Hotel News in Brief

Mar 12, 13 | 12:00 am

Some current conversation starters...

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has added Glion Institute of Higher Education and Les Roches International School of Hotel Management to its global list of recommended higher education institutions.

Students accepted into Glion or Les Roches can now apply for UAE scholarships to complete studies.Glion and Les Roches are members of Laureate International Universities (LIU), a global network of 65 accredited campus based and online institutions of higher education serving more than 750,000 students in 29 countries. Together these leading global hospitality institutions comprise Laureate Hospitality Education.

Room rates will continue to fuel hotel growth in 2013, study finds.

TravelClick's North American Hospitality Review for February indicates that average daily rate will continue to be responsible for growth in the hotel industry this year. "Based on TravelClick data, while committed occupancy is showing a steady increase as 2013 goes on, ADR remains the main source of growth for hotels. We expect to see this trend continue as we get further into the year," said Tim Hart, an executive vice president at TravelClick. The study found that average daily rate for February this year through January 2014 will rise 3.4%, as committed occupancy and revenue per available room are up 2.1% and 5.5%, respectively.

The revived Best Job in The World campaign by Tourism Australia received over 100,000 entries in just the first 48 hours.

The promotion, which was a huge global success in 2009 and resulted in Brit Ben Southall bagging the six-month AUS $100,000 job of Great Barrier Reef caretaker ahead of 34,000 rivals, has been expanded. This year six roles are up for grabs in six regions of Australia including lifestyle Photographer in Melbourne, chief ‘funster' in New South Wales, outback adventurer in Northern Territory, park ranger in Queensland, wildlife caretaker, in South Australia and taste master in Western Australia. The promotion is being run on a dedicated Tourism Australia website, and on Facebook where hopefuls can apply. In the UK it is promoting Australia's working holiday visa scheme for 18-30-year-olds. Tourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy said: "We've taken one of the most successful tourism campaigns in recent times - ‘Best Job in the World' - and made it bigger and better by coming up with a competition which represents our breath-taking landscapes, our unique wildlife, great food and wine and, of course, our huge sense of fun.

Key Appointments in the Industry

Congratulations to these new appointments...

Karan Singh has been appointed President of Skål International Sydney North, Australia, for 2013. Karan Singh Joined Skal in 2004 and has served been an active committee member for many years.  Karan Singh is a second generation Skalleague. His father, Narpat Singh was Regional Director Air-India and a very active Skål member in Australia and India. Karan worked at Hilton International Sydney and Brisbane Hilton before joining Renard International to open their offices in Sydney. In 1996, Karan established Spectrum International Hospitality Services which specialises in Executive Recruitment for the Hospitality, Airlines, Cruise ships, Casinos and other hospitality related industries. Since 2000 Karan has also been promoting their family resort in Deogarh Rajasthan.

Officials at Marshall Hotels & Resorts, Inc. announced that Michael E. Getzey has been promoted to chief operating officer. Previously, he was president of the company's construction and renovation division. In his new role, Getzey will oversee all operations, sales and marketing for the company's 50-plus hotel and resort management portfolio. He will work in tandem with the company's accounting and development teams. Getzey's background in both operations and construction provides the Marshall senior management team with a broader, more distinctive expertise in taking over and operating a hotel. He plays an integral role in the acquisition/management takeover process, providing guidance on brand selection and PIP costs. He also is active in new hotel development, ranging from site selection to construction oversight.

The Latest in Hotel Openings

Hilton Worldwide plans to enter the Burmese market in 2014 with the 300-room Hilton Yangon. Hilton will manage the hotel on behalf of the owner, LP Holding Co., Ltd. Following the social and economic reforms Myanmar has made in the past year, the country has seen visitor arrivals grow by 45.1%, compared to the previous year. Yangon, in particular, is positioned to grow much faster than many other emerging markets in Asia, according to Hilton research. The 21-story hotel will be part of a mixed-use development that includes high-end retail and office components.

Viacom Inc. (VIAB)'s Paramount Pictures is lending its name to four Hollywood-themed towers in Dubai that will comprise a hotel, apartments and shops and cost about $1 billion to build. Damac Properties Co., a developer based in Dubai, will oversee and finance the construction of the properties in the Burj Khalifa area, Damac Managing Director Ziad El Chaar said in a telephone interview today. Paramount Hotels & Resorts will help design the buildings and manage them after they're completed at the end of 2015.

Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa has completed a renewal project to update guestrooms, suites, public spaces, meeting spaces, the fitness centre, the pool and the beach experience. The relaxed island look is by a Leo A Daly design team led by Pat Miller and Kathy Armstrong. The design includes shellstone, abaca rope, rattan, sea glass, and wood stained in soft blues and whites.

Tourists and business travellers to Taiwan looking for luxury accommodation need look no further. Asia's leading hotel group Millennium & Copthorne Hotels is pleased to announce the official opening of Millennium Vee Hotel Taichung. Millennium Vee, which stands 24 storeys high and has six floors below ground, is the first M&C-branded property in Taiwan. M&C also owns the Grand Hyatt Taipei. Situated in Taichung's prime District Seven, Millennium Vee is the first hotel nationwide to offer 4G WI-Max wifi broadband network in all 237 guest rooms.