Written By: Susan Savkov
Summer may already be half over, but that will not stop many of us from heading off on vacations to enjoy the second half of the season. You may be looking for a new book to read by the pool or at the beach. You could use some of the quiet time during your vacation to catch up on your professional development. In fact, this summer could be the perfect opportunity to review some of the many insightful research papers and reports produced by HFTP.
We have put together a list of summer reading recommended by the HFTP Global staff for whatever your reading needs may be. Some are hospitality-related, some are strictly business, some are inspirational — and some are just plain interesting (well, at least to us).
In the words of Henry David Thoreau: “Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all.”
HITEC Bytes Special Report
If you did not get to attend HITEC this year (or even if you did), the HITEC 2019 Special Report is full of useful articles from hospitality industry leaders. From managing the cost of human capital to AI and personalization, this report has something for everyone.
Read the full report on PineappleSearch® >>
Women in Hospitality Technology 2019
Published within the HITEC 2019 Special Report is a series of profiles featuring the hospitality technology industry’s notable and influential female executives.
“Two factors stand out when you characterize the female professionals working in hospitality technology. One is their passion for hospitality and second, their affinity for the technical. From there their paths diverge. What follows is a perspective of the leading women who are shaping the industry.” Read their profiles on PineappleSearch>>
Hotel Yearbook
HFTP is a partner with Hotel Yearbook to publish annual and special edition resources. Contributors share with readers the key trends and developments they believe could have an impact on the performance of the hotel industry in the future.
- Hotel Yearbook 2020 – Technology
- Hotel Yearbook 2020 — Sustainable Hospitality
- Hotel Yearbook 2020 — Digital Marketing
- Hotel Yearbook 2020 – Technology (Chinese Edition)
Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI)
If you are looking for some fun poolside reading, then the USALI may be for you. The USALI offers operating statements formatted to provide hotel owners, managers and other interested parties a standard for hospitality accounting. If you did not know, HFTP recently acquired the copyright to the USALI.
Try the digital version to take it “on the go.” You can now also purchase a hard copy online. If you have any questions about purchasing the USALI, contact Bianca Lopez at the HFTP Global office by calling +1 (512) 249-220-4038 or emailing bianca.lopez@hftp.org.
IT Spending in Lodging: A Three Year Analysis
The publication of IT Spending In the Lodging Industry white paper analyzes and summarizes IT spending for two years following the inclusion of “Schedule 6 — Information and Telecommunications Systems” to the USALI 11th edition (2015–2017).
HFTP Global Staff Picks
We asked various HFTP staff members to share the books they have been reading recently, which they enjoyed.
The Blue Ocean Shift: Beyond Competing – Proven Steps to Inspire Confidence and Seize New Growth by Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne
— Recommended by Frank I. Wolfe, CAE, HFTP Chief Executive Officer
“The concept of ‘Blue Ocean Shift‘ moves the organization from the standpoint of market competing to that of market creating.
“The concept is this: Differentiate your product and make your competition irrelevant. You can do this in many ways, and you do not need to expend a great deal of money to do so. First and foremost, it requires you to change perspective. Think of the way you have been doing business as a two-legged stool: You built your foundation on two legs, one being ‘content’ and the other being ‘process,’ but it is not sturdy. You need another leg: ‘context.’ These three legs work together to create balance and keep the stool upright.”
Texas: A Novel by James Michener
— Recommended by Carl Weldon, HFTP Chief Operations Officer – Europe
“It is 1,474 pages long – but it is the story of the development of the state of Texas. It covers a huge amount of history – four and a half centuries in all, even from before the famous Alamo. It covers a wide range of people and areas of Texas with some continuing larger-than-life family-related characters linking the various sections and timelines.
“It really does make you realize and appreciate what it took to shape and make this very patriotic state and its reputation today – everything from rangers and outlaws, oil and water, frontier and settlement, and of course money and power.
“This book is probably a ‘whole summer’ read – but a book certainly worth aspiring to.”
The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda Gates
— Recommended by Lucinda Hart, HFTP Chief Research and Development Officer, HFTP Foundation
“This is one of my favorite books right now. The way Melinda Gates shares her stories behind the problems of inequality and how empowering women changes us is very encouraging. I’m passing this down to my fifteen-year-old daughter Mercedes for her to read. My favorite quote of the book: ‘…When you lift up women, you lift up humanity’ — Melinda Gates.”
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Christopher Voss
— Recommended by Malika Taouil, HFTP Digital Marketing Strategist
“Just finished Never Split the Difference by Christopher Voss. If there is any book I wish I would have read sooner in my career it is this one. I encourage you to study and perfect the lessons in every chapter. It is especially important at a time where women are fighting to be treated and paid equally to learn the skill of #negotiation.
“I come from a ranch community where hard work was required, accepted and respected. I found it odd this tactic didn’t qualify me for respect in the business world. This was my lesson. Hard work is simply a component and being able to ‘Never Split the Difference‘ is the key to excel from a manageable lifestyle to a successful one. I encourage anyone up and coming in their field to read, learn and then engage the lessons in your own success.”
Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens by Steve Olsen
— Recommend by Susan Savkov, HFTP Membership Marketing Manager
“I must admit, I’m fascinated by geology. I got this book after seeing it in an airport bookstore to while away the time and I was hooked. The eruption of Mount St. Helens in Southwestern Washington state was a cataclysm of epic proportions and I remembered being riveted by the TV coverage. This book gives an in-depth look at key events leading up to and after the eruption. You will learn the stories of the communities and state which were impacted, land and property destroyed, and about the 57 people who lost their lives.”
We hope you enjoy our recommended summer reading. Comment below and let us know the books you are reading this summer that you think your fellow hospitality professionals should check out.
Susan Savkov is the HFTP Membership Marketing Manager. Contact Susan at Susan.Savkov@hftp.org or
+1 (512) 220-4028.
