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ehotelier Hospitality News Archives: June 2007Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 29, 2007Internet Marketing and Distribution Trends Impacting the Hospitality Industry from 2007-2010What will happen to traditional and online distribution channels in hospitality in the next few years? How will the direct web channel outpace competitors and third-party intermediaries? With online travel growing, how do hoteliers get their fair share? These questions reflect important trends in the marketplace. Consider how these trends will impact your hotel, resort, and brand. By Max Starkov and Jason Price More... [2107 views] TravelCLICK's iStay Web Booking Engine Delivers On Key Online Metrics for HoteliersTravelCLICK's award-winning iStay web booking engine continues its industry-leading position, delivering a 15 percent higher average daily rate (ADR) than traditional multi-step web booking engines. Based on its advanced hotel merchandising capabilities and ‘enhance your stay' options, iStay also drives a 27 percent higher ADR for add-on bookings than traditional multi-step web booking engines that separate packages from room-only reservations. More... [930 views] The Private Label Company signs Okura Hotels & ResortsJimmy Suh, managing director of The Private Label Company, LLC (The PLC), announced today that it has signed Okura Hotels & Resorts to its rapidly expanding customer portfolio. More... [820 views] Tour operator Hentschel tells U.S. Mayors: ‘China Is Coming' and Tapping ‘New Tourism' will fill city coffersNoel Irwin Hentschel, CEO/Chairman of American Tours International (ATI), the largest inbound tour company in North America, told the nation's mayors Friday (22) at the US Conference of Mayors 75th Annual Meeting held at the Century Plaza Hotel that "China is coming" and if the mayors want to fill their city coffers and increase prosperity they'll tap into the "new tourism" now emerging on the international travel market horizon. More... [659 views] INVESCO Real Estate purchases €120M Pan-European hotel portfolioINVESCO Real Estate today announces the closing, via two separate transactions, of the acquisition of a pan-European portfolio of hotels in France, Germany and Poland for an investment of €120m. The hotels have been acquired on behalf of an INVESCO European hotel real estate fund. More... [1219 views] Holiday Inn puts NASCAR fans in the driver's seatBeginning today, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, the world's most recognized hotel brand, will rev-up race fans' creativity with the launch of its second annual online "Design A Car" contest. More... [694 views] Banyan Tree Private Collection launches in China and UK MarketsBanyan Tree Private Collection, Asia's first asset-backed destination club to offer perpetual and transferable membership, has made its official foray into the buoyant mainland China market with a successful launch in the giant economy's business capital, Shanghai. The event, held at the upscale 18 On The Bund, saw a turnout of about 150 guests from Shanghai's business community and society. With China's growing affluence, Banyan Tree Private Collection sees the country as taking on a significant market share in its success in Asia, which currently accounts for 40 percent of its membership. More... [827 views] How travel search engines are creating loyalty through usefulnessThe recent past has proved to be quite an eventful period for Asia Pacific travel search engine Bezurk.com. More... [923 views] Epoque Hotels talks about its first Press Conference and Cocktail Reception in EuropeOn June 7th, 2007, Epoque Hotels officially launched its European promotion at the Hotel Enterprise in Milan, setting up a press conference opened to tourism professionals and followed by a public cocktail reception. Contributing to the conference, before an audience of 150 among travel agents and journalists, were also representatives of the K-West Hotel & Spa - London, Hotel Le Tourville - Paris, Mirò Hotel - Bilbao, Hotel Grand Central - Barcelona and the 3.14 Hotel - Cannes, some of the finest properties of the collection. Since its foundation, the company had already participated to all the major Europeans trade shows. Yet, Milan has been chosen to put in place an event that was exclusively tailored for Epoque Hotels. More... [648 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 28, 2007How reputations fadeMost of us now know about Brands. We are what we say we are. Our Brand then is verified by our consumer, based upon how we delivered on the expectation(s). Their Experience is impacted by what they feel, how all their senses interacted, and how their perceptions turned into reality - the validation process. By John R. Hendrie, Principal, Hospitality Performance More... [1402 views] Winning Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly Article Provides Hotel Brand AnalysisA groundbreaking analysis of the effect of brand affiliation on a hotel property’s value has been named the best article published in Volume 47 of the Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly (CQ). Linda Canina, editor of the CQ, announced that “The Role of Brand Affiliation in Hotel Market Value,” by John W. O’Neill and Qu Xiao, published in the August 2006 issue, was named in a judging process that included ratings by the CQ editorial board, faculty at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, and members of the Advisory Board of Cornell's Center for Hospitality Research, which publishes the Cornell Quarterly. More... [965 views] Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels arranges the sale of the $575 Million Makena Resort in MauiJones Lang LaSalle Hotels announced today that it had arranged the largest single-asset hotel transaction for 2007: the sale of the Makena Resort to Morgan Stanley Real Estate Fund V US and the Dowling Company, Inc., on behalf of Lokelani Resort Corp., Maui Prince Hotel LLC, and Makena Wastewater Corp. Located on Maui's southern coast, the sale included the 310-room Maui Prince Hotel, two 18-hole, Robert Trent Jones, Jr.-designed Makena Golf Courses, approximately 1,317 acres of vacant land, and the stock of Makena Wastewater Corp. More... [664 views] Orchard Garden Hotel wins LEED certificationThe Orchard Garden Hotel has been awarded LEED® (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). San Francisco's first hotel to earn this honor, the Orchard Garden is only the third hotel in the U.S. and fourth hotel in the world with this certification. LEED is the USGBC's leading edge system for designing and constructing the world's greenest, energy-efficient, high performing buildings. More... [664 views] When recognised researchers and talented leaders talk about the latest hotel trendsOn 5 and 6 July, the campus of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne will be hosting a conference entitled "Hospitality & Leisure: Business Advances & Applied Research". This conference will offer researchers and players in the hotel sector an opportunity to exchange their points of view on matters as enthralling as the development of the Chinese hotel industry, the latest innovations in the gambling sector or the hotel industry in times of crisis (political disturbances, terrorist attacks, etc.). More... [783 views] Taj Hotels enters MalaysiaTaj Hotels Resorts and Palaces recently opened Rebak Island Resort, Langkawi in Malaysia. It is the only resort located on the privately owned 390-acre Rebak Island, one of 99 islands that make up the archipelago of Langkawi, in the state of Kedah off the coast of Northwestern Malaysia. More... [861 views] BRIC travellers will trigger mid-market and budget hotel growth across EuropeJones Lang LaSalle Hotels predicts that the mid-market and budget hotel sector is set to benefit most in the next few years as travellers from some of the largest emerging markets - Brazil, Russia, India and China - flood into Europe. The middle classes of the BRIC countries, who make up the majority of travellers, represent approximately 220 million and this will rise to almost 300 million over the next 20 years giving hoteliers a whole new market to cater for. More... [859 views] $450M in Financing to Kick Off Sacramento Area Casino ProjectFinancing to the tune of $450 million has been rounded up for the development of the Foothill Oaks Casino in Shingle Springs, Calif., a project being developed by Lakes Entertainment Inc. on behalf of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. The senior note financing is scheduled to close tomorrow. By Barbra Murray More... [514 views] Hyatt Place continues strong development growth in first half of 2007Hyatt Place today announced its development results for the first half of 2007 with an additional 20 new build hotels, bringing the total number of new build Hyatt Place projects under development to 50 hotels. These new projects - which include the first Hyatt Place hotels in major metropolitan markets - will add to Hyatt Place's rapidly growing portfolio, which will reach 120 hotels nationwide by year-end 2007. More... [745 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 27, 2007Hotel Management Contracts In Europe.A hotel management contract, also known as a management or operating agreement, is an arrangement whereby a hotel's owner contracts with a separate company, or an operator, to run a hotel. By doing so, the owner retains limited control over the operation of the asset often through measurable performance standards albeit that the owner retains more risk than if the hotel were leased to the operator. By Elana Bader and Amir Lababedi, HVS More... [1699 views] Sarovar Hotels to build 23 hotels in GulfMajor hotel chain, Sarovar Hotels, has chalked out an ambitious Rs 500 crore plan to expand its operations in the country by building about two dozen hotels and eyeing the lucrative market in the Gulf. More... [770 views] New online competitive intelligence tool enables hotels to see themselves as consumers doTravelCLICK Inc., the leading provider of emarketing solutions for the hotel industry, is expanding its suite of market intelligence solutions with SearchVIEW, a powerful online market intelligence tool that showcases the effectiveness of a hotel's search engine optimization and pay-per-click campaigns, online travel agency placement, and online customer reviews. The online presence tracking tool will literally take the guesswork out of the online environment, giving hotels a competitive advantage by allowing them to see themselves as consumers do. More... [865 views] French Quarter Hospitality acquires Resort, Convention Center near HoustonFrench Quarter Hospitality has acquired the 174-acre Del Lago Resort & Conference Center (pictured) north of Houston, and will initiate an extensive renovation program on the property, which opened in the mid-1980's. By Eugene Gilligan More... [724 views] Small Luxury Hotels of the World Launches Interactive Development Website in Multiple LanguagesSmall Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) today launches its new multi-lingual, fully interactive Development website. SLH is the first independent, luxury hotel brand to make such detailed information available on-line and provide hoteliers with the capability to complete the entire application process via the web. More... [753 views] Meridian Capital Group arranges $60Million in financing for Palm Beach Luxury HotelMeridian Capital Group recently arranged bridge and construction financing in the amount of $60,000,000 for the repositioning of The Ocean Club Beach Resort, formerly the Palm Beach Hilton. The oceanfront, luxury hotel, located at 2842 South Ocean Boulevard, contains 135 rooms and features over 200 feet of beach frontage. More... [674 views] Number of Indians holidaying abroad is set to doubleNew Travel and Tourism data just published by Euromonitor International predicts that the number of tourists travelling from India will more than double by 2011. Leading tour operators, such as Kuoni Travel and Thomas Cook are preparing to take advantage of this boom in the Indian travel market, as the total number of outbound travellers is set to reach 16.3 million in 2011 alone. More... [1388 views] Luxury tourism exposition concluded in ShanghaiThe first Asian Luxury Tourism Exposition was concluded in Shanghai on Thursday. It was also the smallest luxury tourism exposition in the world. More... [878 views] ABSOLUT ICEBAR MILANO will soon be moving to a new secret location.The exclusive ABSOLUT ICEBAR renews itself and changes location. The fresh and shining ice from the northern lands is moving to a new secret location. More... [1668 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 26, 2007Human Resources, the domino effectIn most domino games, only the "open" ends are eligible for play! By Bert van Walbeek, The Winning Edge More... [962 views] Jamaica's Josef Forstmayr, Round Hill Hotel and Villas honoured as 2007 Caribbean Hotelier of the YearJoseph Forstmayr, managing director of the Round Hill Hotels and Villas, in Montego Bay, Jamaica, was recognized by his peers with the 2007 Golden Conch Award as Caribbean Hotelier of the Year, during a special Gala Dinner on June 19th to close the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Conference 2007, in Miami. Each year, a winner is chosen who exemplifies the highest standards of leadership and commitment to the continued success of the Caribbean hotel industry. "Josef is a man who knows what it means to lead, to aim for nothing short of excellence in hospitality, and to give back to the community generously - clearly deserving of this award," said Peter Odle, President of CHA and a winner of the Caribbean Hotelier of the Year Award in 2000. More... [620 views] Travel and Leisure Magazine distinguishes ARTEH® HotelARTEH® Hotel, Pousada Convento do Carmo in Salvador da Bahía, has been distinguished as one of the Best Hotels in the World in the exclusive list published every year by Travel and Leisure Magazine. More... [609 views] Latin American envoys visit green hotelThailand International Development Cooperation Agency (TICA) and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports recently organized a site inspection of Dusit Resort, Pattaya's facilities with a group of government officials and attachés from the Latin American region. More... [521 views] Fifty-year saga to reclaim Alexandria's Cecil Hotel comes to an endIt has taken exactly half a century for the Metzger family to reclaim ownership of the Cecil Hotel, the illustrious palace overlooking the Mediterranean and immortalized in Lawrence Durrell's literary classic, "The Alexandria Quartet." By Alain Navarro Agence France Presse (AFP) More... [748 views] American Express Travel names NYC's Hotel Plaza Athenee as Fine Hotels and Resorts 2007 Partner of the Year.American Express Travel recognized New York City's Hotel Plaza Athenee as its Fine Resorts and Hotels 2007 Partner of the Year for the Americas, Canada, Mexico and Caribbean regions during its second international Fine Hotels & Resorts Forum this year. Criteria for the prestigious award included demonstrating a true spirit of partnership, a commitment to providing American Express Card members the best service, and a high engagement with the Fine Hotels & Resorts program. The event was held at the St. Regis Hotel in New York on June 12, 2007. More... [728 views] Equity Inns Commits to $2.2B Merger DealEquity Inns joins the long list of hotel companies that have recently committed to big-ticket mergers. The lodging REIT entered into a definitive merger agreement to be acquired for $2.2 billion by an affiliate of Whitehall Street Global Real Estate Limited Partnership 2007, Goldman Sachs Group Inc.'s new property fund. By Barbra Murray, Contributing Editor More... [517 views] Virgin Galactic appoints George Whitesides as senior advisorVirgin Galactic announced today that George T Whitesides, Executive Director of the National Space Society, has been appointed Senior Advisor to the company. More... [521 views] Volunteer Tourism Symposium in CanberraThe National Institute for Governance and the Centre for Tourism Research, University of Canberra will be hosting a Volunteer Tourism Symposium on Thursday 26th July 2007 at the University of Canberra. More... [505 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 25, 2007TravelCLICK acquires Blue Square StudiosTravelCLICK Inc., the leader in hotel emarketing solutions, today announced the acquisition of Blue Square Studios, an award-winning provider of Internet business solutions - including web design, production and search engine optimization (SEO) - for the hospitality industry. The acquisition creates an unrivaled platform for hoteliers, combining the superior property merchandising and distribution technology of TravelCLICK's iHotelier central reservation system (CRS) with the industry-leading web presence management technology of Blue Square Studios. This groundbreaking combination will provide hoteliers with capabilities not available to date in the hospitality industry. More... [694 views] The wide, weird and wonderful world of hotelsYeoh Siew Hoon dedicates this article to all fellow travellers and those hoteliers who look after us while we are on the road. More... [1228 views] The end of an era at the ChelseaThe hotel where Dylan Thomas drank, and Arthur Miller wrote, and Leonard Cohen composed, and Nancy Spungen died, and... By David Usborne, The Independent More... [993 views] design hotels Future Forum 27 September 2007 Barcelonadesign hotels will present its fourth annual architecture and design symposium. Take part in this journey into the next decade of hospitality, together with trend analysts from the London-based FUTURE LABORATORY and a team of some of the world's most innovative designers, creatives, architects and progressive thinkers. More... [660 views] easyHotel to open 10 hotels across GermanyeasyHotel.com is set to realise its plans of becoming one of Europe's leading ‘super budget' hotel operators with the signing of a Master Franchise Agreement with i.gen hotels, which will see them open 10 budget hotels across Germany over the next four years. More... [835 views] Sonnenblick Goldman arranges $16.4 million acquisition financing for the AMANGANI Resort located in Jackson Hole, Wyo.Sonnenblick-Goldman, LLC, serving as the exclusive financial advisor to Canyon Equity LLC, has arranged a non-recourse, $16.4 million floating-rate, first-mortgage financing for the acquisition of the AMANGANI Resort in Jackson Hole, Wyo. from ASC Spring Creek, LLC. Nomura Credit and Capital, Inc. provided the loan for the AMANGANI. More... [948 views] Australian Hotel Investment off to flying startAccording to Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, hotel investment activity in Australia has increased by 69% during the first six months of 2007 when compared to the same period last year. The firm’s research indicates that hotel transactions worth $682 million have taken place to date this year, compared with $404 million last year. More... [736 views] Founder of Yo! Sushi brings capsule hotels to BritainIts backers proudly admit there is only just enough space to swing a cat: a tiny room barely bigger than the bed - just a place to shower, plug in a laptop and sleep. By Jonathan Brown, The Independent More... [938 views] Select Appoints Managing DirectorSelect Hotels & Resorts International is proud to announce the appointment of a Managing Director, Mr Ralph Kelly, to oversee the planned major expansion and development for the marketing group. More... [759 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 22, 2007Are Hoteliers checking out of the boardroom?Today’s public hotel companies are rarely lead by executives that have grown up in the business. Is the need for hands-on hotel experience a thing of the past in the boardroom? By Lorenza Alessie HVS More... [1466 views] Travel Industry Leaders give thumbs up to Starwood Hotels & Resorts: Hotel Group selected as best in AsiaStarwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) emerged as the triumphant winner in the Travel Weekly Asia Industry Awards held in Hong Kong recently, earning major awards in the following categories More... [1074 views] IHG signs multi-brand, multi-property China deal with leading Hong Kong developerIHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announced today the signing of a management contract to operate three hotels and over 800 rooms in Changzhou, a key Eastern China city near Shanghai. Consisting of one Crowne Plaza hotel and two Holiday Inn Express hotels within an integrated city centre commercial complex, the three hotels will be developed by Top Spring Group, a leading Hong Kong retail investment and real estate developer. Top Spring Group has also signed a strategic partnership with IHG, giving IHG preferential branding and management rights to all of Top Spring's upcoming hotel developments across China. More... [1172 views] WORLDHOTELS scoops two awards at Travel Weekly Asia AwardsWORLDHOTELS, the largest and most established Europe based global hotel group for independent hotels and regional hotel brands, made an impact at the annual Travel Weekly Asia Awards on Friday 15th June with two of its hotels winning awards. The awards won included Best Five Star Hotel and Best Boutique Hotel. More... [757 views] Volunteer Tourism Symposium in CanberraHosted by the National Institute for Governance and the Centre for Tourism Research, University of Canberra Supported by CAUTHE (Council for Australian University Tourism and Hospitality Education) More... [509 views] Adrian Zecha, Philippe Starck & Jean-Michel Gathy create ultra luxury Boutique Hotel in PhuketScheduled to open in 2008 on a private peninsula on Phuket's dramatic east coast, new five-star General Hotel Management (GHM) operated boutique hotel, The Yamu, is poised to raise the bar on previously held concepts of exclusivity and luxury. More... [2019 views] MGM Mirage, Kerzner Join Forces to develop multi-billion-dollar Las Vegas ResortYet another big project is being planned for the bustling Las Vegas Strip. MGM Mirage has entered into a letter of intent with Kerzner International Holdings Ltd. to create a joint venture for the development of a sprawling resort along the famous stretch. The project, which will carry a multi-billion-dollar price tag, will span anywhere from 40 to 78 acres. By Barbra Murray More... [893 views] Accor Hotels provides life saving equipment for babies in FijiFiji's Lautoka Hospital Paediatric Department will receive a major shipment of critical medical equipment this week - a shipment made possible following Accor Hotels and Resorts' fundraising success story, the Accor Race to Survive to Cure Kids, held in November last year. More... [599 views] Meridian Capital Closes first international deal for $60M Hotel/Casino in Panama CityPanama City, Panama - Meridian Capital Group arranged financing in the amount of $60,000,000 for The Veneto Hotel & Casino, an 18-story, 301-room hotel/casino totaling 332,798 square feet located in downtown Panama City. Angela Mirizzi-Olsen negotiated on behalf of Silver Entertainment, LLC (SE), a new hospitality and gaming company established in March by New York-based developer, The Andalex Group, to secure a favorable floating rate through Deutsche Bank. The selling party was the partnership of Moisès Haskey, Alberto Daniel Btesh and Abraham Btesh. More... [622 views] Rydges Sabaya resort Port Douglas opens next week after multi-million dollar redevelopmentRydges Sabaya Resort Port Douglas, the newest Australian property for Rydges Hotels and Resorts, will open officially on Wednesday, 27 June, after a spectacular multi-million dollar redevelopment. More... [858 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 21, 2007Lifestyle, mixed-use resorts and Gloria and Emilio Estefan are opening their new luxury resort, Costa d'Este in Vero Beach, Florida.Hotel Lawyer on lifestyle and mixed-use resorts and Latin pop stars Gloria and Emilio Estefan and their new development in Vero Beach, Florida. By Jim Butler More... [1088 views] Trump CEO departs as sale loomsTrump Entertainment(TRMP:NYSE) shares tumbled 6% Monday morning after the company announced that its much-respected chief executive will be departing. More... [1289 views] St. James's Hotel and Club in London to be Operated by Luxury Hotel Group 'Althoff Hotels'Starting January 2008 Althoff Hotels will open the St. James Hotel & Club in Mayfair. The established hotel with 61 rooms and suites is currently being completely renovated. More... [896 views] Australia’s Stella Hospitality acquires Sunleisure Group
Stella Hospitality Group has added five Gold Coast properties to its stable through the recent takeover of hotel manager Sunleisure Group Limited. More... [818 views] TMS praises government initiative to combat Australian tourism industry staffing crisisTMS Asia-Pacific (TMS) has roundly applauded Australian government moves to improve the tourism industry's ability to attract staff from other industries and overseas. More... [666 views] TripAdvisor unveils traveler network, for faster, more personal planningFirst Social Networking Tool that combines 20 million monthly visitors, 6 million members and 10 million travel reviews and opinions. More... [811 views] Hammamet Declaration 2007 - Mapping the future of sustainable tourismThe Fifth International Tourism Forum for Parliamentarians and Local Authorities brought together over 300 representatives from 95 countries. The participants reviewed the key factors affecting tourism and how the sector interfaces with national and local governments, ranging from economic aspects to social, cultural and environmental issues. More... [589 views] Mandarin Oriental to open luxury resort and residences in Costa RicaMandarin Oriental Hotel Group has today announced that it will manage a new luxurious beach resort and branded Residences at Playa Manzanillo, in Guanacaste province, on Costa Rica's northern Pacific coast. The 130-room resort will open in 2009. More... [900 views] Restaurant La Rive joins Alliance GastronomiqueFrom 1 July, restaurant La Rive, located in the InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam, will be an official member of the culinary association Alliance Gastronomique. President John Beeren made this announcement during a press conference held at the Amstel Hotel. The other new Alliance member to join per 1 July is restaurant La Vilette in Rotterdam. With La Rive and La Vilette as its newest members, the Alliance Gastronomique now consists of 38 restaurants in the Netherlands and Belgium. More... [888 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 20, 2007IHG seeks replacements for Hartman and ImbardelliWith the retirement of its president for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), Mr Richard Hartman, in September and the shocking exit of its chief for Asia-Pacific, Mr Patrick Imbardelli, Intercontinental Hotels Group has not one, but two, important gaps to fill at a time when development is fast paced in both regions. By Raini Hamdi, Editor, TTG Asia More... [1814 views] Global Hospitality Outsourcing - Winning in a Flat World!The global hospitality playing field has been leveled. Transformation within the industry has created a new set of competitive pressures that were relatively isolated and continues to push hotel companies to explore more efficient business models. By Siddharth Thaker, HVS More... [876 views] Asia hospitality staff ‘vacuum' prompts rethink on candidate selection criteriaAs Asia's tourism and hospitality sector struggles to cope with what now represents its worst staffing crisis in recent times, many employers are now being forced to rethink their staff selection criteria in order to ensure they can fill vacancies. More... [1342 views] Regal looks to owning and running 60 hotels in mainlandRegal Hotels International Holdings, controlled by Lo Yuk-sui, plans to own up to 20 hotels on the mainland in five years and manage up to 40 hotels through its subsidiary. More... [706 views] The 7 Most Unusual Hotels in the WorldI don't know about you, but I'm really getting tired of the same old vacation spots! Yes, the golden sand and clear, warm water are very enticing. Yes, the clear mountain air invites you to explore everything. But the problem is that sometimes you just want something different and the usual vacation spot just won't cut it anymore! By Florin Costache More... [2515 views] American Express Travel names the Gleneagles Hotel as the first Fine Hotels and Resorts 2007 Partner of the YearAmerican Express Travel recognized The Gleneagles Hotel as its Fine Resorts and Hotels 2007 Partner of the Year for the Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa regions during its annual international Fine Hotels & Resorts Forum. More... [634 views] QE2 to become floating Dubai hotelCunard liner QE2 is to cease ocean cruises and become a luxury floating hotel. The 70,000-tonne vessel, launched by the Queen in 1967, is to be sold to the Dubai World company in a £50 million deal. More... [997 views] Hotel curse claims dismissedMalmaison hotel bosses have dismissed the notion that the building is cursed following the third blaze in three years. By Chris Buratta, Oxford Mail More... [872 views] Asia Pacific’s First Luxury Travel Event has opened in Shanghai ALTM, 19-21 June 2007Asia Luxury Travel Market (ALTM), the first Asia Pacific tourism mart exclusively for the luxury travel industry, has opened (June 19) in Shanghai. The three-day event at the Shanghai Exhibition Centre is the new sister event to the highly successful International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) staged every December in Cannes on the French Riviera. More... [570 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 19, 2007Hoteliers in shock over Imbardelli’s fall from graceYeoh Siew Hoon (www.thetransitcafe.com) scans the reaction from the hotel community to the news of Patrick Imbardelli’s fall from grace. More... [2967 views] Cosslett regrets losing ImbardelliInterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) group CEO, Mr Andrew Cosslett, says he regrets the departure of his Asia-Pacific CEO, Mr Patrick Imbardelli, but maintains “the company took the only action it could under the circumstance” as a ground swell of sympathy appears for Mr Imbardelli among several Asian partners and peers TTG Asia spoke to. By Raini Hamdi, TTG Asia More... [1879 views] Foreign investment in Mexico's Hotel Real Estate booms with a ten-time multipleForeign investment in Mexico's hotel real estate has boomed to achieve a 10-time multiple since 2000, as reported in a joint research initiative between Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels and Mexico's National Trust for Tourism Development (FONATUR). The total amount of foreign investment in Mexico totaled $640 million in 2006, representing an annual compound growth rate of 135%. This influx has transformed the hotel market into a more transparent and liquid investment environment, propelling further outside investment. Special report by Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels More... [863 views] Fairmont Newport Beach celebrates a sustainable summer by asking its employees to sleep on the jobIn support of a company-wide initiative for a Sustainable Summer - a new program that will encourage the company's colleagues from all corners of the globe to put the concerns of the planet at the forefront on Friday, June 22, 2007 - the employees of the Fairmont Newport Beach will do their part by staging a "sleep in" for the inaugural "Dream in Green - Summer Solstice Sleepover, 2007." More... [733 views] World's Most Expensive Hotel SuitesHoping to live like a king next time you head to Vegas? By Shivani Vora, Forbes.com More... [1500 views] Small Luxury Hotels of the World on track to reach 450 hotelsAfter growing the brand by a record 70 new hotels in 2006, Small Luxury Hotels of the World is continuing its upward trend with the addition of a further 20 hotels in the first quarter of 2007 alone, placing the luxury hotel brand well on track to reach its target of 450 hotels by year's end. More... [838 views] Hilton announces sale of Embassy Suites Hotel and Homewood Suites by Hilton in MemphisHilton Hotels Corporation (NYSE:HLT) announced today that it has sold the 220-suite Embassy Suites Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee to 1022 Shady Grove LLC, an affiliate of Haberhill LLC. The purchase price was not disclosed and it is estimated that the new ownership group will spend $3.5 million in additional capital to upgrade the property over and above the approximately $2 million that Hilton Hotels Corporation has spent within the past year. The hotel will continue to be operated as an Embassy Suites Hotel by Hilton Hotels Corporation under the terms of long term franchise and management agreements.
More... [588 views] Hotel stars fall as Brits turn to the webConsumers are ditching hotel star ratings in favour of Internet reviews as a method of getting a fair reflection of their accommodation, according to a survey. More... [1301 views] Northern firm in €883m hotel dealA Northern Ireland property and leisure company has teamed up with a leading Scottish hotel management company to develop hotels worth hundreds of millions of euro across Britain. More... [692 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 18, 2007We move on as planned: IHG’s CosslettAndy Cosslett, global chief executive of InterContinental Hotels, speaks to Yeoh Siew Hoon (www.thetransitcafe.com), a day after news broke of Patrick Imbardelli’s shock resignation. Andy Cosslett, global chief executive of InterContinental Hotels, flew to Singapore on Wednesday, June 13. By the next day, the whole world knew why he had flown 10,000 km from his London office to the company’s Asia Pacific office. More... [2435 views] Imbardelli quits, company says he lied on his CVInterContinental Hotels' boss for Asia Pacific, Patrick Imbardelli, has quit with immediate effect after it was found he had lied on his CV. Patrick Imbardelli, recently awarded Asia Pacific Hotelier of the Year by Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, has quit after it was discovered he had lied on his CV. According to the report in Times Online, the resignation is with immediate effect. More... [3250 views] Breaking news for "lifestyle" hotels. Ian Schrager and Bill Marriott announce their "marriage."Hotel Lawyer on the Schrager-Marriot marriage and its impact on lifestyle hotels. More... [1277 views] It’s NOT All about You: Networking Done RightWhen I hear the term "networking event", I imagine swarms of salespeople buzzing about the superiority of their products and businesses. They ask when I will be available to meet and--you guessed it--buy something. I have an overwhelming urge to run to the door at top speed and never return, but I know that’s not an option: I am supposed to be “networking” with these people. Locating potential customers and developing relationships with referral sources is part of every salesperson’s job. It’s one of the most effective ways to increase long-term revenue. By Bill Caraway, Hamister Hospitality, LLC More... [738 views] Kurt Wehinger appointed General Manager of Millennium Beijing HotelMillennium Hotels & Resorts announces the appointment of Kurt Wehinger as General Manager of Millennium Beijing Hotel with effect from May 1, 2007. More... [1316 views] Australia picked to host Asia-Pacific tourism's biggest business-to-business eventNational tourism agency, VisitBritain has announced that Australia is to host the next Destination Britain event in May 2008. More... [613 views] Fairmont leads off summer on a sustainable stepColleagues of The Fairmont Banff Springs hoof it to work for the environment. More... [798 views] Cornell Roundtable suggests that innovation comes from what customers don't sayAs hospitality industry marketers seek to innovate and improve operations, most work hard to learn what their customers wantoften asking them directly through surveys or focus groups. The problem with that approach, according to some industry marketers, is that customers are too likely to tell you what you want to hear, rather than what you really need to know. Finding and implementing innovative ideas was one of the sessions at the annual Cornell Marketing Roundtable, held in May 2007, at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. Chaired by Lisa Klein Pearo, assistant professor of marketing, and sponsored by the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research, the Roundtable was attended by marketing leaders from the hospitality industry. More... [811 views] IHG most nominated Hotel company in Australasian World Travel Awards
Travel agents from around the world have honoured IHG hotels with more nominations than any other hotel company in the Australasian section of the 15th annual World Travel Awards, to be announced in Bangkok in September. More... [785 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 15, 2007The Worldwide Hotel Industry breaks the recordsWith 150,000 new rooms opened by hoteliers in the year 2006, the world supply of corporate chains posts heretofore unattained growth. On January 1, 2007 the worldwide supply of the top 200 groups reached 43,000 hotels and 5.5 million rooms. Since 2005, the acceleration of development has been confirmed. More... [2991 views] Astrium rockets into space tourismAstrium has unveiled a revolutionary new vehicle for space tourism at a special VIP event in Paris ahead of the Le Bourget Airshow. This business jet sized vehicle is designed to carry four passengers 100 km up into space giving more than three minutes of "zero G" or weightlessness. More... [646 views] The new standard in "Employee Incentive" Surveys: A case study of HVSAdding scaling mathematics to traditional incentive surveys gives organizations a new competitive edge. Employers can now discover what incentives matter most to employees and which ones correlate with short-term versus long-term employee motivation. By Jim Houran, HVS International More... [1292 views] French hotel giant Accor to expand China footprintAccor, one of the world's largest hotel chains, said it plans to open 18 hotels in China this year and double its footprint on the mainland within two years. More... [784 views] “A Tale of Three Cities”Using market intelligence to increase market share is a time-honored technique for savvy sales and catering managers in the meetings market, according to Hospitality Information Services (HIS), which tracks the meetings industry in 44 markets in the U.S. and Canada. More... [507 views] boo.com research shows travellers place Travel Trust in ‘Virtual' StrangersBrits/Irish prefer to place their trust in complete strangers when it comes to researching and booking their holidays, according to the Travel Trust Index Report released today by boo.com. More... [635 views] Mexico Boutique Hotels sets the stage for culinary travelWho doesn't love a memorable meal? Especially when on vacation! And while Mexico Boutique Hotels' entire collection of one-of-a-kind accommodations offers food and drink as exceptional as the venues they are served in, the following epicurean possibilities will be of particular appeal to ardent gastronomes and connoisseurs of the good life. More... [1075 views] It's not the big that eat the small, it's the fast that eat the slowIt's not the big that eat the small, it's the fast that eat the slow" (Jennings & Houghton, 2005). For independent hotels that's good news. Independent hotels and resorts may not have all of the resources available to them that their franchised counterparts do but they have the advantage of greater flexibility - independents can gear up or down in a flash! By Carol Verret More... [881 views] Royal Plaza on Scotts sets new industry standard for service quality managementRoyal Plaza (RP) on Scotts, Singapore's first totally non-smoking business hotel, has broken away from tradition in its on-going service-assessment checks recently. It has raised the bar for the entire hospitality industry by taking a unique approach to measuring service quality. More... [1190 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 14, 2007Global Staff Movements - Who is In and Who is OutThis month's update on international executive staff movements. Check it out.... More... [3721 views] WOW.TRAVEL’S seven sensational Cellars in which to dine
wow.travel (the online magazine of kiwicollection.com) edited by Mary Gostelow, introduces Seven Sensational Cellars in Which to Dine. More... [875 views] Melka: Singing a different tuneYeoh Siew Hoon finds out from co-founder of Tune Hotels, Dennis Melka, what it is that makes the no-frills hotel brand unique. And it's more than the price. More... [661 views] Marriott Settles Tax-Deduction AllegationsHotel operator Marriott International said yesterday that it will pay $220 million in a settlement with the Internal Revenue Service and the Labor Department over tax deductions related to its employee stock ownership plan. More... [671 views] Crescent Hotels & Resorts Names Pamela Suhr as Chief Operating OfficerCrescent Hotels & Resorts, a rapidly growing hotel and resort management and ownership company, announced today that Pamela A. Suhr has joined the company as chief operating officer. She will be responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the company's rapidly growing hotel portfolio and play an important role in the company's acquisition program. More... [655 views] The Mövenpick Hotel Hamburg in the water tower: a new jewel in Hamburg's crownThe moment has finally arrived: The new Mövenpick Hotel Hamburg in the converted water tower in the Sternschanzen Park is now ready to open its doors. For over two and a half years the industrial landmark, built in 1910, has been comprehensively renovated and upgraded. With its unique atmosphere the 4-star plus hotel with 226 modern rooms is a delight, offering both business and leisure travellers the ideal setting for a personalised stay in one of Europe's flourishing metropolitan cities. More... [631 views] GM of Rocco Forte's The Balmoral awarded Master Innholder accoladeDebbie Taylor, General Manager of Rocco Forte's The Balmoral, has been awarded membership of the prestigious Master Innholders by The Worshipful Company of Innholders. More... [644 views] That hotel room will set you back a C-note, on averagePaying your hotel bill with a $100 bill? Don't expect change. The average cost of a hotel room in the USA has topped $100, a major milestone, according to industry watcher Smith Travel Research. By Gene Sloan, USA TODAY More... [663 views] Munich takes surprise lead but Moscow remains the city to beat in EuropeHotels in Munich had the strongest sales performance out of 10 leading European cities, according to the monthly HotStats survey by TRI Hospitality Consulting. More... [791 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 13, 2007The true story of two difficult guestsAs a hospitality industry trainer, I've often said there's no such thing as difficult guests; just nice people going through rough spots in life. Here's a recent true story to demonstrate... By Doug Kennedy More... [3118 views] Using a Banquet Profit & Loss Statement to enhance profitability in Food & BeverageA banquet profit & loss statement is an important tool that restaurant, hotel and club operators can use to evaluate banquet and event business profitability. By Juliette Boone, Principal of HVS Food & Beverage Services, a division of HVS International. More... [2161 views] Ernst & Young releases its 2007 US lodging ReportMajor hotel markets throughout the United States continued to witness positive growth in 2006 and are expected to repeat that performance in 2007, thanks to increased corporate travel and a surprisingly strong showing from the upper-end of the hotel market, according to the 2007 US Lodging Report relased today by Ernst & Young. More... [947 views] AH&LA helps hotels 'go green'The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) is teaming with the London-based International Tourism Partnership, which is a program of The Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum, in its Going Green initiative. Going Green offers guidelines for hotels to set minimum standards to improve sustainability and achieve goals for better environmental management. More... [936 views] Fontainebleau moves forward on resorts development, expansion with $4B fundingWith $4 billion in financing now in place, Fontainebleau Resorts L.L.C. moves forward with the $2.9 billion development of Fontainebleau Las Vegas and the $1 billion expansion of the landmark Fontainebleau Miami Beach. By Gail Kalinoski, Contributing Editor, Commercial Property News More... [629 views] Breakfast at Four Seasons? £105 pleaseHow ‘breakfast included' might save you £100 in hotel bills. Source: The Times More... [1838 views] La Quinta opens nine hotels during month of MayBrand continues its growth strategy to increase market share and presence. More... [654 views] Country Inns & Suites By Carlson Names Canadian Hotel As TopsCountry Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM , part of the Carlson Hotels Worldwide family of hotels, honoured its top-performing Canadian hotels at its Global Business Conference in Paris, France. More... [572 views] Moevenpick Hotel Bur Dubai management trainee programme is hitting on a winning combinationWith the increased coverage of Dubai in the foreign media, the city is becoming a tourist haven and business meeting point but is also attracting a new breed: the trainee. For university students in their final year attaining a trainee position within a five star hotel in Dubai is the sugar on top for their resumes. More... [1807 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 12, 2007TripAdvisor names world's hottest beach scenesTripAdvisor(R), the world's largest travel community, today announced the top 10 beach scenes in the world - those with the hottest beaches and coolest night life - according to TripAdvisor travelers and editors. More... [3315 views] Women travellers a force to be reckoned with in Asian travel industry says Abacus InternationalAs women travellers grow rapidly in numbers, spending power and influence, Asia’s travel industry responds with a greater focus on safety, wellness and the ‘web’. More... [1083 views] Orient-Express Hotels confirms acquisition in Buzios, BrazilOrient-Express Hotels Ltd., owners or part-owners and managers of luxury hotels, restaurants, tourist trains and river cruise properties in 25 countries, today confirmed that it has signed an agreement to purchase 185,000 sqm parcel of land in Buzios, one of the most popular up-market destinations in Brazil, 180km north-east of Rio de Janeiro. More... [659 views] Land Acquisition Paves Way for $2.5B Luxury Las Vegas Hotel, Condo ProjectReal estate firm The Peebles Corp. has secured a 13-acre parcel just a half mile from the Las Vegas Strip for the development of the city's largest non-gaming hotel, Las Palmas Hotel & Residences. Peebles purchased the land for $65 million from Con AM Management Corp. for the upper upscale project, which will cost an aggregate $2.5 billion to complete. By Barbra Murray, Contributing Editor, Commercial Property News More... [543 views] Asia, Asia, Asia, Oi, Oi, Oi!Hong Kong emerged as the top destination for travellers based in Singapore, according to the latest figures released today by ZUJI, Asia Pacific's leading online travel company, in its Q1 2007 Online Travel Report. The report tracks online travelling trends for flights, hotel and other bookings every quarter on all ZUJI sites across Asia Pacific. More... [703 views] Nepal: Visitor arrivals up by 50% in May 2007The increasing trend in international visitors' arrival figures to Nepal is being maintained last month (May, 2007). The Month of May witnessed 49.6% growth compared to previous year's corresponding month. A total of 27,759 visitors entered Nepal during this month. More... [588 views] American travel patterns bode well for online travelTrend toward shorter trips Means more dollars spent online. More... [566 views] New hotel construction in Budapest up 74% y/y to 870 rooms in 2006 - researcher SMThe number of hotel rooms under construction in Budapest increased by 74% year-on-year (y/y) to 870 in 2006, which is more than the sum of those underway in 2004 and 2005, Richard Ongjerth, Head of Research at Studio Metropolitana (SM) told reporters on Wednesday. More... [658 views] Highlighting the growing need for better communications in the expanding hospitality design industry - 40% more delegates attend HI DESIGNDebuting only last year, HI DESIGN, the 2nd annual business meetings forum for the hospitality interior design community which took place at the Intercontinental Berlin on 26- 28 April 2007, saw a 40% increase in the number of attending delegates. More... [609 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 11, 2007Going private – why it’s so appealingCompetition is red hot. The spectacular growth seen in Private Equity investment over the past decade reached record levels in 2006, and there is continued growth in the volume and size of Private Equity funds. By Dominic Graham, Director, Deloitte UK More... [922 views] A hands-on hotel owner who values independenceArriving at the InterContinental Hotel on North Michigan Avenue on a warm afternoon, Laurence S. Geller notices that the doorman, Hussain al-Mosawy, is wearing a new addition to his summer uniform: a white safari hat. By Terry Pristin, New York Times More... [1474 views] NYC hotel development on a tear: reportManhattan will gain 50-plus hotels and 8,000 rooms over the next three years, marking the largest such increase in the city's history, according to a new report issued Monday by consulting firm HVS International. By: Lisa Fickenscher More... [768 views] New study reports hotel guests at risk from carbon monoxide poisoningCarbon monoxide (CO) poisoning kills over 200 people every year in the United States. Although inexpensive CO detectors have been available since 1989, their use in hotels, motels and resorts is not widespread. By Lindell K. Weaver, MD, and Kayla Deru, BA More... [933 views] Booming budget hotel sector calls for readjustmentThe emergence of budget hotel brands such as "Home Inn", "Jin Jiang Inn", "Motel", "7days Inn", "Ibis" and "Super 8" offers consumers more choices in terms of accommodation when in a place on business or for traveling purposes. The emergence of budget hotels in swarms has brought innovations concerning hotel types but also intrigued large-scale adjustments to the lodging industry market and the industry structure. More... [984 views] Restaurants in the Leading Hotels of the World take the lead on the culinary stageThe coveted Michelin and Gault Millau accolades given to nearly 70 restaurants of The Leading Hotels of the World in Europe have raised the culinary dining ante to new heights this year. More... [1365 views] Asia Pacific’s first Luxury Travel event opens in less than two weeks with high level conferenceAsia Luxury Travel Market (ALTM), the first Asia Pacific event exclusively for the luxury end of the travel industry, opens in less than two weeks time with a high level conference on 18 June at which leading figures in the luxury travel sector will discuss the factors driving the industry forward in the region. The conference will be held at ALTM’s official hotel The Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai. More... [735 views] PwC forecasts record number of occupied roomsAccording to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the U.S. lodging industry will achieve a new record number of occupied rooms per night of 3.14 million this summer. The previous record of 3.08 million occupied rooms per night was achieved in 2006. More... [661 views] Dylan Hotel sold: Chain from Spain pays Moinian $78MBarcelona-based Hotusa Group and Losan Hotels World of Madrid have purchased the 107-room boutique inn, located at 52 E. 41st St., for $78 million. By Braden Keil, New York Post More... [841 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 8, 2007Dressing up dynamic pricing: Hoteliers continue to meet corporate resistance to floating ratesWith corporate travel buyers reporting little acceptance of dynamic pricing for hotel programs, hoteliers are trying new tactics to make the controversial pricing model more palatable. Some analysts, however, said the time for a dynamic pricing groundswell has passed. By Michael B. Baker, BTNonline More... [1426 views] UN Secretary-General highlights UNWTO’s contribution to Sustainable Development"Tourism has proved one of the leading ways for the least developed countries to increase their participation in the global economy”, said United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, during his first visit to UNWTO and Spain as Secretary-General. More... [556 views] Amazing BathroomsWhen you're on the road and, oh, so very far from your own home, sometimes nature's call can be almost shrill. After all, concern over finding a good bathroom—call it toilet anxiety— can take on heightened overtones. We've all heard the grim stories that usually start (and end) with an ill-smelling hole in the ground. So, we've done the legwork for you, dredging up the classiest, the funkiest (wait, we mean that in a good way), and most entertaining restrooms on this globe. By Sophia Banay, concierge.com More... [1604 views] Barry Sternlicht's New Brand "1" Hotel and Residences Planning a 31 Story Mixed-use Green Tower across from Bryant Park, New York CityStarwood Capital Group today announced that the recently launched "1" Hotel and Residences, the world's first luxury, eco-friendly global hotel brand, will open New York City's first five-star green hotel on West 40th Street in Manhattan, across from Bryant Park. More... [938 views] Sereno Spa awarded the best Spa in India by SpaAsia Readers’ Choice Award 2007Sereno Spa at the Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa, a sanctuary of tranquility and rejuvenation is proud to have taken the foremost honor in the Inaugural Readers’ Choice Awards 2007 organized by SpaAsia Magazine. Voted “The Best Spa in India” in the national category Sereno Spa offers holistic Ayurvedic and Yogic inspired therapies. More... [809 views] Study: Hotel guest satisfaction reaches near record levelsMarket Metrix, LLC, the leading provider of customer and employee feedback and performance tools for the hospitality industry, today announced results of the Market Metrix Hospitality Index(TM) (MMHI) for the first quarter of 2007. While hotel guest satisfaction climbed to near record levels, airline passenger satisfaction tumbled to its lowest level in years. Rental car scores were stable.
More... [1050 views] Starwood Hotels & Resorts ramps up expansion momentum in Thailand AND Indochina regions, introducing W hotels and Four Points by SheratonAdding Close to 2,400 rooms in Thailand and Indochina, Starwood also increases presence of Sheraton, The Luxury Collection and Le Méridien in this fast-growing market. More... [893 views] Athens hoteliers lift the cupWith the city of Athens recently playing host to the prestigious UEFA Champions League Final, we use the latest data from Daily HotelBenchmark™ by Deloitte, to analyze the impact of this major event of the city’s hotel industry. More... [615 views] Global Spa Summit cites labor shortage as top industry challenge
A shortage of high-quality, trained labor – including spa managers and directors, aestheticians, and therapists – is the major challenge facing the global spa industry today, according to a survey of more than 160 world spa and wellness industry leaders who attended the first-ever Global Spa Summit earlier this week in New York. More... [793 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 7, 2007Guilt and climate change driving longhaul travelNo one is more aware of how the current debate on climate change could affect longhaul travel patterns than Tourism Australia’s Richard Beere. He shares his views with Yeoh Siew Hoon. More... [924 views] Las Vegas' Tropicana plans for major makeover as it turns 50When the Tropicana Resort & Casino opened 50 years ago, its manicured lawns, balconied rooms and elegant showroom quickly earned it the nickname "Tiffany of the Strip." Years under mob control earned it a storied place in Nevada gambling lore. By Ryan Nakashima, Associated Press More... [692 views] TravelCLICK Ranks #33 On Crain's Fast Fifty ListTravelCLICK, Inc., a privately-held Schaumburg, IL-based hospitality solutions company, has made the Crain's Fast Fifty list for the Chicago area, published yesterday in Crain's Chicago Business. The list highlights the region's best and most innovative public and private companies, with rankings based on five-year revenue growth. TravelCLICK is #33 on the Fast Fifty list, which is often considered a leading indicator of a company's outlook for long-term performance and industry leadership. More... [556 views] The Thai Hotel association looks into new alcohol billThe Thai Hotels Association-Eastern Chapter (THA-EC), led by its president Chatchawal Supachayanont , recently held its members meeting at Pattaya Marriott Resort & Spa. More... [734 views] First Access Road to Saadiyat Island CompleteThe first construction site access road to Saadiyat Island, the 27 square kilometre natural island lying just 500 metres offshore Abu Dhabi city, is now complete. The new twenty one kilometre road, which gives construction vehicles access, directly links the island with Shahama/Abu Dhabi Airport road. More... [779 views] Hotel group publishes first cookbookVienna-based hotel group Vienna International Hotelmanagement AG has published its first international cookbook. The book contains a selection of three-course meals presented by the head chefs of all 19 of the group’s hotels and takes the reader on a culinary journey clear across Europe. The cookbook is available for sale online or at the individual Vienna International Hotels & Resorts. More... [712 views] IHG lays the foundation stone of the Crowne Plaza Mazatlan
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [Lon: IHG; NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms and Grupo Marina Mazatlan, have laid the foundation stone of the Crowne Plaza Marina Mazatlan (Mexico).
More... [573 views] Dusit Pattaya marks World No Tobacco DayDusit Resort, Pattaya led by general manager Chatchawal Supachayanont organized a smoke-free environment campaign at Photisamphan Pitayakhan School as part of its World No Tobacco Day celebrations. The campaign is part of the hotel’s Green Leaf community outreach program designed to educate the young people of Pattaya about environmental issues. More... [518 views] Benchmark Hospitality at Chaminade, Santa Cruz, awarded Green Business Certification
More... [503 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 6, 2007Starwood Hotels leads the hospitality industry with its record-setting global hotel pipelineRamping up its international expansion, Starwood announces plans to open 420 hotels around the world. More... [1845 views] Consumers aren't letting record gasoline prices get in the way of their next vacation84% are still taking a vacation this year - most will put it on the credit card. More... [666 views] Swire plans hotel empire for EuropeSwire Group, the Asia-focused conglomerate that is one of Britain's oldest trading firms in Hong Kong, plans to assemble a European hotel empire worth hundreds of millions of pounds. By Mark Kleinman, Telegraph More... [1057 views] Hyatt Regency Hotel Düsseldorf opening 2010Trendsetting concept on the basis of a management agreement – top location in the media harbour More... [807 views] Hilton Hotels Corporation announces three major Global Development AlliancesDeals will facilitate opening approximately 55 new hotels in four key markets through 2012. More... [1302 views] Caribbean Tourism Investment Fund gathers forceA highlight of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference (CHTIC) held in Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles last month, was the announcement by Peter J. Odle, President of the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA), that CHA had engaged KPMG and Caribbean Financial Services Corporation (CFSC) as advisors to a Tourism Investment Fund (the Fund) that CHA is seeking to introduce to the market, to help fill a "financing gap" in the regional tourism industry. More... [769 views] Staybridge Suites® Launches 'Wireless Anywhere'Thinking "outside the guestroom," first hotel brand in category to offer free wireless Internet access anywhere on its properties More... [699 views] Shane Blackmore leads the way for indigenous employment at Accor's Novotel NorthbeachOne of the Novotel Northbeach's first graduates of its Indigenous Job Ready Program, Shane Blackmore, has highlighted the potential of the program by being promoted to the role of House Keeping Supervisor less than one year after completing the program. More... [857 views] No smoking areas in restaurants backedA survey conducted by the Shanghai Patriotic Health Campaign Committee and Fudan University’s Public Health College covered 33 restaurants. It wanted the answer to a simple question: did the customers want no smoking areas? More... [688 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 5, 2007Hotel Lawyer: What's happening to hotel cap rates and values? What are the largest hotel sales? Who are the biggest hotel buyers?Hotel Lawyer on hotel sales, values, buyers and cap rates -- reporting from Meet the Money® hotel financing conference. If you are buying or selling hotels, or looking for hotel financing, you have to be interested in today's posting. This is all about hotel cap rates and values, and the biggest hotel sales as well as the biggest buyers in the recent times. All this information was provided to the crowd attending Meet the Money® a few weeks ago by Suzanne Mellen of HVS International. There is some great information here. By Jim Butler More... [1429 views] Cornell Roundtable sees private capital lifting hotel valuationsFar more quietly than is occurring in the stock market, private capital is replacing public equity markets as the source of growth in the hotel industry, according to participants in the first annual Real Estate/Finance Roundtable, held May 17 and 18, 2007, at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. The Roundtable was organized by Jan A. deRoos, Associate Professor and the HVS International Professor of Finance and Real Estate, and was sponsored by the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research. More... [632 views] Guidelines to improve budget hotelsChina's first industry set of guidelines to regulate budget inns is expected as early as the end of the year. The national standard, to be drafted by the China Hotels Association, is aimed to help regulate the industry. More... [891 views] The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong to cease operations January 1, 2008The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong in Central, an award-winning hotel since opening in 1993, will cease operations effective January 1, 2008. The property will be redeveloped by its owners, a subsidiary of Lai Sun Development Limited, to make way for a high-rise commercial office building on the site, it was announced by Mark Lettenbichler, Vice President and Area General Manager for Ritz-Carlton. Two new Ritz-Carlton properties are under development – Macau is scheduled for opening in 2009, and Kowloon in 2010. More... [1102 views] Nickelodeon and Marriott International enter into Global Partnership to create new branded hotel experienceTwenty new resorts around the world expected by 2020 with the first hotel expected to open in San Diego in 2010 More... [995 views] "Journey to Shangri-La": ebay auction to be launched June 13Luxury Travel Experiences Range from Private Ranger-Guided Exploration of Orang Utan Reserve in Borneo to a Gourmet Champagne Picnic on the Great Wall. More... [771 views] InterContinental Hotels & Resorts increases its Italian presence as it announces plans to open in MilanInterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), the owner of the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts brand, announced today the signing of a management agreement with Statuto Group for the new InterContinental Milan Grand Hotel Duomo. More... [746 views] Emirates Palace sweeps the floor at 14th World Travel Awards Middle East and AfricaThe luxury resort leads all winners with nine awards, including the Middle East’s Leading Resort and the Middle East’s Leading Conference Hotel awards More... [973 views] Boutique Hotel Apartment by Andrée Putman officially opened in Hong KongThe Putman, Hong Kong’s exclusive über-luxurious boutique hotel apartment was officially launched last night at a private party hosted by its designer, Madame Andrée Putman. More... [1187 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 4, 2007How destination lose their lustre, visitor traffic and ultimately, their reputationBrand Equity. What a great term. Most know about Brands – they are what we say they are, what the Consumer believes they are and then validated by the Experience. Equity is not only the value and worth but also the doctrine of fairness. These definitions reflect the vicissitudes (unpredictable and variable changes) which challenge our Destination areas. We must be vigilant on our watch. By John R. Hendrie Hospitality Performance More... [1175 views] Time to take the Highgrove road with bonnie Prince CharlieLike everyone else, Yeoh Siew Hoon is a little overwhelmed by all the talk about climate change. What can we do about it? Should we cancel our holidays? How can we turn guilt to action? More... [624 views] Undercover Reservations Survey Reveals Customer Service Flaws"As the busy tourist season begins and upcoming new hotels, some of Dubai's 4 and 5 star hotel and residence properties might be driving potential guests straight into the arms of their competitors because of poorly trained reservation staff and less-than-professional telephone etiquette," says Elisabeth Brehl, Manager of International Hospitality Check (IHC). More... [1298 views] Navigate's Luxury Lodges achieve International Supreme RecognitionSix properties, represented by New Zealand based and luxury tourism international marketing company, Navigate Oceania, have been nominated for the highly coveted World Travel Awards. Known as the ‘Oscars' of the global travel industry, The World Travel Awards are recognised as the highest vote of excellence complied from the opinions of 167,000 Travel Experts from around the world. More... [571 views] Royal Plaza on Scotts celebrates World No Tobacco Day with healthier smoke free staffWorld No Tobacco Day fell on 31 May 2007 and this year's theme of "Smoke-free inside: Create and enjoy 100% smoke-free environments" ties in perfectly with Royal Plaza on Scotts' move to go 100% smoke-free on its premises since its reopening in January 2007, making it the first business hotel to do so in Singapore. More... [784 views] Radisson Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Names Regina General Manager As TopsRadisson Hotels Worldwide honored its top-performing hotels and named a Canadian as its top General Manager at its Global Business Conference in Paris, France. More... [993 views] Lausanne hotel ranks No. 1The five-star Beau-Rivage Palace in Ouchy is the top place to stay in Switzerland, according to a recent survey. More... [1013 views] Luxury 5-star Condominium Resort in Magical Bali Opening Spring 2009Exclusive tropical living in Bali is about to get even better with the announcement of a new luxury development, Outrigger Panorama Bali Resort & Spa, now available for private purchase. More... [794 views] Website Satisfaction Soars at Intercontinental Hotels GroupVisitors to the InterContinental Hotels Group branded websites were more satisfied with their collective online experience than the hospitality industry average. More... [1407 views] Global Hospitality Newsletter: June 1, 2007Hotel Lawyer: Where are we in the hotel cycle? What's the real threat of new supply? Where do we go from here?At the recent Meet the Money® conference on hotel financing, Mark Woodworth, Executive VP of PKF Consulting, presented the latest report from PKF Hospitality Research to a crowd of more than 450 hotel industry leaders who gathered to connect with all the top debt and equity financing sources for hotels and hotel-related projects. (For more details on the Conference or the materials from it. By Jim Butler More... [1018 views] Plaza Athenee Bangkok, A Royal Meridien Hotel welcomes UNICEF Thailand studentsThe Plaza Athenee Bangkok, a Royal Meridien Hotel is proud to be one of the hotels working in partnership with the Youth Career Development Programme and UNICEF Thailand, providing vocational and life skills training to girls who might otherwise be vulnerable to commercial sexual exploitation. More... [675 views] Pegasus Award goes to the Willard Intercontinental Washington and Auteur Productions for Video, Willard 2006- A Hotel’s Legacy, A Nation’s HistoryThe Willard InterContinental Hotel and Auteur Productions, Inc. have been awarded a prestigious Pegasus Award for the video production of, Willard 2006- A Hotel's Legacy, A Nation's History. More... [716 views] EHL researcher wins first prize from prestigious Academy of ManagementA research paper by Dr. Steffen Raub of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (co-authored with Christopher Robert, of the University of Missouri-Columbia) has been honored by the prestigious Academy of Management. More... [689 views] $1M Gold Bathtub Stolen From Japan HotelA glittering bathtub made of gold worth nearly $1 million has been stolen from a resort hotel, an official said Wednesday. By Forbes.com More... [1509 views] Swiss-Belhotel International secures hotel management agreement in KuwaitRecently at an official signing ceremony, Hong Kong headquartered Swiss-Belhotel International Middle East LLC and Kuwait Plaza Hotel W.L.L. announced the hotel management agreement of Swiss-Belhotel Plaza Kuwait. More... [806 views] Swissotel Sydney sold for A$85M.The sale of the first class international standard Sydney CBD hotel, was negotiated by Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels’ - Asia Pacific CEO Mr David Gibson and Mr Mark Durran, Senior Vice President Investment Sales, on behalf of its US-based owners Fairmont Raffles Holdings International. More... [950 views] "Polite" Swiss come third in tourist studyThe Swiss have been voted the third-most popular tourists in the world, behind those from Japan and the United States, in a survey of hoteliers across Europe. More... [1049 views] New Travel Writing Scholarship Offered to Teens Ages 13-18Family Travel Forum, the award-winning resource for family travel information on the web, is launching a scholarship contest to encourage teens to write about their travel experiences. Cash awards will be given to the top three essays, and 25 additional students will receive honorable mention awards. All winners will have their essays published on the company’s for-kids-only www.KidTravels.com website. More... [634 views] |
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