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Travel2020: What’s luxury got to do with it? Behind star ratings…

Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

Forbes Travel Guide can tell you something about luxury in hospitality. CEO Filip Boyen, who came aboard last year as the leading face of Forbes Travel, has worked in hospitality for some 30 years, starting out as a junior chef, working his way up through the ranks with Orient Express Hotels and Belmond, and later with Small Luxury Hotels of the World as CEO. After joining Forbes Travel Guide in July 2018, he became a go-to person who, when asked to define what luxury means, just might have some answers.

How to organize a conference that provides lasting value

Simma Lieberman Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

As much as I enjoy meeting new people and connecting with old friends, I don’t have time or energy to attend conferences that rehash the same ideas or leave me exhausted and wishing for a bar of chocolate to make me feel better. But not all professional development conferences are equal. Some conferences are showcases for mediocre speakers, not a lot new information and boring workshops. Other conferences provide opportunities for learning, transformation and growth. The Watermark Conference for Women on Feb. 22 in San Jose, California, was an example of the latter.

How to spend a great weekend in Austin, Texas

Julie Anne Wells Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

Known far and wide for live music and keeping it weird, Austin, Texas, makes a perfect destination for a weekend getaway. You might assume the best time to visit is during one of Austin’s famous annual music festivals. But the city has so much to offer its visitors year-round. From tourist attractions to local hidden gems, here are some items you must add to your Austin itinerary.

The joy of getting lost

Cindy Belt Recreation & Leisure

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to get lost. I bring a trail map with me when hiking. I always have my phone in my back pocket ready to take pictures but also to use the map function if I need to find my way. However, I have gotten lost several times from my initial planned trek. I must have made a wrong turn or the trails weren't well-maintained. I have found that getting a bit lost can be good.

Hospitality brands are set to leverage voice technology

Bambi Majumdar Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

A report from last year stated that close to 70 percent of people now use voice search to help research and plan their trips. That number will only rise, and we can expect the trend to grow in 2019 and beyond. For hotels and related businesses, this presents an immense opportunity as voice can open up a whole new era of marketing. Savvy brands have already started investing in voice technology, and we can expect to see innovative customer experiences coming our way soon.

IHG to add dynamic pricing to hotel rewards bookings by the end of 2019

Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

The InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) recently confirmed that it will implement a dynamic pricing model for its rewards programs by the end of this year. This new policy will affect all the brands that IHG owns or manages. In the past, frequent travelers could usually redeem rewards points towards a hotel stay according to the category where a hotel is listed (e.g., more points for a luxury hotel than a midscale hotel). This newly introduced dynamic pricing feature will allow IHG to update the number of points needed to redeem a free room according to changing demand by travelers.

How to geocache while RVing

Cindy Belt Recreation & Leisure

Geocaching is the perfect activity when RVing. Geocaching is a modern version of a treasure hunt using either a GPS unit or your smartphone. As you travel the country, you can find these treasures in state parks, rest areas, towns, country roads, or really anywhere. There are classes teaching geocaching at many state parks, but this article features basic steps with some hints.

The future of hotel designing

Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

No one knows what trends will shape hotel design a decade from now. One thing seems certain, though. Hotel interiors will interact with guests in new ways and offer environments that will cater not only to their desire for rest and relaxation but also to their overall health and well-being. They will do this by combining the latest technological innovations and biological science with centuries-old traditions of providing excellent service and guest care.

Check that behavior at the door

Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk Management

As a manager, how do you respond to behavior you don't approve of, whether it's because it violates company policy or company culture? Perhaps that behavior isn't terribly offensive but just a little annoying that you can almost ignore it. For example, one employee clocks in three minutes late without a compelling reason. That’s not so bad, is it? Yes, it is that bad, because of human nature. The old adage, "give an inch, take a foot,” applies. That three-minute tardiness, unaddressed, insidiously and chronically morphs into 10-minute tardiness, or 30-minute tardiness, or one hour.

Travel2020: Ski season 2019 sees peak snow, peak prices

Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

U.S. ski resorts are having a very good year. Snowpack in California's Sierra Nevada is now at 100 percent of where it should be and ski areas from the Pacific to the Atlantic are reporting a good season so far. So where should skiers go to catch dream-quality powder in 2019? It depends on their pocketbooks. A recent survey of average day rates at popular ski resorts around the country shows that Deer Valley in Park City, Utah, takes the summit for top prices.

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