’s the...
U.S. Hotel Sector Ends January With Positive... →
According to STR, the U.S. hotel industry experienced increases in all three key performance metrics during the week ending January 28, 2012. In year-over-year comparisons for the week, occupancy was up 4.0 percent to 53.8 percent, average daily rate increased 4.3 percent to US$101.84 and revenue per available room was up 8.5 percent to US$54.78.
Hotels-5 things to know: 7 February 2012 →
STR Analytics launches Tour de Data →
Tour de Data, hosted by STR Analytics and the STRfamily of companies, is an intimate event that gives attendees a look at the latest hotel industry data, as well as innovative ways to examine it.
The first Tour de Data will be held in Chicago on Friday, 2012 February 17.
At the event STR Analytics will analyze more in-depth statistics related to the Chicago market, such as group average daily...
22 Celebrity-Owned Restaurants: The Hits and... →
It seems a natural business progression in Hollywood — stars expanding their brand to the restaurant world. While several musicians and actors have made a name for themselves in the hospitality industry, many others have fallen by the wayside. How does Wahlburgers stack up against Doug E.’s Fresh Chicken and Waffles? And who is behind the likes of Nobu, Tagine and Dolce Enoteca?...
HVS EMEA Hospitality Newsletter – Week Ending 03... →
HVS EMEA Hospitality Newsletter – Week Ending 03 February 2012
The Waldorf-Astoria Presidential Suite: A Look At... →
Great piece; first time cameras have been allowed in this most famous of hotel rooms. Definitely worth a look!
The $10,000-a-night presidential suite at the Waldorf-Astoria is rich in history as well as price.
The Daily News recently got an exclusive in-depth look at the luxury digs, which have been a home away from home for Presidents since Herbert Hoover.
A round gold mirror left behind...
Global Hotel Industry to reach $847.8 billion by... →
Hotel trends: How to stay ahead of the curve →
Story Highlights
Keeping ahead of the curve comes down to one simple practice: Keep your eyes open.
Outside hospitality, technology is the most important industry of which to stay abreast.
Don’t hoard your ideas; run them by a seasoned cohort of experienced peers.
This Is Why Your Employees Hate You →
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So much of “career advice” is dedicated to telling employees how to do a better job.
But what about bosses?
Here are the top three reasons why you’re the reason your employees aren’t doing their jobs.
