22 july pp update

July 22, 2020

Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 234: Curt R. Strand, President, Hilton International

Stanley Turkel | July 21, 2020

by Stanley Turkel, CMHS Hotel History: Curt R. Strand (1920-2020) On July 12, 2020, I received the following email: “Dear Friends of Curt, With a broken heart, I am telling you that Curt passed away last night in his home. He was, as you would expect gallant till the end. Love, Barbara Lynn”. In 1948, Conrad Hilton formed Hilton Hotels International. One of the first employees was Curt R. Strand who wrote in the Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly June 1996*: “Hilton International started small in 1947, but I was endowed with a great asset. It is a wise parent who does not bestow money on his children, just in

Nobu Hospitality Expands to Africa With Nobu Hotel and Restaurant Marrakech

July 21, 2020

NEW YORK, July 21, 2020 - Global lifestyle brand Nobu Hospitality, founded by Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro and Meir Teper, is delighted to announce its continuing global expansion into Marrakech, Morocco. Nobu Hotel and Restaurant Marrakech is a collaboration between Hivernage Collection, MC Hotels, (the owners of the Nobu Hotel Marbella, Marbella Club Hotel and joint owners of the Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay) and Nobu Hospitality which will lead the transformation of The Pearl Marrakech into a Nobu Hotel and Restaurant in the third quarter of 2021. Where rich heritage meets Nobu Hospitality's contemporary flair, Nobu Hotel Marrakech wil

STR: U.S. Hotel Performance for June 2020

STR | July 21, 2020

HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee—The U.S. hotel industry showed slightly higher performance from the month prior, but at overall low levels during June 2020, according to data from STR. In a year-over-year comparison with June 2019, the industry recorded the following: Occupancy: -42.5% to 42.2% Average daily rate (ADR): -31.5% to US$92.15 Revenue per available room (RevPAR): -60.6% to US$38.88 The absolute occupancy and RevPAR levels were the lowest for any June on record in the U.S., but all three key performance metrics were up from May levels. July weekly data shows occupancy above 45% due to a slow and steady rise in demand t

How Consulting Data Can Help Build Your Profit Back

HotStats | July 21, 2020

The punches thrown by COVID-19 onto the hotel industry have been incessant. First, it landed a blow to public and employee health. Next came a punishing economic swing that knocked out nearly 200 million jobs globally. Now, many hoteliers may feel like they’re left laying on the mat — heads spinning from the chaos. It’s time to get back up and fight back with a plan. Make no mistake, the damage from COVID-19 will keep coming. But hoteliers can use data to soften the impact of future blows and emerge from the COVID-19 era in better shape. Here’s how: Establish a Financial Baseline Before moving forward, hoteliers need to get

All Hyatt Hotels in U.S. and Canada to Require Face Coverings for Guests

Hyatt Hotels Corporation | July 21, 2020

CHICAGO (July 21, 2020) -- At Hyatt, the safety and security of our colleagues and guests is always a top priority. Guided by our purpose – to care for people so they can be their best – and following medical expert guidance to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, beginning Monday, July 27, for the foreseeable future, all Hyatt hotels in the U.S. and Canada will require face coverings within indoor public areas, which include meetings and events spaces, restaurants and bars, and fitness centers. Some guests may be exempt from this mandate, including but not limited to people with medical conditions, consuming food or beverages in restaura

IHG Signs With Borealis Hotel Group for Holiday Inn Express® Budapest City Centre

IHG® | July 21, 2020

IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has signed a franchised agreement with Borealis Hotel Group for Holiday Inn Express® Budapest City Centre. The 189-room hotel will be the first Holiday Inn Express in Budapest and the first IHG hotel to enter the Hungarian market in over 20 years. Expected to open late 2022, Holiday Inn Express Budapest City Centre will bring simple, smart travel by providing the perfect base camp to rest, relax and recharge, whether for business or leisure. The project will be developed by the company Big4. The expansion of IHG’s presence in Budapest brings a new offer

Is the Hotel Industry About to Self-Destruct? Media Exposes Shocking Hotel Fails and Growing Guest Distrust

Alan Young | July 21, 2020

By Alan E. Young At the onset of the pandemic, the fall-out was immediate; in the span of a few weeks, hotel lobbies and airport terminals that were once bustling with travelers were left empty. Fear and distrust spread quickly, as did the realization that international travel may be off the table for an extended period of time.  In response, hotels have been quick to announce big plans for enhanced cleaning and sanitation programs and policies to help guests feel safe enough to return. Every hotel large and small seems to be promoting new practices to reassure guests. However, hotels face heightened speculation and scrutiny as their c