Global Hospitality News - ARCHIVE 2003

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News Archive , April 2003

April  1- 15, 2003

April 1, 2003

War and disease wreaking havoc on Asia's tourism sector

Fallout from the U.S.-led war in Iraq and health fears wrought by a killer outbreak of atypical pneumonia are having a devastating impact on Asia's money-spinning travel industry, analysts said. Tourists are staying away in droves, hotel bookings and airline reservations are plummeting and fewer people are showing up on the sidelines of international sporting events and at trade exhibitions.  

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Hotels in Europe face stiff competition from dedicated conference venues

Hotels which offer conference facilities and products are facing stiff competition from the growing number of  dedicated residential conference venues in the UK and Europe, according to a new report by PricewaterhouseCoopers Hospitality and Leisure Group (PWC). The report identified 22 specialist conference product operators, with 55 centres, 1,506 conference rooms and almost 6,000 residential rooms across the UK and Europe.

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BC Partners says still eyeing Six Continents pubs

Private equity firm BC Partners Ltd said on Monday it was still in the hunt for Six Continents' pubs and restaurants business, despite having a 2.8 billion pound ($4.4 billion) bid snubbed earlier this month. Six Continents, which owns InterContinental and Holiday Inn hotels, All Bar One pubs and Harvester restaurants, is splitting itself in two, following criticism it lacked focus and had neglected shareholders. But few analysts think the two resulting companies -- InterContinental Hotels Group Plc (IHG) and Mitchells & Butlers Plc (M&B) for the pubs and restaurants -- will remain independent for long.

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Thistle seeks other suitors to shake off BIL

The Associated Press reports Thistle Hotels is wooing other potential b
in a bid to thwart the intentions of Singapore investment company BIL
International, according to 'sources familiar with the matter'. BIL, which currently holds a 46% stake in Thistle, is today expected to
submit to shareholders an offer to buy the remainder at 155p a share,
valuing the group at ?555m. But Thistle believes its net assets are worth in
excess of 200p and has dismissed BIL's bid as 'opportunistic'.

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Australian Hotel Industry Shows Signs Of Pick-up

The hotel industry last year managed to ride out the after-shocks of the collapse of Ansett and attacks on America to record positive growth for 2002. According to hotel industry expert Dean Dransfield, the principal of DA Dransfield and Co, anecdotal evidence suggests the hotel sector will improve further this year. Mr Dransfield said room yields would probably rise between 4 and 6 per cent this year and he expects growth to continue into 2004.

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Regional German hotel performance now tracked

In January 2003 five new regions (Bundeslaender) were added to the German edition of the HotelBenchmark Survey reflecting the increase in regional hotel participation. New regions added to the survey include Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Hessen, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bayern.  This snapshot reports on how hotels in Germany's primary cities performed against their regional counterparts in 2002.  To ensure comparability, primary city data has been excluded from the regional performance figures.   For detailed report,Click Here

Survey Finds Many Americans Still Traveling, Not Changing Travel Plans

The U.S. war with Iraq has created a great deal of uncertainty for those who have travel plans.  A recent survey however finds encouraging news.  When asked whether the war will cause them to change their travel plans, a resounding 76% of respondents said no, they are not changing their plans and are continuing on their trip.  The online survey of 896 people was conducted by Fodor's Travel from March 19-22.  Interestingly, Americans' sentiments about travel are similar to those prior to the start of military actions. 

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Flu doesn't deter German film crew

Despite all the publicity and fear surrounding atypical pneumonia, yesterday a 16-strong contingent from Germany arrived at InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong to shoot footage for a programme called "Davidoff Cooking for Friends".   The programme arranged in association with Wolff Promotions, Davidoff Cigarettes and through the support of  Thomas Cook, also involves a team of celebrities who are visiting Hong Kong aboard the top class cruiseship, MS Deutchland which is currently moored at Ocean Terminal.    

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Dark clouds of war have a silver lining

New general manager unfazed by gloomy predictions for the hotel industry - To make the hotel industry survive the Iraq-US war, it is important to be optimistic and visionary. As current world events cast gloom on numerous businesses, it seems like a breath of fresh air to hear Peter Caprez, the general manager of the JW Marriott Hotel in Bangkok, talk about his plans for the future, and ways he would like to make JW Marriott stand out among its peers.

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Indonesia's hotel occupancy rates down to 35%

The Iraq war has begun to take its toll on the Indonesian hotel industry, with occupancy rates shrinking sharply, hotel operators said. Already suffering from the economic crisis and terrorist-related disruptions, the Indonesian hotel industry has recorded a further decline in occupancy rate to 35 percent, down from 45 percent.

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Gulf  War Hits Malindi Hotels

Several tourist hotels in Malindi town will close down this month due massive cancellation of bookings. Hoteliers have attributed this to the ongoing war in Iraq. Mombasa and Coast Tourist Association (MCTA) Malindi branch chairman, Mr Asgar Dossaji, said that hotels will close down due to lack of guests.  

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Hanoi Horison wins Best Service Hotel 2002

Swiss-Belhotel International's Hanoi Horison Hotel, a joint venture between Vietnam Global Toserco and Indonesia's Metropolitan Group and managed by Swiss-Belhotel International, was voted BEST SERVICE HOTEL 2002  by the readers of the Vietnam Economic Times readers for the second year in a row.  

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Malaysia's Tourism Suffering Due to War and SARS Fears

The war in Iraq and the mysterious pneumonia sweeping Asia and some other parts of the world are expected to deal a double blow to Malaysian tourism, analysts and hotel operators said. Azrul Azwar, an economist at MIDF Sisma Securities, forecast that tourism arrivals will drop to 12.9 mln this year from 13.3 mln in 2002. "This is a drop from our initial forecast of 13.56 mln tourists for 2003," he said. As the country's second largest foreign exchange earner, the dip in tourism will badly affect the economy, he added. 

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Rotana Hotels promotes Thomas Gertz

Mr.Thomas H.F Gertz, General Manager of the Gefinor Rotana Hotel has been recently promoted to Area Director of operations for Rotana Hotels, suites & Resorts for Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Rotana is now managing a portfolio of 18 properties with several more under construction among which a property in Damascus which is expected to open by May 2003.  

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World tourism chief urges Russia to ease entry visa procedures

Russia must ease its visa procedures if it wants to boost tourism, the head of the world's top tourism organisation said Thursday. "Facilities to travel and simpler (visa) procedures are necessary to develop tourism" in Russia, Francesco Frangialli, secretary general of the World Tourism Organisation, told reporters.

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April 2, 2003

Iraqis detained for plotting to bomb Grand Hyatt Amman Hotel

Four Iraqi nationals have been detained in Jordan for allegedly conspiring to blow up the Grand Hyatt Amman Hotel in the kingdom's capital. Since the outbreak of war in neighboring Iraq, the luxury hotel was turned into a beehive of foreign journalists.  In addition, many Americans are currently residing in two adjacent tower blocks, reported AFP. Jordanian authorities have recently also expelled five Iraqi diplomats for supposedly plotting to poison water supplies to the military bases near the Iraqi border.  Grand Hyatt Amman is located in the heart of the capital's business and diplomatic district. It includes 316 rooms and linked to the Hyatt Tower and Zara Expo, the city's conference and exhibition center. - (menareport.com)

SARS -  Living in the midst of a killer virus

In pharmacies across Hong Kong surgical masks and thermometers are disappearing off the shelves as a killer virus without a cure terrorizes the territory. While the war plays out in Iraq, here a battle is being waged against a deadly illness which has led to eleven deaths and infected almost 370 people in this congested city of 6.9 million, in just a matter of weeks. As the territory is gripped by pneumonia paranoia Hong Kong's Chief Executive, Tung Chee-hwa, has said the city is "facing its most serious contagious disease threat in 50 years."  

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News@PATA

'ENCOURAGING' TURNOUT FOR EIGHTH MEKONG TOURISM FORUM -  PATA President and CEO, Mr. Peter de Jong, said he was "very encouraged" by the 265 delegate turnout for the two-day Eighth Mekong Tourism Forum which concluded in Hanoi on Sunday. "This sends a strong signal despite our industry currently having to surmount formidable hurdles," he said. In his welcome address on March 29, Mr. de Jong also cited strong 2002 arrivals growth into the Mekong-region countries: Cambodia (+28 percent); Yunnan, China (+15.2 percent); Laos PDR (+34.6 percent); Myanmar (+6 percent); Thailand (+7.3 percent); and Vietnam (+12 percent). For the rest of this weeks PATA news and update,Click Here  

Le M?ridien Hotels & Resorts Announces Senior Team Changes - Response to current market conditions

Le M?ridien Hotels & Resorts has announced a number of changes to its senior management team designed to advance its worldwide business strategy in an increasingly difficult global travel market. Spearheading the new team will be current Deputy Chairman, Stephen Alexander, who now becomes Chief Executive Officer.  As part of the new line-up Juergen Bartels (JB) is elevated to Joint Chairman of Le M?ridien, alongside Guy Hands of Terra Firma Capital Partners.  Richard Mahoney, who joined Le M?ridien in August 2001 as President & Chief Operating Officer has recently made the personal choice to rejoin his family in the USA.  His role will not be replaced.

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Dubai Convention Bureau opens for businessAsiaTravelTips.com   -  The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce

Marketing (DTCM) officially announced the opening of Dubai Convention Bureau (DCB) earlier today, which will complement the department's on-going efforts to boost the emirate's MICE sector (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) and to promote the facilities and provisions of the Dubai Convention Centre.  

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NH Hoteles, Accor & Orient Express win Deal of the Year Awards at the International Hotel Investment Forum

NH Hoteles, Accor & Orient Express were winners of the Deal of the Year Awards, held March 13, 2003 at the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) in Berlin, Germany. The Portfolio Deal of the Year Award went to NH Hoteles for their €130 million purchase of Germany's third largest domestic operator, Astron Hotels with 53 properties in Germany, Austria & Switzerland, as well as a pipeline of 22 new developments. The deal was judged to be a strong strategic fit with considerable cost economies and good cross-selling opportunities. The other finalists in this category were Rotch Group, Farnsworth Group and Bank of Scotland's limited partnership €527.5 million sale and leaseback of 10 Hilton Group hotels and Orb Estates' €979 million purchase of 37 Thistle Hotels.  

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War, politics seen crippling Canadian tourism

The war in Iraq, high government taxes on the airline industry and anti-U.S. comments by politicians could cripple the Canadian travel and tourism industry, senior executives said on Monday. They demanded the government scrap or freeze a number of federal fees and taxes on the shaky air transport sector which together raise C$800 million ($545 million) a year. "Ottawa must stop treating the air travel industry as a cash cow. Federal fees and taxes on the air travel industry and our customers have created a crisis in our industry," said Cliff Mackay, president of the Air Transport Association of Canada.  

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Caribbean braces itself for tourism decline

The Caribbean tourism industry is preparing itself for a downturn in demand    due to the ongoing war in Iraq, reports the FT. Tourism is one of the mainstays of the region's economy, bringing in around ?13bn each year and accounting for 30% of GDP. Visitor numbers fell 16% in the three months immediately following the 11 September terrorist attacks, and 4% last year.

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Hilton pay rises spark fresh row

Hilton Group is set to ignite a fresh row on executive pay with substantial increases in boardroom pay and bonuses as the group battles against a market overshadowed by the Iraqi war and fear of terrorism. The company is proposing to increase the maximum bonus payable to its executive directors to 120 per cent of basic salary. This change will be subject to shareholder approval at the group's annual meeting on 16 May. Hilton is also courting controversy by choosing to retain a two-year rolling contract for David Michels, its chief executive. 

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New Marketing Campaign Set to Boost UK Tourism

VisitBritain, which was formed through the merger of the British Tourist Authority and the English Tourism Council, will be behind a massive marketing effort from the beginning of April to promote UK destinations to domestic travelers. Small firms relying on tourism have had a turbulent time since the terrorist attacks on the USA in 2001. 

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April 3, 2003

BIL plans to oust Thistle directors

Caterer.com  - BIL International, the majority shareholder in Thistle Hotels, has asked for meeting with shareholders to oust members from Thistle's board of directors. In its official offer document, BIL said it was writing to shareholders to request an extraordinary general meeting in which it would propose substantial changes to the size and composition of the Thistle board.  

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Asia works to isolate SARS

By TravelWeeklyEast.com  reporters - Asia reacts to SARS threat: Regional roundup ASIA - The region's destinations have stepped up their efforts to combat the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Here's a roundup of regional measures.  For report,Click Here

Hilton defies Higgs with 2yr contract for Michels

e-Tid.com  -  Hilton Group is to retain a two-year rolling contract for its chief executive, David Michels, contrary to corporate governance best practice. The Higgs report, published this January, recommended executives' contracts should be no longer than one year. According to the Independent, Hilton has moved to one-year deals for new executives but said 'given that the group chief executive, Mr Michels, is in his 57th year, no change is proposed' for his contract.  

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War impacting NYC restaurants, hotels

Wary of the war in Iraq, some tourists to New York City seem to be "taking a wait-and-see attitude" before making reservations and tourism officials are concerned that prolonged combat will cause longer-term damage to the $25 billion industry. "We haven't seen any major cancellations, but advance bookings are down for the spring and summer," said Cristyne L. Nicholas, president of NYC & Company, the city's tourism agency. "If the conflict is relatively brief, we're optimistic about the summer. If not, we may be looking at a more negative impact."  

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Jowell names marketing chief to spearhead UK tourism drive

Culture secretary Tessa Jowell has appointed Hilton UK's marketing chief, Hugh Taylor, as the head of the England Marketing Advisory Board (EMAB). EMAB supports the work of VisitBritain, the newly created national tourist body, which is launching today. Created following the merger of the British Tourist Authority and the English tourism Council, Visit Britain hopes to offer a more focused approach to marketing the UK as a holiday destination.

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Hong Kong Hotels report a slump as fears grow for tourism

Inbound tourism has practically ground to a halt while hotel occupancy has fallen by up to 20 per cent amid the atypical pneumonia outbreak. Travel industry players fear that the week-long Labour Day holiday on the mainland from May 1, which brought 200,000 visitors from the mainland last year, will be heavily hit. This has led to cuts in estimates for Hong Kong's economic growth this year. Citibank predicts the loss in tourism revenue would lower the city's gross domestic product (GDP) by $ 2.6 billion, or by 0.2 per cent, assuming the outbreak lasts for two months.  

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War hits German tourism to US

German tourists to the United States are tending to avoid the bigger cities because of fears of terrorist attacks, tourism officials say. The was one of the findings which emerged in an analysis made shortly before the start of the war in Iraq. But some aspects of the analysis were contradictory. Interpreting precisely what people's attitudes towards travelling to the United States was difficult. The results of the survey were issued at the International tourist Exchange in Berlin in March. According to an analysis by the FUR travel research organisation, interest in flying to the US has declined lately by about 30 percent.   

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Jones Lang La Salle postpones investment meet

Yet another industry event has fallen prey to the SARS outbreak - the 6th Asia Pacific Hotel Investment Conference, due to be held April 9 in Singapore, has been postponed. The annual event, scheduled for the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, is organised by Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels and is its key investment event for the region. Organisers told TravelWeekly the event will be rescheduled to June and details are being finalised.  

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Free night promotion at Le M?ridien hotels Middle East /India

Moving swiftly to counter the downturn in travel around the world, the luxury hotel group Le M?ridien has introduced a Free Nights promotion for its seven properties in the UAE, as well as selected hotels across the Middle East and India. Central to the Free Nights offer is the 3 for 2 offer, whereby anyone booking two nights at one of the group's participating hotels in the Middle East or India gets a third night for free.

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Australian Tourism operators hope for more than eggs

Victorian regional tourism operators hope the Easter break will arrest losses and declining visitor numbers caused by drought, bushfire and the issue of public liability insurance. The chief executive of the Country Victoria Tourism Council, Nicholas Hunt, said the areas worst hit by drought and bushfires faced a difficult environment as they struggled overcome negative public perceptions.   

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April 4, 2003

SARS  - W H O Press briefing, Q & A

World Health Organization, Palais de Nation, Geneva, Press briefing by:

Dr David Heymann, Executive Director, Communicable Diseases   -    Dr Guenael Rodier, Director, Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response    -   Mr Dick Thompson, Communications OfficerFor complete press briefing and Q&A text,Click Here

Wyndham defaults on hotel leases, lessor says

Hotel operator Wyndham International Inc. failed to pay at least $3.6 million of rent due April 1 on 27 hotels it leases, and as a result is in default, the lessor, Hospitality Properties Trust said on Wednesday. Wyndham, based in Dallas, did not immediately return calls seeking comment. Hospitality, a Newton, Massachusetts-based real estate investment trust that owns 251 hotels, said it leases the 27 affected hotels under two combination leases.  

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The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels Posts Profit of HK$308 million as Compared to HK$33 million in 2001; Peninsula Hong Kong and Bangkok Contributed Strongly

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
• Revenue from hotel operations up 14% to HK$1,941 million
• Group operating profit of HK$637 million, an increase of 9% over 2001
• Profit attributable to shareholders increased to HK$308 million, compared to HK$33 million in the same period in 2001
• Shareholders' funds at December 31, 2002 decreased by 2% and stood at HK$11.7 billion or HK$10.03 per share
• Earnings per share increased to 26 cents
• Net borrowings decreased by HK$45 million to HK$5.6 billion
• Proposed final dividend increased to 8 cents per share

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New York and nine sister cities commit to rebuilding international tourism

During the first ever New York  Sister City Summit, Commission for the United Nations, Consular Corps and Protocol Commissioner Marjorie B Tiven, Sister Cities Programme President Ambassador Nancy E Soderberg and NYC & Company President & CEO Cristyne L Nicholas announced  they would jointly promote tourism between New York and its nine sister cities. The two-day summit, entitled Rebuilding International Tourism, was attended by Mayor Gabor Demszky of Budapest, Mayor Amos Masondo of Johannesburg, Mayor Jose Maria Alvarez del Manzano of Madrid, Mayor Roberto Salcedo of Santo Domingo as well as tour operators, tourism officials and delegates representing Cairo, Jerusalem, London, Rome and Tokyo.

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The Asian American Hotel Owners Association Annual 

Convention & Trade Show Set for April 24-26 in  Long Beach, California The Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) Annual Convention & Trade Show, taking place April 24-26 in Long Beach, Calif., promises to be one of the industry's premier events.  Keynote speaker Earvin "Magic" Johnson kicks-off the three-day event, which features political forces such as consultant James Carville, who led Former President Bill Clinton to victory in 1992; industry leaders like Jonathan Tisch, chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels and chairman of Travel Business Roundtable (TBR); and Bollywood stars including Preity Zinta, who was named best newcomer at the 1998 Filmfare Awards.  

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Singapore February 2003 Visitor Arrivals

ASIA Travel Tips .com  -  Singapore visitor arrivals in February 2003 grew 2.3% to a total of 612,897 visitors. Indonesia continued its 6th consecutive month of positive growth by posting an 11.3% increase in arrivals. Holiday and business-related arrivals registered double-digit growths of 23.7% and 15.2% respectively.  

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EIBTM 2003: Meetings makes peace

As businesses and organisations face the current climate, EIBTM 2003 (20-22 May, Palexpo, Geneva) is to put the spotlight on the  meetings and incentive industry`s role in fostering worldwide peace and eradicating poverty. The `Meetings Makes Peace` debate, featuring industry leaders and chaired by Louis D`Amore, President and founder of the International Institute of Peace Through Tourism (IIPT) will take place at the EIBTM stage on Thursday 22 May at 11.00 am.  

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Canada`s tourism industry records modest growth in 2002

The total number of tourists travelling to Canada increased for the sixth straight month in December 2002,  according to the Canadian Tourism Commission, fuelled primarily by positive numbers from the USA, Asia and primary markets in Europe. Results published by Statistics Canada indicate that the total seasonally unadjusted international overnight travel to Canada increased by 4.7 per cent in December 2002, compared with December 2001. The year 2002 ended on a positive note with total numbers up 1.8 per cent over the same period in 2001.

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Le M?ridien throws weight behind destination marketing at Arabian Travel Market

Region's major hospitality group to work hand-in-hand with tourism offices -  Acting swiftly to counteract the downturn in global travel, Le M?ridien in the Middle East and West Asia is focusing promotional budgets on a destination marketing strategy in full support of the on-going efforts of commerce and tourism boards in its host destinations, says Russel Sharpe, the luxury hotel group's regional vice president sales.  

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Thailand: Quarantine won't curb tourism promotion

The Tourism and Sports Ministry says Thailand will not curtail its tourism promotion campaigns in countries affected by Sars despite the quarantine measures announced by the Public Health Ministry on Tuesday. Tourism and Sports Minister Sonthaya Khunpluem said yesterday that the nation's tourism campaign and budget to promote the industry would largely remain as originally planned but that marketing strategies would be revised as necessary.

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Bahamas` tourism reaches all-time high

The islands of the Bahamas welcomed 4.4 million visitors in 2002, establishing a new all-time record for the  islands-nation off the coast of Florida. In spite of downturns in the American and world economies, the Bahamas continues to post year-on-year increases in visitor arrivals to the islands. While last year`s count represents a smaller increase than in the past two years, the combined total of air and sea arrivals mark a 4.5 per cent growth over 2001. These encouraging numbers are in part attributable to the growing popularity of cruise travel, according to the islands` minister of tourism, Vincent Vanderpool. More than 70 per cent of all visitors originate in the USA - the Bahamas can be reached in less than three hours from New York, or 45 minutes from Florida`s East Coast

China's tourism industry reeling from impact of killer pneumonia

Tourism has emerged as one of the first casualties of China's battle with a killer pneumonia, as travel agencies and hotels report massive cancelations of planned trips. In some cities, tourism executives said the number of tourist groups had dropped to as low as 20 percent of the normal volume because of atypical pneumonia, which has hit China harder than any other country. "There has been a very big effect on the business," said a Beijing-based official with China International Travel Service, the nation's largest travel agency.  

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Six Continents earns banks ?15m

Bankers to Six Continents, the pubs and hotels operator, are to pocket fees of ?15m for helping the company defend a hostile approach from entrepreneur Hugh Osmond. Joint financial advisers Merrill Lynch and Schroder Salomon Smith Barney will split ?10m between them, while broker Cazenove will also receive up to ?5m, sources said yesterday.  

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April 7, 2003

Sick and tired!  

By Steve Shellum, Publisher/Editor,HOTEL Asia Pacific  

Once again, the industry in Asia Pacific is struggling for survival as the SARS epidemic and the Gulf war take a wicked toll on business. A look at how the region's long-suffering hoteliers are coping . There is nothing more depressing than an empty hotel. Except, of course, a full hospital. It is anyone's guess how long it will take the industry to make a full recovery, but the general prognosis is that it is unlikely to be swift, and that the scars will take some time to heal.

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Performance of the  UK Hotel Market --
Has the bottom of the cycle been reached?

by Angela O'Reilly, Deloitte & Touche - April 2003

2002 hotel data suggests regional UK hotel industry in recovery, but average room rate continues to fall in London. - Regional UK hotel performance held up well in 2002 despite the challenging economy, according to preliminary year-end data derived from the HotelBenchmark Survey by Deloitte & Touche. Hotels located outside London maintained occupancy levels with average occupancy at 70.3%, similar to 2001 levels. Average room rates experienced only a marginal decline, down 0.7% to ?62.  

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Illness Hurting Asian Hotel Industry

The hotel industry is suffering almost as much as the airline industry from outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome, as guests cancel trips and hotel managers take emergency steps to prevent guests and employees from becoming infected. "Everyone has been affected by it, not only in Asia," said David Baffsky, the chairman of the Asian and Pacific operations of Accor S.A., the largest operator of hotels in East Asia. "It has some quite important consequences not just from a health point of view but a business point of view."   

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HOFEX 2003 re-scheduled

In response to the current health crisis in Hong Kong, known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (or SARS), Hong Kong Exhibition Services Ltd are re-scheduling HOFEX 2003 (initially planned for 6 - 9 May) to a later date. The event will be re-scheduled to 15 - 18 July 2003, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

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Australia`s key hotel markets poised to withstand a short lived Iraq conflict

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics tourist accommodation performance results point to a  recovery in December quarter 2002, according to Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels. These results, coupled with limited new room supply over the medium term, indicate Australia`s key hotel markets are currently positioned to withstand a downturn caused by a brief period of conflict in Iraq.

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Consumer Trends: Evolution of the online traveler

According to Stacy J. Moran a researcher of PhoCusWright in 1998, six million consumers bought travel online in  the U.S. Most people researched vacation plans via advice from friends and relatives and then made purchases through traditional travel agencies. Jump ahead to 2002 when 30 million Americans purchased travel online in the last year. Half of them only buy their travel online. The Internet is now the leading source for travel research, and online travelers usually purchase their travel on the Web. In fact, eight in 10 online travel buyers usually purchased their travel online last year.

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Apec Tourism Forum called off

Epidemic keeps many delegates homebound -  The Apec Tourism Forum, scheduled to take place in Pattaya next week, has become the latest casualty of the Sars outbreak. Thai authorities also moved yesterday to further tighten curbs on visitors arriving from countries affected by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. The Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) said all crews sailing from Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam would be prohibited from alighting from ships berthed at Thai ports.

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Ramada homes in on Sweden with 60 conversions/30 newbuilds

Marriott International's mid-market brand Ramada is continuing its rapid worldwide expansion with a deal in Sweden adding 90 properties over the next five years to the 150 it already has around the world.

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Carlson Hotels announces key management roles and structures

Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific (CHAP) has established a regional property development division and appointed key management personnel as part of its ten-year plan for expansion across the Asia Pacific region. The former director of development, Australia and New Zealand, Mr Joe Sita, has been promoted to head the Sydney-based development operations as vice-president of development for Carlson Hotels Asia-Pacific. 

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A good start to the year for Hawaii

The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB) attributes a surge in visitor arrivals and overnight volume to months of  aggressive marketing since the events of 11 September 2001. January 2003 visitor figures show an overall increase in total visitor days of 12 per cent compared on January 2002. In addition, visitor arrivals rose by 11.6 per cent, with domestic visitors increasing by 8.6 per cent and international visitors growing impressively by 17.4 per cent.

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