ehotelier Hospitality News Archives: December 2004

Thai tourism industry needs months to recover

Thailand will need months to repair damage to its lucrative tourism industry wrought by the deadly tsunami that swept across the Indian Ocean, a senior tourism official said on Tuesday. Tourism accounts for 6 percent of Thailand’s gross domestic product and the tsunami, which has killed more than 1,000 people in Thailand and more than 28,400 in Asia, has hit tourism-related stocks and rattled the Thai baht.

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Phang Nga's 50 Hotels and Beach Destroyed

Rubble is all that is left of most of the 50 or so hotels that lined this 18-mile stretch of beach just north of Phuket. Bulldozers are now moving the rubble around, searching for the bodies of upscale tourists who were trying to escape the winter of countries like Germany and Sweden. One source estimates that upwards of 5,000 people were at the beach resorts at Khao Lak in Phang Nga Province and that half of them died...

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Japanese, Europeans start cancelling tourism bookings

The Thai tourism industry is feeling the pinch of the tsunami, as foreign tourists, particularly those who had booked holidays here, have begun to re-route their travel plans to other destinations as far away as the Caribbean, Morocco and Spain. Up to 20% of Japanese tourists, traditionally the most sensitive to any adverse events, are also believed to have cancelled trips to Thailand or opted to go elsewhere. Tokyo urged its citizens to postpone all non-essential travel to areas of Asia and Africa affected by the massive earthquake and tidal waves. As many as 60,000 Japanese were planning to visit Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia in the period between Dec 23 and Jan 3, AP reported, citing JTB, Japan's top travel agency.

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Thailand: Hotel damage bill at Khao Lak, Phi Phi at B12.8bn

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) yesterday estimated the damage caused to hotels in the two worst-hit disaster areas  Khao Lak and Koh Phi Phi  at 12.8 billion baht, but has yet to determine the extent of the financial losses in Phuket. About 6,000 hotel rooms worth about 10 billion baht on Khao Lak in Phangnga were destroyed or severely damaged while the damage to the 4,000 rooms on Koh Phi Phi was around 2.8 billion baht, said TAT governor Juthamas Siriwan.

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Sri Lanka Tsunami - Back On Board

Eleven hotels resumed operations in the South after Sunday’s tidal wave caused widespread destruction along the coast and a death toll touching 25,000.  Of the 5600 rooms in affected areas, about half are still out of operation, with generators used to restore power in place of damaged transmission lines.  The Southern and Eastern coats were among the hardest hit, with some resorts and hotels, including those bordering wildlife parks, suffering structural damages.

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10,000 people lose jobs in Thailand's island hotel, resort industry

As many as 10,000 people are out of work after tidal waves destroyed most hotels and resorts along the Andaman shoreline on Sunday. The estimate is based on the accommodation capacity of hotels and resorts in Khao Lak, Phangnga province's emerging tourist spot.

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Four Seasons Assesses Tsunami Toll

The company's resort in the Maldives islands, which are about 600 miles off the southern tip of India, sustained a "little bit of damage," said spokeswoman Aynsley Wintrip. Phone lines across the resort's island had been cut, and there was only partial electricity. The spokeswoman said there appeared to be no structural damage to the resort, although engineers continued to assess the situation.

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InterContinental Hotels Group Pledges Relief & Support To Affected Communities

InterContinental Hotels Group is pledging its support in aid of tsunami victims and their families in affected communities. It is committing US$125,000 in funds to UNICEF to match the donations of its employees, hotel owners and partners, vendors, consumers and Priority Club Rewards members and has designated UNICEF as the international relief agency to be the recipient of these funds.  

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China Jan-Nov tourism receipts hit US$23.5 bln; up 49.6%

China's tourism revenue amounted to US$23.5 billion during the Jan-Nov period of this year, an increase of 49.6% from the year-ago period and up 26% from the same period in 2002, the National Tourism Administration said.

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ATF 2005 in Langkawi is proceeding as scheduled

Following the recent tidal wave (tsunami) disaster caused by the major earthquake at Sumatra, there has been some reported damage in Malaysia   but the situation is fully under control. The Malaysian Host Committee of ATF 2005 from 21 to 29 January 2005 in Langkawi wishes to reassure all registered delegates and participants that all is proceeding as scheduled and l

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News @ PATA

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

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No fear of epidemic in Kerala, India

Life is slowly getting back to normal in the aftermath of the terror unleashed by the tidal waves that hit Kerala on Monday. “A large number of people have been relocated to safer places and relief measures are in place,” Mr. Bharat Bhushan, Principal Secretary of Kerala Tourism and the Health Department told newspersons here today. Reacting to queries on whether the international travel advisories apprehend the outbreak of epidemic in Kerala, he replied that there was absolutely no fear of epidemic in Kerala and that the State was totally equipped to control the outbreak of any epidemic.  

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St. Petersburg: Tourism Growth Halted

For the first time in 7 years St. Petersburg city government has reported discouraging news on the tourism front: the number of visitors has stopped growing. "Our results will at best repeat last year's figures," said Viktor Pakhomkov, deputy head of the External Affairs and Tourism Committee of the city government. In 2003, 3.12 million foreign tourists visited St. Petersburg, which was then a 15 percent hike from 2002.

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Irish Tourism sector continues modest turnaround

Irish tourism continued to recover in 2004 in terms of overseas visitor numbers from the downturn caused by September 11 and global recession, the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC) said yesterday.

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Best Western debuts in-Room shopping

Best Western International announced the debut of its new in-room shopping catalog in its Arizona, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina hotels . This is the first retail offering of its kind for the mid-scale lodging segment. The catalog gives consumers the opportunity to buy unique travel gifts for their friends or family from the convenience of their hotel room.

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News @ PATA - Special Indian Ocean Disaster Edition

This Week's Special Indian Ocean Disaster Edition ........

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Thailand: 200,000 tourism jobs at risk, says minister

Some 200,000 jobs in the tourism sector were "at risk'' due to the southern disaster, according to Tourism and Sports Minister Sonthaya Khunpluem. The tourism industry employs some three million people nationwide, and accounts for around 6% of the economy.

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First Phase of the initial assessment of the tourism industry of Maldives completed

The initial assessment of the tourism industry of Maldives after the flooding as a result of the earthquake off the west coast of Northern Sumatra, on December 26, 2004 has been completed. In the aftermath of this disaster, three tourist fatalities were unfortunately encountered, while some others sustained minor injuries. Maldives being a dive destination is yet fortunate that no divers faced any fatal injuries during the incident.  The results of the resorts assessment indicate that out of the 87 resorts, 55 are fully operational, 13 are semi-operational and 19 are un-operational at this moment in time. 

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PATA: No need to cancel trips to non-affected areas

PATA is reminding consumers in source markets that most of Asia has not been affected by the tsunami and there is no need to cancel trips to non-affected areas.

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Tsunamis' effects on tourism expected to be less than SARS

Tourism in parts of Southeast Asia will be devastated by the economic aftershocks of the earthquake-triggered tsunamis, but the broader impact on the Asian travel industry is not expected to be as severe as last year's deadly SARS outbreak.

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Le Meridien Khao Lak closed until Further Notice

Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts has reported that its new hotel in Khao Lak, near Phuket, has suffered damage and is to remain closed until further notice. A team has flown to Khao Lak to access the situation. The ground floor, villas, and the properties prized and extremely luxurious private beach villas all suffered severe damage. A spokesperson for the resort said that the hotels main structure has not been severely damaged but the full assessment is expected to take weeks.

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Statement from the Federation of Hotels and Restaurants Association of India regarding Tsumani

We have seen prominent reports in various publications that suggest that due to Tsumani Waves tourists have been fleeing Goa .  The fact is that Goa , which is on the West Coast of India , has not been affected by the Tsumani Waves.  After ascertaining the facts from other leading Luxury hotels like Taj, Hyatt and Leela in Goa as well as from others in the five and four star category, it has been confirmed that there is no such exodus and flights out of Goa  are merely full on account of those tourists leaving Goa  who do not have reservations over the New Year period or those who have finished their holiday in Goa. 

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Le Meridien Statement regarding South East Asia Emergency

Following the major humanitarian tragedy that is affecting coastal areas in South East Asia, we would like to stress that our priority continues to be the well being of our guests and staff. The only Le Méridien hotels affected by this humanitarian tragedy are in Phuket and Khao Lak in Thailand. The teams at the hotels are working alongside the local authorities and tour operators to arrange for guests to be transferred to alternative hotels or returned home as quickly as possible. We are also arranging to provide assistance to our staff members and their families living in the affected coastal areas around Phuket and Khao Lak.

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Get Real: How a Phony Experience Kills a Brand

"If you're flying Song for the first time, thanks for choosing us. You're about to see how it's possible to have a great experience at a great price. (Really.) And if you've flown with us before, thanks for coming back. You're about to see how many different ways you can experience your trip. Because at Song, we believe you shouldn't have to check your personality with your bags. Flying time should always be, well, your time. So sit back, enjoy the show, and enjoy the ride."

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The hotel kingdom of Kwek Leng Beng

In the 1970s, Kwek Leng Beng used to sit in the lobby of King’s Hotel at Havelock Road in Singapore and pray that guests would check in. “When they arrived, I cheered and my spirits lifted,” he recalls. Kwek may own 88 hotels on four continents today, but he is still fondest of his maiden King’s because he saw its development through from scratch, having bought the land where it sits on for S$980,000 in 1968. 

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Hong Kong agent says Asia tourism to stay strong

Hong Kong -based Sunflower Travel Service general manager Mr Steve Fung expects Asia tourism to remain strong.

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HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® Rated Most Popular In Online Survey Conducted By Meetings & Conventions

The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International’s (HSMAI) Affordable Meetings® series of shows including Mid-America (Chicago), West (California) and National (Washington, D.C.) was named the most popular meetings event according to an online survey conducted by Meetings & Conventions magazine.

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Abu Dhabi to pump 9.5 billion dollars into developing tourism island

Flush with petro-dollars, the oil-rich government of Abu Dhabi is pumping billions of dollars into developing one of its many islands into a residential and tourist city, one of the developers said Sunday. The 35-billion-dirham (9.5-billion-dollar) Emirates Pearl Island project will be launched in the first quarter of 2005 when construction begins on numerous facilities on Abu Shuoom island, northeast of Abu Dhabi, the largest member of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) federation.

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Is the UK hotel industry set for a recovery?

While dramatic headlines, of terror, war and contagion, sell newspapers, they do not help when it comes to filling bedrooms. Thus hotels across the UK have seen performance fall heavily in the wake of events on the domestic and international stage – from foot and mouth to 9/11 to war in Iraq.

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Great Hotels Organisation predicts the coming of age for electronic distribution for luxury resort properties in 2005

The Great Hotels Organisation, consisting of the two brands Great Hotels of the World and Special Hotels of the World, has announced that internet bookings have doubled from 2003 to 2004, with revenue reaching up to US$20 million.

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Indian Ocean Tragedy

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) expresses its condolences to everyone who has been affected by the Tsunami disaster in the Indian Ocean , including the local communities and tourists.

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Blow to tourism may hurt quake areas

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InterContinental Hotels Group Media Statement: Updates on Thailand

 InterContinental Hotels Group has provided an update on its operations in Thailand:

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Thailand: Southern tourism could take two years to recover

As tourism associations rushed to prepare accommodation in Bangkok yesterday for foreign visitors fleeing the disaster-hit South, tourism organizations were forecasting that  it could take two years for the southern region`s tourism sector to recover from Sunday`s devastating tidal wave attack.

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No news of hundreds at Thai beach hotel-Accor group

Hotel group Accor  said on Monday it had no news so far of around 500 tourists and staff at its Sofitel hotel on Khao Lak beach in southern Thailand after a tsunami devastated southern Asia.

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Statement by Starwood Hotels & Resorts on situation at Sheraton hotels in Phuket, Krabi and Langkawi following tidal waves in the Indian Ocean

Following the recent tidal waves that struck South and Southeast Asia , Starwood Hotels & Resorts reports that its Sheraton hotels in Phuket, Krabi and Langkawi experienced no structural damages.  The hotels have mobilized their resources to complete the clean up and repair process at some of their beachfront facilities are operating close to normal.

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Hilton International largely unscathed by Tidal Wave

Hilton International operates five properties in locations that were affected by the earthquake and subsequent tidal wave  that occurred on December 26, 2004. All five properties sustained little or no damage. They are: Trident Hilton Chennai, Hilton Colombo, Hilton Colombo Residence, Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa Rangali Island and Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa.

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India: Panic grips travel, hospitality sectors

The tsunami phenomenon that lashed the coastal areas of the State on Sunday has created panic in the travel trade and hospitality sector with all beach resorts being declared out of bounds for the tourists.

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Tsunami waves in Phuket, Maldives and Sri Lanka - Banyan Tree official statement

 The Banyan Tree Group manages Banyan Tree and Angsana resorts in Phuket, Maldives and Sri Lanka. Some resorts were affected by the tsunami with property damages. Preliminary resort assessment in Phuket and Maldives indicates no significant property damage.

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Tsunami - Thailand Hotels Overview

Many hotels on Thailand's west coast have been badly affected by the devastating Tsunami waves that struck shores Sunday morning. Here is a complete update of many of the hotels in the areas worst affected. It is important to remember that hotels on Thailand's East coast on the Gulf of Siam have not been affected, so hotels on Koh Samui, in Hua Hin, Cha-Am, Pattaya etc are all  fucntioning as normal without any affects caused by the Tsunami.

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Kerzner Issues Statement Following Events in Southern Asia

Kerzner International Limited  today released a statement regarding the impact of yesterday's events in southern Asia related to an earthquake off the coast of Indonesia. The Company currently manages and owns a 20% interest in the 100-room One&Only Kanuhura and is the manager and developer of a second property, the 130-room One&Only Reethi Rah, which is scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2005.

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Hotel, Insurance Firms Assess Tsunami's Wrath

Hoteliers and insurers are scrambling to assess their exposure to the massive tidal waves that left a path of destruction in southern Asia, killing as many as 22,000 people. Analysts caution that it's too soon to quantify precisely the impact on the two industries. However, initial reports from two hotel companies trading on U.S. exchanges suggest damage to their properties is minor. And analysts said insurers are unlikely to see significant losses.

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Saudi prince sings 1.5-billion dollar hotel investment venture

- Billionaire Saudi businessman Prince Al-Walid bin Talal has signed a 1.5-billion-dollar joint venture with the Bank of Scotland and Fairmont Hotels and Resorts to invest in luxury hotels in Europe, his company said.

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Hip Hotels With a Kid-Friendly Vibe (Sorry, No Water Slides)

Pulling into the gravel drive of Cowley Manor with three children, hungry after a two-hour drive from London, I felt more than a little intimidated as we parked our mud-covered Ford minivan along a pristine Porsche with two crumb-free black leather car seats in the back. I wondered if the children of the car's owners were actually frolicking inside this luxurious 19th-century Cotswolds hotel and spa, or back at home with the nanny - screaming and spilling food to their heart's delight in a messy kitchen.

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Ashford Hospitality Trust to Acquire 21-Hotel Portfolio for $250 Million

Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc.  announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire for $250 million, a 21-property, 4,094-room hotel portfolio from entities controlled by affiliates of the Fisher Brothers, the Gordon Getty Trust, and George Soros collectively as majority partners, and certain members of Ashford's senior management team as minority partners

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H.E. Dr. Ahmed Nazif and H.R.H. Prince AlWaleed Bin Talal inaugurate Four Seasons Hotel CAiro at Nile Plaza grand opening

The Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Ahmed Nazif and H.R.H. Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdelaziz Alsaud were among 2,000 Egyptian and Arab VIP figures, who attended the recent grand opening ceremony of the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza.

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Taj Leisure Hotels to focus on eco tourism

The leisure division of the Taj group of hotels is open to strategic expansions, especially in areas that are already established on the tourism map or are emerging tourist destinations, said Mr Jamshed S. Daboo, Chief Operating Officer, Taj Leisure Hotels.

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Intercontinental Hotels Group Latin America Continues Expansion of Brands with the Opening of the Crowne Plaza Curitiba in Brazil

InterContinental Hotels Group, the world's largest and most global hotel company, continues its expansion in Latin America with the opening of the 88-room, 17-story Crowne Plaza Curitiba in Curitiba, Brazil. This opening marks the 19th Crowne Plaza hotel in Latin America and second Crowne Plaza hotel in Brazil. In addition, it is IHG's fourth property in Curitiba.

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Signs of life in the tourism universe - High-end Hotel Vitale set to open as hospitality business picks up in S.F.

Joie de Vivre Hospitality won the right to build the Hotel Vitale in 1997, but it took six years to start construction on the boutique project near the San Francisco waterfront.

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Radisson chosen as the 'best franchise brand in India' :

Radisson hotels and resorts, which are managed by Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific, have been chosen as the "best franchise brand in India' by the Galilelo and Express group.

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US Cities find Wi-Fi future

It's not Silicon Valley, but Chaska, Minnesota, may be moving to the leading edge of Wi-Fi technology as it begins offering the service for all city residents. One of only a handful of cities in the nation to try it, Chaska -- just southwest of Minneapolis -- plans to have most of the city's 15 square miles Wi-Fi operational by the end of October. "We firmly believe that the Internet is going to be just as much a part of everybody's future as the telephone or electricity is and we want to make sure that everybody has equal access to it," says Bradley Mayer, Chaska's information systems manager. "We wanted to ensure there was some sort of broadband activity that could be affordable by our residents."

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Asia quake death toll tops 23,000 - UPDATE from yesterday's report

"This may be the worst natural disaster in recent history because it is affecting so many heavily populated coastal areas ... so many vulnerable communities," the U.N.'s Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland told CNN.  - Updated report.

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World reacts to tsunami disaster

Australia has pledged $7.6 million (Aust. $10 million) in emergency aid to assist Asian nations struck by Sunday's tsunamis. The Federal Government will review that figure as more information about the devastation unfolds ansd more money may be contributed, Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer said Monday.

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PATA says search and rescue should be priority

The Pacific Asia Travel Association says search and rescue missions should be the priority for governments of Asian countries affected by tsunami tidal waves  following the undersea earthquake in the Indian Ocean this morning. Local authorities report that thousands have been killed. Hundreds are still unaccounted for. Many of the dead, injured and missing are tourists. PATA has contacted its members in Indian Ocean rim countries to gauge the extent of the humanitarian and physical impact and what is being done to help tourists and tourism operators.

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The Day We Were Emotionally Hijacked - By Yeoh Siew Hoon

Like you, I was supposed to have spent Boxing Day, resting from the previous days’ festivities. Instead, I was, like you, emotionally hijacked as I watched the horror unfold on television. You’ve read the headlines. Worst earthquake in the world in 40 years, killer waves, devastation, calamitious proportions. But no words could capture the horror of the pictures we saw on television – of raging waves, of cars and lorries bobbing in the water like toys, of tourists fleeing, of bodies being carried away. Worse though is the helplessness you feel …By Yeoh Siew Hoon - SHY Ventures

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Kuoni, Hotelplan Fly Tourists Home After Earthquake

Kuoni Reisen Holding AG and Hotelplan AG, Switzerland's two largest tourist operators, are flying back guests from Asian resorts after the strongest earthquake in 40 years unleashed tidal waves throughout the area.  A plane with 313 passengers landed in Zurich at 5 a.m. Swiss time from Male, the capital of the Maldives, a group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, Zurich-based Kuoni said in a faxed statement today. The Edelweiss charter plane will return to Male today to bring back another 300 tourists, who are expected to arrive tomorrow, Kuoni said.

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InterContinental Hotels Group statement on situation in Thailand and Malaysia Group statement on situation in Thailand and Malaysia

InterContinental Hotels Group confirms that the Holiday Inn Resort Phuket, the Holiday Inn Resort Phi Phi Island and the Holiday Inn Penang Malaysia are affected by tidal waves , resulting from an earthquake in Indonesia on 26 December 2004.

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JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa open and operating following tidal wave that hit Phuket

The JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa has reported that all guests and associates have been accounted for following a tidal wave that hit Phuket, Thailand yesterday  resulting from an earthquake off the island of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean.

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Thomas Cook Cancels Trips to Southeast Asia After Tsunami Waves

Thomas Cook AG, Europe's second-largest tour operator, canceled trips to Southeast Asia until Dec. 31, after an earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra caused tsunami waves that devastated coastal towns from Thailand to India.

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Tsunami Disaster: Report from Malaysian Association of Hotels

  “ We are deeply saddened by this disaster that swept across the coastlines of Asia. This is a shock to us and MAH would like to express our deepest sympathy to those directly affected by this unforeseen incident,” said Mohd Ilyas Zainol Abidin, president of the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH). MAH, a 30-year old national hotel association did a quick survey amongst its 13 state chapters throughout the country and the following were the findings: 

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Most Of Asia Unaffected by Tsunami

Following the tsunami which struck Indian Ocean rim areas on the morning of December 26, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is reminding consumers in source markets that most of Asia has not been affected by the tidal surges.

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Asia Pacific Travel Industry Rides Boom Despite Terrorism Worries

The travel industry in the Asia-Pacific region boomed in 2004 because of the growing China market and overall global economic growth. The thought of a potential terrorist strike is never far from the minds of many in the industry. The World Tourism Organization says the travel industry in the Asia-Pacific region grew faster than anywhere else in the world, up almost 40 percent compared with 2003. - Pre Earthquake report

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Hottest New Business Hotels Of 2004

Stepping into a brand new hotel room with nary a scuff mark on the floor is the lodging equivalent of the new car smell. There's a certain pleasure in knowing that no one else has stepped into your territory.

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Remote baggage service, check-in win positive reviews from hoteliers

Trial runs of remote baggage handling and check-in kiosks in the last year are getting rave reviews from hotel-iers, who see these new amenities as a step up in their sales pitch to guests and meeting planners. A nationwide rollout could occur later by the end of the year when more hotels and airlines offer the service.

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Industry leaders identify ‘hotspots’ for Arabian Hotel Investment Conference

Oman, Qatar and the UAE outside Dubai have been nominated as the top three emerging markets  in the GCC in a recent survey of tourism leaders conducted by organisers of the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC), to be held in Dubai April 30 – May 2, 2005.

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Trump hotels arranges post-bankruptcy financing

Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts Inc.has arranged $500 million in financing for when it emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the company said in a regulatory filing on Thursday.

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Carlson Hotels Worldwide adds nine properties

Carlson Hotels Worldwide today announced that the company added nine new properties to its global portfolio of brands in October and November. Three new Radisson Hotels & Resorts properties opened in the United States, Europe and South America; one new Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts property in Texas joined the system; and five Country Inns & Suites By Carlson hotels were added in the Midwest and Southeastern regions of the U.S.

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IH&RA post-congress review

The feedback is in about the IH&RA 41st Annual Congress held 19-22 November in Istanbul, Turkey . For IH&RA President John Bell, “There can be no doubt that Istanbul was an outstanding success with high attendance, strong program acceptance and a wonderful venue.” …but why not judge for yourself?!

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Rise in visitor arrivals boosts Singapore's tourism and hotel sectors

If 2003 was considered a buyers' market for the hotel and tourism sectors due to the Iraq war, SARS and the economic downturn, then this year marks a return of the sector to 2002 levels.

More... [601 views]

Asia quake toll tops 15.000 (update)

Massive tsunamis triggered by the largest earthquake to shake the planet in over 40 years have wiped out coastal areas across southeastern Asia, killing more than 15.000 people -- most of them in Sri Lanka and India. The initial quake, measuring 8.9 in magnitude, struck about 100 miles (160 km) off the coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island around 7 a.m local time Sunday (0000 GMT), according to the U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center.

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Giant Tsunami survivor clung to hotel pillar in Phuket

Up to his chest in raging water, Boree Carlsson clung desperately to a pillar in a hotel lobby as a giant tsunami wave pounded Thailand's Phuket island today. "I just couldn't believe what was happening before my eyes," said Carlsson, a 45-year-old Swede who had rushed into a hotel as the waves rolled into Patong Beach.

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Quake '5th largest since 1900'

The earthquake that shook southern Asia on Sunday was one of the most powerful since the start of the 20th century, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. "We've just updated it to 8.9 magnitude. That makes it the fifth largest earthquake since 1900," said Julie Martinez, geophysicist for the U.S. Geological Survey's Earthquake Hazards Program in Golden, Colorado.

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Overbuilt or underdemolished?

The not-so-soft whispers already are swirling throughout the lodging industry, even as an economic rebound is beginning to take hold. Talk of overbuilding and forced product-improvement plans were key topics of discussion during a Lodging Industry Investment Council roundtable held in conjunction with The Lodging Conference in Phoenix in late September

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Trump Hotels secures a post-bankruptcy loan

Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts Inc. has arranged $500 million in financing for when it emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the Atlantic City-based company said in a regulatory filing Thursday.

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Indian tourism will have dream run: Taj Hotel executive

 With a 25 per cent annual growth, Indian tourism is poised to witness a ''dream run'' in the next three to five years, says Mr Jamshed Daboo, Chief Operating Officer, Taj Leisure Hotels.

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Starwood staff celebrate US$10 million milestone for UNICEF

Employees at Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers are rising to a new challenge in October and November  to celebrate having helped raise US$10 million for UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) though the Check Out for Children fundraising initiative.

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Malaysian hotels to increase rates in 2005

Room rates in Malaysian hotels are set to increase in 2005. Under the plan proposed by Malaysia Association of Hotel Owners (MAHO), there will be an increase of between RM 10 to 20 ringgit for three-star hotels; between 10 to 40 ringgit for four-star hotels and between 40 to 100 ringgit for five-star hotels.

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Announcing the Le Cordon Bleu International Scholarship Program 2005/06

A$1 million to help young Entrepreneurs launch international hospitality careers. The internationally acclaimed Le Cordon Bleu culinary and hospitality management school is helping develop tomorrow’s restauranteurs and hospitality high-flyers by providing more than a million dollars in scholarships to international students wishing to study hospitality in Australia.  Based on a similar model used for young Australians, the scholarship program aims to provide passionate individuals with the opportunity to gain excellent international qualifications and a fast-track to hospitality industry employment. 

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Lehman Brothers Real Estate Partners Acquires 50% Stake in Wyndham's Summerfield Suites Brand plus Six Hotels for $105 million

Wyndham International, Inc.and Lehman Brothers Real Estate Partners have formed a joint venture to expand and develop Summerfield Suites by Wyndham, Wyndham's upscale, extended-stay brand. The transaction, which closed on Wednesday, Dec. 22, included the sale of six Summerfield Suites by Wyndham properties and the sale of a partnership interest in its Summerfield brand to Lehman Brothers Real Estate Partners for approximately $105 million

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NZ: Travel business booms

A booming economy means New Zealand's business travel is experiencing an unexpected increase in trade. There has been an unseasonable rise in business travel..

More... [609 views]

Best Western completes order for high-speed Internet service

Best Western has reached a milestone within the hotel industry, bringing free high-speed Internet access (HSIA) to its North American properties in less than a year.

More... [730 views]

Wingate introduces free wireless HSIA

Wingate Inns International today announced the introduction of free wireless high-speed Internet access in guest rooms and public areas at its hotels throughout the United States and Canada. Guests with wireless-equipped laptops can access the Internet at speeds of up to 50 times faster than 56 Kbps dialup.

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Myanmar to host ASEAN tourism forum in 2006

Myanmar will host a tourism forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2006 to seek better ways of promoting the sector in the region, according to the Myanmar Travel Committee Wednesday.

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Gold Coast hotel siege over, man charged

The siege at a Gold Coast hotel in Australia is over after a 43-year-old man was taken into police custody nearly 17 hours after he barricaded himself inside a hotel room.  The man had locked himself in a 12th floor unit of The Grand Hotel in Labrador and police believed he was armed with explosives.

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Brandlike benefits, independence drive growth of hotel collections

Unique, independent hotels offer a distinct atmosphere, which gives them a competitive edge for those savvy travelers who don't want a cookie-cutter experience. However, alone, they lack the resources to compete with properties backed by large marketing, training and technical support. Consequently, the industry has witnessed the birth of several new hotel collections, which are designed to provide guests with elements of surprise while being part of a bigger entity.

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More Luxury Apartments From Hotels as Money and Demand Flow Freely

According to figures compiled by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accounting and consulting firm, six of the seven hotel sales in Manhattan this year involved buyers that plan to convert at least part of the buildings to residential use.

More... [680 views]

Best Western joins SAS group as global partner

Best Western International announced today that it will become a global hotel partner of the SAS Group's frequent flyer program, EuroBonus, beginning Tuesday, February 1, 2005.

More... [655 views]

Fairmont, Kingdom And Bank Of Scotland Launch European-Focused Joint Venture

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Inc. (Fairmont) (TSX/NYSE: FHR), Kingdom Hotels International (Kingdom) and Bank of Scotland Corporate, a division of HBOS plc announced today that they have formed a joint venture to invest in luxury hotels in key European markets. The joint venture will have a potential buying capacity of pnds stlg 800 million (US$1.5 billion) and will be equity funded 50% by Bank of Scotland, 25% by Fairmont and 25% by Kingdom. The partners anticipate making equity contributions of up to pnds stlg 200 million (US$390 million).

More... [687 views]

News @ PATA

This week's PATA news and update...

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Feud Among Pritzker Family Members May Be Nearing Settlement

In the first sign of thawing in a two-year legal battle, members of the Pritzker family are working toward a settlement with the two youngest grandchildren of patriarch A.N. Pritzker, who were virtually cut out of the $15 billion family fortune. Negotiations for a settlement of the lawsuit filed by Liesel and Matthew Pritzker are described as "serious" by sources close to the talks.

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Profile: Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai

When the Four Seasons Shanghai opened in 2002, even hotel watchers familiar with the company's dozens of properties might have been taken aback: The building is a sleek, silvery, 37-storey tower in the trendy Puxi district, where the venerable houses of the old foreign concessions are turning into chic international restaurants. Within walking distance are Shanghai's gathering spots: People's Square, shop-till-you-drop Nanjing Road and fashionable Huaihai Road in the old French Concession.

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Mauritius strengthens tourism infrastructure

Three new hotels were inaugurated by Mauritian Prime Minister Paul Bérenger, last week, bringing the island's total number of hotels to 101. The government is now aiming at further boosting the tourism infrastructure by setting up a Tourism Development Authority and rethinking Mauritius' marketing strategy.

More... [769 views]

Kerzner Promotes Howard Karawan to Divisional President/Managing Director

Kerzner International Limited, announced the promotion of Howard Karawan to Divisional President/Managing Director of the Company's Destination Resorts business, effective immediately

More... [832 views]

Tourism leaps in Tasmania

Tasmania has recorded a 9.7 per cent growth in tourism employment over the past 12 months, according to the Tourism and Transport Forum Tourism Employment Atlas 2004.  Second only to South Australia at 14.2 per cent, Tasmania's growth rate accounts for about 1300 extra jobs in the industry.

More... [623 views]

Ayala extends contract with InterContinental

Ayala Hotels Inc., the hotel operations arm of the Ayala group, has agreed to extend the management contract of InterContinental Hotels Group for InterContinental Manila for another year. The contract was to end at end-December.

More... [778 views]

Record year for Copenhagen’s tourism

2004 will be the best year ever with a tourism turnover of over 13bn crowns, writes the travelling business newsletter, Take Off. This amount surpasses even Wonderful Copenhagen’s very ambitious goal of reaching a tourism turnover of 1.6bn euro in 2005.

More... [700 views]

Ritz-Carlton Announces Plans for Hotels in Hong Kong and Shanghai

At 1,574 Feet, Kowloon Site Will Be the World's Tallest Hotel Building. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. of Chevy Chase, MD, (USA) today announced plans to open a 300-room hotel in Hong Kong in 2009 which will be a showcase of contemporary design, as well as the highest hotel in the world. Additionally, a letter of intent has been signed to open a second Ritz-Carlton hotel in Shanghai on Century Boulevard in the heart of Pudong's Lujiazui District.

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Indonesia sees visitors cancel trips due to terror warnings

Foreign government warnings of an imminent terrorist attack in Indonesia have led to a spate of cancelations from visitors planning to travel to the country, tourism officials said. "At least 500 tourists have canceled planned trips to Indonesia for the Dec 2004 -April 2005 period," said Yachya Mahmoed of the Association of Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies.

More... [572 views]

Bangkok's Leading Hotels Anxious to Raise Room Rates for First Time Since 2002

Bangkok's leading deluxe hotels, particularly those catering to business travellers, plan to raise room tariffs for corporate clients next year by as much 8-10 percent to make up for rising costs as well as boost yields.

More... [643 views]

Shangri-La sets sights on second five-star hotel in Guangzhou

Shangri-La Asia is talking to Swire Properties about operating a second new five-star hotel in Guangzhou, where not a single luxury hotel has opened since 1992.  The facility will be built in Swire's first and only key property development on the mainland, the four billion yuan Taikoo Hui Guangzhou Cultural Plaza in Tianhe district. Shangri-La is already building a five-star hotel in the long-neglected market.

More... [680 views]

Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts appoints Regional General Manager for Le Meridien China properties

Le Méridien Hotels and Resorts has announced the appointment of Mr. Didier Tourneboeuf as Regional General Manager for Le Royal Méridien Shanghai & Le Méridien She Shan in October 2004. Didier’s key focus is on strategic growth and pre-opening activities for both Le Méridien hotels in The People’s Republic of China

More... [938 views]

New incoming tourism record for Germany in 2004

Germany expects to achieve a new record of over 45 million overnight stays by foreign visitors in 2004, which would exceed the previous record of 42.6 million set four years ago during the Expo 2000 year.

More... [787 views]

Dubai Hotels record 42 per cent growth in revenues

Dubai's booming hospitality industry showcased its vibrancy by posting over 42 per cent growth in revenues during the January-September 2004 compared with the corresponding period last year with the hotels and hotel apartments playing host to 4,099,772 guests..

More... [677 views]

UK Hotels rated first in Location and Cleanliness

Online accommodation provider, HotelClub.com has released its consumer hotel survey for 2004 this month . Over 245,050 customers have completed the customer survey after staying in hotels booked through HotelClub.com with cleanliness and location, rating the highest from their hotel stay over the past ten months. Consumers are asked to rate the properties on a one to five scale based on cleanliness, facilities, service, location and price;

More... [765 views]

Malta will host the European Forum on Tourism next October

In a press release, tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said that Malta was chosen to organise the European Forum on Tourism.

More... [628 views]

Who is In and Who is Out - Global Staffmovements

For this month's popular update on international executive staff movements, Click Here
Edited by Benoit Gateau-Cumin, President, The Boutique Search Firm 

U.S. Outbound travel in 2003 dropped for the third straight year, yet travel to overseas destinations showed a strong rebound during the year

The country experienced its third straight year of decline in the international outbound market . In 2003, 56.2 million U.S. residents traveled abroad for one night or longer. This was down three percent from 58 million in 2002. U.S. outbound travel peaked in 2000 at 61.3 million travelers, up from 44.4 million in 1993. The top two markets, Mexico and Canada, saw declines in 2003 as travel to overseas destinations increased by five percent. Total outbound estimates for 1993 - 2003 have been changed to account for revisions to U.S. travel to Mexico

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Understanding the Recovery Occurring in the Meeting’s Market

During the recent industry recession, convention hotels have suffered more than any other property type covered in PKF Consulting’s Trends in the Hotel Industry reports.  The typical convention hotel showed a staggering 40 percent decline in profits during the past three years.  From 2000 to 2003, convention hotel revenue has declined 17.4  percent, the result of 9.8 percent declines in both occupancy and average daily room rate. 

More... [636 views]

Hilton International statement: Indonesia

The growing interest and media coverage regarding the risk of terrorist attacks in Indonesia has incorrectly linked the story to the Hilton International brand  of hotels.  Hilton International has no management, franchise or operational responsibility for any of the `Hilton` branded properties in Indonesia, including `Hilton` Jakarta.

More... [991 views]

AmeriSuite hotels changing to Hyatt brand by Dec. 31

Albuquerque's AmeriSuites Hotels will most likely benefit from the Pritzker family's Hyatt Corp. announcement last week that it plans to buy the AmeriSuite hotel chain from the Blackstone Group in a deal worth more than $600 million.

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Hawaii: Tourism boom spawns a new breed of hotel investors

The recent surge of investment interest in Hawaii hotels and resorts has led to $3.5 billion in wheeling and dealing since 2001 and spawned a new breed of investors in Hawaii real estate

More... [609 views]

MacDonald Hotel Chain Founders Check Out

Two founders of the Macdonald Hotels chain have resigned to concentrate on other business interests, including two separate hotel groups. Sandy Orr and Donald MacDonald - not related to chairman Donald Macdonald - plan to spend more time on the City Inn urban hotel chain, their Scottish Selection rural retreats and Edinburgh's Caledonian Brewery.

More... [609 views]

Cendant adds Ramada execs to hotels

Cendant has announced a new international structure for its hotel operation following the completion last week of its deal to buy Ramada International Hotels & Resorts.   Reas Kondraschow takes on the role of senior VP and managing director, international. He was VP for Ramada when Marriott International sold it to Cendant for an undisclosed sum.

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War drums dampen Sri Lanka's tourism cheer in the New Year...

Sri Lanka's tourism industry is set to wrap up its best year ever thanks to a truce between troops and Tiger rebels, but fears of a return to war have made the flourishing sector jittery once again.

More... [583 views]

UK hoteliers toast a successful run up to Christmas

UK hoteliers have reason to celebrate this Christmas with figures reflecting good performance in the sector. A report, by accountants PKF , shows that rooms yield at the end of November improved by as much as 5 per cent across the UK.

More... [611 views]

Accor to add 20 hotels in China

France's Accor SA, the largest hotel operator in Europe, said over the weekend it planned to open 20 new hotels in China in the coming years to tap the world’s most populous market.

More... [791 views]

German hotel quarantined, Japanese tourists checked in SARS alert

German police placed a hotel in the south of the country under quarantine and doctors examined scores of Japanese tourists to see whether any had contracted the respiratory illness SARS.

More... [826 views]

DoubleTree Club GM named Hotelier of the Year

Nearly 1,000 hospitality executives attended this year's Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association's 2004 Hospitality Gala, held Dec. 18 at the Orlando World Center Marriott, where DoubleTree Club General Manager Laura Sherman was named Hotelier of the Year.

More... [663 views]

How Healthy Is Your Business?

There is considerable value in undertaking a regularly scheduled complete health exam. The health of any hospitality business is determined by the relationship of internal systems, functions, processes and human relationships.

More... [961 views]

Cornell study finds unexpected connection between table characteristics and restaurant spending

A study published by Cornell University found that the “best table” from a guest’s point of view may not be the best for the restaurant owner. The conclusion comes from analyzing the relationship between table location and customers’ spending habits. The study, written by Cornell Hotel School professors Sherri Kimes and Stephani K.A. Robson, was published in the current issue of the Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly (November 2004). 

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HVS Asia Pacific News Update

This week's HVS Asia Pacific News Update...

More... [762 views]

Countries raise warning on Indonesia

The UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has upgraded its advice against travel to Indonesia around Christmas and the New Year. It says there is a heightened risk of attacks at this time of Christian celebration, and all but essential travel to the country should be avoided for the time being. “We believe that there is a heightened risk of attacks in the lead up to and during this Christmas/New Year period and that these are in the final stages of preparation. These could occur at any time, anywhere in Indonesia and are likely to be directed against locations frequented by foreigners.”

More... [596 views]

Americans Warm Up To The Idea Of Winter Travel

Whether they'll be frolicking in the snow or sunning on the beach, Americans will be traveling in record numbers this winter (December, January, February), according to the latest seasonal forecast by the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA).

More... [692 views]

Philadelphia beats national tourism growth averages

The news keeps getting better for Philadelphia, according to  new tourism reports. Total visitation (convention, business and leisure) to the Philadelphia five-county region was up 12% in 2003 to 24.2 million from 21.6 million people in 2002.

More... [530 views]

Small Luxury Hotels Adds 53 New Members for 2005

Luxury Brand Marks Record Total with 329 Hotels in 57 Countries. Small Luxury Hotels of the World’s award-winning directory of hotels just got bigger for 2005 as the luxury brand added 53 new properties worldwide to its portfolio.  Not only did the exclusive collection grow in size but it has spread the globe farther reaching 7 new countries which include The Bahamas, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Dominican Republic, Panama, Slovakia and Vietnam.  

More... [695 views]

Weak Dollar Has a Silver Lining for L.A. Tourism

With a weak dollar providing bargains for overseas tourists and a spiffed-up city attracting close-to-home travelers, the Los Angeles area is expected to have attracted a record number of visitors this year, according to a report set to be released today. LA Inc., the city's convention and visitors bureau, projects that 24.3 million tourists will have visited Los Angeles County in 2004. That's an increase of 4.1% over last year and tops the previous record of 24.2 million set in 2000.

More... [576 views]

Germany: Tourism record set

A record number of foreign tourists visited Germany in 2004, wiping out the setbacks of recent years.

More... [724 views]

Accor To Manage Beijing's Most Prestigious New Hotel

Sofitel Wanda Beijing To Become A Landmark For Capital's New Business District.  Accor has won the management contract to operate the Sofitel Wanda Beijing in the new Wanda Plaza urban development project that is set to change the face of Beijing's central business district. The Sofitel is scheduled to open in 2006.

More... [671 views]

Radisson SAS receives Cultural Award from Sharjah Ruler

The five-star beachfront Radisson SAS Resort, Sharjah has been given a cultural award for its efforts in promoting the emirate’s culture and traditions. The award, from Sharjah’s Department of Culture and Information, was presented to Guy Chidiac, the hotel’s General Manager by His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, member of the UAE’s Supreme Council and the Ruler of Sharjah.

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Bright future for Georgia tourism

Marriott manager pleased with economic changes in 2004, sees more ahead in 2005. General Manager of Tbilisi's Marriott Hotel and Courtyard by Marriott, Igael Porecki believes that the coming year will bring increased investment in Georgia from abroad, adding that he is particularly hopeful that there will be growth in the tourism and hotel industries.

More... [804 views]

“Obsolete in your prime?  The new Paradigm for Hospitality”

To thrive and succeed we must better engage the Guest, gain their loyalty and exceed their hopes. Our passion must be seen in a new context – the commitment to transcend expectations. In order to transform your business, a leap is required from merely doing the brand to being the brand. Your level of excellence needs to move to the remarkable, the sublime.  We talk about the WOW which successful businesses project.  How did they get there? By John Hendrie, CEO, Hospitality Performance, Inc.

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Brisbane hotel market sees performance at an all time high

The number of overseas tourist arrivals to Australia shot to an all time high, year ending 31 October 2004. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, arrivals increased by 11% to 5.2m. Latest year-to-October 2004 results from the Australian edition of the HotelBenchmark Survey by Deloitte reinforces this, all markets bar one reported growth in revenue per available room (revPAR) compared to the same period in 2003.

More... [648 views]

Grenade found inside Jakarta Hilton compound

A sweeper found a grenade in the parking lot of the heavily guarded Hilton hotel in Jakarta today, police said, just days after warnings that militants might attack one of the three Hiltons in Indonesia.

More... [637 views]

InterContinental Hotels sells 13 Americas hotels

Hotel giant InterContinental has agreed to sell 13 hotels in the Americas to Hospitality Properties Trust for $450m. The sale of hotels in the US, Puerto Rico and Canada should be completed in the first quarter of 2005, but the group will retain long term management contracts on the properties.

More... [751 views]

First half 2004 hotel profits solidify 2005 outlook; industry still lags far behind its past peak performance in 1998

The Hospitality Research Group, the research affiliate of PKF Consulting, announced today that a “typical” full-service hotel achieved an 8.4 percent improvement  in gross operating profits (GOP) in the first half of 2004, compared to the same period a year earlier. The results are based on an in-depth analysis of more than 700 full-service hotels across the United States.

More... [839 views]

Launch of new Abu Dhabi-based hotel brand

Donat Hotels & Resorts opens for business with two luxury five-star beach resorts. A new name in the regional hotel sector has been unveiled with the official launch of the Danat Hotels & Resorts hotel brand .   The Danat Hotels and Resorts brand will look after eight UAE hotels and one in Morocco that are either owned and/or managed by the group, or where the group is the owner-representative.  Danat Hotels & Resorts, a division of the Abu Dhabi-based National Corporation for Tourism & Hotels (NCT&H) will manage two new five-star resorts, the Danat Resort Jebel Dhanna and the Al Raha Beach Hotel, as well as a cluster of four-star properties in the emirate. 

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The 2003 Hotel Industry CEO Survey

Based on our pay-for-performance model, Jonathan Tisch was underpaid by nearly $1.56 million in 2003. The model takes into consideration EBITDA growth, market capitalization and stock appreciation, and compares that to total compensation.

More... [830 views]

TravelCLICK Appoints Jeff Bzdawka Senior Vice President & Chief Operations Officer

TravelCLICK announced today that Jeff Bzdawka has been appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer.  Bzdawka will lead TravelCLICK’s rapidly-growing operations in Schaumburg and Houston and will provide functional direction to the international offices in Barcelona and Melbourne.  These operations underpin the company’s unique ability to provide integrated data, electronic marketing, reservations and revenue management services to the hotel industry.  He will report to Ray Cohen, TravelCLICK’s President and co-Chief Executive Officer

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States look to grab more tax dollars from third-party Internet reservations

Although the persistent budget shortfalls that have plagued many states over the last few years are showing signs of abating, most states still face leaner coffers.

More... [677 views]

Richard Moore Scholarship Program Formed at Cornell Hotel School

The Cornell Hotel announced today the completion of the endowment for the Richard G. Moore '67 Scholarship fund, to be used each year to assist an undergraduate student at the School.

More... [568 views]

Amadeus Ups Ante in Hong Kong

Amadeus, Asia Pacific’s largest and fastest growing distribution system (GDS), officially celebrated the success of its Hong Kong office with a lavish party at the Grand Hyatt, Hong Kong at which regional President, David Brett highlighted the key role Hong Kong and China will play in the company’s growth in Asia Pacific

More... [656 views]

Golden Tulip appoints Medelon Boom Chief Operating Officer Hotel Management Division

Golden Tulip Hotels, Inns & Resorts is proud to announce the appointment of Ms Madelon Boom in the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO) of its hotel management division as per 1st of February 2005. Madelon joins Golden Tulip from Accenture Plc, where she held a variety of positions since 2001, lastly as Global Operations Director.

More... [687 views]

Cendant Hotel Group Announces New International Structure

Following its acquisition of Ramada International Hotels and Resorts, Cendant Hotel Group today announced that it has integrated its existing global staff with former Ramada International employees to create a platform for worldwide expansion.

More... [1116 views]

Record Numbers to Travel for Christmas-New Year's Holiday, Says AAA

Calendar Provides Pair of Holiday Weekends for Vacationers

More... [630 views]

FCC OKs high-speed Internet access for airline passengers

Federal regulators voted today to give airline passengers high-speed Internet connections while they fly. The unanimous vote by the Federal Communications Commission means air travelers could be surfing the Web by 2006. "If there is a theme for this meeting, it is that we want (new technologies) on the land, in the air, and on the sea" FCC Chairman Michael Powell said. "We are pushing the frontiers in order to bring the information age to all corners of the world." The FCC also voted to solicit comments from the public about ending the ban on in-flight use of cell phones. Among the issues to consider are whether passengers want to be surrounded by cell phone conversations.

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Hilton hotels in Indonesia hunker down after threat

Hilton hotels in Indonesia ratcheted up security on Thursday but said they were seeing few cancellations amid warnings from Western governments that one of their chain could be attacked by militants. Ian Mckie, general manager of the Bali Hilton International hotel on the famous resort island, said the US embassy told him on Wednesday there could be a possible attack on that day or Thursday on a Hilton hotel in Indonesia. "They were specific in terms of dates. They said 15th or 16th of December," Mckie said by telephone.

More... [706 views]

Japan hotel investment heats up, regions seen cheap

The purchase of a top-class hotel in downtown Tokyo this month by a fund operated by U.S. investment firm Morgan Stanley sent shockwaves through Japan's real estate industry. Not only was the 50 billion yen ($477.8 million) sale of the Westin Tokyo more than 50 times the average size of hotel deals in Japan, it is widely believed to be the country's largest-ever hotel transaction. A clear symbol of surging investor interest in a lucrative market, industry players say.

More... [691 views]

South Africa hotels desperate to demonstrate unrivalled value for money

The latest results from the South African edition of the HotelBenchmark Survey by Deloitte lead us to question whether local hoteliers can maintain the recent growth in average room rates. Following a fall during 2001 and 2002 average room rates bounced back in 2003. This growth has continued into 2004; however recent occupancy declines indicate that some of the traditional international source markets might be deterred by the higher price of accommodation.

More... [621 views]

InterContinental Hotels presses ahead with 1 bln stg Holiday Inn sale - report

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is pressing ahead with the disposal of its 1 bln stg UK Holiday Inn portfolio after receiving bids from Whitehall, the Goldman Sachs property fund, Blackstone, the private equity group, and Lehman Brothers, the Financial Times reported.

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Spilling The Beans: What 'Being The Brand' Brings To Your Business

I hate the word 'brand'. I hear it everywhere. You see it applied to every conceivable product nowadays. Doesn't matter if the darn thing is in any way unique or different from the thousand other products hawking the same junk. I read two chilling statistics in Sam Hill's book, 60 Trends in 60 Minutes. 93+% of all ads push products or services which are duplicative Only 9% of all consumers can recall the name of the brand from the ad they just saw on TV

More... [1040 views]

Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong announces US$110 Million renovation programme

Mandarin Oriental International Limited today announced a comprehensive US$110 million renovation of Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, which
will upgrade significantly the facilities and services of the Group's flagship hotel. The renovation will maintain the hotel's classic, Chinese-influenced elegance, while modernising and enhancing many of its core facilities.

More... [763 views]

Club Med sets ambitious 2006 target

Club Med has made an operating profit for the first time in three years, prompting chief executive Henry Giscard d’Estaing to set a euro100m operating profit target for its 06 FY. In the results for the year to end-Oct04, Club Med recorded an operating profit of euro17m compared with a loss of euro6m in 2003. It said that he improvement was driven by ‘higher margins on the villages business, reflecting the upmarket strategy…’ Europe made a euro4m loss during the summer after achieving a euro19m gain in the winter season. Club Med blamed a lacklustre economy and the impact of the Olympic Games on visits to Greece for Europe’s S05 revenues being 6% behind last time.

More... [565 views]

News @ PATA

This week's PATA News & Update.....

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Hilton wins Marketing Strategy of the Year Award

Hilton Worldwide Resorts has won the U.K.’s “Marketing Strategy of the Year” award at the “National Business Awards 2004,” which are considered the “Oscar” awards of the business world. These annual awards are for the most innovative ideas and best application. Hilton Worldwide Resorts -- 47 distinguished establishments worldwide -- deserved the award with its creative marketing campaign, in addition to the innovative products they developed and offered their customers.

More... [1057 views]

Macau Hotel Occupancy Rises to 77.2 Percent as Tourism Surges

Macau, a casino-operating city that's in the midst of a tourism boom, had an average hotel occupancy rate of 77.2 percent in October, up 4.6 percentage points from a year earlier, the city's Statistics and Census Service said.

More... [583 views]

New Forecasts indicate Australian Tourism Turnaround Expected to Continue

New tourism forecasts issued today by the Australian Tourism Forecasting Committee show that tourism in Australia has turned a corner with the return to strong growth in international tourist arrivals to Australia in 2004 expected to continue over the coming years. The turnaround comes after three consecutive years of flat performance for inbound tourism due to terrorism, SARS, and world economic uncertainty.

More... [509 views]

Dos and don'ts of hotel security

When hotel guests think of amenities, the first thought that usually comes to mind is the basket of shampoo, hair conditioner, body lotion, soap, shower cap and shoe cloth displayed on the bathroom vanity. What guests rarely think of as an amenity is hotel security, a largely unheralded and unnoticed element that truly adds to guest comfort. Whether you check into a Ritz-Carlton or a Holiday Inn, you expect that you and your belongings will be safe.

More... [1683 views]

Pegasus Names Robert Boles COO

Boles awarded COO role after 18 months as executive vice president of sales and marketing. Pegasus Solutions, Inc. today announced it has named Robert (Bob) J. Boles, Jr. as chief operating officer. This appointment better reflects Boles’ current responsibilities for all sales and marketing, product management and strategy, and all service delivery functions within Pegasus. Dallas-based Pegasus Solutions is a global leader in providing technology and services to hotels and travel distributors.

More... [567 views]

Peru Tourism Revenue Rises 20 Percent in 2004 on America's Cup

The number of tourists rose by 26 percent from 830,000 last year, Industry & Tourism Minister Alfredo Ferrero told reporters at a news conference in Lima. Tourism rose after Air Canada and Spain's Air Madrid and Air Plus Comet began running nonstop flights to Lima this year and Peru hosted the America's Cup soccer tournament in July.

More... [565 views]

Hotels and casinos in Antarctica?

Antarctic Treaty members must define if tourism is a compatible activity for Antarctica, (including hotels and casinos), and an environmental assessment is an important starting point, said visiting Professor Daniel Bodansky during a conference in Punta Arenas.  Professor Bodansky teaches International Environmental Law in the University of Georgia is closely linked to the US State Department and was invited to lecture on the subject by the Chilean Antarctic Institute and the Chilean Antarctic Province authorities.

More... [649 views]

InterContinental Hotels appoints new CEO

Intercontinental Hotels, the group that owns the Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inns brands, has poached one of Cadbury Schweppes's high fliers as its chief executive. Andrew Cosslett, an outsider to the hotel trade, has been drafted in to fill the gap left by Richard North, who was ousted in September. The company said at the time Mr North did "not have the right skills for the job", despite his experience in the hotel sector. It wants Mr Cosslett, 49, to bring brand expertise to InterContinental, which is refocusing its business on to franchise and hotel-management contracts.

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James Sherwood of Orient Express Hotels to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at International Hotel Investment Forum in Berlin

Hosts of the 8th International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) have announced that James Sherwood, founder and chairman of Orient Express Hotels Ltd., will receive the lifetime achievement award at the event, scheduled for 15-17 March 2005 at the Hotel InterContinental Berlin, Germany.  Past winners of the award include 2004 recipient Kurt Ritter of Rezidor SAS Hospitality and 2003 honouree P.R.S. Oberoi of Oberoi Hotels Private Limited.

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ACCOR: Update on Accor/Club Mediterranee Synergies

Following the European Commission's authorization on October 19th of Accor's acquisition of a 28.9% stake in Club Mediterranee, the two companies have identified the synergies to be developed and defined priority programs to be implemented. Based on current estimates, these synergies will gradually contribute to both partners' earnings, with a combined net gain of 17 million euros forecast in 2005, 33 million euros in 2006. Net gain from synergies should reach 46 million euros in 2007, of which 30 million euros for Club Mediterranee and 16 million euros for Accor.

More... [523 views]

AmericInn Names Arnold A. Angeloni CEO

AmericInn, one of the fastest growing upscale limited service lodging chains in the United States, announced today that Arnold Angeloni has been named chief executive officer of both AmericInn and its parent company, Northcott Hospitality International, LLC. Angeloni, who had been serving as the interim chief executive officer, has assumed his position effective immediately.

More... [702 views]

Foreign Tourists at All-time High in India - Hotels Hike Room Rates

It couldn't have got better than this. The number of foreign tourists visiting India this year reached an all-time high of 29,83,453 -- up from 24,06,943 last year. Naturally, hotels are encashing on these good occupancy rates.  "It's not only Delhi, but other hot spots such as Goa, Kochi, Jaipur, Bangalore and Shimla which are showing increased business. As per indications, the surge will continue till February," says tourism minister Renuka Choudhury.

More... [755 views]

Schmid to return Kuala Lumpur's Hotel Istana to its glory days

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Howard Group breaks ground on two hotels

Howard Group, a major commercial developer of upscale retail and mixed-use projects, broke ground today for two hotels at Grand Boulevard, a $200-million "Main Street" shopping and entertainment development located at the entrance of the 2,400-acre Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.

More... [783 views]

2005 Lodging Forecast Back to a Seller's Market?

It looks as if meeting planners are heading straight into a seller's market in 2005, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers' annual U.S. Lodging Forecast. “The balance of power has shifted, especially during higher occupancy periods,” says Bjorn Hanson, PhD, global hospitality industry managing partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, New York. This doesn't apply just to room rates, he says, but also to F&B, meeting room charges, and other costs. “2005 will seem in many ways to be more of a challenge in negotiations than 2000.”

More... [641 views]

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Inc. Broadens Key Management Team

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Inc. announced a new corporate position dedicated to maximizing the value of the Company's extensive owned real estate. Michael F. Glennie will become Executive Vice President, Real Estate effective January 2005, reporting to William Fatt, Fairmont's CEO.

More... [963 views]

Rezidor SAS Launches Meetings Directory With A Difference

The international multi-brand hotel management company Rezidor SAS has launched a new Meetings Facilities Directory – available in hard copy or online – covering four of its hotel brands. Meetings planners now have one-stop access to facilities at Radisson SAS, Regent, Park Inn and Country Inn properties across the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.

More... [609 views]

Opodo And SynXis Announce New Partnership

Opodo, the pan-European online travel agency, owned by travel technology company Amadeus and nine of Europe’s major airlines, today signed a new deal with SynXis, the leading provider of distribution and reservation management systems .   

More... [864 views]

Room Rates Across the Top 50 Hotel Markets in the U.S. Will Increase by 3.7% in 2004;

After three years of declining hotel rates, consumers are seeing a reversal of that trend and are beginning to experience price increases for their lodging stay. In addition, rate increases are beginning to escalate. Based on the recently updated Winter 2005 forecasts of lodging industry performance prepared by Atlanta-based PKF Hospitality Research ("PKF/HR") and Boston-based Torto Wheaton Research ("TWR"), room rates across the Top 50 hotel markets in the U.S. will increase by 3.7 percent in 2004, followed by another 4.7 percent bump in 2005. Stronger demand levels, combined with the increasing use of savvy price-setting practices by both hotel chains and individual property managers, are making hotel bargains harder to come by.

More... [780 views]

Hotel Executive Compensation, Bonuses Rise Despite Economic Challenges

We believe more lodging companies will focus on executive pay-for-performance initiatives as they try to attract and retain the best talent in the Industry.

More... [933 views]

M-Commerce - The new "anywhere, anytime" sales channel

As the demand for mobile phones, PDAs and handheld computers increases at a phenomenal pace, a new worldwide business frontier has been created. M-commerce is not just a variant of e-commerce, but a unique distribution channel based on the shifting role of mobile devices from purely communicational to transactional. ARC Group estimates that by 2007 approximately 546 million users will spend close to $40 billion on mobile commerce.

More... [811 views]

Beijing short of 2.2 million hotel beds for 2008 Olympic

The planning chief of the Beijing tourist bureau has said the city will fall short of 2.2 million hotel beds during the Olympic Games held here in 2008. The government hopes to attract international hotels and travel agencies to improve mid- and small-sized hotels in Beijing, said Fang Zehua, planning section chief of the Beijing Municipal Bureauof Tourism (BTA), at a recent local tourism forum.

More... [684 views]

HTNG Group sets goals for first phase deliverables

Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) announced that the 21 leading hotel and technology vendors who are participating in its In-Room Technology Workgroup have completed their organizational phase, formed working teams, and established objectives for initial deliverables. These tasks were accomplished at the first face-to-face meeting, held on November 30 and December 1 in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

More... [494 views]

Hotel guests will pay more in 2005

After three years of declining hotel rates, consumers are seeing a reversal of that trend and are beginning to experience price increases for their lodging stay.  In addition, rate increases are beginning to escalate.  Based on the recently updated Winter 2005 forecasts of lodging industry performance prepared by Atlanta-based PKF Hospitality Research (“PKF/HR”) and Boston-based Torto Wheaton Research (“TWR”), room rates across the Top 50 hotel markets in the U.S. will increase by 3.7 percent in 2004, followed by another 4.7 percent bump in 2005.  Stronger demand levels, combined with the increasing use of savvy price-setting practices by both hotel chains and individual property managers, are making hotel bargains harder to come by.

More... [761 views]

Dubai’s new landmark of luxury takes shape

Grosvenor House tipped to become a modern classic.  With less than six months to go until the opening of the first hotel on Dubai’s newest lifestyle location, Dubai Marina, the 45-storey Grosvenor House West Marina Beach by Le Meridien is tipped to become a landmark on the city’s skyline  General manager Pam Wilby said Grosvenor House will be Dubai’s first ‘grand hotel’, following in the tradition of many of Europe’s renowned hotels that set the standards for hospitality more than 100 years ago. 

More... [819 views]

New Gulf Chef School inaugurated in Oman

Continuing its endeavour to facilitate better education and rewarding career opportunities for young Omanis, National Hospitality Institute has opened the Gulf Chefs School, which was inaugurated by none other than world famous master chef Antony Worrall Thompson.  “The new school is a turning point in the training and employment of Omanis in the Hospitality Industry in Oman and the Gulf region”, said Mr Robert MacLean Principal of NHI. The new school would now offer a more diversified range of programmes within the cookery discipline, which will cater to a broader base of customers. He described the new facility as a one-stop shop for all the training requirements of local industry.  

More... [1062 views]

Jean Georges Shanghai ranked number one in Shanghai by renowned "Zagat Survey"

Jean Georges at Three on the Bund has been named “Shanghai’s Number One Restaurant for food” and “Number 2 for Popularity” by the prestigious ZAGAT survey which recognises the best restaurants and hotels around the world.  

According to the ZAGAT’s  Shanghai survey, Jean-George Vongerichten’s first  venture into Shanghai is “a WOW”. 

More... [781 views]

Choice Hotels board promotes and elects David Goldberg and David Pepper to SVP

Choice Hotels International, Inc. today announced that its Board of Directors has promoted and elected David Goldberg to the position of senior vice president, Corporate & Brand Strategy, and David Pepper to the position of senior vice president, Franchise Development, effective January 1, 2005.  Both will continue to report to Joe Squeri, executive vice president and chief financial officer.

More... [576 views]

Radisson SAS enters Nigeria

Rezidor SAS Hospitality, the international multi-brand hotel management company, has signed an agreement to manage the new Radisson SAS  hotel in Lagos, Nigeria. Kurt Ritter, President & CEO Rezidor SAS Hospitality, commented: “I am excited to add yet another country to our rapidly expanding portfolio in a country that has a great deal of potential and untapped opportunity for new developments. This new property in West Africa is in line with Rezidor SAS’ goal to operate 700 hotels by 2012.”

More... [672 views]

D.C. hotels pledge to pamper inauguration guests

Supporters of President Bush will be bringing their own fanfare and enthusiasm when they flock to Washington in January for inaugural festivities, but they'll also be generating much excitement for D.C. hoteliers, who promise to pamper anyone willing to pay. Several of Washington's leading hotels have put together packages catering to inauguration attendees, ranging from a lavish $150,000 stay at the Ritz-Carlton to a more modest $5,000 visit to the Hotel Monaco.

More... [553 views]

Consolidation spurs CRS industry changes

The central-reservation-system business is going through several dramatic changes spurred by recent acquisitions in the industry. Within the last 12 months, Pegasus Solutions bought Unirez, SynXis acquired HubX and Vantis International Corp., formerly VIP International, purchased Lexington Services. "The business is changing so much," said John Burns, president of Hospitality Technology Consulting, a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based consulting company. "The industry is moving beyond just connections to a more intense level of channel-management and revenue-management functionality and support. Representation companies are getting deeper into the service business to add coaching and counseling on top of connectivity."

More... [804 views]

Consumers: Outlook for the Travel Industry Bright This Holiday Season

While Location and Price Predominantly Drive Travelers’ Choices, Loyalty Programs Are a Key Differentiator for High-End Consumers.  The signs are bright for the U.S. tourism and hospitality market this holiday season, with 36 percent of nearly 16,000 U.S. consumers planning to take a long-distance trip of 250 miles or more this holiday season, according to a consumer survey of holiday spending plans and trends commissioned by Deloitte & Touche USA LLP

More... [741 views]

Dubai hotel will be world's tallest building

After opening the world's first six-star hotel, Dubai is setting another standard, this time a hotel that will double up as the world's tallest building. The Burj Dubai building will tower over the United Arab Emirates at 2,624 feet - almost half a mile high. Plans are already well underway and the hotel is expected to open for business in 2008

More... [1138 views]

Malaysian Hotels set to achieve highest average occupancy in 7 years

Malaysia's  hotel industry is expected to end the year with a 68 per cent average occupancy rate, the highest in the past seven years. The average occupancy rate in 2002 and 2003 were 62 per cent and 65 per cent respectively. Vice-president of the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Ivo Nekvapil said that occupancy rates had been depressed since 1999 when it registered 54 per cent.

More... [642 views]

Conrad has a Sound…

Conrad Hotels, the luxury brand of the Hilton Family has launched its first music CD "Conrad Vol I", which will be sold in Conrad hotels worldwide.
The music selection is based on a Conrad Hotels music survey, which was conducted during the summer 2003 amongst 1,000 guests in European
and Asian locations. Hotels participating in the survey included the Conrad Bangkok, Conrad Cairo, Conrad Hong Kong, Conrad Brussels and
Conrad Centennial Singapore. The survey emphasized the need for a variety of relaxing music with ethnic influences and rhythms
reflecting funk, soul, jazz and vocal.

More... [759 views]

New Year's Resolutions for Sales & Marketing in 2005

As we plan ahead into 2005, here are some suggestions and ideas to toss around as you review your sales, marketing and public relations initiatives.

More... [1687 views]

Cendant Hotel Group Completes Acquisition of Ramada International

The sale of Ramada International Hotels & Resorts by Marriott International Inc. to Cendant Corporation’s Hotel Group has been completed, the companies announced. Both companies said the financial impact of the transaction was not material.

More... [820 views]

Swiss tourism to highlight centenary of Relativity Theory

Swiss Tourism is promoting the centenary celebrations of Einstein's "Relativity Theory" as one of the major events to attract tourists in 2005. Swiss Tourism Director Federico Sommaruga told UNI here that a series of programmes would be organised in the city of Berne since February 2005 in memory of the popular Swiss Scientist's Relativity Theory and also in observance of his 50th death anniversary.

More... [619 views]

Hilton Caribbean Launches Tropical Rewards

A Travel Agent Loyalty Program to Say ‘Thank You’. In an effort to recognize and build long lasting relationships with their top producing travel agents, Hilton Caribbean introduces Hilton Tropical Rewards, a travel agent loyalty program that allows agents in the US to earn points for reservations made at Hilton Caribbean hotels and resorts.  

More... [757 views]

Maximizing the tourism benefits of the 2010 Winter Olympics

In February 2010, awareness of Canada as a destination will be at an all-time high . It is imperative that Canada`s tourism community work together to plan how best to achieve and capitalize on the tourism benefits of this high-profile international event.

More... [577 views]

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Gulf Roadshow 2004 hits five cities in five days

An 17 strong group of General Managers and Directors of Marketing from Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts worldwide  completed a five-day, five city whirlwind Gulf tour in Dubai on December 1.

More... [863 views]

Hyatt: Quite a Housecleaning

With a far-reaching internal reorganization, are the Pritzkers getting set to take their sprawling empire public? With his family racked by dissension for the past five years, Hyatt hotels Chief Thomas J. Pritzker hasn't always found it easy to focus on running his Chicago-based hotel empire. While rivals such as Hilton Hotels and Marriott International  have rushed into fast-growing markets, such as modestly priced suites hotels, Pritzker stayed on the sidelines. Instead, he insisted on sticking with the slower-growth upscale and luxury-resort market. Much of his energy also went into trying to placate a dozen restless relatives, some of whom are unhappy with Pritzker's management of the $15 billion family empire.

More... [1327 views]

The European hotel industry continued its recovery in October

After two months of clear improvement, the good results of the European hotel industry continued at a more moderate pace. RevPAR rose by 0.6% in October.  The medium-term improvement continued. The occupancy rate and the average daily rate progressed favourably over 12 months, for a RevPAR rise of 3.4%.   Though Spain is trailing, hotel results from the United Kingdom demonstrate a return to activity, with a RevPAR on the rise by 8.1% over 12 months.

More... [745 views]

New Chief Executive Appointed for IH&RA

Mr. David McMillan has been named to the post of Chief Executive Officer of the International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA - www.ih-ra.com ) effective 3 January 2005. This appointment received unanimous approval by IH&RA Members at the Association's Annual General Assembly held in Istanbul alongside the IH&RA 41st Annual Congress, 19-22 November 2004.

More... [542 views]

Shangri-La Academy launches in China

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, China's largest luxury hotel group, announced today the opening of Shangri-La Academy centralised employee
training centre near Beijing.  Created to speed and intensify employee development in pace with the group's rapid China growth, the Academy's
progressive training methods focus on critical thinking, problem-solving and empowerment.

More... [738 views]

Restaurant Industry Outlook Strongest in Months as Restaurant Performance Index Registered Solid Gain In October

The outlook for the restaurant industry has become increasingly optimistic, as the National Restaurant Association's comprehensive index of restaurant activity rose sharply in October. The Association's Restaurant Performance Index –- a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry -– jumped 0.9 percent in October, which followed a 0.1 percent gain in September.

More... [634 views]

Singapore Travel industry benefits from low-cost carriers and stronger economy

The introduction of low-cost carriers and a stronger economy have given a boost to the local travel industry. The National Association of Travel Agents (NATAS) expects to see a 15% growth this current quarter. After a dip in the first six months of the year, the local travel industry is seeing a strong comeback in the second half. More travellers are opting for long-haul tour packages to Europe and the US this year-end. But regional destinations have also seen a sharp rise in demand, thanks to the mushrooming of low-cost carriers.

More... [801 views]

IHG adds 42 hotels in four-month span

InterContinental Hotels Group [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], the world's largest and most global hotel company, today announced it opened 42 hotels (5,658 rooms) from July through October 2004 across the Americas. These 42 openings include: Crowne Plaza opened five properties located in Oklahoma City, Okla.; Tulsa, Okla.; King of Prussia, Pa.; Arlington, Texas and San Antonio, Texas.

More... [756 views]

Hyatt Returning To Montreal

Hyatt Hotels Corporation is returning to Montreal, where it has been unrepresented since 1986, with the $20 million renovation of the Hyatt Regency Montréal, acquired in December 2003.

More... [671 views]

Tunisia's tourism revenues on the rise

Tunisia's tourism revenues increased by 16.6 percent through November reaching $1.6 billion, an official report said Wednesday.

More... [687 views]

Cendant Travel Distribution Services and Choice Hotels form Global Distribution Agreement

Cendant Travel Distribution Services (Cendant TDS), a division of Cendant Corp. (NYSE: CD), and Choice Hotels International (NYSE:CHH), one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world, today announced that they have entered into a multi-year distribution and services agreement.  This agreement not only provides Choice Hotels with access to Cendant TDS’ full suite of distribution products and services but adds more than 2,000 Choice Hotel properties to Cendant TDS’ wide selection of merchant hotel rates.

More... [1010 views]

Hyatt Corporation announces acquisition of Amerisuites Hotels

Formation of Global Hyatt Corporation Progresses. Hyatt Corporation, the worldwide hotel management and real estate development company, announced today that it will purchase the 143-unit AmeriSuites hotel chain from affiliates of The Blackstone Group.  Definitive agreements have been concluded and the transaction is expected to close in early January.  Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 

More... [964 views]

Fitch: Travel Rebound Fuels U.S. Lodging Sector 2005 Outlook

Fitch Ratings' outlook for the U.S. lodging sector for 2005 is positive, based on the expectation that the significant momentum of lodging demand fundamentals in 2004 will be sustained in 2005. Specifically, Fitch believes the rebound of business travel demand, which began in 2004, will continue to drive room rate increases and bolster already strong occupancy gains fueled by the return of leisure travelers. This strong demand scenario, combined with low supply growth should translate into steady bottom-line improvement and positive free cash flow over the next several years, allowing companies to restore their balance sheets to prerecession levels. Rising international travel to the U.S., aided by favorable exchange rates, should also continue to benefit the overall industry.

More... [684 views]

Qatar, Oman and UAE nominated as key tourism markets

Industry leaders identify ‘hotspots’ for Arabian Hotel Investment Conference. Oman, Qatar and the UAE outside Dubai have been nominated as the top three emerging markets in the GCC i  n a recent survey of tourism leaders conducted by organisers of the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC), to be held in Dubai April 30 – May 2, 2005.  In addition, Saudi Arabia was identified as a new destination with potential to develop a successful tourism product in the longer term.  

More... [664 views]

John Q. Hammons Hotels Special Committee Responds to Barcelo Crestline Proposal

John Q. Hammons Hotels, Inc. (AMEX:JQH) announced today that its Special Committee reported to the Board of Directors that it cannot support Barcelo Crestline's offer to acquire the Company's Class A shares for $13 per share.

More... [556 views]

Hotels Find New Demand for Concierge Luxury

Concierge floors are back in vogue, a result in large part of the willingness of business travelers to dig deeper into their pockets for a little bit of pampering after a long flight or a hard day's work. Experts give several reasons for the return to favor of an indulgence that has been around since the 1920's but that became a fixture at hotels only in the 1970's and 80's. Some corporations are beginning to loosen their purse strings in an improving economy, they say, and are allowing more employees to pay a surcharge of $10 to $50 at chains like Marriott and Sheraton and $85 to $200 at InterContinental and Ritz-Carlton.

More... [944 views]

Starwood Buys 50% of Tokyo's Westin for $243 Mln

Starwood Capital Group LLC, a U.S. real estate fund, has spent 25 billion yen ($243 million) to buy 50 percent of Tokyo's Westin Hotel, its biggest investment in Japan, an executive said. Morgan Stanley paid 50.1 billion yen for the Westin and a hotel operating company from Sapporo Holdings Ltd., Japan's third- biggest brewery said on Nov. 4. Starwood, based in Greenwich, Connecticut, will invest half the purchase price, the fund's Tokyo- based Managing Director Greg Stuppler said in an interview.

More... [789 views]

Indian Hotels upbeat about 2004-05

The Indian Hotels Co. Ltd., owner of the Taj chain, expects average occupancy to rise to 75 per cent in the year to March 2005, helped by a recovery in tourism, a company official said on Tuesday.

More... [690 views]

China: Tourism revenue expected to top 600 bil Yuan this year

According to the latest statistics provided by the National Tourism Administration domestic tourists in China is expected to top 900 million this year with tourists entering China to reach 105 million. Annual tourism revenue is expected to exceed 600 billion yuan.

More... [552 views]

News @ PATA

This week's PATA news & update...

More... [548 views]

Online bookings net gains for hotels in Asia

Online  hotel sites operating across Asia have emerged as a legitimate distribution channel rather than a dumping ground for distressed inventory. Industry leaders said the change over the past year was wrought by surging hotel occupancies across the Asia-Pacific, which saw the balance of power shift back to the hoteliers. Room yields had also bounced back, albeit in some cases from a relatively low base.

More... [609 views]

North Koreans Eager to Cash in on Tourism

Old-school military ambitions are making way for lucrative capitalism

More... [610 views]

Macau hoteliers betting on hotel bonanza: report

With international gambling moguls setting up Las Vegas-style casinos in Macau, many  local hotels - from three stars to five stars - are planning or are undergoing a facelift   mainly focused on enhancing their gambling facilities.  The three-star Fortuna Hotel on Rua De Cantao, near the Lisboa Casino, is in the    process of a major renovation and will add about 40 gaming tables to its existing casino  when the renovation is completed next month. 

More... [668 views]

HVS International announces the China Hotel Investment Summit (CHIS) 2005

For industry colleagues who have an interest in the China hotel market, we are pleased to announce the first ever China Hotel Investment Summit  (CHIS) to be held in Shanghai on 28 and 29 of April 2005 at The Westin Shanghai Hotel. The China market presents great opportunity for both domestic and international players, but entry into the hotel market may also present significant challenges for many who are not familiar with the hotel market and the investment environment. As such, CHIS provides a platform where participants can be better informed.

More... [641 views]

Business Excellence Award for Hand Picked Hotels

Hand Picked Hotels has won the top award at the inaugural Business Excellence Awards to celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism, hospitality and leisure industry – the second major accolade this year for the group. The awards were launched this year to reward companies who have achieved most to sharpen their competitiveness and increase productivity by improving their performance. They are organised by the Best Practice Forum, in conjunction with Caterer and Hotelkeeper and the Savoy Educational Trust. 

More... [602 views]

New Chairman of the Hotel Association of New York City

Apple Core Hotels announced today that The Hotel Association of New York City (HANYC) has appointed Vijay Dandapani, chief operating officer of Apple Core Hotels, as Chairman of the HANYC.

More... [573 views]

Thailand's Arahmas Hotel Group launches it’s own hotel management company

In October, 2004, Thailand's Arahmas Hotel Group debuted management of the new company as well as future developments through its own Management. This is to differentiate between existing Pavilion Hotel Group consist of  Pavilion Songkhla, Pavilion Rim Kwai Kanchanaburi, Pavilion Queen’s Bay Krabi and the join venture Rajmangala Pavilion beach resort with hotel school in Songkhla. The Arahmas Hotel group will focus on developing further 5 stars hotels while the Pavilion Hotel group will carry on the as the best 4 stars hotel in the destinations.  

More... [766 views]

Following $35 million in Renovations, The Shangri-La Hotel in Cairns, Australia Completes Rebranding

The Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina, Cairns celebrated a major milestone with its official rebranding launch on Friday, 26 November 2004.  Special guests, including the Mayor of Cairns and Senior Management from Shangri-la Hotels & Resorts, enjoyed a night of spectacular celebrations.  Based on Shangri-La’s corporate advertising promotion “Between Heaven and Earth”, an evening of mystical enchantment captivated guests. Formal proceedings began with a traditional welcome to tribal land, culminating in a stunning fireworks display and lighting of the Shangri-La sign. 

More... [778 views]

Educational Institute’s New Food Safety Textbook Focuses on HACCP Process

Guests don’t want to have to think about food safety when they visit a food service operation.  That’s the job of the staff.  “Food Safety: Managing the HACCP Process,” published by the Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, provides hotel and restaurant food service managers, employees, and students with the essential information they need to implement a comprehensive food safety system that targets every phase of food production and service.

More... [588 views]

HSMAI presents sourcebook for meeting planners 2005

In cooperation with Ascend Media, the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) has prepared HSMAI’s Sourcebook for Meeting Planners 2005 , a valuable and effective resource for meeting planners. “Meeting planners will find this guide extremely useful and beneficial as they organize events in the future, regardless of their level of experience,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI.

More... [539 views]

Business Travelers Have Mixed Feelings About Using Web

More business travelers still tap their corporate travel department to make travel arrangements, but nearly as many use an online travel website.  The 2004 Travel Report, compiled by Harris Interactive, found that 24 percent of business travelers make (or plan to make) their travel plans via their corporate travel department or agency, while 22 percent of business travelers arrange their U.S. adults polled believe that online travel agencies offer lower prices than traditional travel agencies or other suppliers.

More... [1023 views]

Survey: Scalding Water Found in Nearly 90% of Hotel Rooms - Legionella also a Risk

A recent survey conducted at major hotel chains across the U.S. reveals that most hotel bath, shower and sink fixtures deliver water at scalding temperatures. For 16 months, Bruce Fathers, director of marketing for Powers, a Chicago-based supplier of water tempering technology, and fellow managers, surveyed water temperatures in hotel rooms they've stayed at - more than 140 to date.

More... [746 views]

Internet Hotel Ratings Causing Confusion for Consumers - Some Ratings a Marketing Ploy

The vast amount of information that makes the Internet so attractive to travelers also is causing confusion when it comes to choosing a lodging online, AAA said today. "With nearly everyone using a star to designate a ranking level," said Michael Petrone, director, AAA Tourism Information Development, "consumers often can't distinguish one system's star from another, making it nearly impossible to know whether the ratings are impartial or a marketing ploy."

More... [601 views]

Arlington Hospitality Names Interim CEO

Arlington Hospitality, Inc. today announced that it has retained HVS Executive Search (HVS) to direct the search for a new president and chief executive officer, and that it will hold its annual shareholder meeting on December 22, 2004. President and Chief Executive Officer Search; Interim CEO HVS Executive Search is a search firm that specializes in the lodging industry. The search will be led by Keith Kefgen, president of HVS. During the search process, the company will seek and consider qualified candidates from both outside as well as inside the company.

More... [530 views]

Active Broadband Usage in Europe on the Rise

Nielsen//NetRatings reports that over 50% of the active Internet audience in Europe is making a high-speed connection — up from just one-third roughly 12 months ago. Specifically, Italy, the UK and France lead the pack in the region, with the highest growth rates for active broadband Internet users. Italy in particular experienced a phenomenal growth of 120% between November 2003 and October 2004.

More... [578 views]

Just Tell Your Story

I met with a CEO recently, a good friend and smart businessman. He shared a disturbing piece of intelligence about his company. He did some internet research and found 20 other companies that said virtually the same basic things about the hospitality experiences they each offered, “We have the nicest rooms, We make our food from scratch. We offer great service in a fun atmosphere.” Now, granted, there were variations on the theme. Select adjectives or nouns were added to further clarify just how “nice” the room was or how ‘from scratch’ the food was. Service might be characterized as ‘friendly’.  -  By Richard K. Hendrie, CEO, Link Inc.

More... [1527 views]

First Half 2004 Hotel Profits Solidify 2005 Outlook - Industry Still Lags Far Behind its Past Peak Performance in 1998

Greater Gains Expected In 2005.  The Hospitality Research Group (HRG), the research affiliate of PKF Consulting, announced today that a “typical” full-service hotel achieved an 8.4 percent improvement in gross operating profits (GOP) in the first half of 2004, compared to the same period a year earlier.  The results are based on an in-depth analysis of more than 700 full-service hotels across the United States.

More... [626 views]

Benchmark survey of convention and visitors bureaux

A global benchmark survey of convention and visitors bureaux (CVBs) has recently been completed by Dr. Dimitris Koutoulas , a tourism and marketing consultant based in Athens, Greece. This survey explores the operational and financial characteristics of CVBs located mainly outside the USA, thus setting industry benchmarks especially from a European perspective.

More... [579 views]

Fawlty Towers hotel up for sale

The hotel which inspired Fawlty Towers is up for sale for £1,5-million  for lovers of the British cult television series created by actor John Cleese.  Cleese modelled his character of Basil Fawlty on Donald Sinclair, a former owner of the Hotel Gleneagles, in Torquay, on the southwest English coast in Devon, where his Monty Python comedy troupe had stayed back in 1971.

More... [838 views]

Let IT Solve IT Problems, Not Marketing Problems

There's a problem plaguing far too many companies in our technology-driven age. Simply put, the IT department is affecting critical decisions in departments such as marketing/sales. We've seen it time and again. CEOs, marketing VPs, sales managers, and other powerful, intelligent people turn into quivering Jell-O heads around the tech-savvy and oh-so-knowledgeable IT department. What does this have to do with marketing and return on investment (ROI) on the Internet? More than you might imagine.

More... [791 views]

Rezidor SAS continues expansion in Saudi Arabia

Radisson SAS, the first-class brand of the leading hospitality company Rezidor SAS, is set to manage a fourth property in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – the Al Madinah Paradise Radisson SAS Resort.  The resort, in one of Islam’s holiest cities, is due to open in mid 2007 and will feature 212 luxurious guestrooms as well as 10 villas. Just seven kilometres from the Haram, or the Mosque of the Prophet, the Al Madinah Paradise Resort is surrounded by a beautifully landscaped hillside and open mountain views.

More... [586 views]

Hong Kong considers proposals to open casino

Financial secretary Henry Tang said he is  considering proposals to open the city's first casino. Tang said the proposal for a casino on Lantau Island, close to the site where Disney is building a huge theme park, has its merits but needs further study.  "There would be positive effects to the economy but with the presence of a gaming industry the atmosphere of the community would be different," Tang told legislators.

More... [602 views]

The hotel Industry Is Pinning its Hopes on Gold at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 – But Is it a Sure Winner?

The hotel industry is setting a breakneck pace as it jostles for position in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics in 2008. But the real tourism impact that a host city derives from the Games is a much-debated topic - and one that is already raging, four years before the Games begin in Beijing.  Not every host city has won gold once the Games have ended and faded into memory.  By Kieron Ritchard, VP Development, Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts 

More... [704 views]

Brazil welcomes First Annual Summit of the World Tourism Forum for Peace and Sustainable Development

The historic city of Salvador de Bahía in north-eastern Brazil welcomed "Destinations2004", the first Annual Summit of the World Tourism Forum for Peace and Sustainable Development, set for December 1 to 6. The World Tourism Organization (WTO) Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli and Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva were among dozens of notables from around the world at the official opening ceremony, which took place on Wednesday.

More... [549 views]

Cornell Hotel School, JohnsonDiversey Launch Major Research Partnership

JohnsonDiversey, Inc. has signed on as a senior partner with the Cornell Hotel School’s Center for Hospitality Research in a major commitment to support research that aims to advance operating practices in the hospitality industry. JohnsonDiversey, a leader provider of cleaning products for the hospitality industry, will underwrite an international research project focusing on the costs and benefits associated with the cleaning of hotel rooms. The study will be led by Cornell Professor Michael Sturman.

More... [627 views]

Middle East business travellers vote Hilton number one hotel choice in the region

Middle East business travellers have voted Hilton International, as the "Leading Hotel Choice" across the region in the annual 2004 BDRC Middle East Business Guest Survey . The announcement coincided with the Worldwide Hospitality Awards 2004 the Oscar`s of the travel industry which named Paul Hutton, Hilton Kuwait Resort`s General Manager as "Best Hotel Manager".

More... [813 views]

New Chief Eexecutive Appointed for Hilton International

Hilton Group plc today announces the appointment of Ian Carter (43) as Chief Executive of Hilton International Hotels.  
He will take up the appointment, previously held by the late Anthony Harris, on 1 February 2005 reporting to David Michels, Chief Executive of Hilton Group plc.  He will also have a seat on the Group Board.

More... [1076 views]

Results of the French Hotel Industry Boosted by 4* Paris Hotels

· After a mitigated summer season, spring appears much more favourable for the French hotel industry. The rise in RevPAR in all categories combined reached 5.0% in October 2004.  · Exhibitions boosted business in Paris, in the 4* category in particular, which saw its RevPAR rise by 16.1% versus 2003, despite a high euro/dollar exchange rate, and a lack of American customers on business travel during the election season.  · In total, from January to October, RevPAR rose by 2.8%. At the end of 2004, the rise in RevPAR should erase the 2.4% drop experienced in 2003.  · Unless some unforeseen incident occurs, the rise for 2004 will be inline with forecasts published by MKG Consulting in the beginning of the year, estimating RevPAR growth to be between 2% and 4% for this year.

More... [681 views]

Guest Services – a tradition diminished

In the global Hospitality market, even with all the segments/types of lodgings, we strive to be different and distinct.  We compete with pricing, amenities, specials, and discounts. We’re bigger, therefore better. We’re grander, therefore special. We’re smaller, ergo more unique.  But, what really makes us distinct and memorable is the experience we frame and deliver for the Guest.  That is the mark of success, and how we approach our Guest Services activity makes for this success.

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Hotels expect growth, with reservations

U.S. hotels will continue the trajectory of a rebounding 2004 into the new year and revisit peaks first summited in the late 1990s, an industry report says. By the end of the year, the top 50 U.S. hotel markets will hit an average occupancy level of 64.8 percent, a better than 5 percent gain over 2003 figures. The average nightly room rate is expected to go from $94.37 in 2003 to $97.84 in 2004.

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New Landmark for Hong Kong Tourism as it welcomes 20 Millionth Visitor

Hong Kong’s tourism industry passed a significant milestone Sunday morning with the arrival of the 20 millionth visitor in a single year for the first time. The previous record number of arrivals in one year was 16.57 million in 2002. Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) Chairman, The Hon Mrs Selina Chow, was at Hong Kong International Airport to congratulate and welcome the lucky visitor, Ms Barbara Wallerbosch from the Netherlands. Mrs Chow was joined at the welcome ceremony by the Commander, Airport Division of Immigration Department, Mr Choy Tak-po.

More... [627 views]

HK&S sells Kowloon Hotel to Cheung Kong unit for HK$1.93 bln

Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels (Peninsula Group)  has agreed to sell its Kowloon  Hotel in Hong Kong  to Swingfield, a unit jointly owned by Cheung Kong Holdings (0001) and Hutchison  International Ltd for $1.93 billion, a Reuters report said citing Clement Kwok, the hotel group's managing director and chief executive director

More... [745 views]

Cornell study shows how to maximize  value of Information Technology

A new report published by The Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell provides a roadmap for executives to use to create and sustain strategic advantage in information technology.

More... [905 views]

Algonquin's $10,000 martini

New York Algonquin Hotel cocktail has diamond on the bottom, for a big price.  At $10,000, this cocktail is bound to leave you feeling more shaken than stirred.   The Martini on the Rock is the newest addition to the menu at the AlgonquinHotel. It comes with a single piece of ice -- a diamond from the in- house jeweler.   "For now, it's just an item on the menu -- unless 'she' can convince 'him,' " said Anthony Melchiorri, the hotel's general manager.

More... [633 views]

Marriott builds regional Internet presence in China

Marriott International has launched the first regional Marriott Web site for China. The hotel chain said Thursday that local managers will determine what content is relevant to customers.

More... [680 views]

Regal to expand two Hong Kong hotels

Regal Hotels International Holdings has set aside HK$100 million to expand two hotels to meet anticipated tourist demand after Hong Kong Disneyland opens next September.

More... [579 views]

Five-Star Luxury Hotel in Beijing Joins Nikko Hotels International Chain

The Beijing New Century Hotel in Beijing, a five-star luxury property, will be re-named Hotel Nikko New Century Beijing by JAL Hotels Company, Ltd., operator of the Nikko Hotels International group, when it opens as a member of the Nikko group on December 20th.   Hotel Nikko New Century Beijing will be the second hotel in the Nikko Hotels chain in Beijing (the first is the Jinglun Hotel). 

More... [608 views]

WTO first ever forum on cruise tourism held in China

The World Tourism Organization and the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) recently co-hosted a high-level China Cruise Tourism Forum 2004  as a prelude to the annual China International Travel Mart (CITM) in Shanghai. The Forum, held for the first time ever in China, was inaugurated by Mr. Gu Zhaoxi, Vice-Chairman of CNTA and Mr. Xue Peijian, Deputy Secretary-General of the Municipal Government of Shanghai and was attended by vice-mayors and directors of tourism as well as port officials from 12 coastal cities of China.

More... [616 views]

TravelCLICK Appoints Jan Tissera President, TravelCLICK International

TravelCLICK announced today that Jan Tissera has been appointed President of TravelCLICK International, a newly created position .  Tissera, based in Barcelona, Spain, will oversee the company's operations in Europe, the UK, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and North and South Pacific. TravelCLICK is the leading, worldwide provider of solutions that help hotels and other travel industry suppliers maximize profits from electronic distribution channels.  The company’s sale’s force spans 140 countries and has more than 8,000 customers worldwide.

More... [678 views]

Strong euro hinders EU tourism

The rise of the euro is increasing the level of concern on EU tourism, as US travelers and EU residents alike are traveling everywhere but to the EU countries.  A new report by the Association of British Travel Agents confirmed that the strength of the euro has had a big impact on travel to and from the UK.  While countries outside the EU such as Bulgaria, Croatia and Turkey have experienced substantial gains, visitors’ arrival to EU countries such as Greece, France and Portugal have declined. 

More... [835 views]

Cendant Hotel Group announces Quality Assurance Initiative

Cendant Corporation’s Hotel Group announced a two-part initiative to refocus its quality assurance evaluation process more closely  on guest priorities as identified in a recent J.D. Power and Associates independent guest satisfaction study. The first part of the initiative, called +GX or Positive Guest Experience, will provide every franchisee and manager with real-time access to guest satisfaction survey scores in addition to customized digital quality assurance evaluation and improvement plans.

More... [704 views]

Langham Hotels in Melbourne and Auckland join The Leading Hotels of The World

Australia and New Zealand's first Langham Hotels will open their doors on 1 January 2005 as members of the world's most prestigious hotel collection, The Leading Hotels of the World.   

More... [495 views]

Middle East hotels leap forward with double-digit growth

Year-to-October 2004 results from the HotelBenchmark Survey by Deloitte show hotel performance in the Middle East regained lost ground against 2003. All 27 markets tracked across the region, recorded double-digit growth in revenue per available room (revPAR), except Kuwait City, Provincial Saudi Arabia and Riyadh.

More... [806 views]

Upsell water with options, don't gouge the guest

Bottled water is a phenomenon that’s hard to explain in this day and age.  It’s gone so crazy that it makes for a great add-on for increasing revenues.  Everyone buys water–flavored water, natural springs water, mineral water, sparkling water, fortified water–regardless of what they’re doing, especially at restaurants.  There are multiple waters out there, almost as many as there are beers.  Sometimes it’s difficult to make a choice.  I have no objection to water being sold in restaurants, and find it to be a very nice addition to the offerings that a restaurant has.  - by William F. Orilio, MHS,

More... [955 views]

Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissa, Oman's largest resort, on track for October 2005 opening

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific’s leading luxury hotel group, is on track to open the spectacular 680-room Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa in Muscat, Oman in October, 2005.  Set in 124 acres of landscaped gardens, the resort will be the largest and most comprehensive in Oman and will comprise three separate and distinct luxury hotels, a private beach, the innovative CHI Spa (a concept designed by and exclusive to Shangri-La), swimming pools and four tennis courts.  The fully integrated resort, currently under construction by hotel developers, Barr Al Jissah Resort Co. SAOC, is located 15 minutes from the Ruwi business district and Muttrah, the old city of Muscat. 

More... [981 views]

NH Hoteles To Open Two Hotels And The Biggest Convention Centre In Seville Spain

NH Hoteles will have 4 hotels in the city and eighteen hotels in Andalucia, making up a total of over two thousand rooms

More... [581 views]

HSMAI`s 3rd Internet Marketing Strategy conference

Trademark Protection, Online Travel Search Engines and Certifying Intermediaries will headline HSMAI’s 3rd Internet Marketing Strategy Conference to take place in Los Angeles  at the Millennium Biltmore on Dec. 7, 2004 immediately preceding the 2004 HEDNA Conference.  To date, more than 40 companies have registered for the forum, which will feature a welcome and introduction, lunch, networking break and closing session. Among those attending will be executives from Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, Best Western International, Cendant Hotel Group, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Choice Hotels International, Luxe Worldwide Hotels, Swissotel Hotels & Resorts, and many others.

More... [542 views]

Strategic alliance announced, committed to hospitality excellence

Recognizing their shared mission to provide Hospitality Excellence with a high regard for the environment and the limited resources which all Lodging operations must manage responsibly, Green Suites International and Hospitality Performance, Inc. have joined together in a Strategic Alliance. In a joint statement, the Partners noted their synergies.  “Both companies focus on assisting their Clients to achieve their potential.  We understand that Quality Standards and good business stewardship of the environment drive consumer business and establish Value.  This leads to optimal Guest Satisfaction, a memorable Guest Experience and enhanced Revenue.” 

More... [504 views]

Hotels Get Microsoft's Attention

Vendor will create 'virtual guest information hubs' to help hotels meet customers' technology demands.  Even before Microsoft revealed two weeks ago plans to work more closely with hotel CIOs to create "virtual guest information hubs," MGM Mirage was preparing to replace its aging hotel-management system with a more modular one from systems integrator Micros Systems Inc. The new architecture likely will rely heavily on Microsoft's BizTalk server technology to act as a routing center handling XML calls to and from any number of applications.

More... [620 views]

Remote Working No Longer Remote Possibility

 
More and more businesses around the world are realizing the benefits of letting employees work remotely, reports AT&T and the EIU. According to an AT&T Point of View, based on a survey conducted among 254 global senior business executives by the Economist Intelligence Unit  (EIU), just 34% of respondents say that almost none of their staff works remotely — a number that declines from 46% in 2003. When asked to choose the three business functions best suited for remote working, survey respondents note sales first and foremost (64%) followed by customer-service staff (49%) and marketing-related functions (40%).

More... [537 views]

Riu Hotels takes 10% stake in TUI AG

Deutsche Bank, buyer of WestLB’s 31.3% holding in TUI AG, has sold part of it on to a Spanish consortium including hotel groups Riu and Grupo de Empresas Matutes. No financial details of the initial deal were given by either Deutsche or WestLB, but the 31.3% stake had a market value of around euro936m based on TUI’s share price at Tuesday’s close.

More... [870 views]

New dates for AIME 2006

AIME 2006, the 14th AsiaPacific Incentives & Meetings Expo, will be held at  the Melbourne Exhibition Centre on 6 & 7 June.  Melbourne will host the largest event ever to be held in the State of Victoria - the Commonwealth Games - in March 2006. The venue for AIME, the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, will be used by the Commonwealth Games throughout February in the lead up to the Games and will be the venue for badminton, weightlifting and boxing once the Games commence in March.

More... [546 views]

Hilton Hotels Corporation achieves online milestone

Hilton Hotels Corporation has announced that bookings on its proprietary brand websites during October 2004 exceeded call center bookings  from 800 numbers for that month, representing a company first since the advent of website reservations. During October, brand.com sites overall reported more than 972,000 room nights, whereas approximately 863,000 room nights were booked from 800 numbers through the 16 Hilton Family call centers worldwide. The company also has experienced record-breaking revenues month after month through its brand sites.

More... [625 views]

Indonesia eyes six million arrivals, US$6billion earnings

Indonesia Department of Culture and Tourism has set a target of six million arrivals and an earning of US$6 billion in 2005. Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr Jero Wacik, said: “We have earlier targeted 5.5 million arrivals, but I have decided to increase it to six million. We have to work hard to achieve it.”

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Coming soon to the Caribbean: the first underwater hotel for the scuba-shy.

At age 9, Bruce Jones learned to scuba dive. In high school, he wrote to explorer Jacques Cousteau about designing underwater habitats. "Of course I really didn't know what I was doing, and he never wrote me back," says Jones, who was undeterred. Now, after 17 years in the submarine business Jones, 48, knows what he is doing. He is building a new hotel in which half the rooms will be underwater.

More... [1285 views]

High five - UK's top performing hotel markets

This year has so far, proved to be the turning point in the fortunes of the global hotel industry. Key destinations around the world, notably those in Asia and Eastern Europe, have been returning solid growth in revenue per available room (revPAR). However, it is not just global gateway destinations that are benefiting from this upturn. At regional level, smaller markets have also seen significant rates of growth.

More... [752 views]

Your Experience Is The Brand

If there was any doubt that we are in the Era of the Experience Economy, this headline from Stuart Elliott’s Advertising column in the New York Times on August 5^th , 2004 blew it out of the water, “Meow Mix is opening a temporary café for felines. No dogs allowed. Cat people will understand.”  The Meow Mix Company, the maker of dry cat food, wanted to enter the lucrative wet category of the cat food segment. Its method? Create a restaurant (on Fifth Avenue in New York City, no less) featuring its new line for cats and their owners. It’s part of a growing trend in packaged goods marketing, called “Pop-up Retail”. Companies bring their brands to life in stores they design and manage, or in other high visibility venues. This approach avoids traditional venues like grocery chains and retail super stores as a means to launch or promote a product or service.  - By Richard K. Hendrie, CEO, Link Inc.

More... [738 views]

Forget Damage Control - Managers should focus on pulling the weeds!

Do you want to be a good manager?  If so, you need to learn to pull the weeds first. History shows that if you become a good “weed whacker”, you won’t have to worry much about damage control.  Years ago in this industry, when you were interviewing to be a manager or interviewing a manager, you wanted to know if they knew how to pull an employee out of the weeds. - by William F. Orilio, MHS, CEO

More... [1377 views]

Business Traveler Magazine Names the Industry's Best

Singapore Airlines, Marriott Hotels, and United Airlines were among the big winners of the 2005 Best in Business Travel Awards, announced by Business Traveler magazine at a gala luncheon last week at The Plaza hotel in Manhattan.

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News @ PATA

This week's PATA News & Update....

More... [468 views]

U.S. hotel room revenue up 9.1 pct in week

U.S. hotels posted a 9.1 percent rise in room revenue for the Thanksgiving week ended Nov. 27 compared to a year earlier, Smith Travel Research reported on Wednesday.

More... [578 views]

WTM has greatest year ever

World Travel Market, which celebrated its 25th Silver Anniversary in 2004, had its most successful year ever with an increase in exhibitors, exhibition space and visitors .Un-audited figures reveal that visitors went up by over 3%. Overall, attendance during the four days of the event went up by 0.5% to 46,435 in comparison to the previous year.

More... [546 views]

Other Revenue Is Good Revenue

From 2000 to 2003, the average U.S. hotel struggled with a 15 percent decline in revenue.  Since rooms revenue represents 68 percent of the total revenue at a typical hotel, the extraordinary declines in rooms occupied and ADR were certainly the major contributors to the fall-off in total revenue. Fortunately, hotels earn revenue from sources other than the rental of guest rooms.  Full-service hotels have seen their food and beverage revenues decline in recent years, but not to the same degree as rooms revenue.  On the other hand, telephone revenues have declined on average approximately 20 percent per year from 2001 through 2003. - by: Robert Mandelbaum, HRG

More... [1296 views]

The Branding Story Behind IHG's Hotel Indig

A retail design approach to hospitality branding -  What hotels do you remember most? In most cases it’s those whose architecture, stunning lobby or sheer elegance fixed them in your memory. Almost certainty, they are high end establishments – perhaps a Michelangelo in New York, the Savoy in London, or the Bellagio in Las Vegas

More... [780 views]

IT Spending Landscape Evolving

META Group predicts that IT spending will rise by only 4% to 5% in 2005, as organizations remain cautious about their IT spending. IT budgets are not simply declining or leveling-off. Rather, they are changing completely. Companies are shifting from a pure cost-cut mode to a model that emphasizes agility and efficiency. They are removing fixed costs in favor of variable costs.

More... [477 views]

Mandarin Oriental announces development of a new luxury hotel in Prague

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has today announced that it will manage a new, luxurious hotel currently under development in the historic centre of Prague in the Czech Republic. The project provides the Group with a unique opportunity to establish its luxury brand in one of Europe’s foremost travel destinations.

More... [684 views]

Asian Hotels Alliance launches Tri-Lingual website

The Asian Hotels Alliance (AHA), one of Asia’s largest hotel marketing associations, has added Japanese and simplified Chinese languages to its website www.ahahotels.com . The new website showcases the online reservation system that enables AHA guests to check availability, rates and book their preferred AHA hotel at the click of a button through a choice of English, Japanese and simplified Chinese languages. The website also includes two new dedicated pages to the latest news and promotions from all five member hotel brands.

More... [504 views]

Accor floats two entities to run hotels in India

Hospitality InterGlobe and French major Accor Hotels, which recently entered into a joint venture to cater to the mid-market hotel segment, have floated two entities to develop hotels and manage the properties. Sources said the Accor group will hold a majority stake in the management company, while the Indian partner will have a smaller holding. The shareholding pattern will be reversed in the development company. The ratio could not be ascertained.

More... [562 views]

Redesign work on KL's Duta Grand Hyatt

Mycom will undertake redesign work on the KL Duta Grand Hyatt project, which was hit by the 1997 financial crisis resulting in a halt on construction, after the completion of its debt restructuring exercise. Its group managing director Datuk Yap Yong Seon said the 55-storey building in Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur would be redesigned for more office apartments and a reduction in the number of hotel rooms to make it more competitive.

More... [886 views]

Hawaii wraps up a week of tourism promotion in China

More... [515 views]

New marketing alliance pairs Orlando's SeaWorld with 11 Marriott properties

Even though SeaWorld doesn't have an on-site hotel like two of the other big three Orlando-area theme parks, a new marketing alliance between the aquatic theme park and the Marriott hotel chain will provide many of the benefits of on-site hotels for their guests.

More... [644 views]

SERVICE ~ Boy, do customers know it!

You might not be able to define service, but you know it when you find it, and so do our customers.  Countless seminars, books, and articles have been written on the subject of service.  Every company touts service as its goal, but as Melvin N. Barrington from the Department of Hotel Research, Travel and Administration of the University of South Carolina acknowledged, “Service is an elusive concept which is extremely difficult to measure and evaluate.” - by William Orilio, MHS, CEO

More... [1242 views]

Queuing to leave the country

A 7.7 percent increase in terminal passengers at London's three airports has translated into some of the highest demand levels ever seen at the capital's airport hotels, according to the HotelBenchmark Survey by Deloitte. Year-to-September occupancy levels at London airport hotels are up 7 percent to reach 80 percent. This represents the highest rate of growth in demand ever reported by these markets.

More... [557 views]

Worldwide Electronic Hotel Bookings Increase 5% in Third Quarter

TravelCLICK's eMonitor results for the third quarter of 2004 show that worldwide electronic hotel bookings were up 4.7% for the Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and Internet combined. Hotel revenue from the electronic channels also increased 12.1% as the Average Daily Rate (ADR) rose 6% over the same period last year.  Hotel room nights booked electronically through the Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and key Internet sites were also up 5.8% versus the same period last year. 

More... [1028 views]

Atlantis Singapore style?

Resort's CEO Butch Kerzner, who has made the 276ha Bahamas resort a huge success, talks about his interest in setting up one in Singapore

More... [831 views]

The Good Word on Word of Mouth

Word of mouth marketing is about direct communication between individuals regarding some product, service, event, brand, etc. Generally, at least one of the individuals will have had some experience with the product or service discussed. Often, but not always, the person who is doing the communicating will have some relationship -- or at least something in common with -- those with whom she or he is communicating. Traditionally, word of mouth buzz has spread organically.

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Answering All Travelers' Needs Online

According to the latest 2004 Travel Report from Harris Interactive, 28% of US adults planning leisure travel within the next 6 months will book their plans using a travel Web site. Further, 22% of those making business trips in the next half-year will do so on travel sites as well, while 31% of those planning combined business/leisure trips say they will also turn to travel sites. It is interesting to note the behavior of people planning such combined trips, as the lines between business and personal time become increasingly blurred.

More... [648 views]

Thailand's Santiburi Group launches it’s own hotel management company

On September 1, 2004, Thailand's Santiburi Group commenced management of all company’s assets as well as future developments through its own Management Company. This coincides with the conclusion of a successful 12-year affiliation with the Dusit Hotels and Resorts as the management partner, for which the Santiburi Group is truly grateful and would like to express its appreciation for Dusit Hotels and Resorts’ management excellence and cordial relationship. 

More... [848 views]

Ground breaking agreement for global meetings industry

An historic partnership to raise the profile and value of the international meetings industry among Governments has been launched at EIBTM 2004  in Barcelona. The agreement between the World Tourism Organisation (WTO), ICCA, Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and EIBTM has already received the support of the councils and boards of all the leading associations. The WTO is a specialised agency of the United Nations.

More... [544 views]

Hawaii's Outrigger Hotels ready to expand

Outrigger Hotels and Resorts has added a Taupo property to its Kiwi portfolio and is on the lookout for further opportunities. The hotel operator said yesterday it would take over the management of the historic Terraces Hotel and Resort in Taupo from February next year. Outrigger's Oceania managing director, Dave Lawrence, said the group was also in talks regarding a potential deal in tourism hotspot Rotorua and had its eye on entering the Auckland market a little down the line.

More... [517 views]

Gov. Schwarzenegger to hold Travel and Tourism Outlook Forum

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will hold a California Travel and Tourism Outlook Forum, which will include an industry leadership summit, and will provide the keynote luncheon address to 1,800 hotel owners and investors at ALIS. The luncheon, part of the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS), is open to the media and scheduled for noon on Wednesday, January 19, 2005, at the Westin Century Plaza Hotel & Spa, 2025 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles.

More... [498 views]

Marriott wins best domestic chain from Business Travel

Business Travel magazine calls Marriott the best domestic hotel chain for business travel after surveying readers for its January issue. Marriott also won best first-class hotel chain for business travel and tied with Hilton for best hotel rewards program, the magazine said Tuesday

More... [706 views]

Indian Hotels eyeing properties in UK, China and US

Tata Group's Indian Hotels Company Ltd is keen on acquiring properties in London, Shanghai, Beijing and the US to widen its overseas business. ''We are eyeing these markets to augment our growth plans especially the lucrative UK and US markets. In China we plan to open serviced luxury residences,'' Indian Hotels Company Ltd Managing Director Raymond Bickson told reporters here today on the sidelines of a function to mark Taj Hotel Resorts and Palaces management contract with Jodhpur's Umaid Bhavan Palace here.

More... [611 views]

IH&RA 41st Annual Congress - Travel Trends: Getting the Picture

What is the state of the travel & tourism industry today? What are the key economic, social and geo-political drivers of change?  What are the current trends in business and leisure travel across the world? How is this affecting hotels and restaurants? Mr. Shifflet is a Marketing Psychologist with over 30 years` experience as a counselor in marketing and planning, with specialization in applied market research.

More... [625 views]

Hotelier De Vere's profit up

Hotelier De Vere has posted a 14.7 percent rise in profits and says it has made an encouraging start to the current financial year in October and November. The group DVR.L , which owns upmarket hotels including Brighton's Grand, mid-market Village hotels and Greens health and fitness clubs, reported a pre-tax profit before exceptionals for the year to September 26 of 45.6 million pounds compared with the consensus of analysts' forecasts of 44.7 million pounds.

More... [531 views]

Wellington hoteliers elect a new leader

Chris Parkin, owner of the Museum Hotel and former Wellington City Councilor, has been elected chair of the Wellington division of the New Zealand Hotel Council (NZHC). Mr Parkin is a well-known advocate for the Wellington region and for a number of years has been a consistent champion of the city’s planned development as a preferred destination for tourists. He is currently involved with a significant development on his Museum Hotel site.
As Chair of one of the five regional groups (Auckland, Rotorua, Christchurch, Queenstown), Mr Parkin is also a member of NZHC’s Board.

More... [561 views]

Puri leaves IHG for M&C

After serving the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) for 14 years as director of operations, 10 of those years looking after the Harilela hotels portfolio managed by IHG, Mr Dinky Puri has left and joined Millennium & Copthorne (M&C) Hotels as special projects/special duties senior vice president. He reports to M&C Asia Pacific president, Mr Vincent Yeo. A vacuum was created when Mr Daniel Desbaillets (now Fullerton Hotels & Resorts CEO) left. Mr Puri will be getting direct assignments from Mr Yeo and Hong Leong Group executive chairman Mr Kwek Leng Beng with respect to the hospitality operations, somewhat akin to what Mr Desbaillets was doing.

More... [922 views]

42% of expanded Arabian Travel Market reserved within a month of sales launch

Within four weeks of the official launch of its sales campaign, 42% of space for Arabian Travel Market 2005 – the Middle East’s premier travel and tourism exhibition – has been reserved . “This is a fantastic start to the campaign which still has six months to run,” explained Chris Chackal, Group Exhibition Director – Overseas Events, Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), which organises the annual show.

More... [718 views]

New Man at the helm of Arabian Travel Market

Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), organiser of Arabian Travel Market, the Middle East’s premier event for the travel and tourism industry  which will have its 12th showing in May next year, has appointed Chris Chackal as its new Group Exhibition Director. Chackal, who holds a BA honours degree in Business Management and French from the UK’s Leeds University, succeeds Matt Thompson, who steered ATM through year-on-year growth for the past seven years. Chackal is now responsible for Arabian Travel Market, Mediterranean Travel Fair in Cairo, the International Golf Travel Market and CIS Travel Market Russia.

More... [572 views]

Rezidor SAS wins Worldwide Hospitality Award for outstanding Environmental performance

Rezidor SAS, has gained international recognition for its Responsible Business (RB) initiatives by winning the Worldwide Hospitality Award  for Environmental Protection & Sustainable Development. The awards ceremony, which took place in Paris recently, highlighted Rezidor’s strategic group-wide approach to changing mentalities and practices in favour of improved environmental and social performance.

More... [761 views]

PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts more Va Va Voom than Gloom for UK hotel industry outlook

Following three of the most difficult years hoteliers can remember, a new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers suggests 2004 will prove to be the beginning of three years of strong growth for the industry. This ‘va va voom’ will be driven by favourable economic growth, record levels of international travel and the return of the corporate traveller, helping advance average daily room rates (ADR) significantly over the next two years. Although serious downside risks are present, including a possible global economic slowdown and a ‘hornets nest’ of security and terrorism concerns, the report comes down firmly in favour of continued growth.

More... [529 views]

Restaurant Host? Air Traffic Controller? Same job… not the same pay

The last time I flew, I saw something staring me in the face, and I suddenly realized it had been for over twenty-five years. The significance of the message didn’t hit me until that last flight.  It’s odd, because I fly a lot; I should have seen the correlation sooner. On a yearly average, I fly between eight and ten thousand miles every month.  So when I say, “Staring me in the face,” I mean just that.  It was so obvious, it just plain makes sense; it’s so true and simple it is amazing when you think about the similarities: the job of an Air Traffic Controller is not that different from that of a Restaurant Host.  -  by William Orilio, MHS, CEO

More... [841 views]

Italthai chairman dies

One of Thailand’s leading personalities, Dr Chaijudh Karnasuta, chairman and co-founder of the Italthai group of companies, died yesterday. Dr Chaijudh was 83 years old and had been ill for some time. In the hotel industry, his family has interests in The Oriental Bangkok, Amari Hotels & Resorts and, at one stage, the Royal Orchid Sheraton.

More... [726 views]

The Oriental, Singapore recommences operations after extensive renovation

The Oriental, Singapore re-opens its doors on 1st December 2004 after a far-reaching, multi-million-dollar renovation . In accordance with the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group’s continual pursuit of excellence, the renovation involved the re-design of all 527 guestrooms and suites, and enhancement to all public areas, dining and meeting facilities. This is the most significant upgrading project for the hotel since opening in 1987, and repositions The Oriental, Singapore amongst the city’s most luxurious hotels.

More... [663 views]

Online travel search engines set to take off

Like a lot of frequent travelers, Kevin Pollard relies on the Internet to save money on airfares, hotel rooms and rental cars. The quest generally took him to the Web's most popular travel sites -  Orbitz, Travelocity and Expedia  - until he discovered a new breed of specialty search engines that promise to dig up even better bargains.

More... [1064 views]

EMEA Hospitality Enews - Week Ending November 26 - 2004

Weekly Hotel Industry News Roundup from Europe, Middle East and Africa - HVS International

More... [708 views]

Starwood Hotels faces tax fight

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. has gone to U.S. Tax Court to fight a claim by the Internal Revenue Service that it owes $214.7 million in back taxes related to its 1998 acquisition of ITT Corp.  Starwood beat out competitor Hilton Hotels Corp. when it acquired ITT in a deal valued at $14.6 billion. ITT's hotel assets were coveted by both businesses. As part of the purchase, Starwood sold off a number of ITT assets. One of them was ITT World Directories, which a Dutch publisher bought for $2.1 billion.

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Vietnam hosts more foreign visitors

Vietnam is estimated to welcome over 2.6 million international arrivals in the first 11 months of this year , a year-on-year surge of 23.9 percent, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) told Xinhua on Wednesday.  China`s mainland, the United States, and Japan were Vietnam`sbiggest tourism markets in the period, with the numbers of visitors rising by 19.1 percent to 715,000, some 27.7 percent to 247,000 and 29.8 percent to 244,000, respectively, the administration said.

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Bulgaria: Room for new hotels?

A special committee of representatives of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works and other ministries will check whether there is room for new hotels in Sunny Beach . Experts will examine whether the capacity of the infrastructure of the biggest resort complex along the southern Black sea coastline allows partial amendments in the construction-regulation plan, the Union of Owners announced.

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European visitors bring tourism boost to Scotland

The number of European visitors coming to Scotland is up 25 per cent, the tourism minister will tell industry representatives today. Patricia Ferguson, who is addressing the Scotland United tourism conference in Aviemore, will also announce that occupancy figures are at their highest for five years. She says investment in skills and training of staff, and public-private partnership working in the industry, will help the Scottish Executive realise its ambition of 50 per cent growth in the next decade.

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