Roomkey.com should be your booking tool!

Finally, Franchises collabarated and came up with a website to compete with marging eating online booking giants such as hotels.com and Priceline.
Roomkey.com Panel moderator Adam Weissenberg, vice chairman at Deloitte, asked whether the hotel companies are now competing with the Online Distributors.
“The more places you have your product, the more likely you are to sell it,” was the answer from a high end executive. For hotel owners, this comes as good news as this is the beginning of seeing direct consumer booking, foregoing fees due to online companies. This will not only bring more revenue to the hotel, but also providing better rates for the consumers. Let's hope roomkey.com is successful in attracting consumers.

Should we build a Franchise or Independent Hotel?

This is a question most people ask themselves when they pay a large percentage of their revenues in fees to Franchises. Its common knowledge that without an great location, being a franchise or an independent would not matter, due to chances of failure are high to begin with. Saying that, if you have a great location, you would need to make a decision on which option to choose. Due to social marketing blowing up in the last decade, Independent hotels have the same marketing medium as Franchise hotels, with access to third party wholesalers and other booking mediums. Independent hotel owners also have the advantage of not being pushed financially by a Franchise - who make you spend money, without taking a peek at your financials to see if it would be affordaeble. Franchises are sort of like teachers who make you do your homework, and independent hotel owners tend to procrastinate and make improvements at a snails pace. Maybe thats why, the independent hotel market, has not gotten a foothold in the industry. Consumer reviews are generally better for franchisees rather than Independent hotels/motels. Also, the ADR you can command on a good brand is far more than a independent can due to its preceeding reputation. I am generally in favor of building an franchise only if the brand is good enough to invest in. I would deter from buying an Wyndham or Choice Property simply because the return is not good nor is their brand awareness. I have years of experience in the hotel industry, and would gladly help anyone who needs help choosing an franchise or conducting market studies for such decisions.

Best Books for Travel Destinations

What do Travel Books Tell You?
Travel books tell you all that you might want to know about different places on Earth. From very exotic locales to bustling metropolises, there is hardly a place not described by travel books. These books offer amazing insights into the pros and cons of visiting a place and details about the weather, famous landmarks, festivals, culture, etc. In fact, no matter what kind of holiday you are planning, travel books can help. I came across a very good site, which recommends books based on Geographic locations. Check it out and you will see an insight on experiences in traveling through books!