Always Forward Thinking
You never know what really is just a fad or what is signaling a change in the industry. But the rise in non-alcoholic (NA) spirits available on the market and the buzz around them is taking on a whole new momentum. The increased visibility of NA beverages...
As the world opens back up to welcome leisure and business travelers alike, the J-1 Visa Program is also reopening – a program that embodies and embraces cultures from every corner of the globe. The J-1 Visa Program is an Exchange Visitor Program which offers...
On a quarterly basis, Jim Schultenover of Strategic Solution Partners and JDS Hospitality surveys travel agencies to get a sense of trends and topics that the hospitality industry should be paying attention to. Our most recent survey, completed in May 2021, had...
“The Relentless Pursuit of Excellence” is a phrase I have been using as my mantra since I was very young. It has helped me push my limits in pursuit of that excellence that my mother instilled in me at a very early age. Pursuit of Excellence in Hospitality How can...
Independent hotels and resorts are notorious for being true trailblazers within the industry. This is due to the authentic brands at individual properties and smaller management companies with unique and entrepreneurial cultures. The secret sauce in their culture...
HOSPITALITY PANDEMIC EXHAUSTION Lately, everybody is “here for you” – the bank, the skincare retail shop, and even the furniture store. It is coming from all angles. At the same time, we no longer want to discuss the “need to pivot” or experience “unprecedented...
April’s unemployment rate is at 6.1% but the lodging sector’s unemployment rate is at 13.8% due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is where it was also 30 years ago. Although the industry is seeing a demand for jobs, the labor pool is shallow. The problem is leading...
Hotel asset value is determined using multiple calculations, math problems, and sometimes magic tricks, but there are three critically important aspects of the physical plant that can make or break a hotel investment. As an owner or asset manager, keep these...
We have all been watching and waiting (however impatiently) for the trends to turn upward. Even though we are still experiencing softer booking trends, finally, STR data's moving average indicates that the weeks since January 23rd moved upwards and have leveled off...
The Food Gap There is a disparity today between food knowledge and food preparation skills. The pre-pandemic state of affairs, which is reasonable to expect will return as vaccines become more available and cases decrease, provided us the opportunity to...
Hotels that have traditionally relied on group and convention business have found themselves struggling over the pandemic period. Uncovering and maximizing new revenue streams, the way we did for the subject hotel in this case study, is a sure-fire way to...
We must be more strategic!You’re not strategic enough!Get out of the tactics and think strategically! Sound familiar? Let’s take a minute and ground ourselves first. Strategy = a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim.Tactics =...
Jack Lindemuth, consultant at Strategic Solution Partners joined Stephanie Smith, Founder and Digital Matriarch of Cogwheel Marketing, on Trevor Grant's podcast, Revenue Hub, in May 2021 to discuss hotel commercial strategy and digital marketing. In a previous...
If your hotel in the U.S. experiences major swings in demand based on the season you might be the ideal candidate for the H-2B Work Visa Program. As the U.S. hospitality industry looks ahead to a strong post-pandemic summer, finding qualified and motivated seasonal...
As we emerge from the doldrums of the last year and watch demand trend upward, there is a great opportunity to create competitive advantages for your hotel company. Cash flow from new Investors can make or break any company’s runway to a sustainable forward...
Paige Duke partook in a lively and informative discussion with Mathew Stephens from eHotelier to discuss what is changing for sales teams as travel returns and occupancy creeps back to normal. Paige Duke is owner and founder of Duke Consulting and a Strategic...
Winter is officially over, and although the capital markets for hotel and resort refinance, acquisition and new-build construction lending have been frozen, they have been stealthily thawing out since the first of the year. Since the start of the pandemic, short-term...
With two major “black swan” events within 12 years of each other, we can learn from the 2008 financial crisis to help ensure internal controls and business processes are working properly as the hotel industry ramps back up. To survive the COVID-19 pandemic, most...
Oh, what excitement a new trend inspires! In yoga, the trends range on Yoga HiiT fusion, Broga, Arial Yoga. “Competitive yoga” is even a new phrase gaining surprising traction. WHAT? Yoga is inherently personal and decidedly non-competitive, as a...
On March 7, 2021, Jacqueline Villamil of SSP (Strategic Solution Partners) sat down with Tia Grahm founder of Arrive at Happy podcast for a lively discussion on how Jacqueline became the leader she is today, and how she creates happiness outside of her work life and...
There is an old adage: Those who cannot play, coach. Does it really take more skill to play than to coach? In terms of a measurement of talent, which is best? My answer? Both! The last two winning Super Bowl coaches were college football players but did not play...
Another Business Model for Independent Properties Independent hotels and resorts are resourceful by their very nature, but the current business climate is challenging even the best of them. Drive market resorts and those with easy direct flight access are...
While the Covid-19 Pandemic has devastated our industry in many ways, it has also served as a terrific opportunity to “get ahead of the curve” – allowing us to operate from a much stronger position when the tide turns. We have had to learn how to operate in a...
As the hospitality landscape continues to evolve and especially as we begin to see the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccination and a return to normalcy, reliance on analytics and business intelligence is growing exponentially. The Revenue Management leader role has...
Fernando Salazar started getting involved with Spanish tapas 15 years ago as VP of F&B of Omni Hotels and Resorts. He developed an annual international gastronomic trip for chefs and Food and Beverage directors of Omni Hotels. The first year consisted of a 10-day...