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Nevada Tourism Officials See India as Next Big Market
February 21, 2014
Feb. 21--India is the next frontier for attracting international tourists to Nevada, and state tourism leaders this month took their first steps in marketing to the nation of 1.2 billion people. Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki told the Nevada Commission on Tourism today that working with the international branding organization Brand USA and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, he was able to meet with top Indian tourism leaders while attending a major Asian tourism conference in New Delhi earlier this month. Krolicki, who chairs the commission, said he also was able to meet with media outlets in India to sell the state to prospectiv
Can Seasonal Employees Still Deliver Great Customer Service?
Steve DiGioia | February 20, 2014
by Steve DiGioia Recently I was asked to teach a customer service training class for the new hires of a ski resort. The seasonal resort just completed their job fair and had their newest set of fresh-faced recruits all ready for work; they just needed to know how to deal with their customers. In preparation, I met with the resort's management to find out some information about the new hires, if there were specific topics they want covered and what their expectations were for the class. Here is what I learned: Job Fair attendees: 200 Employees Hired: 180 Positions Hired: ski lift operator, equipment rental associate, retail store cle
Woodridge Capital Partners Acquire San Francisco’s Mark Hopkins Hotel for $120M; Plan $20M Upgrade
February 20, 2014
Feb. 20--The landmark Mark Hopkins Hotel on San Francisco Nob Hill is being acquired for $120 million by Los Angeles investors who are expanding their holdings in one of the Bay Area's most elite neighborhoods. Affiliates of Woodridge Capital Partners and funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management are buying the historic inn from InterContinental Hotels Group. The 383-room Mark Hopkins will continue to be managed by English hotelier InterContinental. The hotel opened in 1926 on the former site of railroad magnate Mark Hopkins' 40-room mansion. Hopkins was one of the founders of the Central Pacific Railroad, which built one of the last
Market Rebound: Study Finds California Hotel Property Sales Increased in 2013 with Prices Escalating
February 20, 2014
Feb. 20--Investors were more willing to gamble on resort sites and other hotel properties in 2013 than in the previous year, a report from a real estate agency that specializes in the marketing of hospitality properties found. Renewed buyer interest in hotel properties included the high-profile sales of two resorts in the Coachella Valley area last year, according to the report leased Wednesday, Feb. 18 by Irvine-based Atlas Hospitality Group. But the majority of the sales recorded involved more modest hotel properties, including several Holiday Inn Express locations in Inland Southern California that were bought by investors last year.
The Vendue Inn, Charleston, SC to be Reborn as The Vendue, an Art-Centric Boutique Hotel
February 20, 2014
Feb. 20--The same hospitality group that turned Folly Beach's Holiday Inn into Tides Hotel has transformed the former Vendue Inn into a boutique hotel that marries lodging with gourmet food and fine art. Avocet Hospitality Group on Wednesday gave a preview tour of the hotel that will likely wrap up construction in the Spring, according to Jon Weitz, CEO of Avocet. Weitz revealed the hotel's plans to center on local art- with nearly every inch of the hotel doubling as a gallery space. The Vendue has partnered with local artists Megan and Robert Lange of Robert Lange Studios, who will design and curate two to three art exhibits at the hot
Irvine, CA Marriott Completes $5M Phase One Remodel; Additional $6M for Guest Room Updates Planned
February 20, 2014
Feb. 20--The Irvine Marriott has completed a $5 million first phase of an extensive renovation. The hotel's lobby, lounge, pool and other first-floor features are done. Walls were moved and ceilings were raised to make the space feel more open, General Manager Scott McCoy said. Work started in April. The now nautical-themed first-floor spaces are sleeker and give the hotel a more modern ambience, McCoy said. "It's not swanky; it's more sophisticated." Outdoor spaces are being relandscaped, and new furniture is on the way, he said. Next up: a $2 million renovation of the hotel's meeting rooms, which should be completed by the end of summ
Miami-Dade Poll Indicates Voters Want Las Vegas-Style Casinos
February 19, 2014
Feb. 19--About 56 percent of likely Miami-Dade County voters want Las Vegas-style "destination resorts" casinos, according to a new poll that shows solid support across party lines. Hispanics back the concept the most: 60 percent said they would favor a proposed state constitutional amendment to allow up to three of the proposed casino resorts in South Florida. The survey was paid for by unnamed gaming interests. The industry has released similar polls with similar results in prior years, only to see their efforts to expand gambling go bust in the Florida Legislature. This year, however, might be different now that state House Republica
Rotana Opens 254-room Hili Rayhaan by Rotana in Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates
February 19, 2014
Feb. 19--Rotana, one of the region's leading names in luxury hotel management, has opened its second five-star hotel in Al Ain - Hili Rayhaan by Rotana. The new 254-room property has been specially developed to complement the ambience of the UAE's picturesque Garden City, with its design, decor and amenities aimed at promoting the most relaxing of stays. Strategically positioned in Hili District, a thriving tourist area and bustling suburb in the north of Al Ain, Hili Rayhaan by Rotana is located close to the heritage and archaeological sites of Al Ain city and is expected to be a first-choice for guests wanting to combine modernity wit