Hello, lavania-ga!
I have compiled several recent topics concerning the hospitality
industry for you to consider for your dissertation, along with article
links so you can do some introductory exploration into each issue to
see if they pique your interest. While many of the subjects are quite
broad, you can narrow each one down into several smaller topics within
that category. I have merely tried to provide you with an assortment
of ideas that are current and relatively new in the hospitality field.
2004'S TEN BIG ISSUES IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
==================================================
The International Society of Hospitality Consultants recently
highlighted the greatest issues and challenges facing the Hospitality
Industry for 2004.
http://www.ishc.com/new.html
* Distribution Channel Management- Finding the right balance between consumer
purchasing expectations, commoditization of the guest experience and
profitability.
* Worldwide Terrorism and Safety
* Capital - Too much? Too little? The dilemma of low interest rates.
* New Business Realities - Adapting to a prolonged business cycle or
fundamental change? Increased customer expectations and globalization of
economies lead the way.
* Service Gaps - Who is the customer? The stockholder or the guest?
* Global Uncertainty- Viruses, armed conflict, nuclear threats, economic
realities -- combating 24/7 news coverage.
* Building Occupancy - Long term impact of short term pricing policies as
commercial, group and tour business dramatically (perhaps permanently)
change travel patterns.
* Airlines in the 21st Century- Safety, security, service-how will
affordability and profitability co-exist?
* Management Evolution and the Shift in Power
* Financial Viability - rising costs, under-funded reserves, escalating brand
standards--multiple challenges to profitability.
From "ISHC Announces the Top Ten Issues & Challenges for 2004."
http://www.ishc.com/new.html
** Please click on the highlighted link below the list or points for a
word document which offers a complete description of each point.
=
Each of these issues could be the basis of a dissertation topic. You
can tweak each topic to a specific area of hospitality, or even narrow
it down to a specific country.
=
I have chosen several of the ten points, including descriptions from
the "expanded list" for each issue, and highlighted some relevant
articles for you to explore. (All of the topic descriptions are from
the clickable link under the top ten list)
http://www.ishc.com/new.html
DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL MANAGEMENT
===============================
"Having a well-defined distribution management strategy must become a
core competency for the hospitality industry. Although improvement in
this area is evident, the industry still suffers from a severe
disconnect between senior management directives and the reality of
day-to-day property level decision making. Mixed messages between
brand/price integrity and "heads in beds" continue to plague the
industry, turning the hotel experience into a commodity."
=
I have included two types of articles - those that focus on issues of
distribution management and those which center on the importance of
brand recognition to help alleviate the "commodity" mentality and keep
guests coming:
Distribution:
"Global Hotel Distribution Survey 2004
http://www.kpmg.com.sg/publications/survey/hotel2004.pdf
"2004 the Year of Direct Online Distribution - Now is the time to
fight back with a smart Direct-to-Consumer Internet Strategy," by Max
Starkov and Jason Price. Hospitality net (February 2004)
http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4018427.html
"Hoteliers Aggressively Maintain Rate Parity through Multiple
Distribution Channels." Hotel Online. (March 2004)
http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2004_1st/Mar04_RateParity.html
"Optimizing The System." Hotels Magazine. (July 2003)
http://www.hotelsmag.com/0703/0703tech.html
"RESEARCH REPORT - Booking Hotels Online: An In-Depth Examination of
Leading Hotel Web Sites." Consumer WebWatch. (April 24, 2003)
http://www.consumerwebwatch.org/news/hotels/TOC.htm
"In 2001, HEDNA published a White Paper entitled "Biasing - What You
Need to Know." The 126-page document details types of hotel
distribution bias, where it occurs, and how it "impacts revenue and
distribution planning and how to plan for that impact."
http://www.consumerwebwatch.org/news/hotels/bias.htm
Maintaining Brand Awareness:
"Brand Erosion, or How Not to Market Your Hotel on the Web - Revisited
- Critical Online Distribution Issues Revisited a Year Later" by Max
Starkov. Hospitality Net. June 2003
http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4016069.search?query=hospitality+and+brand+pricing
"In Search of the Internet Intelligence Report That Makes Sense -
Growing online distribution drives demand for new intelligence tools,"
by Jason Price and Max Starkov. Hospitality Net. (January 2003)
http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4014374.html
"Have Brand Loyalty, Will Travel," by Nancy Wong Bryan. Internet
Merchandising Systems
http://www.imscart.com/hotel_reservation_software_article_9.htm
"Point-of-view: Blaming technology for management failures," by Nick
Scavone. The Management Report For Hospitality Technology. Volume 14,
Number 1. (January 9, 2003)
http://www.accuvia.com/publishing/products/newsletters/articles/HTA-Jan9.htm
"Do in-room amenities put heads in beds?" by Jennifer Piazza. The
Management Report For Hospitality Technology. Volume 14, Number 5.
(March 21, 2003)
http://www.accuvia.com/publishing/products/index.html
(I put this article under this topic heading because anything a hotel
can do, including offering amenities that co-exist with the brand
name, can attract customers. * A good case in point - I will always
try to choose a hotel known for offering wireless internet.)
"Shifting the Pricing Paradigm," by Carlo Wolff, Features Editor.
Lodging Hospitality. (January 2004)
http://www.lhonline.com/Archive/LHArticle.asp?ID=255
"Brand Building is Back," by Ed Watkins, Editor. Lodging Hospitality.
(Feb 2004) http://www.lhonline.com/Archive/LHArticle.asp?ID=267
"Job One: Get Control of Distribution," by Ed Watkins. Lodging
Hospitality. (January 2004)
http://www.lhonline.com/Archive/LHArticle.asp?ID=257
"Where?s Bob Now That We Need Him?," by Ed Watkins. Lodging
Hospitality. (Aug 2003)
http://www.lhonline.com/Archive/LHArticle.asp?ID=175
WORLDWIDE TERRORISM AND SAFETY
=================================
"The escalated level of terrorism beginning with 9/11 will continue to
be a major thorn in the side of world tourism in 2004, particularly in
hotspots such as the Middle East. However, any location where there
happens to be a significant terrorism event will pay a heavy price.
Travel venues therefore have a strong economic incentive as well as an
ethical responsibility to optimize the safety measures in place."
=
The following articles focus on the matter of safety as it applies to
making Athens a safe destination for visitors during the 2004
Olympics:
". . . and during the Olympics," by ALAN SOLOMON. Newsday.com (April 18, 2004)
http://www.newsday.com/travel/ny-trside0418,0,5972614.story?coll=ny-travel-headlines
"Terror fears won't keep everyone away." Sl.com (April 2004)
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/olympics/2004/04/10/bc.oly.timdahlberg.ap/
"Security: 'Anything Is a Target' - Planners are spending almost a
billion dollars to keep the athletes - and all of Athens - safe during
the Games," by T. Trent Gegax. Newsweek (March 22, 2004)
http://216.239.53.104/search?q=cache:V3gSo7Q41wUJ:msnbc.msn.com/id/4523030/+how+to+keep+athens+safe+during+Olympics&hl=en
"Security for the Athens Olympics," by Bill McKell. (Sept. 2003)
http://www.crikey.com.au/columnists/2003/09/29-0004.html
"Greece promises safe Olympics, but delays may not," by Lauren Markoe.
Knight Ridder Newspapers (April 01, 2004)
http://www.arbiteronline.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/04/01/406bcf1cba3b4
Series of articles on Olympic preparations in Athens:
http://www.greekembassy.org/Embassy/content/en/Article.aspx?office=3&folder=202&article=12911
CAPITAL
========
"The hospitality industry faces several challenges relative to
capital. There are dollars for development but large-scale full
service hotels don?t pencil absent a mixed-use or subsidized
environment. Hence the development capital is going to smaller
cannibalistic development creating a difficult competitive operating
environment for existing hotels of all sizes."
"A secondary capital issue is related to debt financing. In relative
and historic terms, debt capital is inexpensive contributing to an
increase in development, however, longer term and as the construction
and mini-perms come due, these hotels will be stabilizing in a higher
interest rate environment; will market lift be sufficient to carry the
higher future interest costs?"
"In addition to eroding margins based on the competitive environment,
operators have deferred capital expenses, slashed staffing and cut
back on training, making existing older hotels less desirable from the
customer?s perspective."
=
I have chosen a few articles which focus on the hotel construction and
remodeling market:
"New downtown hotels seeking their niche - Three developments to add
500 rooms to inventory," by Matt Hendrix. Indianapolis Business
Journal VOL. 24 NO. 5, (APRIL 14-20, 2003)
http://www.dorabros.com/about/articles/ibj_april_2003.htm
"Leaven Your Caution With Optimism," by Ed Watkins. Lodging
Hospitality. (July 2003)
http://www.lhonline.com/Archive/LHArticle.asp?ID=159
"Meet the Leaders of the Pack," by Ed Watkins. Lodging Hospitality. (Nov. 2003)
http://www.lhonline.com/Archive/LHArticle.asp?ID=208
"Caution remains despite increased hotel construction," by Bruce
Adams. Hotel and Motel Management. (March 1, 2004)
http://hotelmotel.com/hotelmotel/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=87605
"2004-01-20 Best Western expects to add 380 hotels worldwide in 2004."
http://www.bestwestern.se/IE/d70.htm
"Best New Business Hotels Of 2003," by Christina Valhouli. Forbes (2003)
http://www.forbes.com/2003/12/18/cx_cv_1218feat.html
"Tax Incentives in Tourism: Hawaii's Hotel Remodeling and Construction
Tax Credits," by Joseph Toy and James Mak. June 2003.
http://www1.worldbank.org/wbiep/decentralization/library1/HawaiiFiscal_IncentivesTourism.pdf
"Hawai'i hotels hop aboard 'brandwagon'," by Michele Kayal. Honolulu
Advertiser. (December 17, 2000)
http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:ihCJUEB6r1MJ:the.honoluluadvertiser.com/2000/Dec/17/1217business1.html+remodeling+hotels+to+attract+customers&hl=en
"Rescuing This Japanese Resort Won't Be A Picnic," By Ian Rowley.
BusinessWeek online.
(April 5, 2004) http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_14/b3877068.htm
GLOBAL UNCERTAINTY
===================
"Globally, the hospitality business was jolted off its foundation by
the terrorism events of September 11, 2001. The recovery has been
spotty begging the question: has the business of this business
fundamentally and permanently changed and if so, how do we deal with
that reality? Have we entered the era of "No Peace-No Travel"? Since
9/11, there have been other very damaging events that have further
impacted the hospitality recovery such as SARS, the war on terrorism
in Afghanistan, the war in Iraq, violent political unrest globally and
the first hotel actually targeted by terrorists in Indonesia."
* The industry needs to be prepared for the effects of further global
unrest and instability and take a much more active role in protecting
its guests.
"World Travel Trends: 2003 - 2004." WTM Global Travel Report.
http://www.etc-corporate.org/resources/uploads/WTMGlobalTravelReport2003.pdf
"Global Tourism 2010: Which Destinations Will Become Successful?
Presentation by Mr. Luigi Cabrini, Regional Representative for Europe,
World Tourism Organization. (Nov 2002)
http://www.world-tourism.org/regional/europe/PDF/SPEECHES/2002/Nyborg%20_Denmark_.pdf
"Safety in numbers: Travelers welcome security measures," by Sarah J.F. Braley
(April, 2002) http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m3094/4_37/84841989/p1/article.jhtml
"Helping travelers in times of crisis: policies must address how to
locate employees and return them to safety," by Mike Koetting.
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m3094/6_38/101614555/p1/article.jhtml
"Global troubles took toll on tourism in 2003, growth to resume in
2004," by Theodore Koumelis. Travel Daily News. (January 28, 2004)
http://www.traveldailynews.com/new.asp?newid=15241&subcategory_id=95
BUILDING OCCUPANCY
==================
"Making the assumption that business will return eventually is a
highly dangerous supposition. The industry faces changes that are
converging simultaneously, thus amplifying the impact. If buying
behavior and travel patterns have changed permanently, then what is
the plan to replace business that may never return? If
web-conferencing becomes the norm, what are the strategies to replace
that commercial business? If transparent pricing is the norm, how
will the industry teach day-to-day decision-makers the art and science
of strategic pricing? If group business does not rebound, what needs
to be done to stimulate the segment?
* The risk is in believing that we must simply weather a down cycle
versus the creation of innovative strategies to reinvent our
businesses."
"The Dilemma of the Empty Room," by Ed Watkins, Editor. Lodging
Hospitality. (April 1003)
http://www.lhonline.com/Archive/LHArticle.asp?ID=103
"Will You Be Back on Track in ?04?," by Ed Watkins. Lodging
Hospitality. (Oct 2003)
http://www.lhonline.com/Archive/LHArticle.asp?ID=199
"Economics of Small Hotels." Ehotelier Newsletter (July 30, 2002)
http://www.ehotelier.com/news/July30.htm#ECONOMICS
(Read about a new concept - the "boutique hotels")
"Accor Websites Attracting More and More Customers - - More Than 6
Million Room Nights Booked Online in 2003, The Equivalent of One Accor
Hotel Every 9 Minutes." Yahoo Finance.
(http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040129/lnth015_1.html
"Work on the service - You may not be able to change the structure of
a hotel room but you can certainly improve the hotel?s service
standard." ST Recruit Online (August 2003)
http://careers.asia1.com.sg/st_recruit/r20030818.html
"Wyndham offers free long distance, Internet." mTravel (June 2002)
http://www.m-travel.com/20605.shtml
(an example of how a hotel changes tactics to make sure they attract
the business traveler, which can set them apart from other hotels when
it comes to choice)
AIRLINES IN THE 21ST CENTURY
==============================
"Our industry recovery depends greatly on airline lift, service and
convenience in travel. Traveling by air has become a major
inconvenience and the composition and number of flying travelers has
changed dramatically, negatively affecting airline profitability.
Internationally, the U.S. government has cut back on granting visas,
making it more difficult for the international traveler to get to into
the country. The result: fewer flyers, fewer seats and fewer options
overall. Many major traditional carriers are in financial difficulty
with the top three having teetered on bankruptcy; how does the
hospitality industry recover in light of the airlines challenges? A
compounding factor may be security; the security of airlines remains a
huge challenge and another terrorism event would be cataclysmic to
that industry and consumers confidence."
Related articles:
"New Report Documents Decline in Air Service Since 9/11 - Travelers
Face Reduced Schedules, Less Direct Flights - U.S. Urgently Needs More
Transportation Options." Reconnecting America.(December 2002)
http://www.usmayors.org/uscm/news/press_releases/documents/airservice_121802.pdf
Missed Connections II: Full Report - December 2003." Reconnecting America.
http://www.reconnectingamerica.org/pdfs/FullMissedConn.pdf
"ISSUE #1 - DOMESTIC LEISURE TRAVEL." TIA Travel Outlook. (MARCH 26, 2003)
http://www.tia.org/Travel/TravelOutlook/032603.asp
"Airfares have plunged - so should expectations," by Christopher
Elliott. Bcentral. http://www.bcentral.com/articles/elliott/104.asp?format=print
"It's the Fares, Stupid," by Charles Leocha. April 18, 2004
http://www.ticked.com/leocha/2004/fares.htm
"Take Air Rage to the Polls," by Christopher Eliott. April 4, 2004
http://www.elliott.org/vault/oped/2004/vote.htm
"More Data, Safe Skies," Christopher Eliott. January 25, 2004
http://www.elliott.org/vault/oped/2004/more.htm
Airline Security:
"U.S. to Push Airlines for Passenger Records - Travel Database to Rate
Security Risk Factors," by Sara Kehaulani Goo. Washington Post.
(January 12, 2004)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A8504-2004Jan11¬Found=true
"P.C. Air Security - When will our pilots be armed?" by John R. Lott
Jr. National Review Online. (September 2003)
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-lott090203.asp
"Greece Flies to New Heights," by Christos and Mary Papoutsy. Hellenic
Communication Service. http://www.helleniccomserve.com/airport.html
(this is important in light of the impending Olympic games)
See what PrivatAire Charter Service has done!
http://www.privatair.com/private_travel/safety.htm
Explosive detection system, on-board searches, intrusion alarms and
motion detectors, screening of routes and passenger lists...
OTHER TOPIC IDEAS
******************
IMPLEMENTING WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY IN THE FOOD AND RESTAURANT INDUSTRY
======================================================================
"Replacing pencil and pad in full-service restaurants - Part 1," by
Alex Malison. The Management Report For Foodservice Information
Systems. Volume 14, Number 2 (February 20, 2003)
http://www.accuvia.com/publishing/products/index.html
"Case study: Restaurant chain finds software solution that meets its
growing needs," by H. Rae Gibbons. The Management Report For
Foodservice Information Systems. Volume 14, Number 4 (March 28, 2003)
http://www.accuvia.com/publishing/products/index.html
(see the two restaurant examples cited that are using POS technology)
"Q&A: The state of wireless technology in the foodservice industry,
Part 1," by Allison Hearn. The Management Report For Foodservice
Information Systems. Volume 15, Number 4 April 16, 2004
http://www.accuvia.com/publishing/products/index.html
(Click on e-newsletters and then the April 16 article)
You will have to look for Part 2 of this topic on the website under
newsletters since this is the latest newsletter. It looks like the
newsletters come out once a month.
http://www.accuvia.com/publishing/products/index.html
"The (Wireless) Hand That Feeds You: Restaurants Taste the Mobile
Future - From fast-food to fine dining, the wireless web is on the
menu at restaurants large and small," by Rick Mathieson. M-Pulse
Magazine (March 2002)
http://www.hpbazaar.com/cooltown/mpulse/0302-restaurants.asp
"Wireless tech changes restaurant dynamics," by Jerome Tabar. Pacific
Business News. (February 2004)
http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2004/02/09/smallb1.html
"Merging Voice & Data: Integrated Mobile Communications Solutions for
the Hospitality Industry."
http://www.symbol.com/products/wireless/wireless_white_papers_hospital.html
(Scroll down to food services)
Wireless credit card transactions a reality in many industries," By
Jay MacDonald. Bankrate.com (July 24, 2002)
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/biz/Cashflow_banking/20020724b.asp?prodtype=biz
"Wireless is More," by Ira Apfel. Restaurant USA. (Oct 2001)
http://www.restaurant.org/rusa/magArticle.cfm?ArticleID=646
BIOMETRICS IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY
===================================
"Biometrics may scan air travelers," by Racheal Konrad. CNET News.
(March 27, 2002) http://news.com.com/2100-1017-869622.html
"Biometrics in the travel industry," by James Hamilton. The Management
Report For Hospitality Technology. Volume 14, Number 15. December 12,
2003
http://www.accuvia.com/publishing/products/index.html
"Security in the Air Industry," by Mike Taylor. Ecommerce for the
Travel Industry Forum.
http://www.eyefortravel.com/papers/security.html
"IATA warns of travel chaos if U.S. deadline for biometrics in
passports is not extended." Travel Daily News. (April 21, 2004)
http://www.traveldailynews.com/new.asp?newid=16393&subcategory_id=53
"The need for biometrics in airport security," by Kenneth V. Smith.
m-Travel.com (March 2002) http://www.m-travel.com/20327.shtml
"Fingerprinting's big business for Cross Match," by Chris Woodyard.
USA Today. (1/13/2004)
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2004-01-13-fingerprint_x.htm
BIOMETRICS IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY
===============================
"Thumbs up: Biometrics in foodservice, Part 1," by James Hamilton. The
Management Report For Foodservice Information Systems. Volume 14,
Number 13. December 5, 2003
http://www.accuvia.com/publishing/products/newsletters/articles/FTA-Dec5.htm
"Thumbs up: Biometrics in foodservice, Part 2," by James Hamilton. The
Management Report For Foodservice Information Systems. Volume 14,
Number 14. December 31, 2003
http://www.accuvia.com/publishing/products/index.html
"Biometrics Arrives in Restaurant Back Office." Menulink (2001)
http://www.menulink.com/pdf/articles/PR-Biometrics_32001.pdf
"What Real Opportunities Exist In Biometrics For Hospitality VARs?,"
by Carly Rohrer. Business Solutions (July 2003)
http://www.businesssolutionsmag.com/Articles/2003_07/030728.htm
DESIGNER HOTELS
================
"Designer Hotels," by Christina Valhouli. Forbes.com (March 2004)
http://www.forbes.com/travel/2004/03/04/cx_cv_0304feat.html
"Hotel gets set to serve the 'adventurous traveler'," by SHERRY
FIGDORE. APP.com (4/24/2004)
http://www.app.com/app/story/0,21625,949436,00.html
"Designer hotel in the suburbs," by RO BARATT. Manchester Online
Homesearch (Feb. 2004)
http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/homesearch/latest/readershomes/stories/Detail_LinkStory=81546.html
"Bring me some chintz now!" Guardian Unlimited. (March 28, 2004)
http://travel.guardian.co.uk/hotels/story/0,11327,1180487,00.html
"Designed by Arne Jacobsen, The Worlds First Designer Hotel Turns
Forty; Radisson SAS Royal, Copenhagen." Hotel Online (2000)
http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PressReleases2000_3rd/July00_SASRoyal.html
"Big May Be Beautiful, but Boutique Is C O O L," by Shaun Smith. (May 2001)
http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:WPiZn2mNzpkJ:www.brandchannel.com/images/papers/MayOpUK.pdf+designer+hotels&hl=en
Books on Designer Hotels - Click on the link below, and then on the
link for Amazon.com, which will bring up several books in this
category:
http://www.aroots.org/architecture-books/architecture-book-isbn-0823013014.html
More about the Book, Designer Hotels (look in table of contents)
http://www.harpercollins.com/hdi/deshotelspaper.html
ADDITIONAL READING
===================
You might find some ideas among the IHRA publications, but most of
them seem outdated (the most recent is 2000) Scroll through
publications below:
http://www.ih-ra.com/publications/
Please scroll though all the publications on Hospitality net. Ignore
the weekly lodging performance reports and troll through the topical
reports for additional ideas.
http://www.hospitalitynet.org/list/1-10/154000366.html
===
As I mentioned earlier, each of these topics provides a broad heading
that you can narrow down into a smaller issue if you desire. Once you
have decided on a topic, I will be happy to explore it in more depth
if you choose to follow up with a further question. You may address
the question to me if you like, or leave it open for the research
community at large.
I hope the information I have provided proves helpful in your choice
of topics for a dissertation!
umiat
Google Search Strategy
issues in the hospitality industry
hospitality and brand pricing
The decline in air travel
2004 airline travel
newest airline security measures
remodeling hotels to attract customers
travel industry AND safety
attracting new hotel customers
how to keep Athens safe during Olympics
hotel construction market
hotel construction 2004
build new hotels or remodel existing hotels
hotel distribution channels
how travel is affected by global uncertainty
wireless in the restaurant industry
biometrics in travel industry
biometrics in restaurant industry
designer hotels |
