Trending Stories
The Tricycle of Guest Service Excellence: A Perfect Model For Remarkable Experiences
Doug Kennedy | October 4, 2024
Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino Partners With Travel Outlook to Elevate Guest Service Experience
Travel Outlook, The Premier Hotel Call Centerâ„¢ | October 2, 2024
CATEGORY NAME
Expotel Hospitality Names Kevin Robert Executive Vice-President of Operations
Expotel Hospitality | March 24, 2014
New Orleans, LA -- March 25, 2014 --New Orleans-based hotel owner/management company Expotel Hospitality Services Inc. announced the appointment today of hospitality industry veteran Kevin Robert as Executive Vice President, Operations. Expotel President Kerry Ranson said Robert, who has 25+ years in hospitality leadership experience, will be responsible for the asset management of Expotel's clients and for the hotel properties owned by Expotel. Ranson added that Robert will be the senior company officer responsible for the achievement of the revenue, profit, efficiency, quality and personnel objectives of the management company and the
Costa Rica’s Tourism Sector Set to Grow 5.8% in 2014; Will Make Up 13.7% of the Country’s GDP by ‘24
March 24, 2014
March 24--Things are looking up for the Costa Rican tourism sector and maybe Ticos looking for work in a tight job market, according to a new report released last week. Costa Rica's world famous tourism sector is set to grow 5.8 percent during 2014, according to the latest economic impact assessment from the World Travel and Tourism Council. The jump is up from 4.6 percent of gross domestic product in 2013, some $6 billion. The report estimated tourism's total contribution to the national economy added up to 12.1 percent of GDP in 2013 and prognosticated that tourism will make up 13.7 percent of Costa Rica's GDP by 2024. Growth in touri
Collier County, FL Sets Record for Number of Visitors in February; ADR Up 10.7% & Spending Up 12.4%
March 24, 2014
March 24--NAPLES -- Bad weather and good chocolates helped boost the number of visitors to Collier County in February to record levels. While Northern residents were digging out from massive snowfalls, Collier County lured them with an interactive website and Valentine-themed ad promotions showing honeymoon couples, vacationers frolicking on dog beaches with their beloved pets and the sweet appeal of a Norman Love chocolate store in Naples. The seasonal campaign also got an assist from the tourism's staff's outreach to trade show planners, journalists and tour operators to draw attention to the sunny tip of the state. The ongoing market
Couchsurfing Trend Spurs Calls for Taxes & Regulations to Even the Playing Field with Hotels
March 23, 2014
March 23--Strangers have been staying in Tom and Gabrielle Sweets' spare bedroom on and off during the last two years, trooping in from out of town and dishing out $45 a night for the privilege of a private room and bath in the couple's Chattanooga home. "We've met people from Australia, New Zealand, New York, Washington state -- it's been a blast," said Gabrielle Sweets. "We both love to travel ourselves, and we love meeting interesting people." The Sweetses are one of about 40 families in Chattanooga who have listed their homes on Airbnb.com, a website that allows anyone to rent a room, a house, a suite or even just a couch to travele
Charlotte, North Carolina and Developer, GoodSports, Consider $72M 125-room Hotel-Sports Complex
March 22, 2014
March 22--Can a sports-focused hotel breathe new life into the neighborhoods around Bojangles' Coliseum? The city of Charlotte and a Sarasota, Fla.-based developer are considering spending a combined $72 million on a new hotel and indoor-sports facility, which is designed to cater to amateur sports teams on the weekends and fitness-conscious travelers during the week. The developer, GoodSports, is bullish on the concept and is moving forward with similar projects in suburbs of Columbus, Ohio, and St. Louis, as well as Wichita, Kan. They believe they can make money hosting indoor youth sports tournaments that could attract indoor sports
California’s Hotel Pipeline Includes 20 Projects for Orange County and 42 for Los Angeles
March 22, 2014
March 22--Bob Olson doesn't have a crystal ball about the timing of new hotels, but he may have something even better -- 35 years of hard-won experience in the construction and development business. Since 1979, when he started R.D. Olson Construction, Olson has been through every recession, every construction boom and every bust. He learned to see the telltale signs of recovery when everyone else was looking the other way. So in 2010, as the hotel industry retreated into survival mode, Olson landed his first new project since cutting his pipeline in 2006 in advance of the recession. It was a Courtyard by Marriott in Oceanside. "Truth be
The Stokely Co. Begins Development of 101-key Staybridge Suites in Farragut, Tennessee
March 22, 2014
March 22--The cluster of hotels near the Campbell Station Road interstate interchange in Farragut is getting a new addition. A Staybridge Suites is being developed by The Stokely Co. on a 4-acre tract at 11319 Campbell Lakes Drive south of Interstate 40/75. Site work is underway and construction will begin soon on the extended stay hotel, which will have 101 studio and deluxe suites, Stokley Co. President Andrea White said Friday. Staybridge Suites, a brand of the Intercontinental Hotel Group, is designed for business travelers and "primarily people that are looking to have a home away from home for three to five days. Perhaps people wh
OTO Development Sells 15 Hotels to Blackstone Group and Retained to Continue as Operator
March 22, 2014
March 22--OTO Development will celebrate its 10th anniversary in May. And the Spartanburg-based hospitality company said it is poised for even greater success as it enters its next decade of hotel development and operations. On Friday, the company announced that it sold a package of 15 hotels Thursday to Blackstone Group, one of the world's largest equity firms, for an undisclosed price. Blackstone hired OTO to continue operating the hotels, the company said. Corry Oakes, president and CEO of OTO, said the announcement is a "significant milestone" in the company's history. "Due to our strong property management performance, (Blackstone)