Gathered from a variety of sources, here’s a collection of travel industry news, trends and miscellaneous news you might find useful.

Why is social media still underutilized by restaurants?

Social media is here to stay, so how does a restaurant utilize it properly? First, social media is not a replacement for traditional marketing; it is only another tool in your marketing toolbox. You might ask the reason you need to engage with social networks at all.

Frugal diners, higher costs could squeeze restaurants in 2013

Penny-pinching diners plan to eat out more this year and spend less on each meal, according to a new forecast released by consulting firm AlixPartners.

Ten Most Common Hotel Marketing Mistakes

Marketing dollars are precious and scarce. No one wants to pilfer resources away towards programs that fail to deliver a solid return on investment. As a general manager, here are ten thoughts to keep in mind as your hotel marketing team prepares to execute this year's plan.

Report: What Attendees Want from Exhibitors

Trade show attendees are fickle creatures. When they visit a trade show, therefore, they want a little bit of everything, suggests a new report from the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR).

Group Sales Drive 2013 Hotel Demand, TravelClick Reports

So far this year, committed occupancy at North American hotels for January through December 2013 is up 2 percent compared to a year ago, hotel consultancy TravelClick reported yesterday. According to the company’s data, the growth is being driven primarily by group sales, which are up 2.2 percent.

Opportunities arise as conventions set to rebound in 2013

In any given market, a convention center is likely to be the greatest generator of revenues for nearby hotels. The good news is that after several years of lackluster attendance at conventions and tradeshows, the convention business seems to be coming around again.

A look at the emergence of major industry food trends like healthier, fresh ingredients and how microbrews are winning guest share

Can you taste it? Yeah you can. Because we know if you’ve been to a hotel or on a cruise lately, or if work in a hotel, you’re witnessing a seminal shift in the quality of food and beverage being offered in properties around the country.