Most Clicked AH&LA SmartBrief Stories
1. Jacksonville hotels struggle with low occupancies
AH&LA SmartBrief | Jan 05, 2009
Hotels in the Jacksonville, Fla., area are looking to contain their costs for 2009 as occupancy rates are down significantly and RevPAR is expected to drop by as much as 10% this year. For many, that means either cutting employees or implementing hiring freezes, but the expected opening of a few hotels in the region could keep employment levels flat, officials say. American City Business Journals (01/02)
2. Column: Constructive conversations with staff may improve hospitality
AH&LA SmartBrief | Dec 30, 2008
Creating a profile of guests and identifying a strategy for retaining guests are two of the ways hotel managers can inspire their staffs to improve hospitality, writes Ragsdale Hendrie of Hospitality Performance. Hendrie notes that managers should take a hard look at the hotel grounds and interior to evaluate ambiance. While he notes that his suggestions are not exhaustive, he says discussions with staff have the potential to improve a hotel's position in the marketplace. Sales & Marketing Management (12/29)
3. Hit the networking ground running after promotion
AH&LA SmartBrief | Jan 02, 2009
It's essential to begin making connections soon after receiving a promotion, even if you don't have natural networking skills. A lot of people dislike networking, but Harvard Business Review has tips to get you started. Harvard Business Review (01/2009)
4. Looking at hotels' options amid sliding RevPAR in 2009
AH&LA SmartBrief | Dec 30, 2008
With RevPAR losses expected to get worse in 2009, hotels are likely to grapple with debt and management changeovers and even property sales, according to PKF Capital. Refinancing options will continue to be difficult in the current climate. However, the acquisition market, though also in a decline, has been seeing some activity. GlobeSt.com (12/28)
5. Hotels embrace trend toward lighter, smaller meals
AH&LA SmartBrief | Jan 02, 2009
Hotels across the country are incorporating the lighter cuisine, smaller dishes and Asian flavors that were identified by the National Restaurant Association as the hottest trends of 2008. The New York Palace Hotel noted increased requests for smaller portions, and launched a new menu with help from Cooking Light magazine. The newly opened Morimoto Restaurant at Florida's Boca Raton Resort & Club makes its own soy sauce and husks its own rice to ensure healthy options for its Asian fare. Lodging Magazine (01/2009)
6. Some hotel firms continue to build new properties
AH&LA SmartBrief | Jan 02, 2009
Some hotel companies are moving forward with plans to build properties despite the economic downturn. Shamin Hotels, for example, will open its largest property in December in Richmond, Va. The hotel company plans to open five other hotels in the state this year. Most hotel companies with property under construction secured financing before the economic downturn. Virginia Business (01/01)
7. 5 tips for boosting morale in the year ahead
AH&LA SmartBrief | Dec 31, 2008
Tom Rath, co-author of "Strengths Based Leadership," offers five ways managers can boost employee morale in 2009. "There's more fear and insecurity in workplaces today than I've ever seen," Rath says. "If managers can do a good job of helping employees to feel secure and see light at the end of the tunnel, they might actually boost per-person productivity." Rath says managers should be candid about the company's health, show workers they care about them, maintain workplace traditions to provide stability, suggest improvements that could help the business while offering workers hope and spend more time talking about employee strengths than weaknesses. Wall Street Journal, The (subscription required) (12/29)
8. Tough times can highlight most valuable employees
AH&LA SmartBrief | Dec 30, 2008
When the economy is strong, those individuals with poor business attributes may be able to keep their weaknesses hidden, but when times are tough, the employees who are most valuable to an organization shine through. Manage Smarter (12/24)
9. 3 leadership traits of a survivor
AH&LA SmartBrief | Jan 05, 2009
Leaders who survive the recession will be those who connect to change, who "see the tsunami as it is ... [and] have the poise and the urgency to deal with it," says Ram Charan, author of "Leadership in the Era of Economic Uncertainty." The successful leader, he says, will define reality, communicate the new situation to staff and be able to change strategies once the storm passes. FastCompany.com (12/31)
10. Fontainebleau hotel opens after $1B makeover
AH&LA SmartBrief | Dec 30, 2008
Miami's iconic Fontainebleau hotel reopened last month after a $1 billion makeover. Some of the additions include three upscale restaurants and a beachfront spa. "There are probably only a handful of hotels as synonymous as this is with their location. As The Plaza is to New York, as the Ritz is to Paris, the Fontainebleau is to Miami Beach," said Howard C. Karawan, chief operating officer of Fontainebleau Resorts. Asbury Park Press (Neptune-Asbury Park, N.J.) (12/28)
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