This article was found at travel Industry Wire
http://www.travelindustrywire.com/article24824.html
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Adventure Travel Climbing, 'Germaphobia' Spreading, Spas Losing Steam - American Airlines Considered Top Airline Among Americans - Pamukkale, Turkey Emerges as Top Hotspot for 2007, According to New Proprietary TripAdvisor TravelCast
TripAdvisor(TM), the largest travel community in the world, today announced the results of its annual travel trends survey of nearly 4,000 travelers, globally.
Pining for Pine Trees: Forty-three percent of travelers are likely to go hiking, up from 24 percent one year ago, and 39 percent intend to partake in adventure activities (such as parasailing and whitewater rafting), up from 29 percent last year. More women than men plan to participate in outdoor activities in 2007 according to the survey.
Germaphobic Guests: Travelers continue to suffer from germaphobia as 24 percent won't leave home without disinfectant/cleaning supplies, shower shoes, their own pillow, their own sheets/pillowcase, or their own towels, compared to 22 percent, last year. Travelers from the U.S. are more than twice as concerned as travelers from the U.K.
Spas Losing Steam: Fewer travelers (47 percent) intend to visit a spa this year, compared to last year (55 percent).
Pesky Parasites: Four percent of travelers have experienced bed bugs in a hotel room.
Baring it All: Ten percent of travelers have stayed at a clothing-optional or adults-only resort; two percent want to, but can't because of their significant other or spouse.
Loose Lips Sink Ships: Eighteen percent of travelers have had to impose the "whatever happens in (fill in the destination), stays in (fill in the destination)" rule with their travel partners.
Love is in the Air: Six percent of travelers were asked on a date or started a romantic relationship with a perfect stranger while on a flight, up from four percent last year.
Loosening the Ties: Twenty-six percent of travelers are likely to dress more provocatively while on vacation than they ever would at home.
Work-aholism: Sixteen percent of travelers checked their work email or voicemail at least once daily when on their last vacation.
Hotel Kleptomania: Twenty percent of travelers have taken items from a hotel such as towels, bathrobes, decorative pieces, glassware or flatware.
Paint the Town Red: Four percent of travelers are likely to do something illegal that they wouldn't normally do at home.
Star-Crossed: Sixty-eight percent of travelers have been to a destination known to have celebrity guests.
Rapid Relaxation: Twenty percent of travelers said it took them less than one hour to relax on their last vacation. For an additional 35 percent, it took less than a day, and three percent could never relax.
Hit the Gas: Eighty-one percent of travelers plan to drive this year for leisure trips, versus 71 percent just one year ago.
Going Green: Thirteen percent of travelers are likely to use a bicycle as a means of transportation for their next vacation, eleven percent will go sailing and four percent will ride in a rickshaw.
Skip My Loo: Twenty-eight percent of travelers said their worst experience in a hotel room was a dirty bathroom, and 75 percent of travelers think that a clean restroom is what makes an airport great. Eight percent of travelers have actually showered in an airport restroom.
Beach Bound: Fifty-nine percent of travelers are planning a beach vacation this coming year, up from 52 percent when TripAdvisor asked travelers in May.
Breaking the Bank: Although 86 percent of travelers said budget was an important consideration when making vacation plans last year, 46 percent of respondents said they spent beyond their travel budget.
Packed to the Gills: Sixty-four percent of travelers have bought or brought an additional piece of luggage, just to pack the items they purchased on vacation for the return trip home.
Terrorism Matters, Fuel Not So Much: Sixty-one percent of travelers consider the threat of terrorism an important factor when choosing where to go on their next vacation, up from 52 percent last year. Twenty-five percent of travelers (and 29 percent of Americans) now consider the cost of fuel important when choosing where to go on vacation.
Favorite Airlines and Airports
American Airlines was voted the favorite airline among Americans, followed by Southwest, Delta, Continental and JetBlue. British Airways was the top rated airline among the worldwide audience for the second consecutive year. Travelers selected these airlines as their favorite primarily because of their friendly and helpful staff, and good on-time arrival and departure records. Travelers from the U.S. voted Delta, Southwest, US Airways, United and Northwest Airlines as their least favorite. The favorite airports for Americans are Orlando International, Las Vegas McCarran and Denver International. Chicago O'Hare is the least favorite airport, followed by Atlanta Hartsfield International and New York's JFK International.
Pamukkale, Turkey Next Hot Spot in 2007
TripAdvisor(TM) TravelCast is a new barometer of what's hot and what's not in travel destinations. TripAdvisor engineers have developed a proprietary algorithm that looks at several criteria including changes in search activity and postings throughout the world's largest travel community, www.tripadvisor.com . The TravelCast then predicts the rising stars in travel and the destinations that are losing steam. So, what are the emerging hotspots for 2007? Pamukkale, Turkey, Marrakech, Morocco and Puno, Peru top the list of rising stars. What hotspots have lost their luster? Miami, Honolulu and Acapulco, among others. The complete world and U.S. top tens are provided below.
"Nearly 4,000 travelers have spoken about their vacation plans and preferences for 2007 and perhaps the most intriguing discovery is that adventures in the great outdoors has trumped luxuriating at the spa," said Michele Perry, director of communications for TripAdvisor. "We'll closely monitor our new TravelCast algorithm for predicting the hottest travel destinations in the world and we'll offer updates on the latest travel buzz throughout the year."
TripAdvisor TravelCast Top Ten Hot World Destinations for 2007
1. Pamukkale, Turkey
2. Parga, Greece
3. Ayr, Scotland
4. Campeche, Mexico
5. Marrakech, Morocco
6. Naxos, Greece
7. Puno, Peru
8. Soller, Spain
9. Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
10. Fes, Morocco,
TripAdvisor TravelCast Top Ten Hot U.S. Destinations for 2007
1. Anna Maria, Florida
2. Kailua, Hawaii
3. Siesta Key, Florida
4. Macon, Georgia
5. Breckenridge, Colorado
6. Millinocket, Maine
7. Vail, Colorado
8. Bishop, California
9. Franklin, Tennessee
10. Eureka, California
Friday, October 27, 2006
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Connecting the Corporate Dots: Social Networks Reveal How Employees and Companies Operate
This article was found at the following website:
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=1500&CFID=1333795&CFTOKEN=53605679
Knowledge @Wharton is a site supported byt Wharton University and you can go th the following site to log and become a member and gain access to many articles of interest.
What do Wharton faculty members and the workers who spy for the National Security Agency have in common? More than you might think. The Wharton scholars aren't analyzing links among billions of telephone calls to identify terrorists, a controversial NSA activity that caused a stir after it was disclosed recently in news reports. But they, too, are interested in mapping social networks.
Social networking is a hot topic. Ordinary Internet users take advantage of networks when they turn to well-known websites like MySpace and Friendster to link up with other people. But more serious interest in social networks can be found among academics, consultants and corporations seeking to deepen their knowledge of how companies operate; how employees and board members interact; how key employees can be identified; and how relationships can be better understood to improve productivity and the dissemination of ideas.
Technically, social network research is an offshoot of graph theory in mathematics. Graphs -- a set of dots connected by links -- are used to map relationships. At its most basic, research on social networks underscores the veracity of some of the truisms one hears all the time: "It's a small world." "It's not what you know, it's who you know." "Birds of a feather flock together."
Though social networking is much in the news nowadays, it is not a new concept. Wharton management professor Lori Rosenkopf says research on the topic began in the 1950s, accelerated in the 1960s and 1970s, and really hit its stride in recent years with major advances in computing power. The subject gained heightened attention with the 1993 movie Six Degrees of Separation and the publication in 2000 of the bestselling book, The Tipping Point.
"Companies have known about social networks casually for a while, but it's been hard to collect data," Rosenkopf says. "Traditionally, you'd find a graduate student in sociology who would write up a questionnaire asking people how frequently they talked with so and so. That costs a lot of money and takes a lot of time, and people may or may not give good responses. But now the ability to see what sites your employees access on the Internet and who they send e-mails to is becoming important."
Mapping social networks can be useful in many ways, but Rosenkopf says there are at least two reasons why corporate interest in the subject is growing: Companies want to be able to identify key performers and get a better understanding of the nature of the interaction among employees.
"Hopefully, you have organized your company the best way to get the job done," she says. "But mapping out a network will give you a sense of whether actual work flow and communication flow match what you hope to achieve. Maybe there are bottlenecks where one person is managing all interactions. If you expect two groups to work together closely, and you don't see them doing this, you might want to create liaison roles or other relationships to make information flow better. On the other hand, you may see groups talking to each other too much. When managers see network diagrams, they often realize they need to reconfigure their organizational chart."
Network maps may also unearth what are known as "cosmopolitans" -- the employees who are most critical to information flow in the company. "The formal organizational structure [in companies] does not necessarily describe who talks to whom," says Valery Yakubovich, a University of Chicago professor who will join Wharton's management department this summer. "Even if some jobs in an organization are designed to coordinate across different functional areas, it's difficult to figure out who coordinates where in reality. So you ask people directly whom they go to for advice and who gives them the most valuable information to get things done. Then you map the whole network. Often you find that people you might not even think of as very valuable turn out to be important links in the structure of the organization."
If a firm is contemplating downsizing, for example, it had better be prepared for serious disruption in the workplace if it lets such important people go. Indeed, maps of social networks often show that the people with the most impressive titles are not as vital to an organization as their position would indicate.
"Sometimes downsizing causes dramatic, unexpected events because networks get broken up," Rosenkopf notes. "The NSA is thinking 'If we can just pull a couple of cosmopolitan terrorists out of the network, we can really disrupt the network.' But terrorists are smart. They try to organize in cells so that their relationships are not as obvious. Imagine a person in the middle of a map and 10 other people connected in the pattern of a star or flower. Everyone talks to the terrorist in the middle, but they don't talk among themselves. The challenge for the NSA is in establishing the relationships of everyone in the cell."
A Small World After All
Concepts generated by research into social networks have been making their way into the popular culture for years. Wharton management professor Martin J. Conyon recalls the impact of research by Yale University professor Stanley Milgram in the 1960s showing how closely people are interconnected. Milgram illustrated that packages could be sent from the Midwest to strangers in Boston and other cities through a series of only a few acquaintances. The finding of this experiment into what scholars call the "small-world phenomenon" was later popularized in the play and the film Six Degrees of Separation.
"It's not possible to underestimate the importance of Milgram's finding," says Conyon. "To be able to do this when there are millions of people in the country is quite astounding."
Another famous piece of research, conducted in the 1970s by sociologist Mark Granovetter, now at Stanford University, showed that many job seekers find work through social networks, not through want ads or employment agencies. What was particularly noteworthy about the finding, however, was that these people found jobs not through close friends or family members but through individuals with whom they had only a passing acquaintance. This phenomenon is known as "the strength of weak ties." "This was quite surprising because you would think your friend should have your interests at heart," Conyon says. "But the people who met only infrequently were still what we call 'highly clustered.' Any information they had on jobs they would pass on to you."
Conyon, Rosenkopf and Yakubovich are all conducting their own research into various aspects of social networks. For example, Conyon and Mark R. Muldoon, a professor in the school of mathematics at the University of Manchester in Britain, have written several papers on links among the corporate elite. They have found that it is indeed a small world when it comes to people who serve on boards. Although there are thousands of publicly listed companies, those companies are closely linked to one another by a relative handful of shared directorships: Directors who sit on many boards do so with other directors who sit on many boards. In the jargon of researchers focusing on the phenomenon of small-world networks, these board members, when plotted on a graph, are "clustered" together, and the links connecting them are "short path lengths."
Such close ties allow the rapid dissemination of governance practices and ownership structures -- poison pills, staggered terms for directors, compensation policies and the like -- throughout many firms.
"Corporate practices can spread at quite a high speed through a network of boards," Conyon says. "This only happens because the world is small. If the world was not small -- if groups were just islands and directors didn't cut across different boards -- one would not see the diffusion of ideas and innovations as quickly." In one study, Conyon and Muldoon focused on boards in Singapore and found a high degree of clustering because personal friendships and corporate ties are especially important in Asia's business culture.
Conyon and Muldoon have also shown that it is by design, not chance, that the corporate world is small. "Social networks aren't just manna from heaven that drops on us," Conyon notes. "We have shown in our research that big hitters who sit on many boards -- those whose services are in demand -- tend to sit on boards with other people who sit on many boards. This notion is called 'positive degree correlation.' Big hitters hang out with big hitters. Birds of a feather flock together. This is interesting because it's not necessarily the case that this would happen. It shows how networks of boards and the corporate elite are formed."
Staying on the Line
One of Yakubovich's current research projects focuses on social networking at a real-life telemarketing company that he has dubbed the Virtual Call Center to ensure its anonymity. The agents who take telephone orders from viewers of television infomercials do not work in the same office; instead, each works out of her home (most of the call-takers are women). As independent contractors rather than employees, the agents have the flexibility to schedule their work at their convenience so that they have enough time to take care of their children and do chores.
As a result of the company's virtual nature and the way its incentive system is structured, it is a challenge for the firm to get agents to sign up for work and to keep them on their shifts. An agent may decide to stop working once she feels she has made enough money for the day, even though she can earn more if she keeps going.
But Yakubovich learned that agents tend to work more when they have an opportunity to engage in social interaction by talking with other agents in chat rooms at those times when they are not on the telephone with customers. Such a social network can hold great appeal for workers who desire a place for companionship in the same way that employees at a factory or office use break rooms to socialize.
"Even though they are geographically dispersed and this is a completely new kind of workplace, these agents create social networks," Yakubovich notes. "The social interaction becomes part of the work environment. People enjoy signing up for shifts and end up working longer when they do if they have a way to socialize" -- which turns out to be an unintended benefit for the company.
Rosenkopf has conducted research into networks that exist among companies, such as cell phone manufacturers. Each firm that sells equipment and services sends its engineers to meetings at which they work to agree on technical standards that will allow phones made by different companies to communicate with one another.
"I've mapped out how these firms keep crossing paths," Rosenkopf says. "I can tell you how many times Motorola and Nokia came together at meetings." Such information can be used to figure out which companies may be willing to form strategic alliances.
Despite the benefits that can be derived from analyzing social networks, the Wharton researchers say that corporations have only begun to scratch the surface of its potential.
"Applied work in firms is really still in its infancy," notes Rosenkopf. "Some firms are doing interesting things, but in many cases the idea hasn't hit its stride yet. The top leaders of Fortune 100 companies haven't been exposed to it in a major way. They may be aware of things like small worlds and The Tipping Point. It's not yet reached the point where companies are using these ideas for business process reengineering. But I do think it's coming."
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=1500&CFID=1333795&CFTOKEN=53605679
Knowledge @Wharton is a site supported byt Wharton University and you can go th the following site to log and become a member and gain access to many articles of interest.
What do Wharton faculty members and the workers who spy for the National Security Agency have in common? More than you might think. The Wharton scholars aren't analyzing links among billions of telephone calls to identify terrorists, a controversial NSA activity that caused a stir after it was disclosed recently in news reports. But they, too, are interested in mapping social networks.
Social networking is a hot topic. Ordinary Internet users take advantage of networks when they turn to well-known websites like MySpace and Friendster to link up with other people. But more serious interest in social networks can be found among academics, consultants and corporations seeking to deepen their knowledge of how companies operate; how employees and board members interact; how key employees can be identified; and how relationships can be better understood to improve productivity and the dissemination of ideas.
Technically, social network research is an offshoot of graph theory in mathematics. Graphs -- a set of dots connected by links -- are used to map relationships. At its most basic, research on social networks underscores the veracity of some of the truisms one hears all the time: "It's a small world." "It's not what you know, it's who you know." "Birds of a feather flock together."
Though social networking is much in the news nowadays, it is not a new concept. Wharton management professor Lori Rosenkopf says research on the topic began in the 1950s, accelerated in the 1960s and 1970s, and really hit its stride in recent years with major advances in computing power. The subject gained heightened attention with the 1993 movie Six Degrees of Separation and the publication in 2000 of the bestselling book, The Tipping Point.
"Companies have known about social networks casually for a while, but it's been hard to collect data," Rosenkopf says. "Traditionally, you'd find a graduate student in sociology who would write up a questionnaire asking people how frequently they talked with so and so. That costs a lot of money and takes a lot of time, and people may or may not give good responses. But now the ability to see what sites your employees access on the Internet and who they send e-mails to is becoming important."
Mapping social networks can be useful in many ways, but Rosenkopf says there are at least two reasons why corporate interest in the subject is growing: Companies want to be able to identify key performers and get a better understanding of the nature of the interaction among employees.
"Hopefully, you have organized your company the best way to get the job done," she says. "But mapping out a network will give you a sense of whether actual work flow and communication flow match what you hope to achieve. Maybe there are bottlenecks where one person is managing all interactions. If you expect two groups to work together closely, and you don't see them doing this, you might want to create liaison roles or other relationships to make information flow better. On the other hand, you may see groups talking to each other too much. When managers see network diagrams, they often realize they need to reconfigure their organizational chart."
Network maps may also unearth what are known as "cosmopolitans" -- the employees who are most critical to information flow in the company. "The formal organizational structure [in companies] does not necessarily describe who talks to whom," says Valery Yakubovich, a University of Chicago professor who will join Wharton's management department this summer. "Even if some jobs in an organization are designed to coordinate across different functional areas, it's difficult to figure out who coordinates where in reality. So you ask people directly whom they go to for advice and who gives them the most valuable information to get things done. Then you map the whole network. Often you find that people you might not even think of as very valuable turn out to be important links in the structure of the organization."
If a firm is contemplating downsizing, for example, it had better be prepared for serious disruption in the workplace if it lets such important people go. Indeed, maps of social networks often show that the people with the most impressive titles are not as vital to an organization as their position would indicate.
"Sometimes downsizing causes dramatic, unexpected events because networks get broken up," Rosenkopf notes. "The NSA is thinking 'If we can just pull a couple of cosmopolitan terrorists out of the network, we can really disrupt the network.' But terrorists are smart. They try to organize in cells so that their relationships are not as obvious. Imagine a person in the middle of a map and 10 other people connected in the pattern of a star or flower. Everyone talks to the terrorist in the middle, but they don't talk among themselves. The challenge for the NSA is in establishing the relationships of everyone in the cell."
A Small World After All
Concepts generated by research into social networks have been making their way into the popular culture for years. Wharton management professor Martin J. Conyon recalls the impact of research by Yale University professor Stanley Milgram in the 1960s showing how closely people are interconnected. Milgram illustrated that packages could be sent from the Midwest to strangers in Boston and other cities through a series of only a few acquaintances. The finding of this experiment into what scholars call the "small-world phenomenon" was later popularized in the play and the film Six Degrees of Separation.
"It's not possible to underestimate the importance of Milgram's finding," says Conyon. "To be able to do this when there are millions of people in the country is quite astounding."
Another famous piece of research, conducted in the 1970s by sociologist Mark Granovetter, now at Stanford University, showed that many job seekers find work through social networks, not through want ads or employment agencies. What was particularly noteworthy about the finding, however, was that these people found jobs not through close friends or family members but through individuals with whom they had only a passing acquaintance. This phenomenon is known as "the strength of weak ties." "This was quite surprising because you would think your friend should have your interests at heart," Conyon says. "But the people who met only infrequently were still what we call 'highly clustered.' Any information they had on jobs they would pass on to you."
Conyon, Rosenkopf and Yakubovich are all conducting their own research into various aspects of social networks. For example, Conyon and Mark R. Muldoon, a professor in the school of mathematics at the University of Manchester in Britain, have written several papers on links among the corporate elite. They have found that it is indeed a small world when it comes to people who serve on boards. Although there are thousands of publicly listed companies, those companies are closely linked to one another by a relative handful of shared directorships: Directors who sit on many boards do so with other directors who sit on many boards. In the jargon of researchers focusing on the phenomenon of small-world networks, these board members, when plotted on a graph, are "clustered" together, and the links connecting them are "short path lengths."
Such close ties allow the rapid dissemination of governance practices and ownership structures -- poison pills, staggered terms for directors, compensation policies and the like -- throughout many firms.
"Corporate practices can spread at quite a high speed through a network of boards," Conyon says. "This only happens because the world is small. If the world was not small -- if groups were just islands and directors didn't cut across different boards -- one would not see the diffusion of ideas and innovations as quickly." In one study, Conyon and Muldoon focused on boards in Singapore and found a high degree of clustering because personal friendships and corporate ties are especially important in Asia's business culture.
Conyon and Muldoon have also shown that it is by design, not chance, that the corporate world is small. "Social networks aren't just manna from heaven that drops on us," Conyon notes. "We have shown in our research that big hitters who sit on many boards -- those whose services are in demand -- tend to sit on boards with other people who sit on many boards. This notion is called 'positive degree correlation.' Big hitters hang out with big hitters. Birds of a feather flock together. This is interesting because it's not necessarily the case that this would happen. It shows how networks of boards and the corporate elite are formed."
Staying on the Line
One of Yakubovich's current research projects focuses on social networking at a real-life telemarketing company that he has dubbed the Virtual Call Center to ensure its anonymity. The agents who take telephone orders from viewers of television infomercials do not work in the same office; instead, each works out of her home (most of the call-takers are women). As independent contractors rather than employees, the agents have the flexibility to schedule their work at their convenience so that they have enough time to take care of their children and do chores.
As a result of the company's virtual nature and the way its incentive system is structured, it is a challenge for the firm to get agents to sign up for work and to keep them on their shifts. An agent may decide to stop working once she feels she has made enough money for the day, even though she can earn more if she keeps going.
But Yakubovich learned that agents tend to work more when they have an opportunity to engage in social interaction by talking with other agents in chat rooms at those times when they are not on the telephone with customers. Such a social network can hold great appeal for workers who desire a place for companionship in the same way that employees at a factory or office use break rooms to socialize.
"Even though they are geographically dispersed and this is a completely new kind of workplace, these agents create social networks," Yakubovich notes. "The social interaction becomes part of the work environment. People enjoy signing up for shifts and end up working longer when they do if they have a way to socialize" -- which turns out to be an unintended benefit for the company.
Rosenkopf has conducted research into networks that exist among companies, such as cell phone manufacturers. Each firm that sells equipment and services sends its engineers to meetings at which they work to agree on technical standards that will allow phones made by different companies to communicate with one another.
"I've mapped out how these firms keep crossing paths," Rosenkopf says. "I can tell you how many times Motorola and Nokia came together at meetings." Such information can be used to figure out which companies may be willing to form strategic alliances.
Despite the benefits that can be derived from analyzing social networks, the Wharton researchers say that corporations have only begun to scratch the surface of its potential.
"Applied work in firms is really still in its infancy," notes Rosenkopf. "Some firms are doing interesting things, but in many cases the idea hasn't hit its stride yet. The top leaders of Fortune 100 companies haven't been exposed to it in a major way. They may be aware of things like small worlds and The Tipping Point. It's not yet reached the point where companies are using these ideas for business process reengineering. But I do think it's coming."
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Manager's Corner - Good Managers Are Not Necessarily Good Leaders
Copyright 2004 - Liz Weber of Weber Business Services, LLC.
Liz speaks, consults, and trains on Leadership Development, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change. Additional articles can be found at http://www.wbsllc.com/leadership.shtml
Liz can be reached at liz@wbsllc.com or (717)597-8890
I was speaking with a client recently about his company's heir-apparent: his son. He wants his son to take over as the company "leader" in a few years. His son is very organized. He runs a solid department, manages his staff well, satisfies customers 90+% of the time, and manages his project and department budgets well. However, he's lost when it comes to thinking long-term, studying the industry and competition, identifying new opportunities to pursue or ponder, or in developing the company - or his department - into stronger more viable entities. His son is a good manager. His son may not be a good leader.
The difference in management skills and leadership skills are as vast as the difference in front-line customer service skills and supervisory skills. Yet how often do we see the most effective customer service representative get promoted into the supervisory slot? The typical - and quite often - incorrect - thought process is, "Well, if she's great at customer service, she'll be great at supervising others too." Wrong.
Each position requires its own unique set of skills; skills that are not necessarily transferable. Too often, by promoting the best manager or customer service representative into a position she are not suited to fill, we just end up losing a good manager or a good customer service representative and we gain a poor leader or supervisor.
Good managers are capable of tracking the daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly activities of their respective areas of responsibilities. They're good at managing, supporting, and challenging their employees. They use the resources they have to their fullest, and regularly discover new ways to get the most out of what they already have. They meet deadlines. They manage projects. They manage resources, facilities, people, supply chains, and customer demands. They look at the here and now. They focus on implementing the plan that's been established. They focus on getting the job done.
Leaders, on the other hand, focus on establishing the plan. They're responsible for taking the organization on journeys of growth, change, and development. Leaders look to the outside for trends, opportunities, and hazards. They study the competition; the economy; and the shifts in cultures, trade practices, religions, ethics, philosophies, and politics. They anticipate what the world will look like and then develop a plan to state how and where they'll fit in.
Good managers and good leaders are each vitally important to an organization. Each helps the organization's plans for the future become a reality. However, good managers may not necessarily be good leaders. Good leaders may not necessarily be good managers. Don't lose a good manager by creating a poor leader.
Liz speaks, consults, and trains on Leadership Development, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change. Additional articles can be found at http://www.wbsllc.com/leadership.shtml
Liz can be reached at liz@wbsllc.com or (717)597-8890
I was speaking with a client recently about his company's heir-apparent: his son. He wants his son to take over as the company "leader" in a few years. His son is very organized. He runs a solid department, manages his staff well, satisfies customers 90+% of the time, and manages his project and department budgets well. However, he's lost when it comes to thinking long-term, studying the industry and competition, identifying new opportunities to pursue or ponder, or in developing the company - or his department - into stronger more viable entities. His son is a good manager. His son may not be a good leader.
The difference in management skills and leadership skills are as vast as the difference in front-line customer service skills and supervisory skills. Yet how often do we see the most effective customer service representative get promoted into the supervisory slot? The typical - and quite often - incorrect - thought process is, "Well, if she's great at customer service, she'll be great at supervising others too." Wrong.
Each position requires its own unique set of skills; skills that are not necessarily transferable. Too often, by promoting the best manager or customer service representative into a position she are not suited to fill, we just end up losing a good manager or a good customer service representative and we gain a poor leader or supervisor.
Good managers are capable of tracking the daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly activities of their respective areas of responsibilities. They're good at managing, supporting, and challenging their employees. They use the resources they have to their fullest, and regularly discover new ways to get the most out of what they already have. They meet deadlines. They manage projects. They manage resources, facilities, people, supply chains, and customer demands. They look at the here and now. They focus on implementing the plan that's been established. They focus on getting the job done.
Leaders, on the other hand, focus on establishing the plan. They're responsible for taking the organization on journeys of growth, change, and development. Leaders look to the outside for trends, opportunities, and hazards. They study the competition; the economy; and the shifts in cultures, trade practices, religions, ethics, philosophies, and politics. They anticipate what the world will look like and then develop a plan to state how and where they'll fit in.
Good managers and good leaders are each vitally important to an organization. Each helps the organization's plans for the future become a reality. However, good managers may not necessarily be good leaders. Good leaders may not necessarily be good managers. Don't lose a good manager by creating a poor leader.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Culinary Trends 2006
This article found at:
href="http://www.starchefs.com/features/editors_dish/trends_survey/index.shtml">
By Antoinette Bruno and Heather Sperling
From our culinary trends survey of 2005, StarChefs predicted that 2006 would bring a shift in chefs’ approach to their cooking. As the novelty of foams and cryovacs wore off, we anticipated that the use of innovative techniques would become a means to an end rather than an end in themselves. We hoped to find an increase in the use of local organic produce, and sustainable meats and seafood. And we were curious to see if something new had eclipsed the tapas and small plates trend.
Through the survey and the hundreds of interviews conducted by our editorial department for our upcoming Chefs to Know book, we found that flavor is undoubtedly the centerpiece of most chefs’ philosophies. This holds true even in the experimental camp, where hydrocolloids and gums are the current tools of choice; they require little to no complicated equipment and can radically alter texture while leaving taste intact.
Sustainability is a hot topic in the chef world. Since 2005 we witnessed a 15% growth in the number of chefs who focus on locally grown, seasonal ingredients. While this focus on integrity of ingredients and the culinary community may be intuitive to a high-level chef, it is not necessarily so with diners. It’s safe to say that “local” and “sustainable” have not garnered the attention or popularity that “organic” has in the past year. Restaurants are an extremely influential source of consumer trends and information, and we can only hope that the chef community continues to do its part to educate diners on the importance of local, sustainable food.
Hopes and expectations aside, the real purpose of the Culinary Trends Survey is to learn about our readership and help them stay on top of current developments in the restaurant world; in a field as competitive, current, and fickle as the nation’s restaurant industry, staying current can make or break a restaurant’s success.
Chefs and Diners: Who They Are
50% of our respondents come from fine dining or upscale casual restaurants and 31% are Executive Chefs. 33% said their diners are sophisticated, i.e. aware of seasonal ingredients and artisan producers, and 20% speak of their diners as culinary adventurers who come to their restaurant in search of unusual food and notable preparations. In a notable drop from 2005, only 13% said their diners are “classic,” meaning their expectations and habits have not changed in the last 5-10 years.
Local and Seasonal
65% of chefs surveyed told us they focus on locally grown, seasonal ingredients, but only 10% come from restaurants where at least ¾ of the produce is locally grown. On the menu, 39% cite farm or producer names, and 19% include glossaries to further educate their diners on the food on their plate. Chefs Collaborative and similar such organizations undoubtedly help in promoting this trend, which sees media coverage on an almost daily basis. Members of Chefs Collaborative spoke to this at the International Chefs Congress, and to the ways in which chefs can integrate sustainable products into their restaurants.
Holidays
For the most part, chefs dread holidays, and for good reason. They tend to fall into two camps: the über-traditional and constraining that require themed set menus and limit creativity, or the family-oriented, where nary a diner leaves the confines of their festive home or backyard barbecue. The Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day were voted as the worst holidays for generating restaurant revenue, with the Super Bowl following closely behind. That said, Mothers Day, New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day are three of the industry’s most lucrative days. On any holiday, catering and to-go baskets can generate excitement and revenue much as celebratory prix-fix menus with wine pairings can.
Revenue as the Bottom Line
The government is the only business that manages to stay afloat without a profit…At the end of the day, ethics, trends and ideals aside, in the restaurant industry it’s revenue that is essential. Chefs struggle to create a balance between creativity and the reality of satisfying customers while keeping overhead and food cost in control. We asked our chefs to identify various actions they were taking to increase their check average. The three most common replies were: 1) adding small plates and lower-cost appetizer options to the menu, 2) taking the time to thoroughly educate staff on dishes, ingredients and wine pairings, and 3) offering a prix fixe tasting menu. Of those who offer tasting menus, 22% charge $31-$60, while 20% charge between $61-$90. A la carte, 35% of the chefs said they charge between $16-$24 per entrees, while the second largest group (30%) charge between $25-$33.
In the Kitchen and On the Plate
Over one quarter of our chefs report that they have an increased interest in science and chemistry, and use this knowledge in the kitchen with the use of gums, homogenizers, hydrocolloids or liquid nitrogen. One out of every five has experimented with complicated techniques that use innovative equipment: 31% use low temperature cooking, 19% experiment with Sous Vide, and 19% with foams. A full quarter approach food as science, while 52% approach food as art. 38% of chefs use custom plateware to present these creations.
Flavor as the Bottom Line
Much like revenue is the bottom line in a restaurant, flavor is the bottom line on a plate. StarChefs.com features many experimental and innovative chefs, and each stress the utmost importance of flavor as the key element in their culinary philosophy. 65% of chefs surveyed report a significant integration of sweet and savory in their dishes. Over half said they are experimenting with less familiar ingredients and exotic flavors. 18% experiment with what we call “sensory deception,” an interactive, playful approach to presentation where what you see is not what you taste.
What’s Next?
Looking toward the future, chefs anticipate that the flavors and ingredients of Latin and Central America will have the greatest influence on the culinary arts in the upcoming year. On a recent editorial trip to Mexico City and the Mayan Riviera, we sampled a phenomenal array of the spices, dishes and produce indicative of this ancient cuisine. We can testify firsthand to the stunning diversity of flavor in the southwestern hemisphere, and look forward to seeing it integrated into contemporary American culinary arts.
Country to Have the Greatest Influence on Culinary Arts in 2007
As for the primacy of Latin influence, Marcus Sammuelson of Aquavit and Riingo would beg to differ; at the recent International Chefs Congress he declared that African food would be the “next big thing” to spread to the European and American continents. Josh Dechellis has a different idea at Sumile, where he works to bring classic Japanese ingredients, flavors and philosophy into the American dining experience. These flavors from around the world will undoubtedly be making appearances in one of the most exciting trends of 2006-2007: the emergence of the dessert-driven restaurant. In NYC alone, four pastry chefs are forging into savory territory with clever, genre-bending restaurants. Will Goldfarb and Chickalicious have already done it, and Sam Mason and Pichet Ong have tantalized us with promises of what’s to come. Here’s to another year of ground-breaking developments in the world of culinary arts!
href="http://www.starchefs.com/features/editors_dish/trends_survey/index.shtml">
By Antoinette Bruno and Heather Sperling
From our culinary trends survey of 2005, StarChefs predicted that 2006 would bring a shift in chefs’ approach to their cooking. As the novelty of foams and cryovacs wore off, we anticipated that the use of innovative techniques would become a means to an end rather than an end in themselves. We hoped to find an increase in the use of local organic produce, and sustainable meats and seafood. And we were curious to see if something new had eclipsed the tapas and small plates trend.
Through the survey and the hundreds of interviews conducted by our editorial department for our upcoming Chefs to Know book, we found that flavor is undoubtedly the centerpiece of most chefs’ philosophies. This holds true even in the experimental camp, where hydrocolloids and gums are the current tools of choice; they require little to no complicated equipment and can radically alter texture while leaving taste intact.
Sustainability is a hot topic in the chef world. Since 2005 we witnessed a 15% growth in the number of chefs who focus on locally grown, seasonal ingredients. While this focus on integrity of ingredients and the culinary community may be intuitive to a high-level chef, it is not necessarily so with diners. It’s safe to say that “local” and “sustainable” have not garnered the attention or popularity that “organic” has in the past year. Restaurants are an extremely influential source of consumer trends and information, and we can only hope that the chef community continues to do its part to educate diners on the importance of local, sustainable food.
Hopes and expectations aside, the real purpose of the Culinary Trends Survey is to learn about our readership and help them stay on top of current developments in the restaurant world; in a field as competitive, current, and fickle as the nation’s restaurant industry, staying current can make or break a restaurant’s success.
Chefs and Diners: Who They Are
50% of our respondents come from fine dining or upscale casual restaurants and 31% are Executive Chefs. 33% said their diners are sophisticated, i.e. aware of seasonal ingredients and artisan producers, and 20% speak of their diners as culinary adventurers who come to their restaurant in search of unusual food and notable preparations. In a notable drop from 2005, only 13% said their diners are “classic,” meaning their expectations and habits have not changed in the last 5-10 years.
Local and Seasonal
65% of chefs surveyed told us they focus on locally grown, seasonal ingredients, but only 10% come from restaurants where at least ¾ of the produce is locally grown. On the menu, 39% cite farm or producer names, and 19% include glossaries to further educate their diners on the food on their plate. Chefs Collaborative and similar such organizations undoubtedly help in promoting this trend, which sees media coverage on an almost daily basis. Members of Chefs Collaborative spoke to this at the International Chefs Congress, and to the ways in which chefs can integrate sustainable products into their restaurants.
Holidays
For the most part, chefs dread holidays, and for good reason. They tend to fall into two camps: the über-traditional and constraining that require themed set menus and limit creativity, or the family-oriented, where nary a diner leaves the confines of their festive home or backyard barbecue. The Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day were voted as the worst holidays for generating restaurant revenue, with the Super Bowl following closely behind. That said, Mothers Day, New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day are three of the industry’s most lucrative days. On any holiday, catering and to-go baskets can generate excitement and revenue much as celebratory prix-fix menus with wine pairings can.
Revenue as the Bottom Line
The government is the only business that manages to stay afloat without a profit…At the end of the day, ethics, trends and ideals aside, in the restaurant industry it’s revenue that is essential. Chefs struggle to create a balance between creativity and the reality of satisfying customers while keeping overhead and food cost in control. We asked our chefs to identify various actions they were taking to increase their check average. The three most common replies were: 1) adding small plates and lower-cost appetizer options to the menu, 2) taking the time to thoroughly educate staff on dishes, ingredients and wine pairings, and 3) offering a prix fixe tasting menu. Of those who offer tasting menus, 22% charge $31-$60, while 20% charge between $61-$90. A la carte, 35% of the chefs said they charge between $16-$24 per entrees, while the second largest group (30%) charge between $25-$33.
In the Kitchen and On the Plate
Over one quarter of our chefs report that they have an increased interest in science and chemistry, and use this knowledge in the kitchen with the use of gums, homogenizers, hydrocolloids or liquid nitrogen. One out of every five has experimented with complicated techniques that use innovative equipment: 31% use low temperature cooking, 19% experiment with Sous Vide, and 19% with foams. A full quarter approach food as science, while 52% approach food as art. 38% of chefs use custom plateware to present these creations.
Flavor as the Bottom Line
Much like revenue is the bottom line in a restaurant, flavor is the bottom line on a plate. StarChefs.com features many experimental and innovative chefs, and each stress the utmost importance of flavor as the key element in their culinary philosophy. 65% of chefs surveyed report a significant integration of sweet and savory in their dishes. Over half said they are experimenting with less familiar ingredients and exotic flavors. 18% experiment with what we call “sensory deception,” an interactive, playful approach to presentation where what you see is not what you taste.
What’s Next?
Looking toward the future, chefs anticipate that the flavors and ingredients of Latin and Central America will have the greatest influence on the culinary arts in the upcoming year. On a recent editorial trip to Mexico City and the Mayan Riviera, we sampled a phenomenal array of the spices, dishes and produce indicative of this ancient cuisine. We can testify firsthand to the stunning diversity of flavor in the southwestern hemisphere, and look forward to seeing it integrated into contemporary American culinary arts.
Country to Have the Greatest Influence on Culinary Arts in 2007
As for the primacy of Latin influence, Marcus Sammuelson of Aquavit and Riingo would beg to differ; at the recent International Chefs Congress he declared that African food would be the “next big thing” to spread to the European and American continents. Josh Dechellis has a different idea at Sumile, where he works to bring classic Japanese ingredients, flavors and philosophy into the American dining experience. These flavors from around the world will undoubtedly be making appearances in one of the most exciting trends of 2006-2007: the emergence of the dessert-driven restaurant. In NYC alone, four pastry chefs are forging into savory territory with clever, genre-bending restaurants. Will Goldfarb and Chickalicious have already done it, and Sam Mason and Pichet Ong have tantalized us with promises of what’s to come. Here’s to another year of ground-breaking developments in the world of culinary arts!
Thursday, October 19, 2006
CTC Tourism Intelligence Bulletin – Issue 35: September 2006
This article written by the CTC and found at:
Tourism faces escalating security and economic challenges
Executive Summary•
The alleged terrorist plot uncovered in the U.K. in August was yet again another reminder of the vulnerability of global tourism. Although the event did not appear to have a significant lasting impact on travel demand, air security was tightened
further in response to the foiled plan, which was said to involve the use of liquid explosives disguised as innocuous carry-on baggage items.As a result, liquids and gels are now banned from cabin baggage, increasing the inconvenience of air travel. Some ravellers view these new restrictions as a reasonable price for safety, while others-business travellers, in particular-are finding airline security issues an increasingly burdensome challenge.
Meanwhile, other clouds have appeared on the horizon for the U.S. travel market. U.S. consumer confidence fell sharply in August, as pressures from surging gasoline prices, a weakening job market and falling housing prices took their toll. The overall outlook for the U.S. economy has become more pessimistic, which suggests that heading into 2007, the weak trends in U.S. visits to Canada will continue.
Up to now, the solid performance of the domestic and overseas markets has offset some of the softening trends in U.S. visits. The latest Canadian Industrial Outlook forecast by The Conference Board of Canada suggests the profitability of the Canadian
tourism industry will reach a new high of $1.05 billion this year, mainly because of strong domestic demand. In particular, a greater focus on marketing Canadian destinations by provincial and regional tourism agencies has been a major factor in the resurgence of domestic travel. Canada's solid economic fundamentals should ensure Canadian individuals and businesses retain the financial means necessary to travel in the coming months.
Emerging Trends and Issues:
Online Channels Net Growing Number of Canadian Travellers
The landscape of Canadian travel distribution has been transformed in recent years, shaped by forces such as world events, the vertical integration of tour operators, and-most significantly-rapid growth in the online travel market. In fact, over the last four years the way Canadians purchase their travel has changed significantly.
Since 2002, there has been a precipitous decline in Canadians' reliance on travel agency services when planning a vacation.At the same time, a growing number of Canadians view the Internet as a valuable resource for planning their trips.
However, the propensity to move from looking to booking has not really changed over the past several years. A major barrier for many Canadians reluctant to make an online purchase is concerns about security. As consumers grow more comfortable
with online technology, and as e-commerce security features become more sophisticated, the potential for converting online "lookers" to "bookers" will also expand.
Tourism faces escalating security and economic challenges
Consumer (Traveller) Overview - North America
The near-term outlook for Canadian travel demand remains relatively solid, although high gasoline prices are expected to keep Canadians closer to home.According to the latest Travel Intentions Survey by the Canadian Tourism Research Institute (CTRI),
nearly 44 per cent of Canadians polled in June said they planned to take a vacation between November 2006 and April 2007, a slight decline (-1.2%) from a year earlier. However, the percentage of respondents planning a vacation in Canada this winter
rose to 17.4 per cent, up from 16.6 per cent in the 2005 survey. In addition, more travellers planning a winter domestic trip intend to travel by automobile to their destination this year.
In the United States, sky-high gasoline prices have encouraged a significant number of Americans to alter their vacation plans. A July survey by The Conference Board, Inc. revealed that a third of the U.S. households polled said the recent run-up in gas prices had caused them to change their vacation plans. Of those reporting a change, 74 per cent said they would be driving less, and 63 per cent said they would be staying closer to home. Other changes include postponing or shortening vacations (each cited by 26% of respondents) as well as cancelling vacations altogether (25%).
Meanwhile, the latest corporate benchmarking study by HRG North America revealed that in 2005, its Canadian corporate travel clients paid an average of 7 per cent more for domestic air tickets, while prices for U.S. and international flights fell
8.5 per cent and 1.3 per cent, respectively. For 2006,HRG expects average airfares to increase for all markets, as higher fuel costs continue to drive up air ticket prices. Given the growing demand for accommodations, the company also expects a
"substantive" rise in hotel rates this year, following the 2 per cent average increase in rates their clients paid in 2005.
Travel Supplier Overview - North America
Air Canada and WestJet have both increased their domestic capacity, and so far the market appears to be absorbing the additional seats. This capacity expansion did keep airfares down early this summer, although by August, they had registered a
modest increase over the previous year. So far, the U.K. security alert does not appear to be significantly deterring air travel, however, analysts remain cautious about the outlook for the Canadian airline industry, mainly because of climbing fuel costs.
In the United States, soaring jet fuel costs have prompted further airfare hikes, which have held up reasonably well, providing U.S. carriers with a significant revenue boost. Airlines have reduced domestic capacity even further, and demand is holding strong, lessening competitive pressures in the U.S. market.At the same time, capacity on international flights continues to grow, as airlines try to capitalize on their more lucrative routes. In fact, flights between the U.S. and Europe have increased 21 per cent over the last three years; of this increase, two-thirds has come from U.S. airlines, expanding the U.S. share of the U.S.-Europe market from 45 per cent in 2003 to 49 per cent in 2006.
The performance of the Canadian hotel industry continues to gain momentum, as average daily rates remain on an upward trend and lodging demand grows. Increases in Canadian hotel room supply, on the other hand, have been minimal, allowing
occupancy rates to continue rising. As a whole, the Canadian hotel industry is expected to return to profitability this year, as a result of revenue improvements and a slowdown in cost increases.
International Overview
The foiled terrorist plot uncovered on August 10, 2006, disrupted an estimated 400,000 passengers on that day alone, according to OAG estimates, and it took a week for U.K. airline operations to return to normal. Fortunately, the event did not appear to have a significant impact on travel confidence in the U.K. A British survey commissioned by the Guardian about two weeks later indicated that 81 per cent of those polled said the security alert would have no impact on their future travel plans whatsoever. Only 15 per cent of respondents said that the threat of terrorism made them less likely to fly.
German tour operators reported weak sales in the period leading up to 2006 FIFA World Cup. The latest figures from Statistics Canada suggest that the staging of the World Cup dampened visitation from Germany and many other western European
countries in June. Fortunately, tour operators throughout Europe have reported a solid recovery in bookings since mid-July.
CTC Tourism Intelligence Bulletin – Issue 35: September 2006
Meanwhile, the competition to target international travellers continues to heat up. Visit Britain and Tourism Australia have each recently announced they will focus on wooing back Japanese visitors now that Japanese outbound travel is recovering.
Visit Britain said it would target Japanese baby boomers in particular, because they are "very much celebrating life after work." Tourism Australia intends to change the perception among Japanese travellers that Australia has become "stale and
unfashionable." As well, United Airlines recently moved its regional sales and marketing office from Miami, Florida, to Mexico City because of the large growth in Mexican travellers it has experienced in recent years.
Economic Overview
More and more signs point to a slowdown in U.S. economic activity. Retail sales have been declining, labour market growth is weakening, and housing markets are cooling rapidly. The dramatic slowdown in the housing market signals an end to the
wealth effect in the U.S. The Canadian economy will remain somewhat insulated from the slowdown in the U.S. since it also relies heavily on domestic demand for growth. With consumer spending and business investment still growing at a healthy pace, the Canadian economy will likely weather the storm. Overall, growth in real gross domestic product (GDP) for North America is expected to slow to 2.5 per cent next year.
Europe's economy continues to perform very well. Led by strong growth in France and helped by improvements in Germany and Italy, overall GDP for the eurozone advanced by 2.4 per cent in the second quarter of 2006. Rising business confidence and
increasing French and German business investment have been largely responsible for the recent upswing. Going forward, the European economy is expected to perform well for the rest of 2006 but will slow heading into 2007.With oil prices remaining
high and inflation a concern, further interest rate hikes are likely. As a result, economic growth in Europe is expected to slow from 2.4 per cent in 2006 to 2.1 per cent in 2007.
Strong export growth continues to be the main driver of the Asia-Pacific economy. China is still leading the pack, with another year of near double-digit growth. However, other countries, such as Japan, are also faring well. Aside from exporting directly to the United States, more and more Asian countries are starting to export their wares to China, which then incorporates them into products to be sold in the United States. However, problems could arise when export growth from Asia slows because of the sharp downturn in U.S. consumer spending. Already, the slowdown in demand for high-technology equipment has hurt the economies of Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia. Other countries will likely follow once the slowdown in demand becomes
more broad-based.
Opportunities
Asian "grey" market offers enormous potential: Abacus International, a travel company serving the Asia-Pacific region, recently reported that "grey travellers" are one of the fastest-growing segments of the Asian travel market, according to
eyefortravel.com.More and more seniors are remaining healthy and fit well into their sixties, and are seeing travel as a natural thing to do with their spare time and money. The market is expected to continue expanding over the next 10 years, as the Asian population continues to age. However, travel suppliers will need to be creative and customer-focused in the way that they cater to this market, tailoring their services to meet the market's specific needs.
Turning lemons into lemonade: With U.S. passport deadlines (as part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative) looming on the horizon, some travel suppliers are implementing proactive measures to mitigate the negative impact of the new
regulations. Apple Vacations, a U.S.-based tour operator, is offering to help offset the cost of acquiring a U.S. passport through its "You Fly, We Buy" promotion. When booking a seven-day vacation package for 2007, Apple will offer clients a $100 per
person discount, which can then be used to cover the fee for purchasing or renewing a U.S. passport.
Rapid growth in Internet use could benefit Canada's tourism industry: As Internet access expands in China, so does the Chinese online travel market, which is poised for huge growth, according to reports from the Travel Distribution-China conference hosted by eyefortravel.com. According to eLong, an online travel agency, Chinese Internet usage surged by nearly 20 per cent in the first half of 2006, year-over-year, to 123 million individual users. Meanwhile, high-speed Internet access in
Mexico appears poised for considerable growth in coming years, driven by strong consumer demand, according to a recent Datamonitor Market Research Report. The country's largest telecom company, Telmex, is planning to spend up to US$2 billion
upgrading Mexico's telecommunications infrastructure, which will support a substantial expansion of high-speed Internet access across the country.
Tourism faces escalating security and economic challenges
Executive Summary•
The alleged terrorist plot uncovered in the U.K. in August was yet again another reminder of the vulnerability of global tourism. Although the event did not appear to have a significant lasting impact on travel demand, air security was tightened
further in response to the foiled plan, which was said to involve the use of liquid explosives disguised as innocuous carry-on baggage items.As a result, liquids and gels are now banned from cabin baggage, increasing the inconvenience of air travel. Some ravellers view these new restrictions as a reasonable price for safety, while others-business travellers, in particular-are finding airline security issues an increasingly burdensome challenge.
Meanwhile, other clouds have appeared on the horizon for the U.S. travel market. U.S. consumer confidence fell sharply in August, as pressures from surging gasoline prices, a weakening job market and falling housing prices took their toll. The overall outlook for the U.S. economy has become more pessimistic, which suggests that heading into 2007, the weak trends in U.S. visits to Canada will continue.
Up to now, the solid performance of the domestic and overseas markets has offset some of the softening trends in U.S. visits. The latest Canadian Industrial Outlook forecast by The Conference Board of Canada suggests the profitability of the Canadian
tourism industry will reach a new high of $1.05 billion this year, mainly because of strong domestic demand. In particular, a greater focus on marketing Canadian destinations by provincial and regional tourism agencies has been a major factor in the resurgence of domestic travel. Canada's solid economic fundamentals should ensure Canadian individuals and businesses retain the financial means necessary to travel in the coming months.
Emerging Trends and Issues:
Online Channels Net Growing Number of Canadian Travellers
The landscape of Canadian travel distribution has been transformed in recent years, shaped by forces such as world events, the vertical integration of tour operators, and-most significantly-rapid growth in the online travel market. In fact, over the last four years the way Canadians purchase their travel has changed significantly.
Since 2002, there has been a precipitous decline in Canadians' reliance on travel agency services when planning a vacation.At the same time, a growing number of Canadians view the Internet as a valuable resource for planning their trips.
However, the propensity to move from looking to booking has not really changed over the past several years. A major barrier for many Canadians reluctant to make an online purchase is concerns about security. As consumers grow more comfortable
with online technology, and as e-commerce security features become more sophisticated, the potential for converting online "lookers" to "bookers" will also expand.
Tourism faces escalating security and economic challenges
Consumer (Traveller) Overview - North America
The near-term outlook for Canadian travel demand remains relatively solid, although high gasoline prices are expected to keep Canadians closer to home.According to the latest Travel Intentions Survey by the Canadian Tourism Research Institute (CTRI),
nearly 44 per cent of Canadians polled in June said they planned to take a vacation between November 2006 and April 2007, a slight decline (-1.2%) from a year earlier. However, the percentage of respondents planning a vacation in Canada this winter
rose to 17.4 per cent, up from 16.6 per cent in the 2005 survey. In addition, more travellers planning a winter domestic trip intend to travel by automobile to their destination this year.
In the United States, sky-high gasoline prices have encouraged a significant number of Americans to alter their vacation plans. A July survey by The Conference Board, Inc. revealed that a third of the U.S. households polled said the recent run-up in gas prices had caused them to change their vacation plans. Of those reporting a change, 74 per cent said they would be driving less, and 63 per cent said they would be staying closer to home. Other changes include postponing or shortening vacations (each cited by 26% of respondents) as well as cancelling vacations altogether (25%).
Meanwhile, the latest corporate benchmarking study by HRG North America revealed that in 2005, its Canadian corporate travel clients paid an average of 7 per cent more for domestic air tickets, while prices for U.S. and international flights fell
8.5 per cent and 1.3 per cent, respectively. For 2006,HRG expects average airfares to increase for all markets, as higher fuel costs continue to drive up air ticket prices. Given the growing demand for accommodations, the company also expects a
"substantive" rise in hotel rates this year, following the 2 per cent average increase in rates their clients paid in 2005.
Travel Supplier Overview - North America
Air Canada and WestJet have both increased their domestic capacity, and so far the market appears to be absorbing the additional seats. This capacity expansion did keep airfares down early this summer, although by August, they had registered a
modest increase over the previous year. So far, the U.K. security alert does not appear to be significantly deterring air travel, however, analysts remain cautious about the outlook for the Canadian airline industry, mainly because of climbing fuel costs.
In the United States, soaring jet fuel costs have prompted further airfare hikes, which have held up reasonably well, providing U.S. carriers with a significant revenue boost. Airlines have reduced domestic capacity even further, and demand is holding strong, lessening competitive pressures in the U.S. market.At the same time, capacity on international flights continues to grow, as airlines try to capitalize on their more lucrative routes. In fact, flights between the U.S. and Europe have increased 21 per cent over the last three years; of this increase, two-thirds has come from U.S. airlines, expanding the U.S. share of the U.S.-Europe market from 45 per cent in 2003 to 49 per cent in 2006.
The performance of the Canadian hotel industry continues to gain momentum, as average daily rates remain on an upward trend and lodging demand grows. Increases in Canadian hotel room supply, on the other hand, have been minimal, allowing
occupancy rates to continue rising. As a whole, the Canadian hotel industry is expected to return to profitability this year, as a result of revenue improvements and a slowdown in cost increases.
International Overview
The foiled terrorist plot uncovered on August 10, 2006, disrupted an estimated 400,000 passengers on that day alone, according to OAG estimates, and it took a week for U.K. airline operations to return to normal. Fortunately, the event did not appear to have a significant impact on travel confidence in the U.K. A British survey commissioned by the Guardian about two weeks later indicated that 81 per cent of those polled said the security alert would have no impact on their future travel plans whatsoever. Only 15 per cent of respondents said that the threat of terrorism made them less likely to fly.
German tour operators reported weak sales in the period leading up to 2006 FIFA World Cup. The latest figures from Statistics Canada suggest that the staging of the World Cup dampened visitation from Germany and many other western European
countries in June. Fortunately, tour operators throughout Europe have reported a solid recovery in bookings since mid-July.
CTC Tourism Intelligence Bulletin – Issue 35: September 2006
Meanwhile, the competition to target international travellers continues to heat up. Visit Britain and Tourism Australia have each recently announced they will focus on wooing back Japanese visitors now that Japanese outbound travel is recovering.
Visit Britain said it would target Japanese baby boomers in particular, because they are "very much celebrating life after work." Tourism Australia intends to change the perception among Japanese travellers that Australia has become "stale and
unfashionable." As well, United Airlines recently moved its regional sales and marketing office from Miami, Florida, to Mexico City because of the large growth in Mexican travellers it has experienced in recent years.
Economic Overview
More and more signs point to a slowdown in U.S. economic activity. Retail sales have been declining, labour market growth is weakening, and housing markets are cooling rapidly. The dramatic slowdown in the housing market signals an end to the
wealth effect in the U.S. The Canadian economy will remain somewhat insulated from the slowdown in the U.S. since it also relies heavily on domestic demand for growth. With consumer spending and business investment still growing at a healthy pace, the Canadian economy will likely weather the storm. Overall, growth in real gross domestic product (GDP) for North America is expected to slow to 2.5 per cent next year.
Europe's economy continues to perform very well. Led by strong growth in France and helped by improvements in Germany and Italy, overall GDP for the eurozone advanced by 2.4 per cent in the second quarter of 2006. Rising business confidence and
increasing French and German business investment have been largely responsible for the recent upswing. Going forward, the European economy is expected to perform well for the rest of 2006 but will slow heading into 2007.With oil prices remaining
high and inflation a concern, further interest rate hikes are likely. As a result, economic growth in Europe is expected to slow from 2.4 per cent in 2006 to 2.1 per cent in 2007.
Strong export growth continues to be the main driver of the Asia-Pacific economy. China is still leading the pack, with another year of near double-digit growth. However, other countries, such as Japan, are also faring well. Aside from exporting directly to the United States, more and more Asian countries are starting to export their wares to China, which then incorporates them into products to be sold in the United States. However, problems could arise when export growth from Asia slows because of the sharp downturn in U.S. consumer spending. Already, the slowdown in demand for high-technology equipment has hurt the economies of Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia. Other countries will likely follow once the slowdown in demand becomes
more broad-based.
Opportunities
Asian "grey" market offers enormous potential: Abacus International, a travel company serving the Asia-Pacific region, recently reported that "grey travellers" are one of the fastest-growing segments of the Asian travel market, according to
eyefortravel.com.More and more seniors are remaining healthy and fit well into their sixties, and are seeing travel as a natural thing to do with their spare time and money. The market is expected to continue expanding over the next 10 years, as the Asian population continues to age. However, travel suppliers will need to be creative and customer-focused in the way that they cater to this market, tailoring their services to meet the market's specific needs.
Turning lemons into lemonade: With U.S. passport deadlines (as part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative) looming on the horizon, some travel suppliers are implementing proactive measures to mitigate the negative impact of the new
regulations. Apple Vacations, a U.S.-based tour operator, is offering to help offset the cost of acquiring a U.S. passport through its "You Fly, We Buy" promotion. When booking a seven-day vacation package for 2007, Apple will offer clients a $100 per
person discount, which can then be used to cover the fee for purchasing or renewing a U.S. passport.
Rapid growth in Internet use could benefit Canada's tourism industry: As Internet access expands in China, so does the Chinese online travel market, which is poised for huge growth, according to reports from the Travel Distribution-China conference hosted by eyefortravel.com. According to eLong, an online travel agency, Chinese Internet usage surged by nearly 20 per cent in the first half of 2006, year-over-year, to 123 million individual users. Meanwhile, high-speed Internet access in
Mexico appears poised for considerable growth in coming years, driven by strong consumer demand, according to a recent Datamonitor Market Research Report. The country's largest telecom company, Telmex, is planning to spend up to US$2 billion
upgrading Mexico's telecommunications infrastructure, which will support a substantial expansion of high-speed Internet access across the country.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
CTC UNVEILS CANADIAN SPA INDUSTRY SURVEY
This article found at:
http://www.tourismexchange.com/exchange/en/cobrand/ctc/getArticle.jsp?articleID=1607&languageID=1
How large is Canada's spa industry? $1 billion. What is the fastest-growing type of spa? Resort and hotel. Where does the greatest untapped potential lie? Spa tourism.
Find the essentials on Canada's spa industry in the Canadian Tourism Commission's 2006 Canadian spa sector profile, the most comprehensive survey of its kind to date.
Complementing a Canada and US spa-traveller study, the recently released 82‑page survey assesses the industry in detail through growth, revenue, employment, tourism, regional differences, pitfalls and trends analyses.
"Essentially, this is a new benchmark for the spa health and wellness sector," said Frank Verschuren, CTC product specialist. "This information arms stakeholders with market and operational intelligence, allowing them to make informed business decisions."
The study identifies that the Canadian spa industry represents $1 billion in revenue annually, there are more than 2,300 spas in the country, and these establishments are concentrated mainly in Ontario, followed by BC, Quebec, Alberta and Atlantic Canada. Furthermore, the research finds one-third of spas are tourism-oriented, employ nearly 26,000 people, and that the sector has experienced an average 17% annual growth.
In terms of categories, day spas are the largest. Spa-goers made an estimated 14 million visits to Canadian spas in 2005 (a 20% growth rate from 2004 to 2005). The types of treatments sought most are massages, and female customers continue to dominate demand. The survey also finds more Canadians are buying into the spa experience, and spa consumers are more educated and value-oriented than ever.
The survey provides valuable insight on the nature and profile of spa establishments: together spas represent 8 million square feet of indoor space; one-third are resort/hotel spas; these developments amount to a 28% growth rate from 2004 to 2005. Treatment rooms take up 44% of spa indoor space. Revenues are generated in treatment rooms (53%), lodging (36%), beauty salon (35%), retail (18%), and restaurants (15%).
Like many others, the spa sector experiences staffing shortages. The sector also needs to work on its promotional efforts, and spa businesses face difficulty raising start-up funds, according to the study. The 2006 Canadian spa sector profile identifies that spa tourism has yet to come even close to its full potential in Canada; it is still a "best-kept secret".
Over the past 10 years, sector growth has been strong and stable, according to Pat Corbett, chair of the CTC's Spa, Health and Wellness Tourism Taskforce, and owner of the Hills Health Ranch in British Columbia. "We can be proud of what the spa industry has accomplished, and look forward to greater things in the future," Corbett says.
The CTC's partners on the study were Alberta Economic Development, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Economic Development Canada-Québec, Leading Spas of Canada, Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Premier Spas of Ontario, Spas Relais Santé, Tourism BC, Tourism Québec and Travel Manitoba. The study is available for free download at the CTC Web site: www.canadatourism
http://www.tourismexchange.com/exchange/en/cobrand/ctc/getArticle.jsp?articleID=1607&languageID=1
How large is Canada's spa industry? $1 billion. What is the fastest-growing type of spa? Resort and hotel. Where does the greatest untapped potential lie? Spa tourism.
Find the essentials on Canada's spa industry in the Canadian Tourism Commission's 2006 Canadian spa sector profile, the most comprehensive survey of its kind to date.
Complementing a Canada and US spa-traveller study, the recently released 82‑page survey assesses the industry in detail through growth, revenue, employment, tourism, regional differences, pitfalls and trends analyses.
"Essentially, this is a new benchmark for the spa health and wellness sector," said Frank Verschuren, CTC product specialist. "This information arms stakeholders with market and operational intelligence, allowing them to make informed business decisions."
The study identifies that the Canadian spa industry represents $1 billion in revenue annually, there are more than 2,300 spas in the country, and these establishments are concentrated mainly in Ontario, followed by BC, Quebec, Alberta and Atlantic Canada. Furthermore, the research finds one-third of spas are tourism-oriented, employ nearly 26,000 people, and that the sector has experienced an average 17% annual growth.
In terms of categories, day spas are the largest. Spa-goers made an estimated 14 million visits to Canadian spas in 2005 (a 20% growth rate from 2004 to 2005). The types of treatments sought most are massages, and female customers continue to dominate demand. The survey also finds more Canadians are buying into the spa experience, and spa consumers are more educated and value-oriented than ever.
The survey provides valuable insight on the nature and profile of spa establishments: together spas represent 8 million square feet of indoor space; one-third are resort/hotel spas; these developments amount to a 28% growth rate from 2004 to 2005. Treatment rooms take up 44% of spa indoor space. Revenues are generated in treatment rooms (53%), lodging (36%), beauty salon (35%), retail (18%), and restaurants (15%).
Like many others, the spa sector experiences staffing shortages. The sector also needs to work on its promotional efforts, and spa businesses face difficulty raising start-up funds, according to the study. The 2006 Canadian spa sector profile identifies that spa tourism has yet to come even close to its full potential in Canada; it is still a "best-kept secret".
Over the past 10 years, sector growth has been strong and stable, according to Pat Corbett, chair of the CTC's Spa, Health and Wellness Tourism Taskforce, and owner of the Hills Health Ranch in British Columbia. "We can be proud of what the spa industry has accomplished, and look forward to greater things in the future," Corbett says.
The CTC's partners on the study were Alberta Economic Development, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Economic Development Canada-Québec, Leading Spas of Canada, Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Premier Spas of Ontario, Spas Relais Santé, Tourism BC, Tourism Québec and Travel Manitoba. The study is available for free download at the CTC Web site: www.canadatourism
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
An Analysis of the Relationship Between and F&B Operation
This article was found at:
http://www.hotel-online.com/Neo/Trends/Payne/Articles/An_Analysis.htm
and was written by:
Kirby D. Payne, CHA, is president of The American Hospitality Management Company which provides consulting and management assistance to hotels in the U.S.
For additional information, contact:
Kirby D. Payne at the firm
American Hospitality Management Company
1500 South Highway 100, #375, Minneapolis, MN 55416
Phone: 763-591-7640 Fax: 763-591-1593
email: kpayne@american-hospitality.com
It is not uncommon to hear, particularly among hotel owners and operators relatively new to the industry, that Food and Beverage (F&B) cannot make nay money and should be leased out if such facilities exist in a particular hotel. This, of course, begs a number of questions: How could a tenant make money of a landlord cannot, especially after paying rent? Why would a hotel owner with a major investment want an important interrelated business with a different business goals and possibly incompatible clientele in the building with minimal control over that other business. And, finally, the big question, What is profit?
While everyone will claim that F&B facilities are included in hotels to be profitable, I believe that should be secondary. The primary reason for an F&B facility is to enhance the potential revenues of the Rooms Department if the Hotel. This is particularly obvious with convention and resort hotels.
A good F&B operation, whether operated or leased, will allow more flexibility in marketing. This flexibility will help sell rooms during slow periods during the week or year. The presence of an F&B operation will allow the hotel to appeal to more market segments, thus giving the hotel a broader and more secure income base. An F&B operation should first be designed and concepted to maximize room revenue, secondly to do that profitably and third to appeal to non-hotel patrons,. The owner then needs to follow up with the same F&B marketing and management effort an lessee would invest, thus insuring success.
Examples from the Field
Recently we undertook an assignment to conduct an operational overview of what is physically a mid-priced full service hotel. It is generally operated a limited service, mid-priced hotel with a leased F&B operation. The hotel is affiliated with a well-known national brand, is in a major metropolitan area and is generally very competently managed. What follows are excerpts from our report regarding the leased F&B operation, its problems, their impact on the hotel, and some changes which should be implemented to minimize the detriment to the hotel:
Our expenses in the restaurants, recently leased to new operator, have been mediocre at best. There was one gentlemen walking around in his jacket on several occasions, believed to be either the manager or the lessee. None of the employees wear uniforms and this creates the impression of less-than-professional operation. On one occasion we to charge the bill to our room. There was no attempt to verify that we registered or that we had credit available and could charge the restaurant. For instance, if we were cash paying guests, with only a minimal deposit for telephone charges, we should not be allowed to charge in the restaurant because the hotel has no ability to capture this charge. The restaurant should be given a list of guests with credit established to charge in the restaurant along with their room numbers. This list could be produced by the Night Auditor and updated later in the day for afternoon check-ins. On one occasion, we observed to the server that the restaurant was extremely cold. She informed us that the restaurant was on the same system as the hotel and they could not control it. Of course, the lobby was not cold, so we are not sure of the validity of her statement. Regardless, it was uncomfortable in the restaurant. On two separate occasions we observed kitchen staff from the restaurant on the pay phone near the parking lot entrance to the hotel. They were wearing dirty kitchen uniforms, were loud and obviously on lengthy calls. They clearly planted themselves there because they had beverages and were sitting down. This should not be allowed. Brief calls (no longer than three minutes) perhaps can be permitted as long as they are quiet and the employee is neat in appearance.
Some Possible Solutions
Our recommendations for the case were a follows:
The guest and restaurant patrons have the understandable impression that the restaurant is part of the hotel. They should to need to know otherwise. Therefore, the hotel's same standards of behavior, operation, and appearance need to be required of the lessee. It is crucial that the restaurant operation not detract from the rest of the hotel. At present, this is unfortunately the case. Uniforms with footwear and accessory standards, name tags, well groomed appearance, professionally done with tasteful supplementary signage and appropriate graphics must all be present. Employees must be held to behavior standards which contribute to the hotels image, not detract from it. The tenants lease includes the right to use the landlord's liquor license. In this case, it would be the liquor license owner and fee simple owner who would be sued in dram shop case. With this is mind, we strongly recommend that the restaurant owner be required to conduct server training for all current and d future employees on a regular basis and provide the landlord with documentation of that training. The documentation should include the course name, content, instructor and the signature of every employee in attendance. The lease for the restaurant space is predicated on the tenant's revenues. In order to maximize those revenues and therefore the income of the hotel, there should be some joint marketing efforts. These might include:
Distributing restaurant discount coupons by the front desk staff at check-in with management's compliments
Tenant cards in the guest rooms promoting the restaurant and its hours, providing room service along with fast items such as pizza.
Packaging the hotel with meals for promotions during slow times.
Penetrating commercial business by including a hot cooked to order breakfast in the room rate.
Having professionally done menus for food and beverage service to the meeting rooms.
Include a restaurant representative to executive committee meetings.
An Analysis of F&B and Hotels
In summary, we reported, the restaurant is not just an appendage to lease out and collect minimal rent from; it must be developed as an asset that contributes to the overall profitability of the enterprise. Leasing is a common answer among limited service operators, however the full benefit of the presence of the facility will never be realized under any scenario, if the two separate businesses are not marketed together at a positive standard.
This excerpt highlights some common operational problems experienced by hotels with leased F&B operations.
Earlier I brought up the issue of how could a tenant make money if the landlord cannot, especially after having to pay rent? I don't believe that the tenant has as much revenue potential as the owner simply because he/she doesn't have any way to get the full potential out of the hotel's marketing staff. How would you commission the hotel's sales staff for the banquet business they book? Does it have to be rooms business associated with it, and whose money actually pays the commission?
The marketing harmony between the two independent businesses will never be there to the same level there would be when these things are not major issues.
On the expense side the efficiencies of scale are missing. Before the tenant pays rent s/he must pay all the same expenses the owner would have to pay, regardless of how they might be allocated on the hotel's financial statement, plus separate accounting, insurance, etc. Many items would cost a lot more because of the lesser purchasing power. Credit card commissions are an example. Labor efficiencies are also lost. Why should the hotel's staff clean up a room service spill in the hall or remove trays from a room? If the F&B lease includes the equipment and furniture and possibly its maintenance what incentive does the lessee have to be careful and who buys replacement items and who owns them?
At the bottom line of any profit the tenant makes after lease payments is profit the hotel owner has forgone!
The most common conflict between the two businesses lies in the area of banquet booking. The leased F&B operator only cares about F&B revenues. S/he will book anything any amount of time in the future to maximize those revenues. The hotel's management normally would hold back on booking banquets without major rooms business associated with it in more to have that space available as an enticement to various forms of guest rooms business with meeting and banquet room needs. Clearly, there must be cutoffs, depending on business patterns, when the space is released for banquet business but never to the detriment of a lucrative group business. How does the hotel insure that F&B services group room business in a manner that enhances repeat business?
If the F&B tenant's targeted clientele, which s/he may need to survive, is incompatible with the hotel's clientele the hotel will suffer. Imagine a family and business oriented highway location in the suburbs with limited parking. What would happen if the F&B tenant targeted high-school students who tied up the restaurant tables in the early evening after extra-curriculars and sports practice? What if the operator heavily promoted an early bird al-you-can-eat buffet on Friday and Saturday nights that tied up all the parking before check-ins? Who is entitled to hotel's physical resources an one this is agreed to, how is it enforced? Why would an F&B tenant accept those potential restrictions on revenues?
What is profit?
To a hotel owner it is cash-on-cash return. It doesn't make any difference what department is making money. That information is simply used as a tool to analyze ways to improve cash flow. A F&B operation managed internally might have a combined departmental profit, using the Uniform System of Accounts (for hotels) of 10% - 35% of F&B revenues. Some expenses-accounting, marketing and maintenance for instance-are all allocated to other departments thus eroding the departmental margin. However, the reverse is also true, there is no accurate way to measure how much additional rooms revenue, the crucial element in a hotel's financial success, a well-managed F&B operation contributed or, at worst, did not detract from!
The Bottom Line
I recommend that hotel owners do not forgo the profit the tenant would make or give up even partial control of the hotel's potential. Manage the entire hotel to maximize the cash flow.
http://www.hotel-online.com/Neo/Trends/Payne/Articles/An_Analysis.htm
and was written by:
Kirby D. Payne, CHA, is president of The American Hospitality Management Company which provides consulting and management assistance to hotels in the U.S.
For additional information, contact:
Kirby D. Payne at the firm
American Hospitality Management Company
1500 South Highway 100, #375, Minneapolis, MN 55416
Phone: 763-591-7640 Fax: 763-591-1593
email: kpayne@american-hospitality.com
It is not uncommon to hear, particularly among hotel owners and operators relatively new to the industry, that Food and Beverage (F&B) cannot make nay money and should be leased out if such facilities exist in a particular hotel. This, of course, begs a number of questions: How could a tenant make money of a landlord cannot, especially after paying rent? Why would a hotel owner with a major investment want an important interrelated business with a different business goals and possibly incompatible clientele in the building with minimal control over that other business. And, finally, the big question, What is profit?
While everyone will claim that F&B facilities are included in hotels to be profitable, I believe that should be secondary. The primary reason for an F&B facility is to enhance the potential revenues of the Rooms Department if the Hotel. This is particularly obvious with convention and resort hotels.
A good F&B operation, whether operated or leased, will allow more flexibility in marketing. This flexibility will help sell rooms during slow periods during the week or year. The presence of an F&B operation will allow the hotel to appeal to more market segments, thus giving the hotel a broader and more secure income base. An F&B operation should first be designed and concepted to maximize room revenue, secondly to do that profitably and third to appeal to non-hotel patrons,. The owner then needs to follow up with the same F&B marketing and management effort an lessee would invest, thus insuring success.
Examples from the Field
Recently we undertook an assignment to conduct an operational overview of what is physically a mid-priced full service hotel. It is generally operated a limited service, mid-priced hotel with a leased F&B operation. The hotel is affiliated with a well-known national brand, is in a major metropolitan area and is generally very competently managed. What follows are excerpts from our report regarding the leased F&B operation, its problems, their impact on the hotel, and some changes which should be implemented to minimize the detriment to the hotel:
Our expenses in the restaurants, recently leased to new operator, have been mediocre at best. There was one gentlemen walking around in his jacket on several occasions, believed to be either the manager or the lessee. None of the employees wear uniforms and this creates the impression of less-than-professional operation. On one occasion we to charge the bill to our room. There was no attempt to verify that we registered or that we had credit available and could charge the restaurant. For instance, if we were cash paying guests, with only a minimal deposit for telephone charges, we should not be allowed to charge in the restaurant because the hotel has no ability to capture this charge. The restaurant should be given a list of guests with credit established to charge in the restaurant along with their room numbers. This list could be produced by the Night Auditor and updated later in the day for afternoon check-ins. On one occasion, we observed to the server that the restaurant was extremely cold. She informed us that the restaurant was on the same system as the hotel and they could not control it. Of course, the lobby was not cold, so we are not sure of the validity of her statement. Regardless, it was uncomfortable in the restaurant. On two separate occasions we observed kitchen staff from the restaurant on the pay phone near the parking lot entrance to the hotel. They were wearing dirty kitchen uniforms, were loud and obviously on lengthy calls. They clearly planted themselves there because they had beverages and were sitting down. This should not be allowed. Brief calls (no longer than three minutes) perhaps can be permitted as long as they are quiet and the employee is neat in appearance.
Some Possible Solutions
Our recommendations for the case were a follows:
The guest and restaurant patrons have the understandable impression that the restaurant is part of the hotel. They should to need to know otherwise. Therefore, the hotel's same standards of behavior, operation, and appearance need to be required of the lessee. It is crucial that the restaurant operation not detract from the rest of the hotel. At present, this is unfortunately the case. Uniforms with footwear and accessory standards, name tags, well groomed appearance, professionally done with tasteful supplementary signage and appropriate graphics must all be present. Employees must be held to behavior standards which contribute to the hotels image, not detract from it. The tenants lease includes the right to use the landlord's liquor license. In this case, it would be the liquor license owner and fee simple owner who would be sued in dram shop case. With this is mind, we strongly recommend that the restaurant owner be required to conduct server training for all current and d future employees on a regular basis and provide the landlord with documentation of that training. The documentation should include the course name, content, instructor and the signature of every employee in attendance. The lease for the restaurant space is predicated on the tenant's revenues. In order to maximize those revenues and therefore the income of the hotel, there should be some joint marketing efforts. These might include:
Distributing restaurant discount coupons by the front desk staff at check-in with management's compliments
Tenant cards in the guest rooms promoting the restaurant and its hours, providing room service along with fast items such as pizza.
Packaging the hotel with meals for promotions during slow times.
Penetrating commercial business by including a hot cooked to order breakfast in the room rate.
Having professionally done menus for food and beverage service to the meeting rooms.
Include a restaurant representative to executive committee meetings.
An Analysis of F&B and Hotels
In summary, we reported, the restaurant is not just an appendage to lease out and collect minimal rent from; it must be developed as an asset that contributes to the overall profitability of the enterprise. Leasing is a common answer among limited service operators, however the full benefit of the presence of the facility will never be realized under any scenario, if the two separate businesses are not marketed together at a positive standard.
This excerpt highlights some common operational problems experienced by hotels with leased F&B operations.
Earlier I brought up the issue of how could a tenant make money if the landlord cannot, especially after having to pay rent? I don't believe that the tenant has as much revenue potential as the owner simply because he/she doesn't have any way to get the full potential out of the hotel's marketing staff. How would you commission the hotel's sales staff for the banquet business they book? Does it have to be rooms business associated with it, and whose money actually pays the commission?
The marketing harmony between the two independent businesses will never be there to the same level there would be when these things are not major issues.
On the expense side the efficiencies of scale are missing. Before the tenant pays rent s/he must pay all the same expenses the owner would have to pay, regardless of how they might be allocated on the hotel's financial statement, plus separate accounting, insurance, etc. Many items would cost a lot more because of the lesser purchasing power. Credit card commissions are an example. Labor efficiencies are also lost. Why should the hotel's staff clean up a room service spill in the hall or remove trays from a room? If the F&B lease includes the equipment and furniture and possibly its maintenance what incentive does the lessee have to be careful and who buys replacement items and who owns them?
At the bottom line of any profit the tenant makes after lease payments is profit the hotel owner has forgone!
The most common conflict between the two businesses lies in the area of banquet booking. The leased F&B operator only cares about F&B revenues. S/he will book anything any amount of time in the future to maximize those revenues. The hotel's management normally would hold back on booking banquets without major rooms business associated with it in more to have that space available as an enticement to various forms of guest rooms business with meeting and banquet room needs. Clearly, there must be cutoffs, depending on business patterns, when the space is released for banquet business but never to the detriment of a lucrative group business. How does the hotel insure that F&B services group room business in a manner that enhances repeat business?
If the F&B tenant's targeted clientele, which s/he may need to survive, is incompatible with the hotel's clientele the hotel will suffer. Imagine a family and business oriented highway location in the suburbs with limited parking. What would happen if the F&B tenant targeted high-school students who tied up the restaurant tables in the early evening after extra-curriculars and sports practice? What if the operator heavily promoted an early bird al-you-can-eat buffet on Friday and Saturday nights that tied up all the parking before check-ins? Who is entitled to hotel's physical resources an one this is agreed to, how is it enforced? Why would an F&B tenant accept those potential restrictions on revenues?
What is profit?
To a hotel owner it is cash-on-cash return. It doesn't make any difference what department is making money. That information is simply used as a tool to analyze ways to improve cash flow. A F&B operation managed internally might have a combined departmental profit, using the Uniform System of Accounts (for hotels) of 10% - 35% of F&B revenues. Some expenses-accounting, marketing and maintenance for instance-are all allocated to other departments thus eroding the departmental margin. However, the reverse is also true, there is no accurate way to measure how much additional rooms revenue, the crucial element in a hotel's financial success, a well-managed F&B operation contributed or, at worst, did not detract from!
The Bottom Line
I recommend that hotel owners do not forgo the profit the tenant would make or give up even partial control of the hotel's potential. Manage the entire hotel to maximize the cash flow.
Friday, October 13, 2006
A toast to N.S. wines
This article was found at
http://www.herald.ns.ca/Living/532941.html
and was written by
Sean Wood’s new book celebrates province’s thriving wineries
By BILL SPURR Features Writer
WHEN HE MEETS someone who doubts that Nova Scotia produces excellent wine, Sean Wood tells them to remember Richard Nixon.
Wood, The Chronicle-Herald’s longtime wine columnist and the author of the new book Wineries and Wine Country of Nova Scotia, enjoys the anecdote about how, while U.S. president, Nixon ordered that all American embassies would from then on serve U.S. wine, to the horror of the diplomatic corps.
"I’m old enough to remember when the Americans referred to any wine made in the States as ‘domestic’ wine," Wood said. "And the way it was said made it clear that they thought it was inferior to real wine, which meant European … but today does anybody doubt that Napa is one of the great wine regions of the world?"
Today, despite shelves full of international awards, Nova Scotia winemakers still have to contend with the narrow attitudes of some people who believe that if it comes from here, it can’t be as good as the wine from somewhere else.
"I think it’s age-old prejudice, a sense that the stuff is inferior and to be fair, initially, with the exception of true Nova Scotia-grown grapes, a lot of it wasn’t very good. Niagara had to overcome this hurdle, the Okanagan had to overcome this hurdle," Wood said, adding that the constant efforts of those in the province’s wine industry, and some in the food industry, are changing attitudes every day.
"We’re training young sommeliers, and I’m increasingly involved in that; now the young chefs don’t have these prejudices. They’re proud of what we do, they’re working together to develop Nova Scotia wine and cuisine."
Just a couple of decades ago, the only thing more unlikely sounding than a Nova Scotia wine industry might have been a book on the subject. Wood has been a fixture at virtually every wine-related event in the province for years, but he still learned things while researching his book.
"The fact that, for example, Bruce Ewart, who used to be a winemaker out in the Okanagan Valley, had settled in the Gaspereau Valley and, like another guy in the Gaspereau, Gerry McConnell, is planning on making sparkling wine," the author said. "Bruce actually has a reputation as a sparkling winemaker out West so with two people going at it, the notion that we will be making good champagne-style wine is beginning to look realistic. That’s one of the exciting possibilities that I hadn’t really thought that much about."
Two names come up frequently whenever wine in Nova Scotia is the topic: Gerry McConnell and Pete Luckett. Both have grapes under cultivation in the Gaspereau Valley and McConnell’s Benjamin Bridge winery, scheduled to open within two years, is expected to set a new standard. Wood thinks winery owners with passion and deep pockets are the key to the industry moving forward.
"When Grand Pre Wines was bought by Hanspeter Stutz, that was a tremendous boost to the industry because the Stutzs have put a lot of money into it, made it a showpiece, raised the bar. The difference between Hanspeter and all the people who had been in it before was Hanspeter had the financial resources to really make a difference," Wood said.
"In Gerry McConnell’s case, he’s been successful in other walks of life and he’s coming at it in a similar way. He also has a Nova Scotia background and his familiarity with the local scene has enabled him to (acquire) a fantastic vineyard in the Gaspereau. He has the resources to go out and find the necessary expertise … and he’s using it effectively."
As for Luckett, Wood said just having the name of one of the province’s best-known businessmen associated with Nova Scotia wine can only be positive.
"We all know that Pete is one of the greatest merchandisers we’ve seen," said Wood. "He’s just a delight to be around, in addition to doing what he does very, very well and I’m sure he’ll be the same in this area. He’s had that property and has actually been farming in the area for some time, and the fact that he wants to do this could be fabulous for the industry."
Wood had high hopes for wine in Nova Scotia for years, before becoming completely confident about the industry’s future in 2000, when the ripening season was, in his words, very marginal. "I thought we were going to have a setback here but the wines were good, especially the whites. The difference was (the wineries) had learned a lot about vineyard management and winemaking. They were using better techniques; skills had increased," he said.
"This is not a big wine country by any means and it’s never going to be a challenger to the biggies, because we just don’t have that much arable land or the population base to support it. We’re always going to be the quality end of the industry, certainly as far as to what our reputation internationally will be all about."
( bspurr@herald.ca)
‘We’re training young sommeliers . . . now the young chefs don’t have these prejudices. They’re proud of what we do, they’re working together to develop Nova Scotia wine and cuisine.’
http://www.herald.ns.ca/Living/532941.html
and was written by
Sean Wood’s new book celebrates province’s thriving wineries
By BILL SPURR Features Writer
WHEN HE MEETS someone who doubts that Nova Scotia produces excellent wine, Sean Wood tells them to remember Richard Nixon.
Wood, The Chronicle-Herald’s longtime wine columnist and the author of the new book Wineries and Wine Country of Nova Scotia, enjoys the anecdote about how, while U.S. president, Nixon ordered that all American embassies would from then on serve U.S. wine, to the horror of the diplomatic corps.
"I’m old enough to remember when the Americans referred to any wine made in the States as ‘domestic’ wine," Wood said. "And the way it was said made it clear that they thought it was inferior to real wine, which meant European … but today does anybody doubt that Napa is one of the great wine regions of the world?"
Today, despite shelves full of international awards, Nova Scotia winemakers still have to contend with the narrow attitudes of some people who believe that if it comes from here, it can’t be as good as the wine from somewhere else.
"I think it’s age-old prejudice, a sense that the stuff is inferior and to be fair, initially, with the exception of true Nova Scotia-grown grapes, a lot of it wasn’t very good. Niagara had to overcome this hurdle, the Okanagan had to overcome this hurdle," Wood said, adding that the constant efforts of those in the province’s wine industry, and some in the food industry, are changing attitudes every day.
"We’re training young sommeliers, and I’m increasingly involved in that; now the young chefs don’t have these prejudices. They’re proud of what we do, they’re working together to develop Nova Scotia wine and cuisine."
Just a couple of decades ago, the only thing more unlikely sounding than a Nova Scotia wine industry might have been a book on the subject. Wood has been a fixture at virtually every wine-related event in the province for years, but he still learned things while researching his book.
"The fact that, for example, Bruce Ewart, who used to be a winemaker out in the Okanagan Valley, had settled in the Gaspereau Valley and, like another guy in the Gaspereau, Gerry McConnell, is planning on making sparkling wine," the author said. "Bruce actually has a reputation as a sparkling winemaker out West so with two people going at it, the notion that we will be making good champagne-style wine is beginning to look realistic. That’s one of the exciting possibilities that I hadn’t really thought that much about."
Two names come up frequently whenever wine in Nova Scotia is the topic: Gerry McConnell and Pete Luckett. Both have grapes under cultivation in the Gaspereau Valley and McConnell’s Benjamin Bridge winery, scheduled to open within two years, is expected to set a new standard. Wood thinks winery owners with passion and deep pockets are the key to the industry moving forward.
"When Grand Pre Wines was bought by Hanspeter Stutz, that was a tremendous boost to the industry because the Stutzs have put a lot of money into it, made it a showpiece, raised the bar. The difference between Hanspeter and all the people who had been in it before was Hanspeter had the financial resources to really make a difference," Wood said.
"In Gerry McConnell’s case, he’s been successful in other walks of life and he’s coming at it in a similar way. He also has a Nova Scotia background and his familiarity with the local scene has enabled him to (acquire) a fantastic vineyard in the Gaspereau. He has the resources to go out and find the necessary expertise … and he’s using it effectively."
As for Luckett, Wood said just having the name of one of the province’s best-known businessmen associated with Nova Scotia wine can only be positive.
"We all know that Pete is one of the greatest merchandisers we’ve seen," said Wood. "He’s just a delight to be around, in addition to doing what he does very, very well and I’m sure he’ll be the same in this area. He’s had that property and has actually been farming in the area for some time, and the fact that he wants to do this could be fabulous for the industry."
Wood had high hopes for wine in Nova Scotia for years, before becoming completely confident about the industry’s future in 2000, when the ripening season was, in his words, very marginal. "I thought we were going to have a setback here but the wines were good, especially the whites. The difference was (the wineries) had learned a lot about vineyard management and winemaking. They were using better techniques; skills had increased," he said.
"This is not a big wine country by any means and it’s never going to be a challenger to the biggies, because we just don’t have that much arable land or the population base to support it. We’re always going to be the quality end of the industry, certainly as far as to what our reputation internationally will be all about."
( bspurr@herald.ca)
‘We’re training young sommeliers . . . now the young chefs don’t have these prejudices. They’re proud of what we do, they’re working together to develop Nova Scotia wine and cuisine.’
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Fairmont Offers Up 10 Valuable Green Travel Tips
Fairmont Says it's Easy Being Green on the Road
As a leader in environmental stewardship for over a decade, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts (www.fairmont.com/environment) knows that when it comes to the earth's balance sheet, less is usually more and being green is generally easier to do at home than on the road. With that, Michelle White, Fairmont's Corporate Manager of Environmental Affairs, offers up 10 valuable green travel tips making it easy to balance environmental concerns with travel and workday realities.
1. Make How you Travel as Important as Why you Travel
When determining your mode of transportation, always consider the distance. Often it makes sense to use mass transit as opposed to private vehicles, but if cars are on your agenda, try renting a hybrid. In Washington D.C., California and other states, look for EV Rentals, which has an entire fleet of hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius and Ford Escape. Guests staying at The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa can book the 'Luxury of Green' package that pairs accommodation with a hybrid vehicle rental. And many hotels such as The Fairmont San Jose offer free parking to overnight guests with hybrids.
2. Before you Board, Consider the Impact
An average American who takes one or two trips abroad, emits 19,841 pounds of carbon a year. If everyone in the world emitted this much carbon, we would need 2 1/2 planets to support us all. (Source: Guardian Unlimited February 8, 2001). To mitigate the effects, consider carbon offsets, which can be purchased from organizations such as Sustainable Travel International's My Climate(TM) Program (www.sustainabletravel.com).
3. Stay Green
Choose accommodations known for their environmental policies and programs - these facilities strive to reduce the consumption of resources through such initiatives as recycling, energy efficient lighting and water saving devices in guest bathrooms. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts implemented the Green Partnership program in 1990 to minimize the operating impacts of their hotels on the planet and today the program can be seen throughout the international portfolio from Hawaii to Dubai.
4. Shop with your Head
When on the road, seek out local food and crafts. Be careful with your souvenir selections and never by those made from endangered plants or animals. Use reusable bags or totes and take only as many brochures and maps as you really need for your sightseeing jaunts.
5. Have a Whale of a Time
Be sure to incorporate eco activities into your next vacation. Many properties feature special programs that make it a breeze to be a friend to the earth while having fun. Kids at Quebec's Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello receive an age-customized activity kit created in partnership with Environment Canada's Biosphere. Look for packages that provide access to attractions, such as zoos, aquariums and walking tours - they support the efforts of local organizations and are a great value for guests.
6. Eat Local
Patronize local restaurants. Order regional wines and beers. Choose seasonal specials instead of 'flown in fresh daily'. It's amazing to think that the average meal travels approximately 1500 miles before it reaches your table! Did you know that there are nine Fairmont properties that boast on site herb gardens? At The Fairmont Royal York, home to an 18th floor high-rise herbarium, organically grown lemon balm, edible pansies, and red basil are just a few of the many herbs growing in the 'four poster beds' custom built to fill fresh herb needs in the hotel's three kitchens. And many other Fairmont restaurants offer 'farm-to-fork' menu items, featuring local purveyors and farmers.
7. Green your Meeting
Green meetings are becoming increasingly common planners can easily incorporate simple tactics to make functions more eco-friendly. Fairmont has designed Eco-Meet, a green meeting and conference planning option featuring disposable-free service, Eco Adventure activities, themed meeting breaks and Sustainable Gourmet menus including organic wines such as California's Bonterra Vineyards.
8. Little Things Mean A Lot
When traveling, consider resource consumption the same way you would at home. Turn off lights before you leave the room, use air conditioning wisely, and ask yourself if you really do need sheets and towels changed everyday.
9. Think about it from the Cellular Level
Given their ever-shrinking size, you might not consider your cell phone a waste stream problem. But with an average cell ownership lifespan of just 18 months (upgrades for the latest model have skyrocketed with plan switches and trendy photo phones), the millions of cells in use worldwide, and the fact that they contain plastic, lead, nickel, cadmium and fire retardants, we really are talking trash. Commit to making a good call - buy the phone that you need, own it as long as possible and consider donating it to charity afterwards.
10. Recognize Green Efforts
Provide feedback to the businesses that you think are doing great work! Applaud their efforts by passing along compliments to owners, managers and staff. And don't be afraid to provide suggestions! Guest comments are a great way to streamline operational programs.
As a leader in environmental stewardship for over a decade, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts (www.fairmont.com/environment) knows that when it comes to the earth's balance sheet, less is usually more and being green is generally easier to do at home than on the road. With that, Michelle White, Fairmont's Corporate Manager of Environmental Affairs, offers up 10 valuable green travel tips making it easy to balance environmental concerns with travel and workday realities.
1. Make How you Travel as Important as Why you Travel
When determining your mode of transportation, always consider the distance. Often it makes sense to use mass transit as opposed to private vehicles, but if cars are on your agenda, try renting a hybrid. In Washington D.C., California and other states, look for EV Rentals, which has an entire fleet of hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius and Ford Escape. Guests staying at The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa can book the 'Luxury of Green' package that pairs accommodation with a hybrid vehicle rental. And many hotels such as The Fairmont San Jose offer free parking to overnight guests with hybrids.
2. Before you Board, Consider the Impact
An average American who takes one or two trips abroad, emits 19,841 pounds of carbon a year. If everyone in the world emitted this much carbon, we would need 2 1/2 planets to support us all. (Source: Guardian Unlimited February 8, 2001). To mitigate the effects, consider carbon offsets, which can be purchased from organizations such as Sustainable Travel International's My Climate(TM) Program (www.sustainabletravel.com).
3. Stay Green
Choose accommodations known for their environmental policies and programs - these facilities strive to reduce the consumption of resources through such initiatives as recycling, energy efficient lighting and water saving devices in guest bathrooms. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts implemented the Green Partnership program in 1990 to minimize the operating impacts of their hotels on the planet and today the program can be seen throughout the international portfolio from Hawaii to Dubai.
4. Shop with your Head
When on the road, seek out local food and crafts. Be careful with your souvenir selections and never by those made from endangered plants or animals. Use reusable bags or totes and take only as many brochures and maps as you really need for your sightseeing jaunts.
5. Have a Whale of a Time
Be sure to incorporate eco activities into your next vacation. Many properties feature special programs that make it a breeze to be a friend to the earth while having fun. Kids at Quebec's Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello receive an age-customized activity kit created in partnership with Environment Canada's Biosphere. Look for packages that provide access to attractions, such as zoos, aquariums and walking tours - they support the efforts of local organizations and are a great value for guests.
6. Eat Local
Patronize local restaurants. Order regional wines and beers. Choose seasonal specials instead of 'flown in fresh daily'. It's amazing to think that the average meal travels approximately 1500 miles before it reaches your table! Did you know that there are nine Fairmont properties that boast on site herb gardens? At The Fairmont Royal York, home to an 18th floor high-rise herbarium, organically grown lemon balm, edible pansies, and red basil are just a few of the many herbs growing in the 'four poster beds' custom built to fill fresh herb needs in the hotel's three kitchens. And many other Fairmont restaurants offer 'farm-to-fork' menu items, featuring local purveyors and farmers.
7. Green your Meeting
Green meetings are becoming increasingly common planners can easily incorporate simple tactics to make functions more eco-friendly. Fairmont has designed Eco-Meet, a green meeting and conference planning option featuring disposable-free service, Eco Adventure activities, themed meeting breaks and Sustainable Gourmet menus including organic wines such as California's Bonterra Vineyards.
8. Little Things Mean A Lot
When traveling, consider resource consumption the same way you would at home. Turn off lights before you leave the room, use air conditioning wisely, and ask yourself if you really do need sheets and towels changed everyday.
9. Think about it from the Cellular Level
Given their ever-shrinking size, you might not consider your cell phone a waste stream problem. But with an average cell ownership lifespan of just 18 months (upgrades for the latest model have skyrocketed with plan switches and trendy photo phones), the millions of cells in use worldwide, and the fact that they contain plastic, lead, nickel, cadmium and fire retardants, we really are talking trash. Commit to making a good call - buy the phone that you need, own it as long as possible and consider donating it to charity afterwards.
10. Recognize Green Efforts
Provide feedback to the businesses that you think are doing great work! Applaud their efforts by passing along compliments to owners, managers and staff. And don't be afraid to provide suggestions! Guest comments are a great way to streamline operational programs.
Fairmont Offers Up 10 Valuable Green Travel Tips
Fairmont Says it's Easy Being Green on the Road
As a leader in environmental stewardship for over a decade, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts (www.fairmont.com/environment) knows that when it comes to the earth's balance sheet, less is usually more and being green is generally easier to do at home than on the road. With that, Michelle White, Fairmont's Corporate Manager of Environmental Affairs, offers up 10 valuable green travel tips making it easy to balance environmental concerns with travel and workday realities.
1. Make How you Travel as Important as Why you Travel
When determining your mode of transportation, always consider the distance. Often it makes sense to use mass transit as opposed to private vehicles, but if cars are on your agenda, try renting a hybrid. In Washington D.C., California and other states, look for EV Rentals, which has an entire fleet of hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius and Ford Escape. Guests staying at The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa can book the 'Luxury of Green' package that pairs accommodation with a hybrid vehicle rental. And many hotels such as The Fairmont San Jose offer free parking to overnight guests with hybrids.
2. Before you Board, Consider the Impact
An average American who takes one or two trips abroad, emits 19,841 pounds of carbon a year. If everyone in the world emitted this much carbon, we would need 2 1/2 planets to support us all. (Source: Guardian Unlimited February 8, 2001). To mitigate the effects, consider carbon offsets, which can be purchased from organizations such as Sustainable Travel International's My Climate(TM) Program (www.sustainabletravel.com).
3. Stay Green
Choose accommodations known for their environmental policies and programs - these facilities strive to reduce the consumption of resources through such initiatives as recycling, energy efficient lighting and water saving devices in guest bathrooms. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts implemented the Green Partnership program in 1990 to minimize the operating impacts of their hotels on the planet and today the program can be seen throughout the international portfolio from Hawaii to Dubai.
4. Shop with your Head
When on the road, seek out local food and crafts. Be careful with your souvenir selections and never by those made from endangered plants or animals. Use reusable bags or totes and take only as many brochures and maps as you really need for your sightseeing jaunts.
5. Have a Whale of a Time
Be sure to incorporate eco activities into your next vacation. Many properties feature special programs that make it a breeze to be a friend to the earth while having fun. Kids at Quebec's Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello receive an age-customized activity kit created in partnership with Environment Canada's Biosphere. Look for packages that provide access to attractions, such as zoos, aquariums and walking tours - they support the efforts of local organizations and are a great value for guests.
6. Eat Local
Patronize local restaurants. Order regional wines and beers. Choose seasonal specials instead of 'flown in fresh daily'. It's amazing to think that the average meal travels approximately 1500 miles before it reaches your table! Did you know that there are nine Fairmont properties that boast on site herb gardens? At The Fairmont Royal York, home to an 18th floor high-rise herbarium, organically grown lemon balm, edible pansies, and red basil are just a few of the many herbs growing in the 'four poster beds' custom built to fill fresh herb needs in the hotel's three kitchens. And many other Fairmont restaurants offer 'farm-to-fork' menu items, featuring local purveyors and farmers.
7. Green your Meeting
Green meetings are becoming increasingly common planners can easily incorporate simple tactics to make functions more eco-friendly. Fairmont has designed Eco-Meet, a green meeting and conference planning option featuring disposable-free service, Eco Adventure activities, themed meeting breaks and Sustainable Gourmet menus including organic wines such as California's Bonterra Vineyards.
8. Little Things Mean A Lot
When traveling, consider resource consumption the same way you would at home. Turn off lights before you leave the room, use air conditioning wisely, and ask yourself if you really do need sheets and towels changed everyday.
9. Think about it from the Cellular Level
Given their ever-shrinking size, you might not consider your cell phone a waste stream problem. But with an average cell ownership lifespan of just 18 months (upgrades for the latest model have skyrocketed with plan switches and trendy photo phones), the millions of cells in use worldwide, and the fact that they contain plastic, lead, nickel, cadmium and fire retardants, we really are talking trash. Commit to making a good call - buy the phone that you need, own it as long as possible and consider donating it to charity afterwards.
10. Recognize Green Efforts
Provide feedback to the businesses that you think are doing great work! Applaud their efforts by passing along compliments to owners, managers and staff. And don't be afraid to provide suggestions! Guest comments are a great way to streamline operational programs.
As a leader in environmental stewardship for over a decade, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts (www.fairmont.com/environment) knows that when it comes to the earth's balance sheet, less is usually more and being green is generally easier to do at home than on the road. With that, Michelle White, Fairmont's Corporate Manager of Environmental Affairs, offers up 10 valuable green travel tips making it easy to balance environmental concerns with travel and workday realities.
1. Make How you Travel as Important as Why you Travel
When determining your mode of transportation, always consider the distance. Often it makes sense to use mass transit as opposed to private vehicles, but if cars are on your agenda, try renting a hybrid. In Washington D.C., California and other states, look for EV Rentals, which has an entire fleet of hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius and Ford Escape. Guests staying at The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa can book the 'Luxury of Green' package that pairs accommodation with a hybrid vehicle rental. And many hotels such as The Fairmont San Jose offer free parking to overnight guests with hybrids.
2. Before you Board, Consider the Impact
An average American who takes one or two trips abroad, emits 19,841 pounds of carbon a year. If everyone in the world emitted this much carbon, we would need 2 1/2 planets to support us all. (Source: Guardian Unlimited February 8, 2001). To mitigate the effects, consider carbon offsets, which can be purchased from organizations such as Sustainable Travel International's My Climate(TM) Program (www.sustainabletravel.com).
3. Stay Green
Choose accommodations known for their environmental policies and programs - these facilities strive to reduce the consumption of resources through such initiatives as recycling, energy efficient lighting and water saving devices in guest bathrooms. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts implemented the Green Partnership program in 1990 to minimize the operating impacts of their hotels on the planet and today the program can be seen throughout the international portfolio from Hawaii to Dubai.
4. Shop with your Head
When on the road, seek out local food and crafts. Be careful with your souvenir selections and never by those made from endangered plants or animals. Use reusable bags or totes and take only as many brochures and maps as you really need for your sightseeing jaunts.
5. Have a Whale of a Time
Be sure to incorporate eco activities into your next vacation. Many properties feature special programs that make it a breeze to be a friend to the earth while having fun. Kids at Quebec's Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello receive an age-customized activity kit created in partnership with Environment Canada's Biosphere. Look for packages that provide access to attractions, such as zoos, aquariums and walking tours - they support the efforts of local organizations and are a great value for guests.
6. Eat Local
Patronize local restaurants. Order regional wines and beers. Choose seasonal specials instead of 'flown in fresh daily'. It's amazing to think that the average meal travels approximately 1500 miles before it reaches your table! Did you know that there are nine Fairmont properties that boast on site herb gardens? At The Fairmont Royal York, home to an 18th floor high-rise herbarium, organically grown lemon balm, edible pansies, and red basil are just a few of the many herbs growing in the 'four poster beds' custom built to fill fresh herb needs in the hotel's three kitchens. And many other Fairmont restaurants offer 'farm-to-fork' menu items, featuring local purveyors and farmers.
7. Green your Meeting
Green meetings are becoming increasingly common planners can easily incorporate simple tactics to make functions more eco-friendly. Fairmont has designed Eco-Meet, a green meeting and conference planning option featuring disposable-free service, Eco Adventure activities, themed meeting breaks and Sustainable Gourmet menus including organic wines such as California's Bonterra Vineyards.
8. Little Things Mean A Lot
When traveling, consider resource consumption the same way you would at home. Turn off lights before you leave the room, use air conditioning wisely, and ask yourself if you really do need sheets and towels changed everyday.
9. Think about it from the Cellular Level
Given their ever-shrinking size, you might not consider your cell phone a waste stream problem. But with an average cell ownership lifespan of just 18 months (upgrades for the latest model have skyrocketed with plan switches and trendy photo phones), the millions of cells in use worldwide, and the fact that they contain plastic, lead, nickel, cadmium and fire retardants, we really are talking trash. Commit to making a good call - buy the phone that you need, own it as long as possible and consider donating it to charity afterwards.
10. Recognize Green Efforts
Provide feedback to the businesses that you think are doing great work! Applaud their efforts by passing along compliments to owners, managers and staff. And don't be afraid to provide suggestions! Guest comments are a great way to streamline operational programs.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
The Pursuit of Luck
This article from this Months "Tom Peters Newsletter" You can sign up to recieve your own copy at http://www.tompeters.com/ . We are always impressed by this management guru's, out of the box, common-sense approach to change management and sucess. We encourage you to visit his site and sign up for the newsletter
Innovation is a low-odds business—and luck sure helps. (It’s jolly well helped me!) If you believe that success does owe a lot to luck, and that luck in turn owes a lot to getting in the way of unexpected opportunities, you need not throw up your hands in despair. There are strategies you can pursue to get a little nuttiness into your life, and perhaps, then, egg on good luck. (By contrast, if you believe that orderly plans and getting up an hour earlier are the answer, then by all means arise before the rooster and start planning.)
Want to get lucky? Try following these 50 (!) strategies:
1. At-bats. More times at the plate, more hits.
2. Try it. Cut the baloney and get on with something.
3. Ready. Fire. Aim. (Instead of Ready. Aim. Aim. Aim. ...)
4. “If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly.”—G.K. Chesterton. You’ve gotta start somewhere.
5. Read odd stuff. Look anywhere for ideas.
6. Visit odd places. Want to “see” speed? Visit CNN.
7. Make odd friends.
8. Hire odd people. Boring folks, boring ideas.
9. Cultivate odd hobbies. Raise orchids. Race yaks.
10. Work with odd partners.
11. Ask dumb questions. “How come computer commands all come from keyboards?”
Somebody asked that one first; hence, the mouse.
12. Empower. The more folks feel they’re running their own show, the more at-bats, etc.
13. Train without limits. Pick up the tab for training unrelated to work—keep everyone engaged, period.
14. Don’t back away from passion. “Dispassionate innovator” is an oxymoron.
15. Pursue failure. Failure is success’s only launching pad. (The bigger the goof, the better!)
16. Take anti-NIH pills. Don’t let “not invented here” keep you from ripping off nifty ideas.
17. Constantly reorganize. Mix, match, try different combinations to shake things up.
18. Listen to everyone. Ideas come from anywhere.
19. Don’t listen to anyone. Trust your inner ear.
20. Get fired. If you’re not pushing hard enough to get fired, you’re not pushing hard enough. (More than once is okay.)
21. Nurture intuition. If you can find an interesting market idea that came from a rational plan, I’ll eat all my hats. (I have quite a collection.)
22. Don’t hang out with “all the rest.” Forget the same tired trade association meetings, talking with the same tired people about the same tired things.
23. Decentralize. At-bats are proportional to the amount of decentralization.
24. Decentralize again.
25. Smash all functional barriers. Unfettered contact among people from different disciplines is magic.
26. Destroy hierarchies.
27. Open the books. Make everyone a “businessperson,” with access to all the financials.
28. Start an information deluge. The more real-time, unedited information people close to the action have, the more that “neat stuff” happens.
29. Take sabbaticals.
30. “Repot” yourself every 10 years. (This was the advice of former Stanford Business School dean Arjay Miller—meaning change careers each decade.)
31. Spend 50 percent of your time with “outsiders.” Distributors and vendors will give you more ideas in five minutes than another five-hour committee meeting.
32. Spend 50 percent of your “outsider” time with wacko outsiders.
33. Pursue alternative rhythms. Spend a year on a farm, six months working in a factory or burger shop.
34. Spread confusion in your wake. Keep people off balance, don’t let the ruts get deeper than they already are.
35. Disorganize. Bureaucracy takes care of itself. The boss should be “chief dis-organizer,” Quad/Graphics CEO Harry Quadracci told us.
36. “Dis-equilibrate ... Create instability, even chaos.” Good advice to “real leaders” from Professor Warren Bennis.
37. Stir curiosity. Igniting youthful, dormant curiosity in followers is the lead dog’s top task, according to Sony chairman Akio Morita.
38. Start a Corporate Traitors’ Hall of Fame. “Renegades” are not enough. You need people who despise what you stand for.
39. Give out “Culture Scud Awards.” Your best friend is the person who attacks your corporate culture head-on. Wish her well.
40. Vary your pattern. Eat a different breakfast cereal. Take a different route to work.
41. Take off your coat.
42. Take off your tie.
43. Roll up your sleeves.
44. Take off your shoes.
45. Get out of your office. Tell me, honestly, the last time something inspiring or clever happened at that big table in your office?!
46. Get rid of your office.
47. Spend a workday each week at home.
48. Nurture peripheral vision. The interesting “stuff” usually is going on beyond the margins of the professional’s ever-narrowing line of sight.
49. Don’t “help.” Let the people who work for you slip, trip, fall—and grow and learn on their own.
50. Avoid moderation in all things. “Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess,”
according to Edwin Land, Polaroid’s founder.
Now write down the opposite of each of the 50. Which set comes closer to your profile?*
In short, loosen up!
* This list was stimulated by a friend who attended a several-day seminar I conducted in early 1991. The group, I thought, was vigorous. Her comment on the last day: “Are all those people dead?” It shook me and got me wondering about the narrowness of my own vision.
This article was selected from Tom Peters book: Liberation Management, pages 612–614
Innovation is a low-odds business—and luck sure helps. (It’s jolly well helped me!) If you believe that success does owe a lot to luck, and that luck in turn owes a lot to getting in the way of unexpected opportunities, you need not throw up your hands in despair. There are strategies you can pursue to get a little nuttiness into your life, and perhaps, then, egg on good luck. (By contrast, if you believe that orderly plans and getting up an hour earlier are the answer, then by all means arise before the rooster and start planning.)
Want to get lucky? Try following these 50 (!) strategies:
1. At-bats. More times at the plate, more hits.
2. Try it. Cut the baloney and get on with something.
3. Ready. Fire. Aim. (Instead of Ready. Aim. Aim. Aim. ...)
4. “If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly.”—G.K. Chesterton. You’ve gotta start somewhere.
5. Read odd stuff. Look anywhere for ideas.
6. Visit odd places. Want to “see” speed? Visit CNN.
7. Make odd friends.
8. Hire odd people. Boring folks, boring ideas.
9. Cultivate odd hobbies. Raise orchids. Race yaks.
10. Work with odd partners.
11. Ask dumb questions. “How come computer commands all come from keyboards?”
Somebody asked that one first; hence, the mouse.
12. Empower. The more folks feel they’re running their own show, the more at-bats, etc.
13. Train without limits. Pick up the tab for training unrelated to work—keep everyone engaged, period.
14. Don’t back away from passion. “Dispassionate innovator” is an oxymoron.
15. Pursue failure. Failure is success’s only launching pad. (The bigger the goof, the better!)
16. Take anti-NIH pills. Don’t let “not invented here” keep you from ripping off nifty ideas.
17. Constantly reorganize. Mix, match, try different combinations to shake things up.
18. Listen to everyone. Ideas come from anywhere.
19. Don’t listen to anyone. Trust your inner ear.
20. Get fired. If you’re not pushing hard enough to get fired, you’re not pushing hard enough. (More than once is okay.)
21. Nurture intuition. If you can find an interesting market idea that came from a rational plan, I’ll eat all my hats. (I have quite a collection.)
22. Don’t hang out with “all the rest.” Forget the same tired trade association meetings, talking with the same tired people about the same tired things.
23. Decentralize. At-bats are proportional to the amount of decentralization.
24. Decentralize again.
25. Smash all functional barriers. Unfettered contact among people from different disciplines is magic.
26. Destroy hierarchies.
27. Open the books. Make everyone a “businessperson,” with access to all the financials.
28. Start an information deluge. The more real-time, unedited information people close to the action have, the more that “neat stuff” happens.
29. Take sabbaticals.
30. “Repot” yourself every 10 years. (This was the advice of former Stanford Business School dean Arjay Miller—meaning change careers each decade.)
31. Spend 50 percent of your time with “outsiders.” Distributors and vendors will give you more ideas in five minutes than another five-hour committee meeting.
32. Spend 50 percent of your “outsider” time with wacko outsiders.
33. Pursue alternative rhythms. Spend a year on a farm, six months working in a factory or burger shop.
34. Spread confusion in your wake. Keep people off balance, don’t let the ruts get deeper than they already are.
35. Disorganize. Bureaucracy takes care of itself. The boss should be “chief dis-organizer,” Quad/Graphics CEO Harry Quadracci told us.
36. “Dis-equilibrate ... Create instability, even chaos.” Good advice to “real leaders” from Professor Warren Bennis.
37. Stir curiosity. Igniting youthful, dormant curiosity in followers is the lead dog’s top task, according to Sony chairman Akio Morita.
38. Start a Corporate Traitors’ Hall of Fame. “Renegades” are not enough. You need people who despise what you stand for.
39. Give out “Culture Scud Awards.” Your best friend is the person who attacks your corporate culture head-on. Wish her well.
40. Vary your pattern. Eat a different breakfast cereal. Take a different route to work.
41. Take off your coat.
42. Take off your tie.
43. Roll up your sleeves.
44. Take off your shoes.
45. Get out of your office. Tell me, honestly, the last time something inspiring or clever happened at that big table in your office?!
46. Get rid of your office.
47. Spend a workday each week at home.
48. Nurture peripheral vision. The interesting “stuff” usually is going on beyond the margins of the professional’s ever-narrowing line of sight.
49. Don’t “help.” Let the people who work for you slip, trip, fall—and grow and learn on their own.
50. Avoid moderation in all things. “Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess,”
according to Edwin Land, Polaroid’s founder.
Now write down the opposite of each of the 50. Which set comes closer to your profile?*
In short, loosen up!
* This list was stimulated by a friend who attended a several-day seminar I conducted in early 1991. The group, I thought, was vigorous. Her comment on the last day: “Are all those people dead?” It shook me and got me wondering about the narrowness of my own vision.
This article was selected from Tom Peters book: Liberation Management, pages 612–614
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Don't Expect Any Kudos for Doing Your Job
Copyright 2002 - Liz Weber of Weber Business Services, LLC. Liz speaks, consults, and trains on Leadership Development, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change.
Additional FREE articles can be found at http://www.wbsllc.com/leadership.shtml
Liz can be reached at mailto:liz@liz-weber.com
Do you provide a good product or service to your customers? Do you ship orders on time? Are your employees well-trained and professional with each other and with your customers? Do you address customer problems as soon as they arise?
If you do all of these things - good. That's your job.
Your customers come to you and pay for your products with the expectation that you will provide a good product at a fair price, deliver it on time, and treat them with respect. They don't anticipate that they'll be over-charged, for an inadequate product that is shipped late, by a rude employee. When they do experience this latter scenario, is it any wonder your customers get upset?
When you review your customer complaints and satisfaction histories, really look at the data from the customers' perspectives. Put yourself in their place. When you eat dinner at a very nice restaurant, you expect to pay a bit more for the food, atmosphere, and for the professionalism of the staff. If all of those expectations are met, you're typically satisfied with your experience. However, if your food was not prepared to your liking and your waiter was rude, you're rightly disappointed. Now, what happens when your entrée is delicious, the atmosphere relaxing, and the waiter - a true professional - offers you a complimentary dessert because he believes your food took a bit too long to prepare? You're surprised and pleased that he is offering you something more than what you expected. Now you're not only satisfied with the restaurant, you're pleased and impressed. You received an additional value.
It's not enough to just do your job. It's not enough to just provide your products and services in a professional manner. Your customers expect that, so you can't expect any kudos from them if you simply do what's expected. However, you will deserve and you will start to receive compliments from customers, when you start doing more than just your job. Start looking at your services from your customer's perspective and identify: "What little thing can we do or offer them that will add value to their experience with us?" Think of things that are inexpensive and not time-consuming - just nice thoughtful acts of professionalism.
Once you start doing the little things, you'll start hearing the kudos you deserve.
Additional FREE articles can be found at http://www.wbsllc.com/leadership.shtml
Liz can be reached at mailto:liz@liz-weber.com
Do you provide a good product or service to your customers? Do you ship orders on time? Are your employees well-trained and professional with each other and with your customers? Do you address customer problems as soon as they arise?
If you do all of these things - good. That's your job.
Your customers come to you and pay for your products with the expectation that you will provide a good product at a fair price, deliver it on time, and treat them with respect. They don't anticipate that they'll be over-charged, for an inadequate product that is shipped late, by a rude employee. When they do experience this latter scenario, is it any wonder your customers get upset?
When you review your customer complaints and satisfaction histories, really look at the data from the customers' perspectives. Put yourself in their place. When you eat dinner at a very nice restaurant, you expect to pay a bit more for the food, atmosphere, and for the professionalism of the staff. If all of those expectations are met, you're typically satisfied with your experience. However, if your food was not prepared to your liking and your waiter was rude, you're rightly disappointed. Now, what happens when your entrée is delicious, the atmosphere relaxing, and the waiter - a true professional - offers you a complimentary dessert because he believes your food took a bit too long to prepare? You're surprised and pleased that he is offering you something more than what you expected. Now you're not only satisfied with the restaurant, you're pleased and impressed. You received an additional value.
It's not enough to just do your job. It's not enough to just provide your products and services in a professional manner. Your customers expect that, so you can't expect any kudos from them if you simply do what's expected. However, you will deserve and you will start to receive compliments from customers, when you start doing more than just your job. Start looking at your services from your customer's perspective and identify: "What little thing can we do or offer them that will add value to their experience with us?" Think of things that are inexpensive and not time-consuming - just nice thoughtful acts of professionalism.
Once you start doing the little things, you'll start hearing the kudos you deserve.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Co-op Ends
Classes Starting Soon!
Coop ends on Monday October 9th and classes start at 8:30 on Wednesday October 11th in B210 at 8:30 am. Here follows your day one schedule. Please note that on Tuesday October 11th Faculty are not on Campus and no classes are scheduled .However you are welcome to come in and purchase books from the book store etc…
Coop Presentations
See the attached list for your work groups and presentation times. This list may change yet but is probably a pretty good bet for now. All presentations will be held in room B210. This room is equipped with overhead, LCD and computer. To use the computer you must either e-mail the presentation to me at (marc.simard@nscc.ca) or bring a CD or memory stick with the presentation on it.
Hours Reporting
Submit a copy of your ROE and/or final cheque as documentation of the number of hours you worked at your co-op facility. This should be submitted with your co-op written project
The Project
Your written project is due on Monday October 16th. Please submit to Mr. Ribeiro or Mr. Simard in their first period classes
1. There are six main sections providing information in a formal report:
(a) Executive Summary- a synopsis of the purpose, main findings and
outcome.
Keep this as short as possible.
(b) Introduction- Background to the situation, including a history of the property and who the owners are. Also include the purpose and scope of the work term.
(c) Main Body- Identify a problem in the organization, define the
problem, outline information, suggest alternative ways to correct the
problem and choose the best solution to the problem, giving a
rationale for your choice.
(d) Conclusion- This section will contain personal observations about your work-term. Evaluate and explain in detail the relevancy of your co-operative education to your College education and current career objectives. Examine how this experience has affected your attitudes toward yourself, toward others and what strengths and weaknesses you have discovered in yourself. Explain some of the things that you have learned about people, their attitudes toward work, and how you relate to co-workers and supervisors.
(e) Appendix – This includes answers to all the questions as outlined in the training goals section of the hand-out.
Grading of the Oral Work Term Verbal Report
The oral presentation will be scheduled upon your return to the campus. The presentation should be a minimum of 20 minutes in length. Visual aids (posters, photos, videos or overheads) may be used for enhancement. The evaluation of the talk will be based on your communication skills, personal attributes, and content. We request that students attempt to bring back a public relations photo of their property so we may post them for all students to see.
Where more than one student is working at a property a team presentation is encouraged on the following schedule
1 Student 20 Minutes
2 Students 20 Minutes
3 Students 30 minutes
Guideline(s)
• If a video is used it should be no longer than 8 minutes
• Overview of property Could be part of video
• Outline the details of the Operation (Rooms, F & B etc…) Could be part of the video
• Outline of Job (description ) No more than 2 minutes
• Critical events
• SWOT analysis
• Key issue and your solution
z
To get more information on teams and presentation times please check your e-mail
Coop ends on Monday October 9th and classes start at 8:30 on Wednesday October 11th in B210 at 8:30 am. Here follows your day one schedule. Please note that on Tuesday October 11th Faculty are not on Campus and no classes are scheduled .However you are welcome to come in and purchase books from the book store etc…
Coop Presentations
See the attached list for your work groups and presentation times. This list may change yet but is probably a pretty good bet for now. All presentations will be held in room B210. This room is equipped with overhead, LCD and computer. To use the computer you must either e-mail the presentation to me at (marc.simard@nscc.ca) or bring a CD or memory stick with the presentation on it.
Hours Reporting
Submit a copy of your ROE and/or final cheque as documentation of the number of hours you worked at your co-op facility. This should be submitted with your co-op written project
The Project
Your written project is due on Monday October 16th. Please submit to Mr. Ribeiro or Mr. Simard in their first period classes
1. There are six main sections providing information in a formal report:
(a) Executive Summary- a synopsis of the purpose, main findings and
outcome.
Keep this as short as possible.
(b) Introduction- Background to the situation, including a history of the property and who the owners are. Also include the purpose and scope of the work term.
(c) Main Body- Identify a problem in the organization, define the
problem, outline information, suggest alternative ways to correct the
problem and choose the best solution to the problem, giving a
rationale for your choice.
(d) Conclusion- This section will contain personal observations about your work-term. Evaluate and explain in detail the relevancy of your co-operative education to your College education and current career objectives. Examine how this experience has affected your attitudes toward yourself, toward others and what strengths and weaknesses you have discovered in yourself. Explain some of the things that you have learned about people, their attitudes toward work, and how you relate to co-workers and supervisors.
(e) Appendix – This includes answers to all the questions as outlined in the training goals section of the hand-out.
Grading of the Oral Work Term Verbal Report
The oral presentation will be scheduled upon your return to the campus. The presentation should be a minimum of 20 minutes in length. Visual aids (posters, photos, videos or overheads) may be used for enhancement. The evaluation of the talk will be based on your communication skills, personal attributes, and content. We request that students attempt to bring back a public relations photo of their property so we may post them for all students to see.
Where more than one student is working at a property a team presentation is encouraged on the following schedule
1 Student 20 Minutes
2 Students 20 Minutes
3 Students 30 minutes
Guideline(s)
• If a video is used it should be no longer than 8 minutes
• Overview of property Could be part of video
• Outline the details of the Operation (Rooms, F & B etc…) Could be part of the video
• Outline of Job (description ) No more than 2 minutes
• Critical events
• SWOT analysis
• Key issue and your solution
z
To get more information on teams and presentation times please check your e-mail
Business Travelers Chained to Favorite Hotels
This article found at:
http://www.htrends.com/researcharticle24297.html
We encourage you to sign up for this sites e-gram at:
http://www.htrends.com/index.php
To like at Trip Advisor go to:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/
Nearly 70% are Brand Loyal, According to TripAdvisor Survey
Marriott Voted Favorite When on the Company Dime
New York City Named Best Place for Business
According to a recent TripAdvisor(TM) survey of more than 2,100 travelers from around the world, 68 percent of travelers regularly stay at the same hotel chain when on business trips. Marriott was selected as the top hotel choice when traveling for work. Thirty-four percent of respondents plan to take one to three business trips this year, and nearly ten percent will take ten or more trips for work this year.
Business Travel Benefits
Forty-eight percent of respondents consider business travel something they "don't mind too much," while 32 percent said they find business travel to be "enjoyable." The most appealing part of traveling for work, according to respondents, is seeing new places (35 percent). In terms of the favorite luxuries of business travel, 34 percent cited the "luxury sheets and fancy bath products" while 22 percent said it was having a room to themselves. The most important hotel feature when traveling on business is a hotel's location and proximity to meetings or the airport (32 percent), followed closely by having a high-speed internet connection (30 percent).
Business Travel Beefs
Missing the significant other and family was the least favorite part of business travel, according to respondents. Not surprisingly, the most irritating aspect of business travel, according to 48 percent of respondents is flight delays and cancellations. The most annoying type of leisure traveler is the child sitting behind you who kicks your seat, according to 55 percent of business travelers.
Other Business Travel Tidbits
Forty-six percent of travelers are likely to tip more generously when they know it is a reimbursable business expense. Almost half of those surveyed (48 percent) said they sometimes fly into secondary airports, just for the convenience when traveling for work. Twelve percent of respondents acknowledge having visited a strip club while on a business trip.
"Happy travelers beget happy travelers. The fact that business travelers are loyal to hotels that meet and exceed their expectations speaks to the same power of shared experiences that send visitors back to their favorite brands and to TripAdvisor to write and read reviews," said Michele Perry, director of communications for TripAdvisor(TM). "Consistent with our survey results, the vast majority of TripAdvisor reviews for the top business travel brands are positive, and the number of reviews for these top business brands exceeds the average for all hotels."
Top Five Cities for Business Travelers
• New York City
• Chicago
• London
• San Francisco
• Washington, D.C.
Top Five Most Popular Hotel Chains for Business Travelers
• Marriott
• Hilton
• Holiday Inn
• Sheraton
• Best Western
http://www.htrends.com/researcharticle24297.html
We encourage you to sign up for this sites e-gram at:
http://www.htrends.com/index.php
To like at Trip Advisor go to:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/
Nearly 70% are Brand Loyal, According to TripAdvisor Survey
Marriott Voted Favorite When on the Company Dime
New York City Named Best Place for Business
According to a recent TripAdvisor(TM) survey of more than 2,100 travelers from around the world, 68 percent of travelers regularly stay at the same hotel chain when on business trips. Marriott was selected as the top hotel choice when traveling for work. Thirty-four percent of respondents plan to take one to three business trips this year, and nearly ten percent will take ten or more trips for work this year.
Business Travel Benefits
Forty-eight percent of respondents consider business travel something they "don't mind too much," while 32 percent said they find business travel to be "enjoyable." The most appealing part of traveling for work, according to respondents, is seeing new places (35 percent). In terms of the favorite luxuries of business travel, 34 percent cited the "luxury sheets and fancy bath products" while 22 percent said it was having a room to themselves. The most important hotel feature when traveling on business is a hotel's location and proximity to meetings or the airport (32 percent), followed closely by having a high-speed internet connection (30 percent).
Business Travel Beefs
Missing the significant other and family was the least favorite part of business travel, according to respondents. Not surprisingly, the most irritating aspect of business travel, according to 48 percent of respondents is flight delays and cancellations. The most annoying type of leisure traveler is the child sitting behind you who kicks your seat, according to 55 percent of business travelers.
Other Business Travel Tidbits
Forty-six percent of travelers are likely to tip more generously when they know it is a reimbursable business expense. Almost half of those surveyed (48 percent) said they sometimes fly into secondary airports, just for the convenience when traveling for work. Twelve percent of respondents acknowledge having visited a strip club while on a business trip.
"Happy travelers beget happy travelers. The fact that business travelers are loyal to hotels that meet and exceed their expectations speaks to the same power of shared experiences that send visitors back to their favorite brands and to TripAdvisor to write and read reviews," said Michele Perry, director of communications for TripAdvisor(TM). "Consistent with our survey results, the vast majority of TripAdvisor reviews for the top business travel brands are positive, and the number of reviews for these top business brands exceeds the average for all hotels."
Top Five Cities for Business Travelers
• New York City
• Chicago
• London
• San Francisco
• Washington, D.C.
Top Five Most Popular Hotel Chains for Business Travelers
• Marriott
• Hilton
• Holiday Inn
• Sheraton
• Best Western
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