The Environment
This strong focus on technology also paved the way for a wealth of coverage about the environment and energy usage. The first articles on the subject appeared as early as the 1970s, but the pieces were sporadic at first. “It wasn’t until the 2000s that these types of articles started to appear with consistency,” Young explains. That said, LODGING did publish an early case study of effective energy management in 1979. Detailing the ways the Ramada Inn-Airport sought to save money while becoming more environmentally responsible, the article mirrored many of the pieces lodging publishes to this day on the subject. And even in 1979 some very familiar ways to save money and energy were highlighted, including turning down the temperature of hot water, keeping up with the maintenance of heating and air conditioning units, and weatherproofing doors and windows.
By the time the ’90s rolled around, an even greater push for environmental consciousness had developed in the industry. Feature-length articles stressed the importance of making eco-friendly decisions and highlighted the efforts of recently-founded environmental groups such as the International Hotels Environmental Initiative. “Back in the ’70s LODGING’s position on environmentalism wasn’t very consistent. In the last 10 to 15 years, there has been a much steadier effort,” Young says.
The Industry
Of course, there are issues unique to the hospitality industry that LODGING has paid special attention to over the years, such as the expansion of hotel segmentation. Because most of today’s prominent hotel brands were simply single hotel chains in the ’70s, if they existed at all, LODGING has been able to provide real-time coverage as these brands raised new flags to meet growing niche marketplaces. According to Young, segmentation really exploded in the ’90s. “Everything was split into single silo companies, and then you started seeing the real estate investment trust in the ’90s, which really launched segmentation,” he says. It was around this time that many chains began buying up multiple properties in different areas across the country. Hayward adds that the internet also had an effect on segmentation. “As guests became more comfortable using the internet, it became easier to profile them. This allowed hotel brands to develop and launch new flags to meet the needs of niche markets,” he explains. LODGING watched this process begin, and continues to watch as existing brands multiply.
The hospitality industry is in a constant state of flux, but for 40 years LODGING magazine has been there to listen, watch, and report back to hoteliers all over the country, keeping them in the loop.
The Launch of LodgingMagazine.com
The growing ubiquity of the internet not only affected the hospitality industry, it had a profound effect on LODGING as well. In the late ’90s, the magazine was a juggernaut, hitting page counts of 250-plus. However, the rise of online publishing and web-based journalism drove down print page counts, moved advertising dollars online, and transformed the magazine to the more manageable portfolio we see today, all while also giving birth to a free-flow of industry information at LodgingMagazine.com
