The U.S. hotel industry experienced positive results in the three key performance metrics during the week of 12-18 August 2012, according to data from STR. In year-over-year comparisons, occupancy ended the week with a 3.6-percent increase to 69.6 percent, average daily rate was up 4.4 percent to US$106.58 and revenue per available room ended the week with an increase of 8.1 percent to US$74.21.
Marriott International celebrated the opening of the 383-room Renaissance Shanghai Caohejing Hotel in Shanghai. The hotel is managed in partnership with Shanghai Caohejing Park Huagang Properties Ltd., and represents the sixth Renaissance-branded hotel to open the city. Renaissance Hotels is the signature lifestyle brand within the Marriott International global portfolio of 17 hotel brands.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. has opened its first hotel in Austria in the capital city of Vienna. The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna, a 202 room property located on the central Schubertring Boulevard, is the ninth hotel in Europe for the luxury hotel company.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced the opening of Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, the first Grand Hyatt hotel in Malaysia. This elegant, contemporary and luxurious hotel with 370 guestrooms and 42 suites offers business travelers, tourists and local guests a sophisticated ambience. Situated in the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) and right next to Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, the hotel is within walking distance of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, Suria KLCC, KLCC Park, Dewan Filharmonik Petronas as well as the Golden Triangle shopping and entertainment district. The Pavilion Shopping Centre is less than a ten minute walk by the covered sky-bridge outside the hotel.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide announced plans to expand its portfolio throughout Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Over the next three years, Starwood will more than double its portfolio in the region with seven new hotels, including the debut of the Aloft brand in Russia with the new Aloft St. Petersburg, a deal that was announced today. Emphasising the importance of the region as one of the world’s fastest-growing hotel and travel markets, CEO Frits van Paasschen and members of Starwood’s senior executive team visited Russia this week, travelling to key growth markets, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi and Rostov-on-Don.
Hotel Indigo, IHG’s (InterContinental Hotels Group) upscale boutique brand, announced the opening of the Hotel Indigo Veracruz – Boca del Río. The new hotel, located in the Veracruz business district and just steps from the World Trade Center and America’s Plaza, offers guests the intimate service typically associated with boutique lodging along with the peace of mind and consistency expected from a large hotel group.
Sofitel Luxury Hotels, known for their contemporary French Luxury hospitality, has successfully launched the Sofitel Mumbai BKC, in the heart of Mumbai, the first in an exciting line-up of future projects. French culture, design and gastronomy blend artistically with rich Indian tradition in a Neo Art Nouveau style, offering multifaceted experiences in cuisine, entertainment and relaxation; where buoyant business meets elegant lifestyle, and “Life is Magnifique”.
Staybridge Suites, IHG’s upscale extended stay hotel brand, knows that many travelers, especially those who stay in hotels for weeks or even months at a time, struggle with being away from home. To help ease this struggle, Staybridge Suites has partnered with celebrity chef, world traveler, author and television personality G. Garvin to provide useful tips, tricks and hints so guests can master “The Art of Traveling Solo.”
The European hotel industry posted mixed results in year-over-year metrics when reported in U.S. dollars, euros and British pounds for July 2012, according to data compiled by STR Global.
The U.S. hotel industry reported increases in all three key performance metrics during July 2012, according to data from STR. Overall, the U.S. hotel industry’s occupancy rose 0.5 percent to 70.0 percent, its average daily rate was up 3.8 percent to US$107.44 and its revenue per available room increased 4.3 percent to US$75.25. Demand during July increased 1.0 percent with 105,964,171 rooms sold, breaking the July 2011 record of 104,957,596 rooms sold.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into an agreement for a Hyatt Place hotel in Manatí, Puerto Rico with Island Hospitality Partners, LLC, a joint venture of PRISA Group and McConnell Valdes Consulting. Island Hospitality is also the owner of Hyatt Place Bayamón Hotel & El Tropical Casino, which is currently under construction and is expected to open in 2014.
PKF Hospitality Research announced that, according to its newly released 2012 edition of Caribbean Trends in the Hotel Industry, the average Caribbean hotel that participated in the survey experienced a 10 percent increase in Net Operating Income (NOI) in 2011. This is the greatest annual increase in profits since 2008.
The Cornell School of Hotel Administration (SHA) will feature leading hospitality executives in the Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series (DDLS) throughout the fall semester. A perennial highlight of the SHA academic program, the DDLS includes leaders from every segment of the hospitality industry, who speak about their career paths, views on successful management styles and business strategies, and insights on critical industry-related issues.
We all love Millennials. They’re the future main stream restaurant consumers. They do all sorts of cool things like Foursquare, Twitter and Yelp (at least they did last week). They like to try new things. And, they’re just inexperienced enough to be optimistic.
The distribution landscape is getting more complex every day, with everyone having an opinion on what channels are the best and why. One of the hottest topics is the use of online travel agencies, or OTAs, and how they’ve emerged with creative strategies such as connecting potential guests directly to booking engines. One point is undisputed — OTAs provide a strong marketing channel for a spectrum of operations, including independent brands and smaller properties. One of the real questions hoteliers are asking is if their operations can benefit from OTA direct connects and what the cost will be. The answer isn’t always clear, and a few options need to be considered going forward.
As new online hotel marketing opportunities emerge, it is imperative that hoteliers not only stay abreast of best practices, but also avoid common mistakes. Outlined below are five common mistakes and five great opportunities that hoteliers can use to develop strategies that will maximize conversions and achieve greater long-term profitability.
In a rapidly evolving market, hoteliers are constantly trying to master the art of selling the right room, at the right time, to the right customer— at the right price. Recent changes in travel shopping behavior have caused a shift in the way in hoteliers utilize specific channels to create a powerful presence online. The following questions will help you understand how to effectively manage both online and offline channels to maximize your hotel’s revenue.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced the opening of Hyatt Regency Chongqing, introducing the Hyatt Regency brand to the booming city in Southwest China. Catering to both business and leisure travelers, Hyatt Regency Chongqing is strategically located in Jiangbei District, the new central business district in Chongqing, which is 20 minutes away from all the major commercial and industrial zones, and a 15-minute drive to the new Chongqing International Expo Centre, the largest exhibition center in Western China and the second largest in China.
Today, Hilton HHonors, the loyalty program for Hilton Worldwide’s 10 distinct brands, launched its global Shop-to-Earn Mall, a network of online shops that allows HHonors members to earn Bonus Points through retail purchases. The Hilton HHonors Shop-to-Earn Mall, available at www.HHonors.com/shoptoearn, offers members around the world merchandise and exclusive deals from more than 1,500 retailers – from jewelry and apparel brands to electronics and home furnishings.
When today’s road warriors hit the trail, they are armed with three or four mobile devices to help them stay connected to office and home. They are more inclined to carry a tablet than a laptop. And, when these business travelers communicate with the home front from their hotel room, they are most likely do so with a video chat.
The Russia & CIS Hotel Investment Conference (RHIC) is pleased to announce that Scott Antel, Partner, DLA Piper, has been selected as the 2012 Leadership Award recipient. The Award will be given to Antel during a special presentation at the conference on Wednesday 17 October.
