A shrinking labor force is the number one challenge facing the global hospitality industry, according to the International Society of Hospitality Consultants, which recently convened to brainstorm world issues and rank them according to importance. Many of us, whether employer, employee or consumer, are beginning to feel the effects of a shrinking labor force in the service industries, but few of us understand the causes of a smaller workforce. Some major countries are in real trouble in the decades ahead. This report explores effects, causes and offers a solution for certain countries to better compete in the world marketplace.

Hotels and resorts with indoor waterparks now total 104 in 2005 with 52 under construction and another 121 in development. Three major ski resorts have opened or will soon open indoor waterparks to create weather-proof vacations and capture year-round revenues. In 2004, resorts achieved higher occupancies and revenues than any other type of lodging investment. Eleven percent of all new hotel and resort projects in the pipeline have a condominium component. Resorts are hot!

Although Santa and his team of reindeer have only to satisfy their "clients" but one day-technically one night-of the year, they need to do it with perfection each and every year! So, for almost 2,000 years now, Santa and his team of eight reindeer, (nine since Rudolph appeared in 1863) have been exhibiting the ultimate in teamwork, through all kinds of weather, overcoming all types of obstacles and even figuring out the most efficient ways around unexpected problems (like no chimney to go down). This group of Rangifer tarandus saintnicolas magicualus has been molded into the most famous of unified teams.

The industry is in a healthy recovery. According to the Travel Industry Association of America, Americans will be traveling in record numbers this summer, building on the momentum in travel recovery from 2004 with an expected 2.3 percent increase in leisure travel. Nevertheless, you might find yourself asking, "The hotel market is finally booming; so why is everyone’s revenue up but mine?"

In 2005, fractional, condominium and residential inclusions are becoming a typical part of any hotel development. Almost any new hotel project includes one of the aforementioned components to justify and support the viability of the project.

Confidential employee surveys that are professionally administered by a neutral party can offer feedback that can not be acquired in any other way. Results can then be “sliced and diced” so that management can make improvements in many areas.

During the year ahead, most major markets are predicting upturns in occupancy and ADR as the economy expands and more commercial travelers hit the road. Although many hotel operators remain unconvinced that the individual business traveler has returned in full force, the pace of group bookings in both urban and resort locations is ahead of recent years. That’s the good news. It will be more of a challenge for hotel operators to capture market share. Hotels will again compete for business based on their product and service attributes, rather than their sales department’s ability to discount rates. Major chain operators have also learned that their loyalty program members may not be so loyal. Customers can often find better rates through a multiplicity of points-program memberships. The success of independent hotels may provide a hint to the larger brands that there is more to life for customers than cut-rate discounts and loyalty programs.