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ehotelier Hospitality News Archives: November 2003Global Hospitality Newsletter: November 28, 20035 Questions to Ask Online DistributorsSo what’s stirring this buzz? There are several factors, but one statistic from Jupiter Research’s 2003 Online Travel Forecast speaks volumes. They predict leisure hotel bookings through online merchants will grow from $3.9 billion in 2003 to $5.6 billion in 2008 More... [1081 views] Istanbul bombings spark European travel cancellationsTwo massive bomb attacks in Istanbul, Turkey Thursday, the second deadly pair there in six days, rattled the country's tourism industry as European travel agencies reported cancellations. More... [788 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: November 27, 2003Hilton, InterContinental say Turkish business unaffected by Istanbul bombingsUK hoteliers Hilton Group PLC and Intercontinental Hotels Group PLC said their Turkish businesses were not affected by bombings in Istanbul. More... [727 views] PKF Consulting Forecasts 2003 Holiday Season For U.S. Lodging IndustryPKF Consulting and the Hospitality Research Group have released their U.S. lodging industry forecasts for the 2003 holiday season. The forecasts incorporate an analysis of historical holiday performance, as well as data from the firm’s Fall 2003 Hotel Outlook forecast. More... [630 views] Corporate Travel Budgets to Remain Flat in 2004Although the economy is slowly rebounding, it appears that U.S. corporations remain cautious with their 2004 travel budgets. WorldTravel BTI's annual client survey conducted in August 2003 shows 62 percent of 127 respondents plan no significant travel budget changes for 2004 and the remaining 38 percent plan changes of only -10 to +10 percent. More... [630 views] As Hotel Operators plan for 2004, Technology spending plans are mixedThe Duck LLC sees over 55% changing plans for technology budgets in 2004, Infrastructure & Equipment Replacement high on the priority list. More... [679 views] Rebranding? Now Market Your Hotel Conversion!As owners and developers may now be spending money to renovate, reposition and reflag their hotels, it is critical to set aside monies to promote and market these changes. More... [796 views] Corporate Travel Budgets to Remain Flat in 2004;Although the economy is slowly rebounding, it appears that U.S. corporations remain cautious with their 2004 travel budgets. More... [582 views] Rebranding? Now Market Your Hotel Conversion!As owners and developers may now be spending money to renovate, reposition and reflag their hotels, it is critical to set aside monies to promote and market these changes. More... [756 views] Struggling Le Meridien Up for SaleLe Meridien's international hotel business has been put up for sale following a breakdown in restructuring talks between Lehman Brothers, one of the group's largest lenders, and Hyatt, the U.S. hotel chain. More... [1191 views] Too many rooms at the innHotels have money to buy, money to renovate but no money to build. And that's great news for the industry. Instead of growing by building new hotels, hotel chains are growing by buying, and often renovating, other hotels. More... [628 views] Corporate Governance and Organizational CultureOrganization structure can affect the quality of corporate governance. Companies need to carefully analyze their strengths and weaknesses and recruit new directors that can enhance the competency of the overall board of directors. More... [841 views] Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts gets Fastest Growing Hotel Chain in the Middle East AwardAt the recent World Travel Market in London, Mayor of the city Ken Livingstone awarded the prize for the Fastest Growing Hotel Chain in the Middle East to President and CEO of Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts (MH&R), Jean Gabriel Pérès. More... [801 views] Guangzhou set for luxury hotel boomGuangzhou's hotel sector is set to be given a boost with at least eight five-star hotels due to come on stream in the next five years amid an expected surge in demand for rooms following the completion of the city's new airport and convention centre. More... [767 views] RevPAR Up In Top 25 Markets In OctoberAccording to recent data from UBS Investment Research, hotel performance generally was positive for the month of October in the United States. More... [702 views] Hoteliers Hail the End Of 'New Russian' EraThere was a time when New Russians posed the kind of threat to five-star hotels once associated with rock stars on tour. But those days, local hoteliers are relieved to say, appear to be officially over. More... [677 views] EU preparing sustainability rules for tourism sectorTourism is of major economic importance for growth and employment in the EU. Roughly 5 per cent of total employment and of GDP comes from tourism. Eight million people are directly employed in the EU tourism sector, mostly in small and middle-sized companies (SMEs). More... [649 views] Hilton feels impact of Istanbul bomb blastsShares of Hilton Group were the biggest faller in the FTSE 100 as the bomb blasts in Istanbul overshadowed a better than expected trading update from the hotel and gambling operator.The recent attacks on the Turkish city are expected to have an adverse impact on the hotel and travel industries as travellers, already nervous in the wake of September 11 and the Iraq war, think twice about taking trips. More... [579 views] Aussie govt puts up 170 mln dlr rescue package for tourist industryThe Australian government attempted to halt a three-year decline in visitors venturing 'Down Under' Thursday with a 235 million Australian dollars (170 million US dollar) rescue package for the country's tourism industry. More... [592 views] Shanghai hotel sells off rooms - and rents them backA state-owned hotel in Shanghai has come up with a novel way of raising money: sell off its rooms separately to individual investors and then lease them back, offering guaranteed annual returns as high as 7 per cent. More... [813 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: November 21, 2003Meridien sale
Bankers are understood to have been sounding out potential buyers of the troubled Le Meridien hotel chain amid signs that a restructuring deal put together by Lehman Brothers and hotels group Hyatt is close to collapse. HOTEC ASIA 2003 Third annual event draws Asia Pacific Hotel Reps and Industry Top SuppliersDespite a rough start for the hotel industry this year, it was “business as usual” for over 100 delegates gathered for HOTEC ASIA 2003, held on Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at the Shangri-la Tanjung Aru. The annual event brings together top suppliers and representatives from leading hotel groups for one-on-one meetings
to talk business, exchange views and network in a way that is simply not possible with traditional exhibitions and conferences.
More... [760 views] Hotels in race to get wired; High-speed Net a selling pointBook a room in just about any of Atlanta's major hotels, from the Four Seasons Hotel in Midtown to the Hyatt Regency Atlanta in downtown, and the front desk will quickly alert you to such in-room offerings as high-speed Internet access and maybe even browsing via the television. More... [801 views] In the footsteps of a legend - Accor Asia Pacific's expansion plans in China
More... [785 views] Germany - latest figures show only three markets posting positive growthPreliminary year-to-September 2003 figures from German edition of the HotelBenchmark Survey by
Deloitte show that revPAR across Germany fell by 6.6 percent to €46 compared to the same period in 2002, driven predominately by declining average room rates. More... [745 views] Q3 Electronic Hotel Bookings Jump 19.5% in Asia-PacificTravelCLICK reported today that Asia-Pacific room nights booked electronically through the Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and key Internet sites increased 19.5% in the third quarter of 2003 versus the same quarter last year. In comparison, worldwide electronic bookings increased 10.5% for the third quarter of 2003. More... [754 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: November 20, 2003Thai Hotel Chain's Profit Up 90 Percent in Third QuarterThe third-quarter net profit of Central Plaza Hotel Plc (Centel) rose 90.1 percent year-on-year to 73 million baht. More... [697 views] Market Snapshots - Germany, Athens, South AfricaGermany - latest figures show only three markets posting positive growth; Athens – Olympic City 2004, South African hotels struggle to repeat 2002 performance More... [761 views] New survey says that hotel fitness rooms need to shape upAn innovative study of business travelers conducted by Lieberman Research Worldwide for Westin Hotels & Resorts finds that working out on the road is an excellent way to relieve stress, a powerful antidote for jet lag and good for your image among business associates. However, many respondents stated that hotels do not offer adequate fitness facilities for travelers. To combat the fitness obstacles travelers often face on the road, Westin has partnered with Reebok to introduce the "WestinWORKOUT Powered by Reebok." More... [1013 views] Market Share Will Decline In The Majority Of The Top Inbound Markets To The U.S.According to the Travel Industry Association of America’s (TIA) latest Market Share Indicator(MSI) report, the U.S. will see market share declines in 16 of the top 25 markets in 2003. On a more positive note, the U.S. is expected to gain market share of long-haul travel from nine of the top tourism generating countries. More... [697 views] Suite expectations already built into lodging sectorMore than two years removed from the devastation of Sept. 11, the lodging industry has begun to heal amid signs of the public's increasing willingness to travel. But are investors getting ahead of themselves? More... [603 views] Turkish markets, tourism industry hope to withstand bombings shockFears that the Istanbul bombings could deal a heavy blow to Turkey's fragile economy appeared unfounded on Monday as financial markets held steady and officials in the vital tourism industry expressed confidence tourists would keep coming. More... [676 views] German tourists return to ThailandAfter the slump at the start of 2003 caused by the SARS outbreak and the Iraq crisis, Thailand is seeing a recovery in German visitor numbers. Bali is also slowly regaining its position following last year’s bomb attack while the Indo-China region is continuing to develop its products and infrastructure for foreign tourists. More... [681 views] Starwood Announces Expansion In Asia Of Its Luxury Hotel Brand, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts - The St. Regis Singapore To Open in 2007 -Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announced that it has reached a management agreement with Richmond Hotel Private Limited, an associate company of City Developments Limited, to manage The St.Regis Singapore, the third St.Regis property in Asia. The announcement marks the entry of the twelfth St.Regis property worldwide since the legendary flagship St.Regis Hotel in New York City opened its door in 1904. The St.Regis Singapore is scheduled to open in the middle of 2007 More... [893 views] Beijing plans for more hotel rooms for OlympicsChina`s capital, Beijing, is fueling the speed of hotel construction by 7 percent annually in terms of guest rooms to get ready for the coming 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. More... [708 views] Small Luxury Hotels adds 44 new members reaching record totalA record number of 44 hotels have joined the Small Luxury Hotels of the World brand for 2004, bringing the total member hotels to over 300 for the first time in the membership’s 12 year history More... [1031 views] Q3 Electronic Hotel Bookings Jump 19.5% in Asia-PacificTravelCLICK reported today that Asia-Pacific room nights booked electronically through the Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and key Internet sites increased 19.5% in the third quarter of 2003 versus the same quarter last year. In comparison, worldwide electronic bookings increased 10.5% for the third quarter of 2003.
More... [616 views] US hotels compete for spa visitorsThere has been a spate of spa launches in the US this fall. In New York City, hotel chain Mandarin Oriental unveiled a 1,350m2 spa with the opening of its new hotel on November 15. The spa’s facilities include seven rooms with personal shower areas and a VIP spa suite, as well as a retail boutique. Managed by the Mandarin Oriental, the spa uses Espa and Aromatherapy Associates products, which are also on sale at the boutique. More... [704 views] U.S. Market Share Will Decline In The Majority Of The Top Inbound Markets To The U.S. - TIA ReportsAccording to the Travel Industry Association of America's (TIA) latest Market Share Indicator(MSI) report, the U.S. will see market share declines in 16 of the top 25 markets in 2003. On a more positive note, the U.S. is expected to gain market share of long-haul travel from nine of the top tourism generating countries. More... [567 views] Spanish hotel group Sol Melia net profits soar over nine monthsSpain's leading hotel chain Sol Melia reported on Monday a 33-percent rise in net nine-month profits to 41.75 million euros (49.3 million dollars), including exceptional items, but sales slipped. The company said that the rise of the euro against the dollar was the main reason why sales had fallen to 703 million euros (808.5 million dollars) from 784.39 million in the same period last year. More... [615 views] Marriott Brands Added to Travelocity's Merchant Hotel Program, Travelocity TotalTrip, and Last Minute DealsTravelocity(R) customers will now have three new ways to book Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) hotels. As a result of the agreement between Marriott International and Travelocity, customers can book Marriott's brands via Travelocity's merchant hotel program and two package shopping engines -- Travelocity TotalTrip(SM) flight + hotel and Travelocity Last Minute Deals. More... [678 views] Not Just For Vacations Anymore: Orbitz Boosts Flight-Plus-Hotel Package FeaturesOrbitz, a leading online travel site, today announced that booking a flight-plus-hotel package is more convenient than ever with the addition of even more lodging deals and new destinations to its breakthrough packaging Matrix, which is now accessible right from the Orbitz.com homepage. More... [575 views] Russia: Number Of Hotels Actually Decreasing?Authorities report about construction of new hotels in Moscow and other large Russian cities. However, according to the State Statistical Committee, the number of hotels decreases in reality. Thus, in 2002 247 hotels were closed in Russia including seven hotels closed in Moscow. More... [950 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: November 15, 2003Global Staff Movements - Who is In and Who is OutThis months' popular global update on Global Staff Movements - Who is In and Who is Out.... Starwood Hotels Names Robert F. Cotter President and Chief Operating OfficerStarwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced today that the company's Board of Directors and Barry S. Sternlicht, Chairman and CEO, have named Robert F. Cotter President and Chief Operating Officer. He was formerly Chief Operating Officer for the company since 2000. Mr. Cotter will remain responsible for the company's hotel and timeshare operations. More... [892 views] Official Opening Of World Travel Market 2003 by explorer David Hempleman-AdamsRecord-breaking aviator David Hempleman-Adams has confidently predicted that the airline and travel business will prosper and continue expanding into new frontiers More... [775 views] ASTA looks ahead to 2004 congress in Hong KongThe American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) announced that planning is underway for next year`s World Travel Congress in Hong Kong, to be held on September 28-October 3, 2004. The last time World Travel Congress was held in Hong Kong was in 1965. ASTA last visited Asia during its Bangkok Congress in 1996. More... [582 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: November 14, 2003Building Banyan by Steve ShellumK.P. Ho, chairman of Asian-based Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, tells HOTEL Asia Pacific of the strategy behind the award-winning brand More... [859 views] Time to gather and "sell"ebrateFrom drums beating to the rhythm of a worldwide symphony to the faces with a worldwide variety, the annual World Travel Market (WTM) commenced today at Excel Exhibition More... [603 views] Cornell Study Confirms Hotel Industry’s “Dollar per Thousand” RuleThe lodging industry has long used the general rule that a hotel should be able to command an average ADR of $1.00 for every $1,000 per room in property value. A new analysis of this rule, published in the August 2003 issue of the Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly , confirms that this convention remains remarkably accurate for many types of hotels. More... [911 views] Finding A Room In New York Is A Walk In The ParkA lot of things have changed in New York since the terror attack of 9-11. One of the biggest surprises is tourism's quick rebound. Vacationers and business travelers are coming in droves at a time when the city's hotel landscape has been changing dramatically More... [793 views] Millennium & Copthorne Hotels fights back into profitMillennium & Copthorne Hotels, which has major outlets in Birmingham and the Black Country, returned to profit yesterday as business improved following the toughest conditions on record for the travel industry. M&C posted pre-tax profits of pounds 6.6 million for the third quarter after seeing Sars and the Iraq war cause a pounds 6.3 million loss for the first half of the year More... [637 views] French Accor group posts nine-month sales of five billion eurosThe French hotel group Accor posted nine-month sales of five billion euros (4.3 billion dollars) Wednesday, a drop of 5.6 percent from the same period one year earlier. More... [676 views] It’s Time To Take Back Control Of Rates & Rooms - But Is The Enemy...Us?This is a good time of year to stop, gather your team around you, and reflect on the good, the bad, and the ugly results and happenings of 2003. It’s a great time to dust-off that 2003 marketing plan and review the actual results against the results you had planned a year ago. Oh, I can almost hear the initial reaction to that suggestion; who has the time to stop or even slow-down? More... [856 views] Hotels Risk Losing Brand Strength by Discounting RoomsEconomic and political uncertainty over the past few years has forced many hoteliers to lower rates as business travel slumped and online brokers lured leisure travelers with bargain rates. What impact has discounting had on the hotels? Which of them are best positioned to capture more market share? Who is most likely to meet their financial forecasts More... [940 views] Travelers Plan to Spend More on Vacations in 2004, but Not on Business Travel; Five Star Resort Vacations are Selling WellThe number of U.S. travelers planning to spend more than $5,000 on vacation in 2004 is up nearly double from 2003, a new survey from American Express shows . It's good news for the travel industry, with consumers reporting a renewed desire to venture farther from home, according to the survey of 1,356 adults More... [671 views] The 2003 Worldwide Hospitality Awards; International Hotel Groups Recognized for Creativity, InnovationThe 2003 ceremony took place Monday, November 3 at the Hilton Paris Tour Eiffel, Mr François Loos, minister for foreign commerce attending. He was among over 500 key executives and suppliers of the hotel industy. The ceremony was presided over by Jean-Gabriel Pérès, Chief Executive Officer de Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts. More... [742 views] Thailand to Form Joint Tourism Promotion with Laos, Cambodia, BurmaThe Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has signed an agreement with the national tourism boards of Laos, Cambodia and Burma to jointly promote tourism in overseas market. It is the first time that the four countries have agreed to jointly promote tourism as a group. More... [665 views] N. American tourists return to U.K.VisitBritain yesterday released the latest figures indicating the return of North American tourists to United Kingdom. More... [689 views] World Travel Market is set to get biggerOrganisers of World Travel Market expect to increase the size of the exhibition by more than five per cent when it opens the doors at London ExCeL between Monday 10- Thursday 13 November More... [654 views] Between a rock and a hard placeOrganisers of leading hospitality trade show HOFEX faced a tough choice when SARS devastated their plans. But the rescheduled event is poised to bounce back in booming Hong Kong By Steve Shellum, Publisher/Editor, HOTEL Asia Pacific More... [579 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: November 8, 2003Global Staff Movements - Who is In and Who is OutGlobal Staff Movements - Who is In and Who is Out - Edited by Benoit Geteau-Cumin, President, The Boutique Search Firm Barry Sternlicht to Become Executive Chairman Starwood Hotels Announces Search for Successor to Mr. Sternlicht as CEOBarry Sternlicht, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced today he intends to step down as Chief Executive Officer once a new Chief Executive has been hired and is on board. Mr. Sternlicht will co-chair a newly formed search committee of the Board of Directors to help identify and select his successor. More... [995 views] Terrorism: who’s liable?The legal status of hotel owners and management companies By Andrew MacGeogh, HOTEL Asia Pacific Legal Correspondent More... [884 views] Patrick Imbardelli, InterContinental Hotel Group’s Managing Director for Asia Pacific, Is ‘Divorcing’ Owners Who Don’t Fit In with the Group’s ValuesPatrick Imbardelli, InterContinental Hotel Group’s Managing Director for Asia Pacific, Is ‘Divorcing’ Owners Who Don’t Fit In with the Group’s Values - OWNERS: there’s some we love, and there’s some …. More... [1331 views] Smith Travel Research and Deloitte form allianceSmith Travel Research (STR) the recognized leader in North American lodging industry performance benchmarking and Deloitte, the market leader in hotel performance metrics outside North America, announced that they have formed an alliance to jointly develop new benchmarking analysis for the industry More... [671 views] Scientific Study of Business Travelers Shows Significant Gap Between Perception and RealityIn the first-ever study of its kind, Hilton Hotels & Resorts (NYSE:HLT) commissioned a scientific study with a volunteer group of travelers to determine how travel impacts performance. Based on the results of the thought-provoking research, the Hilton team is currently developing a strategic series of new programs and services that will enable travelers to enhance their productivity. The first of these initiatives is anticipated to be introduced in January 2004. More... [817 views] Study Confirms Hotel Industry’s “Dollar per Thousand” RuleThe lodging industry has long used the general rule that a hotel should be able to command an average ADR of $1.00 for every $1,000 per room in property value. A new analysis of this rule, published in the Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, confirms that this convention remains remarkably accurate for many types of hotels. More... [1028 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: November 7, 2003WTTC releases latest statistics from Competitiveness MonitorThe latest statistics from the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Monitor, released by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) in Paphos, Cyprus earlier today, reveals that Luxembourg, Maldives and Aruba are overall leaders in providing an open and liberal framework helping to attract foreign, direct investment to the Global Travel & Tourism industry. The Monitor also revealed that the top three most competitive nations in terms of social development are Norway, Bermuda and the USA. More... [1917 views] European Budget Hotel Industry Shows Growth in RevPAR;
More... [853 views] Hilton wins race for the control of WaldorfHilton Group is understood to have won the race to take over the management of London's luxury Waldorf Hotel from its troubled rival, Le Meridien Hotels. The Waldorf, together with the five-star Grosvenor House on Park Lane, was put into administrative receivership in July after Meridien's financial woes meant it was unable to pay the rent due on a total of 11 hotels owned by Royal Bank of Scotland More... [1026 views] Best Western Rolling Out Free to Guest High Speed Internet Access at 2,300 Hotels in the United States, CanadaBest Western's President and CEO Tom Higgins and CIO Mike Kistner announced plans today for the hospitality industry's largest rollout of high speed Internet access (HSIA) impacting more than 2,300 hotels in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. More... [653 views] Good health of the budget hotel industry despite a drop in the market in September 2003> The European hotel industry lost 2.4% in RevPAR in September. > The budget hotel industry posted excellent results with rises in RevPAR of 5.0% for the 0*, and 4.8% for the 1*. > Steady occupancy in September even for the 4* hotels More... [585 views] Shangri-La Targeting Six Hotels In India By 2006Shangri-La, which recently entered the Indian market with a management contract for the ITDC-disinvested Kanishka, is planning six hotels in India by 2006. “The objective is to have five to six hotels in two to three years. We are weighing all options. If a situation demands some investment, we might consider it on a case-to-case basis. Right now we are looking at management contracts,” said Giovanni Angelini, chief executive officer and managing director, Shangri-La. More... [827 views] If You Could Stay at any Hotel Chain of Your Choice, Which One Would You Pick?Holiday Inn and Mariott Are Americans' Favorite Hotel Chains More... [1076 views] Shangri-La continues its expansion with new hotels in Chiang Mai and ChengduStrengthening its position in Asia, the region's leading deluxe hotel group, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, announces two new deluxe hotel developments in Thailand and China. More... [743 views] Mandarin Oriental targets global meetings market with the launch of Meetings by Mandarin OrientalLuxury hotel group Mandarin Oriental is set to capture additional meetings business across corporate, group and leisure segments with the launch of its global meetings programme, Meetings by Mandarin Oriental. More... [1014 views] Tokyo, Osaka hotels see recovery in occupancy rates in SeptemberAverage occupancy rates at Tokyo and Osaka hotels in September showed their first year-on-year growth since January, suggesting that demand is on a recovery track. The average occupancy rate at 24 major hotels in Tokyo rose 2.5 points on the year in September to 81.3 per cent. More... [633 views] Chinese travelers eye AustraliaAustralia's cosmopolitan lifestyle and natural attractions had helped it climb to the top of the destination wish list for potential travelers from China. New research by the Australian Tourist Commission (ATC) shows the world's most populous nation has joined a host of other countries, including the United States, in making Australia its No.1 preferred travel destination More... [692 views] Starwood Reports Third Quarter ResultsStarwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) ("Starwood" or the "Company") today reported EPS from continuing operations for the third quarter of 2003 of $0.23, compared to $0.26 in 2002, a decrease of 11.5%. Excluding special items, EPS from continuing operations was $0.24 in 2003 compared to $0.27 in 2002. More... [654 views] Aurora Borealis – spotlight on Nordic hotel performanceThe Nordic region is located in Northern Europe and comprises of five countries - Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. It has an aggregated population of approximately 24 million. Travel across the region is largely domestic and intra-Nordic, however key source markets outside the Nordic area include Germany, the UK and the Netherlands. More... [653 views] Jarvis Hotels set to go private after founder offers £225mJohn Jarvis, founder and chairman of Jarvis Hotels, be-came the latest mid market hotelier to seek to quit the quoted arena yesterday when he launched a £225 million management buyout. More... [752 views] |
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