RECENT ARTICLES

Growing a Strong System
The economy has hurt the travel industry across the board in the past few months, with the pipeline diminishing, with financial institutions losing the ability and confidence to lend for new projects and refinancing, and with both business and leisure travelers having to make cutbacks. These stories aren’t a mystery to anyone, and hotel companies, hotel owners and consumers have been working hard together to make the best of a bad situation and turn around a rough recession.
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Keeping Green and Clean
Trimming unnecessary expenses is always at the top of a hotelier’s priority list, which contributes greatly to the “green” trend catching on so heavily. In that sense, it’s understandable why becoming “environmentally friendly” met with such dissent in the trend’s early stages. With respect to energy management, it seemed at first concerning and counterintuitive in many ways — consumers aptly did not want to be told to buy all new equipment when their old appliances were working just fine.
     Luckily, technology advanced begetting more efficient machinery just as budgets started getting tighter when the economy went into a recession. Coupled with labor expenses, energy management is a concept on top of mind for almost all hotel operators. Therefore, they are even more keen to taking into account equipment and practices that will provide the greatest return over the longest period of time.
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Don't Shoot the Messenger
One of the first reactions to a decline in business is to cut marketing efforts. Why should that be the case? Especially for a hotel, which thrives on long-term loyalty and repeat customers, keeping its name and face out in the public eye is of extreme importance to long-term value and success. Therefore, marketing should be a more central piece of the budgetary puzzle, especially with the onset of Internet usage by hotel guests.
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Building a New Legacy
With nearly 200 hotel brands in six different segments in the United States — not to mention many more around the world — the hotel industry is ever-growing more dynamic. As new brands continue to launch into the marketplace (Hilton’s Denizen being the latest of which to do so), differentiating themselves becomes even more of a challenge. AAHOA -Lodging Business recently spoke with executives from four hotel companies focusing specifically on new-build projects — whether they be new prototypes or new brands entirely — to pinpoint their plans for growth and their expectations for building long-term success.
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The Local Connection
American furniture manufacturers might seem to be few and far between, given the growing trend of outsourcing overseas for less expensive labor and operations. Yet, with the current concerns within the United States economy and a growing consciousness for sustainable business practices, it seems that an increasing focus on buying locally might be on the horizon. AAHOA Lodging -Business spoke with Reau Berry, president of Johnston Tombigbee Furniture Manufacturing (JTB Furniture), discussing current trends in furniture manufacturing both in the U.S. and abroad, why his company hasn’t shipped their product off, and what he sees for the future of the industry and the economy.
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Central Regional Hotel Update
Brokers, developers and hoteliers around the country are looking for the best ways to maximize hotel investments amidst declining operating trends and a lack of available financing. In the Central region of the U.S. — for the purposes of this article, the Upper Midwest and Texas — major markets are performing similarly to their counterparts across the country. On the other hand, this area of the heartland is rich with secondary and tertiary markets. Many of these markets have been weathering the storm, and in some cases, even trending upward, while others have been hit hard.
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2009 Hunter Investment Conference
The 21st Annual Hunter Hotel Investment Conference was held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. Bob Hunter, the conference founder, kicked off the event with a positive message and asked industry leaders to see the hotel industry as “a glass that is half full.”
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Northeast Regional Hotel Update
The hospitality sector is quick to feel the effects of a recession. Business travelers and vacationers travel less, which means that hotels see more vacancies and a bigger hit on their bottom lines. After seeing market fundamentals decline rapidly at the end of 2008, what does 2009 hold? Lodging Operator spoke with experts in the Northeast hospitality sector to find out.
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Green From the Ground Up
The common stigma of “going green” suggests that shifting to a more sustainable business practice means going from black to red on the bottom line. However, just as hoteliers are implementing energy management tactics that are saving them on operating costs, many new hotels coming out of the ground are utilizing “green” practices and materials to ensure a more efficient operation in the long run.
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Seek Advice Before Stressing Over Distressed Loans
The first notions of the current recession saw the subprime mortgage crisis lead to a wave of residential home foreclosures. With the recent collapse of the capital markets affecting hotel and other real estate under construction, hotel owners need to understand the issues their own hotels might face due a lack of available financing. Lodging Operator interviewed consultants with a variety of expertise — brokerage, investment banking and law — for their opinions on what hoteliers can expect in the current financial climate. 
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Waking Up Happy
Along with many other complimentary amenities that have become standard, in-room coffee and tea have become one of the first things a guest notices when he or she enters a room. Not only is it hoteliers’ responsibility to make sure their guests get a good night’s sleep, but also that they wake up ready to face the following day. While many other factors go into a guest’s decision to return to a hotel — whether it be a particular property or a brand as a whole — the availability and options for in-room coffee can go a long way toward customer loyalty.
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Tuning Into Technology
There most certainly has been a vast upgrade in television technology in the hotel industry during the past few years. With technology moving so quickly, what’s popular might not be what brings in the best return on investment or the most guest satisfaction. In other words, the trends in television technology seem to be outpacing the trends that are making their way to guest rooms. Could this eventually spell trouble when it comes to guest satisfaction?
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Insuring a Sound Investment
The price of underinsuring can prove much more costly in the case the unexpected and unfortunate occurs. AAHOA Lodging Business interviewed three hospitality insurance agents for their perspectives on what to expect and what they suggest in 2009.
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More Than Just a Lock
By allowing guests the convenience of doing away with keys and key cards, and by providing the operations staff with better monitoring tools to maintain their hotels’ locking systems, the latest upgrades are increasing the ability for hotels to provide their guests with a more convenient, a more efficient, and — most importantly — a safer stay.
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Southeast Regional Hotel Update
Moving into 2009, it’s important to gauge the state of the hospitality market on the whole so that owners, operators, investors and developers can gain important insight from industry experts and advisors. With this in mind, AAHOA Lodging Business breaks down the Southeast hospitality market.
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What's Happening in Select Service Hotel Investment?
Is it a good time or bad time to buy or sell a hotel? Hotel investment deals continue to get done today amidst turmoil in capital markets and economic uncertainty. Yet, deal volume of select service assets has not been affected as much as more expensive, full service assets.
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It's Got the Look
A guest’s first impression often can be the last chance a hotelier has for repeat business. Leisure travelers, and especially businesspeople, oftentimes don’t spend a large amount of time in their room. When they arrive, they’ll go in, put down their things and head out the door. How important is the lasting image in each guest’s mind to their repeat business? If they don’t want to go back to the room while they’re staying there, the chances they’ll come back are slim to none.
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Keeping a Keen Eye on the Sky
A significant cutback in airline flights is on the horizon this fall, and the hospitality sector will feel the effects. According to market research, some sectors of the hotel industry have seen dips in occupancy. As fuel costs continue to rise, the airline industry will continue down what could be a historic decline.
     Though the results of these airline cutbacks only can be speculated at this point, AAHOA Lodging Business gathered industry data and spoke with experts on both the airline and hospitality sides of the equation to compile a snapshot of what is occurring right now and what significant airline cutbacks could spell for the hotel industry in the near future.
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Sustainable-Solutions In Hospitality
From the seasoned business traveler to families on vacation, today’s hotel guests are well-versed in the range of lodging options available in the marketplace. Before they arrive for check-in, they check out amenities and services, and comparison-shop for lodging in virtually any destination. Whether working or planning an exotic getaway, guests seek properties that measure up to their high expectations on many levels.
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E-mail Marketing
Effective e-mail marketing will help you book rooms and build relationships.
E-mail marketing is one of the most effective communication and promotion vehicles in the Internet marketplace. Ninety percent of Internet users and fifty-six percent of all Americans use email on a regular basis (source: eMarketeer.com, August 2006). Hotels benefit from e-mail marketing because it is fast, direct, cost-effective, and builds loyal relationships. It is one of the lowest cost channels available to the lodging industry to book rooms and build customer relationships. High quality e-mail campaigns can deliver effective messaging that drives action and manages customer relationships.
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