Linchi Kwok, Ph.D.

Hostels are getting more popular among travelers and investors.  Often being perceived as a cheap lodging alternative, hostels provide a great option for young or single travelers who want to meet new friends.  Now, more family travelers are also choosing to stay in hostels. Meanwhile, investors are putting money in it too.  That's why we have seen more "high-end" hostels in the market. What really drives the demand of hostels?   Will hostels continue to grow? Stay tune for my follow-up discussion about hostels next week.  I will share more insight of this lodging product from the perspectives of a friend who is actually working in a hostel. #Hostels #Travel #Tourism #Trends #青年旅館 #旅遊 #潮流 #酒店

On July 10, the Huffington Post released the results of a survey about family travel . 45% said airline mile redemption was a deciding factor (even though it is much harder to earn or redeem frequent flyer miles now )  75% said they "stole" overhead bin space of others' (because airlines are charging a big price for check-in luggage?) More than 1/3 said they brought their own food to eat on the plan (not sure if it includes snacks) 72% of family travelers have either booked other accommodation options than hotels, such as  hostels or home and apartment rentals (Have you or will you? Why?) --- Want to read more about hostels? Here are a couple of relevant discussion: A. Hostels: Another alternative for investors and travelers and B. A follow-up discussion about hostels - Additional insights from the staff .  Are there any results that surprise you?  

Earlier this month, I attended the 13th   APacCHRIE (Asia-Pacific Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education) Conference  in Auckland, New Zealand . I was impressed with the country's effort of minimizing waste. As shown in my discussion on MultiBrief.com , I listed three examples I witnessed during the trip, including: The bio loo (toilet) that collects, stores, and  compost human waste.  The "Make a Green Choice" program at the Rydges Hotel Auckland . The two-button water-flush system in the city of Auckland.  Interested in the pictures I took about the bio loo during this trip? Check out the photo album on my Facebook page .

More travelers are taking more short road trips. Would you agree? There are good reasons behind that, as what I suggested in my recent discussion on MiltiBriefs :  It becomes more troublesome and more expensive in air travel.  Gas price is getting cheaper this summer.    The green trend of #staycations and #staylocal continues to grow.  In addition, my friends added the following explanations of this trend: Americans are using less vacation time for real vacations. Instead, they use the vacation time for other things, such as the school events for kids, doctor's appointments, home improvement, etc.  It is getting more expensive to take a long vacation, and the middle class is shrinking in the U.S.  Do you see this trend coming? If so, what are your explanations?  #Summer #Travel #Tourism #Trend #RoadTrips

Finding a dream job is not about what others tell you what is the best for you. It is all about "fit." If you find a perfect-match (employer), you and your employer will be happy, and you will be successful in what you are doing at work. So, forget about the stereotypes others put on you. For example, just because somebody else has a good experience with an employer, or because an employer is perceived to be "superior" (e.g. a luxury hotel chain vs. a limited service hotel chain), it does not necessarily mean you will be happy working for this particular employer.  Imagine if you were a vegetarian and forced to eat a filet mignon or a lobster tail. No matter how tasty everybody else tells you, would you be happy and able to finish the meats on the plate? Likewise, if you were a meat lover, would you be happy to eat veggie meals for the rest of your life?  Visit http://bit.ly/lk052115 for the full discussion.  #JobSearch #Career #Advice #PersonalityFit...

From 2011 to 2014, Californians can see how drastic the severe drought our planet has been facing is. Before Governor Brown declared in 2015 the Drought State of Emergency California was in, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) commenced the WaterSense H 2 Otel Challenge in the month of February of 2014. The principle of this challenge is to motivate all hotels to “ACT: Assess, Change, and Track.”. Since the last time I personally stayed at a hotel, I remember how water captivated an elegance on the premises. On the other hand, water isn’t only used as a decoration, but for different departments and functions in a hotel. Some of the biggest uses for water within these departments are kitchen/dishwashing, pools, cooling/heating, laundry, and landscaping. Unfortunately, during these past 10 years, the cost of water has increased and the 15% of total water that is used within these institutional facilities would have to begin undergoing water-efficient techniques for the v...

In January, I had the honor of representing the students of the Los Angeles Founding Chapter of NEWH (Network of Executive Women in Hospitality) in Dallas, Texas for its biannual national conference. NEWH is an organization committed to the future of the hospitality industry. The members are primarily in the design sector of the industry. I had the opportunity to meet with designers, production managers, suppliers, and many more interesting people. Within the context of the conference, I attended workshops addressing the future of the industry (primarily from a design standpoint). Professional panelists discussed the upcoming trends and ways for companies to be ahead of the game. The panelists expressed that the industry is moving toward more modern design. In both hotels and restaurants, the future trends will ensure more space for the guests. Designers are aiming to make the space feel as big as possible rather than as full as possible. Through furniture, designers are doing...