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IHG Signs With Al Jumaiah Group for Two Hotels in the Al Shafa, Taif
IHG | November 14, 2023
The signing will see IHG debut Holiday Inn & Suites and Staybridge Suites brands in the city Saudi Arabia, 14 November 2023: IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced the signing of Holiday Inn & Suites Taif and Staybridge Suites Taif, in partnership with Al Jumaiah Group. Both properties are set to open in Q4 2025 in the Al Shafa, Taif, a relaxing destination located 2,500 meters above sea level and known for its historical sites, panoramic scenic views, pleasant weather, and fragrant rose gardens. The new resorts will play a vital role in supporting Taif’s growing hospitality s...
Regent Hotels & Resorts Returns to Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour
IHG | November 14, 2023
Shanghai, November 14, 2023 - On 8 November, the official grand opening of Regent Hong Kong was an elegant and glamorous affair highlighting the transformation of a landmark property within IHG Hotels & Resorts’ luxury and lifestyle portfolio. The evening exuded elegance and glamour, marking the majestic return of Regent Hong Kong to Victoria Harbour and reinstating its presence as the quintessential epicentre in a city that offers a myriad of cultural experiences. Rooted in the Beauty of Contrast, the evening’s immersive experiences heightened the senses, while showcasing Regent Hong Kong’s transformation, re-establishing its posit...
BH3 Management Completes Multimillion-Dollar Makeover of Hillsboro Beach Resort
BH3 Management | November 14, 2023
91-room beachfront hotel located on “Millionaire Mile” has undergone a top-to-bottom renovation that has elevated a dilapidated property into a 4-star boutique. Hillsboro, FL (November 14, 2023) – As South Florida bolsters its position among the world’s top tourism destinations, a 91-key hotel in Hillsboro Beach is getting a new lease on life following a multi-million-dollar renovation. Hillsboro Beach Resort, formerly Hillsboro Beach Resort Mile Hotel, was acquired by BH3 Management in 2017. In the years since, BH3 has undertaken an eight-figure overhaul that has ushered in new guest rooms, event spaces, food and beverage outl...
YOTEL Signs With High Steet Holdings for First Malaysia Hotel
YOTEL | November 14, 2023
Set to open in summer 2025, YOTEL Kuala Lumpur will be located in Kuala Lumpur City Centre KUALA LUMPUR, NOVEMBER 2023 - YOTEL, in partnership with High Steet Holdings, has announced its debut in Malaysia with the signing of YOTEL Kuala Lumpur, a 290-room hotel located in the heart of the capital’s Central Business District. News of the opening reinforces the brand’s commitment to expanding in the region and globally. Projected to open in summer 2025, YOTEL Kuala Lumpur will boast a prime location in the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) district, in the city’s renowned Golden Triangle. In a sought-after location for business and...
San Ramon Marriott Finalizes $17 Million Top-to-Bottom Renovation
HEI Hotels & Resorts | November 14, 2023
Complete Refurbishment Brings Hotel to “Like-New” Status San Ramon, Calif., November 14, 2023 – Officials of the 368 -room San Ramon Marriott today announced the completion of a $17 million renovation. The hotel, owned by Hudson Advisors L.P., and operated by HEI Hotel & Resorts, a leading hospitality investment and management company, received a top-to-bottom refurbishment to upgrade guest rooms, public spaces and back-of-house services to bring the hotel to “like-new” status. “To compliment the natural beauty of our San Ramon setting, we focused on the renowned California Missions as our design inspiration,” said R...
Virgin Hotels New Orleans Appoints Executive Chef Chris Borges
Virgin Hotels New Orleans | November 14, 2023
New Orleans Native to Lead the Culinary Team at Commons Club NEW ORLEANS, LA (November 2023) – Since opening its doors in August 2021, Virgin Hotels New Orleans has become one of the Crescent City’s top destinations for locals and visitors seeking an array of vibrant culinary and cocktail experiences. Now, with the holiday season looming large on the horizon, the lifestyle hotel brand is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Chris Borges as Executive Chef of Commons Club, the property’s signature dining concept. There, the seasoned chef and Louisiana native will bring to the fore his signature culinary savvy, introducing a m...
Sea Breeze Beach House, Barbados Appoints Charles Anthony Johnson as General Manager
Sea Breeze Beach House | November 14, 2023
Saint Lawrence Gap, Barbados – November 14, 2023 – Sea Breeze Beach House, an all-inclusive resort and haven for laid-back luxury, part of Barbados’ prestigious family-owned Ocean Hotels Group, has announced the appointment of Barbadian, Charles Anthony Johnson as General Manager. In his role, Johnson will lead his teams in creating and delivering in all aspects of hospitality at Sea Breeze Beach House. Johnson is a dynamic and motivational hospitality executive. His results focused mindset and passion for hospitality will shine in this new role, as will his skills in operation management, strategic planning and more. “We are delig...
AHLA Foundation Renews Apprenticeship Contract With U.S. Department of Labor
AHLA Foundation | November 14, 2023
For a sixth year, the contract will increase the number of available apprenticeships in the hotel and lodging industry WASHINGTON (November 14, 2023) – AHLA Foundation, in partnership with the Employment and Training Administration Office of Apprenticeship at the U.S. Department of Labor, will expand its registered apprenticeship programs for the hospitality industry. The $505,000 grant will enable AHLA Foundation to serve more than 400 apprentices in one of three pathways: Lodging Manager, Hotel Cook, and Maintenance. Since 2018, AHLA Foundation’s program has enrolled approximately 2,000 apprentices with 83 employers across...
How To Train Your Staff To Meet Luxury Service Standards Without Sounding Scripted and Insincere
Doug Kennedy | November 14, 2023
By Doug Kennedy Hoteliers in the upscale, luxury, and ultra-luxury segments of the lodging industry not only have to be concerned with the preferences of their actual guests, but also with the sometimes-ambiguous standards imposed on them by their brand, soft-brand, membership/affiliation, or by third party luxury hotel rating services. Indeed, achieving and maintaining those stars, diamonds or other merit-based symbols has never been easy and always represents a significant accomplishment. Surely, meeting these standards is important, and therefore it is essential that all staff are well-versed in the requirements. However, too many ho...
UrVenue Announces Integration With Book4Time
UrVenue | November 14, 2023
Spa experiences now available within UrVenue’s Itinerary Builder further unifying the guest booking journey LAS VEGAS, NOVEMBER 14, 2023 — UrVenue, pioneer of the hospitality industry’s first Property Experience Management System (PXMS) and a Skift IDEA Awards 2023 finalist, has teamed up with Book4Time, a cloud-based spa, wellness, and leisure-activity management software company, to incorporate spa experiences into UrVenue’s UV Enterprise platform. Now hotel and resort guests can seamlessly book and manage spa treatments alongside other property experiences in a singular itinerary, unifying the booking process in the pre-arrival ...
Six Ways to Empower Your Hotel Teams
Tom Brown | November 13, 2023
By Tom Brown An empowered team is a more effective team. They’re better engaged to help meet and exceed business goals and are more confident when interacting with guests. It’s clear, then, that team empowerment should be a goal for all hospitality businesses. The average number of employees per property dropped from 27 in 2019 to 16 in 2022. In an age of ongoing staffing issues, it’s more important than ever to maximize the potential of each department and encourage better engagement and happiness. There are a number of ways to empower your teams, and in most cases they’re a result of one thing: smart hotel technology. So le...
55.4 Million Americans Expected to Travel for Thanksgiving
AAA | November 13, 2023
WASHINGTON, DC (November 13, 2023) – AAA projects 55.4 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday travel period*. This year’s Thanksgiving forecast is an increase of 2.3% over last year and marks the third-highest Thanksgiving forecast since AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2000. The top two years were 2005 and 2019, respectively. “For many Americans, Thanksgiving and travel go hand in hand, and this holiday, we expect more people on the roads, skies, and seas compared to 2022,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel. “Travel demand has been strong all year, and AAA...
Accor and Construcții Erbașu Consolidate Partnership With Signing of Two New Hotels and Management Extension
Accor | November 13, 2023
World leading hospitality group Accor announces the strengthening of its ongoing partnership with renowned local company Construcții Erbașu, through the signing of hotel management agreements for two new hotels in Bucharest and Oradea and the extension of the existing management agreement for ibis Styles Bucharest Erbas. The two companies will join hands for the opening of the new Novotel Living Bucharest Baneasa. The construction started in Q3 2023 and the 150 rooms hotel is scheduled to come to market in June 2025. With Novotel Living, Accor brings the concept of extended stay to the Bucharest market. The future hotel will offe...
voco hotels Signs 25th Americas Property in Missoula, Montana
IHG | November 13, 2023
Riverfront conversion among several recent regional signings, reinforcing voco hotels’ position as IHG Hotels & Resorts’ fastest-growing premium brand ATLANTA (November 13, 2023) – voco hotels – part of IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies with more than 6,200 destinations across 19 brands – today announced the signing of its 25th Americas property in Missoula, Mont., nearly three years after launching in the region. The soon-to-renovate voco Missoula Downtown is the latest extension of voco hotels’ conversion-friendly model which combines the local character and charm of an ind...
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts Debuts in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia With Opening of the St. Regis Riyadh
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts | November 13, 2023
Glamorous new address in the heart of Riyadh brings modern design and vanguard spirit to the capital St. Regis Hotels & Resorts today announced the highly anticipated opening of The St. Regis Riyadh. The newest jewel in an exquisite global portfolio brings the brand’s celebrated traditions and signature hallmarks born at New York’s finest address of Fifth Avenue and 55th Street to the country’s luminaries. The hotel marks Marriott International’s 500th luxury property globally. “The opening of The St. Regis Riyadh ushers in a new benchmark of luxury in Saudi Arabia offering guests a modern viewpoint on bespoke service, soph...
Aligned Hospitality Management Adds Comfort Suites Denver Tech Center to Portfolio
ligned Hospitality Management | November 13, 2023
PHOENIX, AZ — November 13, 2023 — Aligned Hospitality Management has added the Comfort Suites Denver Tech Center to its portfolio. Comfort Suites Denver Tech Center, owned by Colorado Hotel Group LLC and franchised by Choice Hotels, is Aligned’s first property outside of the Arizona market and the 21st in the company’s portfolio. In the suburb of Englewood, just off of Interstate 25, the Comfort Suites Denver Tech Center is located just 10 minutes from the Denver Tech Center, 30 minutes from downtown Denver, and 30 minutes from Denver’s iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The 73-key, all-suite property offers ...
Hilton Partners With Irongate to Convert Trump International Hotel Waikiki to Hilton’s LXR Brand
Irongate | November 13, 2023
The Irongate-owned iconic landmark is set to bring a fresh identity to its highly acclaimed destination with new management and international design HONOLULU, Hawaii (NOVEMBER 13, 2023) – Today, Irongate, a lifestyle-driven real estate firm, and global hospitality leader Hilton (NYSE: HLT) proudly announce plans for a monumental transformation of one of Hawaii's most revered properties. The Trump International Hotel, Waikiki, will be reborn as Wākea Waikiki Beach under the expert management of LXR Hotels & Resorts officially taking place February 2024. LXR Hotels & Resorts is one of Hilton’s three distinctive luxury brands featu...
Loews Arlington Hotels Appoint New Executive Chefs
LIVE! BY LOEWS – ARLINGTON, TX | November 13, 2023
Live! by Loews – Arlington and Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center welcome new culinary leadership Loews Hotels in Arlington, Texas announce the appointment of new culinary leadership. Mouhssine “Moose” Benhamacht will leave his post as Executive Chef at Live! By Loews – Arlington to cross the skybridge to the new Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center, slated to open in February 2024. Robert Carr will assume the role of Executive Chef at Live! by Loews – Arlington. Mouhssine Benhamacht has a long history of working alongside award-winning chefs, restaurants and Loews Hotels in metropolitan cities across the Uni...
International Visitors Spent $18.8 Billion in the United States in September 2023
National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) | November 13, 2023
Data recently released by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) show that in September 2023: International visitors spent $18.8 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States, an increase of 24 percent compared to September 2022 and the highest level of monthly spending since December 2019 (before the onset of reported COVID-19 cases). In fact, monthly U.S. travel and tourism exports are within $2.0 billion of their highwater mark set back in March 2018 when international visitors spent an appreciable $20.8 billion experiencing the United States. Conversely, Americans spent a record-setting $18...
Hotel Construction Pipeline Growth in Asia Pacific, Excluding China, Remains Steady at Q3 Close
Lodging Econometrics (LE) | November 13, 2023
November 13, 2023 – PORTSMOUTH, NH – In the recently released Hotel Construction Pipeline Trend Report from Lodging Econometrics (LE), Asia Pacific’s total construction pipeline, excluding China, continued to show steady year-over-year (YOY) growth to end the third quarter of 2023 at 1,929 projects/398,199 rooms, up 3% by projects YOY. Projects currently under construction in the region stand at 954 projects/220,336 rooms, up 1% by projects YOY. Projects scheduled to start construction in the next 12 months stand at 295 projects/51,756 rooms. Projects in the early planning stage of the pipeline stand at 680 projects/126,107 rooms, up...
Economic Headwinds and Geopolitical Tensions Will Likely Impact Hotel Performance Through 2024 According to PwC
Hospitality Directions | November 13, 2023
Leisure demand, while still strong, began to soften in the back half of this year for US hotels, as other parts of the world continued to reopen their vacation destinations and leisure travelers began to once again feel safe traveling abroad. Increases in individual business travel and group business have not yet been able to fully offset this softening. As a result, occupancy levels have declined in each of the past seven months, relative to comparable 2022 levels, and are expected to continue to be down during the remainder of this year and through at least the first quarter of 2024. Room rate growth had played a significant role in the ini...
Travel and Tourism Sector Deal Activity Down by 31.8% YoY During January-October 2023, Finds GlobalData
GlobalData | November 10, 2023
A total of 621 deals* were announced in the travel and tourism sector globally during January-October 2023, which was a decline of 31.8% compared to the announcement of 911 deals during the same period in the previous year, finds GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. An analysis of GlobalData’s Financial Deals Database also revealed that all the deal types under coverage witnessed a decline in volume during January-October 2023 compared to January-October 2022. For instance, the volume of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals declined by 34.2% during January-October 2023 compared to January-October 2022. Meanwhile,...
Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index Down 2.4% in October to a Level of 5,600
Baird | November 10, 2023
HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee, and MILWAUKEE—The Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index decreased 2.4% in October to a level of 5,600. "Hotel stocks fell for the third consecutive month in October, and performance directionally tracked the broader indices,” said Michael Bellisario, senior hotel research analyst and director at Baird. “Interest rates remained a key driver of performance, and elevated interest rates weighed on real estate stocks, which caused the hotel REITs to be relative outperformers during the month. The global hotel brands’ approximate 2% decline nearly matched the S&P 500’s pullback in October.” “U.S. h...
Homewood Suites by Hilton Montgomery and Hilton Garden Inn Montgomery East in Montgomery, Alabama Complete Renovations
LBA Hospitality | November 10, 2023
MONTGOMERY, Ala., Nov. 10, 2023 -- LBA Hospitality, an Alabama–based hotel management company, today announced that the 97-room Hilton Garden Inn Montgomery East and 91-suite Homewood Suites by Hilton Montgomery have completed renovations. All guestrooms and public spaces at the hotels were upgraded to include all new seating, lighting, flooring, wall coverings, furniture, window treatments and artwork. The hotels are owned by Flynn Properties Inc. of San Francisco, California and managed by LBA Hospitality of Dothan, Alabama. Both properties are located at the Offices at Midtown Park on Interstate Park Drive directly off I-85...
