By Steve Kent “The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.”—Muriel Ruckeyser Just a few years ago, consumers proudly showcased material purchases of the latest fashion accessory or technological gadget. Now they are more likely to post online about experiences, rather than the consumption of products. This ‘experiential economy’ and the consumers that characterize […]
Tarik Dogru What are the main differences between C-corporation hotels, such as Marriott, Hilton, and Choice, and Hotel-REITs like Diamond Rock, Felcor, and Host? What are the potential growth opportunities in these hotel structures? This article attempts to answer these questions from a theoretical and practical perspective by comparing two corporate structures, their business models, […]
By Allen Adamson and Chekitan S. Dev The Exponential Growth in Both Hospitality Brands and the Millennial Audience Requires an Exponential Shift in Brand Portfolio Strategy The past decade has seen exponential growth in hospitality brands making for an often confounding proliferation of options for travelers. According to Smith Travel Research, from hard to soft, […]
By Peter Szende and Annie Holcombe The evolution of society and technology has created new trends and innovations. The hospitality industry tries to stay level with new technological advances in order to keep up and engage with their guests. This modernization has eliminated various practices and inventions that were once predominant in the industry. Throughout […]
By Joseph Khairallah and Andrea Foster To investors, hotels are real estate. At the end of the day, why do investors put their money in hotels vs. other types of real estate? For the prospect of superior investment returns – the current operating cash flow and the reversionary value upon exit (sale) in excess of […]
By Makarand Mody No one can deny that the hotel industry has a fight on its hands when it comes to the peer-to-peer accommodation market. A recent PWC report showed that while 6% of the US population has participated in the sharing economy for the hospitality industry as a consumer; 1.4% has served as a […]
By Emily Horton Hostels: typically one’s mind pictures a grungy dorm-style hotel filled with overstuffed backpacks and its owner, a 20-something college student trekking their way through Europe. Huffington Post’s “22 Things You Should Know Before Staying in a Hostel” list captures popular American beliefs about hostels; they are home to bed bugs, mildewed showers, […]
By Leora Halpern Lanz, Juan Lesmes, & Erinn Tucker When a New York City tourist arrives at Times Square, the territory from 40th street to 53rd between 6th and 8th avenues, they become one of the other 330,000+ monthly visitors (Times Square Alliance) of the city’s most popular destination. The pedestrian-only square is consumed by […]
By Nicholas Thomas PhD. and Eric Brown PhD. As the United States approaches mid-2016, seats throughout the Executive, Judicial, and Legislative branches of the federal government are in play. As Republicans and Democrats fight for control, the docket of debatable topics continues to grow. One issue in particular, employee compensation, continues to be one of […]
By Ken Wilson and Liya Ma The hospitality industry has blurred national borders and transcended cultural barriers ever since transportation methods became available and affordable to consumers. In recent years, as global wealth accumulates, regulations loosen and portfolio diversification becomes more sophisticated, investors from around the world are also increasingly interested in U.S. hospitality as an asset class. […]