Women-Led Businesses: Getting the Female Founders’ Perspective
Dr. Nicole Rosenkranz and Dr. Sowon Kim | October 10, 2019
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 220: Hotel History: The Heathman Hotel
Stanley Turkel | October 2, 2019
Education
Learn How To Approach & Engage in Difficult Conversations at the STRONG Leader Institute
Bryan K. Williams | March 11, 2019
30-Second Video By Dr. Bryan K. Williams One of the most frequently asked questions I get is "How do I handle difficult conversations with my staff?" I've found that leaders want to address subpar (and even mediocre) performance with their teams, but lack the skillset for how to do so effectively. One of our multiple sessions at the upcoming STRONG Leader Institute will be led by Alicia Santamaria, who is a subject matter expert on all areas of Workplace Conflict Management. Her session is called: Leadership Best Practices for Approaching and Engaging in Difficult Conversations In this session, she will explore four practi...
Building Better Customer Satisfaction in a World of Technology
Chris K. Anderson | February 28, 2019
by Elizabeth Martyn and Christopher Anderson As the hospitality and service industry makes greater use of computer applications and virtual technology, personal contact with employees becomes increasingly important for customer satisfaction. In a recent report from the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR), we explore how those customer contact employees can be trained in the "how" of service, especially when employees are involved in service recovery. We are specifically looking at training in the key skills of employee engagement, communication, and attitude, because they have a strong effect on customers' evaluation of servic...
Dr. Bryan K. Williams Selected as Keynote Speaker for Les Clefs d’Or Canada Congress in Banff
Bryan K. Williams | February 20, 2019
Washington DC (February 20, 2019): Les Clefs d'Or Canada recently held its 12th National Congress in stunning Banff, Alberta. The Congress welcomed elite concierges and travel professionals from throughout Canada for a 4-day event to Engage, Educate and Elevate. The golden keys worn by Concierge signify their membership in our organization and are granted exclusively to those who have not only consistently demonstrated an unsurpassed knowledge of their respective communities, but by those who demand excellence of themselves when meeting the needs of their guests. Dr. Bryan K. Williams was the keynote speaker and challenged all attendees...
Free Service Excellence Training at the Baltimore Convention Center, Led by Dr. Bryan Williams
BWTV | February 18, 2019
Washington DC (February 18, 2019): Delivering world class service is what separates a good experience from a world-class, memorable experience. Visit Baltimore and its partners the Baltimore Convention Center and Centerplate invite the Baltimore business community to join us for a Day of Customer Service Training. Dr. Bryan K. Williams, a service excellence and leadership effectiveness expert will lead these sessions (Watch Bryan's Video). The goal is to assist organizations in various industries to elevate their service experience to world-class levels for both internal (team) and external customers. Bryan noted, "I'm looking forwa...
PolyU Study Advises Hotels to Look Ahead Accurately Basing on Publicly Available Data
February 12, 2019
Given that tourism is a global industry consuming a diversity of goods and services, the prediction of future trends needs to take account of the wider economic context, according to Professor Brian King and Dr Stephen Pratt of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a co-author. In a recently published study, the researchers use publicly available data to improve predictions about hotel occupancy rates in different classes of Hong Kong hotels. Their method can be adopted by individual hotels that have insufficient resources to collect expensive data, or for employing consultants, to...
5 Easy Ways to Reduce Turnover at the Front Desk
Cathy Cook | February 11, 2019
By Cathy Cook With one of my main roles at KTN being to conduct front desk hospitality training worldwide, one issue that always seems to surface is turnover at the front desk. Turnover everywhere in the hotel staff is a major challenge in tight labor markets most hotels operate within, however it seems to especially be an issue at the front desk. Certainly, working at the front desk can be a stressful job as we are dealing with guests who are arriving after a long day of travel disruptions and frustrations and therefore prone to over-reaction to even the smallest challenges. Also, regardless of where any gap in service occurs during a ...
Dr. Bryan K. Williams to Receive the ISPA Dedicated Contributor Award
Bryan K. Williams | February 11, 2019
Monday, 11 February 2019 - The International SPA Association (ISPA) is pleased to announce Dr. Bryan Williams as the recipient of the 2019 ISPA Dedicated Contributor Award. As an international speaker and author, Williams first spoke to ISPA members in 2006 and continues to inspire with his focus on service excellence and leadership effectiveness. "Bryan's passion to inspire leaders and elevate the importance of providing unparalleled customer service has left a lasting impression on the International SPA Association," said ISPA President Lynne McNees. "We are grateful for his continued support and dedication to the ISPA community." Wil...
PolyU Study Reveals Motivation for Family Vacations With Young Children
January 2, 2019
Families with young children have rather different motivations for going on holiday than families with older children, according to the findings of a study by Dr Mimi Li, Dr Dan Wang and Ms Wenqing Xu of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a co-researcher. Having analysed online travel reviews and blogs, the researchers found that parents believe "travelling as a family contributes positively to family bonding and interaction" and that providing young children with new experiences and lasting memories is the most important part of a successful trip. Tourism promoters should thus ...
PolyU Launches SHTM+ICON Consultancy to Drive Innovation and Knowledge Transfer in Global Hospitality Sector
November 5, 2018
(5 November 2018) The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) announced the launch of the SHTM+ICON Consultancy to offer professional hospitality-related consultancy services to the industry worldwide. The brand-new Consultancy demonstrates a successful combination of the research prowess of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of PolyU with the practical experience and endeavor of Hotel ICON. The Consultancy is the SHTM's another novel endeavor to achieve its mission in engineering knowledge transfer to the hospitality industry and other education institutes. Knowledge transfer includes management know-how, creative solut...
HFTP Purchases Rights to the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI)
HFTP | October 26, 2018
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) has purchased the copyright to the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI), a resource the association has been connected to since its origins. Widely used internationally, the primary purpose of the USALI is to offer operating statements formatted to provide hotel owners, managers and other interested parties with operational information pertinent to the lodging industry. The USALI was first published in 1926 and is currently in its 11th edition. The copyright was previously owned by the Hotel Association of New York City. The resource is published by th...
PolyU Study Finds Photos Tell More Than a Thousand Words
October 26, 2018
A new data mining technique developed by Professor Rob Law of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and his co-researchers is able to capture extensive information on travellers' behaviour and travel patterns from huge photo datasets. In a recently published paper, the researchers apply the method to almost a million photos uploaded by Australian travellers to the photo-sharing site Flickr to discover their sequential travel destinations and itineraries, thus producing a wealth of information that could "support destination marketing organizations (DMOs) in promoting appropriate destin...
At the Front Desk, Voice Inflection Can Change the Entire Meaning of What We Say
Cathy Cook | October 15, 2018
By Cathy Cook It has often been said that as much as 80% of communication takes place non-verbally. It is certainly true that facial expressions such as what we show with our eyebrows, our smiles (or lack thereof), and body language, which is what we show with our posture and gestures, all are essential for communicating. While communication is an important topic for all guest services departments, it is especially essential at the front desk because more often than not, they are the main point of contact for all guest requests. Although non-verbal communication is certainly essential, it is also important to focus on the subtleties of ...
Cornell Hospitality Research Shares Index and Analysis on Hotel Brand Reputation in U.S. and Canada
Chris K. Anderson, Ph.D. | September 26, 2018
Chris K. Anderson, Cornell University School of Hotel Administration Saram Han, Cornell University School of Hotel Administration Abstract Using monthly online reputation data from 2016 through to the first quarter of 2018, we index major hotel brands in the United States. This analysis of online reputation for branded properties yields three major conclusions: (1) the variation in reputation across brands is four times larger than the variation across chain scales; (2) online reputation is mainly a function of brand and sub brand rather than segment or hotel location; and (3) variability in reputation across hotels within a brand is gr...
In Control With Mobile Booking Apps?
September 24, 2018
Whether or not consumers believe they have control over events in their lives determines their likelihood of reusing hotel booking apps, find Professor Rob Law of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and co-authors in a recently published study. This belief is known as "locus of control" (LoC), the researchers explain, and consumers with an internal LoC are more likely to use hotel booking apps because they feel more positive about their ability to use technology and overcome any difficulties they may encounter. In contrast, consumers with an external LoC are likely to only use travel...
Cornell Center for Hospitality Research Publishes Hotel Brand Reputation Analysis
the Center for Hospitality Research | September 17, 2018
Ithaca, NY, September 17, 2018 - Cornell University's Center for Hospitality Research has released an index and analysis of hotel brand reputation in the United States and Canada, revealing important insights into the role played by brands in the hotel industry today. The first of its kind in terms of the scale of the reputation data analyzed, the report analyzes over 30 million reviews of more than 30,000 branded hotels posted to 47 review sites between January 1, 2016 and March 31, 2018. The report categorizes brands according to the six segments identified in STR's chain scale report and ranks them using ReviewPro's Global Review Ind...
ServSafe Workplace Debuts With Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Suite
the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) | September 13, 2018
Chicago, Illinois, September 13, 2018—The National Restaurant Association, parent organization of the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI), today announced the launch of an online training suite focused on Sexual Harassment Prevention, the first programs in its new ServSafe Workplace training line. Sexual Harassment Prevention in the Restaurant Industry and Sexual Harassment Prevention in the Hospitality Industry are interactive, digital training programs that address sexual harassment and the harmful impact it has on individuals and businesses. There are employee and manager versions for each program. Develo...
PolyU School of Hotel and Tourism Management to Collaborate with China Outbound Tourism Research Institute in Education and Research
September 4, 2018
The School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and China Outbound Tourism Research Institute Ltd. (COTRI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today (4 September 2018) to promote collaboration in tourism education and research. COTRI is a research institute headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, which provides support for strategic and sustainable developments of varied segments of the Chinese outbound market. Established in 2004, it offers organisations and institutions with customised services in research and consulting, quantitative and qualitative data and analysis, training ...
KTN Announces an Innovative New Front Desk Hospitality Certification Program
Kennedy Training Network, Inc. | August 27, 2018
Now Front Desk Agents Can Become "Certified in the Heart of Hospitality" Florida, USA – August 27, 2018 – Kennedy Training Network Inc. Now your front desk colleagues can be Certified in the Heart of Hospitality and achieve what will soon be a highly coveted industry designation of being CHH. KTN President Doug Kennedy said: "Unlike other lodging industry certification programs which involve taking a passive, online class followed by an easy-to-pass multiple choice online test, KTN's CHH program is a highly engaging and personalized journey, which is essential for teaching intangible skills such as hospitality. He ...
Inc. Magazine Includes The Carver Companies in Annual List of America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies
Inc. Media | August 15, 2018
THE CARVER COMPANIES Ranks No.1033 on the 2018 Inc. 5000 With Three-Year Revenue Growth of 477% Percent NEW YORK, August 15, 2018 – Inc. magazine today revealed that Atlanta based, The Carver Companies http://thecarvercompanies.com is No. 1033 on its 37th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy's most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Microsoft, Dell, Domino's Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their fir...
Robots: Hotel Customers Like Them (Mostly)!
Rohit Verma | August 13, 2018
By Lina Zhong and Rohit Verma When Captain Kirk or Mr. Spock needed information, they would hail the Enterprise's computer, and the computer would respond to their request. In 1966, that was an amazing piece of science fiction. Now, with Siri, Alexa, and other devices with artificial intelligence, we all are figuratively standing on the bridge of the Enterprise, speaking to devices that are "listening" to us and fulfilling our simple requests. As the Internet of things grows, robots and other devices using artificial intelligence can handle a growing list of tasks, such as turning up the heat or air conditioning before a homeowner arriv...
PolyU Study Finds Food Tells Stories on Social Media
July 19, 2018
Understanding what motivates travellers to share their food-related experiences through social media is important because that information influences others' behaviour and acts as a form of destination marketing, according to Dr Ksenia Kirillova of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and her co-researchers. Having conducted interviews with South Korean social media users, the researchers identified various patterns of food-sharing behaviour, revealing that the motives for sharing were related to both psychological and functional benefits, and to self-focused and altruistic benefits. ...
PolyU Hosted Inaugural World Summit for Deans of Independent Schools of Hospitality and Tourism
PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management | May 30, 2018
Initiated and hosted by the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), the first ever World Summit for Deans of Independent Schools of Hospitality andTourism was held at Hotel ICON on 27-29 May 2018. The Summit provided a unique platform for deans of 40 institutions from more than 20 countries and regions to discuss and define the future course of strategies for hospitality and tourism schools, and to share solutions to common issues in an effort to promote further growth of hospitality and tourism studies within comprehensive universities. On 28 May, the Summit was opened with welcomi...
PolyU Study Urges Hotels to Create a Green Culture
April 26, 2018
With the ever-increasing concern about worldwide environmental problems, the findings of a recent study by Dr Eric Chan, Dr Alice Hon and Dr Wilco Chan of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a co-researcher provide much-needed practical suggestions that should help hotels aiming to implement environmental management programmes. The researchers highlight that gaining employees' support for new environmental initiatives is key to ensuring success. Equipping employees with sufficient environmental knowledge is important to raising their awareness and concern, and should encourage th...
FAU Entering Top 25 ‘Best Master’s in Hospitality Management’
Florida Atlantic University (FAU) | April 12, 2018
Boca Raton, Florida, April 12, 2018 — Florida Atlantic University (FAU)'s hospitality and tourism management program has now been ranked among the Top 25 "Best Master's in Hospitality Management" programs. This ranking is from College Choice, a leading authority in college and university rankings and resources. The full ranking is available here. This now puts both the undergraduate and master's programs in hospitality and tourism among the Top in the country with the undergraduate program among the Top 30 as ranked by The Best Schools. Peter Ricci, director, mentions that this fast movement to be among the best is a combination o...
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