One of the biggest challenges to a hotelier’s bottom line is guest acquisition costs. It’s why we’re seeing major hotel companies such as Hilton create ad campaigns designed to encourage customers to book direct. According to Forbes.com, third-party online travel agencies (OTAs) charge up to 30% in commission fees per reservation. For a room that [...]
After a winter full of blizzards, many in the Northeast are dreaming of summer right now. This week we travel to upstate New Year to visit a seasonal property that is part of the SkyTouch customer community. The King Hendrick Motel sits on four acres in the heart of Lake George, New York, and features [...]
Hotels are now charging guests more than ever before. But in many markets, new hotel construction is eating away at demand and lowering overall occupancy. That makes it more difficult to continue increasing rates at the same pace as the last several years. According to R. Mark Woodworth, Senior Managing Director of CBRE Hotels’ Americas [...]
North American hotels are experiencing record revenue as the economy continues to grow. In January the U.S. added 200,000 jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, the U.S. economy experienced job growth for 88 months in a row, according to a report by NPR. But there is a downside of all this [...]
Rapid new hotel development and increased renovations of older properties have transformed local and regional markets across the United States, forcing many hoteliers to consider new strategies to stay competitive. According to Lodging Econometrics, by the end of 2018, the number of hotels and rooms in the United States is forecast to grow by 2.5%. [...]
Smartphones have revolutionized the ways we interact with each other and the ways we do business. The hospitality industry is no exception. Mobile technology has forced hoteliers to reinvent the way they connect with customers and how they manage day-to-day operations. Here are some of the top ways smartphones are changing the hotel business: Booking [...]
It is time to feature another member of the SkyTouch community. This week we travel to Boardman, Oregon where the River Lodge & Grill offers guests panoramic views of the Columbia River. In fact, it is the only hotel that is right on the river in all of Boardman and the surrounding area. This pet-friendly [...]
We love featuring SkyTouch customers with great stories. This week we feature the Ohio House Motel in the heart of Downtown Chicago, IL. It is located on a spot coveted by fans of the Chicago Marathon. “We're the main spot where everybody starts,” said Edgar Bran, General Manager of the Ohio House Motel. “Literally everybody [...]
Be warned. Not every hotel industry technology is long lasting. For every one that sticks, many more quickly fade into obscurity. Remember in-room fax machines? Keyboards for in-room TVs? Bathroom phones? When spending hard earned dollars, hoteliers must be sure their investment pays itself back many times over. Which can be tricky if you don’t [...]
With the biggest tax overhaul of 30 years now complete, there are several items within it that may be favorable to hoteliers and the hotel business, according to the experts. That’s great news as the new tax law is giving hoteliers additional tools from which to expand their businesses, protect their current investments, and secure their [...]
