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At 97 Million and Growing, China has Most Outbound Tourists and the Biggest Spenders

January 9, 2014

Jan. 09--BEIJING (China Daily/ANN) -- China had the highest number of outbound tourists and amount of overseas spending in the world last year, according to a report released on Wednesday. Ninety-seven million Chinese travelled abroad in 2013, beating the 2012 mark by roughly 14 million, according to the China National Tourism Administration. The number is expected to surpass 100 million this year. The report released on Wednesday by the Tourist Research Centre of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said that China's tourists have had the world's strongest purchasing power since 2012. They overtook German and US tourists as the world

China Company Eyes $762 Million Tourism Project in Sipadan Island off Coast of Sabah, East Malaysia

January 9, 2014

Jan. 09--KOTA KINABALU, Sabah (The Star/ANN) -- A China-based company is looking at a massive 2.5 billion ringgit (US$762 million) integrated tourism development project in the diving haven of Sipadan island off the coast of Sabah in East Malaysia. The company -- Diving Best -- is in discussions with the Sabah Economic and Development and Investment Authority (SEDIA) to facilitate its proposed development of the large-scale tourism project in the Semporna area. SEDIA chief executive officer Dr Mohd Yaakub Johari said they had met the officials of the company for the second time on Monday as a follow-up to the first meeting in June last

HFZ Capital Group Acquires Shore Club in Miami Beach, FL for $175 Million; Plans “Re-Imagination”

January 9, 2014

Jan. 09--After dodging a foreclosure sale earlier this year, the Shore Club has sold for just over $175 million to owners who plan some changes at the 309-room Miami Beach hotel. "We have an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to re-imagine and reposition a world-class property in a market that has seen continued demand for luxury properties," said Ziel Feldman, founder and managing principal of HFZ Capital Group, in a press release this week. New York City-based HFZ acquired the hotel with an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group. Philips International, a seller, will still be involved with the new ownership group. Three yea

$25 Million Hotel Transformation of Circa 1905 Tampa, FL Courthouse on Track for June ‘14 Opening

January 9, 2014

Jan. 09--TAMPA -- Stepping past a chain-link fence around the construction site, Mayor Bob Buckhorn said, "I feel like an expectant father." No surprise there. If there's anything that's his baby, it's the transformation under way at Tampa's majestic but long-empty old federal courthouse. Wednesday, Buckhorn walked through the 109-year-old building for the first time since work started about 10 months ago. Many of the features that put the courthouse on the National Register of Historic Places remain -- the soaring ceilings, tall windows, oak woodwork, terrazzo floors and green-on-white marble wainscoting. What's coming is a 130-room bo

Watauga County, NC DA Says Many Acted in ‘Reckless’ Manner in Best Western Carbon Monoxide Deaths

January 9, 2014

Jan. 09--A day after a Boone business executive was indicted in the carbon monoxide deaths at the Best Western hotel, a prosecutor said many other people "acted in a careless and reckless manner," but she stopped short of saying she would seek additional indictments. "There were so many people, so many wrongs done in this case it's almost unfathomable to see this kind of negligence," said Britt Springer, assistant district attorney for Watauga County. "Are others at fault? Absolutely." Springer declined to name others at fault. She described the four-count indictment against Damon Mallatere, who managed the hotel, as the strongest crimi

NC Law Resulting from Boone Best Western Fatal Carbon Monoxide Leak Spurs Hotel Safety Changes

January 9, 2014

Jan. 09--The carbon monoxide leak that killed three guests at a Boone hotel has spawned changes designed to make hotel stays safer in the popular tourist town and across the state. The Boone Best Western has removed the source of carbon monoxide that killed Daryl and Shirley Jenkins in April and 11-year-old Jeffrey Williams in June. The natural-gas-burning pool heater has been replaced with an electric heater that doesn't emit carbon monoxide. On the heels of the tragedies last year, N.C. legislators crafted a law that requires hotels to install carbon monoxide detectors near fuel-burning appliances. The N.C. Restaurant and Lodging Asso

Luxury Link Conducts 2014 Luxury Travel Trends Survey

Luxury Link Travel Group | January 8, 2014

Over Half of Discerning Travelers Planning Multiple Trips Abroad this Year; Croatia and Portugal are Trending Destinations LOS ANGELES (January 9, 2014) – In a survey of more than 1,600 discerning travelers conducted by leading luxury travel website Luxury Link (luxurylink.com), Croatia and Portugal were tabbed as up-and-coming destinations for 2014, while adventurous and foodie-focused vacations are being planned this year. Among global respondents - who each indicated their total annual household income is $100,000 or higher - 29.7% stated they are most interested in visiting Europe this year while 27.3% are Caribbean-bound. For

Washington State Convention Center Secures Key Parcels for Future Expansion with $56.5 M Acquisition

January 8, 2014

Jan. 08--The Washington State Convention Center has secured prime land in its bid to double the size of its facilities with the recent $56.5 million acquisition of several Denny Triangle parcels now occupied by a Honda dealership. Jeff Blosser, CEO of the Washington State Convention Center, said the Dec. 30 purchase of the parcels along Boren Avenue and Olive Way allows the convention center to keep its options open as it plans for future expansion. The Honda dealership is next to a King County transit station, over which the convention center also wants to build. Though plans are still in the preliminary stage, a new facility on the Ho







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