The debate over how best to handle peer reviews on hotel websites continues to rage. While there is now growing consensus for hotel brand websites to allow guests to view customer feedback, the debate has shifted to what sources make this data believable and to what degree do hotels curate the feedback to screen out false information or negative issues that have long been remediated without changing the authentic tone of the reviews.

Every frequent flyer has one. A cursed airport-one that other flyers breeze through with ease but delays your every flight through its three-lettered airspace.

Remember a few years ago when managing a company's Facebook page was usually assigned to the youngest employee, often an intern, who may or may not have much marketing or communications experience? With the Timeline changes coming soon to Facebook, delegating downstream should no longer be considered a viable option. It's imperative that travel marketers throughout your organization take the time to understand the power of Facebook Timelines for brands.

A year ago, Japan was devastated by the tsunami and its nuclear risk aftermath. Not surprisingly, tourism rates dropped from 25% above the average global rate in February 2011 to 189% below the average rate in March 2011.

Packing light has never been my strong suit. I always seem to return from trips-be they business or pleasure-with way too many unused pairs of this and that. One might trace my excess to some Boy Scout-ish desire to be prepared; however, I was never a Boy Scout. The real reason for my overstuffed luggage is that I hate packing-and it's much easier to pack the kitchen sink than it is to whittle down to the bare essentials.

I was on a quick trip to London a few weeks ago and packed my usual roll-on bag. It's the same one I've carried onboard planes of every configuration for the past ten years. The proof is on the handle that is festooned with the remnants of dozens of bag-checks from hotels across the globe. So, as I boarded my BA flight from London to Boston, the last thing I worried about was my carry-on. After all, this was a huge 777 that was far from full and my bag had already passed muster on planes half the size. My …

Vacations benefit everyone. Whether they're modern-day Marco Polo trips traversing thousands of miles through unfamiliar lands, business people meeting face-to-face with important partners, or weekenders escaping to a lakeside or coastal retreats, travel reduces stress and enhances relationships. By seeing how others live, travel can open our minds, teach us how to adapt and help us understand the ways of the world. In short, travel makes us better people.

What does longevity mean at a time when 140 characters convey a message and the 24-hour cycle has been reduced to maybe 24 minutes?

Like any good competitors, travel sites are always looking for a leg-up-anything that will drive more traffic to their shores and visitors to their properties. So what if I were to tell you that there was a social media button you could install tomorrow that had the potential to generate thousands of referrals to your site each day? Better yet, what if I were to tell you that this button is already helping to drive more referral traffic than YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit, and Google+ combined-and that not one of the major travel, airline or hotel sites I surveyed has installed …

That scurrying you hear is no doubt the sound of other brands looking for ways to respond to Starwood's bold enhancements to its Starwood Preferred Guest program.