Hotel & Motel Management - November 3, 2008 - (Page 1)

IHG CONFERENCE NEW VENTURES FOR HOLIDAY INN Page 4 LODGING CONFERENCE SPEAKERS FOCUS ON ECONOMY Page 8 SPECIAL REPORT GMS SPEAK OUT IN ANNUAL SURVEY Page 34 www.HotelMotel.com News Analysis, Trends and People Since 1875 A HotelWorld Network Publication | Vol. 223, No. 19 | November 3, 2008 Economic bailout won’t be a quick ﬁx Timetable for capital availability unknown; boost in travelers’ conﬁdence unlikely By Jason Q. Freed SENIOR EDITOR Where have you felt the greatest impact of a slowing economy? Occupancy is down 63.1% Pressure from owners to make signiﬁcant cutbacks 16.7% Not noticed any impact yet 12.7% Other Employee layoffs 6.8% 0.8% Source: H&MM 2008 GM Survey N = 252 responses NATIONAL REPORT–Developers ﬁrst discussed the “credit crunch” in HOTEL & MOTEL MANAGEMENT in September 2007. Fast-forward to more than a year later and fundamentals in the liquidity market have gotten exponentially worse. Many developers and owners remain in a stagnant state of business, either unable to obtain capital at reasonable rates or unable to work out deals with favorable returns. All the while, experts have struggled to forecast when the industry will begin to rebound. They must be getting tired of repeating the phrases: “It’s a cyclical industry,” and “I don’t have a crystal ball.” October’s government bailout plan, technically named the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, is intended to relieve some of the core issues hurting the economic and business climates: the availability of capital and consumer conﬁdence. See Economic bailout | page 62 SPECIAL REPORT An Industry J ohann Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1439, and Antonio Meucci invented the earliest version of a telephone in 1860. The Internet went mainstream in the mid-1990s. Compared to the lifespan of the printing press and the telephone, the Internet still is a toddler, but its importance towers above them. In a mere decade, the Internet has undone business and societal norms that were crafted over generations. When it comes to the hospitality industry, Mike Kennedy, president of SoftHotel, which provides Web-based tools for hotel operations, said it best: “The Internet has literally transformed our industry. Because of the Internet, we are commodity-based. On the Web, all the rates, and even the product, are transparent.” In this issue, HOTEL & MOTEL MANAGEMENT provides an in-depth look at just how the Internet has affected the hospitality industry and what the future may still hold. Our special section gives insight into using the Web to increase booking and shift advertising, the role online customer reviews and comments play, how social networking has changed customer interaction, and the ways back-of-the-house operations are streamlined. Special report begins on page 28. Page C nnected THE REPORT INCLUDES: Boost online presence 28 29 Network on the Web Monitor guest reviews Page Page 30 31 Streamline operations Page http://www.HotelMotel.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Hotel & Motel Management - November 3, 2008

Hotel & Motel Management - November 3, 2008 Contents The Rate Debate Accor Defines Motel 6 Prototype Rollout Holiday Inn Eyes Upscale, Timeshare Perspective Economy Sets Tone at The Lodging Conference Mellow Vibe Meets Bold Design at HD Boutique Expo IH/M&RS to Focus on Going Green Legally Speaking Sales Clinic On Finance Travel Trends Cornell Insights Franchise Law HotelWorld Update Trends & Stats Energy Star Update Energy Star Update An Industry Connected People on The Move Annual GM Survey Point-of-Sale Systems IH/M&RS Product Preview Outdoor Lighting Refrigeration Marketplace Ad/Editorial Index Classifieds Checking Out

Hotel & Motel Management - November 3, 2008

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