The global economic downturn has affected the hotel industry -- is there an upside to the current situation? Many industry experts say yes. The industry is undergoing a dramatic shift, but managers and executives with the right skills and knowledge will be able to position their properties to be more competitive now and in the emerging marketplace.
According to the UCLA Extension Executive Hotel Management Program Advisory Board, comprising industry experts from top properties and related companies, managers and executives can take measures now to optimize their operations, respond to current conditions and prepare for a turnaround:
1. Expand your planning beyond “survival mode.” A turnaround in the hotel industry is predicted for late 2009 or 2010. Be ready for it: Develop an action plan for asset management and ROI that focuses on the turnaround.
2. Manage your staff’s motivation and morale. These intangibles can have a very tangible effect on your bottom line. Make your staff part of your team.
3. Keep the guests you have -- they are your best guests and your best salesmen. Re-focus on guest satisfaction and services.
4. Attract new guests. Customization is a winning strategy in today’s direct sales strategies to develop relationships with new guests.
5. Create a competitive advantage by leveraging technology. A downturn can be the best time to optimize your current technology or invest in new technologies.
These are just a few of the topics addressed in the new UCLA Extension Executive Hotel Management Program. Designed from the ground up by industry experts to address today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities, this intensive 10-day program will fast-track managers’ career development and build their ability to lead their organizations.
The innovative and flexible program incorporates up-to-the-minute information, emerging trends and new paradigms to give attendees the most current picture possible of the hotel industry. Responding to the financial constraints facing many companies, the program is offering a special $5,500 enrollment option.
Held at UCLA, the program is intended for senior-level managers of full-service and multi-unit hotels, clubs and resorts. The curriculum, developed and taught by UCLA Extension and leading industry experts, addresses the real-world complexities and dynamic trends that hotel executives will face now and in the future. Topics include:
• Emerging business models that are shaping today’s hotel industry for tomorrow
• Synergizing sales, marketing and public relations efforts for maximum results
• Navigating the needs of hotel owners, managers and shareholders
• Implementing green business practices to save $ and save the planet
• Managing your career as a leader in the hotel industry
The inaugural UCLA Extension Executive Hotel Management Program takes place Aug. 17-28, 2009. The special $5,500 enrollment fee covers registration, course instruction and materials, and visits to elite Los Angeles and Beverly Hills hotels, as well as special events. The application due date is July 1. Find out more and download the application at www.uclaextension.edu/exechotel.
The program’s advisory board comprises:
• Arash Azarbarzin, president, Hotel Division, SBE
• Bruce Baltin, senior vice president, PFK Consulting
• Jim Butler, chairman, Global Hotel Group, Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Marmaro LLP
• Javier Cano, general manager, JW Marriott Hotel Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE
• Alison Cumberland, vice president, Lodging Development, Western Region, Marriott International Inc.
• Mehdi Eftekari, general manager, Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles
• William H. Emer, Los Angeles officer managing partner, Perkins Coie LLP
• Teresa A. Holden, partner, Allimar Marketing
• David Horowitz, general manager, Hyatt Regency Century Plaza
• Ali V. Kasikci, managing director, Montage Beverly Hills
• Victoria H. King, president, Victoria King Public Relations
• Brian A. Kite, vice president and managing principal, Leo A Daly, Los Angeles
• Edward E. Leamer, Chauncey J. Medberry Professor of Management, professor of economics, professor of statistics, and director, UCLA/Anderson Business Forecast Project
• Carlos Lopes, managing partner, Unique Hotels
• Edward A. Mady, vice president and area general manager, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company
• Offer Nissenbaum, managing director, Peninsula Beverly Hills
• Shane O’Flaherty, president and CEO, Mobil Travel Guide
• Darell Schmitt, principal, Darrell Schmitt Design Associates
• Joseph Valenti, senior vice president, marine operations, Crystal Cruises
About UCLA Extension
One of the nation’s leading university-based institutions for continuing education, UCLA Extension offers some 4,300 classroom and online courses and programs each year, helping 47,000 lifelong learners in Los Angeles and around the world advance their goals for career, academic and personal educational development. For more information, visit www.uclaextension.edu.
