Latest News
Closing a hotel for a short period - is it the right thing to do? | By Ian Graham
Recent work in Greece has reminded us that in some situations, it is received wisdom that hotels should close for a number of months "when demand is low". The question is, is closing always the best option?
Friday, May 24 - 2013
HotStats European Chain Hotels Market Review – April 2013
Total Revenue and Gross Operating Profit growth was achieved throughout Europe from Amsterdam to Warsaw, according to the latest HotStats survey.
Friday, May 24 - 2013
HOSPA and HFTP in initial discussions to expand Association’s showpiece ‘HOSPACE’ Hospitality Conference and Exhibition
It has been announced today that initial discussions are underway between HOSPA (Hospitality Professionals Association for Finance, Revenue Management and IT) and its strategic partner US- based HFTP (Hospitality Finance and Technology Professionals) for expanding HOSPACE – Europe's leading annual Conference, Exhibition and Networking event for hospitality finance, revenue management, IT and commercial professionals.
Friday, May 24 - 2013
GBTA Announces Industry Distribution Panel for GBTA Europe Conference
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) — the voice of the global business travel industry — today announced the preliminary details of its leadership panel at the GBTA Europe Conference 2013, being held in Prague, Czech Republic on 23rd-25th September 2013.
Friday, May 24 - 2013
Cornell Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship welcomes new industry advisors
The Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship (PIHE) recently welcomed four new hospitality industry leaders to its advisory board. In this role, they will help shape the entrepreneurship curriculum at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration and support entrepreneurial students through such programs as the Hospitality Business Plan Competition, Entrepreneurs in Residence, and internships.New advisory board members:Jim Abrahamson currently serves as CEO for Interstate Hotels & Resorts and is responsible for the company's overall performance and global growth of its management portfolio. He also serves as an executive director on the company's board of directors. Abrahamson joined Interstate from InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), where he was president of the Americas region—IHG's largest operating unit—and an executive director of the board of directors. Previously, Abrahamson held senior management positions with Hyatt Corporation, The Marcus Corporation, and Hilton Hotels Corporation.Keith Daub is president and chief operating officer at Winegardner & Hammons, Inc., one of the most successful, comprehensive, independent hotel companies in the nation. A 1973 graduate of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, Daub ensures the high-quality operation of WHI-owned and -managed hotels across the country. He challenges the WHI management team to take a critical look at how business is conducted and to keep the focus of operations on meeting the needs of the customers, backing up his firm belief that customer satisfaction results in repeat business, which is critical to success. Bob DeVries is co-head of Spencer Stuart, North America. In addition, he leads the firm's global Hospitality & Leisure Practice and is a member of the North American Board & CEO and Private Equity practices. He is a multi-year recipient of the firm's Lou Rieger Quality Award. DeVries brings more than 20 years of general management and strategy experience to his client work. Prior to joining the firm, he was president and chief executive officer of Grand Expeditions, a private equity-backed, luxury tour operator providing best-in-class travel experiences across all seven continents. Earlier, he was vice president of brand management and special events for the Walt Disney World Resort.Monica Digilio is chief human resources officer for Montage Hotels and Resorts. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the company's global human resource function and is an active member of the senior executive management team responsible for the strategic growth and development of Montage. An accomplished human resources executive with over 20 years of experience, Digilio joined Montage in 2012 to help grow the company globally, by playing a significant role in the development and achievement of human resource initiatives in diverse markets and cultures. Prior to joining Montage, Digilio spent more than 12 years as executive vice president of Global Human Resources for Kerzner International. "Our advisory board members give us the financial support we need to grow our program and continue to teach students about every aspect of entrepreneurship. Board members also provide an invaluable professional network that students can use as they begin their careers," said Neil Tarallo, senior lecturer and academic director of the Pillsbury Institute.
Friday, May 24 - 2013
How Travel Brands Can Better Compete With OTAs | clickz.com
The travel sector continues to be highly competitive in the digital landscape as consumers flock to search engines to book travel plans. In 2012 comScore reported online travel spending surpassed $100 billion for the first time, a 9 percent increase over the previous year. The big booking winners aren't just airlines and hotels, but also online travel agents (OTAs) such as Orbitz, Expedia, and Travelocity. Currently the OTAs dominate the search engine results pages (SERPs) when popular non-branded keyword phrases are searched. However, travel brands can take back some of this business by adopting paid, earned, and owned media strategies to compete head-to-head with OTAs.
Friday, May 24 - 2013
Brands, OTAs mending relationship | hotelnewsnow.com
Although large-scale hotel brands have denounced online travel agencies in recent years, instead focusing their efforts on driving travelers directly to their own websites, there seems to be a shift in attitude of late. Hotel brand executives are beginning to embrace OTAs again, even calling them partners, as companies such as Expedia and Priceline work through complex negotiations with many of the major brands.
Friday, May 24 - 2013
Are You Targeting These Two Valuable Travel Segments? |
Here’s good news for travel and hospitality websites: In mature global travel markets, growth will remain consistent. But there’s a catch. For companies that want to exceed that growth, it’s critical to make the most of every single customer interaction so mastering upsells and add-ons is becoming more important. Carroll Rheem, principal analyst at PhoCusWright, noted during The Traveler’s Appetite for Ancillary Products webinar, that the next question becomes how much potential there is for upsells and cross-sells in the travel and hospitality market.
Friday, May 24 - 2013
Banyan Tree Tianjin Riverside Debuts In Historic Port City Of Northern China
Opening now in the historic yet vibrant city of Tianjin, Banyan Tree Tianjin Riverside sets a significant milestone as Banyan Tree's first luxury hotel in Northern China and the Group's tenth property in the country. Building on the group's unique urban resort concept, the property combines luxurious resort amenities and experiences with metropolitan living.
Friday, May 24 - 2013
New HTNG Standards Will Help Hotels Increase Guest Satisfaction and Increase Efficiency of Payment Systems
Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG), the premier technology solutions association in the hospitality industry, today announced a series of specifications that help hotels improve guest satisfaction and front-office efficiency. The specifications create standard ways for hotels to know immediately if an in-room device malfunctions, to ensure that customer service issues are known across the property and allow guest folio payment transactions to be processed even if the PMS system is down.
Friday, May 24 - 2013
