Featured Columns
Dennis Nessler, Editor, Hotel Business
As we embark on 2012, there are lots of resolutions that it would make sense for the U.S. lodging industry, as a whole, to try and keep. Attaining a widespread increase in rates, for example, would most certainly be tops on the list. A major uptick in transaction activity would also be a worthwhile achievement.
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Jay Schultz, Sr. VP, Hospitality Group
I'd like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Carlson EVP of Development Nancy Johnson, who officially became the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s (AH&LA) 2012 Chair last month during a black tie dinner at New York’s Mandarin Oriental.
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Dennis Nessler, Editor, Hotel Business
When hospitality veteran Jim Abrahamson walked away from his prestigious post as president of the Americas for IHG this summer to join third-party management specialist Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Inc., it raised more than a few eyebrows in the industry.
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Jay Schultz, Sr. VP, Hospitality Group
It’s hard to believe it is November again and time for the annual International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show in New York City. This will be my 24th straight year attending the show.
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Dennis Nessler, Editor, Hotel Business
Some have suggested the recent death of Apple co-founder and technology icon Steve Jobs was one of those rare “where were you when?” moments, such as when JFK was shot in 1963.
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Jay Schultz, Sr. VP, Hospitality Group
Sallie Krawcheck’s departure earlier this month from Bank of America Corporation is just one more example of the ongoing difficulty women executives have had securing, as well as maintaining, C-level jobs in the hospitality, finance and real estate fields. Krawcheck—whose job was eliminated after running the wealth management division of the nation’s largest bank for the past two years—leaves a noticeable void of women holding senior-level positions in the aforementioned industries. One could definitely say that Krawcheck’s untimely departure is a classic example of “taking one step forward and two steps back.”
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Dennis Nessler, Editor, Hotel Business
When construction began on the enormous CityCenter project in Las Vegas several years ago, there were many naysayers (yes you can include yours truly in that group) who wondered if the city could absorb the added supply of some four hotels and approximately 4,800 hotel rooms and ultimately see a return on this more than $9 billion investment.
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Dennis Nessler, Editor, Hotel Business
We’ve all had those moments in a downtown, high-rise hotel where we look out at the city below from our guestroom and say “wow, what a view.” And, at least in my case, that’s generally followed by a more sobering thought such as “this is really high up, if I fell from here I’d be a goner for sure.”
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Jay Schultz, Sr. VP, Hospitality Group
Who says you can’t go home?” It’s more than just a popular rock song from Bon Jovi, it was in fact my first thought upon hearing that Kirk Kinsell had been named president of the Americas for InterContinental Hotels Group, succeeding Jim Abrahamson who left the group to take up the role as president and CEO of Interstate Hotels and Resorts. But rather than a rock star singing about his New Jersey roots, this scenario has a high profile hospitality executive returning to the U.S. to take over a hotel company which boasts some of the industry’s most iconic brands, including Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and InterContinental Hotels.
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Jay Schultz, Sr. VP, Hospitality Group
Congratulations to the Hilton family and Drew Nieporent, owner and founder of Myriad Restaurant Group—which operates Tribeca Grill, Nobu New York City, Nobu Fifty Seven, Nobu London, Nobu Next Door, Corton, Centrico and Crush Wine & Spirits—for being honored with the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration’s Third Annual Icon of the Industry Award and the Cornell Hospitality Innovator Award, respectively. Both awards were presented during a dinner held in each of the recipient’s honor on June 7, 2011 at the legendary Waldorf=Astoria Hotel in New York.
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Dennis Nessler, Editor, Hotel Business
One of the often-heard criticisms of the lodging industry is the fact that as soon as we start heading in the right direction in terms of demand, we start building hotels again and adding supply into the equation. But this current cycle is not like past ones in that it seems to be more protracted and the unprecedented dearth of lending has brought new builds to a virtual halt in the U.S.
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Jay Schultz, Sr. VP, Hospitality Group
Although not there yet, odds are a full recovery could be right around the corner. This current hotel industry economic recovery reminds me of the famous children’s story of The Little Engine That Could, the classic tale of inspiration to children and adults, where the protagonist spends an awful lot of time working its way up a hill using the semi-positive affirmation “I think I can.”
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Dennis Nessler, Editor, Hotel Business
Marriott International made a bold and controversial decision recently when it opted not to make adult content available at any of its new properties going forward, while also planning to phase it out of its existing hotels
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Jay Schultz, Sr. VP, Hospitality Group
On behalf of the entire staff at HOTEL BUSINESS®, I would like to thank you for making Hotel Business the Number One trade publication serving the hospitality marketplace for the third consecutive year.
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Dennis Nessler, Editor, Hotel Business
As we approach the holidays and the end of the year, it gives us pause to reflect on the past 12 months. For the industry, it was a year of progress to be sure, albeit slow and steady.
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Jay Schultz, Sr. VP, Hospitality Group
Every year at about this time college students well into their senior years are facing the reality that their lives are about to drastically change before too long. It’s a scary time for these young adults.
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Dennis Nessler, Editor, Hotel Business
I recently attended LodgeNet’s third annual Customer Technology Symposium in Boston. As I attended the numerous educational sessions, I tried to get my mind around concepts like cloud computing and converged IP networks. The industry has been criticized often for not being early adopters of technology and for having guestrooms that offer less than most consumers’ homes.
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Jay Schultz, Sr. VP, Hospitality Group
As the summer comes to a close and we look ahead to the more prosperous times that have been predicted by many, I think of several adages that appropriately describe the economic downturn that plagued our industry over the last few years.
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Dennis Nessler, Editor, Hotel Business
One of the staples of our annual Franchise Report is the comprehensive fees report culled together with the cooperation of all the brand companies. As I pour over the many numbers this year, one thing that jumps out at me is there are few meaningful changes from last year.
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Jay Schultz, sr. vp, hospitality group, Hotel Business
Within the past year-and-a-half or so, I’ve made literally dozens of presentations assessing market conditions for HOTEL BUSINESS® advertisers and readers. While the sessions included personal opinions supported by published data and research, the news passed along was rarely, if ever, positive.
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Jay Schultz,
sr. vp, hospitality group,
Hotel Business
We’ve all heard the expression “what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger,” and it certainly applies when it comes to the trials and tribulations that our industry continues to face. However, I wish when Friedrich Nietzsche uttered these words for the first time, someone could have whispered in his ear suggesting he replace “stronger” with “smarter.”
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Olivier Poirot CEO Accor N.A.-Motel 6/Studio 6
IXTAPA, MEXICO—Although gray skies and a steamy downpour greeted them, more than 300 Motel 6/Studio 6 franchisees and corporate Accor attendees yesterday were bent on seeing a brighter outlook for the U.S.-based economy brands during the next 12 to 18 months—using consistency as the key—as they kicked off the first day of Accor North America’s annual conference here in this coastal resort town at Club Med.
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