IP Healthcheck: Unlocking Your Asset Potential

Building competitive edge in the hotels industry requires innovation, development, investment and planning. A key aspect of any successful business in the sector will be the maintenance of the intangible assets in the intellectual property portfolio. A healthy portfolio will differentiate between operators and act as a vehicle for commercial goodwill, as well as providing a strategic and defensive base from which to operate.

Every business should conduct an Intellectual Property audit and revisit it periodically. The importance of the role played by IP in the modern hotels sector is indisputable. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of your portfolio, and the value of the assets both internally and externally, is a fundamental part of business planning. This is an approach that should be followed in the boardroom, as well as at the "coalface", so the IP is used for maximum effect in the market. Perhaps the IP portfolio is registered, renewed and up to date, but is this