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Trends revealed at massive hospitality trade show in New York
Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementOver Veterans Day weekend, I attended the HX: The Hotel Experience 2018 and the BD | NY: A Boutique Design Trade Fair in New York City with a group of students from the Collins College of Hospitality Management at Cal Poly Pomona. Also known as the "Hotel Show," the HX: The Hotel Experience 2018 is often perceived as the largest hospitality trade show in North America. There were four components in the trade show, including HX: The Marketplace, HX: The Conference, Boutique Design New York (#BDNY), and the STR Market Study Competition.
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6 professional skin care strategies for the winter months
Elizabeth Donat RetailFor many skin care clients, winter weather brings a whole new set of problems and concerns. Dehydration, dryness, chapping, and itchiness are common complaints. Some winter skin woes can be fixed with minor adjustments and some are so severe that they can really derail your clients' skin health for the season. Read my expert strategies below to help your spa clients conquer the harsh side effects of winter skin during the cold months to come.
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Where to invest your 2019 marketing budget
Emma Fitzpatrick MarketingDigital outpaces every other sector — whether we’re talking about online shopping or overall marketing trends. As you start planning for 2019, you should know that digital’s seemingly exponential growth is continuing, so you should plan on spending more on online efforts. For reference, 82 percent of marketers plan to spend more of their budget on digital media, according to Nielson’s 2018 CMO report. On average, they plan on increasing their digital media budget by 49 percent. To make that happen, 44 percent plan to cut back on their traditional media spending.
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New ammo gives hunters unprecedented options
John McAdams Recreation & LeisureIt wasn’t that long ago when hunters really only had two ammo choices: Remington or Winchester. However, we’ve come a long way in a short period of time and we now have a staggering number of choices when it comes to factory hunting ammo. The sheer number of options can make it tough to make a decision on which load to carry afield. Fortunately, the good news is that the major ammunition companies have made tremendous advances in bullet technology in recent years.
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Tech firms vie against range of mobile retail payment systems from banks,…
Bill Becken RetailA half-decade or so since its introduction, Apple Pay continues to dazzle. It's the best-known of the world's mobile phone, contactless payment systems. And, by introducing new iPhones and iPads each year, Apple keeps its devices popular, stirring the Apple Pay pot. Despite Apple Pay's standing, new bank and bank card mobile apps, among others, have also made their mark on retail payments. Considering the advent of Apple Pay's contactless counterparts for non-Apple phones — Android Pay and Samsung Pay — the existence of a variety of services has been the defining trait of the mobile payments scene.
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Pharmacies big and small struggle for profit
Jason Poquette PharmaceuticalAccounting, legal services, dentists and physician offices are frequently listed as some of the most profitable U.S. businesses. Noticeably absent from any such list is pharmacy. But when it comes to specialty pharmacy, maybe they are the exception to the rule? It doesn’t appear so. Large revenues don’t compensate for incredibly thin margins, and therefore making a profit is challenging for them as well. I guess when it comes to making a profit in pharmacy, size really doesn’t matter at all.
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Will in-store or online win this holiday season? It’s not so simple
Emma Fitzpatrick MarketingEvery year, beneath all those magical twinkle lights and pine-scented evergreen wreaths, it seems like there’s a battle going on. Will brick-and-mortar stores be able to win back customers, or will online shopping beat ‘em? Online shopping is expected to grow this holiday season (as it does every year). This year, people will spend an estimated $124.1 billion online. That’s a 14.8 percent increase year-over-year, according to Adobe research. But even as online sales grow, last year, the majority of holiday sales (85 percent) were still done in brick-and-mortar stores, according to PYMNTS data.
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U.S. economy adds 250,000 jobs as unemployment remains at 3.7 percent
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementNonfarm payroll jobs rose 250,000 in October versus 134,000 in September while the rate of unemployment remained at 3.7 percent, a 49-year-low, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. In October, the number of jobless workers was 6.1 million compared with 6.0 million in September. October’s upbeat jobs report could bolster President Trump and the Republican Party in the Nov. 6 midterm elections. Apparently, the 3.7 percent unemployment rate is spurring a rise in workers’ hourly wage-income.
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What encyclopedias, cellphones and the circus can teach us about business…
Steven L. Blue Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementOne of the important things I tell CEOs is to embrace, not deny, the impending change that is coming to their industry. Because if they don’t, their business is on a path to failure. When you think of important business lessons, I’m sure an encyclopedia, cellphone, and circus company wouldn’t be the first thing to come mind. But each of these examples showcase a company that has either succeeded or failed during a radical business transformation.
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Exploring upcoming hotel technologies
Bambi Majumdar Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementSpending for 2019 in the hotel sector is coming soon. Technology upgrades for sales, marketing, operations, and every area focused on ROI are priorities. The most significant digital shift for hotels has been to incorporate artificial intelligence and Internet of Things in their operations. Artificial intelligence, thanks to devices like Alexa, can now offer guests the same experience that they enjoy at home. Meanwhile, IoT devices with automated settings make rooms hands-free. They not only personalize guests’ in-room experiences but continue to improve operations.
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