Global Hospitality News - ARCHIVE 2002

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News Archive for November, 2002

November  16- 30, 2002

November 18, 2002

Four Seasons in talks with Oberoi

The Oberoi Group is negotiating with Four Seasons for a marketing alliance for its properties in India and abroad, according to a report.

For details,Click Here

 

M & C 10 mths to Oct REVPAR down 2 pct year-on-year

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels PLC reported a 2 pct year-on-year fall in revenue per available rooms (REVPAR) for the 10 months to Oct 31, but it remains confident its 2002 results will be ahead of last year. REVPAR fell 6 pct in the first half to end-June.

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Hilton to cut back project spend

Hotels group Hilton  said it had pegged back capital expenditure for next year after seeing little sign of an upturn in trading conditions. The company intends to spend ?130m on projects in its hotels division during 2003 compared with a figure of around ?200m this year.

For details,Click Here

Rezidor SAS announces new organizational structure

Kurt Ritter, president & CEO of Rezidor SAS Hospitality, has announced the reorganization of Rezidor SAS, following the signing of a multi-brand agreement with Carlson Hotels Worldwide in September of this year.  With the agreement, Rezidor SAS Hospitality becomes the master franchisor for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regions to operate or license hotels under the brand names of Regent, Country Inn and Park Inn Hotels, complementing the existing Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts brand and thereby reaching all the major segments of the hospitality industry.  

For details of the new organizational structure,Click Here

Think Tank on Tourism  Destination Management: Building   Competitiveness  through Education, Training and Research - WTO

From 2 - 4 December 2002, a Think Tank on Tourism Destination Management: Building Competitiveness through Education, Training and Research will be held at WTO Headquarters. The purpose of the Think Tank is to establish coordination with destinations within the WTO.HRD Sbest Initiative for excellence through quality service using education and training.

For details,Click Here

European Hotel Investment Holds Up Despite Continuing Uncertainty

Findings of the 14th Annual European Hotel Industry Investment Conference
Despite continuing geo-political uncertainty, volatile international travel patterns and declines in hotel RevPAR, the European hotel industry continues to attract investment, according to experts speaking at this year's 14th Annual European Hotel Industry Investment Conference. 

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Room shortage sees Euro Disney book €33m FY loss

e-Tid.com   -     Euro Disney has blamed a lack of hotels capacity on site for a disappointing FY which saw it record a net loss for the first time since 1984.

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Pacific Asia region the new engine of global tourism growth

The Pacific Asia region is the new engine for growth. This is the message the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) president and CEO, Peter de Jong, had for the leaders of the global tourism industry at the IPK International seminar, "The Latest Global Travel Trends 2002-2003," held at the recently-concluded World Travel Market in London. 

For details,Click Here

Best of the Best Award Winners Announced

Best Western, THE WORLD'S LARGEST HOTEL CHAIN?, announces 22 winners of its annual Best of the Best Awards. The program, now in its third year recognizes Best Western hoteliers throughout the United States, Canada and the Caribbean for excellence in quality and service. In addition, 44 hotels have been chosen as honorable mention.

For details,Click Here

Hotel Mortgage Loan Workouts and Defaults

Written By:  Michael T. Sullivan &  Marshall A. Bendelac
HVS International

This is the first of a series of articles in which we will discuss current problems that some borrowers (and obviously their lenders) are having with hotel mortgage loans, along with ideas and strategies for possible resolution.

For detailed report,Click Here

TravelCLICK Reports Third Quarter Electronic Booking Results for Top Asia-Pacific Markets

TravelCLICK released results today for third quarter hotel room nights in Asia-Pacific, booked electronically through the Global Distribution Systems (GDS). While all of the top ten Asian markets show improvement over 2001 for the quarter, comparisons to second quarter bookings show mixed results. 

For detailed report,Click Here

Poland:  Grand Hotels, Falling Prices

Newsweek's story on the developing Warsaw hotel market begins this week with the story of expat Pole Malgorzata Greem, mother of 10-year-old Liberty. Malgorzata, who married and lives in the UK, was always in the habit of working out a different solution on her regular trips back to Warsaw - hotel rooms in the city have been massively expensive ever since 1989. To a certain extent it's still the case - most of the hotels in the city center remain in the upper ranges of the market, but there are now so many of them that Malgorzata's attitude has changed somewhat. This year competition is up and prices have fallen by anything from ZL100-200 in the capital's most prestigious locations.

For details of this report,Click Here

November 19, 2002

The Latest Global Travel Trends

For the ninth consecutive year IPK International - the World Travel Monitor Company - together with its partners, WTO, ETC, PATA, TIA and the US DOC, invited some 50 travel and tourism experts from more than 30 countries to Pisa, from 6-9 November, for two days of discussions on global tourism trends. The discussions were based on the findings of more than 500,000 representative interviews in some 60 travel source countries in Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific concerning outbound travel in the first eight months of 2002. 

For detailed report,Click Here

News@PATA

FAVOURABLE WTM RESPONSE FOR 2003 PATA TRAVEL MART - During WTM, PATA received favourable responses from niche and mainstream tourism operators regarding attendance at the 2003 PATA Travel Mart (October 1-3, 2003 in Singapore).  During PTM2003, a series of workshops will be organised to help the industry better understand these and other niche sectors. 

For the rest of this weeks PATA news and update,Click Here

Vietnam World Heritage Road plan on course

Danang City and the other Vietnam provinces incorporated into the World Heritage Road (WHR) www.worldheritageroad.com tourism project are set to get much support all round.  

For details,Click Here

UK Hoteliers campaign for full-time tourism chief

Caterer.com  -  Hoteliers are calling on the Government to take the tourism industry more seriously and invest in a full-time chairman to head its new tourism body, rather than appoint a part-timer.

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OTE tells the timeshare industry: "Make self-regulation work"

OTE (Organisation for Timeshare in Europe) announced  on Saturday 16th November at its 5th annual convention that it is time for the wider industry to fully embrace self-regulation or face the consequences. The timeshare industry has reached a critical stage in its development.  Over the past five years, the OTE, which has adopted a strict code of conduct to which all members are bound, has worked closely with governments at local and national level, enforcement authorities and government departments such as the DTI and OFT to rid the industry of fraudulent operators.  

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IATA Corporate Air Travel Survey 2002  

AsiaTravelTips.com  -  The IATA Corporate Air Travel Survey 2002 reflects the concerns of international corporate travellers with special  attention to new security and facilitation issues, and to the role of low cost carriers and video conferencing in the post 11 September environment. The Survey covers key factors that influence corporate travel decisions; Some highlights are presented in this report.

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Sydney: Hotel Managers Battle It Out For The ANA

Some of the most prestigious global hotel brands will be battling it out in coming weeks for the right to manage one of Sydney's most glittering hotel prizes, the ANA Harbour Grand at the Rocks. Both the winner and the new owner of the hotel, the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, will search for a formula to reshape the languishing Sydney accommodation scene.

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NZ Tourism numbers, spending up

The number of tourists visiting New Zealand increased 3.8 per cent to 1.96 million during the past year, Tourism New Zealand's annual report shows. Board chairman Wally Stone said in the report, tabled in Parliament today, that the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States initially affected tourism here; visitor numbers decreased and fluctuations continued well into 2002.  

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Get a Room

Remember when you could attract a crowd just by bragging about the deal you got online for plane tickets? Now, practically no one books leisure flights any other way. In the context of hotels, though, things are just heating up: Online hotel-room bookings in 2002 are up 20 percent from the previous year, and Expedia estimates that the sales of its special-rate hotel rooms have tripled from 2001 to 2002. Yet the hotel industry is a morass of big chains, small operators, and consolidators, and you have to consider price, area, amenities, room size, and sometimes even Web access. But plenty of merchants are trying to figure it all out.  

For details of this PC Magazine report,Click Here

November 20, 2002

Bridge over troubled hotel waters

by Yeoh Siew Hoon  TravelWeeklyEast.com

SPECIAL HICAP 2002 REPORT    Share prices down. Rate pressure up. Brands blurring. Customers dwindling. Fears of terrorism rising. What's a CEO to do? Yeoh Siew Hoon reports from the sidelines as six of the world's most powerful hoteliers got together to share their views and insights into their industry.  

For full report,Click Here

De Vere confirms marketing alliance with comparable US chain

e-Tid.com   -  De Vere Hotels has signed a marketing alliance with Colorado-based Destination Hotels & Resorts, hoping to take advantage of its association with the Ryder Cup to 'leverage the [De Vere] brand in the important North American market.'

For details,Click Here

World Tourism Experts confident of 2003 recovery in international Travel & Tourism

The tragic events of 11 September in the USA and more recent terrorist attacks in Bali and Moscow have had, and will continue to have, a severe impact on travel and tourism demand. Yet there are clear signs of a recovery, reflecting the resilience of the industry and consumers' demand for travel after one of the biggest confidence crises in the history of tourism. Pre-11 September growth levels should start to resume from 2003, and growth from some key source markets will even be positive in 2002. 

For detailed report,Click Here

Hotel Security Workshop announced for Bali and Jakarta

Three leading hotel groups - Six Continents Hotels, Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts - have joined forces to sponsor hotel security workshops in Bali and Jakarta.  

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Short Distance Tourism New Industry Focus in Asia Pacific

Tourism professionals Monday told an on-going forum that short-distance tourism within the Asia- Pacific region will soon become the new focus for cooperation among Asian destinations. Some 500 political leaders and tourist professionals gathered in this famous tourist city in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, south China, for Boao Forum for Asia -- Tourism Conference, a major Asia-wide tourist forum.

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Gloria International expands portfolio in China

Gloria International Hotels recently signed on two more Gloria Plaza Hotels to its management portfolio. The 2 new properties are located in Shenzhen and Inner Mongolia's Hohhot  respectively, and brings the total collection of Gloria Plaza Hotels to 7 properties  within the brand, and 14 properties within the group's total portfolio of hotels.  

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AIME organisers say travel advisories no impact on show

Recent warnings regarding travel to Asia have not affected AIME 2003, according to Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), organisers of the Melbourne show. Responding to queries by AIME exhibitors from Asia, AIME Sales Manager, Rosemarie Sama, said the situation has had no impact on AIME 2003, which will be held on February 18 and 19 in Melbourne.

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AAA Names 16 New Five Diamond Lodgings, Restaurants for 2003

AAA's list of Five Diamond Award winners for 2003 includes Miami's first Five Diamond properties in nearly a decade and two new hotels in New York City. The 11 lodgings and 5 restaurants new to the list bring the total number of Five Diamond properties in North America to 130. The Mandarin Oriental, Miami hotel and its Azul restaurant have both been added to the coveted ranks of properties receiving AAA's highest award. 

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Top 14 Mistakes Senior Managers Make

Robert Dunham, a former Vice President of Motorola Computer Systems, and founder of the nationwide Action In Management executive development program, and the performance management company Enterprise Design  has identified the 14 top mistakes made by senior management, regardless of industry.  

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November 21, 2002

By Mid-Year 2002, Hotel Profits Were Again Down, But Not Out

RevPAR Decline Only Tells Part Of The Story

U.S. hotels are in pain, but claims of sharp declines in RevPAR (rooms revenue per available room) - the traditional measurement of hotel financial health - tell only part of the story. The real concern for hotel owners and operators should be the declines in profitability they are facing.

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Optimism and Budgeting

By Alexander Feneck, Hospitality Research Group of PKF Consulting

The budget season is just about over, and the hopes for 2003 have been factored into dollars and cents.  Whenever a general manager forecasts for the following year, he/she hopes and plans to do better than the competition.  This is as true today as it was in the fall of 2000. 

For detailed report,Click Here

Six Continents Hotels Highlights Success of Online Initiatives and Outlines 2003 E-Commerce Goals

As the first hotel company to offer web bookings more than seven years ago, Six Continents Hotels, Inc  the world's most global hotel company,  at its annual Conference in San Diego, highlighted the success of its online initiatives, and outlined its aggressive 2003 E-commerce goals. 

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VIP Celebrations at The Grand Hotel Wien

The Grand Hotel Wien launched new opening with exclusive Gala Event

The Grand Hotel Wien  (Vienna) was officially opened as a member of JJW Hotels and Resorts and celebrated by a lavish party attended by Austrian and international celebrities. The VIP guests were entertained by the elite of musical and cultural artistes such  as Vienna Boys? Choir, the State Opera Ballet and internationally renowned Angelika Kirschlager, Stefan Vladar, Benni Schmid and Neil Shicoff.

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HKTB defends methodology for tourism statistics

Hong Kong tourism officials have struck back at criticism that they juggle figures to make arrival numbers look more healthy. Deputy Commissioner for Tourism, Mr Duncan Pescod argues the Hong Kong Tourism Board's (HKTB) methodology conforms to international standards defined by the World Tourism Organization.

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Hilton Hotels enters India in tie up with domestic partner

International hotel chain Hilton said Tuesday it was entering the Indian market in collaboration with domestic group Blue Coast Hotels and Restaurants. The joint venture will initially set up three hotels in India's financial capital Bombay, IT hub Bangalore and the coastal tourist resort state of Goa at a total cost of five billion rupees (104 million dollars).

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Hotelier Raymond Bickson is new COO for Taj Luxury Hotels

After fifteen years as general manager of The Mark, New York, Raymond Bickson has accepted the position of Chief Operating Officer for Taj Luxury Hotels, the luxury division of the 100-year old Bombay-based The Indian Hotels Company (IHC) which operates Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces.  Mr. Bickson will report directly to The Taj Group's Managing Director R.K. Krishna Kumar and will be headquartered in Bombay.

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Thailand says Phuket hotels hit by terror warnings

Thailand said on Tuesday its popular resort island of Phuket had been hit by travel warnings by several Western countries after bombings on the Indonesian island of in Bali killed more than 180 tourists last month. Sita Divali, chief spokesman for the Thai government, said Phuket hotel cancellations were on the rise. 

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Hotels trim extras amid downturn

Pour your own coffee. That's the message at some posh hotels eager to attract scarce customers in tough times with sweet deals but who also need to keep an eye on the bottom line. With a nip here and a tuck there, U.S. hotel chains are trimming costs in ways they say are barely noticeable to guests but clear to managers and investors. Self-serve coffee, on offer at many Starwood Hotels, is just one example

For detailed report,Click Here

You Say You Want a Revolution?

by Stephanie Cirihal

That's what it will take to reverse the current employee development wasteland that many corporations have become. "Our employees are our greatest asset." That is a statement espoused in the values of many companies. But what does that statement mean to you? Does it have any meaning to you? Over the past decade, a shift in corporations has occurred - away from social responsibility towards employees to a "hands off" approach, where the employees are responsible for their own development. 

For report,Click Here

November 25, 2002

FT examines 'volatile' global visitor numbers

Financial Times considers how the 11 September terrorist attacks, Bali nightclub bombing and current threat of war in the Middle East have 'reshaped the international tourism landscape'. The paper reports the terrorist attacks had an immediate effect on visitors to the US, with figures from the Travel Industry Association of America (TIAA) showing the number of inbound tourists fell 11% in 2001 to 45.3m. The Association predicts a further year-on-year decline for 2002 and is wary of forecasting a full recovery.

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Hilton Announces Strategic Financial Transactions to Reduce Debt, Extend Maturities

Hilton Hotels Corporation announced three separate transactions consistent with the company's financial strategies of reducing debt and extending maturities: Hilton sold $375 million of 10-year Senior Unsecured Notes with settlement and closing scheduled for November 22, 2002. The notes carry a coupon of 7.625 percent and have a maturity date of December 1, 2012. Proceeds from the sale will be used to repay indebtedness under the company's revolving credit facility. Book runners on the transaction were Morgan Stanley and UBS Warburg, with Credit Suisse First Boston serving as co-lead.  

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Tulip plans UK expansion  

Hotel chain Golden Tulip UK is looking for a site near Manchester Airport as part of a ?33m expansion drive which includes a major development at its Old Trafford property. The group plans to build 100-150 Tulip Inns, its budget brand.;

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HR Aspirin - Effective Recruitment

Written By: Christopher Mumford   HVS International

Human Resources is the headache that keeps hotel managers from their 40 winks, according to a 2001 survey by Cornell University. Attracting talented staff in the first instance was seen as the ultimate waking nightmare. Chris Mumford looks at the options available to companies without a decent cloning programme.  

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Rick G. Layton named President of Georgia Hospitality & Travel Assn.

Rick G. Layton, a 30-year hospitality industry veteran, was named President & CEO of the Georgia Hospitality & Travel Association this month. The non-profit umbrella organization, comprised of the Georgia Restaurant Association, Georgia Travel Association and the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association, represents more than 2,300 businesses in the lodging, foodservice, licensed beverage and travel industries. Layton previously served as GHTA Chairman of the Board and President of the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association.  

For details, Click Here

Hotel Mortgage Loan Workouts and Defaults

Written By: Michael T. Sullivan & Marshall A. BendelacHVS Capital Corp.

This is the first of a series of articles in which we will discuss current problems that some borrowers (and obviously their lenders) are having with hotel mortgage loans, along with ideas and strategies for possible resolution.  

For details, Click Here

Tourism between "Moderate Optimism" and "Structural Changes", WTO Tourism Recovery Committee says

The World Tourism Organization (WTO) Tourism Recovery Committee assesses that recent events in the world have temporarily set back the pace and scale of recovery but consumers will still seek to travel, even if it includes changing their destination or postponing their trip. Many markets continue to be strong, thus allowing the tourism industry to remain reasonably optimistic, while recognizing the structural changes currently in motion.  

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UK:  AA announces its 200 best hotels

London has many of the UK and Ireland's top hotels, according to the latest AA star awards. London accounted for four of the top 10 UK establishments and for 19 of the British Isles' top 200 hotels in the AA assessment. The four were Claridge's, the Dorchester, the Landmark and Hyde Park's Mandarin Oriental.  

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Hong Kong:  Disney plans two hotels

The blueprints include Hong Kong's largest ballroom and a Los Angeles-style Avenue of the Stars - Disney executives unveiled plans yesterday for two hotels to be built next to the Disneyland theme park, and said more than $ 1 billion worth of construction contracts would be signed with local companies in the next 18 months.  

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120 foreign buyers at the 13th Philippine Travel Mart

The three-day 13th Philippine Travel Mart (PTM), which started last Friday, is expected to shape up much better than before with the participation of some 120 foreign buyers.  

For details, Click Here

Source: TravelWeeklyEast.com

November 26, 2002

Hong Kong: Six Continents says Asia hotels ripe to be bought

Six Continents Plc plans to add 25 hotels in Asia in two years, aiming to strike better deals as a slump in demand intensifies after the Bali bomb attack, a top executive said. The owner of Inter-Continental and Holiday Inn hotels expects to have 175 hotels in the region by the end of 2004, compared with 150 now, said Richard Hartman, the London-based company's Asia-Pacific managing director. Most of the expansion will be in China, where demand is strongest, he said.

For details,Click Here

News@PATA

PATA CO-SPONSORS PAVILIONS AT IATOS 2003 EXPO -  PATA is expanding its cooperation with the IATOS 2003 Expo and World Congress, scheduled February 19-23, 2003 in Chicago. The Association is to co-sponsor the Australasia/South Pacific Pavilion and the Asia Pavilion for the Expo held Feb. 21-23. With PATA's participation, all PATA members are eligible for a discounted exhibitor rate. IATOS 2003 is dedicated to adventure, eco and sustainable tourism. 

For the rest of this weeks PATA news and update,Click Here

Panama hopes tourism will drive economy in 2003

With an agriculture crisis and services such as banking and shipping in the doldrums, Panama is putting its faith in tourism to help bolster its depressed economy in 2003. Panama expects tourism revenues to surge almost 20 percent next year, generating $1.15 billion or around 10.5 percent of gross domestic product, Panama's Director of Tourism Liriola Pitti told Reuters in a recent interview.  

For details,Click Here

Getting Your Restaurant Ready For The Holiday Season

With the approach of the holiday season, most restaurant managers know that they should stock up on popular menu items, and if located in a snowy climate, they also stock up on snow melt, snow shovels, and discuss snow removal responsibilities with staff. However, the holiday season is not only about stringing up garland and spreading holiday cheer. With the holiday season rapidly approaching, now is a good time for restaurant owners and operators to refresh employee training on liquor and sex harassment policies.  

For full details of this HVS International report,Click Here

Growing Numbers of International Hotel Chains Opening Shops in China

A growing number of luxury world-class international hotel chains are arriving in Beijing as the business travel market continues its boom. The Beijing Best Western hotel is set to open soon, and the Park Hyatt, a luxury brand in the Hyatt Group will follow soon. Ritz Carlton has already chosen a site downtown for its first hotel in Beijing.

For details,Click Here

Top US and UK Hotel and Resort Management Companies Form Trans-Atlantic Marketing Alliance

Destination Hotels & Resorts (DH&R), the second largest hotel management company in the country, announced the formation of the Distinctive Experience Alliance, a marketing alliance with United Kingdom-based De Vere Group PLC, a company that manages a similar class of upscale and luxury hotels and resorts. 

For details,Click Here

South African  tourism booms despite Bali bombing

Tourist arrivals in South Africa continue to boom, and the Bali bombings look unlikely to change the perception that South Africa is one of the world's safest destinations when it comes to international terrorism.

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26 Chinese Hotels Chosen as 'Asia's Best'

Some 26 hotels on China's mainland were selected as "Asia's Best Hotels", according to the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA).

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November 27, 2002

Hotels Bank On A Brighter Future

Findings from an analysis of data provided to the HotelBenchmark Survey

The global hotel industry was always going to be one of the sectors hardest hit by the September 11 attacks and geo-political uncertainty that followed.  A year on Deloitte & Touche have assessed the impact of events on different regions of the world by analyzing data collected for the HotelBenchmark Survey.

For detailed HotelBenchmark report,Click Here

Permira set to clinch 700 mln stg Travelodge, Little Chef deal - report

Venture capital group Permira is poised to clinch a 700 mln stg plus deal to buy Travelodge and Little Chef, the budget hotel and roadside restaurant chains being auctioned by Compass Group PLC, according to the Financial Mail on Sunday.

For details,Click Here

Online hotel deals mess up planning for conventions

Internet discounts are causing big problems for convention planners and hotels. Convention-goers are often finding bargains over the Internet that undercut the group discounts a hotel is making available for a convention or meeting.  

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China's Hotels Graded by Environmental Standard

The benchmark of eco-efficient hotels are under way in China and the first group of green hotels and restaurants with eco logo will receive their certification this September.

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All-Hotels appoints new Managing Director

Industry expert takes the helm at leading online accommodation company - Jill Chalmers has been appointed managing director of All-Hotels Ltd, one of the web's leading accommodation companies and operator of the leading internet brand all-hotels.com.  

For further details,Click Here

UK trade pins hope on a strong start to 2003

UK tour operators are expecting bookings to surge in January/February and have called on Asian tourist boards to market hard during this period in order to win the business.  

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Carlson plans 18 more hotels in India by 2005

Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, the parent company of Radisson Hotels and Resorts, has firmed up plans to set up 18 hotels by 2005. "We are planning to set up 18 hotels by 2005," K B Kachru, senior vice president, Calrson Hospitality, said here, adding the new hotels would come under the brand 'Radisson' and 'Country Inn'.

For details,Click Here

Hilton out of Taiwan after 30 years    

After 30 years, Taiwan will bid farewell to the Hilton brand as the chain's only property in the country, The Hilton Taipei, is re-branded Caesar Park Taipei from January 1.  

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New Otani  group seeking better things to do with garbage

Japanese Hotel operator New Otani Co. has built a basement research facility at its hotel in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward to determine new ways of recycling food waste and wastewater. The laboratory hopes to take microbes from garbage and wastewater from the hotel's restaurants and treat them for use in pharmaceuticals and other applications.

For further details,Click Here

November 28, 2002

Online travel giants taking aim at Asia-Pacific;

Top three players want a slice of the region's online travel market that's set to cross US$ 8b by 2004 - In the midst of the worst recession in the travel industry, the online travel players never had it so good. Business in the US and Europe is booming. And the top three players - Expedia, Travelocity and Priceline - have fast-growing Asia-Pacific on their minds.  

For detailed report,Click Here

Trapped: Hotel Fire

On average, a fire breaks out somewhere in the United States every 18 seconds. When people are caught in a hotel fire, it can be even more disorienting than at home, because they are in unfamiliar surroundings, often asleep. In 1980, a fire at the 26-story MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas killed 85 people. A few months later, a fire at the Las Vegas Hilton killed eight more. A 1993 fire at Chicago's residential Paxton Hotel killed 20 people.  

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Marriott Vows to Pass Unit's Profit to Clients

Marriott International Inc. said it will not keep any profits it makes from its online purchasing unit, Avendra LLC, but will either give hotel owners credits against future purchases or apply the credits against charges for upgrading hotels' reservations and other systems.  

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Bali bets on recovery as peak season draws close

ndonesian Minister of Tourism and Culture I. Gde Ardika said Bali's tourism sector might have begun to recover, led by an influx of domestic tourists recently. He said that some of Bali's hotel occupancy rates had recovered to about 26 percent, from single-digits in the weeks after the terrorist strike.  

For details,Click Here

Tourism Challenges Remain Says Australian Tourist Commission

AsiaTravelTips.com  -  Following the release today of the Australian Bureau of Statistics' Overseas Arrivals and Departures for September 2002, Australian Tourist Commission Managing Director, Ken Boundy, says the figures show that Australia is 'holding its own' in a difficult operating environment.  

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For Corporate Discounts, Size Really Does Matter

Low rates and empty rooms have left many business travelers hoping that they can find deals on Internet sites like Expedia from USA Interactive's and Travelocity from Sabre Holdings that will yield the best rates available. But that is not going to happen, the experts say. Reneta McCarthy, a lecturer at the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell, said the so-called transient business traveler, who is not part of a high-volume corporate contract, would always end up paying more, sometimes far more, than the hotel guest who is.  

For detailed report,Click Here

UK: October tourist numbers best this year

Caterer.com  - The number of overseas visitors to the UK rose by 4.6% during October, the best figures for a year. October's results were the second successive month of increases against the previous year. In September visitor arrivals increased by 3.71%.  

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Denver hotel rates' doldrums continue

Business, tourist travel down vs. '01 - Denver-area hotels have stumbled through 2002 with occupancy and average room rates lagging behind year-ago levels, according to the monthly Rocky Mountain Lodging Report.

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North Korea pins hopes on tourism

In a fresh move to attract investment, a mountain resort welcomes foreigners
Cash-strapped North Korea has turned a mountain holiday resort on its east coast into a "special tourism zone" in its latest bid to attract foreign investment.  

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Three big brands hit Bangkok

Despite the regional downturn, next year will see the arrival of new Westin, Conrad and Metropolitan hotels in Bangkok. According to The Nation, the Conrad, on Wireless Road, was slated to open in September this year but has put that forward to New Year's Day 2003.

For details,Click Here

November 29, 2002

Promoting a good internal candidate generally is better than choosing an outstanding external candidate, researchers find

Which is a better choice - the external job candidate who scored exceptionally high on an interview or the internal candidate who has an above-average, but not exceptional, past-performance record? While it may be tempting to hire the freshest face with the glowing interview, the best choice, time and again, is the above-average employee in the organization who has consistently been rated well in the past, according to a new study by a Cornell University researcher and his colleagues. The researchers provide estimates of the strength of the relationship between past and future performance that supervisors can use in the hiring process.  

For detailed report,Click Here

Incoming 2003 AH&LA Chairman Handlery Dedicated To Formalizing Association's Governance And Building Key Industry Partnerships

During his recent inaugural speech at The Regent Wall Street in New York City, incoming 2003 American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) Chairman Michael K. Handlery, CHA, declared his commitment to stabilizing the financial future of the lodging industry, focusing on the association's governing model and current membership structure, and forming closer relationships with industry affiliates.

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Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal, Budapest - "A Legend Re-Born"

The five-star deluxe Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal, a landmark redevelopment of a historic 19TH century hotel in the heart of Budapest, Hungary, has re-opened its doors following a two-year reconstruction period, welcoming shareholders of its Maltese owning company, IHI plc, among its first guests.  

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Ten Years of Stagnation in European Tourism-A New Global Trend?

Once again the tourism industry has proved to be one of the most resilient and dynamic sectors of the European economy. After a decrease of -0.6% in international tourist arrivals in Europe in 2001 (compared with the record year of 2000), preliminary figures for the first six to eight months of 2002 indicate a small decrease in European inbound tourism again this year (in the region of -0.2% to -0.3%).  

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Japanese Tourists Pick Vietnam

The number of Japanese tourists traveling to Vietnam is expected to hit 300,000 this year, up almost 100,000 from last year, according to a report in Hanoi by the Administration of Tourism on Wednesday.  

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Accor to launch Backpacker Hotels in Australia, New Zealand

Accor  will launch the world's first globally branded backpacker network in a bid to get a slice of the lucrative independent travellers market.  

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Bali revival hit by lack of funds

Tourism authorities in Bali are anxious about the immediate future and keen to assist, they have admitted they have no funds.  

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IH&RA 39th Annual Congress Marks New Era for the Global  Hospitality Association;

New Membership Structure,  Business Plan and Board of Directors  to Lead IH&RA in 2003  -  Around 100 international hospitality executives from 30 countries representing North America, Latin and Central America, the Middle East, Western and Eastern Europe and the Asia Pacific attended the International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA) 39th Annual Congress held in New York City, 8-11 November, 2002.  This Congress served as the platform to announce major changes to the membership structure of the 55-year old association, and to unveil the 2003 Business Plan and new Board of Directors.   

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Up to 40% savings with Shangri-la's 'Rate Break'

Shangri-La  Hotels  and  Resorts  will  offer  savings  of  up to 40% and complimentary  breakfast as part of its superb value-for-money Rate Break promotion.   Available  at all 38 Shangri-La and Traders hotels including eight  resorts  throughout  Asia  Pacific,  the promotion is valid from 1 December  2002  until 28 February 2003 and includes double air miles with participating airline partners.

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Space tourism faces long countdown

Companies slowly develop vehicles for commercial travel - If scads of surveys are correct, the public is hungry for ticket-counter takeoffs to space. But of you're hoping to experience a little sightseeing from Earth orbit anytime soon, you might have to delay buffing up your space helmet visor. The track record on building tourist-toting rockets is anything but stellar.  

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