How people travel is changing and hotels and other destinations have to adapt their offering as such to attract and build long term loyalty. Here are our thoughts on trends moving forward - from staycations to Airbnb, food tourism to voluntourism.

Should old colonial buildings be restored into new hotels with butler service reminiscent of the English occupation? Should hotel employees start dressing in traditional gear and bowing to guests? I suppose that's what travelers want. Perhaps it's even what I wanted. But is it right? 

With the growing number of certifications is the growing list of uncertainties.

Being proactive and measuring your hotel’s carbon footprint in one form or another is commendable. But regardless of how you measure it, who you do it for or why you do it at all, be transparent about your methodology and overall CSR strategy. Written clearly and concisely, a CSR report can speak volumes. 

When people ask us what we love about working in the hotel industry we tell them that work is always our holiday, and holidays are always our work. So when we started our own company last year, we realized we should do what we could to avoid the traditional work environment. After all, there's nothing "holiday" about a cubicle or office desk with fluorescent lighting.

If Asian hotel brands can do without shark fin, can't the Hyatts and Sheratons out there do the same?

I thought the Rooftop Cinema in HK was fun participatory cinema until I heard about the Cycle-in Cinema! On December 2 and 3, 2012, Magnificent Revolution is featuring a portable pedal powered cinema system at Detour, an offshoot of Business of Design Week, and is inviting the public to participate.

Interview with Yvette Jong, Sustainable Tourism expert on China, Sustainability and Change

by Responsible Hotels Team, Carlos Buj

When the option to choose where you can work is increasing, it’s no longer about a hiring experienced managers and employees to operate the hotel.It’s now about ensuring employee values are aligned with those of your brand, and ensuring that the employer-employee dynamic is carefully managed to build strategic and long-term relationships.

How do you ensure your message isn't lost in communication? When writing the content for your marketing materials, know your audience, and find the right words and language to tell a story that's compelling, genuine, captivating and relevant.

Even in developed countries where the tap water is perfectly safe to drink like Hong Kong, we came across pre-packaged ice cubes made from spring water imported from New Zealand into local supermarkets. If the public isn’t foolish enough about avoiding tap water (we drink it when we can), this is definitely feeding into their paranoia.

The Maldives are sinking, energy's a fortune and waste disposal is a major issue. At Climate Week NYC, the country's vice president announces a mandate that 60% of energy be produced by solar power in a bid to be carbon neutral by 2020. 

Yvette Jong, Founder and Director of Craft House, was interviewed by HOTELS, the magazine of the worldwide hotel industry, on the topic of sustainable practices in hotels across the world.