Hotel & Motel Management - September 18, 2007 - (Page 6)

Checking In PERSPECTIVE H&MM September 18, 2007 | HotelMotel.com Hoteliers’ mission is simple: pleasing people IN THE details Is this great, or what? Lodging has unique role It’s about the people Wanted: Global travelers EDITORIAL By Jeff Higley Editorial Director have a good gig. Yes, deadlines and travel can be stressful; there are many moving parts within Questex Media Group, Hotel & Motel Management’s parent company, and in the businessto-business publishing world, the line between editorial and sales can be a ﬁne one. But it’s great to be part of such an interesting industry. My favorite part of leading the editorial team for the industry’s oldest and most trusted source of information is talking to people. Whether it’s a conversation with someone I’ve known for years or someone I just met, it’s almost always a pleasant and educational experience. During a recent trip to Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts head- I quarters in Toronto, I was able to cross paths with some of the neatest, friendliest people in the industry—people such as Isadore Sharp, a luxury hotel icon, Kathleen Taylor, who could easily be the most genuine person in lodging, and Barbara Talbot, Four Seasons’ executive vice president of marketing. Of the countless interviews I have conducted throughout my career at H&MM, it was a chat with Talbot that opened my eyes to what the hotel industry is all about. “One of the most interesting things about the hotel business is that we actually get to be with our guests while they are enjoying the product that we produce,” she said. That’s when it all came together for me. The hotel industry is full of friendly people who have hospitality in their blood. They have become one with their profession. But until I spoke with Talbot, it never sunk in that the joy for hotel owners and operators is really a combination of pride, love and neighborliness. Yes, it’s a business. But it’s a people business, and that’s what makes it a great gig. The secret is out If you haven’t had a chance to attend the annual Memphis Lodging Industry Summit, you might want to put it on your calendar for next August. The annual event is the best-kept secret in the industry. Not only do you get to enjoy a night out on the city’s famed Beale Street listening to great blues music, and later in the evening, some horrible attempts at karaoke, but the program put together by consultant Chuck Pinkowski and the Metropolitan Memphis Hotel & Lodging Assn. is always a hit. This year, the president’s panel included Bob Alter of Sunstone Hotels, Dan Fay of Commonwealth Hotels, Larry Silver of Silver Cos. and Rick Kelleher of Pyramid Advisors. Leave it to these guys to always say what’s on their minds, and attendees weren’t disappointed. While you can read more about it in the Oct. 1 issue of H&MM, Kelleher and Alter in particular said things that often are considered taboo. For instance, when addressing the tight labor market and the impending requirements that will force hoteliers to investigate whether an immigrant’s documents are valid, Kelleher said, “Every hotel company in the world that I know of has undocumented workers or partially doc- umented workers.” Alter, on the issue of brand differentiation: “The opportunity to get extraordinary returns is based on extraordinary product. Unfortunately, the brands have a ‘me-too’ approach.” Listening to people speak the truth in such a direct way is refreshing. If you are interested in attending next year’s summit, contact the MMHLA at memphishla@earthlink.net. 600 Superior Ave. East, Suite 1100, Cleveland, OH 44114 Jeff Higley, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR . . . . . . . . . jhigley@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3728 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 Stephanie Ricca, MANAGING EDITOR . . . . . . . sricca@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3791 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 Elaine Simon, SENIOR EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . esimon@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3782 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 Stacey Mieyal Higgins, SENIOR EDITOR . . . . . .shiggins@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3783 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 Heather Gunter, ASSOCIATE EDITOR . . . . . . . hgunter@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3792 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 Amy B. Witek, ART DIRECTOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . awitek@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3778 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 Rob Ghosh, ART DIRECTOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .rghosh@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3788 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 ADVERTISING/SALES/CIRCULATION 600 Superior Ave. East, Suite 1100, Cleveland, OH 44114 John McMahon, GROUP PUBLISHER . . . . . jmcmahon@questex.com 757 Third Ave., 5th Floor, New York, NY 10017 Ph: (212) 895-8243 | Fax: (212) 895-8212 Matt Waddell, PUBLISHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mwaddell@questex.com 2835 N. Shefﬁeld Ave, Suite 236, Chicago, IL 60657 Ph: (773) 880-2240 | Fax: (773) 880-2241 Mary Malloy, NORTHEAST, INT’L. . . . . . . . . .mmalloy@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3790 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 Brian Levine, SOUTHEAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . blevine@questex.com 757 Third Ave., 5th Floor, New York, NY 10017 Ph: (212) 895-8285 | Fax: (212) 895-8215 Jason Wallace, WEST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jwallace@questex.com 1461 S. 375 E., Kaysville, UT 84037 Ph: (801) 499-9999 | Fax: (801) 315-4137 Mary Jo Cotner, MIDWEST, CANADA . . . . . . .mcotner@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3793 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 Brian Olesinski, CLASSIFIEDS, RECRUITMENT, DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .bolesinski@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3794 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 Heidi Spangler, DIR., AUDIENCE DEV. . . . . . . . hspangler@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3705 | Fax: (216) 706-3714 Quick thoughts When in the world is the U.S. government going to wake up and start aggressively promoting the United States as a travel destination to travelers around the globe? Tourism is the one industry that can’t be moved offshore, and each day it becomes a more important part of our economy. Making it stronger only makes sense. Congratulations to Kirk Kinsell of InterContinental Hotels Group. The company promoted him to president of Europe, Middle East and Africa. Kinsell did a terriﬁc job as chief development ofﬁcer for the company in the States, so this move is a well-deserved one. Also, congrats to old friend Rick George of Hotel Real Estate Counselors, who is now splitting time between his hometown of Chicago and the company’s new L.A. ofﬁce. “Hotel Rick Enters California” has been a popular slogan circulating through George’s circle of friends. Both Kinsell and George have strong personalities, to say the least, and will instantly make impacts in their new digs. jhigley@questex.com We welcome your comments, criticisms and compliments. Address correspondence to: Letters Editor, Hotel & Motel Management, 600 Superior Ave. East, Suite 1100, Cleveland, Ohio 44114; e-mail to hmm@ questex.com; or fax to (216) 706-3711. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. Please keep letters to 300 words or fewer. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Stacy Silver, BUSINESS DEV. DIRECTOR. . . . . ssilver@questex.com Ph: (954) 306-0747 | Fax: (954) 697-6265 J. Richard Casson, ASSOCIATE BUSINESS DEV. DIRECTOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . rcasson@questex.com Ph: (212) 895-8426 | Fax: (212) 895-8210 PRODUCTION 306 W. Michigan St., Suite 200, Duluth, MN 55802 Bonnie Ling, PRODUCTION DIRECTOR . . . . . . . bling@questex.com Ph: (218) 279-8820 | Fax: (218) 279-8812 Janelle Heller, PRODUCTION MANAGER . . . . . jheller@questex.com Ph: (218) 279-8834 | Fax: (218) 279-8815 MARKETING/MAGAZINE SERVICES MARKETING/MAGAZINE SERVICES Ilene Schwartz, Kroll Direct, LISTS . . . . . . . . .ilene@krolldirect.com Ph: (216) 371-1667 | Fax: (216) 371-1669 PERMISSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . .questexpermissions@reprintbuyer.com Ph: (800) 494-9051 Ext. 100 REPRINTS . . . . . . . . . . .HotelandMotelManagement@reprintbuyer.com Ph: (800) 290-5460 Ext. 100 SUBSCRIPTIONS, CUSTOMER SERVICE. . Questex@sunbeltfs.com Ph: (866) 344-1315 | Fax: (615) 377-0525 BACK ISSUES, SINGLE CURRENT COPIES, CD-ROM, MICROFILM, MICROFICHE Ph: (866) 344-1315 | Fax: (615) 377-0525 How to contact the H&MM editorial staff 600 Superior Ave. East, Suite 1100; Cleveland, OH 44114 Tel: (216) 706-3700 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 | www.HotelMotel.com Jeff Higley Editorial Director jhigley@questex.com Stephanie Ricca Managing Editor sricca@questex.com Elaine Simon Senior Editor esimon@questex.com PRESIDENT & CEO—Kerry C. Gumas EXECUTIVE V.P. & CFO—Tom Caridi EXECUTIVE V.P.—Robert S. Ingraham EXECUTIVE V.P.—Tony D’Avino EXECUTIVE V.P., CORP. DEV.—Claudia Flowers V.P. & G.M.—Don Rosenberg V.P., DIGITAL MEDIA—Seth Nichols V.P., HUMAN RESOURCES—Diane M. Evans Copyright 2007 Questex Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopy, recording or information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of speciﬁc clients, is granted by Questex Media Group, Inc. for libraries and other users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923; phone: (978) 750-8400; fax (978) 7504470; call for copying beyond that permitted by Sections 107 or 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law. For those not registered with the CCC, send permission request to questexpermissions@reprintbuyer.com; phone: (800) 494-9051 Ext. 100. Hotel & Motel Management does not verify any claims or other information appearing in any of the advertisements contained in the publication, and cannot take any responsibility for any losses or other damages incurred by readers in reliance on such content. Hotel & Motel Management welcomes unsolicited articles, manuscripts, photographs, illustrations and other materials but cannot be held responsible for their safekeeping or return. Questex Media Group, Inc. provides certain customer contact data (such as customers’ names, addresses, http://HotelMotel.com http://www.HotelMotel.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Hotel & Motel Management - September 18, 2007

Hotel & Motel Management - September 18, 2007 Contents Vista Inns Redefines Business Model Conley Applies Satisfaction Theory to Boutique Hotels Questex Acquires Oxford Publishing Perspective At Your Risk Consultant’s Corner Sales Clinic Travel Trends On Finance Franchise Law Cornell Insights HotelWorld Update Training Trends Satisfaction Trends Management Trends Speakers Named, Registration Open for IH/M&RS Going Green Saves Green Trends & Stats Vacuums Go the Extra Mile Transactions Offsetting Emissions is Newest Sustainability Initiative Minibar Advancements Supplier News People on The Move ADA Compliance Can Be Easier With Programs Business Travelers Interested in Remote Check-In/Out Awards Markets Dictate Renovations vs. New Builds More Development Opportunities Available Top Hotel Companies Survey The Lodging Conference Previews Ad/Editorial Index Marketplace Classifieds Checking Out

Hotel & Motel Management - September 18, 2007

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