David McMillan Hotel & Resort Consulting

'TURN-KEY' DEVELOPMENT IN AN ERA WHEN KEYS NO LONGER 'TURN'.

HAS DESIGN BUILD SEEN ITS' DAY IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY?

Has Turn-Key been exagerated for too long? Does 'Clef en Main' truly deliver the goods. We no longer believe that selling services can replace the need to produce and deliver a working product. And when producing a product, that product must function profitably, functionally and for a tested period of time when one can see the results.

For this reason, David McMillan Consulting is now linked to the huge, full service Engineering company , Genivar with over 3,000 engineers and specialists in over 80 offices worldwide.

Recently marking 50 years in the hotel industry, McMillan, in conjunction with Genivar has decided to reinvent the process to provide cutting edge hospitality development and re-development expertise to developers with the promise of success.

It has been rewarding to observe the evolution of the hospitality consulting industry over the years and to see it mature and change from 'accounting and audit' services to 'hospitality real-estate business strategists who deliver a functioning product.

Conceptualise & Deliver is a the new approach to Design & Build.  It is in some respects similar to the Taj Mahal. Intricate detailing and extraordinary delivery.

Design and Build is best associated with Turn-Key, an out-of-date method of turning a key on to the tumblers in a lock until the bolt slides away and the door creaks open. Design & Build for an industry which requires innovation, creativity, change & drama is a combination that has seen its day. In the same way as iron and steel numbered keys and numbered key tags weighing half a pound have been replaced by 1/2 ounce anonymous plastic cards, so have the huge audit & accounting consultancies staffed by graduate hospitality students been replaced by agile, creative business engineers.

Conceptualise & Deliver is a method in which all systems are activated in an instant but only for the right customer, when the stars are aligned and the sliver of plastic is programmed and the well-oiled machinery is in-place. This is the new Consulting method where a full range of expertise envelopes those already in place. Where the Design & Build is prefaced by research, imagineering, customising & communitising and then followed by launch, run-in, consolidation and asset management.

Where a project is warmed-up, trained, tweaked, tested and then run again. This asset-management period is a one to three year period when financial and market consolidation takes place.

This is the time when the key, such as it is, can be thrown away because the product has been launched and the baby is fit.

For more information on Conceptualise & Deliver, contact Genivar at +1 (514) 340-0046, Extension 5147

 

WHERE GETTING IN THE CLOSET IS HARDER THAN COMING OUT!

MY WALK IN CLOSET IN A SUPERBLY DESIGNED JUNIOR SUITE WAS A GREAT SURPRISE.THIS INTERNATIONAL FIVE STAR HOTEL IS RENOWNED FOR ITS' ART, DESIGN AND PANACHE.

Little did  I know that my three shirts took up all the space in a walk-in closet and my suit, coat, ties and trousers would have to stay in the suitcase.

My first impression was that there were two bathrooms. That is certainly the amenity of the future. 

I was not disappointed to find out that this extra space was a 9' X 6' walk in closet with ceiling to floor, wall to wall mirrored panels.

I was immensely disappointed to find out that the Interior Designer forgot to communicate with the operator before finalising the design.

Of the nine feet of mirrored panels, only half were actually doors of which there were two.

Behind the first door, much like a game-show host, I swung it open to find a safe on top of three drawers. There was no hanging space. There was a clothes brush. However no clothes to brush in this section.

Behind the second door there was a clothes rack alright.............however, we are now down to about 18" and not all those eighteen inches are for my hanging clothes.

• About 8.5" are taken up with an ironing board and iron!!
• Another 5" are taken up by two healthy hangers occupied by two fresh bathrobes.
• That leaves 4.5" for my clothes.
• And nothing for my wife, had she been travelling with me.......or for whoever was going to wear that second bathrobe.

Ironically I am there to meet with the Brand Operator whose job it is to convince me and my client that the Technical Services that their company offers is designed to avoid any and all such small overlooked details that make our industry the equivalent of rocket science.

For a review of your plans for a renovation or a new project, contact davidmcmillangroup@gmail.com

FEASIBILITY STUDIES FOR DEEP POCKETS

DO YOU HAVE MONEY TO BURN? CALL A MARKET RESEARCH FIRM AND TELL THEM WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AND ASK THEM TO PROVE YOU'RE RIGHT.

If you truly want to know whether it will work or not, ask a trusted friend to meet the researcher. That is the only way to get to the truth.

Let's face it...the developer wants to do it, the hotelier wants to run it, the banker wants to finance it and the city planner wants growth.

Where can we get some truth and conseqences? Where can one go to buy 'feasibility'? Is it a rare commodity or does everyone believe that everything is feasible? Are there no realists in our business or are we all dreamers?

I happen to be from the category of 'dreamers'.

However some of my butterflies have flown too close to the flame so I have learned from some mistakes. Some of them have been mine but many others have been the mistakes of others. That has inflicted in me a healthy dose of reality, sometimes disguised as cynicism!! Whatever you call it, it is the ability to weigh the dreams against the reality of life, market trends and gut feel. Women call it instinct. Men call it gut feel!

My wife's instinct works...........so does my gut feel.

But developers don't look for reality. They want a new project. Bankers don't want to deal with projects that are forecast to fail, they want to lend money. City planners are paid to plan projects that get built not for their pessimism.

The consequences of a poorly planned project are painful. Unexpected losses, lower profits, a soiled image and in the worst case, bancruptcy.

If by chance you want to be aware of what reality has in store for your project, contact davidmcmillangroup@gmail.com

THE LINK BETWEEN DESIGN AND HOSPITALITY

THE IMPORTANCE OF DESIGN.

More and more hotels and restaurants have their decors made by ineternational designers.This make great sense has the local or even national design knowledge is often not what is needed for a high class establishments. The top designers will know about the future trends and will reconnise the beauty of local furniture or/art and then make an unique design accordingly.

In a world which become more and more visual, it isn’t really a surprise that style has taken such a place.

What is an interesting trend is the fashion world now focusing on the Luxury of travel as well

As the luxury of the destination.

Two strong exemples are Gianni Versace and Tag group and Hermes and Eurocopter, both have created an extreme luxury way of travel, with the first concentrating on private jets with beautifull interiors, leather sofas, cushions,lamps etc...and the second concentrating on the business world with luxurious shoppers with ample space, separation between pilots and passagers ,special materials for noise control, climatisation and of course Hermes famous way with leather.

The personnel to accompagny  such luxury is hard to accomodate as the “staff”who will fir such extreme will have to be “wealthy” themselves to be able to cope with the demands of this exclusive travelers.

When I mean “ wealthy” she/he will have to have had life experiences perhaps not in $ sense but in art, business,,,,,and will have to be on top of her mental and physique state as demands from billionnaires are huge, having done it myself. (from reading the Financial Times to be aware of the current arts auction to just ba able to have a conversation)

Also this mean working out, world knowledge, politic.

How much do people pay for this sort of staff is big bucks, between 40 000/70 000 euros per year is quite standard they often come from private butlers schools.

And to tell you the truth often  money is no subject as more than often money is trivial to them, family, safety, privacy, securtity and secrecy is more important to the billionnaires than money. But this is a parallel world than most of us don’t cross often.

Saying that so working for billionnaires is very interesting, as you are in close contact with them if you are interested and an enthousiast, you will learn about all sorts and about yourself, and you will be surprised that most billionnaires I have worked for knew the prices of things to the penny. I have to say I can’t say the same about our French politician.

Sandrine Urvois

Hospitality consultant

IS CUBA A POTENTIAL ASSET OR A LIABILITY

THE FUTURE OF CUBA IS BRIGHT BUT THINGS HAVE NOT CHANGED MUCH YET, BUT SHOULD THEY?

As a fan, aficionado, some would say a specialist in Cuban hospitality, I can unqualifyingly confirm that there are still enormous opportunities in Cuba now and for the foreseeable future but the novice should beware.......but get on a plane quickly.

The Bushes. The Clintons, The Castros.......no I am not a politician but there must be something in the air over the last 50 years because what goes around comes around. Would it not be great to put them at a dinner table or better yet, on a CNN debating panel with Ted Kennedy as the moderator?

There is something attractive about the thought of doing business in Cuba. The great new is that the best is still to come. The good is great now and unfortunately the bad is reserved for the locals.

Yes, there is great news for Cuba (and its neighbours) and this includes,

1. Cuba will become the fastest growing economy in the West in the next 7 years.
2. Their system does not work but they are working on improving it.....but at least they have a system!!
3. You are included in improving the system. Be non-American in your approach but American when you get established there! They love America.....just not the politics.
4. Their suffering or could I better describe it as 'tough times', will be rewarded.
5. The Floridian Cubans for whom I have enormous sympathy, are not seriously planning to return and will not influence the political future. They will of course influence the economic future.
6. Raoul, get out of the way. Your brother could not, for various reasons. If you have never experienced an airport welcome ramp in Havana when returning families lock in tearful embrace over carefully selected gifts after years of separation, you will never understand the real damage that has been done by both sides.
7. The electoral system works there. No problems that I know about with 'chads'. Cuba is supposedly Communist but I do not see it as such. I see it more as their own brand of Socialism. Sort of like the Canadian left on steroids! Poor comparison but I never claimed to be a politician.
8. Great leaders are in the wings. Albeit 'left wings! Watch out for the leaders currently behind Raoul. They are bright, eloquent, relatively young and well respected by the Cubans. And no, they will not, I believe allow the country to 'collapse' ..........a la USSR and Eastern Europe.
9. Now this is really ironic!! Cuba may be one of the last remaining places where Americans are actually truly liked. Not their politics but the people. This is an emotion that has been carefully crafted by Fidel over the years and for that I take off my hat. It would have been so easy to craft a national feeling of hatred. He did not choose that path.
10. Now if Hillary or Obama could just play their cards right, they could solve the whole US health issue in one easy deal that could mobilise the largest organised army of trained doctors, surgeons and healthcare workers and thereby fund the re-construction of the country along truly social lines.......quite aside from the many miracles gathering dust on the shelves of their highly advanced Bio-Chemical Research industry.

Now don't you wish you were Cuban in the next life?

For some more realistic suggestions on doing business in Cuba and within their system, contact davidmcmillangroup@gmail.com

ARE MAIDS REALLY PEEPING THOMASINAS?

DESIGNED TO CATCH YOU IN THE SHOWER EVEN WHEN THE SECURITY BAR IS IN PLACE

Is that early knock on the door and the instant key-in-the-lock to check occupancy just an administrative procedure or an opportunity for a morning jolt of amusement for the housekeeping staff?

Are those full length mirrors next to the room door for checking yourself out before your descent to the lobby...... or for checking you out before you dress?

In fact they do...or can, serve double-duty!

Pushed to have some laundry and dry cleaning done in a hurry recently, the laundry valet knocked on the door to collect the bag containing most of my wardrobe. As I opened the door in my birthday suit with the stuffed plastic bag in my hand, I was careful to open the door only enough to pass the bag out.

Smiling sheepishly at me in the reflection in the floor length mirror, the 'valette' (yes they do come in female versions) took my bag and the last remaining obstacle hiding my nudity was gone.

Later that evening and dressed in a pair of undershorts when room service arrived, I lurched for the bathrobe behind the bathroom door only to find that the bathrobe belt had been decorously triple-tied in a bow that must have been designed for Houdini and bathroom slippers stuffed down the sleeves. While perhaps an excellent method of ensuring minimal usage and maximum esthetics, it was definitely a poor example of alternative clothing.

I held it in front of me on the hanger as I let the room service waiter in.

That was fine until I had to sign the bill.

Which leads me to comment on the ten most annoying features of a hotel room in the top hotel groups in the world.

1. Mirrors that work from the corridor to the shower for the use of room attendants, room service, maintenance, the computer butler and valet.
2. Electrical outlets for computers under the desk.......and full.
3. Duvets.......do they truly dry clean them after every departure?
4. Multiple pillows & bed cushions......ditto.
5. Theft proof clothes hangers with extra slippery trouser bars.
6. Alarm clocks pre-set to 3AM with no discernible 'off' button.
7. ......and which then go off again at 4.30AM.
8. Laundry lists without the number to call for pick up.
9. Coffee machines installed on bottom shelf of TV cabinet.....actually fine for those that take their coffee lying on their stomach.
10. Plastic keys that work in the opposite direction to the arrow on the key.

It seems that after 50 years of mass travel and huge expansion of hotels everywhere, we still have a few ways in which our few square feet of hotel space can be improved from a design perspective.

It's just a question of attention to detail, surely fundamentally basic to our industry.

For the bathroom, check out my top ten bathroom bitches, http://davidmcmillangroup.typepad.com/consulting/2007/12/where-toilet-pa.html

For any other suggestions for improvement, contact, davidmcmillangroup@gmail.com

A TIME TO REINVENT THE NATIONAL BORDERS

WE HAVE REACHED A TIME WHERE THE BORDERS OF COUNTRIES NEED TO BE TOTALLY REINVENTED.

"Before I built a wall, I 'd ask to know what I was walling in..... or walling out"

ROBERT FROST

The huge demand for workers everywhere will demand that developed and developing nations treat their borders in a different fashion than if they were walls.

People cross borders today not for immigration purposes, they cross borders to work. When they have finished working, they return home. If there was work at home, they would probably work there.

Those borders were invented years ago on pinciples that no longer exist today. Let's rethink them again!

I worked for a time with the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil, a Canadian company that is the hugely successful entertainment group that reinvented the circus, one of the world's oldest forms of entertainment. Their plan was to reinvent hospitality and I was recruited to lead the division that was charged with this wonderfully creative task. I will never look at our industry again in the same way as I did before.

With the strong belief that people will go where there is work and a better life, it is time to make it easier for them to do that. It is time for the borders to be reinvented. It is time for them to be re-thought.

Why are the borders there in the first place?

• To keep good workers out or
• to keep good workers in?
• To hinder the flow of cheap goods into our countries, or
• to hinder the flow of expensive goods out of our countries?
• To stop people that hate us from entering or
• to keep people that hate us from leaving?
• Because we do not have enough food, or
• because the food we have is different from what they eat?
• Because we do not have enough housing for them, or
• because there are not enough cars or buses to take them to work?
• To keep religions in, or
• to keep religions out?

It is also true that they cross borders for other reasons be it to shop,as was the case this week when the Palestinians from the Gaza Strip went shopping to Egypt, or to compete, as was the case this week in Melbourne, or later this year in Beijing. It is not always however to immigrate or emigrate.........which is the fundamental reason why borders were put up in the first place.

The answer perhaps is that we believe that these imaginary walls do in fact allow us to keep some things on one side and prevent other things from entering. They provide us with comfort from having our own turf, our own national back garden where the breeze is a friendly breeze, the rain soft and the seasonal scents familiar. Are we not prepared to share these joys with our global neighbours?

The thousands of jobs that are not filled represents millions of dollars in lost income taxes, lost contributions to National Pension Funds lost opportunities to reduce pverty.

It is indeed easier for a tomato to cross the border than for the tomato picker. It is easier for the virus to pass through customs and immigration than it is for the doctor or scientist who will fight it.

Perhaps now is the time to use that border 'rope' for more useful purposes.

For assistance in crossing borders legally, pursue a career in the hospitality industry and for advice on that, contact davidmcmillangroup@gmail.com

10 GLOBAL HOSPITALITY TRENDS IN HOTELS & RESORTS

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO OUR INDUSTRY OVER TIME? WHERE DID ALL THE GLAMOUR GO?

From time to time an industry expert will issue a set of Global Trends that are neither trends in the true sense....... or global.

On the eve of a large anniversary of mine in this industry served in a couple of dozen countries, I set out in this article, my view of Global Trends that I have gleaned from watching, listening and learning about our industry....every single wonderful day of my working life.

1. LESS REAL SERVICE. Look around! There used to be dozens of staff around. Now one is hard put to find someone without having to queue....at the Front Desk or Reception to check in....at the restaurant for a table at breakfast......at the concierge...everywhere. Well at least they wrapped the ropes in red velvet!! There is less service provided by the staff and more service provided by the guest. This is evident in everything from making one's own reservation, checking in, unpacking, making a telephone call, help yourself breakfasts, wakeup calls, used room service trollies, hanging wet towels, market research disguised as a registration card. The term user-friendly has been accepted as a replacement for service. This is not necessarily less of an experience, it is merely different.
2. FOREVER CHANGING EMPLOYEES. There are less applicants for jobs and they stay in the job less time either by their choice or ours. They are largely foreign workers in the urban developed world and untrained but willing workers in the developing world. The shortage of 10-15 million workers in this industry will result in hotels having insufficient workers to operate, exploding salaries, eroding profits and increased illegal immigration. Multi-tasking employees would allow more productivity but will be difficult to impossible in Union controlled situations. Management has also morphed from largely European to largely Asian.
3. HYPER-ACTIVE OWNER GROUPS. Owners are less likely to be individuals and more likely to be corporations. They are often represented by Asset Managers who act like managers, micro-managing everything daily. Owners are hyper active now and were super-passive before. They want rapid financial returns and will dispose of the asset far quicker than in years gone by.
4. MULTIPLE BRANDS FROM THE SAME MOULD. Chains are so hungry for expansion, they now lack consistency from one hotel to another or from one country to another. Rather than fix an old chain, it is easier to create a new one. There are more brands offering the same base product with virtually no differentiation. What has transpired is that gradually the character has been squeezed out of the hotel and replaced by a homogenised version of hospitality characterised by that horrible enemic expression, "Have a nice day!"
5. MANAGEMENT COMPANIES. The function of a third-party management company has been largely replaced by technology. Best Practices and performance measurements are easier to communicate and measure through technology and does not require a headquarters overhead to deliver or monitor personally. Today's battlecry is more that "you can teach an old dog new tricks!"
6. RELATIVE LUXURY. Luxury is a term that is becoming looser and less-defined and now differs from one client to another. What is luxury for an entry-level worker may not be luxury for a rockstar. A Western construction worker can afford luxury and international travel today but could not years ago. A Chinese or African construction worker can not afford luxury today but may well enjoy it in the forseeable future.
7. ACCUMULATING HOTEL NAMES. They now get longer with age. A rebranded hotel may well keep its' original name, add a qualifier or two with a brand name bolted on at the end or the beginning. What was the "Grand Hotel" may eventually become The Marriott Grand Hotel & Spa Toronto Midtown........and if you tack on ".......and how may I direct your call?", the greeting becomes a jaw-breaking yawn, just likje "have a nice day".
8. QUALITY CONSISTENCY. This is no longer any more predictable than the weather. At a time when the employees were 'lifers' and recognised instantly a returning guest, they are rarely there for any more than a few months. Add to this the restrictions of an owner who will not reinvest, a brand that is hungrier to grow than consolidate or a manager that is entirely focused on the bottom line....and you produce inconsistencies in the hotel itself, between the brands, the countries and the individual hotel experiences. The exception.....a massive movement toward 'fresh' and 'locally produced'.
9. PRICING BY GREED. While in days gone by, pricing was largely based on the cost of the product, today it is largely based on demand. In these circumstances, one can pay a fortune for a product that costs pennies but rarely benefit from the cost-based, cheaper product in slow periods.
10. LESS FORMALITY. The days before first names, paper napkins and plastic cutlery were days when men were men, ashtrays were ashtrays and waiters had last names. Days with quill fountain pens at registration, starched white tablecloths for breakfast and liveried butlers at teatime. Tuxedo dinners with candlelight and harps preceeded by huge mind-numbing Martinis and followed by port and cigars in the mens lounge. Foot poofs for the ladies feet......cigarette lighters at the ready, silk stockings..... but no silk flowers...."Hi you guys. ..my name is David, I will be your waiter this evening!"

And while some of these trends are easier to identify as having an obvious base in the developed world, all are relevant to some less exagerated degree or another in every country in the world.

And for a brief look into the future of all this, take a look at these articles,

For Hotel Owners, check out this Blog, where you can make your own franchise, http://davidmcmillangroup.typepad.com/consulting/2007/06/franchising_in_.html

For Hotel Employees, check out this Blog, if you fancy being and astronaut http://davidmcmillangroup.typepad.com/consulting/2007/05/can_you_imagine.html

And while many would take from this set of Trends a negative thread, I would quickly add that there is an exciting Positive Outcome that is emanating from each one of these trends which includes,

1. An exciting link between Hospitality and Entertainment which will attract Generation X.
2. A friendlier more casual, less ostentacious environment in which to work and stay.
3. A more profitable investment with quicker returns.
4. Less consistency, more surprises, most pleasant and more genuine.
5. Enjoyable jobs anywhere in the world..... for life.
6. More consumer access to the truth.
7. Better, healthier way to travel
8. Sustainability and variety.
9. Reduced poverty through labour pressures on our borders.
10. International, exciting, variable industry careers, reduced turnover.

For more information on this still very glamourous industry, contact davidmcmillangroup@gmail.com

THINK LOCAL, ACT LOCAL, PRETEND GLOBAL

GLOBAL HOSPITALITY GIANT IDENTIFIES TOP 10 MACRO GLOBAL TRENDS

From time to time, global hospitality consulting agencies release what they describe as Global Trends. Even though these Consulting Groups have offices in countless cities around the world, these Global Trends rarely enjoy any input from their geographic outposts.

The result is that Global Trends are in fact Observations or Regional Thoughts from the country in which the HQ Consulting Group is based.

The Top Ten Macro Trends released by a major 'Global' Hospitality (Consulting/Auditing) Firm are either, in my opinion, a very poor excuse for self promotion, an arbitrary collection of ten thoughts, the result of a consultant's slow day..... in fact a waste of electronic ink.

And here they are summarised,

1. Supply playing Catch-up.
2. Luxury Brands...in the Fast Lane.
3. Increased Construction costs.
4. Creative control of Operating Costs.
5. Capital global.
6. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.
7. Transaction Environment
8. Private Equity - non-Traditional
9. Condo hotels' growing pains
10. Disaster resiliency

Why is it a waste of electronic ink?

Because these trends are largely and principally for one country only and, if the truth be told, they are not really Trends, they are Observations, in fact Thoughts. There is not a Trend (or Observation) that could be truly and accurately called Global or a Global Trend, not one that could cross borders , not one that would be identified with the three fastest growing economies in the world.

Perhaps we might find that the credits divulge some global connections. Unfortunately not. Of the 17 references to other publications, 2 reference the disaster incidents and 1 mentions Asia and are the only ones that have any real connection outside the USA.

And China......the world's largest source of influence in our industry and the creation of at least half the real or imagined trends is not mentioned at all.

Actually this is not a joke because the banks and financial institutions listen to their advice and use these firms for their audits and feasibility studies, not a joke because these same banks and institutions rely on their opinions internationally, not a joke because through these trends the world loses a little respect for these International Consultants. An example in a previous year when the global report referred to the trouble in the Gulf States and we learned that the trouble referred to was in the States surrounding the Gulf of Mexico!

If it is not a joke then what is it?

• Are they lies? No I believe this company believes them to be the true global Thoughts. They are however a distortion of the truth.
• Are they semi-lies? Only in the context that they are not really Trends or directions and not really global.
• Perhaps they are more like fiction? No, they are actually US Non-Fictional micro-thoughts and International US Observations.
• Non factual? Not exactly, merely slanted to reflect or intimate that the world is virtually or perhaps.an extension of the USA.
• Are they perhaps what people without passports imagine the rest of the world to be like and therefore what the trends would be?
• Are they imaginative? Perhaps the consultants have been asked to use their imagination? They are therefore not lies if the authors believe them to be true.

They do come from a company of world-renowned Auditors......in fact one of the largest auditing firms in the world. So factual is sometimes a relative term..... or perhaps the truth can be bent if done by auditors.

It is not a joke because the word 'global' means big picture, international, all encompassing, borderless, including all countries, cultures and communities. In terms of trends, they would have to understand what the trends are in all regions, all sub-regions and the authors would need to weigh and evaluate them in importance.

It is also not a joke because of the Ten Trends identified, most are not in fact 'Trends', they are thoughts. Perhaps a breakdown in communications between the authors of the document and the website

The article concludes with the Global Hospitality Contacts from Asia (actually Japan), Australia, Europe (actually Germany), India, Caribbean (actually Miami), Latin America (actually Miami) the Middle East (actually UAE) and Russia and the inference is that they all were involved in the preparation of this document.

The article actually only infers they were written by these global representatives. Inferences are good because they allow a global giant to make believe. But I fail to believe that the representatives from these various locations did not have some thoughts of their own. With Asia and the Middle East highly prominent in hospitality issues......nothing. No reference to China's effect on the world tourism community or the growth in outbound traffic. No thoughts at all on the war and the effect on tourism to that area. No observations from Latin America, home to the third fasted growing economy in the world, or Europe where the ranking for the top tourism destinations in the world might change.

Has the time come to certify a globalist? Has a time come to certify a consultant? Has a time come to establish standards for the opinions of those who profess to speak globally and internationally on behalf of the world, but only have known a small section? Has the time come for us to separate those that do numbers from those that do words. The answer is probably "No."  As always, the policing for these things must come from within.

The time definitely has come for industry leaders to demand that its advisors be factual and truthful, which in my mind means that Global Trends are in fact Trends and are determined by truly global industry leaders, not from professional un-named observers.

I do admire this consultancy's Code of Ethics, and suggest a periodic review!

1. Working with One Another
2. Working with Clients and Others
3. Acting with Professional Integrity
4. Maintaining our Objectivity and Independence
5. Respecting Intellectual Capital

However, on a slow day, they is no telling what will come out of a Consultant's mouth as Global Thoughts.  I know because I am a Consultant!

For another version of Global Macro Trends, contact davidmcmillangroup@gmail.com

David McMillan is the former CEO of the International Hotel & Restaurant Association, the official voice of the hospitality industry.

KUDOS TO EMBASSY SUITES HOTELS FOR THINKING FOR THE GUEST

HOW REFRESHING TO LEARN OF A 'HIP CASUAL' RESTAURANT THAT IS WELL THOUGHT THROUGH.

On far too many occasions I have been scathingly critical of my industry colleagues who have failed, in my opinion to fully think through a new concept.

Kudos therefore to Embassy Suites Hotels' new concept "Flying Spoons" that I think has absolutely and unqualifyingly nailed it.

Part European-style cafe and part American coffeehouse, this new creation seems to cater to what their customers would want if they knew what to ask for, which they generally don't.

Here is my take on the key components.

• Open from 5AM to 1AM.
• In the hotel Lobby.
• Integrated into Breakfast and Manager's Reception.
• Social environment.
• Fornasetti dinner plates... a design statement.
• Easily accessible electrical/computer ports.
• Comfortable casual furniture.
• Varied seating to include,
  • bar height/transactional seating,
  • restaurant seating,
  • wing back chairs,
  • ottomans with a famous verse from the Declaration of Independence.
• Innovative menu choices,
  • fresh soups,
  • salads,
  • gourmet sandwiches,
  • salmon, scallops and lobster enchiladas,
  • rotating desserts and pastries.

This is a concept which recognises the existence of outside restaurants, acknowledges the need for social interaction, real comfort, convenience, road warrior necessities, small, frequent appetites, almost round the clock needs and the feeling of a really comfortable family room at home.

This is also a facility that would be equally as feasible and welcome in an upscale, city centre property where some of my colleagues still promote tea & finger sandwiches in sofas that are easy to fall into and virtually impossible to get out of with not a single, accessible electrical outlet in sight.

Now if we could just get some of these babies into the airports, life on the road might become a little more bearable.

Come to think of it they are there already but only for the Business & First Class passengers......... which sort of proves my point!!