How to terminate a hotel management agreement when an operator really deserves it! - By Jim Butler, author of www.HotelLawBlog.com
The love-hate relationship between hotel owners and operators is as old as the institution of hotel management arrangements (going back to the 1970s). A good hotel operator can add up to 25% to the value of a hotel. A bad one can subtract the same amount or even more. ...more

Training to Keep Your Hotel Sales Effort Strong - By Leora Lanz
With today's economic climate and the surge of new hotels in the last 10 years, basic selling skills - for being an effective sales manager - are more important than ever. We need to revisit them and train to keep our selling ahead of the curve. ...more

Change v. Experience: Dilemma Facing Presidential Candidates and Hoteliers - By David M. Brudney
With the mortgage meltdown, a troubled economy and the presidential candidate primaries dominating the news this month, it was a profound comment made by good-natured and well-liked New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson that caught my attention. ...more

When will hotel operators 'get it'? - By Jim Butler, author of www.HotelLawBlog.com
Ritz-Carlton breached contractual and fiduciary duties under hotel management agreement giving rise to free termination, $10.3 million in damages plus attorneys fees. ...more

Reduce Property Taxes by Recognizing Hotel Profit Centers - By David C. Lennhoff, MAI, SREA, CRE
Assessors all too often base their hotel property tax assessments on the revenues derived from a hotel's total assets, wildly exceeding the appropriate amount for just the 'taxable' real property. This occurs because the assessor fails to separate the real property from the total assets of the business. ...more

Ratings Advice - Design For The Future - By Harry Nobles
We get calls regularly from owners, developers, architects, and designers asking for AAA/MOBIL ratings advice and assistance on projects scheduled to open in 2-4 years. ...more

Back to Departments

New Study Finds GDS Hotel Promotions Have a Growing Influence on Bookings
Now over 50 Percent of travel agents with ad recall, book the advertised hotel ...more

World Travel Trends Report: Strong growth for US inbound, but outbound travel still sluggish
Preliminary results from IPK International's World Travel Monitor for 2007, which will be presented at the ITB Future Day at ITB Berlin 2008, and published in the World Travel Trends Report 2008 the same month, confirm that US inbound tourism is well on the way to making a full recovery. ...more

Mobile Travel: The Time is Now - By Cathy Schetzina, Technology Analyst
Industry pundits have been touting the future promise of mobile travel for years. In 2008, that future will become a reality. Mobile technology represents the next major wave for travel applications, and its influence will be enormous. For travel suppliers, intermediaries and technology providers, mobile technologies will impact the way travel is sold, marketed and experienced across every segment in travel. ...more

Canadian Occupancy, ADR, RevPAR - Week Ending January 26, 2008
Published in conjunction with STR (Smith Travel Research) and endorsed by the Hotel Association of Canada. This publication summarizes weekly occupancy and average room rates from major cities in Canada. ...more

Phocuswright Releases 2008 Travel Industry Trends
Mobile, Metasearch Top PhoCusWright Analyst Predictions ...more

Top 10 Group Events January 2008 - National Market, Pittsburg PA, MiamiFL
Square Footage Meeting Space Occupied, Square Footage Catered, Estimated Number of Attendees ...more

Back to Departments

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts to Offer Passkey in a Landmark Brand-Wide Initiative
Global Brand-Wide Deployment of Passkey Makes its Advanced Group Reservation Technology Available to All Planners Across Fairmont's Portfolio, Reaffirms Fairmont's Global Commitment To Leadership Excellence In The Group/Meetings Marketplace ...more

Back to Departments

Harrah's Entertainment Names NFL Executive Seth Palansky Director of Communications for Sports & Entertainment Division
Seth Palansky, who for the past five years has overseen corporate communications efforts for the NFL Network, the league's owned and operated television channel, has been named Communications Director for the World Series of Poker(R) and the company's Sports & Entertainment division, Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. said today. ...more

Timothy J. Wilmott Appointed President and Chief Operating Officer of Penn National Gaming
Former Harrah's Chief Operating Officer Brings Over Twenty Years of Regional and Major Market Gaming Management Experience to New Role ...more

Trump Entertainment Resorts Announces Management Appointment at Trump Marina
Trump Entertainment Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRMP) announced that Mark Sachais has been named Interim General Manager of Trump Marina Casino Hotel. Mr. Sachais replaces Cathy Walker, who has resigned to pursue other career opportunities. ...more

Back to Departments

MGM Grand Detroit Named 'Development of the Year 2007' by Americas Lodging Investment Summit
MGM Grand Detroit is an $800-million destination from MGM MIRAGE and is the first and only downtown Detroit hotel, gaming and entertainment destination built from the ground up. It is also the first-ever Las Vegas-style destination to open in a major metropolitan center. ...more

Empire Resorts Signals Abandonment of Mohawk Casino Project
St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Finds Empire to be in Breach of Development Agreements ...more

Back to Departments

Hotel Lawyer with GREEN GEMS from the Los Angeles Hotel Investment Conference - By Jim Butler, author of www.HotelLawBlog.com
Hotels are going green (really)! And sustainability is the hot issue in the hotel industry. ...more

Back to Departments

Las Vegas Sands Corp. Reports Fourth Quarter 2007 Results
Quarterly Revenue Increases 64.8% and Reaches Record $1.05 Billion - Consolidated Adjusted Property EBITDAR Reaches Record $296.3 Million ...more

Back to Departments

Travel 2.0 - So Many Sites, So Little Time
Monitoring the 'Reviewsphere' is overwhelming: focus on key sites is the solution. ...more

Brisas Hotels & Resorts Selects ICE Portal to Produce and Deliver
ICE Portal continues to add big names to its already-impressive clientele list, with Brisas Hotels and Resorts becoming the latest company to opt for ICE's exceptional production services. Impressed with ICE Portal's convenient and user-friendly Content Management System (CMS), Brisas Hotels and Resorts has hired ICE to produce and distribute 360°, virtual tours for all of the company's luxury resort properties in Mexico. ...more

EUROMIC Celebrates its 35th Anniversary
EUROMIC-THE Destination Management Partnership in Europe and the Mediterranean announces its 35th Anniversary as one of the premier Destination Management Associations in the world. ...more

Back to Departments

Trump International Hotel & Tower Las Vegas Readies for March 31 Opening
Offering the Next Generation in Luxury Hospitality, Trump Hotel Collection's Newest Addition Will Make a Bold New (Under)Statement ...more

Back to Departments

PA Gaming Control Board Agrees to Continue Suspension of Mount Airy Casino Owner's License
Appoints Trustee and Accountant to Oversee Board Order ...more

Stark Service Solutions Announces Launch of Motivational Marketplace - Online Store Promoting Educational & Motivational Training Programs for Hospitality Industry
Stark Service Solutions is known nationally for its cutting edge programs to enhance customer loyalty through superior guest satisfaction and associate satisfaction ratings. Already used in a number of hotels including such brands as Hilton Hotels, W Hotels, and Marriott Hotels and Resorts as well as many independent properties, Stark announced today the launching of their on-line store, The Motivational Marketplace. ...more

Back to Departments