We are pleased to report that some 90+ people attended our awards luncheon held this past Friday, November 20th at Jacaranda Country Club in Plantation. Of those at the luncheon, 26 brave golfers participated in our first annual tournament. Our Board of Directors and volunteer committee members worked very hard to make it a successful event, including our silent auction, to raise funds for the HSMAI Educational Foundation as well as for our elected charity.
As part of our awards program, we recognized HSMAI members who had achieved long term service in our Association. The following members were in the 20 year and more category: Ken Benjamin, Fernando Harb, Linda Sue Marsh, and Warren Nash. The following members were in the 15 year and above category: Jeanne Bigos, Douglas Carrillo, Sal Dickenson, Sandy Edwards, Phyllis Festinger, James Mostad, Marva Munroe, Anna Russo, Gail Spier, Karen Weiner-Escalera, and (me) Julie Wernick. In addition, these 10 year-term (and above) members were recognizes: Kattia Jaramillo, Nicki Grossman, Mike Hampton, Michele Olivier, Larry Rodkin, Christine Tascione, Debbie Toreson, and Kelly Tortoriello. Thank you for being active in HSMAI and congratulations to all.
In our community awards program, we solicited nominees and the winners were then selected by committee votes. In the HSMAI South Florida Rising Star Award, the nominees were: Chris Crenshaw, Gabriele Gannaway, Alice Land, Donna McCarthy, and Joe McKinney. In the Lifetime Achievement Award, the nominees were Linda Sue Marsh and Gail Spier. In the Sponsor of the Year, nominees were American Coach Lines, Canmark Printing, Creative Focus Photography and J Productions. In the Sales and Marketing Professional of the Year, nominees were Nadine Bankley (El Palacio Hotel), Olivia Pritchard (Eden Roc), Philip Ramcharitar (Canmark), and Susan Stern (Hampton Inn Plantation). In the Revenue Manager of the Year, nominees were Imtiaz Ali (Morgans Hotel Group)and Jean Francois Mourier (RevParGuru). In the General Manager of the Year, nominees were Debbie Cote (Hampton Inn Plantation), Don Friedman (Embassy Suites Ft. Lauderdale), and Carlos Molinet (Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina). In the Hospitality Legend, nominees were Jerry Faber (Jungle Queen), Lisa Jebb (Cream of the Crop Events),David LeBlang(American Coach) and Monroe Udell (Jaxwson's Ice Cream Parlour). Based on the wonderful participation of our peers in the industry, just being nominated was an award in itself. Congratulations to all our nominees. (Note: winners are in bold type).
And a big thank you, again, to all who bid on our silent auction prizes and donated to our charitable and community service contributions.
Looking forward, we hope everyone will join us at the annual hospitality alliance holiday party on December 10th at Florida International University's North Miami Campus, the Kovens Conference Center. Registration info is on our web site hsmaisouthflorida.org and reservations are being handled by SFMPI this year.
With best wishes to all for a happy, enjoyable Thanksgiving. Best, Julie Wernick, Managing Director, HSMAI-South Florida.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Congratulations and Happy Thanksgiving from HSMAI South Florida
Congratulations to the 2009 HSMAI South Florida Hospitality Award recipients:
Hospitality Legend - Monroe Udell, Jaxson's
GM of the Year - Carlos Molinet, Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina
Rev Mgr of the Year - Imtiaz Ali, Morgan's Hotel Group
Sales & Mktg of the Year - Susan Stern, Hampton Inn Plantation
Sponsor of the Year -... American Coach Lines
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE
Hospitality Legend - Monroe Udell, Jaxson's
GM of the Year - Carlos Molinet, Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina
Rev Mgr of the Year - Imtiaz Ali, Morgan's Hotel Group
Sales & Mktg of the Year - Susan Stern, Hampton Inn Plantation
Sponsor of the Year -... American Coach Lines
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
AAHOA Takes Stance Against Last-Room Availability
In a recent press release, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) noted that they have more than 10,000 members who own 22,000 hotels or forty percent of all hotels in the United States. They have taken a position again “last-room availability” by online travel agencies (OTAs). Here are some excerpts from that release:
“In recent years, OTAs such as Expedia, Hotels.com,Hotwire.com, Travelocity, lastminute.com, Priceline, Orbitz, CheapTickets, Lodging.com and others have offered planning services and booking capabilities to travelers, which have largely benefited hotel owners by attracting guests to their hotels and boosting occupancy with sales of excess rooms on low demand days. The OTA business has continued to grow as more travelers are seeking convenient and inexpensive ways to plan their trips and shop for discounted room rates through the OTA sites.”
“With the increased competition among the OTAs to capture billions of dollars in revenues from the traveling public, however, the OTAs have gradually been gaining control of certain important decisions that historically were made by the hotel owners. To protect its members from a loss of control of their hotel operations and long-term investments…AAHOA is opposing any attempts by the OTAs to compel hotel owners to relinquish control of their room inventory and their pricing in exchange for a listing on the OTA websites, because this will harm the hoteliers, the hotel brands and the traveling public in the upcoming months and years.”
“…AAHOA strongly opposes (1) any attempts by the OTA’s to absolutely mandate last room availability, which would require the hotels to list their last available rooms on the OTAs at discounted prices, regardless of the market strength and demand for such rooms, and (2) allowing the OTAs to command rate parity and preclude hotel owners from offering discounts on their guest rooms that were greater than what was listed on the OTA website.”
“For many years, the OTAs have provided a benefit to the travel industry by offering excess hotel rooms at discounted prices,” said AAHOA President Fred Schwartz. “While we can’t have OTA sites usurping hotel branded sites, we do recognize the contributions that the OTAs have made to the traveling public and our industry. With the current economic conditions, it is critical for our members to maintain occupancy levels, but not at the risk of losing control of their room availability and pricing. AAHOA owners have invested their life savings in building and operating their hotels, and we cannot look the other way when third party agencies are trying to vest control from the members in order to gain a greater share of the market.”
What’s your opinion South Florida? Where do you stand on this issue?
“In recent years, OTAs such as Expedia, Hotels.com,Hotwire.com, Travelocity, lastminute.com, Priceline, Orbitz, CheapTickets, Lodging.com and others have offered planning services and booking capabilities to travelers, which have largely benefited hotel owners by attracting guests to their hotels and boosting occupancy with sales of excess rooms on low demand days. The OTA business has continued to grow as more travelers are seeking convenient and inexpensive ways to plan their trips and shop for discounted room rates through the OTA sites.”
“With the increased competition among the OTAs to capture billions of dollars in revenues from the traveling public, however, the OTAs have gradually been gaining control of certain important decisions that historically were made by the hotel owners. To protect its members from a loss of control of their hotel operations and long-term investments…AAHOA is opposing any attempts by the OTAs to compel hotel owners to relinquish control of their room inventory and their pricing in exchange for a listing on the OTA websites, because this will harm the hoteliers, the hotel brands and the traveling public in the upcoming months and years.”
“…AAHOA strongly opposes (1) any attempts by the OTA’s to absolutely mandate last room availability, which would require the hotels to list their last available rooms on the OTAs at discounted prices, regardless of the market strength and demand for such rooms, and (2) allowing the OTAs to command rate parity and preclude hotel owners from offering discounts on their guest rooms that were greater than what was listed on the OTA website.”
“For many years, the OTAs have provided a benefit to the travel industry by offering excess hotel rooms at discounted prices,” said AAHOA President Fred Schwartz. “While we can’t have OTA sites usurping hotel branded sites, we do recognize the contributions that the OTAs have made to the traveling public and our industry. With the current economic conditions, it is critical for our members to maintain occupancy levels, but not at the risk of losing control of their room availability and pricing. AAHOA owners have invested their life savings in building and operating their hotels, and we cannot look the other way when third party agencies are trying to vest control from the members in order to gain a greater share of the market.”
What’s your opinion South Florida? Where do you stand on this issue?
Monday, November 9, 2009
Welcome New HSMAI South FloridaMembers - Oct.2009 to date
Please join me in a warm hospitality welcome to the following new members who joined our HSMAI-South Florida Chapter this past month:
Laura Bombardi Loews Miami Beach Hotel
Denise Grant Family Rentals
Diana Guzman Howard Johnson - Hialeah
John Heimsath Florida International Univeristy
Tracey Anne Latkovic PGA national Resort & Spa
Rosario Ramirez Hampton Inn Hallandale Beach
Michelle Sehulster Noble House Hotels & Resorts
Nikki Thomas Renaissance Ft. Lauderdale Plantation
Brian Walton BrianRWalton.com
Best wishes to all, Julie Wernick, Managing Director, HSMAI-South Florida
Laura Bombardi Loews Miami Beach Hotel
Denise Grant Family Rentals
Diana Guzman Howard Johnson - Hialeah
John Heimsath Florida International Univeristy
Tracey Anne Latkovic PGA national Resort & Spa
Rosario Ramirez Hampton Inn Hallandale Beach
Michelle Sehulster Noble House Hotels & Resorts
Nikki Thomas Renaissance Ft. Lauderdale Plantation
Brian Walton BrianRWalton.com
Best wishes to all, Julie Wernick, Managing Director, HSMAI-South Florida
Friday, November 6, 2009
BEST PRACTICES IN RESORT MARKETING
HSMAI’s Resort Best Practices Initiative examines “70 Effective Ways To Generate Revenue In A Recession” as recently highlighted in the Resort Marketing Update Newsletter for October 2009. The full executive summary is now available to HSMAI members in this interest group via their website at hsmai.econnect.org
The combination of the AIG Effect and the country’s declining economy has taken a toll on the resort sector, which suffered an estimated $1 billion loss in meeting and conference revenue. In response to this decline, members of the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International’s (HSMAI) Resort Best Practices Initiative embarked on a study to examine successful revenue generating programs implemented by industry peers over the past year. The resulting report, “70 Effective Ways to Generate Revenue in a Recession”, offers recommendations to sustain business through the recession and prepare for the post-2009 travel environment.
The combination of the AIG Effect and the country’s declining economy has taken a toll on the resort sector, which suffered an estimated $1 billion loss in meeting and conference revenue. In response to this decline, members of the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International’s (HSMAI) Resort Best Practices Initiative embarked on a study to examine successful revenue generating programs implemented by industry peers over the past year. The resulting report, “70 Effective Ways to Generate Revenue in a Recession”, offers recommendations to sustain business through the recession and prepare for the post-2009 travel environment.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
HSMAI Marketing Review- October 2009 Issue
John Buchanan, a veteran, award-winning newspaper reporter and magazine writer covers hospitality-related issues regularly for a variety of magazines as well as consumer travel for luxury lifestyle magazines. He has written an article appearing in the October issue of the HSMAI Marketing Review.
In his article “Surviving the Recovery”, hospitality industry leaders tell "how to adapt to a new and uncertain landscape as the economy recovers and the smoke clears." "Despite a lot of armchair analysis and industry chatter about the long-term implications of the lingering crisis in the meeting industry, one core principle that everyone seems to agree with is that brand equity will be the dominant weapon of the future."
Survival Tactics 101:
1. Don't compromise on your brand promise.
2. Make a genuine commitment to service.
3. Invest in an "inside-out" approach to your brand experience.
Additional articles from the October 2009 issue that will help you develop and implement the strategies that will drive revenue for your business include:
--The Basics of Direct Selling (Part 1);
--Email: The Linchpin of Contemporary Marketing Strategies
--Resort Best Practices Initiative: Executive Summary
--Dragons & Tigers Reshape Tomorrow's
To read the entire article featured above and to explore other topics in the HSMAI Marketing Review, at any time, visit www.hsmaimarketingreview.org
In his article “Surviving the Recovery”, hospitality industry leaders tell "how to adapt to a new and uncertain landscape as the economy recovers and the smoke clears." "Despite a lot of armchair analysis and industry chatter about the long-term implications of the lingering crisis in the meeting industry, one core principle that everyone seems to agree with is that brand equity will be the dominant weapon of the future."
Survival Tactics 101:
1. Don't compromise on your brand promise.
2. Make a genuine commitment to service.
3. Invest in an "inside-out" approach to your brand experience.
Additional articles from the October 2009 issue that will help you develop and implement the strategies that will drive revenue for your business include:
--The Basics of Direct Selling (Part 1);
--Email: The Linchpin of Contemporary Marketing Strategies
--Resort Best Practices Initiative: Executive Summary
--Dragons & Tigers Reshape Tomorrow's
To read the entire article featured above and to explore other topics in the HSMAI Marketing Review, at any time, visit www.hsmaimarketingreview.org
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Benefit of the Month: Renewal Bonus and Special Offer – October 2009
(Member Benefit of the Month: A special series highlighting exclusive HSMAI member benefits to help you get the most out of your membership.)
Renew your HSMAI membership at the Regular Membership Rate within the next year and receive a free copy of the HSMAI Foundation's The Travel Marketer's Guide to Social Media and Social Networks.
The report was researched and written by renowned industry author Cindy Estis Green, managing partner of The Estis Group, and published by the HSMAI Foundation and The Travel Industry Association. Topics covered in the report include: Explanations and definitions of social media and social networking;
Highlights of the way social media and social networking are used in other industries; how travel companies are using social media and social networking now and in the future. The cost to purchase the report is regularly $99.
PLUS, for a limited time, members can take advantage of an exclusive special offer: Receive a Hospitality Competency-Based Assessment, created in partnership with 20/20 Assessment, a service of HVS - a $250 value - for just $99. The Web-based self-assessment takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. It measures core skills in ten hospitality-based competencies. These are: Leadership; Creativity; Group Process; Self Efficacy; Sensitivity to Diversity;Ethical Awareness; Sense of Humor; Company Loyalty; Service Orientation; and Problem Solving.
Individual members will receive a skills report, personal and confidential evaluation of their skill-sets so that they can better understand their strengths and weaknesses and plan for continuing professional development.
Once you have renewed or for more information about the assessment or to schedule your assessment, please contact Alan Keith, Vice President, 2020 Assessment™ at +1-516-248-8828 ext: 285, or akeith@2020skills.
HSMAI is dedicated to your success. If you have questions or comments on the member benefits or any other area of member services, send them to info@hsmai.org or call (703) 506-3280.
Thank you for being a member of HSMAI. Won’t you renew today?
Renew your HSMAI membership at the Regular Membership Rate within the next year and receive a free copy of the HSMAI Foundation's The Travel Marketer's Guide to Social Media and Social Networks.
The report was researched and written by renowned industry author Cindy Estis Green, managing partner of The Estis Group, and published by the HSMAI Foundation and The Travel Industry Association. Topics covered in the report include: Explanations and definitions of social media and social networking;
Highlights of the way social media and social networking are used in other industries; how travel companies are using social media and social networking now and in the future. The cost to purchase the report is regularly $99.
PLUS, for a limited time, members can take advantage of an exclusive special offer: Receive a Hospitality Competency-Based Assessment, created in partnership with 20/20 Assessment, a service of HVS - a $250 value - for just $99. The Web-based self-assessment takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. It measures core skills in ten hospitality-based competencies. These are: Leadership; Creativity; Group Process; Self Efficacy; Sensitivity to Diversity;Ethical Awareness; Sense of Humor; Company Loyalty; Service Orientation; and Problem Solving.
Individual members will receive a skills report, personal and confidential evaluation of their skill-sets so that they can better understand their strengths and weaknesses and plan for continuing professional development.
Once you have renewed or for more information about the assessment or to schedule your assessment, please contact Alan Keith, Vice President, 2020 Assessment™ at +1-516-248-8828 ext: 285, or akeith@2020skills.
HSMAI is dedicated to your success. If you have questions or comments on the member benefits or any other area of member services, send them to info@hsmai.org or call (703) 506-3280.
Thank you for being a member of HSMAI. Won’t you renew today?
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