THE MAGAZINE OF THE WORLDWIDE HOTEL INDUSTRY
EDITORIAL Jeff Weinstein , Editor In Chief 1.312.274.2226 E-mail : jweinstein @ hotelsmag . com
Ann Bagel Storck , Managing Editor 1.312.274.2209 E-mail : astorck @ hotelsmag . com
Nathan Greenhalgh , Associate Editor 1.312.274.2229 E-mail : ngreenhalgh @ hotelsmag . com
Dani Friedland , New Media Editor 1.312.274.2223 E-mail : dfriedland @ mtgmediagroup . com
Queenie Burns , Vice President , Design 1.312.274.2216 E-mail : qburns @ mtgmediagroup . com
Bert Ganzon , Senior Art Director 1.312.274.2227 E-mail : bganzon @ mtgmediagroup . com
Steve Vanden Heuvel , Senior Art Director 1.312.274.2218 E-mail : svandenheuvel @ mtgmediagroup . com
Michelle Villadolid , Freelance Design E-mail : mvilladolid @ mtgmediagroup . com
Bill McDowell , Vice President , Editorial Director 1.312.274.2201 bmcdowell @ mtgmediagroup . com
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Mary Gostelow , Adam Kirby
PUBLISHING Dan Hogan , Vice President , Publisher 1.312.274.2221 dhogan @ hotelsmag . com
INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD
Nakul Anand Executive Director , ITC Hotels Ltd ., Gurgaon , India
Stephen Bartolin Chairman and CEO , The Broadmoor , Colorado Springs , Colorado
Eric Danziger President and CEO , Wyndham Hotel Group , Parsippany , New Jersey
Geoffrey Gelardi Managing Director , The Lanesborough , London
Kirk Kinsell President , the Americas , IHG , Atlanta
Alex Kyriakidis President and managing director , Middle East and Africa , Marriott International , Dubai
Christopher Nassetta President and CEO , Hilton Worldwide , McLean , Virginia
Monika Nerger Chief Information Officer , Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group , Atlanta
Paul Sistare President and CEO , Atlantica Hotels International , São Paulo
Susan Terry Vice President Culinary Operations , Hyatt Hotels North American Operations , Chicago
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HAPPY
HUNTING
While just about every developer , brand manager , consultant and supplier continues to hedge their renewed optimism with cautionary economic and political sentiments , the January gathering in Los Angeles at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit seemed to brim with confidence not seen since 2007 — and at the same time you still had the feeling that no one has quite yet forgotten what 2008 brought .
But there was no doubt the industry was puffing out its collective chest at ALIS — not beating it , mind you , but acting like stronger fundamentals were in for an extended run through 2014 . If there were any holes in this thesis , it would have to be continued uncertainty about group business and weaker catering revenues .
Did ALIS mark the return of irrational exuberance ? No one would dare go that far , and for good reason , as debt was — and remains — hard to find , and at unfavorable terms for most . Maybe in the United States the dearth of lending is still a good thing , as excessive optimism could potentially change the balance of what remains a favorable supply-demand quotient .
Because owners and operators cannot stop looking over their shoulders in a market still filled with uncertainty and a handful of naysayers , the pressures to find even more ways to both cut costs and drive incremental revenue remain as strong as when the global recession started some five years ago .
With that angst in mind , this month
we share stories on how every inch of the lobby is being reexamined and how so many are becoming revenue-generating social hubs ( p18 ), as well as a report on what to expect from the next generation of online travel agencies ( p46 ). How do operators pick and choose with whom to hop into bed as OTAs proliferate and darlings with big marketing budgets like Facebook , TripAdvisor , Google and eventually Apple try to profit from increasingly engaged and increasingly mobile consumers ?
And for those of you still scratching your head trying to monetize your now required social media efforts , please participate in our March 21 webinar , during which three winners of the inaugural HOTELS Social Hotel Awards will present case studies on how their strategies generated ROI .
While I , too , am optimistic about the industry ’ s near-term fortunes and always like to believe the glass is half full , in today ’ s world there never appears to be a moment for rest . Every stone must continue to be turned in search of a richer bottom line .
Editor In Chief www . hotelsmag . com March 2013 HOTELS 5