China’s budget hotel industry, which has less than 10 years’ history, has again come under the limelight. On one hand, it is the domestic giant Home Inn on an acquisition spree; on the other hand it is the rapid expansion of international predators. In less then 4 years, the number of budget hotels in China had grown from 166 in 2004 to 1476 in October 2007, almost a 1000% growth. As the industry becomes more mature, many problems previously swept under the carpet are now surfacing.

Cost challenge

Compared to ordinary hotels, cheap rent is the major feature of budget hotels, as well as the main reason for the industry’s fast expansion. But as the number of budget hotel surges in China, budget has become the biggest issue faced by budget hotels currently.

“Cost increase is a dire problem for budget hotels. Apart from general cost inflation, costs associated with expansion activities have been the chief reason for cost increases in most budget hotel chains.” said Mr Hu Shengyang, CEO of Shanghai Inntie Hotel Management Consulting. Hu suggested that the concentration of location selection by budget hotels and their exponential growth in numbers have resulted in a reduction of potential sites. This intensifies the competition for high grade properties between hotel brands, directly pushing up site acquisition costs. Meanwhile, other costs such as personnel, building and management are also going up.

“The situation of cost increase can help the budget hotel industry become more rational.” said Mr Cheng Jun, vice-CEO of Hanting Hotel Management Group. Compared to a payback period of 1-2 years in the past, Cheng thought that the current payback period of 3-5 years for budget hotels is more reasonable in a normal market.

Mr Hu also agreed that cost increase should make the whole industry more concentrated. While some small chains may have to exit due to cost pressure, large budget hotel brands could accelerate their strategic progress, in order to secure a first-mover position in the future.

The withdrawal of Top Star Hotel, now acquired by Home Inn, has proved the point. Industry insiders commented that in order to quickly list the company on stock exchange, Top Star were furiously expanding its hotel numbers, at an unsustainable cost of 15% higher than the industry average. The failure of Top Star should give the Chinese budget hotel industry a warning signal.

Homogeneous competition

Not only costs are increasing, budget hotels in China are also facing the problem of “decreasing income”. According to a survey report in 2007, the average price per room had decreased from 328 yuan/day in 2005 to 208 yuan/day in 2006, and occupancy rate also down from 89% to 82.4%.

“On one hand it is the increase in hotel numbers, on the other hand these hotels share the same market positioning, hence the inevitable price war between budget hotels.” said Mr Hu. He explained that the early type of budget hotels in China was simply a copy of the budget hotel models from Western countries. Once a pilot hotel was proved successful, the same model would be duplicated in other cities by the company. Other new comes would also the proven model, therefore resulting in the problem of homogeneous competition across the budget hotel industry. When the industry was at an early stage, this homogeneity problem could be covered by the strong market demand. But as the industry saturates, consumers can now have more choice. Hotel operators thus have to reduce their prices to attract customers.

But Mr Cheng disagreed, saying that the key reason for homogeneity is rather due to unsophistication of the industry. He pointed out that budget hotels are also called “limited service hotels”. In developed countries, based on differentiated demand from different target groups, the meaning of “limited services” can be very different. Many multinational hotel chains have thousands of hotels, which would be classified into 8-12 grades according to different customer demands, such as tourism and business travel.

“As the market matures, hotel chains will inevitably become homogeneous.” said Mr Cui Tao, an integrated marketing expert. “The competition between budget hotels in the future will no longer be on a shop-to-shop basis, but on a collective basis. In this rivalry process, all aspects of a business, such as branding, culture, business model and cost control, would need to be combined together to achieve a core competitiveness that cannot be replicated easily.”

Management difficulty

“There will be only two types of hotels that can survive in China: individualized hotels and systemic hotel chains.” Mr Cheng forecast. He reckoned that individualized hotels can survive on their uncopyable, unique features, while the advantage of hotel chains will be their scale and uniform quality.

However, Mr Cui thought that the there is a contradictory relationship between quality control and scale, “Larger scale may mean increasing brand risk, but the formation of a brand requires scale.” In this sense, the standardisation of budget hotels is not only an issue of individual breakthrough, but a process of structural superiority. “From managing a few hotels to managing scores of hotels, the methods for standardised management would be quite different.” said Mr Cui, who has a profound background in franchise business management.

Hanting Hotel Group, a relatively new comer to the industry, is showing more caution. It is understood that apart from improving the management of standardised systems, Hanting is also strictly controlling the number of franchisees. At present, only 10% of Hanting’s hotel chain are franchised hotels. Mr Cheng admitted that “franchised hotels are more difficult to communicate when it comes to standardised management. Therefore before our management capability can be substantially improved, it would be safer to control the number of franchisees.”

For more information on Chinese businesses, please visit www.chinabizintel.com

A whole cornucopia of beautiful sights and sites await those who are planning on getting Barbados travel hotel accommodations in or near the northern area of the island. Here is a list of some of the most beautiful places in the north coast that no tourist should ever miss.

Speightstown – This old Barbadian town in the North West used to be a major port in the Caribbean. It was also a major fishing town. The old country charm is very apparent with the quaint balconied houses and buildings that really bring out the character of the old town. There are some nice beaches, quaint restaurants, and great places to shop.

The Light House at Harrison Point – This is another historic site in the island that is popular among photographers. One might have to really ask around St. Lucy parish and driving along some dirt roads before one finds it, but it is worth it for those interested. The place is famous for its breathtaking view of the tip of the northern coast.

The Gallery of Caribbean Art – Visitors who are already in Speightstown and is interested in Caribbean art would surely find this museum to be an important place that exhibits the region’s best art. The museum plays host to many art exhibits all year featuring the best sculptures, photographs, and paintings from Haiti, Cuba, Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados, and other neighboring areas.

St. Lucy’s Church – The Church of St. Lucy is one of the history six original parish churches in the island. It was erected as early as 1629. At first, the church was made of wood, but in time and because of weather related disasters, the church was rebuild. In 1741 the church was finally built in its stone structure. The final Georgian inspired architecture of the building was done on the year 1837. The building has a magnificent tower and it is build from sawn rock.

The Barbados Wildlife Reserve – People who have rented Barbados travel hotel rooms in the north know that the northern coast of the island has always been known for the raw wild nature and beauty. That is why the wildlife reserve is located here. Going inside is like entering a scenic forest of meandering footpaths that go through the beautiful reserve. Here, many of the island’s natural and introduced species are housed. Barbadian green monkeys, land tortoises, pelicans, brocket dear, otters, peacocks, and agouti are just a few. There is also an aviary with stunning birds. One must be warned though that this is a reserve, not a zoo. One must have the proper respect for the animal’s natural habitat.

Pico Teneriffe – Those who want to have one or perhaps the most beautiful view of nature in the island should go to Pico Teneriffe also known as cove bay. The sweeping land and seascape view goes as far out as Ragged Point in the eastern coast. One will be greeted by the sight of cliff ledges in a very cavernous cove that is dotted by peaceful casuarinas tropical trees. This is definitely one of the best reasons for people who rent Barbados travel hotel accommodations in the north.

With 130,000 available hotel rooms (148,978 if you throw in Nye County and Laughlin) you might think there would be a “Deals” to be found. You would most likely be wrong! Finding a “deal” in a city whose Major Resort properties run near capacity is becoming increasingly difficult. Why? Because the top resort properties are controlled by a select group of companies that have no incentive to discount.

Vegas’ Law of Supply and Demand

Consider for a moment the simple law of “Supply and Demand”. When the supply is high and the demand is low the prices drop. Vegas is a boomtown, the demand is high and the supply is low. How could that be with 130,000 rooms? The answer is simple: 30 million annual visitors and growing! In fact the growth rate is so phenomenal that Mega Resorts like Mandalay Bay (43 story $375 million Spa Tower featuring 1,120 Suites completed in December 2004) and The Venetian (currently expanding) and the recently completed $2.4 Billion Wynn Las Vegas (Opened April 2005) are adding thousands of rooms to the “Heart of the Strip”. So phenomenal is the growth that even out of State Financiers like Donald Trump are getting in on the action. The Demand for Rooms is exceeding the supply so the prices are rising!

According to an interview published July 30, 2004 in USA Today Trump’s plans include a 64-story hotel-condominium tower to be built on a portion of the Frontier Hotel property across from the Wynn Las Vegas Resort and next to the Fashion Show Mall.

Scheduled to begin construction sometime in 2005 the $300 million project will feature 1,000 hotel rooms, and 50 luxury residential units modeled after the Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York. There will be no Casino on the property.

Only 10% of Las Vegas Hotels are Booked Online

In several articles I’ve researched this year published in various Business Journals and by Hotel Industry analysts the actual booking rate for Hotels offering online services to their visitors is approximately 10% Nationwide. This I believe to be an accurate representation of Las Vegas as well. (Our company runs several websites offering Hotel Booking and these numbers are in line with our own).

Further Proof: “Only about 10 percent of our rooms are booked at Hyatt.COM,” said Gary Gotling, director of sales and marketing for Hyatt Regency Tampa.

This means 90% of you are using the Internet to gather information, but are not actually making your reservation Online! Traditional Travel Agents and telephone calls are still the preferred method of booking. The Internet is being used as an information gathering source, and little more. The big Players know this and use it to their advantage. Again there is no incentive to offer lower rates if your customers don’t take advantage of them. I’ll touch briefly on the issue of Room Taxation by saying that most local Governments hate the internet because rooms booked online by out of State interests are cutting into their available tax pool. Expect local Government officials to act sooner than later on this issue.

So where does your money go when you book online?

If you search Vegas.com you’ll find they are owned by Greenspun Media Group (Henderson, NV) which publishes the Las Vegas Sun Daily Newspaper, and owns Vegas Magazine, Showbiz Weekly, In Business, Las Vegas Weekly, VegasGolfer, Las Vegas Life, and The Ralston Report. Greenspun Media is part of the Greenspun Corporation, which also owns local Channel 25 UPN. Greenspun is a partner in Las Vegas ONE, an all-news cable channel. American Nevada, the real estate division of The Greenspun Corporation, is among the most recognized commercial and residential developers in the Las Vegas valley. Their annual advertising budget exceeds 7 figures! Somebody has to pay the price for all that advertising.

You might try the popular website LasVegas.com which has an interesting and storied history. The site Domain was licensed in 2002 from the Stephens Media Group of Littlerock Arkansas (Las Vegas Review Journal, Hawaii.com) to the Mandalay Resort Group and Parkplace Entertainment. Follow along now – 2004 Park Place became Caesars Entertainment, which in turn was purchased by Harrah’s Entertainment. This deal came just one month after MGM/Mirage agreed to purchase the Mandalay Resort Group. Need a room on the strip? Hmmm – I think the pricing is going to be pretty consistent! And to think that you could have owned LasVegas.com as late as 1997!

IAC (InterActiveCorp) run by Mega Financier Barry Diller operates these online Travel Booking Agencies

· Expedia.com Vacations

· Expedia’s Vegas Packages

· Hotwire.com

· TripAdvisor.com

· Hotels.com

· IAN.com

Note(s): Expedia is #1 in total online Travel Bookings for 3rd party internet based booking agencies. But their piece of the total “booking pie” is still very small. Mr. Diller also oversaw the recent acquisition of “Ask Jeeves” for a mere $1.85 billion. Don’t expect those room prices to drop any time soon.

Sabre Holdings Corp owns:

Travelocity – #3 in Travel Bookings

Note: Saber was the “Big Player” in the Travel Agent industry as most Travel Agent computers tied into their booking systems. Travelocity is #3 behind Expedia and Orbitz (Now owned by Cedant Corp.)

Cedant Crop is the worlds top Hotel Franchiser with over 6,400 locations and owns or franchises:

· Orbitz – #2 in Travel Visitors

· Lodging.com

· HotelClub.com

· Ratestogo.com

FYI – Cadant also owns Avis & Budget Rent A Car, Fairfield Resorts (timeshare resorts), Cheap Tickets.com, and Century 21 and Coldwell Banker Real Estate Franchises.

So where does this leave you? I’d suggest you take a quick read of the tips below.

Quick Tips for Vegas Visitors on a Budget?

You’re probably thinking I’ll suggest visiting in the “off season”. Don’t do it! August temperatures often exceed 110 degrees – and that’s the air temperature not the heat radiating off of the concrete and asphalt. No I’m going to suggest you do something much simpler – stay off the strip! Car rentals are cheap when you compare them to the exorbitant prices of the top “On Strip” Mega Resorts. Try a Hotel in Henderson or Summerlin. I’d suggest smaller resorts like The SunCoast or The Orleans.

Get a rental car and park behind the Excalibur, New York New York, or in the Fashion Show Mall (It’s covered and very secure). Click on Internet Ads and see what is available. While 90% of the rooms are booked at capacity the Hotels that are not booked fully actually do advertise! Click those ads! I once stayed at the Fiesta Henderson for $29.95 a night for 3 nights in a row, and I had a suite with 2 queen rooms! I found this deal on an Internet Ad! In fact when I called the Hotel to try and get an even better deal they told me I had to book online! Try corporate housing as it’s usually full during the weekdays but available on the Weekends when the business Travelers return home. Visit the websites of Hotels you may want to stay at and sign up for their email promos so you get offers sent directly to you before your trip (Use a free address like Hotmail for this purpose). Ask at the desk when you sign in for any additional perks or offers available to guests. It’s kind of like asking for the window seat on the airplane, if you don’t ask for it you won’t get it. And my final tip is Form before Fashion – bring your most comfortable walking shoes and stock up on bottled water at the local grocer before you check in. Enjoy!

The decisions are plentiful when it comes to deciding which luxury hotel in Miami to stay in. With stunning views of the river or the ocean. Known for showing off the sun and sea, these stylish, soothing sanctuaries are a destination you won’t want to miss. Some with vaulted ceilings, glass walls and shimmering pools all create a beautiful atmosphere fit for a king, or queen. Exceptional amenities and luxury service from hotel spas to in-room spa treatments, and a night-life to remember forever. Dancing, live entertainment and exceptional restaurants are everywhere and most are within walking distance from the hotel.

Miami hotels offer so much more than a place to rest your head. There are many features at these hotels. Sidewalk breakfast cafe’s, pool side snack bars, elegant meeting rooms and the list just goes on and on. Step outside the doors of any of these hotels in any direction and you will find yourself exactly feet from sandy beaches, alluring dinning spots, designer shops and trend setting boutiques. During the night, the nightlife is totally electrifying. Theaters and live entertainment or just going to the bar for some drinking and socializing. You can do it all from any hotel here in Miami. One hotel that really stands out from the rest is the Gansevoort South. This Miami hotel is sure to tantalise all your tastebuds with all it has to offer.

San Francisco hotels are exceptional. Premier accommodations close to exciting attractions such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Ghirardelli Square, Pier 39 and more. The famous Cable Cars are close by some hotels. Some of these hotels offer drinks and dining in a casual outdoor setting. With superb fire pits to keep everybody warm and cozy while enjoying the fresh air outside. Dine out in one of many restaurants to eat Sushi or Grilled Chicken Quesadillas. Seafood is a must have when staying here. Then relax with your favorite Martini or find a new drink to enjoy.

A couple of the best hotels based in San Francisco are the Post Ranch Inn & The Clift. Make sure you have a look at them as they are sure to suit all your needs.

With luxury hotels all over the country, it might be hard to decide which one you should stay at. Doesn’t matter if you’re traveling on a vacation for romance or business. With extraordinary cuisine, glittering night life, to bistros that have theaters in them and sushi bars. Luxury hotels have more to offer. In the fact that you pay more, you also get more for your money. From exotic food to Asian cuisine, with tropical rainforest settings. From two to two hundred, these luxury hotels have some of the best experiences in the world to offer you and your guests.

If there is one segment of our population that should earn a reward for the amount of movement they have in their lives, it would be a large portion of the business community. They are constantly moving and shaking, making this world run as efficiently as possible, all the while looking forward to nothing more than a really nice business hotel at the end of the day.

While many hotels try their best not label themselves as catering to a particular group of folks, there is a new trend in the travel industry whereby big names in the accommodation business are catering to business travelers. And rightly so. Just think about how taxing travel can be on the casual traveler who is traveling for leisure & relaxation. Business travelers are on the road nearly everyday, sometimes even seeing a few time zones in one day. They have to maintain a sharp personal look, and be ready to handle a major meeting at a moment’s notice.

When you’ve got that much on your plate, it is nice to know that your hotel has “got your back”. But do they? Many hotels try to tout their available services to the business community so as to drum up business. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing (they are a business, right?), it’s the follow-through that can be mismanaged.

At the end of the day, business travel experts have found that most business travelers just want a few amenities when they book a room. Surprisingly enough, the business elite aren’t too different from the rest of us when it comes to their amenity check-list:

Internet/Wi-Fi – Few things make this old world of ours keep on moving like the internet. Considering how many businesses are trying to go paperless & use 21st century cloud technology, internet service is top priority.

Communication (Fax/Copies) – Even so, having the basic in communication tools like a copier & fax machine are key for any last-minute transfers of information.

Wall Sockets – It’s a simple thing, but when you crawl around on the floor with things to plug in but nowhere to do it, it’s the most important thing.

Dedicated Meeting/Conference Room(s) – Trying to repurpose ballrooms or other types of rooms to make a meeting take place can sometimes backfire.

Recreational Activities On-Site – After a long day, you want to hang out by the pool at your hotel, or maybe even check out a lounge area.

A Free Breakfast Option – If you’re moving and shaking, you need some serious fuel early in the day. Breakfast is where it’s at.

24-Hour Front Desk – You don’t like to think things will go wrong, but you want to be sure that if something goes awry at anytime during the day, or night, you can rely on a dependable front desk to help.

A business hotel can be the ideal place for the weary business traveler to rest their aching bones. For any hotel looking to regularly book this type of traveler, it takes a willingness to understand what the business traveler needs but also how to make it happen.

Hotel industry has become a very popular business now days. There are millions of hotels and restaurants providing their services to the public. Because of the rapid growth of tourism, the hotel industry is also spreading fast, and because of this, many people get opportunity of getting jobs and pursuing their career in this field. For a better career in hotel industry, you must consider to learn proper about hotel management and go through the hotel management certification.

There is no doubt that practical experience is very important in any business, and there would be many people managing their work successfully with out having any degree, but I think there would have been more success if they had learnt from any well reputed institution. In my opinion learning is the key to success. If you are in the hospitality business then you must get hotel management certification. You can take hotel management courses online and from any good institution.

There are many advantages for you in management certification as hospitality is a growing industry. These institutions teach you many relevant things and groom you in your profession. You will learn how to manage a hotel and teach you the skills of restaurant management or hotel marketing. This will help you to become an efficient and learned frontrunner in your industry. Your course will guide you how to handle staff, and how to deal with clients. As these well reputed institutions work with experts in the industry to keep their courses appropriate and up to date. This will provide you an opportunity to learn from the experts in this field. These professional institutions give you the proper information and knowledge about specific cuisines. You can learn the presentation and preparation of different types of food. You get to know about the geographical and historical background of different cuisines. You will be given training to make good and quick decisions, and you will learn how to work with staff in a friendly environment for the betterment of the hotel or restaurant. Theses institutions make you confident to step into professional field.

In short if you get education of hospitality, after the certification you will be offered many good jobs in well reputed hotels, restaurant or casinos. You will have opportunity to get job in conference centre or event planning as well. So if you are interested to adopt this field then must get educated from any hotel management school and become a certify hotel executive.

The Hotel industry is expanding with every passing day due to the boom in leisure and corporate tourism. Frequency of travel has increased over the past decade, leading the hotels to compete in every manner to attract more guests and give them a comfortable stay. Hoteliers know the fact that if they want their customers to choose them over the competitors they have to provide something extra to the guests. Most important one is by offering the quality and right hotel amenities to the guests at suitable rates. If you want your hotel to succeed than it should keep itself ahead in the current trends which will ensure better occupancy rates.

You can start on the hotel amenities services by providing the basic things and supplies like toiletries, towels, hangers, etc. These basic hotel supplies are targeted towards providing the guests ultimate convenience and feel at home factor. However the definition of basic hotel supplies differs on the hotel class and type. The Hotel industry is a highly competitive industry and competes with one another for business. Thus the hotel amenities and supplies that they provide are part of the competition which concerns things like- how many amenities are being offered, its types and the quality and design of the products.

Guests’ expectations of such supplies are affected by the type of hotel and its sophistication level. Hangers, ice boxes, absorbent towels, exquisite bed linens, wooden luggage racks, etc these are basic hotel supplies for mid level hotels. The main aim for providing such extra luxury items is to increase the occupancy rates of the hotel rooms. As the level of the hotel goes up, so does the quality and number of hotel supplies and amenities.

Hotels and resorts that are 5-star and above provide a high level of guest services and amenities to attract and sustain high-end guests. For instance- shaving kits, medical kits, microfiber Bathrobe and towels, shaving mirrors with fog-free feature, in-room lockers, refrigerators, mini bar, etc are just some examples of high quality hotel supplies of such luxury hotels and resorts. Not only do such additional amenities attract new guests but they also increase the occupancy rates.

Guests give rating’s for the hotel supplies and guest complementaries they utilize based on there quality and there convenience. When an hotelier is in the process of deciding which hotel amenities they would provide, a number of factors would influence the decision like- the budget, expectations of their guests, type of guests they receive, etc. The value and importance of hotel supplies cannot be overlooked as they have direct Affect on the occupancy rates.

Finding the best Whistler hotel is easy, if you know what you’re looking to get out of your next vacation. Some of the key factors in finding the right Whistler accommodation for you are location, affordability and facilities.

Where Is Whistler

Whistler resort is located 120 kilometers north of Vancouver British Columbia on the Sea to Sky Highway. Tucked into the Coast Mountain Range, Whistler is a year-round resort catering to the likes of skiers, snowboarders, golfers, mountain bikers, hikers, party-goers and families looking for an exciting mountain vacation experience like no other.

Things To Do In Whistler

Operating as a year-round resort, Whistler offers everything from winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding as well as popular summer activities that include hiking, biking, skydiving and eco tours.

Known for the exhilarating nightlife, Whistler resort is the place to get out and let loose. In addition to adventure sports and partying, Whistler resort is an extremely popular family getaway. Take in the vast mountain views and experience a family vacation you will never forget.

Whistler: Where To Stay

Location:

Choose from the different locations within Whistler resort, depending on your needs. Whistler Village is close to ski lifts, shopping, dining and nightlife that make Whistler the place to party year round. Whistler Village North also provides quick slopeside access as well as shops and restaurants. Find the luxury and quiet you’re looking for in Upper Whistler Village. Minutes away from the action, you might want to choose Whistler Creekside and stay in the comfort of one of many boutique hotels.

Affordability:

Possibly one of the biggest concerns for the budget wise traveler, finding the best deal on your next Whistler hotel reservation can be tricky. With hotel rooms ranging anywhere from $100 – $500 a night, where do you start?

If you are coming to Whistler and plan to be outdoors most of the day and into the evening, perhaps your money is best spent on more affordable hotel accommodation. If you’re visit to Whistler is for rest and relaxation, you may want to check out one of the many boutique hotels that offer the luxury and convenience that you deserve.

Facilities:

Choices for your next Whistler hotel may be based on what facilities are offered. From swimming pools, saunas, hot tubs and even in hotel spas, these are a few reasons to do the research before booking your next room.

Where Can I Make Hotel Reservations?

You can either make your next hotel reservations with the hotel you’re looking for, or browse this online list of Whistler hotels and book directly through the Whistler reservations central booking hotline at 1 877 932 2280.

For hundreds of years, the hotel industry has been doing really well and there is a reason for this too. No matter where you go, you will find that the hospitality industry is required. This is the industry where you can earn big money. If you establish and carry out the operation of your small hotel startup then you can earn lots of money without any doubt.

Once you start your own hotel then you may have the opportunity of a great and successful future. Managing a successful hotel is needs proper planning. You will need a good business plan to make your dreams come true.

o A plan enables you to know about everything you need to do in order to hit your profit objectives including: targeting specific customers, product pricing, all your costs, sales forecasts and marketing.

Be ready for all expenditures

If you want people to invest in your small hotel startup then they would want to look at the plan of your hotel prior to giving you the money to start the business. They will scrutinize your plan carefully before giving you their money.

o Every bank looks for a business plan before they even entertain the idea of lending finance.

o If you are confident of your plans and financial projections and your bank manager will be inspired by your business knowledge.

The expenditure for establishing a new small hotel startup can be huge and you should always be ready for these expenditures. Not many hotels are able to survive without external investment and this is the reason why you need to make a plan that will show the potential investors that your hotel will flourish.

o If you’re looking for financial assistance you could avail grants and advice from a variety of bodies. Be sure of what you want, equity capital or debt finance.

o You will need to keep track of financial matters in the business or hire a professional to do it for you.

State any probable drawback or trouble

It is very important that you state the likely problems or drawbacks that your business may come across.

You will discover that there are several drawbacks that a small hotel startup can face, such as the intensity of competition in the neighborhood, problems relating to legal liability, capability of the hotel to draw and retain competent employees.

o Do not think that your business will grow exponentially in the first 12 months and you will achieve immediate success.

o Your business plan must be realistic enough to show profitability that proves your actual revenues and profits.

Purchasing a hotel that is up for sale

You could purchase an existing hotel if the owner is willing to sell it. You could refurnish it , or simply carry on with how it is.

o Before buying an old property, investigate reasons for the sell off.

o Make a good estimate of the amount of money you have to spend in order to make the hotel up to your standards and offer your price accordingly.

o The property you choose should have growth prospects. A dead property is a useless investment.

You will see the ads for their sales either in the Internet or local newspapers. The proprietor usually sells the hotel because he is in need of money for personal needs. You can start earning money immediately by buying the hotel if that property can yield profit. So you should not let go of a good opportunity if you see one.

The XXIX Olympiad is due to open on 8th August; but with only several months to go the Chinese still have a few hurdles to clear, not least of which is the recruitment and training of hotel staff for the plethora of high-end hotels that has been built specifically for the games.

Ever since the games were awarded to Beijing the decision has been mired in controversy. Objections have been made about China’s human rights record; concern has been expressed about pollution levels in the Chinese capital; and many point to the country’s lack of experience in delivering a major sporting event on this scale.

But, putting the objections aside, one of the bigger challenges surrounding the 2008 Olympics has been to build and subsequently staff a sufficient number of hotels in the Chinese capital, capable of accommodating the huge amount of anticipated visitors to the games.

In addition to the sheer construction challenge, there is an additional and probably more pertinent issue especially for luxury hotels; that of the level of service expected and associated with high-end status hotels.

News has recently emerged which reveals that China’s current, state-sponsored hotel rating system ignores service issues altogether and concentrates purely on the facilities offered in the hotels. As service is not even being considered in the rating system it has led many in the global hospitality industry to question what they can expect when they turn up at the games with their important, corporate and high-end paying guests.

They are anxiously seeking re-assurances from hotel operators and games organisers that service levels in the Chinese capital’s luxury hotels will be on a par to those provided throughout the rest of the world. However, it appears that it is a numbers game. There is simply not enough hotel workers familiar with the western service ethic when it comes to luxury hotels, meaning that many hotel operators may have to attempt to bring in experienced staff from other countries. The first hurdle there will to overcome the high level of bureaucracy imposed by the Chinese regime, and the second will be that the fiercely proud hosts will not wish to appear to show that they cannot cope by allowing that to happen.

Air pollution in the Chinese capital is being touted as a potential problem for both competitors and visitors, and there is even talk of athletes competing in masks to filter the polluted air.

Human rights issues and the threat to athletes to not speak ill of the Chinese regime while at the games may be the stories that are grabbing the headlines; but, when the games get going it may well be the hotel operators’ sheer disregard of the western service ethic that causes most problems for visitors.