Global Hospitality News - ARCHIVE 2003
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News Archive for January, 2003
January 1- 15, 2003
January 2, 2003
Marriott to Sell Senior-Living Unit
Marriott International Inc. said that it has agreed to sell its senior-living division in a $150 million deal to McLean-based Sunrise Assisted Living Inc. Sunrise would acquire the long-term management contracts of 126 Marriott properties, which house about 23,000 people. The deal would more than double the number of residents Sunrise cares for, from about 17,000 to 39,500.
For details, Click Here
A Hotel Regular? Well, Join the Club
Travelers who've questioned whether hotel loyalty programs are worth the bother should consider the case of Russell and Jennifer Taddeo. When the Boston couple chose the Key Bridge Marriott in Arlington for their wedding reception last year, they got more than a flower-decked ballroom and a dessert cart: a whopping 125,000 points in the hotel chain's loyalty program. By putting wedding guests up in the hotel and purchasing the flowers through FTD, they racked up a few thousand extra points.
For detailed report, Click Here
Charlesbank, Winston Hotels Form Venture to Acquire Over $ 100 Million of Hotel Assets
Winston Hotels, Inc. a real estate investment trust and owner of premium limited-service, upscale extended-stay and full-service hotels, announced that it has formed an investment entity with Boston-based Charlesbank Capital Partners, LLC to acquire more than$ 100 million of hotel assets.
For details, Click Here
Malta: Hotel occupancy up five per cent
Hotel occupancy rates in Malta - in all sectors - have risen in December by more than five per cent compared to last year, according to telephone survey results. The survey, conducted by the Malta Hotel and Restaurant Association, revealed that five star occupancy levels rose from an average 38 per cent in December 2001 to 43 per cent this year.
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Hawthorn Hotels & Suites Poised to Expand Into the Middle East, N. Africa and Turkey Through Branded Property Management Contracts
Hawthorn Hotels & Suites is poised for rapid expansion into the fast developing and buoyant hotel markets of the Middle East, N. Africa and Turkey. The region is experiencing the development of a large number of new hotel projects to meet current and future growth demands from international business travelers, the increasing volumes of tourist travelers as well as an all-time high of internal regional travel.
For details, Click Here
Time Management Made Simple: Five Practical Tips
By Christina Morfeld
This article outlines five practical tips to manage your time (one of your New Year's resolutions?)
For detailed report, Click Here
'Cyber Concierge' at Avari Dubai Hotel
Technocrat LLC has launched 'Cyber Concierge' that offer guests personalized Dubai City Info that directs & simplifies their search by listing the most accurate, unbiased, and comprehensive destination information available.
For details, Click Here
Grand Hotel Taipei to revive as grand landmark
When Christine Tsung assumed the appointment as chairwoman of the Grand Hotel in late November, it gave hope for the five-decade old hotel to revive from its fading image as one of the most representative hotels in Taipei.
For details, Click Here
Australian Hoteliers expect strong local demand
The threat of terrorism, a low Australian dollar and big mortgages are likely to see more travellers enjoying the sights in their own country in 2003. Hoteliers are certainly hoping that will be the case and some are already seeing a rise in bookings for the holiday season.
For details, Click Here
January 3, 2003
2003 offers "great opportunity" for tourism, says BTA
Caterer.com - The signs for continued growth and recovery are good for 2003, but there is still a lot of work to be done, says the British Tourist Authority (BTA). In its Prospects and Trends 2003 report, the BTA said that 2003 would represent a "great opportunity" for tourism around the world.
For details, Click Here
Tourism Queensland to target resilient UK market
Tourism Queensland has launched a $1 million United Kingdom advertising campaign pitched at capitalising on rare long haul international market growth. The UK has been one of the few overseas markets to defy a downturn in international travel to Australia over the past two years, growing by 11.5 per cent across the country and by 5.3 per cent in Queensland.
For details, Click Here
ITIC: Further improvement in tourism on cards
Barring another international terrorist attack, 2003 should see a further recovery in tourism, the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC) declared. While there were 6.2 million less visitors in 2002 than in 2000, the confederation is confident about the future of the industry, which will also depend on the health of air travel.
For details, Click Here
Japanese Tourism to Australia up by 29 % over new year
The Japanese tourism market may be recovering from its long slump with numbers arriving in Australia over the New Year holiday period set to jump by 29 per cent. In the wake of the terrorism threat, the number of Japanese travelling overseas dramatically plunged in the last quarter of 2001, impacting on the lucrative New Year holiday period.
For details, Click Here
Indian Hotel Industry says goodbye to tough 2002
The unceremonious removal of India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) Chief Ashwini Lohani, and the political row over the resale of the privatised Centaur Hotel in Mumbai, made headlines in the recession hit hotel industry, with properties staring at more than half empty rooms during most of 2002.
For details, Click Here
Marriott ups Saudi Arabian presence
Marriott International has opened the Madinah Marriott Hotel, its third property in Saudi Arabia and its first in Medina, one of the holiest sites for Muslims around the world.
For details, Click Here
NH Hoteles sells 2 hotels in Spain for 10-11 Million Euro
NH Hoteles SA has sold two hotels in Spain for a total of 10-11 mln euro, Expansion reported, citing unnamed sources close to the operation.
For details, Click Here
Tourism numbers in Cook Islands hit 70-thousand in 2002
The Cook Islands says the number of tourists who visited the islands in 2002 is expected to hit the 72-thousand mark, a drop of about 2-thousand on the previous year
For details, Click Here
January 6, 2003
Hotelier's 2003 Top Ten Internet Resolutions
By Max Starkov and Jason Price
How can hoteliers deal successfully with today's challenges and emerge as winners from the present travel and economic downturn?
PricewaterhouseCoopers forecasts full-year 2002 U.S. hotel occupancy at 59.5%, one of the lowest rates in the last 75 years. RevPAR for the year is expected to be down 2.3 percent and ADR will decrease for a second year in a row, the first such consecutive decrease since the Great Depression. For 2003 PwC expects only a modest recovery. RevPAR will increase by only 3.5%. ADR is forecast to increase by 2.5% in 2003, while occupancy is expected to recover 0.6 percentage points and reach 60.1 percent.
To read the full report, Click Here
Worldwide HotelBenchmark Occupancy/Rate Summary Report November 2002
The HotelBenchmark Summary Report for November 2002 from Deloitte and Touche illustrates the continuation of mixed performance for hotels across Asia Pacific, the Caribbean and Latin America, Europe and the Middle East.
To mitigate the impact of seasonality, the rolling 12-month summary report reflects the performance of a consistent sample of hotels between December 2001 and November 2002.
For detailed HotelBenchmark Report,Click here
Four best hotel chains for business travelers
If you're a frequent traveler who needs amenities like valet laundry service and a knowledgeable concierge, conventional wisdom says you're probably better off booking a room at a more expensive full-service hotel. If you're a road warrior who just needs a cheap place to bed down, you might go for a budget hotel.
This is a case where conventional wisdom is wrong. There are "best of both worlds" hotels for the average business traveler - chains that offer great value and amenities for folks who travel for a living.
For further details, Click Here
Taj Hotels to sell two properties to group firms
Indian Hotels Company, which owns the Taj group of Hotels,as part of its restructuring is considering the sale of two of its properties to group companies.
For details,Click Here
Thailand: Happy New Year for hotels
High occupancy rates in main resorts, but Phuket quieter The country's best known tourist destinations - Phuket, Samui, Pattaya and Chiang Mai - were full with local tourists over the New Year break. However, festivities at the most popular beach resort, Phuket, were more subdued than previous years due to the impact of Bali bombing, which appeared to disperse many tourists to smaller beach resorts such as Krabi and Phang-Nga.
For details, Click Here
The Little Wonder Hotels of Florence and Venice
Twenty lodgings-ten in Florence, ten in Venice-to be cherished by all cost-conscious and Italy-enraptured tourists, combining authenticity, comfort, and charm with rates under $90 a night for a double room with breakfast "One thing I will never change is our one-star status," declares Roberto Zammattio, owner of Venice's Al Guerrato hotel. "I prefer to take in a few euros less but still give a bit more to guests; that way everyone is happy."
For detailed report, Click Here
Two Hotel Companies Form Joint Venture
The Hilton Hotels Corporation, the third-largest hotel company in the US, has formed a $400 million venture with the CNL Hospitality Corporation to buy and refurbish hotel properties, as it seeks to increase income from management fees.
For details, Click Here
Hotels.com's top ten destinations for 2002
Hotels.com, the largest specialized provider of discount lodging worldwide, announced its top 10 destinations for 2002. The number one destination for the year was New York City followed by Las Vegas and Orlando. Through the third quarter of 2002 Hotels.com booked over 5.6 million room nights in more than 285 cities worldwide.
For top ten listing, Click Here
Shanghai becomes attractive tourist destination
With its strong economy and abundant, colorful cultural resources, eastern China's mega city Shanghai is not only attracting the increasing attention of overseas investors but also ordinary visitors. The city received 2.7 million overseas tourists in 2002 and harvested more than 2 billion US dollars in foreign exchange, a rise of 30 percent on a yearly basis, according to the latest statistics from the Shanghai tourism administration.
For details, Click Here
January 7, 2003
Budget sector proving resilient
Findings from an analysis of data provided to the HotelBenchmark Survey
Our research examines the relative performance of the European hotel sector over the last 12 months and highlights strategies that have been adopted to cope with 9/11 and the deteriorating economic conditions. To mitigate the impact of seasonality we have tracked the performance of a consistent sample of hotels between January 1999 and September 2002 and analysed the data on a rolling 12-month basis.
For detailed report, Click Here
HVS International's European Hotel Transactions 2002 Report
The UK continues to dominate the European singe asset investment market, recording a total of 30 qualifying transactions in 2001, some 37% of total transactions activity. Other Eurpean countries with significant publicly available sales activity included Spain (13), Germany (9) France (6), Sweden (4), Belgium (4), Austria (4), Ireland (2). In 2002 the UK contnues to be the most liquid hotel market, with up to September year-to-date, then qualifying transactions representing 28% of all activity and 35% in terms of total investment volume.
For detailed HVS Intl. European Hotel Transactions 2002 Report, Click Here (Acrobat Reader required)
Hotels.com cuts earnings outlook
Hotels.com, an Internet-based seller of discounted hotel rooms, on Monday slashed its fourth-quarter and 2002 revenue and earnings expectations as room rates fell and advertising costs rose. The news sent shares of Hotel.com plunging 26 percent, or $15.02, to close Monday at $44.02 on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
For details, Click Here
Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian 2002 Award to SOS Kinderdorf International
In effort to support the community, Conrad Cairo recently sponsored SOS Kinderdorf International Press Conference held to announce Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian award of $1 Million. The conference was honored by the presence of many public figures involved in humanitarian work and particularly in child welfare. Dr. Eisha Rateb, Mrs. Ekbal Baraka, Movie Star Safeya El Emary and SOS Kinderdorf Egypt board members were among the participants.
For details, Click Here
Hong Kong 2002 arrivals headed for record high
Hong Kong is heading for a record 16 million visitor year. November's arrival statistics, released this week, showed 1,570,192 people came to Hong Kong, up 37.5 per cent the same month in 2001, the Hong Kong Tourism Board says.
For details, Click Here
eTourism Association founded
Experienced e-tourism professionals established a unique e-tourism-platform. The association acts independently and aims to reach the tourism industry, introducing eBusiness concepts.
For details, Click Here
Uganda Tourism 2003 - challenges and opportunities, hopes and expectations
With 2002 now history we can set out to tackle the challenges of the coming year. Figures released for the tourism sector last year show, that for the year 2000 the sector managed to produce about 112 Million US Dollars, while for the year 2001 we came top of the economic performers list for foreign exchange earnings with over 163 Million US Dollars - not a mean achievement for a sector which has for long been looked at like a step child, i.e. much lip service in public but little serious attention or inputs behind closed doors.
For details, Click Here
Indonesia 2002 arrivals better than expected
Arrivals' figures to Indonesia in 2002 turned out to be slightly better than the government's projected numbers after the Bali tragedy last October. In the year-end press conference, the Indonesia Culture and Tourism Board chairman, Mr Setyanto Santosa, cited a bureau of statistics' report in which total arrivals to Indonesia reached 4.8 million, equivalent to 90 per cent of the targeted 5.4 million. Right after the Bali blasts in October, the office had projected 4.3 million arrivals. Mr Santosa said: "Looking at the fact that other destinations than Bali were less affected by the tragedy and the statistics reports up to mid December, the outcome turned out better than expected."
For details, Click Here
Outrigger to Reflag Two Hawaii Hotels to Marriott
The home-grown Hawaiian lodging company, Outrigger Enterprises, will reflag two of its properties to Marriott in an attempt to attract more meetings and boost occupancy in general. Beginning in January, the Outrigger Wailea Resort, located on Maui, will be named the Wailea Marriott, an Outrigger Resort; and the Outrigger Waikoloa Beach, located on the Big Island, will become the Waikoloa Beach Marriott, an Outrigger Resort.
For details, Click Here
January 8, 2003
Getting Down to Business in High-Tech Hotel Rooms
Hotels rooms aren't just for sleeping anymore. They're hubs of high-technomania equipped with broadband and wireless connections, 42-inch plasma screens, video-conferencing units, ergonomic chairs and e-butlers. It's enough to keep a weary traveler awake all night. Increasingly dependent on corporate business, hotels all over the world are competing to find ways of bringing the high-productivity concept to the next level. But, will building a smarter room necessarily produce a more intelligent guest? Or does the pressure to deliver results rest evenly with both sides.
For detailed report, Click Here
Ethics and Corporate Governance:
The Role of the Compensation Committee
Written By: Stephen Goebel & Michael J. Wurster HVS International
If you could physically pick up your company, how far do you think you could throw it? Probably as far as investors trust public companies these days, not far. In the aftermath of Enron, WorldCom etc., the role of the board of directors is under greater scrutiny than was once imaginable. In particular, the roles of the Audit, and Compensation committees are literally having their charters rewritten. Having conducted extensive research in executive compensation, and advised numerous compensation committees, we feel it is an appropriate time to comment.
For detailed report, Click Here
News@PATA
ITB 2003 IN BERLIN - "A MUST" - PATA has again organised a stand at ITB in Berlin (March 7-11, 2003). The PATA stand, in a prominent location in the world's biggest travel show, will once again be the focal point for buyers interested in Pacific Asia. Exhibitors will be provided with fully-furnished booths and a reception and hospitality service. Some space is still available. For more information and to register, please contact PATA Europe at europe@pata.mc.
For the rest of this weeks PATA news and update, Click Here
UAE hospitality industry boom continues
The UAE has witnessed remarkable growth in the hospitality industry in terms of availability and quality, says a report published in the Economic Report, a quarterly publication of National Bank of Dubai. The hotel and accommodation industry is an important element and driver of the tourism sector, which also includes the travel industry, catering, leisure and entertainment facilities and support services, says the report.
For detailed report, Click Here
Tourist arrivals in Nepal decrease sharply in 2002
The total number of tourists visiting Nepal in 2002 decreased by 28 percent compared with that in 2001, according to statistics of Nepal Tourism Board. Altogether 215,922 visitors from different parts of the world came to Nepal by air in 2002, while the figure in the previous year stood at 298,456, showed the statistics quoted Thursday by The Rising Nepal newspaper.
For details, Click Here
Soft Rock Hotel - Hotel Derek in Houston
By Christina Valhouli Forbes.com
When Dayna Lee was commissioned to design the new Hotel Derek in Houston, she got her inspiration in an unusual place. She imagined the hotel to be the home of an imaginary aging British rock star named Derek, and designed everything to his taste and standards. "I didn't want to create a Texan Disneyland," says Lee, principal designer at Los Angeles-based firm Powerstrip. "I wanted to do something different." While Lee says she did not have a specific person in mind, she concedes that Derek has a dose of Bryan Ferry and Mick Jagger in him, among others.
For full report, Click Here
No regrets becoming a hotelier
Alexander Jovanovic, who studied to be a registered nurse in Australia, ended up instead working as a hotelier. But the Hyatt Regency Saujana general manager has no regrets and sees many similarities between the hotel and hospital businesses. "There's not a lot of difference between hotels and hospitals," he said.
For the rest of this report, Click Here
Radisson SAS beefs up its regional office to serve new growth following multi-property deal
Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts, which operates 12 Middle Eastern and African properties with eight more under development in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, has appointed three new senior management personnel to its regional office in Dubai to service planned growth.
For details, Click Here
Thailand projects 10.7 million visitors for 2002
Thailand is projecting total visitor arrivals of 10.7 million in 2002, a growth of 6% over 2001, well above the targeted growth of 4%. Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Mrs Juthamas Siriwan said the projection was based on total arrivals of 8.75 million in January-October 2002, an increase of 7.22% over the same period of 2001. Strong growth has continued in both November and December, final figures for both those months have not yet been finalised.
For further details, Click Here
January 9, 2003
Prime Hospitality Corp. Launches New Hotel Brand
Prime Hospitality Corp. unveiled its new hotel brand, Prime Hotels & Resorts, with the launch of the Sheraton Hotel Saratoga Springs as the Prime Hotel and Conference Center, Saratoga Springs. Saratoga Springs is the first re-branded property in the company's plans to develop under the Prime Hotels & Resorts flag a portfolio of upscale, full- service hotels.
For details, Click Here
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter Earnings Release Date
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced today that it will release the Company's fourth quarter financial results prior to market open on Wednesday, January 29, 2003, followed by a conference call at 10:30 a.m. (eastern).
For further details, Click Here
Accor to launch Mercure brand in Japan at Narita
One of the world's largest and best-known hotel brands, Mercure, will launch in Japan mid-year with the rebranding of the Hotel Lets Narita to Mercure Hotel Narita. The hotel signals the first step in Mercure's long-term plans to establish itself in Japan as it continues its expansion throughout the Asia Pacific region.
For details,Click Here
Outrigger's President and CEO David Carey Named Hotel Person of the Year by Travel Agent Magazine
Travel Agent magazine, the nation's leading publication serving travel professionals across the United States, has named Outrigger's President and CEO David Carey its Person of the Year for 2002 in the Hotels and Resorts category.
For details, Click Here
Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel & Spa debuts this month
The Ritz-Carlton opened its fourth hotel in the Middle East on January 1, when it assumed management of Le Royal Meridien Bahrain. While enhancement to guest rooms and public space is completed during a 24-month restoration project, the hotel will remain fully operational.
For details, Click Here
Bali tourism in November down by 60pc
The number of foreign tourists visiting Bali dropped by 60 per cent in November compared with October, following the deadly bombings on the resort island, according to statistics released yesterday. The Central Bureau of Statistics said in a statement 86,901 people visited Bali in October. That number dropped to 35,107 in November, it said.
For details, Click Here
BHA and Restaurant Association join forces
Caterer.com - The Restaurant Association and British Hospitality Association (BHA) have finally reached an agreement to join forces. The Restaurant Association is merging its government lobbying interests with those of the BHA, which will carry out this work for both associations. The BHA's restaurant panel will be merged into the Restaurant Association's national committee. The merger will take effect immediately.
For details, Click Here
Accor's Appoints To Management Board & Senior Management
Accor's Supervisory Board has nominated the Management Board, for a term of three years, pursuant to the Company's Articles of Incorporation. Except Sven Boinet about whom Accor had informed in September 2002 that he would be leaving upon expiry of his term of office, the members of the former Management Board have been reconfirmed. Jean-Marc Espalioux has been reappointed Chairman of the Management Board and CEO.
For further details, Click Here
Jurys courts hotel expansion moves
Hotel group Jurys Doyle is set to open a new Jurys Inn "budget plus" hotel in Dublin and plans to build a further four Jurys Inn by mid 2004. The expansion comes despite Jurys warning the market remains challenging. Interim sales edged up 0.5% to ?86m.
For details,Click Here
Tibet goes FIT?
A report from China's state media organisation has suggested that visitors to Tibet are no longer required to be part of a group or obtain an Alien Travel Permit. According to Xinhua, the new policy came into effect at the end of 2002, and also applies to visitors from Hong Kong and Macau. Xinhua said the Tibetan Tourism Bureau which issued the permits, had welcome some 130,000 foreign visitors in 2002, about 2.4 percent more than in 2001.
For details, Click Here
PATA to award four EDIT scholarships
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is offering four partial scholarships to the Executive Development Institute for Tourism (EDIT) programme, held in Hawaii, June 9-27, 2003. The EDIT programme is offered by the School of Travel Industry Management, University of Hawaii at Manoa, to serve the educational needs of executives and professionals in private and public sectors of international tourism.
For details, Click Here
Durban reaps its tourism rewards
While Durban business owners will be smiling all the way to the bank after a booming festive season, Durban Africa and the eThekweni council will receive accolades for their successful efforts in drawing multitudes of tourists from all corners of the world. It is estimated more than 300 000 tourists converged on the Durban beachfront on New Year's Day alone, exceeding turnouts in previous years.
For details, Click Here
Beware nudes at 36,000 feet
US travel agency Castaways Travel has chartered a Boeing 727-200 for a round-trip Miami-Cancun flight, departing May 3 and returning May 10, for 170 passengers, most of whom will be headed to the El Dorado Resort & Spa for a nude vacation.
For details, Click Here
January 10, 2003
Too many trade shows to choose from?
Market research can be a very useful tool for any business planner and strategist, but what if companies in similar fields, appoint different market researchers, to do the same type of research, at the same time, on the same topic ?! Presumably, we hope, the results should all be similar. This is the only reason we can think of that the travel exhibition industry, an industry where participants are looking far more closely than ever before at the costs involved in attending shows, would decide to have so many shows from September to end November.
For details, Click Here
Turkey plans huge promotion at Arabian Travel Market 2003
Turkey is to mount its biggest ever Arabian Travel Market promotion this year, more than doubling the size of its stand for the 10th edition of the Middle East's annual travel and tourism show. The move comes as Turkey plans to capitalise on growing inbound tourism traffic from the Gulf and Middle East.
For details, Click Here
Marriott on FORTUNE's 'Best Companies to Work For' List
For the sixth consecutive year, Marriott International, Inc. has been recognized by FORTUNE magazine as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For." Marriott ranked third among companies with 100,000 or more employees, and is the only U.S.- based hotel company on the list. FORTUNE considered more than 1,000 companies and surveyed more than 40,000 employees who evaluated trust in management, pride in work and the company, and camaraderie.
For details, Click Here
Best Western Takes 10 Advertising Awards At International Hospitality Competition
Best Western finished off 2002 with a number of awards for its advertising campaign. The brand will receive 12 Adrian Awards at The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International's Travel Industry Awards Night later this month. HSMAI's Adrian Awards are the travel industry's most prestigious advertising awards, with more than 1,500 entries from companies in 45 countries.
For details, Click Here
Mandalay Resort Group Lowers Quarterly Expectations
Mandalay Resort Group said that softer-than-expected results on the Las Vegas Strip over the holidays, and a low win percentage on table games at Mandalay Bay, would cause earnings per share to be closer to $.10 than to prevalent analysts' estimates near $.20 for the fourth quarter ending January 31, 2003. The company further noted that demand in the first part of January at its Las Vegas Strip resorts has been slow, apart from Mandalay Bay. The company also indicated that it will continue to repurchase shares under its current buyback authorization, depending on market conditions.
For details, Click Here
Independent Poll Shows Strong Willingness to Travel Despite Potential Security Issues
Travelocity's Latest Research Reports Many Traveling Further From Home; Increase in Combination of Short and Long Trips - Despite continuing economic uncertainty and ongoing national security issues, a new independent phone poll of Americans commissioned by Travelocity reveals that an overwhelming majority of consumers are planning to travel in 2003 for business and leisure and many of them will venture further from home than they did in 2002. Of those who have made some decision about their travel plans in 2003, 85 percent plan to travel and nearly half would still travel regardless of heightened homeland security levels.
For details, Click Here
S.A. Travel agents report strong bookings
South Africans are starting to travel overseas again as the Rand strengthens, travel agents have said. According to Business Report, the stronger Rand meant that forward bookings to almost all destinations were expected to rise.
For details, Click Here
"Best Hotels On The Web - 2002" By Tripadvisor
TripAdvisor, the leading travel search engine, announced the results of a year-long study of the most popular hotels on the web for 2002. The first entirely web-based hotel ranking index, TripAdvisor's "Best Hotels On The Web - 2002" award identifies the top hotel in each major city and continent worldwide based on the quantity and quality of information found out on the web by TripAdvisor's specialized travel search engine.
For further details and hotel listings, Click Here
All-Hotels reports upward trend of online bookings
Following the news that Hotels.com has blamed a downturn in worldwide travel and an increase in customers booking directly with hotels for its 25% share price fall, rival operator All-Hotels.com has reported an upward trend of online bookings for Q4 in 2002, with the number of rooms booked rising 130% to 16,783, and visitor numbers for the quarter rising 144% to 1,699,060 million people worldwide.
For details, Click Here
China's tourism tipped to earn 75 billion US-Dollars in 2003
China's total income from tourism is predicted to reach 600 billion yuan (75 billion US dollars) in 2003, up 8.5 percent from 2002. The goal for 2003 is to receive 100 million inbound tourists, including 14 million foreigners, said He Guangwei, director of the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA). Foreign tourism income is expected to reach 21.5 billion US dollars. Domestic travelers will reach 900 million, with domestic tourism generating income of 425 billion yuan (53 billion US dollars).
For details, Click Here
January 13, 2003
European Hotel Industry:
Like last year, France is doing better than all its European neighbours in 2002
France is the only country to record a growth of the RevPAR on the last 12months. -- Southern Europe resists better than the rest of the continent. -- The Netherlands and the United Kingdom lower their room rates in order to maintain high occupancy rates. -- Economy segments in progress on the last 12 months.
For detailed report including 12 months rolling results for Chains by country, Click Here
AH&LA's President Joe McInerney Updates - January 9 2003
To read the President's January 9 update, Click Here
No Orb bid for Thistle by Jan 15
e-Tid.com - Orb has indicated it will not bid for Thistle Hotels by the Takeover Panel-imposed deadline of January 15. However, it said it remained interested in making an offer 'any time' after the deadline. Orb, involved in a fraud investigation in connection with allegation of misappropriation of funds belonging to cash shell Izodia, said in November it was considering making an offer for Thistle's remaining properties.
What Should You Expect From Your Executive Search/Recruiting Firms?
Written By: David Mansbach HVS Executive Search
The best executive search firms assist client organizations in defining executive positions, identifying well-qualified and motivated candidates, and selecting those best suited through comprehensive, quality-assured search processes. Because utilizing an executive search firm requires a substantial investment of time and money, it is critical for restaurant executives to have a keen understanding of what to expect from the client-executive search firm relationship.
For detailed report, Click Here
HKTB welcomes Government's measures to strengthening the tourism industry
ASIA Travel Tips .com - The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced that it welcomes and supports the Policy Address presented by Chief Executive Mr Tung Chee Hwa (8 January), in which a series of measures were announced to enhance Hong Kong's tourism competitiveness. The Board says it is also encouraged as the Central Government agreed to study further relaxation of travel restrictions relating to Mainland residents. These proposals will certainly assist in consolidating Hong Kong's status as a premier travel destination.
For further details, Click Here
International tourism expected to pick up in Europe in 2003
International tourism is expected to pick up in 2003 after dropping following the terrorist attacks in the United States in 2001, tourism representatives meeting Thursday in Sofia said. Luigi Cabrini, European representative for the World Tourism Organization said he was prudently optimistic for 2003 since the number of tourists visiting certain European countries picked up in 2002.
For details, Click Here
Quebec: Chill out at the Ice Hotel
Guests can expect a chilly reception at Quebec's coolest winter destination, but not because they aren't welcome. The Ice Hotel Quebec-Canada, which opened for its third season, is -- as its name implies -- made entirely of ice and snow.
For details, Click Here
Joie de Vivre Hospitality expands
Joie de Vivre Hospitality, known for its creative collection of lifestyle businesses in the Bay Area, announced it has expanded its San Francisco portfolio to include three new hotels. These three properties will serve as the cornerstone of its new Small Hotels & Inns Collection.
For details, Click Here
Australian tourism boosted
Guests are returning to Australian hotels following a year-long slump in tourism after the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. National statistics released by the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) today, show the average hotel occupancy rate last November was 81 per cent, up two per cent on the October figure.
For details, Click Here
John Pye is Delta Hotels' new president
John Johnston, Chairman, Delta Hotels, welcomed the company's new president, John Pye, who will be responsible for leading the future development of Delta's hotel and resort portfolio.
For details, Click Here
Conrad Bangkok kicks off with superhero stunt
Thailand's capital newest hotel, the Conrad Bangkok, has made its debut with a unique opening that featured 10 "Spidermen" scaling its walls. General manager Gregory Meadows said the joint venture between the M Thai Group and the China Resort Co wanted to make the public aware that the hotel was different from others in Bangkok.
For details, Click Here
January 14, 2003
More Questions Than Answers: The Prospects For UK Hotels In 2003
By Melvin Gold, Managing Director, Hotel Consultancy Services, PKF In troubled times we apparently become more sentimental and are inclined to look back on happier days. Thus, in penning this article in uncertain times for the hotel industry, I somehow ended up in the early 1970s! Where do I begin?' So wondered Andy Williams' 1971 hit film theme Love Story. I suppose it was that thought that took me back to that era. But Johnny Nash's 1972 chart topper 'There are more questions than answers' became my theme tune and the inspiration for my thoughts on the future outlook for the UK hotel industry over the next year and beyond.
For detailed report, Click Here
Asian Cash Fuels Australian Hotel Investment Surge in 2002
Asian investors clearly demonstrated their return to the Australian hotel market, purchasing 69.7% of the total value of hotel sales in 2002, according to Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels. Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, who tracks major hotel sales (over A$5 million), recorded a total of 19 hotel sales comprising 3,661 rooms for over A$821.8 million. This corresponds to a 42.4% increase in the total value of hotels transacted in 2001. The average initial yield was 6.8%.
For detailed report, Click Here
China celebrates record-breaking 2002
The China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) has released tourism figures for the year, breaking new records in tourism revenue and arrivals. Last year, China tourism generated US$66.62 billion (RMB 553 billion), up 10.7 percent over 2001.
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Hotel Industry Makes Room for Online Bookings
Cost-conscious travelers are not only surfing for low airfares, but reduced-rate hotel rooms as well, research has indicated. According to the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), 57 percent of online travel bookers purchased accommodations on the Internet in 2002 - that's exactly halfway between airline tickets (77 percent) and rental cars (37 percent). Furthermore, Jupiter Research (a unit of this site's corporate parent), predicts online hotel bookings to surge from $5 billion in 2001 to $14.8 billion in 2007.
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Dubai Dramatically Increases Meeting Capacity In 2003
20 Dubai-based organisations will exhibit on the DTCM stand (Y230) at International Confex 2003 which is being held from 25 to 27 February 2003 at London's Earls Court. Among the Dubai-based delegates will be a range of MICE industry specialists, including supplier organisations such as hotels and destination management companies.
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Great Eagle International to expand portfolio under Langham Hotels International
Great Eagle Holdings Hong Kong Ltd. has announced today that its hotel operating and asset management arm, Great Eagle Hotels International (GEHI) will operate under the name of Langham Hotels International Limited (LHI) with immediate effect. Great Eagle purchased the Langham Hilton, London in 1996, subsequently carrying out a further upgrading of the property that included acquiring the adjacent buildings which today house the elegant Concierge Club, Health Club and Spa. The Langham Hilton, along with the group's refurbished Great Eagle Hotel in Hong Kong, has set the benchmark for the group's future international hotel expansion.
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Disney starts Hong Kong park
Disney today broke ground on Hong Kong Disneyland, its first theme park in China, hoping strong tourism growth will help the multi-billion dollar venture swiftly operate in the black. A ceremony at the 126 hectare site at Penny's Bay on outlying Lantau island marked the official start of construction on the park in the land-scarce territory after an 18-month government-funded reclamation project.
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Tourism in France reaches a bottleneck
France's varied climate and landscape, along with its potent mix of history, culture and cuisine, have combined to make it the world's top holiday destination. But this success may ultimately be its very downfall. The world's most visited country is struggling to manage its influx of tourists who, by flocking massively to Paris and the Cote d'Azur - and avoiding rural areas - paradoxically threaten to strangle any further development of tourism in France.
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Hard times for Berlin's tourism industry
Berlin's tourism bubble has burst. But as Katja Bauer reports from the capital, there's still optimism for the future. "The boom in Berlin's tourism industry is over for now, but things will start to recover by the middle of 2002," predicts Peter Nerger, director of Berlin Tourismus Marketing.
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January 15, 2003
In Search of the Internet Intelligence Report That Makes Sense
Growing online distribution drives demand for new intelligence tools
By Jason Price and Max Starkov
This year over 13% of all revenues in hospitality will be generated from the Internet. Three years from now the Internet will contribute over 20% of all hotel bookings and convincingly surpass total GDS bookings. With such an industrial shift toward the web, hoteliers need intelligence tools to measure performance against its competitive set on direct and indirect channels outside of the GDS. Hoteliers are in search of Internet intelligence reports that make sense.
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KPMG/YouGov survey: consumer spending on holiday and leisure pursuits In 2003
60% of consumers choose foreign destinations over holidays in UK - Londoners more bullish about taking holidays abroad - Majority of consumers would go to restaurants, pubs and clubs less in order to cutback on spending. Alessandra Alonso from KPMG's travel, leisure and tourism practice said: "Despite the current economic uncertainty and the threat of war and terrorism, 82% of those surveyed are planning at least one holiday in 2003; although foreign holidays put the UK in the shade.
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Australia: local tourism boost 'not enough'
Tourists flocked to domestic destinations over Christmas, but did not make up for the decline in international visitors, the tourism industry has said. Tourism Task Force chief executive Chris Brown said holiday destinations close to the major capitals felt the real benefit of the local tourism surge, which came in the wake of the Bali bombings.
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News@PATA
PATA ADDS SECURITY TO CONFERENCE PROGRAMME - PATA will convene a special session on the first day of the PATA Annual Conference in Bali, entitled, "PATA's New Agenda: Regional Security and the Lessons Learnt from Bali." The session will be jointly facilitated by PATA President & CEO, Mr. Peter de Jong and PATA Vice President, Mr. Peter Semone. The inter-active session will comprise two parts: Jakarta-accredited ambassadors giving their perspectives on regional security issues, and a case study on the recommendations of the recently-completed PATA Bali Recovery Task Force.
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Hotels will not regain control over distribution, says report
According to a report by PhoCusWright on distribution strategies and market forecasts for hotels, hotels will be hard-pressed to regain control of distribution, amidst a lingering recession and the continued strength of online retailers in the marketplace. The report predicts that within three years, online hotel bookings will increase from nine percent of total gross bookings to one in five.
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Internet error puts Starwood in no-win situation
A missing zero on its Internet sites threatens to cost hotel giant Starwood either a lot of money or some customer goodwill. A month ago, Starwood's Web site recently showed $85 rates - instead of $850 - for over-the-water bungalows during high season at its luxurious new resort on the French Polynesian island of Bora Bora in the South Pacific.
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Australia Accommodation Performance Results Reveal Serviced Apartment Demand Grew 7.9% During September Quarter 2002, While Hotel Demand Declined Slightly
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics tourist accommodation performance results demonstrate continued strong demand growth in the national serviced apartment sector, according to Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels. The data reveals serviced apartment demand grew 7.9% during September quarter 2002, whilst hotel demand declined slightly. The results form part of the latest update of Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels' Hotel Property Digest and are consistent with demand growth patterns over the full year to September 2002.
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Hyatt and Hawthorn Suites Announce Partnership Incorporating Hawthorn Into Gold Passport Program; Hyatt Gold Passport Members Can Now Earn Points at Hawthorn Suites
Hyatt Hotels and Hawthorn Suites announced that, effective immediately, Gold Passport members can earn Gold Passport points at all Hawthorn Suites properties. Hawthorn Suites is the first hotel partner in Gold Passport, Hyatt's 15-year-old award-winning frequent guest program.
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