Independent Hotels Are Disappearing as Chains Grow
This should be the heyday of independent hotels, which by their very nature offer the distinctive experiences sought by many travelers.
External Articles
Tackling the Abuse Problem in Hospitality Head-On
I recently made the argument that hospitality isn't always about receiving service from staff but rather also reliant on the energy and spirit of the guests. The two combine to form an ecosystem of sorts that, when balanced, creates the best possible environment. When staff members are happy and guests are bringing their best manners and selves, then everything works.
Budget Hotels Drive Southeast Asia’s Online Travel Growth to $34 Billion
Southeast Asia's online travel sector grew to $34.4 billion this year, from $29.7 billion in 2018 and $19.4 billion in 2015, according to the latest study of the region's internet economy released on Thursday by Google, Temasek, and Bain.
Ranked: The Top Ten Best Beaches In The World
Soft white sand, impossibly blue bath-warm waters, a smattering of palm fronds for shade and an ice cold cocktail in hand - the perfect beach experience. It's about as close as we get to the picture postcard image of a relaxing vacation, and luckily for us, the world is overflowing with them.
Bucket List Travel: The Top 50 Places In The World
According to a new survey, Bali is the top bucket list destination in the world. What's on your travel bucket list? If you're like most people, the more you travel, the more places you add to your bucket list. So when the editors of the website Big 7 Travel announced the list of the world's top 50 bucket list destinations, we stopped in our tracks and started checking off the boxes.
The Top 6 Travel Destinations For Fall 2019
You may be decades removed from your years as a student, but you don't need to be physically returning to your high school homeroom to succumb to those back-to-school blues. This seasonal manifestation of the much-loathed Sunday Scaries fills even the most optimistic soul with dread: Summer is over, responsibility is returning. The days will grow shorter, I will grow older, and I have to wait another year before I can go on a real vacation once again.
Low Margins And Hidden Costs: Why Small Hotel Owners Are Feeling Cheated By OYO
When OYO first shifted to the hotel franchise business in 2015, it seemed like a great proposition for budget hotels. Struggling with lack of visibility and guidance on how to upgrade their properties, small hotel owners ticked along thanks to word-of-mouth referrals and an unorganised system of touts, tour operators and agents.
Disgruntled cook had arsenal of guns, threatened mass shooting at Long Beach Marriott hotel, police say
A California hotel cook who was upset over a work-related human resources issue was arrested after he threatened a mass shooting and stored guns and ammunition at his home, police said.
Is the Rise of Micro-cations Among Working Millennials Changing the Way Companies Value Vacation Time?
This new era requires new ways to work, think and live and Millennials are opting to take more, but shorter, vacations then previous generations. A "micro-cation" is defined as a leisure trip that is less than five nights. The majority (57 percent) of Americans did not take a leisure trip longer than four nights in the last year, with Millennials leading this "micro-cation" trend, according to the 2019 Vacation Confidence Index released by Allianz Global Assistance, a leading travel insurance and assistance company. Not only are Americans taking shorter trips, but for many, these micro-cations are replacing the traditional week-long vacation. Micro-cations allow many Americans to travel more frequently, with Millennials saying they've taken at least three micro-cations in the last year.
Deadly Legionnaires' outbreak at Atlanta hotel a "nationwide problem," attorney says
A widespread outbreak of Legionnaires' disease has killed one person and sickened possibly dozens of others who were all guests at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel. The hotel evacuated all its guests on July 15 and remains closed as of press time.
The World’s Most Beautiful Hotel Pools
Nothing makes a vacation cooler more than a resort with a stunning pool. Whether you seek a refreshing reprieve from the intense summer sun, a tranquil place to lounge or a bass-thumping evening social scene, a beautiful hotel pool can do it all.
Extended Stay Brand AKA Hotel Residences Plans To Stay A While
Staying in apartments used to be a couch-surfing alternative for travelers who couldn't bear to drop hundreds of dollars on a night in a hotel. Now, more travelers are opting to live in these homes away from home, including those with plenty of dollars to spare.
Washington, D.C. Is Suing to Stop a Ridiculous Hotel Pricing Practice
"Resort fees" are some bullshit. If you've booked a hotel in the last few years, you've probably encountered the dreaded resort fee. If not, this is how it works: Your hotel room rate is quoted at, say, $150 per night. But in addition to taxes, the hotel tacks on a "resort fee," maybe $20, maybe $35, which it says covers your use of various amenities — the pool, the gym, the landline telephone, what have you.
More Retailers Are Checking Into Hotels In Search Of Innovation
Part of the future of retail is playing out inside hotels — and that's happening as the wider part of the travel-and-tourism industry is undergoing its own significant disruption.
Airbnb and the Hospitality Industry Are ‘One in the Same’
The Airbnb economy is evolving to be more like the hospitality industry, and as demand increases for vacation rentals, hospitality mainstays are adopting the Airbnb model. While the alternative rental industry has evolved substantially over the last decade, the market will continue to evolve for the next five years with an increase in institutional ownership, asset class creation, and hospitality. This year, the revenue is expected to reach $30 billion.
BCD Travel Unveils New Global Hotels Division
BCD Travel today unveiled a new global hotel division and branded service, Stay by BCD Travel, for managing hotel programs. The division will be led by April Bridgeman, who assumed the newly created role of SVP of hotel solutions two months ago while retaining oversight of the travel management company's consulting arm, Advito. Bridgeman spoke with BTN lodging editor Donna M. Airoldi about the strategies behind the new hotel initiative.
"We Can Put the Quality Into Homesharing", Say Hotel CEOs
Hoteliers for years watched the niche homesharing market grow from afar, observing that lodging offered to customers was predominantly illegal and offered little assurance of a quality guest experience.
Report: Security Platform Leaking Hotel Security Logs, Including Marriott Properties
vpnMentor's research team has recently discovered that Marriott and other hotel brands managed by The Pyramid Hotel Group have experienced a cybersecurity data leak, revealing vulnerabilities that could be an important tool with significant impact in a massive future attack.
A Train Station? A Jail? These Hotels Were Once Something Else
For your next travel adventure, why stay in a regular hotel when you can stay in a famous jail? Or a train station?
9 Most Beautiful Beaches In Europe You Should Visit This Summer
The 2019 list by European Best Destinations (EBD) of trendiest beaches in Europe includes some hidden gems as well as other, better-known, romantic and beautiful spots, from the 'secret' Cala Pregonda on Spain's Balearic island of Menorca to Vlychos Beach on the Greek island of Hydra.