Hotel News in Brief

Jun 03, 09 | 1:46 am

Signs of stabilization despite deep declines in European hotel performance. The European hotel industry in April saw double-digit percentage drops in occupancy, average daily rate and revenue per available room, although the numbers also could indicate that the industry is stabilizing, according to data by Smith Travel Research. For the continent overall, occupancy dropped year-over-year by 13.8 percent to the level of 59.4 percent. Average daily rate, measured in euros, was down 14.7 percent, and RevPAR was down 26.5 percent. On the country level, Russia reported the biggest drops, with occupancy down 20.8 percent, rates down 19.5 percent and RevPAR down 36.2 percent. Germany was close behind, with a 17.4 percent drop in occupancy, a 14.9 percent drop in average daily rate and a nearly 30 percent drop in RevPAR. Source: Commercial Property News.


More hotels are offering room-service menus on the Web. Hotel guests increasingly are able to order room service through their laptops and smartphones as more hotels put their offerings online. For hotels, the move frees up employees from having to man the phones; plus, they are able to offer more information, photos and daily specials. Omni Mandalay in Texas offers online menus and says guests spend about $3 more per order when they order online. National Restaurant Association SmartBrief. Source: SmartBrief.


Wyndham Hotel Group, the world's largest hotel company with approximately 7,000 hotels around the world, announced the appointments of hospitality industry leaders Ken Greene and Michael Poynter to oversee the company's efforts outside of the Americas, further exemplifying the Hotel Group's commitment to its portfolio in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia Pacific (APAC). As of March 31st, 2009, the company has a combined total of nearly 500 hotels across both regions. In the past year, Wyndham Hotel Group opened 78 additional hotels, including 23 hotels in EMEA and 55 hotels in the APAC region. "Strategic global growth and operational excellence are top priorities for Wyndham Hotel Group and therefore, we are committed to appointing the best and most talented leaders who will continue to build our business and help ensure that our stakeholders want to be with us and stay with us," said Eric Danziger, Wyndham Hotel Group president and chief executive officer. "The experience, dedication and passion that Ken and Michael bring to our global operations are what our company and brands need to flourish."


Raffles Hotels & Resorts has announced the addition of another major capital city in Asia to its ever growing list of destinations around the globe. Raffles Kuala Lumpur is slated to open in 2011 and will offer the largest guestrooms and suites in the city. The hotel will be located in the Central Business District within Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's award-winning lifestyle destination. An iconic integrated development in the heart of the thriving Bukit Bintang commercial district, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur comprises a shopping centre offering the ultimate in fashion, dining and urban leisure, a state-of-the-art office tower and luxury residential apartments.


Swiss-Belhotel opens in Doha Qatar and Masirah Island Oman. On 1st June, 2009, the Swiss-Belhotel International group is proud to commence the soft opening of its business hotel Swiss-Belhotel Doha Qatar along side opening a nature's paradise in Oman, Swiss-Belhotel Resort Masirah Island. Following these 2 diverse openings is another city hotel and the first in Dubai, Gold Swiss-Belhotel Dubai. This will bring the total of five operational hotels and resorts managed under the Swiss-Belhotel International group. The two openings take place in the presence of the senior management from the Owning Companies of both the hotels and as well from Swiss-Belhotel International. As this is still the soft phase the plans of a further grand-opening of both the hotels are being planned wherein the key people from the travel and trade industry will be invited.


Fairmont Beijing unlocks its golden gates with dazzling opening offer. Fairmont Beijing is flinging open its doors with a dazzling opening offer providing guests with one night for free with the purchase of one night's stay. Available from the 1st of July to the 30th of September 2009, there is no better time to experience the unique fusion of ancient dynasties and modern marvels at the newest destination in Fairmont's illustrious portfolio.


Merchant Solutions helps Asian businesses tap into China's outbound travel explosion. In a landmark deal covering multiple Asian markets, Merchant Solutions and Chinese bankcard association China UnionPay (CUP) have announced an alliance that enables thousands of merchants outside China to accept CUP debit and credit cards. Merchant Solutions, the joint venture between global electronic payments processor First Data and Standard Chartered, equips businesses with point-of-sale (POS) terminals and other products and services to accept card payments. CUP, China's bankcard association, its member banks currently have issued more than 1.8 billion cards, many of which are now used by the growing number of Chinese people travelling throughout Asia and beyond. Merchant Solutions already enables merchants in Hong Kong and Macau to accept CUP cards and the new agreement extends these services to Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. Merchant Solutions CEO and Managing Director Sean Hesh said, "The deal offers real advantages to merchants using Merchant Solutions' network. Chinese outbound travel is on the rise and this is having a tremendous impact on our markets around Asia. Merchants are keen to benefit from growing transaction volumes and Merchant Solutions enables them to do so."


Vive México - Mexico's new tourism campaign. President Felipe Calderón this week launched - Vive México - a new campaign to revive tourism and rebuild confidence in travel to Mexico following the H1N1 influenza outbreak. Tourism is the third largest revenue earner in Mexico and the objective of the campaign is:
- to ensure tourism returns to normal levels as soon as possible
- look after the Mexican families who rely on tourism
- to stimulate employment
- and seize all opportunities for recovery and progress.
President Felipe Calderón said: "We are a strong nation and despite these difficult times, we have stood united and will continue to do so. The campaign Vive México draws together the arts, business, sports and cultural sectors, as well as distinguished, high-profile individuals, to promote Mexico as a popular holiday destination, full of life and with an unequalled tourism offering. This campaign is aimed in the first instance at Mexicans - to encourage our people to explore their own country before travelling abroad. It is important we show solidarity and support to all of Mexico. We will shortly roll out this campaign to the international market." For more information please visit: Visit Mexico.


Great Hotels Organisation (GHO, http://www.ghorg.com), a London-based sales and marketing alliance has announced a new appointment within its European sales team. Heike Werner has been appointed as regional sales director for central Europe. Based at the company's German office in Hamburg, the position will see Heike take responsibility for developing business for members of Great Hotels of the World (http://www.ghotw.com), Special Hotels of the World (http://www.shotw.com) and the recently launched Metro Hotels brand in the MICE, corporate and leisure markets, in Germany and central European regions. Heike joins GHO with 10 years experience in the international hotel industry. She joins the company from Golden Tulip Hotels, Inns and Resorts where she held various sales roles covering the central European region. Prior to joining Golden Tulip, Heike spent a year working in China during the Beijing Olympics as international sales manager for the Loong Palace Hotel & Resort and prior to that, she spent two years at Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts in the UK.


International hotel brokerage and investment advisory firm HVS Hodges Ward Elliott has recruited Chris Martin to the firm as a Director. Chris joins from Jones Lang Lasalle Hotels in London, where he was a Senior Vice President and where he executed a number of high profile hotel asset and portfolio sales across Europe. Chris brings with him over 15 years of specialist hotel brokerage experience, gained in Europe, Asia and Australia. Chris will further strengthen HVS Hodges Ward Elliott's expanding European team. His appointment reinforces the firm's position at the forefront of the European hotel transaction market and its goal to provide clients with the highest level of expertise, particularly in anticipation of increasing activity in the sector. Source: HVS.