If a business-focused career with a hospitality twist is something you’re after, consider pursuing a position in hotels. I spent much of my career in the hotel business, and I’m about to let you in on one of the best-kept secrets of the industry: sales. That’s right! The hotel industry is looking for sales talent.

Over my long career in hospitality, I’ve see many trends come and go. Few have rattled the industry like the home-sharing phenomenon. Here’s how the dominant brand, Airbnb, has challenged the hospitality industry status quo in three important ways.

Learn the skills you’ll need to take on a management role in the international hospitality industry with a degree from Johnson & Wales University. This online Hotel & Lodging Management bachelor’s degree program hones in hotel operations while also focusing on topics such as marketing and branding, international property development, and revenue management.

There are many ways that technology can support business practices—I highlighted seven in a previous blog post.

One of the biggest problems many companies have today is that while there is a dearth of data, the ability to effectively mine and analyze it to obtain actionable information is still very much a work in progress.

It is always an interesting thought experiment to consider the ways in which technology may be integrated into a business in support of the objectives of that business.

It is really interesting when you are talking about an industry that is over 2,000 years old!

While it seems like a “square peg, round hole” problem, the fact is that technology is already highly integrated into the modern hotel experience and becoming more so each day.

Who: Rex Warren, Assistant Professor with Johnson & Wales University College of Hospitality, Providence

Agree or Disagree with Article: Both

I don’t blame anyone with an interest in hospitality for clicking on this round-up of the year’s top-10 trends published in January. Now, with most of the year behind us, let’s look back and see how this forecast matched up with reality.

ON TARGET

For decades, travelers and hotel-goers alike have recognized Hilton as one of the top companies in the business. But according to Clay Snyder ‘93 ’15 Hon, Senior Director of Brand Performance of Full Service Brands, Hilton is more than just a hotel brand.

“We are hospitality,” he said. When it comes to providing a well-rounded hospitable experience, Synder says Hilton excels, thanks to its amazing staff. By offering a wealth of services and a personalized, friendly touch, Hilton makes guests feel like they’re at home.

At Johnson & Wales University's College of Online Education, our hospitality courses are taught by skilled professionals with years of relevant work experience in the industry.

Who: Rex Warren, Assistant Professor with Johnson & Wales University College of Hospitality, Providence

His Take on the Article: Articles about the hospitality industry, such as this article published by The Wall Street Journal, are typically resplendent with anecdotal guest or management comments. What matters are always facts and data, not anecdotes.

Think of travel, and chances are that you think of Hilton. In fact, according to Clay Snyder ‘93 ’15 Hon, Senior Director Brand Performance of Full Service Brands for Hilton Worldwide and Johnson & Wales University Trustee, “the name Hilton is synonymous with ‘hotel’ around the world.” Snyder moderated a panel of current students and alumni who have work experience with the international hospitality brand, and he and other Hilton team members fielded questions from current Johnson & Wales students during Hilton Day.