ehotelier Hospitality News Archives: September 2004

Who is In and Who is Out - Global Staffmovements

This month's popular update on Global Staff Movements, edited by Benoit Gateau-Cumin, President - The Boutique Search Firm

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Starwood chief executive to get $1 million salary

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.'s next chief executive will receive a $1 million annual salary and be eligible for yearly bonuses of up to $2 million, the company said yesterday.

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More hotel guests use reward points

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Hotel beds in Vienna full but rates too low

Vienna offers is one of the cheapest cities to rent a hotel room. The average price for a room per night is 78 euros. In Amsterdam, Barcelona and even Prague, hotel rooms are more expensive. Although Vienna hotels are booked with reservations and overnight stays, the prices are too low. However, Vienna Tourism manager Karl Seitlinger is still happy.

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Hotel Built for '80 Olympics Has an Explosive Checkout

Another Soviet-era hotel ended its days as a pile of rubble Saturday, when the 23-story Sport Hotel was blown up to make way for a new development. A 195,000-square-meter multifunctional complex, featuring office, retail and entertainment spaces and hotel rooms, is planned for completion on the site by late 2006.  Opened on Leninsky Prospekt in 1979 in preparation for the following year's Moscow Olympic Games, the 401-room, 40,000-square-meter Sport Hotel was shut down last year.

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Hand Picked make Hotel Group of the Year 2004-2005

Hand Picked Hotels, a collection of 14 exquisite country house hotels created just three years ago, has won the ultimate accolade – AA Hotel Group of the Year – in this year’s  AA Hotel Guide, published today. The group was created by former City lawyer Julia Hands.  She set out to “cast off the chain” mentality and encourage the renaissance of highly individual country house hotels.  All of the Hand Picked Hotel collection are former country houses with a long historical lineage and were “built for pleasure” – a tradition Julia is eager to maintain. 

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Hotel Triton named model for conservation

Kimpton's San Francisco based Hotel Triton will be named the model hotel for the State of California's Green Hotels program. This recognition is in honor of the new California Integrated Waste Management Board's initiative, designed to encourage travelers to stay at 'green hotels.' The program promotes patronage of hospitality establishments that save energy, water, and resources, and divert waste from landfill disposal through environmentally friendly business practices.

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Shangri-La appoints Regional Vice President

Stephen Darling has been appointed as the regional vice president and general manager of the new Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver which is currently under development. Darling will be based in Vancouver, Canada, where he will be responsible initially for seeking management contracts and development opportunities in key North American gateway cities. Darling will also guide the group's first Shangri-La hotel in North America through its development stages, with the Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver projected to open in 2008.

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Moscow: Economy Hotels Good for Biznes

 

Otel Biznes City Ltd. controlled by Moscow-based Metalloinvest-Market, has bought the share packages of two city hotels for a total of $6.6 million at the auction held by the city administration last week. The city auctioned off its 75 percent stake in Turist and 60 percent stake in Yuzhnaya Hotels as part of the 11 city-owned hotel packages targeted for sale. With the starting price of 53 million rubles ($ 1.78 million) each, Biznes City bought Yuzhnaya Hotel for 70 million rubles and paid 122 million rubles for Turist.

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Business Traveller Asia-Pacific names Shangri-La best Hotel Group in Asia

Asia  Pacific's  leading  luxury  hotel  group,  Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, was named the Best Business Hotel Brand in Asia-Pacific
for the  fourth   consecutive   year in  the  Business  Traveller Psia-Pacific nmagazine's  readers' poll.  In addition, the Shangri-La Hotel,
Singapore w named  Best  Business  Hotel  in  the World, Best Business Hotel in Asia-Pacific  and Best   Business  Hotel in Singapore. The
Makati Shangri-La, Manila won Best Business Hotel in Manila; Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala  Lumpur  won  Best Business Hotel in Kuala Lumpur; and Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Taipei won Best Business Hotel in Taipei.

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Best Western Names David Kong New President and CEO

The Board of Directors of Best Western International has appointed David Kong as the hotel chain's new president and chief executive officer.  Kong previously held the position of executive vice president of International Operations and has been serving as acting president and CEO since mid-August. 

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Shadow cast over occupancy figures for UK Hoteliers

Occupancy  is  the main worry in the minds of UK hoteliers, failing to mirror the more healthy advances  in both room rate and rooms yield for the latter part of the summer  this year, according to figures published today by PKF hotel consultancy services. London  hotels saw occupancy drop 1.4% in August to 79.4%, however, average room rate rose 6.2% to £89.57 and rooms yield was up 4.7% to £71.15.

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Bangkok ranked world`s 4th best tourist destination

The American Travel & Leisure Magazine has ranked Bangkok as the best tourist destination  in Asia and the fourth in the world. The new Bangkok Governor, Apirak Kosayothin, received the World’s Best Awards 2004 from the magazine on Friday. Bangkok was ranked fourth in the world after Sydney, Rome and Florence. Several Bangkok hotels were also awarded best hotels in Asia. The magazine made the rankings after conducting a poll amongst foreign tourists.

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Hotels face lawsuits on surcharges for phones, energy

Lawyers are turning the tables on hotels that ding customers with hidden surcharges for everything from pools to electricity. Some chains are settling class-action lawsuits that allege the extra fees weren't fair because customers weren't told about them in advance. Customers get coupons for discounts off their next stay. Attorneys get big fees.

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Moody's raises Hilton rating to investment grade

Moody's Investors Service on Monday raised its debt ratings on Hilton Hotels Corp.to investment grade, saying a rebound in the lodging industry has improved the hotel chain's credit quality faster than expected.

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Galaxy Launches Innovative Tourist Board Reservation Systems at PATA Travel Mart 2004

National Tourist Organisations Can Use TBRS to Generate New Revenue!  Galaxy Travel Distribution System Ltd., specialising in on-line global travel distribution systems for ground services, today announced the introduction of Galaxy TBRS, an innovative Tourist Board Reservation System specially designed to assist national tourist organisations (NTOs) in capitalising on their own reservation potential, thus generating more income for tourism promotion for their respective regions. The announcement was made at PATA Travel Mart 2004 (PTM 2004), held from 22 – 24 September 2004, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand.

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Thailand applauded for successful PATA Mart

Thailand last week won warm accolades for hosting a highly successful PATA Travel Mart and Board of Directors meeting . Bangkok was selected as the first venue of the Mart following PATA’s decision to resume rotating the event through the Asia-Pacific cities after six years of being fixed in Singapore.  PATA’s President and CEO Peter de Jong told the Board of Directors, “Bangkok proved to be an extremely attractive, magnetic destination that really brought a great number of people to the event. It has regained its integrity and pre-eminent position on the list of international trade fairs.”

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The Ritz-Carlton Bali, Resort & Spa Ranks Among Highest as World’s Best Spa

Another spectacular victory has been awarded to The Ritz Carlton Bali, Resort & Spa in the 9th Annual Travel+Leisure World’s Best Spa Awards which ranked the Resort Spa in an international third place. The prestigious award announced in the October issue of the magazine positions The Ritz Carlton Bali, Resort & Spa amongst one of the highest ranking Spa’s in the world.  The Resorts Thalasso Spa also achieved the number three position in the category of Worlds Best Spa for Asia and the Pacific and is a tremendous accolade for the relatively young Spa.

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Shangri-La announces new senior appointments

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific’s leading luxury hotel group, announces the company’s latest senior appointments to align the organization with the group’s rapid expansion.  With 20 new hotels predicted by 2008, the group has established new area manager positions reporting to recently appointed corporate vice presidents.

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Singapore Sweeps The Board Again in the Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Awards 2004

Over 350 travel industry leaders gathered Friday for the awards luncheon held at Grand Ballroom of the Conrad Hong Kong. Mrs Anson Chan was the event’s Guest of Honour. As the Vice Chairman of the UNICEF’s Hong Kong chapter, Mrs Chan nominated UNICEF as the beneficiary of the charity auction organised by Business Traveller Asia-Pacific.  She delivered a speech after presenting the awards to the top winners and the outstanding business hotels in 15 predominant regional business destinations. Singapore has successfully maintained its position as the major winner for four consecutive years of the 2004 Readers’ Poll conducted by leading regional travel magazine Business Traveller Asia-Pacific.

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Most Expensive U.S. Hotels

It helps to be one of the U.S.'s richest people to afford a stay at one of the most expensive hotels in the country, which range from the $5,000-per-night Mansion at MGM Grand in Las Vegas to the $600-a-night Inn at Palmetto Bluff in South Carolina. As the adage says, you get what you pay for, and this certainly rings true with hotels. When booking a room, it's safe to say that any hotel in the $300-a-night price range will be quite good, or even great, depending on the location. So what exactly do you get for double, triple or, in some cases, more than ten times that price? It comes down to privacy, space and service

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PR provides cost-effective way to help increase sales results

 

There's no question that people generally want to do business with people and properties that are well regarded in the community. That's what makes an ongoing community relations program so important. Why not make your property the focal point for all that is going on in your city? It should be in the public eye all of the time.The real public relations person at the location is the g.m

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US Travel expectations are high this fall

A high interest in leisure travel and a solid return to business travel bodes well for this fall travel season, making it one of the strongest in years. According to the Fall   2004 forecast from the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), Americans will take 278 million person-trips during September, October and November 2004, an increase of 3.1 percent over last fall. A person-trip is one person on one trip traveling 50 miles or more from home, one way.

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Industry leaders will work together on next generation guestroom technology

Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) today made public the charter and sponsoring members of a new workgroup aimed squarely at the Guest Room of the Future.   The In-Room Technology Workgroup sponsored by Cisco Systems, Guest-Tek, LodgeNet Entertainment, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Microsoft Corp., Paradyne, and Quadriga Worldwide, was announced to HTNG members on September 15.  In addition to the seven sponsors, applications from other hotel companies and vendors will be accepted through October 15, to round out a balanced workgroup with a maximum of 17 companies.   

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Brand standards drive demand for cordless

 

The improving economy and the continuing migration of cordless phones into hotel guestrooms nationwide is driving business for telephone manufacturers. "This has been a great year. The whole industry is coming back, and there is such optimism in the hospitality industry now," said Jim Wright, v.p. and chief marketing officer for TeleMatrix. "There are a lot of new builds going on, which is something we haven't seen since 9/11. Our business is up 25 percent ahead of the same period last year, and cordless has been a big influence."

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Marriott to bring its global brands to more cities in China

Marriott International, which has successfully brought its seven global hotel brands to Shanghai over the past seven years, now has its sights set on Beijing and other major Chinese cities, company sales and marketing executive Daniel Lai said.    "All of our brands are now in Shanghai, and all will be seen in Beijing by the end of 2006," Lai told XFN-Asia.    Since its debut in China in 1997, the US hotel chain has been branching out aggressively.

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IH&RA 2004 Environmental Award Recognizes “Innovation in Environmental Best Practice”

IH&RA, the International Hotel & Restaurant Association, invites hotels and restaurants worldwide to apply for its 2004 “Environmental Award”   which will recognize the best “Innovation in Environmental Best Practice” in two categories: one independent and one chain-affiliated hotel or restaurant. Application instructions are now available on the IH&RA website, with materials due by the deadline of 8 October 2004. The winners will be announced and will receive special recognition at the IH&RA 41st Annual Congress to be held 19-22 November in Istanbul, Turkey. The prize also includes a Certificate recognizing Environmental Excellence as well as 2,500 USD for each winner.

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Golden Tulip Hotels captures Portugese Capital city of Lisbon with three hotels

Golden Tulip Hotels, Inns & Resorts is proud to announce the signing of two additional new franchise contracts for the Golden Tulip Park Altis and the Golden Tulip Altis Suites , adding two new hotels with a total of 342 rooms to the groups' portfolio in Lisbon, Portugal. The two new Golden Tulips are managed by Altis Hotels, who also own the 303-room Golden Tulip Altis , a Golden Tulip since 1980.

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APEC tourism summit in Punta Arenas confirmed

Eighteen out of 21 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation member economies have confirmed they will be participating in the Tourism Ministers summit scheduled in Punta Arenas next October 13/14.

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In the footsteps of a legend

Steve Shellum, Publisher/Editor of HOTEL Asia Pacific, talks to Peninsula GMs Ian Coughlan and Rainy Chan about their new positions at The Peninsula Hong Kong and Peninsula Bangkok, respectively

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Heavy Footsteps, Doors Slamming, Cool Drafts; Unexplained Occurrences at Historic Hotels of America Member Hotels

What Goes Bump in the Night? National Trust Historic Hotels of America Shares Tales of the Unexplained.  Heavy footsteps. Doors slamming. Cool drafts. This is just the beginning of the unexplained occurrences at Historic Hotels of America member hotels. With hotels dating from as early as the 1700s, it is no surprise that a few spirits have stuck around to dabble in the modern world. Apparitions range from characters dubbed Ms. Clean, Red and Walter to those with historic ties to the hotels like former owners, employees and guests. Some spirits are seen, others are heard and some play harmless pranks. Staying at one of these members of Historic Hotels of America offers a blend of architecture, history and service, and the chance to meet some "guests" that will make the stay event more memorable.

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Asset management – keeping control of payroll in London hotels

In August of this year, The London Development Agency (LDA) announced plans to invest £3.5m to create world-class hospitality service staff in London. With attention focused on the employment aspects of the industry, we review some of the major changes that have occurred within the capital. Drawing on the results of the annual HotelBenchmark Profitability Survey by Deloitte, we have analysed the profitability performance of over 60 hotels in London over a four year period, to establish how spending on payroll has changed since the industry peak of 2000.

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Two New Global Offices Demanded for Boutique Hotels & Resorts International(R)

 Boutique Hotels & Resorts International(R) announced today the opening of two new global sales and guest services offices in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Mexico City, Mexico.   Traveler loyalty to Boutique Hotel's collection in the USA, Europe, Asia and the Pacific, continues to expand rapidly.  Boutique operation centers for travel guests and member hotels will keep pace to deliver service excellence as Boutique demonstrates leadership in this travel segment.

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MTA launches first edition of the ‘Malta Historic Cities Festival’

The Malta Tourism Authority will be organising the first edition of the Malta Historic Cities Festival between the 7^th and 17^th October 2004. The primary objective of the MTA in putting together this event is to boost cultural tourism to the Maltese Islands and to present the unique assets of our historical towns to the foreign visitor. The festival is also meant to enhance Malta’s cultural events calendar, particularly during the shoulder months, and to extend tourists’ stay in Malta.  

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Confidence in South Africa's hotel industry runs high despite lower arrivals data

Confidence in the hotel industry is soaring, with a majority of managers expecting higher occupancies and room rates in the fourth quarter, according to the South African branch of US-based Horwath Tourism and Leisure Consulting. These findings apparently contradict figures issued by Statistics SA this week, that show a drop in the number of tourists from our main source markets in Europe to 688 873 between January and July, from 709 483 in the same period of 2003.

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Niche markets on the rise

With country giants like India and China expected to produce more than their fair share of mass market tourism in the years ahead , Thailand is refocussing its marketing strategies to attract the huge number of niche-market visitors seeking holidays and experiences more in tune with their personal preferences and lifestyles. Four of the key niche-markets showing extensive potential are shopping, golf, wellness, fashion and film-making

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Winning streak for SIngapore's Raffles Hotel

 

Raffles Hotel Singapore is celebrating a bumper year of awards - it has won eight in as many months. The most recent was being voted the best leisure hotel in Asia by readers of Conde Nast Traveller magazine. The win was based on a survey of about 25,000 readers of the British magazine, which has an estimated readership of 300,000. This is the hotel's first time at the top of the list and, following tradition, doorman Swaran Singh accompanied general manager Javier Rosenberg to London and accepted the award on the hotel's behalf last week.

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Launch of official hotel performance survey for Qatar

HotelBenchmark by Deloitte and the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) announce the launch of a monthly country hotel performance survey for Qatar . The Qatar edition of the HotelBenchmark Survey reports on monthly rate, occupancy and revPAR data, as well as nationality and business mix. The survey analyses performance by star rating (i.e. 3 star, 4 star and 5 star) and by size of hotel. This is the 13th in depth monthly country/city survey to be launched by the HotelBenchmark team.

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Kenya Tourist Board Announces Record U.S. Summer Arrivals Since 9-11

Today, the Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) announced record upsurges in tourism to Kenya from the U.S. market. After three record months for June, July and August, the KTB recorded a 74% increase of tourism over last year, exceeding months that pre-date 9/11. After a difficult time overcoming a U.S. State Department Travel Warning, Kenya has shown great resiliency in the U.S. market. The KTB feels the reason for this tourism growth spurt is due to increased consumer marketing and cooperative marketing programs with tour operators, along with very positive publicity from consumer publications.

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Best Inns and Best Suites Becomes America's Best Inns & Suites

Best Inns and Best Suites has become 'America’s Best Inns & Suites' and will immediately start doing business as such, the company announced today.
“We are excited about the opportunities the name change will afford the brand,” said Mike Leven, president and CEO of US Franchise Systems, Inc. (USFS), parent company of the franchisor of the brand. “We look forward to expanding our customer and franchisee base as America’s Best Inns & Suites.” USFS received approval from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granting it ownership of the name, America’s Best Inns & Suites, and

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Athens hoteliers set a personal best at the Olympic Games

Hotel performance boomed in Athens during the Olympic Games with a record growth in revenue per available room (revPAR) performance. Despite spiralling costs and last minute preparations, the Athens organising committee can be proud of themselves after hosting a successful Olympics. The Games gave Athens the opportunity to improve its image and reinvent itself to be one of the great European capitals. This should continue to have a positive impact on hotel performance for some years to come.

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Edward Evans named founding director for Cornell Hotel School's Center for Entrepreneurship

Edward A. Evans, a longtime senior executive in the managed services sector, has been appointed founding director for the Center for Entrepreneurship at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.  "The Cornell Hotel School has a longstanding record of producing graduates who go on to become successful entrepreneurs in new ventures, family businesses and corporations," said David W. Butler, dean of the School. "It is critical that we formalize our commitment to this important field of management."

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The 2004 Business Traveller Awards were announced at a lunch at the London Hilton Hotel, Park Lane on September 2

Presented by HRH the Countess of Wessex in association with the charity Vision 20:20 and sponsored by Travel Management Company TQ3, the awards are voted for by the readers of Business Traveller magazine, and for over 20 years have been the pre-eminent awards in business travel. See the complete listing

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News @ PATA

This week's PATA news & update.....

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Overseas tourism attracts Chinese holidaymakers

As the week-long National Day holiday is around the corner, tourism officials from several countries and regions have flocked to China, in hopes to draw larger crowds of Chinese holidaymakers.    "The growing potential of China's tourism market is most lucrative not only to Egypt but also to the whole world," said Dr.Nasser Abdel-Aal, tourism affairs consul of Egyptian Embassy in China.

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Thailand targets 20 million arrivals by 2008

A new focus on low season tourism is part of wide-ranging marketing plans approved by the Tourism Authority of Thailand for 2004/2005  as part of its efforts to attract 20 million visitors by 2008. The low season period, usually from May to September, will be renamed the ‘Green Season’ and promoted as a good time to visit Thailand when the country becomes green and fresh thanks to the monsoon rains. The three-year project beginning in 2005 will be supported by appropriate product development and promotion strategies. Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Mrs Juthamas Siriwan speaking today on a press conference in PATA Travel Mart 2004, said, “We are trying to balance out the peaks and troughs between arrivals in the peak and low seasons, so that the private sector can get business all year.

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After a three-year absence from the city centre, Hilton Kuala Lumpur is back

Hilton Kuala Lumpur, the new flagship property for Hilton International opened today in what the General Manager, Kees Hartzuiker, claims is an 'unprecedented' climate fuelled by a growth in tourism and confidence in the business sector.  Almost half of the 510 rooms are today filled with delegates from a medical symposium.  "After a three-year absence from the city centre, Hilton Kuala Lumpur is back and opening in the middle of economic upturn," said Hartzuiker

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Demand soars for MITT2005

The Moscow International Travel & Tourism Exhibition, (MITT) which will take place from 23-26 March 2005 at Expocentr, Moscow , is set for unsurpassed success as demand for space at the next edition has soared, with a waiting list now set in place. The MITT2004 event attracted 2,500 exhibiting companies from 111 countries and regions and in 2005 the number of destinations has continued to grow and many have booked larger stands. This reflects the stability and continued growth of the Russian outbound market, destinations such as Bulgaria, China, Dubai, Greece, Israel, Italy, Switzerland, Tanzania, Turkey, and VisitBritain have secured larger stands for their national participation.

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InterContinental Hotels Group and HSBC link up

Cardholders with HSBC bank will now be able to get a night's stay free at a wide selection of InterContinental Hotels Group properties around the Middle East and Africa. Booking a two-night weekend break at one of 55 selected hotels and resorts around the region between 1st October this year and 4th January 2005 with a HSBC credit card will allow the card holder to stay for a third night free.

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TravelCLICK Reports Second Quarter 2004 Electronic Hotel Bookings Increase of Over 10%

Hotel revenue from electronic channels up by more than 17%

TravelCLICK's eMonitor results for the second quarter of 2004 show that worldwide electronic hotel bookings were up 10.1% for the Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and Internet combined.  This year-over-year growth was fueled by a 17% increase in Internet bookings made through third-party websites powered by either Pegasus or the GDS. Hotel room nights booked electronically through the Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and key Internet sites were also up 11.4% versus the same period last year.

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Italy's tourist trade in crisis as high prices keep visitors away

After A disastrous summer, with 90,000 foreign holidaymakers staying away and nearly 20 per cent of the millions of Germans who throng the Adriatic coast each summer voting with their beach towels, Italy is desperately trying to save its most important industry. National symbols such as Fiat and Alitalia may be in the doldrums, but tourism seemed one industry where the bel paese could not go wrong. But as tourism professionals flocked to Genoa this week for the tourism industry's annual conference, the headline in La Stampa newspaper yesterday declaimed: "The annus horribilis of Italian tourism." Ten years ago Italy was the top country in Europe for tourism - today it is the sixth.

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Analysis: Hotels check in to new economic realities

That classic barometer of the economic cycle, the hotels sector, is checking in three and four-star profits again after a three year nightmare. But the actions of a number of the leading players in reducing their capital bases to make them less vulnerable to that cycle and wild-card cataclysms, such as the 11 September, 2001 terrorist acts shows that they have awoken clear-eyed. The caution is understandable. After the attacks on America three years ago, occupancy rates at major hotel groups on both sides of the Atlantic slumped 25 per cent and room rates fell 15 per cent.

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Appeal Against Ruling In Starwood Lawsuit Results In Split Judgment By Singapore Court of Appeal

The appeal made by Asia Hotel Investments Ltd (AHIL) against the ruling made by the High Court of Singapore on their claim for substantial damages from Starwood Asia-Pacific Management Pte Ltd has resulted in a split judgment by the Court of Appeal of the Republic of Singapore.  The Chief Justice has ruled to dismiss the appeal with cost, supported by a 45-page dissenting judgment, while the other judges ruled for AHIL to be provided a hearing on damages.

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Hong Kong Hoteliers Smile Again In Scramble For Rooms

Few industries have experienced anything like the rollercoaster ride that has had Hong Kong's hotels in its grip for the past 18 months. Rooms that stood empty during the Sars outbreak are now booked solid for weeks on end.  Anecdotal evidence indicates that a rapid recovery in Hong Kong's hospitality sector is still gaining steam, with tourists and business travellers chasing beds amid a rash of trade shows and international conferences while the upcoming week-long National Day holiday is threatening to fill the city to bursting point.

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Nasdaq-listed Priceline.com has bought Cambridge, UK-based hotel specialist Active Hotels in a cash transaction valued at $161m (£90m).

Active Hotels has access to 8000 hotels in the UK and Europe. Its gross bookings for the year to end Sept04 are expected to be around $160m, with revenues of $22m. Active Hotels has been in the black every quarter since Q1 03.

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Pata Travel Mart 2004 opens 70% bigger than last year

Pata Travel Mart 2004 (PTM 04) opened in Bangkok, Thailand today with a total of 345 global buyers, representing 309 organisations from 45 countries on hand  to meet 720 seller delegates representing 342 Asia Pacific travel and tourism organization from 37 countries. The numbers represent a 70% larger turnout of total delegates than at PATA Travel Mart 2003 in Singapore, which attracted 190 buyer delegates from 46 countries, and 213 seller organizations from 33 Asia Pacific countries.

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Hotel Technology Butlers Can Be a Major Asset –  Or a Huge Liability

In this cyber era, the nomenclature of room service has shifted away from just delivering breakfast and won-ton noodles. Hotels now have the requirement of a Mr Fix-It to attend technical and computer-related needs of their ever-increasing segment of high-yield road-warrior guests.  This state-of-the-art development brings with it the deployment of technology butlers –trouble-shooters on call around the clock and [hopefully] well trained in the art of resolving a slew of problems relating to computers, communications and connectivity. 

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Luxury Hotel Sector Still Catching The Investors Eye

According to a new study issued by PricewaterhouseCoopers hospitality and leisure group, the luxury hotel sector continues to attract interest from investors. Luxury hotel proprietors owning prestigious buildings are benefiting from the capital value of their properties while branded-luxury hotel operators use their brand equity to attract both corporate and leisure customers. Growth prospects for the sector as a whole are good, with investors looking for opportunities in emerging European market cities due to the shortage of suitable prestigious sites and buildings. With the trend towards individuality posing a greater challenge to luxury hotel chains than to smaller properties and operators, addressing the demands of younger customers is fuelling the growth of the small, design-intensive luxury hotel chains.

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Starwood Hotels & Resorts names Steven J. Heyer Chief Executive Officer

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced that the Company’s Board of Directors has named Steven J. Heyer Chief Executive Officer to succeed company founder Barry S. Sternlicht who will assume the position of Executive Chairman.  Heyer, most recently President and Chief Operating Officer of The Coca-Cola Company, will join Starwood on October 1.  He will report to the Company’s Board of Directors.  In his new role as Executive Chairman, Sternlicht will reduce his day-to-day role and work with Steve and the team to focus on long term strategy and provide guidance on capital investment and real estate matters.  Sternlicht will also assume the role of Chief Design Officer for the Company. 

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Business travelers invest in their own hotel rooms

Faced with a tough market for financing hotels, some developers are selling — rather than just renting — rooms to guests, thereby making them condominium hotels.Condominium hotels have long been available in resort destinations; now some developers are setting their sights on business markets as well. "It is something that's beginning to surface" in business markets, says Mark Woodworth, senior vice president in PKF Consulting's hotel practice.

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Singapore: Hospitality industry places greater emphasis on training

As Singapore transforms itself into a service industry, the hospitality industry is taking the next step by putting a greater emphasis on training. There are several privately-run hospitality schools already - the most popular being courses in tourism and hospitality offered by the Tourism Management Institute of Singapore (TMIS) and The Singapore International Hotel and Tourism College (SHATEC).

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InterContinental Hotels Group Sets Company Record for New Franchise Growth

Growth Momentum Continues With IHG Americas franchise sales group reporting record second quarter. InterContinental Hotels Group [Lon: IHG; NYSE: IHG (ADRs)] announces its Americas franchise sales group executed a record breaking number of franchise contracts and re-licensing agreements in the second quarter of 2004 building on the fast start of the first quarter. At midyear, IHG has signed 255 agreements for new growth and license renewals. This success is further evidence of IHG’s powerful brands and best-in-class franchise practices.

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A new study from TeleAnalytics concludes that business travelers are increasingly using Wi-Fi while the consumer market is growing much slower

The study tallies the number of hotels around the world that offer Wi-Fi and also looks at airport, hotel, and consumer hotspot usage. The study found that Wi-Fi use in airports has grown more than 350 percent in a six-month period. While that growth isn’t expected to be sustainable, it only represents a fraction of the people who pass through airports so additional growth is likely. The study also found plenty of consumer hotspots with less than seven sessions per week and overall usage growth in the consumer segment doesn’t surpass a 50 percent year-to-year increase.

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SRS-WORLDHOTELS signs global contract with Corinthia Hotels International

SRS-WORLDHOTELS, which includes properties in the UAE, Lebanon, Bahrain, Jordan and Saudi Arabia in its portfolio, has signed a global contract with Malta-headquartered Corinthia Hotels International to provide worldwide sales, marketing and reservation distribution services. The agreement includes Tripoli’s new Corinthia Bab Africa Hotel and properties in Tunisia and Turkey which are now available through the SRS-WORLDHOTELS network, Global Distribution Systems and major online sites.

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St Petersburg: Tourism Budget Hits Low

Just a year after St. Petersburg made international headlines as it celebrated its 300th anniversary, the city's budget for tourism industry development is on the verge of being completely eliminated in 2005.

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Starwood names former Coca-Cola president as new Chief Executive

New York-based Starwood Hotels & Resorts has appointed Steven Heyer to succeed founder Barry Sternlicht as chief executive, effective 1 October 2004. Following Heyer’s arrival, Sternlicht will assume the role of executive chairman, reducing his day-to-day responsibilities to focus on long-term strategy and capital investment. He will also become Starwood’s chief design officer. Heyer joins the hotel group from Coca-Cola, where he was president and chief operating officer. Prior to that he held the same positions at Turner Broadcasting System, owner of the CNN news network and a subsidiary of media giant AOL Time Warner.

More... [949 views]

Drip Drip - Just A Drop makes the Difference

World Travel Market Exhibitors Get Ready to Help -And Holland Gets on Its Bike. World Travel Market exhibitors and other organisations are 'rolling up their sleeves' to get involved in this year's "Just a Drop" big push to raise money that will help save the lives of thousands of children worldwide. The international industry charity — now in its seventh year — helps to fund water and sanitation projects where ever they are needed.

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Rocco Forte Hotels: Best For Business

Rocco Forte Hotels is celebrating after The Balmoral in Edinburgh was voted the best UK Hotel for business outside London, with The St David’s Hotel & Spa voted next best, at the Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Awards held in London on Wednesday 15th September. The Lowry Hotel in Manchester was also in the top 12, meaning that all of the Rocco Forte Hotels in the UK were highly commended in the business category. The Balmoral was ranked highest for standard and comfort of accommodation, as well as for its ambience and décor, with the St David’s Hotel & Spa ranking highest for leisure facilities.

More... [655 views]

ISES past President recognised for industry contribution

Sally Webb, a founder member and past president of ISES UK and Managing Director of The Special Event Company, has been voted International Event Professional of the Year .

More... [591 views]

Jumeirah Islands project in Dubai fully sold out

Jumeirah Islands, Nakheel`s upscale and exclusive self-contained complex of 46 clusters within man-made islands  spread across an area of 300 hectares, is now totally sold out, following an enthusiastic response from regional and international buyers. The unique real estate project comprising a total of 736, four and five-bedroom villas designed along four core themes is taking shape on the eastern side of Sheikh Zayed Road, between Interchanges 5 and 6. Nakheel has already completed the work of filling the artificial lakes with seawater that is pumped in from the sea through an underground pipeline.

More... [793 views]

Marriott President to Speak at Bank of America Conference and Cendant to Buy Ramada

William J. Shaw, president and chief operating officer of Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR), will speak at the Bank of America Securities 34th Annual Investment Conference in San Francisco. Hotel franchisor Cendant Corp. (NYSE: CD) said Wednesday that it plans to buy Ramada International Hotels & Resorts from Marriott International Inc., giving Cendant all worldwide trademark rights to the Ramada brand.

More... [714 views]

WTTC Appoints Sustainable Tourism Expert to Chair Judging Panel for New Tourism for Tomorrow Awards

Today the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) announced that the judging panel for the newly relaunched Tourism for Tomorrow Awards will be chaired by Costas Christ, CEO of the Bar Harbor Maine Chamber of Commerce, USA.  Mr Christ is an expert on sustainable tourism and his professional career spans both the public and private sectors.  He was previously Senior Director for Ecotourism at Conservation International where he launched the World Legacy Awards in sustainable tourism with National Geographic Traveler Magazine in 2002. 

More... [587 views]

Marriott Expands 'Fit for You' to Fit Every Age and Lifestyle

New Restaurant Menus, Retail Choices and Children's Menus Stay Ahead of Health and Lifestyle Trends . In response to the success of its "Fit for You" breakfast program, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, a brand of Marriott International, Inc. , is launching new culinary offerings and services this month.  The program will expand to lunch and dinner restaurant menus, concierge-level selections, room service and catering menus, and retail store offerings, followed by kids' menus in November.  "Fit for You" caters to guests' personal dietary regimens with carb-conscious, low- cholesterol, low-fat and other dietary offerings. 

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Last-minute hotel booking portal expands into Asia

An Australian company specialising in last-minute online hotel booking is expanding into Asia, lured by a travel boom sparked by the emergence of low-cost airlines. Wotif.com, which took the Australian travel market by storm when it was set up four years ago, has established a regional office in Singapore as a launch pad for its Asian foray. Eleventh-hour cancellations and unsold quotas given to travel agents often leave hotels holding a number of vacant rooms.

More... [770 views]

InterContinental Hotels Group Sets Company Record for New Franchise Growth

InterContinental Hotels Group , the world's largest and most global hotel company, announces its Americas franchise sales group executed a record breaking number of franchise contracts and re-licensing agreements in the second quarter of 2004 building on the fast start of the first quarter.  At midyear, IHG has signed 255 agreements for new growth and license renewals.  This success is further evidence of IHG's powerful brands and best-in-class franchise practices

More... [772 views]

Second quarter 2004 electronic hotel bookings increase of over 10%, hotel revenue from electronic channels up by more than 17%

TravelCLICK`s eMonitor results for the second quarter of 2004 show that worldwide electronic hotel bookings were up 10.1%  for the Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and Internet combined. This year-over-year growth was fueled by a 17% increase in Internet bookings made through third-party websites powered by either Pegasus or the GDS.

More... [926 views]

Galaxy to launch innovative Tourist Board Reservation System at PATA Travel Mart 2004

Galaxy Travel Distribution System, specialising in on-line global travel distribution systems for ground services, plans to announce and introduce Galaxy TBRS(tm) , an innovative Tourist Board Reservation System at this year`s PATA Travel Mart 2004 (PTM 2004) to be held from 22 - 24 September 2004, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand.

More... [608 views]

WTO commends MTA’s adoption of ‘Tourism Enriches’ campaign

In a recent edition of its newsletter, the World Tourism Organisation (WTO), the leading international organisation in the field of travel and tourism, congratulated the Malta Tourism Authority for “being the first to efficiently use the WTO Tourism Enriches Campaign” 

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Hotel Growth Strategies Value Creation and Preservation

A relatively low level of hotel transactions have occurred to date and few properties are available on the market. As a result, it is difficult for many hotel owners, investors or even shareholders to continue to grow their investments through external sources with accretion as a mandate. Strategies for most growth-oriented hotel companies, whether public or private, will need to emphasize income growth from internal methods.

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PricewaterhouseCoopers Forecasts RevPAR to Increase by 6.3% in 2004, the Largest Increase in 20 Years

Reflects Confluence of Increased Inflation, Acceleration of Business Travel, Resumption of Robust Real GDP Growth, Perverse Positive Effects of Florida Hurricanes and Other Factors. PricewaterhouseCoopers forecasts revenue per available room (RevPAR) to increase by 6.3 percent in 2004, the largest increase in 20 years. The 3.7 forecast increase in average daily rate in 2004 will contribute almost 60 percent of the total forecast RevPAR gain for the year.  Many factors support the favorable outlook for ADR:

More... [631 views]

Destination Marketing – How to rebuild your Reputation and the upcoming Season after the Hurricanes

The world watched on television the dramatic devastation from a recent spate of hurricanes in the Southeastern US and the Caribbean.  The pictures and reporting were real and immediate; they were wrenching; and, they were memorable. As Destination Markets assess the damages, and, in many cases, provide for basic needs at this point, your visitors await information, status and condition of the areas they wish to visit in the near future.  Obviously, your valued loyal guests need to be reassured.  But, the bulk of your business probably consists of the “light user”, the consumer who will not stop planning a vacation or travel but typically has little allegiance to a Destination Market; they will simply remove you from their “radar” and look elsewhere.  Clearly, Destination leadership has a huge public relations challenge, for, now, perception is the reality.  

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IHG to offer ‘lowest online room rates anywhere on the web’

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), global hotel company, is launching a new online booking campaign, which means its customers will benefit from a direct booking facility with a guarantee of the best online room rates promoted anywhere on the web.  Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Express by Holiday Inn brands will all be available at www.icHotelsGroup.co.uk, which will cater for both leisure and business travellers.

More... [547 views]

Hotels wire up for guests

For executive travelers the hotel room is more than just a place to sleep at night; these days it is also a work zone where the businessperson can get connected to the office. Wireless and broadband Internet connections in lobbies, restaurants and rooms were once the domain of the world's top hotels. Now road warriors are demanding connectivity wherever they go.

More... [874 views]

Hong Kong hotel business up almost 200 percent

Business receipts in almost every service industry surged in the second quarter, with hotel business up 190.4 percent over the same period last year, according to a government report on Friday. The Census and Statistics Department said the surge was largely attributable to growth in inbound tourism, and a relatively low base of comparison in the second quarter last year when inbound tourism was hit by severe acute respiratory syndrome.

More... [663 views]

Cairo hosts the Mediterranean Travel Fair

The Fifth Mediterranean Travel Fair (MTF) in Cairo opened Tuesday at the Cairo International Convention and Exhibition Center highlighting a message that Egypt's tourism flourishes despite the unstable political climate prevailing. Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif appointed mid-July, after serving his post as minister for information and telecommunications, inaugurated the fair.

More... [559 views]

Gearing Wireless Hotspots Toward Business Users Rather Than Consumers is Paying Off

Having realized that consumers were not the best initial target market for public wireless Local Area Network (LAN) access, hotspot providers have stepped up efforts to improve deployments in business venues, such as hotels, convention centers and airports. In addition, pricing plans have improved and services, in some locations, have become free.  According to In-Stat/MDR (http://www.instat.com), these strategies have helped to grow the market; however, it still remains somewhat limited, to date.  

More... [583 views]

The sleeping giant - India wakes up to the tourism challenge

This passion for India seems to be shared by today’s travellers, with more than three million tourists set to visit the country  this year and an impressive growth rate of 15.3 % during 2003. Mark Twain described it as ‘the one land that all men desire to see,’ while the French philosopher Romain Rolland said ‘if there is one place on the face of this earth where all dreams of living men have found a home… it is India.”

More... [776 views]

PricewaterhouseCoopers Revised U.S. Lodging Forecast: RevPAR will Grow 6.3 Percent, the Largest Increase Since 1984

Reflects Confluence of Increased Inflation, Acceleration of Business Travel, Resumption of Robust Real GDP Growth, Perverse Positive Effects of Florida Hurricanes and Other Factors. The 3.7 forecast increase in average daily rate in 2004 will contribute almost 60 percent of the total forecast RevPAR gain for the year. 

More... [607 views]

Hotel chief checks out in strategy overhaul

Hotels group InterContinental has begun the search for a new chief executive after a change in strategy forced out its boss Richard North.

More... [1041 views]

The Stein Group names the former CEO of the Peninsula Hotels Group as its new President

The Stein Group announces the appointment of Mr Pierre Boppe as its new presidnet. His mission will be to further develop the company’s brand in the luxury travel sector and to continue to establish the The Stein Group as a leading owner, developer and operator of small luxury and boutique hotels throughout Europe.  

More... [1364 views]

TIME 2004 To Help Recover Indonesian Tourism

Indonesian tourism is not yet fully recovered borrowing a series of happenings in the period of 2003-2004, including SARS outbreak, the bird flu, Iraqi war, bomb blast at JW Marriott Jakarta Hotel, the general election, and the latest bomb attack at Australian Embassy in Jakarta, which seem to bring direct or indirect impact to the national tourism industry. Besides, the issuance of several policies such as visa-on-arrival as well as the travel warnings by a number of countries is reported to have contributed to the decrease of foreign arrivals from the considered potential markets.

More... [580 views]

Loyalty Program defection increases when rewards are slow

Maritz Loyalty Marketing Reveals Top Reasons Customers Leave and Recommends Strategies to Keep Them.  When consumers leave a loyalty/rewards program, most (70 percent) cite the length of time it takes to build up points as the primary reason, according to a Maritz Poll commissioned by Maritz Loyalty Marketing.  The number jumps to 79 percent in the critical 18 - 24 age group. “Marketers need to provide consumers with realistic and achievable goals,” said Gail Sneed, market development director at Maritz Loyalty Marketing.  “Particularly with the crucial college-age demographic, it’s the chance to win or lose a lifelong customer.”  

More... [915 views]

Theme of 2005 Hotel Investment Conference; “The Right Industry, The Right Time!,” March 13-15, 2005, Atlanta

Officials of the Hotel Investment Conference today announced that its 2005 conference will be held March 13-15, 2005, at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia in Atlanta, Ga.  Designed specifically for hotel owners and investors, the Hotel Investment Conference is one of the industry’s four major annual nationwide events.  Proceeds from the conference benefit Georgia State University’s Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality Administration.

More... [626 views]

7 leading companies to participate in HTNG property/distribution solution workgroup

Leading Hotels, Vendors, Consultants, and OpenTravel? <:PLACE> Alliance Join Forces to Address Distribution Interoperability

Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) today announced the formation of the HTNG Property/Distribution Solution Workgroup.  Sixteen leading hotel companies, vendors, and consultants, together with the OpenTravel™ Alliance (OTA), will work together to define and deliver technology solutions that will improve the interoperability of the key systems that manage distribution for hotels, including property management, central reservations, revenue management, customer relationship management, content management, external distribution channels, and intermediaries such as switches and representation companies.

More... [611 views]

Hotel Franchise Agreements: Opportunities And Pitfalls

Over the years, the hospitality industry has witnessed the ebb and flow of branded hotels in the marketplace. Not long ago, we rode the wave from branded to independent properties. But the tide has changed, and today brand power reigns. Along with this resurgence has come the increased use of franchise agreements (sometimes called license agreements) as an alternative to traditional management agreements. The sea change is visible across all service levels and product types—limited service, full service and even upscale brands— and it brings with it both opportunities and pitfalls for owners and franchisors.

More... [1017 views]

TUI to open five hotels with Egypt's Travco Group

TUI AG has signed an agreement with Egypt's Travco Group to build five four-star hotels on the country's Mediterranean coast, Egypt's
ministry of tourism said.

More... [692 views]

Germany: Foreign tourism rises

Germany is becoming increasingly popular with foreign tourists, the German National Tourist Board announced on Monday. During the first half of 2004, the number of registered overnight stays rose 10 percent to 27.2 million, the board said.

More... [648 views]

Hospitality Leadership Forum – a New Full-day Conference Will Kick Off the 2004 International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show

The new Hospitality Leadership Forum, as well as additional hotel-focused seminars and panel discussions being held during the 2004 International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show® (IH/M&RS), will offer lodging industry executives valuable information and knowledgeable insight on today’s most important trends. Leading experts will address a host of topics during a four-day series of seminars, November 13-16, 2004, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. 

More... [580 views]

Hotel gain lifts Great Eagle first-half earnings

Property investor and hotel operator Great Eagle Holdings (owner of Langham Hotels)  posted a 13.3 per cent rise in first-half net profit as the return of corporate travellers bolstered hotel occupancy rates. The company said it earned HK$163.9 million, or 28 HK cents per share, for the six months ended June 30, compared with HK$144.7 million a year ago. Turnover rose 15 per cent to HK$1.28 billion.

More... [540 views]

MENA Travel Awards 2005 begins now

This event has been formed to annually celebrate the skills, creativity, ingenuity and triumph of the Middle East and North Africa’s growing travel industry, while honoring the successful entrants in each of the industry categories; and those who are considered to be the best in their specific sector.

More... [754 views]

Nepal: Leading hotels resume their operations

A day after the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) withdrew its call for indefinite closure of hotels and industries, leading hotels in the country have resumed their operations. Soaltee Crowne Plaza, a leading five-star hotel, and The Malla Hotel of Kathmandu, Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge, Tiger Tops Tented Camp and Tiger Mountain Tharu Lodge-Chitwan, Fishtail Lodge-Pokhara and a few other small hotels have resumed their operations from Thursday.

More... [625 views]

Cendant Moves to Acquire Ramada International from Marriott International

Cendant Corporation's Hotel Group and Marriott International Inc. today announced the signing of a non-binding letter of intent for Cendant to purchase Ramada International Hotels & Resorts, primarily a franchised brand of 204 hotels representing 27,728 rooms in 26 countries and territories. Pending approval by regulatory authorities and final negotiation of terms, the signing of a sales agreement and closing on the deal are expected to occur in the next few months.  Financial terms and transition plans were not disclosed.  Both Cendant Corporation and Marriott International do not expect that the financial impact of the transaction will be material. 

More... [858 views]

North quits IHG

InterContinental Hotels has announced that chief executive Richard North is standing down at the end of September.

More... [924 views]

News @ PATA

This week's PATA news and update...

More... [591 views]

Athens hoteliers concerned over post-Olympic tourism policy

Athens hoteliers on Tuesday voiced concerns about the post-Olympic period and called for measures to make the Greek capital one of the "fashionable" worldwide destinations, capitalizing on the good reputation it had earned as Olympics host-city. During a press conference on Tuesday, the Athens Hotels Union announced that it was sending a letter to Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and Tourism Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos outlining the tourism sector's concerns and calling for immediate action.

More... [687 views]

Europeans keen on traveling to Dubai

Europeans accounted for substantial percentage of the Dubai hotel establishment guests, which, in the year 2003, was nearly five million, a 5 percent growth over the previous year, said the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) Tuesday. In the first half of 2004, according to new figures released by the DTCM, European guests continued their stronger share in the market comprising of 372 hotel and hotel apartments.

More... [684 views]

Things are "sounding" good at Park Hyatt Hotels

Always pushing the envelope to surpass guests' expectations, Park Hyatt has created the most indulgent extravagance, a collection of Ultimate Sensory Experiences that range from two to four nights. Elegantly stylish Park Hyatts around the world have created their own sexy packages designed to hone guests' senses of smell, taste, sight, touch, and sound, plus a sixth sensation that is central to every Park Hyatt experience - a sense of style. 

More... [1073 views]

German tourism sales soar in August ahead of commissions cut

Leisure travel sales in German travel agencies grew strongly last month with a 13.1% year-on-year rise, according to the latest monthly sales survey by the TATS organisation. Together with a 22.6% increase in airline ticket sales, overall agency revenues rose 15.1%. The sharp increases are partly due to a large number of German agents deliberately bringing forward bookings involving airline tickets into August in order to still earn commissions. From September 1 onwards, Lufthansa and other airlines stopped paying agents sales commissions.

More... [615 views]

Kuoni Group: Armin Meier named new Kuoni CEO

The Board of Directors of Kuoni Travel Holding Ltd. has appointed Armin Meier (46), currently a Member of the Executive Management of the Migros Federation of Cooperatives, to serve as Kuoni`s new Chief Executive Officer. e will succeed Hans Lerch, the current CEO, in spring 2005. Hans Lerch will be proposed for election to the Kuoni Travel Holding Ltd. Board of Directors to the company`s General Meeting of Shareholders in 2005 .

More... [702 views]

Slovenia: Increasing number of foreign tourists

Slovenia has much to expect in the area of tourism, as the number of foreign tourists visiting Slovenia so far this year has proved encouraging. 

More... [618 views]

Marriott profits from rise in business travel

After suffering a stinging setback following the terror attacks and recession in 2001, business travel is making a comeback as the economy slowly gathers steam. Nearly three-quarters of business-travel managers surveyed earlier this year said they expect that business travel will rebound significantly in the remainder of 2004 and into 2005, according to a National Business Travel Association. That bodes well for hospitality businesses such as Marriott International Inc., which credited a rise in business travel for boosting second-quarter profits.

More... [660 views]

Benchmark Hospitality's Top Dining Trends for the Future, as Observed by its Properties

Atkins is Fading - Balance is Best!  Benchmark Hospitality International, which manages 25 award-winning resorts, hotels and conference centers in the United States, Canada and Japan, has announced its Top Dining Trends for the Future, as observed by its properties.

More... [1109 views]

America`s travel expectations are high this fall

A high interest in leisure travel and a solid return to business travel bodes well for this fall travel season, making it one of the strongest in years . According to the Fall 2004 forecast from the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), Americans will take 278 million person-trips during September, October and November 2004, an increase of 3.1 percent over last fall. A person-trip is one person on one trip traveling 50 miles or more from home, one way. "Consumers` pent-up demand and corporate America`s healthier bottom line are merging to create a ripe environment for the travel market," remarked Dr. Suzanne Cook, senior vice president of research for the Travel Industry Association of America.

More... [740 views]

The Importance of Infrastructure: Planning for the Future

As a strategist I wonder: What entitles some hotels to prosper for dozens of decades, while their competitors fade away in increments of thirty years?
What allows a hotel to stand the test of time? You know the type: the “grand dames” of hospitality, world-renowned, ever-dynamic, always beautiful, and usually higher rated (as in ADR) hotel properties? They sprinkle themselves with diamonds and stars and make you remember one night there forever. As a strategist I wonder: What entitles some hotels to prosper for dozens of decades, while their competitors fade away in increments of thirty years

More... [1109 views]

JinJiang to grow budget hotel chain

JinJiang International Holdings, a large state-owned Chinese conglomerate with businesses ranging from real estate to fast food restaurants to municipal taxis, has announced aggressive plans to grow its chain of 53 budget hotels - JinJiang Inn. Room nights at the chain cost between US$19 to US$27 a night. JinJiang plans to expand the number of JinJiang Inns to 200 before the end of 2006, through a combination of new hotel construction, joint investment with domestic and international partners, acquisition and re-branding of existing hotels, and enlistment of independent hotel operators.

More... [833 views]

TIA Report Shows Number of Americans Using the Internet for Travel Planning Remains Stable at 63.8 million

Travelers’ use of the Internet to plan and book their trips continues to grow, albeit at a slower pace, according to the Travel Industry Association of America’s (TIA) latest Travelers’ Use of the Internet study. Nearly 64 million online travelers—30 percent of the U.S. adult population—used the Internet in the past year to get travel and destination information. Of that group, 44.6 million actually booked at least one travel service or product online in the past year.

More... [726 views]

Langham Hotels International Opens Three Global Sales Offices in New York, Shanghai and Sydney

Langham Hotels International (LHI), the whollyowned hotel operating and asset management subsidiary of publicly listed
Great Eagle Holdings Limited (HKSE: 41), announced today the opening of the Group’s Global Sales Offices in three gateway cities across the United States, China and Australia.

More... [1006 views]

Sol Kerzner, Founder and Chairman of Kerzner International Will Receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific

Sol Kerzner, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Kerzner International will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the upcoming Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP), scheduled for October 13-15, 2004 in Hong Kong. 

More... [711 views]

DTCM Director General calls for big push to Dubai promotion in overseas markets

The Director General of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Mr. Khalid A bin Sulayem, underscored the  need for giving further push to Dubai`s marketing and promotional efforts in both established and emerging markets to achieve ambitious growth levels set for the emirate`s booming tourism industry. Addressing senior staff of the DTCM Overseas Representation offices at their 10-day annual gathering, he highlighted the inspiring performance of Dubai on the world tourism map and the impressive growth levels the emirate achieved in a relatively short span of time.

More... [558 views]

U.S. Department of Commerce Announces A New Co-operative Marketing Program

                                                                  

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Fairmont Hotels & Resorts To Manage The Savoy Hotel In London

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Inc. is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to manage The Savoy Hotel, one of London's most renowned and prestigious hotel properties. Concurrently, a company affiliated with His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Bank of Scotland Corporate, part of HBOS plc, have entered into discussions with the hotel owner, Quinlan Private, to purchase the hotel. Subject to the successful sale of the property, Fairmont will assume the management responsibilities of The Savoy in 
January 2005. 

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Developing an Email Marketing Strategy in Hospitality

Email marketing has changed significantly since our first article on the subject appeared a few years ago. Savvy hoteliers who embraced the use of email marketing as a direct distribution tool have another potent weapon in their arsenal against the need for online intermediaries. We have revisited email because this eMarketing format has developed remarkably in hospitality over these few years. As well as highlight important changes, we share examples of the collective spirit of hotel marketers who have been able to overcome spam and Internet marketing challenges by introducing great solutions for promoting their hotels in a cluttered email box world. 

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InterContinental Hotels Putting 76 Properties Up for Sale to Raise UKpound 1.3 billion

InterContinental Hotels has put the for sale sign in front of another 76 properties to raise UKpound 1.3 billion.

That is on top of other sales and completed disposals worth UKpound 2.2 billion since its demerger from pubs group Six Continents last year. IntererContinental has chosen to concentrate on managing hotels and developing franchises. Most of the hotels to be sold are in the UK.  Some analysts worry that, as a support services company, InterContinental will fail to gain from any cyclical upturn in the industry.

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Cornell Study Highlights Hotel Discounting Pitfalls

A new report published by The Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell is challenging executives to rethink their hotel discounting strategies. The study, which used data drawn from over 6,000 hotels for the period of 2001 through 2003, found that: Discounting relative to the competitive set does, in fact, raise occupancy, but hotels in direct competition experience higher revenues when they maintain their price structure and do not discount to fill rooms.

More... [1093 views]

Saudi Prince Alwaleed confirms talks to buy Savoy Hotel

Billionaire Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal confirmed yesterday his Kingdom Holding Company and the corporate banking arm of HBOS Plc were in talks to buy London’s Savoy Hotel for $400 million.  A statement from Kingdom Holdings said the prince was negotiating to buy the hotel and Simpson’s in the Strand restaurant off Irish property and advisory firm Quinlan Private.

More... [810 views]

Caribbean Tourism private sector makes the case in Europe for investment in the region

Message to European partners calls on support for tourism on the development agenda .  The Caribbean tourism private sector continues to solidify its role as the motor for development of the region's single most important activity.  Alec Sanguinetti, director general and CEO of the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA), spoke today in Brussels on behalf of the Caribbean travel and tourism industry, at a Consultation Meeting on Partnership and Investment Opportunities in the Tourism Sector of the ACP Countries.  The CHA message centered on the unique opportunities that the Caribbean offers for investment, not only in new hotels and their continuing upgrading, but also in linkages related to agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, attractions, etc.

More... [621 views]

An Assessment for Success

There are many effective means available of assessing current and future company executives. Are you utilizing an effective assessment tool? Stephen Goebel takes a look at the what, how, and why of executive assessment.

More... [785 views]

Britain's first taste of the Japanese short-stay capsule hotel will pack a lot of luxury into a little space

It's not exactly a room with a view, but one of the UK's leading entrepreneurs believes Britain is ready for the capsule hotel - a stack of cramped, windowless pods which can be booked for the night, or for a matter of hours.

Simon Woodroffe, the man responsible for the Yo! Sushi chain of restaurants, has brought the concept from Japan and is planning to build the "Yotels" throughout Britain.  A full-scale model of a Yotel room will be shown at a design fair at Earls Court later this month, and sites are currently being looked at.  For £10 an hour, or £75 a night, guests will be able to sleep in rooms measuring 10 square metres and without any proper windows.

More... [639 views]

Brisbane Market Analysis 2004

An overview of historic trends, analysis of market cycles and performance outlook for the next three years, as well as a discussion of yield strategies and impact on profitability.

More... [659 views]

Sedona Suites in Vietnam goes Broadband and Wireless

Guests and residents at the Sedona Suites in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City can now enjoy broadband and wireless internet connections. The newly installed internet services enable guests to access the internet in most areas within the residential complex. 

More... [568 views]

Jakarta’s occupancy down 20 per cent

The occupancy at top-tier hotels in Jakarta has now fallen by about 20 per cent following the bomb blast in front of the Australian Embassy last week. Speaking at a media conference, Jakarta City Government Tourist office director, Ms Aurora Tambunan, said: “ Occupancy at five-star properties one day prior to the bombing and two days following the incident showed a drop. These are mostly international chain hotels that receive international guests. But the three-star properties remain stabilised.”

More... [532 views]

Is the Hospitality Industry Prepared to Manage another Disaster?

On Saturday, October 2 and Sunday October 3 the Canadian Red Cross will host its premier Disaster Management Conference appropriately named “Re-Start It’s tomorrow you have to plan for”providing delegates with the tools to develop a disaster management template.

More... [717 views]

High five for Ritz-Carlton in Asia

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company’s president and chief operating officer, Mr Simon Cooper, was in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore last week to meet the trade and conduct sales and marketing meetings, has confirmed five new Asian locations for the group’s portfolio.

More... [528 views]

IH&RA commemorates its 41st Annual Congress “Building Business – Building Partnerships”

Hoteliers worldwide are starting to reconsider strategic partnerships to increase profits, regain control of inventory, maintain price integrity and build consumer confidence and fidelity . This means establishing new partners, turning back to tried and true friends or rupturing ties completely, as was the case when InterContinental Hotel Groups made a recent and very public break with a well-known on-line distributor stating that they are “committed to only working with distributors and their affiliates that do not engage in confusing and potentially unclear marketing practices” . Maximizing business is a matter of building trust, but with whom and how? These are the issues that will be confronted head-on at the IH&RA Congress, “Building Business – Building Partnerships,” to be held 19-22 November in Istanbul, Turkey.

More... [590 views]

Laptop security fuels use of in-room safes

Guestroom safes are becoming more mainstream in the hotel industry because of an overall increased emphasis on security and to offer business travelers protection for their laptop computers. "Since 9/11, guests and hotels are more security conscious on all levels, and that includes protecting valuables in guestrooms," said Glenn Peacock, director of marketing for Saflok. "Safes are on the uptick and have been for some time," said Adam Yapkowitz, director of marketing for Onity. "They are more and more mandated by business travelers who want to put their laptops in the safes and by leisure travelers who want them for their wallet and jewelry." The mandate for in-room safes might come from a hotel company.

More... [827 views]

Rocco Forte Hotels announces 15th hotel

The hotel will be located in the heart of Munich in Lenbach Garten, close to both the commercial and shopping districts , yet on the edge of the Botanical Gardens, thus providing peace and tranquillity away from the bustle of the city centre. The new-build property costing Euros 71.5 million has been designed by the architectural firm Hilmer & Sattler und Albrecht, which won the tender to develop the area currently occupied by Maximilian University. In addition to the hotel, the site comprises office buildings, exclusive loft apartments, a small square and a few retail outlets. Construction is due to finish in spring 2007.

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YOTEL:a new concept hotel launching at 100% Design 2004

Not satisfied with turning the UK restaurant industry upside down with YO!Sushi and its healthy, elegant fast food concept , YO! is turning its attention to hotels with the launch of YOTEL at 100% Design this September. With the signature YO! combination of radical change and entertainment, YOTEL is a revolutionary hotel concept destined to deliver the industry a wake-up call.

More... [872 views]

Savoy boss confirms talks with Alwaleed

The former Dublin tax inspector who recently bought the Savoy Group for Pounds 750 million confirmed yesterday that he is in talks to sell the Savoy Hotel itself for an estimated £230 million to Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, the Saudi billionaire.Responding to a report in The Times, Quinlan Private, the Dublin-based private client advisory firm owned by Derek Quinlan, issued a statement confirming that it was in talks over a deal with Prince Alwaleed, acting jointly with Bank of Scotland Corporate, part of HBOS.

More... [809 views]

Focus on Thailand – hotel industry continues to attract interest

Hotel performance is booming in Thailand, both in resort areas like Phuket and in the capital, Bangkok.  Thailand’s relative political stability encourages development and investment, as does its geographic location in the heart of South-East Asia. Add to that Thailand’s reputation for its excellent service culture and it is not difficult to understand the recent wave of hotel development throughout the country. This has been especially apparent in Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya and Bangkok.

More... [1083 views]

News @ PATA

This week's PATA news and update....

More... [596 views]

German hotels see growth in profit levels during first six months of 2004

Following the release of the HotelBenchmark Annual Profitability Survey by Deloitte earlier this year, we anticipated that profit levels across the European hotel market would improve during 2004 . So far so good. Latest monthly profitability data on Germany shows an increase in income before fixed charges (IBFC) for five out of six cities tracked during the first half of 2004.

More... [743 views]

Club Mediterranee third quarter revenues for 2004

Club Mediterranee Group announced that revenues for the third quarter of 2004  (from May 1st to July 31st) amounted to 396 million Euros vs 387 million Euros for the same period last year. This represents a growth of 3.1% on a like-for-like basis and with constant exchange rates. Over 9 months (from November 1st to July 31st), comparable group revenues have increased by 2.6% relative to 2003. For the villages activity, the level of cumulative bookings for the summer season, as of September 4th, has increased by 0.6% compared to summer 2003.

More... [523 views]

Indonesia: Business as usual, but Indonesia trade braces itself

Indonesian hotels, airlines, travel agents report no immediate drop in business following the bombing in front of the Australian Embassy in Jakarta yesterday. However, they are concerned about the fallout in the coming weeks. Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association executive director, Ms Carla Parengkuan, said: “We don’t know how severely this will affect business yet, but it is definitely a blow to the industry, which was experiencing positive growth in the last eight months.”

More... [614 views]

IHG lifts hotel operating profits by 50%

InterContinental Hotels has reported a H1 increase in London revPAR of 22.3% compared with a 6.7% lift in the UK regions.

More... [781 views]

Whitbread tipped for Marriott sale

Whitbread is reported to be considering disposing of part of its four-star Marriott hotel chain for £200m.  According to the Daily Telegraph , the move is being discussed following a strategic review of the business by Alan Parker, who was promoted from managing director of Whitbread’s hotel division to group chief executive in June. Parker is expected to announce the outcome of the review alongside the group’s interims results on 28 October.

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PATA members face the press at PATA Travel Mart 2004

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has arranged 14 media briefings as part of PATA Travel Mart  (PTM04), to be held September 22-24,2004 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok, Thailand. Media delegates will have the option of attending informative updates by the Department of Tourism, Government of India, Guam Visitors Bureau, Cambodia`s Ministry of Tourism, the Nepal Tourism Board, the Sri Lanka Tourism Board, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tourism Malaysia, and Bihar State Tourism (India).

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Shangri-La launches new spa brand CHI

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, announced its foray into the growing spa market with the launch of its new brand, CHI . The first CHI spa opened at the Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok in July 2004. There are plans for 10 CHI spas to be introduced in various hotel locations over the next few years. Designed to create a sanctuary of tranquility inspired by the legend of `Shangri-La,` CHI features some of the largest and most luxurious private spa suites and villas. It offers a range of specialised body, water, massage and facial therapies based on the ancient healing traditions, philosophies and rituals of China and the Himalayas.

More... [794 views]

Marriott`s first female General Manager brings Courtyard brand to Dubai

Elaine Watson, Marriott International’s first female General Manager in the Middle East, prepares to introduce Marriott’s Courtyard brand to the UAE . The 165-room Courtyard by Marriott Green Community Dubai and 43-unit Marriott Executive Apartments are part of a multi-use residential/commercial development currently under construction on the outskirts of Dubai. The hotel is scheduled to open in November 2004.

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TIA Report Shows Number Of Online Travel Bookers Continues To Grow

More Are Also Booking All Of Their Travel Online.  Travelers’ use of the Internet to plan and book their trips continues to grow, albeit at a slower pace, according to the Travel Industry Association of America’s (TIA) latest  Traveler's Use of the Internet study. Nearly 64 million online travelers—30 percent of the U.S. adult population—used the Internet in the past year to get travel and destination information. Of that group, 44.6 million actually booked at least one travel service or product online in the past year.

More... [615 views]

Accor sees better hotel days ahead

ACCOR 2004 Interim Results Profit before Tax Up 25%   Net income (Group share) totaled EUR 81 million, a decline of EUR 25 million due to higher capital gains recorded in first-half 2003.

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Best Western to Add Two Romanian Hotels To Its Chain

International hotel chain Best Western said on Wednesday it would expand its Romanian network to nine units by allowing two hotels to join as affiliates by end-2004. "We will affiliate another two hotels in Iasi and Galati, with whose owners we are in advanced negotiations," Best Western co-ordinator for Romania Malin Malineanu said in a statement.

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Melbourne hotel market suffering oversupply

Melbourne's hotel market is struggling due to an over-supply of rooms, analyst DA Dransfield & Co said. Melbourne hotel room supply has increased by 7.1% and rates have fallen approximately 8% compared to the same period last year, as hoteliers continue discounting rates to fill spaces.

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Intercontinental plans hotel sale

 Intercontinental Hotels is planning to shed properties worth £750m ($1.3bn) to help it recover from three years of falling hotel bookings.

The company operates 3,500 hotels, including Intercontinental, Crown Plaza and Holiday Inn, and has been hit by the post September 11 travel slowdown.  Most of the UK Holiday Inn and Crown Plaza hotels will be up for sale as will the Intercontinental Paris hotel.  The company will be left with a portfolio of some 50 owned hotels.  The Paris Le Grand will be kept on after its recent multi-million pound refurbishment.

More... [850 views]

PATA Gold Awards 2005 go home to Macau

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has launched the PATA Gold Awards 2005 . The PATA Gold Awards competition is the Asia Pacific travel industry`s premier awards programme recognising excellence, innovation and dedication across the whole spectrum of travel and tourism endeavours in the region. The deadline for PATA to receive submissions is December 1, 2004. The PATA Gold Awards 2005 brochures are being mailed to PATA members and chapters this week.

More... [514 views]

Jurys Doyle hotels optimisitc despite profit drop

Jurys Doyle  posted lower first-half pretax profit on Tuesday as the head of Ireland's largest hotel operator said the home market remained difficult but that he was inclined to be optimistic overall.  "The continued recovery in the UK and the U.S. mean we would be more on the optimistic side than the cautious side now," Jurys Doyle Chief Executive Pat McCann said in an interview when asked about his "cautiously optimistic" outlook for this year.

More... [534 views]

Hilton continues to Streamline Portfolio of UK Hotels

Hilton UK & Ireland confirms that the 88-bedroom Hilton Aviemore and the adjoining 62-bedroom Aviemore Inn in Inverness-shire have been sold to Macdonald Hotels , members of the Aviemore Highlands Resort consortium. The hotels are set to take on new ownership on October 1, 2004.The 86 members of staff will remain employed at the hotels in Aviemore, which were previously part of the Stakis portfolio until Hilton acquired Stakis in 1999.

More... [584 views]

Name Change for Flag Hotels, An Australian Institution for 40 Years

Flag Choice Hotels today became Choice Hotels Australasia, marking the close of a two-year program to revitalise one of Australia's largest hotel groupings. Choice Hotels Australasia's President and CEO Brent Russell announced the name change to more than 350 delegates at the group's 43rd annual conference on the Gold Coast.

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E-marketing, market intelligence, operational excellence are the keys to the success of European tourism in the years ahead

Outlining his vision for the European Travel Commission, the organisation`s new President, Arthur Oberascher, CEO of the Austrian National Tourist Office  (ANTO), emphasises innovation as vital for marketing Europe to potential guests around the world. "I am tremendously excited about selling the world`s greatest product - Europe" says an enthusiastic Oberascher, who quickly adds that "even the greatest product doesn`t sell itself". Selling Europe as a tourist destination requires getting closer to the customer. This means finding out what customers want, what attracts potential guests to Europe. Getting closer to the guest also means exciting them, motivating them, and delivering the information they are looking

More... [1045 views]

France rolls out red carpet for Chinese tourists

France, the world`s top tourist destination, is rolling out the red carpet for a flood of Chinese nationals expected to visit the country from Wednesday, September 1st, when private tour groups are allowed into Europe . From the Louvre to the Galeries Lafayette department store, the must-see landmarks in Paris are printing up floor maps in Mandarin and teaching personnel a few Chinese phrases in anticipation of the huge influx of visitors

More... [822 views]

PhoCusWright: 1/3 of all hotel sales to be made online by 2006

Online sales have changed the face of hotel distribution, according to PhoCusWright . According to their report "From Property to Screen: Managing Online Hotel & Lodging Distribution" , while 46% of US hotel sales will be sold through the hotel call centre in 2004, that figure will decline to 36% by 2006. At the same time, online sales will grow to nearly one-third of all hotel sales.

More... [896 views]

Accor to double Mercure properties in Asia in three years

To ride on the travel buzz created by budget carriers in Asia, Accor is expanding its most flexible brand - Mercure, which it said would be its “major growth engine for years to come”. Accor anticipates the number of Mercure properties in the region to double to between 25 and 30 over the next three years. Mercure is Accor’s largest brand with a network of 750 hotels in 45 countries.

More... [649 views]

Australia: Bullish outlook for tourism

Business confidence is running high in Australia's inbound tourism sector, a survey has found. The Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) study found the industry was experiencing a marked rise in business confidence and predicted a bullish end of the year. The International Tourism Index, compiled in July 2004, points to good times ahead for the industry. "Confidence within the industry regarding future performance is strong with more than 80 per cent of respondents projecting growth over the next 12 months," ATEC managing director Peter Shelley said today. "Two thirds are predicting growth in profits for the remainder of the year."

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What's New" Fairmont Hotels & Resorts on the top ten sales trends for 2005

As leaders in the meetings and incentive industry, the sales teams and conference service managers at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts have a direct line to what planners are thinking about for the coming year.  Here are 10 of the top trends we’re seeing for 2005:

More... [936 views]

Sofitel continues growth in China with four new hotels

Asia Pacific’s hospitality leader, Accor, will add four new Sofitels to its fast growing China network, significantly raising the profile of its luxury brand with 16 Sofitels under operation or scheduled to open around China by the end of 2005.  Sofitel is the prestige brand of Accor hotels, with more than 180 hotels and resorts that bring a unique French “art de vivre” to prime locations around the world.  

More... [880 views]

Survey Reveals 63% of Pet Owners will Extend Hotel Stay when Fido Comes Along

 According to a recent 6–month long survey conducted in conjunction with Dog Friendly Directory and BringYourPet.com, 63% of respondents stated that they would extend their hotel stay if they could bring their pet. Instead of spending the money on expensive boarding or kennel facilities, pet parents now prefer to just take Fido along and use the money saved to extend their vacation.

More... [770 views]

BIL bounces back with $ 96m profit

Former New Zealand investment company BIL International has reported a full-year net profit of US$ 62.6 million (NZ$ 96.70 million), turning around a US$ 60.3 million loss last year.The company said it would pay a first and final dividend of S2.5 cents a share (NZ2.3c) subject to shareholder approval and payable on November 18. BIL's main assets are British hotel chain Thistle Hotels and Bass Strait oil and gas royalties.

More... [486 views]

Resort Hotel Association 18th Annual Conference Wrap-up

Independent resort owners, operators, CEO’s, CFO’s, Risk Managers, Human Resource personnel and Insurance Executives gathered at the Kona Village Resort,  Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, July 10-14 at the association’s 18th annual meeting. Attendees heard from industry experts, reviewed the current status of association insurance programs, networked with fellow resort colleagues and enjoyed the South Pacific tropic paradise of Hawaii. The highlight of the conference was an evening program on the Kahuwai Bay Front in tribute to the recently retired RHA President, Jean Van Tol, in celebration of her leadership and foresight in guiding the association since 1991.

More... [714 views]

Hyatt International Appoints Six to General Manager Posts

Mr. Bernd Chorengel, president of Hyatt International Corporation,  announced the appointments of six General Managers....

More... [2498 views]

Europe: Are you ready for Chinese tourists?

With the first European Tour about to hit the road, major tour agents in China are busy making final preparations for their first domestic touring parties, which are due to set out Wednesday . Back in August, 28 European countries announced that from September on, they will join Germany as easily accessible destinations for Chinese tourists. China Radio International reported Wednesday. Boosted by this news, popular holiday spots like Germany, France, Spain and Portugal have become a major source of custom for domestic tour agencies.

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SRS-WORLDHOTELS signs Global Sales, Marketing and Distribution Agreement with Corinthia Hotels International

SRS-WORLDHOTELS, one of the world's leading global sales, marketing and distribution companies, has announced a global agreement with Corinithia Hotels International to provide worldwide sales, marketing and reservation distribution services.The agreement covers all 20 Corinthia hotels and resorts in Europe, The Mediterranean and Africa, and extends across SRS-WORLDHOTELS worldwide portfolio comprising more than 450 hotels in 65 countries. The hotels will be available for sale through the SRS-NETWORK, Global Distribution Systems and major Online sites from September 1, 2004

More... [609 views]

Macao's hotel occupancy rate soars with tourist boom

 The average hotel occupancy rate in the tourist city of Macao grew 18.6 percentage points to 72 percent in the first half of this year over the same period last year, according to official figures.The Macao Statistics and Census Bureau's figures suggested that the hotel industry has fully recovered from doldrums, which were attributed to the melancholy effect of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) last year.

More... [504 views]

AH&LA Releases Results of Most Comprehensive Study of the Lodging Industry

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) has timed the release of its broad new survey of lodging industry trends to coincide with Labor Day, one of the most heavily traveled holiday weekends of the year. Funded by AH&LA's affiliate, the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation, the 2004 Lodging Survey tracks the size, scope, and emerging trends of the lodging industry, and is considered one of the industry's most comprehensive of its kind.

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Sydney Market Analysis 2004

An overview of historic trends, analysis of market cycles and performance outlook for the next three years, as well as a discussion of yield strategies and impact on profitability

More... [883 views]

Flexi-pay deal for Raffles Hotel Singapore

 

The pay packets of Raffles Hotel employees are being made more flexible to withstand future shocks, like the Sars crisis which crippled the tourism sector last year. It is the first hotel to sign a new agreement incorporating recommendations by a national wage reform task force this year that salary structures be made more responsive to economic conditions

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EU Tourism Authorities Prepare for Rapid Growth in Number of Chinese Visitors

Tourism officials in the European Union (EU) are looking forward to the start of a new growth era, as an agreement with China is set to significantly ramp up the number of visitors to the continent (see Global: 12 February 2004: New Tourism Agreement Could Lead to Boom in Chinese Visits to Europe).

More... [687 views]

Egyptian tourism bourse opens on September

Prime Minister Dr. Ahmed Nazif will open on September 14 the Egyptian tourism bourse with as many as 40 countries participating. 

More... [718 views]

US and Australia Issue Security Warnings About 'Western-Identified' Hotels in Indonesian Capital

Travel advisories from the US and Australian governments have warned government officials and others to avoid western hotels in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, amid concerns that they may be targeted for terrorist attack. Neither country provided details of a plot or specific threat against hotels, instead basing its advisories on last year's bomb attack on the JW Marriott hotel and the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings

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ETC launches new study on `The Image Of Europe In North America

The European Travel Commission (ETC) has just released the results of a comprehensive new study on the way in which Americans and Canadians view Europe as a holiday destination . The research seeks to answer the question, what should Europe stand for as a brand in North America? The research was commissioned by the Research Group of the European Travel Commission on behalf of the ETC`s 33 member countries, and was conducted by Menlo Consulting Group, Inc. of Palo Alto, California. The report identifies motivations and barriers influencing travel, and discusses the implications for marketing Europe in the United States and Canada. The results of the survey are derived from in-depth interviews with members of the US and Canadian travel trade, and focus group discussions with US and Canadian international pleasure travellers.

More... [630 views]

Hotels let customers use Net to check in Radisson, Hilton cater to wired travelers

Radisson Hotels & Resorts this week starts allowing guests to check in via the Internet up to a week before arrival.The move, soon to be followed by Hilton Hotels, marks something of a second electronic wave in the hotel industry as chains adopt high-tech lures to attract wired business travelers. The first wave -- the rush to install high-speed Internet in guest rooms -- is nearly complete.

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Doors to Europe to open for wealthy Chinese tourists

The doors of 27 European countries will fling open on Wednesday to a new wave of wealthy Chinese tourists  , heading for Europe`s shops and sites, under an agreement signed between the EU and China last month. France, Switzerland and Italy are the three top destinations, according to travel agents. But the list of countries to which Chinese tourists can now go on officially approved tours is much longer, including all nations of the European Union - save for Britain, Denmark, Ireland - as well a few countries outside the EU.

More... [808 views]

First Asian Gaming Management Seminar Offered in Hong Kong

 The Hong Kong Polytechnic University(PolyU)’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management(HTM) will host the first Seminar on Gaming Management in Asia Pacific from 20 to 22 October 2004. The Seminar is aimed to help enhance the professional standard and image of the gaming industry in Asia and provide tools in capitalizing on the rising opportunities driven by the opening up of the Macau market and investment by Las Vegas operators as well as the discussion in many jurisdictions on legalizing casinos. 

More... [534 views]

Check-It Out: Radisson Hotels & Resorts Launches Hotel Industry's First Online Check-In Process

Radisson Hotels & Resorts today announced that it has launched "Express Yourself," the hotel industry's first, new generation online check-in process that is now available at all its hotels and resorts in the Americas.  At the core of this new expedited hotel check-in process is the ability for guests to check in via the Web at their convenience and provide preferences in advance of their arrival, eliminating a lengthy check-in process and providing more control over their hotel experience. The new system was designed to support Radisson's new brand strategy focused on identifying and enhancing key guest touch points and enabling choice. 

More... [818 views]

BIT celebrates 25 years with more improvements

Bit –The International Tourism Market the exhibition for the Italian tourist product, organised by EXPOcts is expanding into the Portello area . This year’s new development is a pavilion open to everyone. BITALY is also being launched, a new workshop devoted to the incoming trade. Progress – More than 5,000 Exhibitors, 128 countries represented, 136,700 total attendees including 96,700 Professional Operators: these are the 2004 figures. This is a constant rising trend which has seen Exhibitors increase by 37.5% from 1999 to the present day. Professional Operator figures are up 12.6% in the last three years while over the same time period Travel Agency figures have grown by 32.5%.

More... [589 views]

Marriott opens its eighth Australian property

Marriott opened its eighth Australian property, the Courtyard by Marriott North Ryde, located 12 kilometres from Sydney’s central business district. 

More... [617 views]

First international hotel in Paraguay by Starwood

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announces the grand opening of Paraguay`s first international hotel, the Sheraton Asuncion . The newly built hotel, located in the heart of Asuncion, Paraguay`s fast-growing capital city, is designed to attract both the regional corporate market as well as international business travelers. The property is a management agreement between Starwood and Emprendimientos Hoteleros S.A, a local investment firm.

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Saudi Arabia: Tourism sector grows 67% in 2004

Saudi Arabia witnessed rapid growth and made giant strides in the tourism sector in terms of the number of tourists as well as the variety of tourism programs and activities. Prince Sultan Bin Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, secretary general of the Higher Tourism Authority, expressed happiness over the remarkable growth achieved by the Kingdom in the tourism sector. He said the tourism season in this year was a great success with full of activities and programs in various parts of the Kingdom. "The tourist activities in most of the parts of the Kingdom were in full swing and this helped to achieve a record growth of 67% in this vital sector as compared to last year," he said.

More... [648 views]

W Seoul Luxury Hotel Deploys Wireless LAN IP Telephony Solution; Offers High-Quality Voice, Text Services for Management, Staff on the Move

The W Seoul Walkerhill Hotel has placed into service a voice over wireless local area network (VoWLAN) solution from Nortel Networks  to enable high-quality mobile voice communications for hotel management and staff. ECS Telecom, a Nortel Networks 'Channel Partner,' deployed the network."This is the first W Hotel in Asia and it represents a new pinnacle in Starwood's tradition of innovation and excellence," said Martin Jones, general manager, W Seoul Walkerhill.

More... [669 views]

Let the pillow fights begin ...

"If you're not in New York, you're not anybody," says the chairman of fast-growing Kimpton Hotels, which opened its first property in the city last month, the 70 Park Avenue Hotel.Never heard of Kimpton? The company's founder, Bill Kimpton, is credited with inventing the boutique hotel concept 23 years ago in San Francisco, before Ian Schrager unveiled his first ode to hipness, Morgans, in New York in 1985. But despite its place in history, the 38-hotel chain has been little known outside the West until recently.Watch out, Schrager. All that is changing.

More... [851 views]

News @ PATA

This week's PATA news and update...

More... [562 views]

Loans Shark?

If executives need to borrow money, they should look to a bank, not their own company.Despite it making no sense that a wealthy CEO would need to borrow money from his or her own company, let’s entertain a few examples. It appeared that cash poor Dennis Kozlowski of Tyco and his team needed more than $600 million in loans to cover bills for homes, renaissance art, a $2 million dollar birthday party for Kozlowski’s wife, stock purchases and a multitude of other personal expenses.

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Design hotels: hip or hop it?

Design hotels need to grow up or face dying off, according to a new lifestyle magazine aimed at the international style crowd.In a leading story in next month's edition of 34 Magazine, the editor John Weich says that cutting-edge hoteliers are being forced to rethink their approach no longer able to rely on slick minimalist designs to win over hip guests. His comments come in the same week that two of London's most fashionable hotels, the St Martins Lane and the Sanderson, were revealed to be up for sale, although representatives have denied suggestions that the decision to sell was down to poor room occupancy.

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Dubai marketing efforts pay off with booming hotel occupancies

While the Dubai Summer Surprises has brought the predictable boom in visitor numbers to the emirate, Osama Mariam, director of sales and marketing at the two Al Sondos by Le Meridien properties, has confirmed that hotels are now no longer seeing a significant drop in business in the summer months. 
Overseeing operations at Al Sondos Suites by Le Meridien, Mariam has achieved 75, 77 and nearly 85 per cent in June, July and August respectively. Meanwhile, its sister property Dar Al Sondos Hotel Apartments by Le Meridien has registered more than 95 per cent year round.

More... [726 views]

Barry Sternlicht: "The Hotel Industry Thought We Were Nuts When We Introduced this Fluffy, All-white Bed"

Five years later and consumers and critics agree - Westin Hotels & Resorts is still the best in bed. Since making its debut in 1999, the Westin Heavenly Bed® has reached near iconic stature, and sparked a bedding revolution in the hotel industry that continues to rage. More than 19 million guests have tucked themselves into a Heavenly Bed on the road including thousands of politicians, sports icons and celebrities. Some 30,000 guests have insisted on taking the bed and linens home, and the all-white Heavenly Bed has been featured in USA Today, New York Times and Forbes and appeared on The Today Show and Good Morning America.

More... [885 views]

WTM Global Travel Report 2004 – setting the agenda for 2005

The World Travel Market Global Travel Report 2004 is to be presented at this year’s Forecast Forum on Monday 8 November 2004  at 10.00am.How has the industry fared so far in 2004? What are the predictions for 2005? What are to be the hot continents and destinations next year? How has the world’s economic and political climate impacted on the industry?

More... [727 views]

Australian hotels thrive on fewer new rooms

Australia's hotel sector is showing increasing signs of improving returns as demand for rooms increases. Thakral Holdings, which owns hotels and resorts around Australia, said it had just experienced the strongest returns from its hotel division since the Sydney Olympics.Colonial First State Trust announced last week that it planned to buy more hotels to capitalise on the improved trading conditions.

More... [724 views]

Gadgets offer style, convenience

Hotels are beckoning travelers with a new batch of geeky electronic delights. They're aimed at showing off dazzling technology, adding convenience or just giving guests something new to try.

More... [795 views]

Abu Dhabi joins UAE tourism boom

Abu Dhabi is fine-tuning its tourism infrastructure with a swathe of new resort projects throughout the emirate extending its attractions beyond the downtown malls. In tandem with other emirates such as Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, where new resorts are also under construction, Abu Dhabi is to expand its resort options with a new boutique hotel at Al Raha, several international hotel resorts opening on the marina corniche and a flagship development at Jebel Dhanna, 240km west of the capital.

More... [678 views]

Hilton's Customer-information System, Called OnQ, Rolling Out Across 8 Hotel Brands; Seeking Guest Loyalty and Competitive Advantage with Proprietary Technology

Hilton Hotels Corporation (NYSE:HLT) announced today that having completed deployment of its proprietary technology platform called OnQ(TM) across all of its more than 2,200 Hilton Family Hotels, including Hilton(R), Conrad(R), Doubletree(R), Embassy Suites Hotels(R), Hampton Inn(R), Hampton Inn & Suites(R), Hilton Garden Inn(R), Hilton Grand Vacations Club(R) and Homewood Suites by Hilton(R), the company continues to utilize technology to enhance guest recognition and efficiency, rolling out or expanding the following cutting-edge programs:

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Hong Kong July tourist arrivals hit record 1.99 mln, up 54 pct on yr - HKTB

July tourist arrivals hit a record 1.99 mln, up 54 pct year on year, on a boost from over 1 mln visitors from China, the Hong Kong Tourism Board said.  "The strong performance is especially notable as July traditionally has not been a peak month," the HKTB said in a statement. The number of arrivals in July is the highest since last December when over 1.79 mln tourists visited Hong Kong.

More... [601 views]

New hotel group hopes to go global

Grace International, a Singapore-based hospitality management group formed in December last year specialising in boutique hotels, is planning to go global and will be marking its entry as a player with the launch of a new property in November in its home-base called The Scarlet.

More... [1544 views]

David Michels: It's the morning after the night before, but Hilton's boss is on a winning streak

He has a poker face and he's flushed with profits, as the card-playing head of the gambling and hotels group explains to Abigail Townsend. A question. Is putting an inveterate gambler in charge of the world's biggest bookmaker not dissimilar to handing Wayne Rooney the keys to the brothel? Most would argue: maybe. But for Hilton, the FTSE 100 hotels chain and owner of Ladbrokes, the decision seems to have paid off. Its chief executive, David Michels, spent last Wednesday night hosting his weekly poker session before emerging bright and early the next day to produce a sparkling set of interims.

More... [858 views]

Is Ian Schrager checking out of London?

When four years ago Ian Schrager opened the Sanderson, his latest venture in ultra-hip hotels with chic interiors, eye-watering prices and a clientele to match, he declared: "London is hot right now. That's why my strategy is to come here and saturate London with multiple properties - maybe as many as seven hotels."From a man whose legendary 1970s Manhattan nightclub Studio 54 was so select that the ballet star Rudolf Nureyev was once found half-naked on the dance floor and whose hotel empire was valued at nearly pounds 200m, such a statement was to be taken seriously. Over two decades, Mr Schrager had built a portfolio of eight hotels in his native America favoured by the next generation of Beautiful People

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Middle East Hotel Industry Undergoes Change; Governments in the Region are

The hotel sector in the Middle East is the focus of much attention on the part of tourism and leisure professionals. The various governments of the region see in the development of tourist activity a long-term relay with the oil industry as a source of wealth.With a 36% rise in RevPAR in the past year, hotel results demonstrate the increasing interest in these destinations. The geopolitical situation of the region implies major changes in terms of tourism that do not necessarily negatively affect hotel activity within the majority of the regions in the zone.

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London hotels see July revPAR rise 16.5%

TRI Hospitality Consulting’s figures for July 2004 show revenue per available room at UK hotels increased by 10.2% year-on-year to £57.09  This compares with year-on-year growth of just 8.1% in June.The July revPAR increase was largely driven by a 7.5% rise in average room rate to £71.88, as occupancy increased by just 1.9 percentage points to 79.4%.

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Whilst Paris laughs, the rest of France cries

In Paris, occupancy drops during June appeared to be due to the absence of the Bourget Airshow this year . July saw performances rising again for high end hotels, both in terms of occupancy and average rates.Occupancy in four star hotels grew by almost +5%, compared with last year. However, Boutique hotels were the only category not to experience this growth, since occupancy remained stable. Midscale hotel occupancy rose by almost +8%, with all categories experiencing growth (+4% for Superior 3 stars and +13% for Standard 3 stars).

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Starwood Hotels & Resorts and eCornell Announce Four-Year Learning Partnership

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has partnered with eCornell, a leading provider of executive and professional development, to deliver online courses in Hospitality Management, Essential Management Skills, Strategic Management, and Human Resource Management to its worldwide employees. The four-year agreement makes eCornell courses available to employees of more than 740 corporate-owned, managed, and franchised Starwood properties. Associates have the opportunity to take the full portfolio of eCornell courses and complete the Master Certificate in the Essentials of Hospitality Management, as well as other eCornell certificates offered by Cornell's world-renowned School of Hotel Administration, School of Industrial Labor Relations, and Johnson Graduate School of Management.

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Thailand to host `PATA Travel Mart`

The Tourism Authority of Thailand will host the 27th PATA Travel Mart 2004 next month .   The 27th Pacific Asia Travel Association Travel Mart 2004 will be held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center here on 22-24 September, according to the TAT`s Governor, Juthamas Siriwan. The three-day event is aimed at promoting tourism-related businesses in the region.

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Free breakfast rated No. 1 hotel amenity

New York- If you're looking for that complimentary bagel, coffee and individual box of cereal when you book a night in a hotel or motel, you're not alone. Two-thirds of respondents in an online survey sponsored by Hotels.com say free grub in the morning is the most important amenity a hotel can offer.

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IT Budgeting

Due to capital constraints, hospitality companies have made it more difficult to gain access to capital investment dollars. They are only likely to fund projects with assured outcomes. Unfortunately this puts IT at a disadvantage.

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A Question of Options

The use of stock options has been an important part of executive and director compensation for the past three decades. The potential value of the options granted is only realized when the company's stock price is raised, thereby tying executive pay to the fortunes of the firm's shareholders. To date, options are considered to have zero value at the time of issuance, hence recipients pay no taxes and the company incurs no expense until the options are exercised. A good situation for everyone it would seem.

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TIA survey shows beaches and theme parks are more than just sand, rides and fun

Americans who include beaches and/or theme and amusement parks on their vacations are a lucrative market. These travelers tend to take longer vacations and spend more money per trip  than overall travelers, according to data from the Travel Industry Association of America’s (TIA) TravelScope® survey. They are also more likely than average to bring their kids along, fly to their destination and rent a car once they arrive.

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Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group appoints new general manager for Munich

Mandarin Oriental has appointed Mr Michael Ziemer as general manager of the luxury hotel group’s renowned Munich property, Mandarin Oriental, Munich. 
Mr Ziemer assumes his new position from his previous post as Resident Manager of the award-winning Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. Beginning his hotel career in 1984, he brings more than 19 years experience to the Group, which includes senior management positions in Saudi Arabia, Germany, Australia and Hong Kong.

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Raffles International navigates into the South Pacific

Raffles International is navigating its way into the South Pacific . The group has signed an agreement with Hongkong-based Veritas Limited to manage a 65-villa luxury resort in French Polynesia.

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Four Seasons opens landmark property on the Eastern banks of the Nile in Cairo

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts continues its worldwide expansion with the opening of Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza . The contemporary 366-room Hotel, is conveniently located in the heart of the city’s elite Garden City district. “With the opening of our second hotel in Cairo, we are offering our guests two completely distinct experiences on opposite sides of the Nile,” said Wolf Hengst, President, Worldwide Hotel Operations, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Our first property, which opened in 2000, has an intimate and residential atmosphere while the new hotel is much more contemporary in design and feel.”

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Top Swiss hotel reveals secret behind unfailing success with Middle East travellers

Many Middle East travellers seem to have traded off their traditional European getaways for destinations closer to home this summer. But according to Azouz Masrouki, Middle East consultant for one of Switzerland’s top hotels, the exclusive Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne, the Lake Geneva region remains one of the best equipped getaway destinations in Europe for Arab visitors.

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