Hotel and resort developers' trends have seen changes during the past few decades. Hotel builders and resort builders are changing their building focus to attract and accommodate the changing lives and needs of society.

Hotels and resorts have been a part of many families' vacationing for many years. Yet recently the way that people vacation has caused a turn in the way that hotel and resort developers design their buildings. When checking hotel and resort developers news and trends, consider the following angles:

1. Hotel and resort developers design facilities to attract people.

2. Some hotel and resort developers target a specific group of society.

3. Hotel developers research potential vacation spots before beginning construction.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Examine how hotel and resort developers are moving toward more year-round facilities

At one point in time, hotel resort developers were geared more toward seasonal facilities. Summer resort development companies focused on swimming and outdoor activities that were not suitable for the winter. The winter hotel development company aimed toward skiing. However, the most recent trend is to design a resort or hotel that is attractive all year long rather than only one season.

I recommend: Search resort developer news among a list of publications from the American Resort Development Association. Gain information about changes and how hotel development is going green from The Ground Floor.

Learn how the hotel developer is adding more features to facilities

In the past, hotels were the place for people vacationing to rest while they were not out at the beach or other attractions. Hotel builders now focus on keeping customers inside the building. They design buildings with exercise rooms, restaurants, game rooms, and the new popular spa room. These features add enjoyment and relaxation to the stay of the guests.

I recommend: Learn about hotel and resort development predictions for the future from Hotel Executive. Condo Hotel Center offers an article for hotel and resort builders about the benefits of adding a spa to the facility.

See how resort developers keep their guests active while remaining within the facility grounds

In addition to special features added inside the buildings, resort developers are creating an interactive environment for their guests. Many resorts now include water parks or theme parks with their lodging. The key is to keep the guest busy and satisfied without leaving the resort. Some developers gear toward family activities while others gear toward activities for couples or singles.

I recommend: Check out information about selecting a hotel brand for developing from 4 Hoteliers. View information from the Hostmark hotel developers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Hotel and resort developers news and trends indicate that development is extending to lands abroad as more and more people are vacating in other countries. Therefore, hotel builders are looking into expanding their building projects overseas.

Hotel and resort developers offer a variety of services for the small hotel owner including feasibility studies, design, construction and management services. A hotel development company can not only help you get your hotel business going, but they can also manage the day-to-day affairs of your hotel or resort, ensuring the smooth flow of your business.

Because hotel developers play a crucial role in the success of your business, you'll want to choose the right one. When looking for a hotel development company, consider the following points.

1. Ask to see a portfolio of their clients, especially if you will be building. Make sure they have experience designing and building similar projects.

2. Many hotel developers will offer you financing. If the rate is right, it is not a bad idea to get financing through the developer, since this will increase the company's interest in the success of your enterprise.

3. Decide whether you will want your developer to also act as the management company for your hotel. If so, don't wait to the get the facts about the management services and style of the company. If possible, talk to some of the company's current clients to see if the management company's services are satisfactory and financially successful.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Decide what services you want from a hotel developer

Hotel developers can provide a variety of services, from initial feasibility studies to day-to-day management services like maintaining vendor contracts and hiring employees. If you consider yourself just an investor, you'll want a development company that can do it all. If you want to manage the business yourself, you still may want to keep a management company on hand to handle certain aspects of the business.

I recommend: If you need hotel builders, but not a management company, Construction Deal offers a free search service for finding hotel construction companies. If you require additional management services, read this article from Hotel & Motel Management, to choose a management company that's compatible.

Choose hotel developers that will keep your profits up

Resort development can be a big venture in terms of capital. Make sure your resort developer can conduct accurate feasibility studies and create a management strategy that will maintain the value of your hotel and keep it profitable.

I recommend: Cornell University School of Hotel Administration offers hospitality valuation software that lets you predict revenues and expenses and keep track of the value of your enterprise. Ledo International is a leading provider of feasibility studies and business plans for the hospitality industry. The National Association of Condo Hotel Owners also offers feasibility analysis.

Make sure your hotel developer knows how to market your business

Hotel and resort developers, when acting as management companies, are also responsible for the marketing of your business. Hotel development companies should be up on the latest tactics to increase your visibility and bring in new clientele.

I recommend: Look for management companies that advertise in publications such as Hotel Marketing or Hotels, and ask to see samples of their work and evidence of their marketing plans' effectiveness. Ask if they make use of online marketing tools such as Dunhill Vacation News.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Be sure to get a construction timeline in writing as part of your contract, and make sure that hotel builders stick to the timeline.

The world of hotel and resort developers is often competitive and fast paced. With new hotels and resorts being built almost monthly, it's important to stay on top of not only what is new and exciting, but also what the competition is building. The best place to start is by keeping up with hotel and resort developers news and trends.

Being able to gauge the marketplace can help you keep your company nimble and also help your budget. If you know what trends are hot and what ones have cooled off, you can take a look at your budget and adjust it accordingly so you aren't wasting money on amenities that have little value in the eyes of your customers.

1. Stay current when it comes to news on the competition

2. Subscribe to hotel and resort publications for an industry wide overview

3. Include your staff in the quest for hotel builder news

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Keep the hotel and resort developer competition in sight

In order to keep your company marketable, you should keep an eye on what your competition is doing. There are many websites out there devoted to news about resort builders and hotel development companies. If you see common similarities being reported on, you can bet that whatever it is, it's going to be an important trend to follow.

I recommend: Visit the website of Hotel News Resource to read up on articles pertaining to what has been happening in the hotel and resort development industry. Hotel Interactive provides daily breaking news stories on hotel developers worldwide.

Keep up-to-date with industry publications

To keep up with hotel and resort development news and trends, your company should have subscriptions to industry publications. If your budget is small, look for free e-mail newsletters that you can take advantage of to keep informed of the latest trends.

I recommend: Property Wire offers various levels of subscriptions for their newsletter that focuses primarily on international hotel and resort development. Hotels has a free subscription to their monthly magazine that highlights the latest trends in hotel design, technology and marketing.

Keep your employees in the hotel developer knowledge loop

If you have staff to spare, consider putting some of them on the job to stay current with news and trends. Have them search out some online newsletters or locate a conference or two for hotel builders that would not only get your company name out there, but increase the amount of trend information your company will have access to.

I recommend: Hospitality Net reports on upcoming industry conferences and has the latest hotel and resort developer news. BuildCentral has a free search that lets you search hotel development projects by state or by type.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When subscribing to newsletters and online alerts, make sure that you pay attention to the content. Only select those that provide you with relevant, fact-based information versus focusing on private advertising.

Hotel and resort developers formulate ideas, develop projects, find investors and market property. The industry can be quite complex, since each developer may offer different services and may use different terms. As a potential investor, it is important to understand some of these terms, such as sustainable real estate and revenue management. Developers often use computer-aided design and they may promote timeshare properties above others. By understanding the process, individuals can make better decisions about their involvement with hotel and resort developers.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Sustainable real estate

Many hotel and resort developers are focusing on sustainable real estate, or evergreen, Earth friendly methods of building and maintaining the facilities they develop. They can accomplish this in various ways including using Energy Star products.

I recommend: Hines Interests promotes their sustainable real estate designs and methods.

Timeshare

A timeshare is a partial ownership into a furnished vacation accommodation. Individuals purchase these accommodations in weekly increments at a lower rate than it would cost to buy the property through conventional methods.

I recommend: Vacation Timeshare and Rentals explains timeshares in depth.

Revenue management

Hotels and resorts may hire a firm to handle revenue management, or the management of incoming clients. They help the hotel or resort maximize the opportunities for guests through marking, pricing and other methods.

I recommend: SynXis provides more information on what is included in revenue management.

Computer Aided Design (CAD)

Computer aided design is a popular design tool that many resort and hotel builders, architects and developers use to help design, lay out and engineer their facilities. There are a variety of styles of programs available. For example, some CAD products can show three-dimensional designs for architectural development.

I recommend: The Computer Information Center defines computer-aided design.

Supply demand analysis

Many of the developers of hotels and resorts will conduct a supply demand analysis. This report looks at the potential profitability of the project, including analyzing demographics, case studies, interviews and surveys.

I recommend: Danter provides more information on what is included in their supply demand analysis.

Land sales compliance

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development regulates the sale of land for the purchase by developers. Hotel and resort developers often have in-house attorneys that will handle land sales compliance, ensuring the project remains within the limits of the law.

I recommend: Epstein Becker Green provides more information on land sales compliance.