Orlando, FL | Every hotel is facing the same situation right now: figuring out how to bring in guests and turn a profit in the current distressing economic climate. The questions loom large: What are the best strategies? Do the old rules still apply? Do we try to succeed or just survive?

“Sales Tactics in a Tough Economy,” a new DVD training program from the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI), presents owners, managers, and sales teams with up-to-the-minute advice and ideas for combating economic challenges that your property is facing. The program features interviews with hotel owners, sales directors, and account executives who are responding to economic issues related to securing group and leisure business for their properties. Viewers will learn how to maximize resources, focus on relationships, respond with speed, and get back to basics to make the sale and turn a profit.

An accompanying 32-page workbook provides sales teams with activities to promote brainstorming and idea building that will help properties create a new plan for meeting economic challenges. Sales professionals who use the exercises in the workbook will emerge with concrete ideas for updating packages, responding to shorter booking windows, capturing new prospects, negotiating based on value, and forging new partnerships.

To preview the DVD trailer, visit .

“Sales Tactics in a Tough Economy” is available for $139.95 for AH&LA members and $179.95 for nonmembers. EI is offering introductory pricing of $99 for AH&LA members and $140 for nonmembers through April 30, 2009. Reference code STTE9 when placing your order online at www.ahlei.org or call 800-752-4567 or 517-372-8800. Outside the U.S. and Canada, call 407-999-8100.

Established in 1953 as a nonprofit educational foundation of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Educational Institute’s mission is to support AH&LA by becoming the preferred provider to the lodging industry, hospitality schools, and related hospitality industries both domestically and internationally by developing and providing quality resources to train, educate, and certify hospitality professionals.

Elizabeth Johnson
Marketing and Communications Manager
517-318-2359
Educational Institute