ResourcesDirectories
News Archive Search |
ehotelier Hospitality News Archives: June 2004Global Hospitality Newsletter: July 1, 2004European hotel profitability levels tumble for third consecutive yearHotels across Europe reported the third consecutive year of profitability declines according to a new report released by the HotelBenchmark Survey by Deloitte. In 2003 the European hotel industry converted just 34 percent of revenue to profit compared to 39 percent in 2000. As a consequence profitability per available room has fallen by over Euro 5,000 since 2000 – the peak of the cycle. More... [793 views] Accor CEO explains Club Med dealJean-Marc Espalioux, chief executive of Accor, has defended the hotel chain’s decision to purchase a minority stake in Club Med. In an interview with the FT last Friday, Espalioux was reluctant to provide the pink'un with figures about cost savings, but said that the deal would help raise awareness of the Accor brand. Some Accor execs are saying that the Club Med deal generated more column inches than the brand had received in the previous year. More... [793 views] Asia puts its chips on the gambling industrySuddenly, it seems, everyone in Asia is placing bets on gambling.While Singapore debates the merits of having a casino on its soil, others such as Thailand, Japan, Taiwan and Indonesia are getting into the act by relaxing or relooking their anti-gambling laws to allow for casinos. Those which already have them, such as Macau and the Philippines, are trying to stay ahead of the game by sprucing up what they have to offer to the high rollers from the region. More... [773 views] Significant Amount of New Development Money Entering the Mexican Hotel Investment Scene; Mexico City An Active MarketAs the economic climate in North America begins to ripen, investment opportunities in Mexico have been deemed more attractive by the international hotel investment community. The trailing twelve-month performance in Mexico appears to have bottomed out in 2003, and the prevailing thought is that it’s a good time to get in the hunt. Though hotel acquisitions is the preferred route for most foreign investors considering coming into the market, a significant amount of new development money is entering the Mexican hotel investment scene as well. More... [582 views] High prices "harmful" for Seychelles tourismThe last statistics show a drop in the number of visitors to Seychelles and that it could in part be due to a perceived high cost of holidays in this country. The Seychellois government soon is to announce measures that should help lower prices and curb the decline, according to the Minister for Tourism.
The government of Seychelles acknowledges that there has been a downturn in the number of tourists visiting Seychelles and is nevertheless addressing the situation and will soon announced measures that should help curb the decline. More... [679 views] Caribbean tourism set to grow 5% a yearIn 2004, the broader Travel & Tourism Economy is expected to contribute 14.8 per cent of the Caribbean's GDP and account for 2.4 million jobs, representing 15.5 per cent of total employment. Over the next ten years, Travel & Tourism in the region is forecast to achieve annualized real growth of 4.1 per cent, in terms of GDP, and 2.8 per cent in terms of Travel & Tourism employment. This would take the share of GDP and employment to 16.5 and 17.1 per cent respectively by 2014. More... [666 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 30, 2004How spa will you go?To warm the body and relieve tired muscles, once you simply ran a Radox bath. In today's world of wellbeing, the solutions are more extreme - heading for Bali, for instance, where the Balinese Spice Body Mask promises to do just the same thing. One of a mind-boggling array of spa treatments at the Uma Ubud resort, opening next month, it involves applying hand-crushed rice blended with black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger for 'an all over deep-heat experience'. Deep Heat? It sounds more like Delia. More... [892 views] HotelTraining.com Seeks PartnershipsHotelTraining.com announced today the company is seeking to develop partnerships with hospitality industry training content providers. The goal is to accommodate current and future clients that have expressed an interest in web based training programs not currently being offered by the company. “This is the next step for us in providing our current and future clients with a more diverse selection of workshops and tutorials” said Jay Delerno, President of MacDel Inc., d/b/a HotelTraining.com More... [724 views] New board for Tourism AustraliaThe Australian Minister for Small Business and Tourism, Mr. Bob Lawrence has announced a new Board of Directors that will be responsible for taking the Australian tourism industry into a new era. Tourism Australia, the centerpiece of the Government’s $235 million Tourism White Paper, will commence on July 1, following the successful passage of enabling legislation in Parliament this week and Royal Assent. More... [624 views] The California Hotel & Lodging Association Education Foundation Awards the 2004 Scholarship RecipientsLuis C. Barrios, president of the California Hotel & Lodging Association Educational Foundation and general manager of the Wyndham San Diego at Emerald Plaza, announced that the Foundation has awarded a number of scholarships for the 2004-2005 academic year. After reviewing a large number of applications and conducting interviews of eligible applicants, the Foundation awarded Christina Hepner of San Luis Obispo, Valerie Hofer of Lakeside and Michael Infusino of Morro Bay its Working Professional Scholarships for $1,000 each. More... [674 views] Cape Town hotels urged to unite in fight for conference businessGrowing rivalry between South African cities to attract lucrative international conference business meant that Cape Town hotels had to work together in support of the city's international convention centre (CTICC), Neil Markovitz, the chairman of the Federated Hospitality Association (Fedhasa) in the Western Cape, said yesterday. More... [565 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 29, 2004Global Staff Movements - Who is In and Who is OutThis month's popular update on internationall staff movements - edited by by Benoit Gateau-Cumin, President, The Boutique Search Firm French hotel activity in May 2004The largest recovery since September 2001.Last May, all French chain hotel performance indicators, in all categories, were on the rise, with the sole exception of a price-stabilisation in the 3-star category. With a +8.5% rise, revenue per available room (RevPAR) saw its strongest growth since the crisis following More... [710 views] Online Travel Firms Expecting Hot Sales This Summer SeasonHotel Occupancy Rising; Priceline, Travelocity's Sabre recently upgraded second-quarter outlooks. Summer means travel. With the economy on the rebound, many observers expect it will be the hottest travel season since the economy started slumping in 2000, assuming gas and oil prices don't skyrocket. More... [683 views] Public Relations Versus AdvertisingIf a picture is worth a thousand words, an article is worth a thousand ads. “Advertising you pay for, public relations (PR) you pray for”. Though the adage is an old one, it is especially true today. People often confuse PR with advertising, but the two are dramatically different. More... [1243 views] Identity Problem for Some of the Hotel Industry’s Biggest Frequent Guest Programs: Members Cannot Correctly Identify all the Hotel Brands WithinResults from Phoenix Marketing International’s recently released Hotel SCORESTM study discovered some surprising results for some of the hospitality industry’s biggest name frequent guest programs. Very few members of these programs can correctly identify all the hotel brands that participate in these programs. More... [1020 views] Asian casinos blossoming a new El DoradoThe casino industry in Asia is set for a strong expansion of the next couple of years, with not only Macau proving a irresistible magnet for operators, but two potential newcomers, Singapore and Thailand, considering setting shop. "Asia is the fastest growing region in the world for the casino industry," says Steven Lim, Executive director of the Malaysian-based RGB, a leader in Asia in distribution of gaming equipment, pointing that the trend is set to continue. More... [661 views] Hotel group Accor plans EUR 30m investment in Hungarian subsidiaryFrench hotel group Accor's Hungarian subsidiary, Accor Pannonia, is planning to spend EUR 30m to build two new Ibis hotels as well as renovating Budapest's Sofitel hotel and the capital's largest convention centre Novotel, recently-appointed Accor Pannonia CEO Patrick Bourgignon told reporters on Thursday. The EUR 30m will come from Accor Pannonia's cash flow and, in the case of Novotel, government grants, Mr Harbula said. Novotel can currently handle around 1,800 convention-goers at a time. According to experts, the city would need another centre allowing to take in 3,000. More... [691 views] Asia will see more tourists from China in the next 8 years: SurveyAt the current rate of increase, over 24.3 million tourists from the Chinese mainland will visit four major tourism cities in Asia from 2004 to 2011, said a survey made by a global payments company. The four major tourism destinations are Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore and Seoul. The survey by MasterCard International found that some two-thirds of the increased tourists to the Asia-Pacific region in recent years are from the region itself. More... [727 views] Cendant’s Hotel Group Consolidates Brand Leadership, Increases Field Support StaffCendant Corporation’s Hotel Group today announced an initiative to enhance franchisee service by nearly doubling its field support staff by year’s end, thereby increasing the ratio of field representatives to individual properties and providing unprecedented on-site support. More... [715 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 28, 2004School of Hotel & Tourism Becomes Independent at The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University has announced that its School of Hotel & Tourism Management will become an independent and autonomous academic unit within the University structure from 1 July 2004, coinciding with the School’s 25th anniversary. The School was previously under the Faculty of Business within the university structure. More... [601 views] Peter J Leitgeb appointed to lead the Leela GroupThe Leela Group announced the appointment of Mr. Peter J. Leitgeb as ‘President Operations’ of the Group. Mr. Leitgeb would be fully responsible for the overall Hotel Operations of the Group situated at Mumbai and Bangalore. In Goa he would closely interact with GHM so as to ensure that the Company’s objectives are met. More... [1181 views] Orient Express Seeks More Sites in Southeast AsiaOrient-Express Hotels, a leading luxury hotel chain in Europe, has announced plans to step up its presence in Southeast Asia by acquiring well-established existing businesses or forming alliances with partners in the region. The company also plans to establish a regional office in Bangkok to oversee its Southeast Asian operations, including train and cruise ship services. More... [789 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 26, 2004US Lodging Industry shows $12.8 billion in profit in 2003 - Smith Travel Research announces findings of Annual HOST StudySmith Travel Research (STR), the recognized leader in lodging industry performance benchmarking, today announced the results of their 2004 HOST Study. Full year 2003 U.S. industry profits were $12.8 billion, a 9.9 percent decline from $14.2 billion in 2002. Gross Operating Profit as a percent of total sales decreased for the third straight year to 35%. More... [610 views] The 2004 UK Conference Market Survey; Among Items Revealed:Most Popular Venue: City Centre Hotels, Major Factor Causing Dissatisfaction at Venues: Food. The volume of events held has shown very little change this year with the number of corporate meetings increasing by just 1% since last year and the association sector reducing the number of their events by 2%. Over 80% of each sector expect to organise a similar number of events this year. More... [748 views] InterContinental Hotels Group is deploying Newmarket's DelphiTM Multi-Property Edition v9.1.2 and Delphi DiagramsTM to connect 16 InterContinental Hotels & Resorts in the U.S. and CanadaInterContinental Hotels Group PLC of the United Kingdom has contracted to deploy Newmarket International Inc.’s DelphiTM Multi-Property Edition v9.1.2 Automated Sales & Catering application and Delphi DiagramsTM space management software to better connect and cross-sell its 16 prestigious InterContinental Hotels & Resorts in the U.S. and Canada. “Delphi Multi-Property Edition will automate, centralize and streamline our Sales & Catering operations and Delphi Diagrams will help us better market and manage the 6,250 guestrooms and nearly 500,000 square feet of meeting and function space offered by these 16 world-class properties,” said Charlie Cahill, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for InterContinental Hotels & Resorts. More... [637 views] Spain May hotel occupancy 49.1 pct, down 4.9 pct yr-on-yrHotel occupancy fell 4.9 pct in May to 49.1 pct from a year earlier, the National Statistics Institute (INE) said More... [735 views] Boutique Hotels & Resorts International(R) Adds Five New Locations in U.K.Five of the U.K.'s most distinct boutique hotels are now members of Boutique Hotels & Resorts More... [699 views] Amsterdam will be a new Destination of Mövenpick Hotels & ResortsAfter being represented in the Netherlands with two hotels for some years now, the Swiss hotel chain Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts (MH&R) is now adding a third operation: MH&R has just signed a lease for a 410-room hotel in Amsterdam. More... [712 views] Wireless access e-mails on air from Tokyo to MunichLufthansa German Airlines will be the first airline to offer customers in Asia-Pacific real-time, wireless high-speed Internet on board a commercial flight with the launch of its FlyNet on the Tokyo-Munich service. More... [545 views] Langham Hotels International appoints key corporate executivesLangham Hotels International (LHI), the wholly-owned hotel operating and asset management subsidiary of publicly listed Great Eagle Holdings Limited announced today the appointment of three senior executives for the functions of Development, Sales and Marketing, and Operations at the Group's corporate level. To cope with the rapid expansion of this new five-star international hotel chain, Kevin Murphy is appointed as Senior Vice President - Development, Brett Butcher as Senior Vice President - Sales and Marketing, and Nigel Roberts as Senior Vice President - Operations, effective from 1 July 2004 More... [877 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 25, 2004Hilton Hotels Corporation Named 13th Best Company for Minorities by Fortune MagazineHilton Hotels Corporation , one of the world's leading lodging hospitality companies, has been ranked among the top companies in America for minorities, and the best among all hotel companies surveyed, according to Fortune magazine. In the magazine's June 21st issue, Hilton ranks 13th in Fortune's listing of "America's 50 Best Companies for Minorities," moving up eight slots from last year's 20th place ranking and 10 slots from 2002's 22nd place position. More... [704 views] Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Quarterly Wins 2004 Emerald AwardThe Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly has won its second Emerald Golden Page Award for publishing distinctive research on the hospitality industry. The academic journal, known widely as the Cornell Quarterly , was chosen to receive this prestigious award for its "practical usability of research." More... [590 views] HSMAI World Quest Tackles Complexity of International MeetingsIn a first-of-its-kind forum, which tackled critical issues facing conferences and conventions held outside the U.S., over 50 professional planners of international meetings participated in World Quest, a one-day event presented by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and Associated Management Group (AMG) in Washington, D.C. on June 8, 2004. “International meetings are vital to the hospitality industry and their complexity dictates a constant need for new information and a place to share best practices which was behind our planning for this new event,” states Fran Brasseux, executive vice president, HSMAI. More... [496 views] Austrian tourism suffers as last-minute guests stay at homeThe Austrian tourist industry is facing a bad summer season with bookings from German groups down between 20 and 30 per cent in some regions. Businesses in the country’s most southerly province Carinthia, which has been particularly badly hit by the trend, are also suffering after fewer single travellers were recorded from southern Italy. Many often decide to make a trip at short notice and bookings have suffered under a recent spell of bad weather. More... [639 views] After private space flight by pioneer, is space tourism next?The chubby-looking, stubby-winged aircraft that cracked the commercial space flight barrier yesterday may have made a great leap forward in aviation history, but the man who designed it believes we are still a long way from regular space tourism. SpaceShipOne, designed by aviation pioneer Burt Rutan, soared to 100,124 metres above Earth, just a little more than 120 metres above the distance scientists widely consider to be the boundary of space. The flight lasted 90 minutes. More... [580 views] QMH confirms Goldman Sachs approachQueens Moat Houses has 'received an approach' from Whitehall Funds, the real estate arm of US investment bank Goldman Sachs. The struggling hotel chain made the announcement to the City this morning following a report in some editions of the FT . More... [615 views] Newmarket Intl And Cendyn Join forces To Integrate eProposal With Delphi business solutionsCendyn, a leading provider of electronic marketing solutions to the hospitality industry, and Newmarket International Inc., a global leader in developing and supporting hospitality business solutions, have formed a technology alliance to integrate Cendyn’s eProposal to Newmarket’s Delphi applications. More... [782 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 24, 2004AH&LA set to update diversity and turnover data of the U.S. lodging industryIn support of its recently launched national diversity initiative, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) is currently updating its highly acclaimed 1997 Turnover and Diversity in the Lodging Industry study, which provided a snapshot of diversity among line-level, supervisory, and managerial employees. More... [647 views] PwC forecasts an increase of 3.0 percent in average daily rate for U.S. lodging industry in 2004The average daily rate increase is due to a change in inflation from 1.4 to 2.0 percent, a faster than anticipated change in the mix of business verses leisure travel, with a slightly higher proportion of business travel, less "spread" between merchant model price and the rate paid to hotel (PricewaterhouseCoopers research reveals a reduction of almost 5 percent), and more discipline, in part a result of consolidation, in increasing rate in favorable occupancy periods. More... [609 views] 2004 UK Conference Market Survey reveals strong rate growthThe Annual UK Conference Market Survey (UKCMS) published by The Meetings Industry Association (MIA), and conducted by The Right Solution has revealed strong growth in both day delegate and 24 hour rates within the UK meetings industry. The 11th UKCMS shows that average daily delegate rates are now very similar for both the association and corporate sectors after a 9% increase from £45.10 to £49.30 for associations and a 15% increase from £42.80 to £49.10 for the corporate sector. 24 hour delegate rates also increased from £146.10 to £147.10 for associations and from £145.40 to £160.80 for the corporate sector. More... [557 views] New President for Caribbean Hotel AssociationBerthia M. Parle, general manager of the Bay Gardens Hotel and the Bay Gardens Inn, in St. Lucia , took over the reins of the Caribbean Hotel Association during a special closing gala at the annual Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference (CHIC) 2004, on June 16, 2004. This is the first time a woman rises to the presidency of the regional organization More... [731 views] SRS-WORLDHOTELS to add 50 in ChinaSRS-WORLDHOTELS has big plans for China according to CEO, Mr Michael Ball, who was speaking in Beijing at the SRS-WORLDHOTELS Asia-Pacific conference. “Right now we have 17 hotels in China, and we have an ambitious plan to have 50 hotels within three years. The priority is Shanghai, where we only have one member now; then the secondary cities such as Hangzhou, Chengdu and Chongqing. More... [732 views] Pansy Ho and MGM MIRAGE Will Co-own and Jointly Operate a Major Hotel Casino in Macau S.A.R.MGM MIRAGE, (announced today that it has entered into a joint venture agreement with Pansy Ho Chiu-king to develop, build and operate a major hotel-casino resort in Macau S.A.R. The facility, which will use the "MGM Grand" name, will be 50/50 owned and jointly operated by the two partners. The resort will be located on a prime waterfront site next to the planned Wynn Resorts facility and near the Lisboa hotel-casino, an area destined to become the casino "Strip" of Macau. Design and planning work has commenced and it is anticipated that the property could open by late 2006. More... [597 views] China reports 8.77 mln inbound tourist arrivals in MayChina`s tourism administration reported 8.7747 million tourists from outside the Chinese mainland visited the mainland in May, up 61.42 percent year-on-year, and 11.37 percent over the same period of 2002. According to the figures released by the National Tourism Administration, overseas tourist arrivals from five continents grew dramatically last month. More... [661 views] Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong to get facelift next yearIt's out with the old, in with the new Mandarin; The historic hotel is to get a facelift from the middle of next year The Mandarin Oriental Hotel will undergo a total renovation next year, giving one of Hong Kong's most famous hotels an entirely new look - inside and out. Plans are still being discussed, but it seems certain the refurbishment will dramatically alter the famed facade, a feature of the Central landscape since the 541-room property opened in 1963. More... [768 views] HiltonThere are pleasant and unpleasant problems to sort out. Fortunately, David Michels, chief executive of Hilton, the hotel-to-gaming group, has the former. Now his hotel division is showing renewed signs of life, it gives him the flexibility to consider what he will do with Ladbrokes. Michels may still decide to keep the gaming unit and use it to re-enter the casino market and take advantage of gaming liberalisation. More... [820 views] Four Seasons opens hotel in historic Gresham Palace in BudapestThe world’s leading operator of luxury hotels, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, last week opened a Budapest entry in its registry, launching its first local facility, the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest. More... [871 views] Jamaica will earn US$3.3 billion from tourism this year, says int'l studyA new study by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has estimated that tourism will this year generate as much as US$3.3 billion in overall economic activity in Jamaica, and projects that the figure will rise to US$6.85 billion, or more than double, over the next decade. These figures, in what was a largely upbeat review of the region's tourism prospects, place Jamaica behind Puerto Rico (US$9 billion), the Dominican Republic (US$5.2 billion) and Cuba (US$4.8 billion) in the league table of Caribbean countries with the largest tourism-driven aggregate demands in their economies. More... [726 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 23, 2004New Zealand’s tourism futureProfessional, focused, and high quality: New Zealand’s tourism future More... [821 views] Newmarket International’s Delphi BITM solution to help hospitality professionals better manage, analyze and share customized business-critical dataPortsmouth-based
Newmarket International Inc. announced the development of Delphi BITM
, a Business Intelligence solution that allows More... [759 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 22, 2004US Lodging Industry shows $12.8 billion in profit in 2003 - Smith Travel Research announces findings of Annual HOST StudyHendersonville, TN, June 15, 2004 – Smith Travel Research (STR), the recognized leader in lodging industry performance More... [637 views] Ownership issues arise when reflagging hotelsA hotel that switches brands or becomes independent is faced with a host of issues related to its property-management system. Data transfer, tight deadlines, compatibility with electronic distribution systems and ownership of information are issues that become top priorities."A hotel that is going from a brand to an independent will encounter the most difficulties because you are on your own and stuck with a PMS removal deadline," said Bob Bennett, a hospitality technology consultant and member of the International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame. "If you are going from one flag to another, the new flag is geared up to get its new franchisees up and running in a short period of time, so they will provide PMS installation and services." More... [914 views] Hotel Chains: Sleeping Well OnlineHilton and others are finding that their push to get customers to book rooms directly from them on the Web is paying off More... [524 views] Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific and Fu Wah International Announce Plans to Open a Regent in BeijingRegent International Hotels, one of the most respected brands in the luxury segment of the lodging industry, today announced that it has signed an agreement to open a new luxury hotel in Beijing. The Fu Wah International Group will build The More... [991 views] Accor boss flags up expansion in EuropeBranded hotel groups are looking to Europe to expand their businesses and increase market penetration, according to a leading hotelier. Michael Flaxman, managing director of Accor Hotels, northern, central and Eastern Europe, was speaking at the Managing Today -- Managing Tomorrow conference organised by the Hotel and Catering International Management Association (HCIMA) in Manchester last week. He told delegates that Europe offered "very exciting" opportunities. More... [979 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 21, 2004Starwood steps up expansion in China with signing of its 23rd hotel in ChinaStarwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc (NYSE: HOT) and Xiamen Fuchun Orient Hotel Company Limited announced an agreement whereby Starwood will manage the Sheraton Xiamen Hotel in China. The newly built 348-room Sheraton Xiamen Hotel is scheduled to open in June 2005. Upon opening, Starwood will have 23 hotels in operation in China, the largest inventory of upscale hotels amongst all international hotel companies More... [756 views] High-end offerings the result of in-depth researchSteady demand from affluent travelers has propelled developers to offer variations of a luxury vacation product beyond the amenities of a fine hotel. Fractional timeshare and upscale vacation homes are emerging as options to address this promising niche market segment. Marriott Vacation Club International realized the demand for a luxury product within its existing ownership base. After extensive research and customer feedback, the company rolled out a luxury fractional ownership product in 1999. More... [645 views] Hotel occupancy in Dubai reported highMajor hotels in Dubai of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are seeing a huge response from families of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS), the Khaleej Times reported Friday.The families are interested in spending their summer by experiencing the entertainment line-up of the DSS, which opened on Thursday. More... [660 views] IHG Web-booking policy aims to change rulesWhat looks like the first shot across the bow of the third - party merchant model vessel was fired April 20 by InterContinental Hotels Group.The hotel giant announced it was adopting a new standard for its portfolio of brands for selling or reselling hotel room inventory through online travel companies. With the adoption of the standard on May 20, IHG said it is committed to only work with distributors and their affiliates that don't engage in confusing and potentially unclear marketing practices, clearly present taxes and fees to consumers, respect IHG's trademarks and ensure reservations are guaranteed through an automated confirmation process More... [822 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 19, 2004EU enlargement brings hope for the EastOn 1 May 2004, the European Union (EU) welcomed ten new members including eight from the former communist states. With the addition of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, the EU now comprises of 25 nations. Together these have a combined population of 455 million, making the EU the world’s largest trading bloc. More... [742 views] Extract on Central and South American hotel market from the Global Performance Review 2003In this, the inaugural Global Performance Review of the top 20 performing hotel markets of 2003, we consider the results of the HotelBenchmark Survey’s ‘Global Ranking of Performance Indicators’ (GRI) and the movement within the top 20 performing markets. Our survey tracks the performance of over 1.2 million hotel rooms outside North America, with the GRI analysis ranking annual occupancy and revenue per available room (revPAR). Presented in US dollars, the GRI provides an inter-regional view of performance levels within global markets. More... [652 views] Maintaining The Marketing InvestmentThe struggles of the U.S. hotel industry during the past few years are well known. From 2000 through 2003, total revenue for the average U.S. hotel dropped 13.7 percent. Given such difficult operating conditions, any and all operating expenses were examined for potential efficiency enhancements or outright elimination. Hotel managers were able to cut their operating expenses 6.4 percent; however, with the decline in revenue outpacing the drop in operating costs, unit level profitability fell 28.6 percent. More... [735 views] New GM for Mandarin Oriental’s flagship
Peter French has been appointed general manager of the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong effective July 1. Mr French has been with the group for over 30 years and was most recently the executive vice president and managing director of The Carlyle Hotel, New York. More... [559 views] Cornell Report Aims to Maximize the Economic Value of the Hospitality WorkforceAlthough scheduling employees is a complex task, it’s worth doing well. A proper schedule can boost an operation’s profitability, according to a new report issued by The Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University. That’s because a well constructed schedule ensures proper service levels and controls costs—ultimately delivering more profit for an operation. More... [652 views] Luxury hotels go to the mattressesJust as the hotel business settles back for what most industry analysts predict will be a comfortable year, here comes Bjorn Gullaksen with a new bed. "The bed will put us on the map in terms of brand differentiation," Gullaksen predicted confidently last week in a conversation at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel during a hotel-industry investment conference. More... [1925 views] Marriott Now Has High-Speed Internet Access at More Than 2,000 HotelsMarriott International announced that it has completed installation of in-room high-speed Internet access at more than 2,000 hotels worldwide. Marriott also offers Wi-Fi, wireless Internet access, at 1,500 hotels. "With the increasing demand for high-speed Internet access, we have been aggressively installing it in our hotels for the past several years," said Lou Paladeau, vice president, technology business development. "Most business travelers won't even consider staying at a hotel that does not offer high- speed Internet access. They want to be connected on the road." More... [633 views] Mandalay Resort Group Accepts MGM Mirage Purchase OfferThe board of Mandalay Resort Group late last night accepted MGM Mirage's $7.9-billion purchase offer in a deal that will create the world's largest gaming company.The enlarged MGM Mirage will control some 30 gaming properties throughout the country and more than half the 72,000 hotel rooms on the Las Vegas Strip. Mandalay Resort Group's properties on the Strip include the Mandalay Bay Resort, Luxor, Monte Carlo, and the Four Seasons at Mandalay Bay.
More... [725 views] Profitability soars in Middle East hotelsLatest profitability figures from the HotelBenchmark Survey by Deloitte reveal that despite the war in Iraq and global economic conditions, hotels in the Middle East turned in an impressive performance during 2003. Profitability conversion levels rose to an average 42 cents of every dollar spent being retained as profit. This compares with a conversion ratio of 39 cents reported in 2002. More... [640 views] Thailand: Research centre forecasts 11.5 million tourists for 2004Thailand should see an upsurge in visitor arrivals over the latter half of the year despite the rise in global oil prices, putting total tourist numbers for 2004 at nearly 11.5 million, according to a report published today by the KASIKORN Research Centre.While recognising that a number of negative factors had affected Thailand`s tourism industry throughout 2004, notably the emergence of avian flu and violence in the southern border region, the report stressed that the fundamentals of the nation`s tourism industry remained strong. More... [526 views] Thailand-Backed Hotel Brand Is Part of Tourism Service Upgrade Plan
Thailand could soon have its own hotel chain brand, equivalent to international names such as Sofitel or Le Meridien, under a government-backed initiative that could cost taxpayers 1.2 billion baht.The proposal is part of a broader plan to upgrade the industry by the Tourism and Sports Ministry and the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT). It aims to create an internally recognised seal of approval for Thai hotels and resorts that meet high quality and service standards as set by professionals, industry experts and prominent institutions. More... [594 views] Predicted Rise in Hotel Room Rates Revised UpwardThe strong rebound in the hotel industry has prompted PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to revise upward its prediction of hotel room-rate increases for this year, from 1.9 percent about two months ago to 3 percent last week.The hospitality practice of the professional services firm also predicted that average daily rates will rise 3 percent next year over this year. Rates had remained flat last year and dropped 1.4 percent in each of the previous two years. More... [700 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 18, 2004Novotel Hotels Introduce "Novation" RoomsResponding to the changing needs of today’s sophisticated business travelers, Novotel has developed a new design concept for its guestrooms called the “Novation Room”, which combines European elegance with modern amenities for an attractive price. Now available in the Toronto area at Novotel Mississauga and Novotel North York, this new concept marries the luxurious feel of finer European hotels with upgrades such as free WIFI (Wireless Internet). More... [961 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 17, 2004Australia tourism rebound continuesAustralia has been experiencing positive growth for the eight consecutive month, figures released last week claim. The final overseas arrivals and departures statistics released last week confirm the significant impact on the arrival of international tourists caused by SARS 12 months ago, the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) said. More... [620 views] British tourism breaks recordSix million international visitors traveled to the UK between February and April 2004, breaking the record for highest ever-recorded number of visitors in this period, VisitBritain announced. The increase has been driven by substantial growth in North America and Europe, two crucial markets for the industry. More... [566 views] Accor/Club Med – what the papers sayFriday’s announcement that French hotel chain Accor has paid euro252m for a 28.9% stake in Club Med was widely reported in the UK broadsheets on Saturday. More... [669 views] Marriott Brands Take Russian Hotel Sector by StealthA restored 18th-century mansion, once the residence of a school friend of poet Alexander Pushkin, has officially become Marriott International's sixth hotel project in Russia. With three hotels managed by the group itself and three more operated by a franchisee, Marriott International has the strongest presence in Russia of all the international hotel operators working in the country. More... [628 views] New Luxury hotel in Vancouver signals Shangri-La expansion into North AmericaAsia Pacific's leading luxury hotel group, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, reinforces its expansion outside Asia Pacific with a management agreement for a five-star deluxe hotel in Vancouver, Canada in early 2008. The hotel is being jointly developed by Vancouver based Peterson Investment Group and Westbank Projects. More... [848 views] India's tourism industry boomsIndia’S tourist industry is booming due to a rush of foreign tourists and increased travel by Indians to domestic and overseas destinations. More... [673 views] Cambodia on target for first millionCambodia is well on its way to a goal of one million arrivals this year with a total of 323,414 international visitors recorded from January to April, an increase of 17 per cent over the same period in 2002. More... [558 views] Asia-Pacific tourism ministerial meeting endsThe Asia-Pacific Tourism Ministerial Meeting, held jointly by the Viet Nam Tourism Administration and the World Tourism Organisation in Hue City, was closed on Saturday The meeting released a Hue statement on cultural tourism and poverty reduction, which pledged to exert great efforts to boost cultural tourism development, to further support the poor living around heritage sites by generating jobs, restoring local traditions, promoting links among tourism businesses, discovering new cultural heritages and expanding tourism promotion. More... [640 views] Hotels: Guide to a great rateYou're less likely than in years past to see vastly different rates from different hotel-room vendors, for two reasons. First, the chains aren't generally selling excess inventory to travel Web sites such as Hotels.com, Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity at fire-sale rates anymore. The old thinking was that it's better to sell a room for a low price than to leave it empty. More... [1527 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 16, 2004W Hotel May Give Harlem Another BoostAs signs emerge of a tourism and real estate renaissance in Harlem, upscale hoteliers are scoping out the neighborhood to capitalize on a blossoming renewal of the area. Executives of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide are reportedly close to securing approval to build an upscale high-rise W Hotel on West 125th Street, where the old Loews Theater sits vacant, Crain's New York Business reported today. More... [636 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 15, 2004PwC Forecasts 3% ADR Increase This YearAverage daily rates in the U.S. lodging industry will rise by 3% this year, due to a change in inflation from 1.4% to 2%, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. More... [680 views] British tourism`s "Best-Ever Start" to 2004 just got betterVisitBritain said that between February and April 2004, six million international visitors travelled to the UK , representing the highest ever-recorded number of visitors in this period. The increase has been driven by substantial growth in North America and Europe, two crucial markets for the industry. More... [643 views] Accor pays euro252m for 28.9% stake in Club Med
French hotel group Accor has spent euro252m becoming Club Mediterranee's majority shareholder after buying a 28.9% stake in the tour operator including the Agnelli family's 21.2%.
The euros45 a share offer, which represents a 31% premium over Thursday's close, values Club Med at euro872m.
The announcement was made at the same time as Club Med announced that it had reduced its losses in the half to end-Apr to euro4m, compared with euro32m last time. Operating profit climbed to euro32m from euro12m on flat sales of euro784m.
At the end of May, year-to-date summer bookings were 2.4% up on last year.
More... [622 views] Daniel Desbaillets to develop The Fullerton Singapore into int'l brandSino Group names CEO for hotel division; Daniel Desbaillets to develop The Fullerton Singapore into int'l brand.
Property tycoon Ng Teng Fong's Sino Group has appointed veteran hotelier Daniel Desbaillets chief executive officer of its hotel division and for The Fullerton Singapore, replacing Ivan Lee. Mr Desbaillets will come on board in August, while BT understands Mr Lee is serving his notice and is expected to leave in a few weeks. More... [1119 views] Hong Kong: Mainlanders help make April a record for visitorsMainlanders made up more than half of the record 1.73 million tourists who visited Hong Kong in April as the city's pillar industry continues to help fuel a robust economic recovery. Of the 908,741 arrivals from China, more than a quarter travelled under the individual visit scheme, which relaxes cross-border travel for individual tourists from a number of mainland cities More... [624 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 14, 2004InterContinental Hotels Group announced it opened 23 hotels in March and April 2004 , an addition of more than 2,809 rooms across the Americas.Another notable addition to IHG portfolio during this time period is the announcement of a seventh brand -- Hotel Indigo™. Hotel Indigo is a new lodging alternative for the traveler seeking a hotel experience, not just a hotel room. An industry first, Hotel Indigo is a lifestyle brand that delivers a refreshing, inclusive hotel experience in response to prevailing consumer trends. The first Hotel Indigo is scheduled to open in Atlanta, Ga., by the end of 2004 and will have approximately 140 rooms. More... [694 views] Holiday Inn sends guests in China into spaceHoliday Inn is celebrating its 20 years of hospitality success in China with a novel new promotion for guests. The most recognised international brand in China, which encourages guests to be themselves, is taking its innovative, pioneering spirit to the next frontier, to give loyal guests a chance to try out an exciting new experience and to go, quite possibly, where no guest has gone before More... [820 views] NH Hoteles presents itself for the first time in SwitzerlandNH Hoteles has made today the first public presentation of the company in Switzerland , in the first Swiss hotel to have undergone a refurbishment according to the NH style. The NH Geneva Airport was one of the hotels that belonged to the Krasnapolsky hotel chain before it was bought by NH Hoteles. It is being operated on a lease basis and it has been renovated according to the NH Hoteles` standards of quality, decoration and services. Its refurbishment has supposed a total investment of €3.5 million. More... [628 views] Club Med increased business and revenuesFinancial results for the six months ended April 30, 2004 demonstrate the improvement in Club Mediterranee`s margins in a persistently travel-unfriendly environment, with a slight increase in business. More... [594 views] French Chefs Jacques and Laurent Pourcel Partner with the Dusit Thani for New Restaurant Modeled after the Le Jardin des Sens in Montpellier, FranceFrench Fine Dining reaches new heights in Bangkok this month (June 22) with the opening of D'Sens at the Dusit Thani Hotel. This remarkable new restaurant has been modeled on the famous Le Jardin des Sens in Montpellier in France, just one of 27 restaurants in France to have been awarded three Michelin stars. More... [818 views] Manila makes HotelSharkHotelShark began coverage of Manila this week to accommodate its growing collection of candid , guest-based hotel reviews. The first Manila hotel reviewed on HotelShark is the Mandarin Oriental. HotelShark has added several cities in 2004, including Brussels, Belgium; Edinburgh, Scotland; Lisbon, Portugal; Oaxaca, Mexico; and Phuket, Thailand. More... [792 views] The Wireless Boom That Won't Need UsAs big as the hard-wired Internet is, wireless makes it bigger. Consider: Many, if not most, of the 500 million cell phones expected to sell this year have some sort of Internet link. Then throw in all the public hot spots, home Wi-Fi connections, wireless workplaces and web-enabled PDAs.
More... [759 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 12, 2004A full recovery of the worldwide hospitality industry possible within 1 to 2 years; Potential terrorism attacks a big threatFifty-one percent of respondents says potential terrorism attacks and 35 percent says the economy are the biggest threats to a full recovery of the worldwide hospitality industry, in a survey of executives attending New York University`s 26th Annual International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, being held at New York City`s Waldorf=Astoria Hotel this week. More... [872 views] IATA addresses rising fuel prices, security and eticketsThe International Air Transport Association (IATA)’s annual meet was held in Singapore on Sunday with about 150 airline executive attendees, and the rising fuel prices topping the agenda. In a news conference, IATA Director General Giovanni Bisignani indicated the US$3 billion profit forecast for this year is jeopardized by the surge in fuel prices. More... [613 views] New Chairman elected for IATA’s Board of GovernorsJean-Cyrill Spinetta, Chairman and CEO of Air France was elected as Chairman of the International Air Transport Association`s Board of Governors for 2004-2005. Spinetta takes over from Isao Kaneko, Chairman of Japan Airlines who ended his extra-ordinary two year term with the closing of IATAs 60th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Singapore. More... [539 views] European airline giants record May traffic riseAir France-KLM, Europe’s biggest airline, saw passenger numbers increase by 15.6% year-on-year to 5,566,000 in May 2004.
Traffic measured in revenue passenger kilometres jumped 21.3%, while capacity in available seat kilometres rose by 15.4%, giving a load factor of 76.3%, up 3.7 percentage points from the same month of last year. The airline cautioned, however, that May 2003 had been hard hit by the impact of the SARS outbreak and the war in Iraq. More... [545 views] IHG’s Hotel Indigo aims to encourage ‘trading up'InterContinental Hotels Group has unveiled details of its new lifestyle chain, Hotel Indigo, the first of which is scheduled to open in Atlanta, Georgia, by the end of this year. More... [908 views] Chart Announces 68th Conference AgendaThe 68th semi-annual Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers (CHART) hospitality training conference will be held August 1-4, 2004 at the Gaylord Opryland, Dallas, Texas.“From fundamental training practices to performance improvement, this conference will help training and human resource professionals move the needle on learning, retention, productivity and overall business performance,” said Lisa Schweickert, president of CHART and vice president of training for Golden Corral Corp. More... [565 views] HEDNA Finds Success with New Interactive Format at 2004 ConferenceApproximately 300 travel industry professionals gathered the 25-27 of May in London, U.K. for the 2004 Conference of The Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA). This two-day conference continues to be the premier event for all segments of the travel industry seeking to network and hear from industry leaders about how to make the most of the latest technology, trends reports, and forecasts. More... [548 views] Arrivals of foreign tourists to China restore rapidlyChina`s tourism authorities say the number of foreign tourist arrivals is being restored rapidly since the slowdown caused by the bird flu outbreak earlier this year. More... [659 views] Bangkok to get ‘Phuket-style’ resortA 250-ROOM resort-style hotel is being planned on a plum site on the corner of Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Road and Soi 10, and construction could start as early as August, its owner told TTG Daily News today. More... [845 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 11, 2004Tallest building in Beijing being erectedConstruction began this week on what is expected to be the tallest building in Beijing . The building, when finished, will stand 250 meters high. More... [741 views] New spa developments from P&O Australian resorts P&O Australian Resorts has completed a comprehensive development programme to become Australia`s largest luxury spa operator, with six P&O Australian Resorts now offering signature spas. More... [781 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 10, 2004WTTC releases Travel & Tourism industry`s best action responses to the `Blueprint for New TourismThe World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today released case studies showing some of the world`s best examples of its `Blueprint for new Tourism` in action. The case studies feature successful development and delivery initiatives of leading organizations, which ensure benefits for customers, shareholders and hosting communities. More... [777 views] US hotel recovery a year awayWhile the US hotel industry is beginning to recover after a three-year downturn, a full-fledged recovery is still at least a year away, said several executives of the lodging industry. Most hotel chains have begun raising room rates for the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. However, high labor costs and rising energy bills will delay improvements in operating margins, Loews Hotels Chairman Jonathan Tisch told Reuters. More... [628 views] Relais & Chateaux Announces Reorganisation Of Its Executive ManagementAppoints Jacques-Olivier Chauvin, Chief Executive Officer More... [783 views] Emerging New Spa Trends of Lifestyle Spa-GoersChildren's spas, spa packages for whole families and an increasing number of male spa junkies are just a few of the latest trends in the spa industry according to Starwood Hotels and Resorts, which has just launched The Starwood Spa Collection, bringing together the fines spa facilities from among the hundreds of Starwood Hotels & Resorts around the world. More... [1339 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 9, 2004Shangri-La launches new television commercialAsia Pacific’s leading luxury hotel group, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, is launching a new television commercial. The commercial, “Find your Shangri-La”, portrays the group’s dynamic development whilst maintaining its genuine focus on Asian Hospitality. More... [693 views] Cornell Hotel School’s Center for Hospitality Research Partners With The Thayer GroupThe Thayer Group, a leading North American hospitality firm, has joined the corporate partners program at the Cornell Hotel School’s Center for Hospitality Research to support international research that advances operating practices in the hospitality industry. More... [584 views] Hotels offer better room rates than Web --- most of the timeWhether you're looking for a new car or a place to stay on vacation, the advice is the same: You'd better shop around. Travelers going online for hotel bargains are getting a leg up thanks to intense competition among travel Web sites such as Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz. But an investigative report in the July issue of Consumer Reports magazine, on newsstands today, reveals that three out of four times, hotels offered the best rates. More... [936 views] Manhattan Hotel Market OverviewHVS International, iin cooperation with New York University’s Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management, is pleased to present the seventh annual Manhattan Hotel Market Overview. More... [761 views] More luxury hotels check in flat-panel TVsHotels across the country -- from Los Angeles' Four Seasons to Caesars Pocono Resorts in Pennsylvania, where couples will be able to gawk at a 35-inch flat-panel TV while cavorting in a bathtub shaped like a champagne glass -- are adding them. More... [949 views] New slip-in cooling cartridges now available to replace discontinued ACP / ClimateMaster VTAC Series vertical PTACMarra A/C Services today announced their "New" slip-in replacement cooling cartridge for the discontinued ACP/ ClimateMaster VTAC series of vertical PTACs is now available for delivery. More... [853 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 8, 2004U.S. CEO survey sees increase in hiring; Thirty-eight percent say they expect to add jobs in '04Thirty-eight percent of chief executives expect their companies to add U.S. jobs over the next six months, up from 33 percent in March, a survey of leading U.S. CEOs said on Wednesday. More... [555 views] HVS Journal - Asia Pacific Region - 1st Quarter 2004Quarterly Hotel Report, including the Asian Hotel Valuation Index, Hotel Openings and Transaction Report, and several articles contributed by HVS offices in Singapore, Sydney and New Delhi, as well as HVS Executive Seatrch In Hong Kong More... [656 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 7, 2004De Vere's out of biddingLeisure firm De Vere has pulled out of the £500 million-plus bidding war for budget hotel chain Premier Lodge amid concerns over the cost of the acquisition. More... [534 views] InterContinental Hotels Group Opened 23 Hotels in March and April 2004 Across the AmericasInterContinental Hotels Group, the world's largest and most global hotel company, today announced it opened 23 hotels in March and April 2004, an addition of more than 2,809 rooms across the Americas. More... [633 views] Raffles Hotel Singapore Continues Pursuit of ExcellenceClose to half a million affluent worldwide respondents of several prestigious luxury international surveys and publications have a common ultimate favourite – Raffles Hotel, Singapore. These respondents’ uncompromising judgment and taste have resulted in the team at Raffles Hotel working overnight to urgently renovate the Trophy Room to make room for these welcomed new additions to join the remarkable collection of esteemed awards and accolades achieved over a decade, since the reopening of the Hotel in 1991. More... [694 views] Laptop use, lifestyle impact chair, seating selectionsWhat's the most significant factor to impact the selection of hotel seating in recent years? Laptop computers. As they've become smaller, lighter and faster, laptops have earned a place as an almost mandatory accessory for business travelers intent on setting up an office-to-go and a convenience for leisure travelers who want to connect with folks back home via e-mail. More... [762 views] Marketing Plans Must Be a "Living Being" They Cannot Sit On Shelves!One of the hardest things to do in a hotel is to turns goals into reality. Too often, those goals may be thought of and discussed, but not written down or acted on. When they are written down, it is as a memo or perhaps as the introduction to a marketing plan, but with no or inadequate preparations to make those goals become reality. More... [972 views] Shangri-La Hotels sees over half of revenues from China by 2008Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, the management arm of Hong Kong-listed Shangri-La Asia (69.HK), expects to see over half of its revenues coming from China by 2008 as it opens new hotels on the mainland, said Martin Waechter, chief marketing officer. He told AFX-Asia in an interview that the company, which now has 40 pct of its revenues from China, will open eight new up-scale hotels in the country over the next four years. More... [594 views] European tour operator market set for 4% growth in 2004Europe’s package holiday market is heading for moderate growth of 4% in 2004 after two weak years, according to the newly-published annual FVW Documentation on Europe’s top 150 tour operators. After a strong start to bookings, the market recovery has weakened again, leaving operators with mixed feelings ahead of the peak summer season. More... [743 views] Technology - does the tourism industry really understand it?It’s not everyday that someone comes and gives a wake-up call to the industry. The opening day at the 53rd PATA Annual Conference was one of those days and giving that wakeup call was Anna Pollock, co-founder of Desticorp and a long-time strategist for the tourism industry. More... [753 views] Age for regional tourism cooperation has come in ChinaChina has entered the age for regional tourism cooperation, said experts attending China Domestic Tourism Mart here Saturday. More... [663 views] Booming hotel sector claims: We're back in charge of our ratesThe hotel industry has regained control of its distribution systems as business for the luxury chains returns to levels not seen for years. For most major chains, Asia is a star performer as hotels begin to recoup profits that were diluted by economic slowdowns, health and terrorism fears. More... [803 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 5, 2004Hotels Ride the RecoveryIt's going to be a long, hot summer for the hotel industry, where a powerful cyclical recovery is picking up steam and vacancies are getting scarce. More... [737 views] Hotels Get Pushy About Their Loyalty ProgramsIn the past, properties pretty much limited their sales pitch to pamphlets at the check-in counter, and tended to emphasize the perks of membership, like upgrades and gift baskets. But in recent months, travelers say, they have become more vocal about the benefits of joining - and have begun punishing guests who refuse by putting them in less desirable rooms or saddling them with surcharges. More... [981 views] WTTC releases Travel & Tourism industry’s best action responses to the ‘Blueprint for New Tourism’The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today released case studies showing some of the world’s best examples of its ‘Blueprint for new Tourism’ in action. The case studies feature successful development and delivery initiatives of leading organizations, which ensure benefits for customers, shareholders and hosting communities. More... [696 views] Marriott Deploys NCR Self-Service KiosksGlobal Hotel Chain Pilots Check-in, Check-out Solution From World's Leading Self-Service Technology Provider More... [833 views] PKF Consulting Sees Growth in Conference CentersPKF Consulting and the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC) forecast growth in occupancy and RevPAR for North American Conference Centers through 2004 and into 2005. The findings are contained in the 2004 North American edition of the recently released Trends in the Conference Center Industry, a Statistical and Financial Profile for 2003, produced by PKF Consulting and the IACC. More... [540 views] Spotlight on hotel performance in Dubai, Kuwait and DohaThis article focuses on some of the strongest performing markets, namely Dubai, Kuwait and Doha that are helping drive performance across the region More... [750 views] Extract: Global Performance Review 2003In this, the inaugural Global Performance Review of the top 20 performing hotel markets of 2003, we consider the results of the HotelBenchmark Survey’s ‘Global Ranking of Performance Indicators’ (GRI) and the movement within the top 20 performing markets. More... [675 views] ITE launches ‘MICE RUSSIA’ITE Group Plc announced the launch of a new annual event, MICE RUSSIA, to take place on the 21st September 2004 at the Ararat Park Hyatt, Moscow. This exclusive one day event is aimed at suppliers, travel agents, tour operators and corporate buyers with an interest in growing their share in the incentive and business travel industry in Russia and the CIS More... [528 views] Apax and Whitbread compete to buy Premier Lodge chainThe £500 million auction of Premier Lodge, the budget hotel chain owned by Spirit Group, is believed to have become a two-horse race between Apax Partners and Whitbread. More... [505 views] Interglobe-Accor deal to tap budget touristsHospitality InterGlobe and French major Accor Hotels have inked a joint venture to enter into mid-segment hotels in India. More... [632 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 3, 2004Mandarin Oriental announces its arrival in ParisMandarin Oriental Hotel Group announced that from June 2004 it is to manage the Hotel Royal Monceau , long recognized as one of the grand palace hotels in Paris. The property will undergo a significant renovation and repositioning later this year, and upon completion the hotel will be renamed Royal Monceau Mandarin Oriental, Paris. More... [881 views] International hotel groups expanding networks in ChinaFor Accor, the largest hotel management group in Europe, the year 2004 could be called the "China Year". Marriott Group, which is among the world's top 500 and manages more than 2,800 hotels all over the world, planned to open seven hotels in China in the coming year. More... [745 views] Travel the world with StarwoodGlobetrotters can now enjoy luxurious upscale accommodation at Starwood Hotels & Resorts worldwide and see the world for less with its newly introduced "World Travel" promotion, an international travel promotion which allows travelers to stay at Starwood's more than 740 hotels and resorts worldwide at exceptional rates. More... [792 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 2, 2004Grand Hyatt Dubai introduces latest treatment concept named AromasoulAlready renowned for its signature treatment hot stone massage, The Grand Spa’s complete range of facial and body treatments has expanded to include their latest treatment concept – Aromasoul – at Grand Hyatt Dubai. More... [782 views] IATA: Traffic up but oil price threatens profitabilityA year after the devastating impact of SARS and the War in Iraq, industry efforts to rebuild passenger confidence see traffic largely recovered . The problem is now on the cost side, said Giovanni Bisignani, Director General and CEO of the International Air Transport Association. More... [634 views] Carlson Hotels Worldwide Inititates New Brand Building StrategiesCarlson Hotels Worldwide announced a variety of new business building and brand defining strategies here this week during its four-day, 2004 Annual Business Conference as nearly 900 participants and guests gathered for the event from around the world. More... [752 views] Over 1.1 million foreign arrivals in Vietnam in first five monthsVietnam welcomed 1,155,427 foreign tourists in the first five months of this year , a 19.4 percent increase over the same period in 2003, according to the Viet Nam Tourism Administration (VTA). More... [670 views] Visitors to Cuba top one million in first five months of 2004More than one million visitors have come to Cuba for the first five months of this year and tourism officials are predicting that the figure will double by yearend. More... [684 views] USA: High Gas Prices Impact Travel PlansThe rising cost of gasoline is likely to affect the travel plans of a majority (56%) of U.S. leisure travelers in the months ahead according to a new national poll released today by Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell, the travel marketing, advertising and public relations firm headquartered in Orlando, Florida. More... [511 views] Philippine tourism records all-time high increaseToputist arrivals reached an all time high increase of 25.7 percent in May according to the monthly statistics report from the Philippine Bureau of Immigration at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Tourism Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan said. More... [537 views] Accor Appoints 11 General Managers Across Asia PacificAccor Asia Pacific announces the appointments at 11 General Managers Accor Hotels accross Asia More... [1294 views] Brazil to be another destination for chinese touristChinese can now visit the tropical rain forest or watch soccer superstars` samba in Brazil as China has officially announced Brazil will become a designated destination for Chinese tourists. More... [621 views] Hilton Vacation Station Preps for Vacation ''Snack Attack''With summer just around the corner, Hilton Hotels (NYSE:HLT) is stocking up on toys, cooler carriers and snack makings in preparation for Hilton Vacation Station(R), one of the most widely available and comprehensive family vacation programs offered by a hotelier. More... [607 views] Hotel 71: Where doing business is a refreshing pleasureHotel 71 is the rare independent hotel that has every aspect of business travel covered, from supremely comfortable and productive accommodations to flexible, high tech work and meeting space to outstanding dining and room service. Not the least of its appeal is a refreshingly unique sense of style. More... [898 views] |
Travel ToolsVisit our sponsorsAre you interested in advertising with ehotelier.com? |






