Sol Meliá Reports RevPAR Up 19% in 2000; Adds 87 Hotels / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Sol Meliá Reports RevPAR Up 19% in 2000; Adds 87 Hotels February, 2001 - Sol Meliá has announced results for the year 2000 of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of 43,377 million pesetas – 260.7 million euros -, a 31% increase over the previous year. Revenues per available room (RevPar) for hotels increased by 19% over the same period, an achievement far above that of the average for the industry.  Net profits reached 19,750 million pesetas – 118.7 million euros -, an increase of 26% over 1999, while consolidated revenues rose to 148,399 million pesetas ...

Six Sigma To Be Implementation Throughout Starwood Hotels & Resorts by the End of 2002 / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Six Sigma To Be Implementation Throughout Starwood  Hotels & Resorts by the End of 2002 Former GE Executive James Hyman Named  Executive VP, Six Sigma, for Starwood WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Feb. 5, 2001 - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) has announced that it will be the first hospitality company in the world to embrace Six Sigma, the internationally recognized program that dramatically accelerates and maximizes business performance.   Importantly, this initiative is expected to deliver significant long-term financial benefits — more than $200 million of incremental EBI...

Federal Lawsuit Filed in Effort to Stop Urban Casino in San Pablo; Groups Call Proposed Casino San Pablo Expansion Counter to Spirit and Intent of Pro

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Federal Lawsuit Filed in Effort to Stop Urban Casino  in San Pablo, California;  Groups Call Proposed Casino San Pablo Expansion  Counter to Spirit and Intent of Proposition 1A  SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Feb. 7, 2001 - In response to eleventh-hour maneuverings by the U.S. Congress that could result in the creation of California’s first Las Vegas-style casino in a major urban area, several Bay Area card clubs joined by two charitable organizations filed a Federal Court lawsuit today challenging Proposition 1A and federal legislation that was enacted to allow a full-scale gambling casino in...

SAS International Hotels Adds 26 Hotels in 2000 / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report SAS International Hotels Adds 26 Hotels in 2000;  Average occupancy remained at 69% Brussels, 23rd February 2001….  SAS International Hotels (SIH), a wholly owned  subsidiary of Scandinavian Airlines System  (SAS)  scores  record high  financial results for the year 2000.   Systemwide Revenue was MEUR 1,036, an increase of 5% over ‘99.   The company ended the year with 146 hotels in operation and under construction in 38 countries,  compared to 125 by the end of ‘99. Total  operating  revenue  for  ‘00 reached MEUR  370,  representing  an increase of 7% for comparable u...

Outrigger Hotels Taking Over Management of the Rental Program for the Royal Kahana Resort from Marc Resorts / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Outrigger Hotels Taking Over Management of the Royal Kahana Resort from Marc Resorts Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii - February 27, 2001 - Effective May 1, 2001, Outrigger Hotels & Resorts will assume management of the rental program for the Royal Kahana Resort, an upscale resort condominium located on the beach along Maui’s western shore.  The rental program is currently managed by Marc Resorts and includes nearly 200 of the resort’s 236 units. Chaney, Brooks & Company will continue as the fiscal agent for the resort’s Association of Apartment Owners. The Royal Kahana Resort will be Outrigger’s eigh...

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Using Their Intelligence -- Hong Kong’s high-tech Rosedale on the Park  incorporates a wide range of innovative facilities,  including a number of industry firsts  February 2001 - Hong Kong’s high-tech Rosedale on the Park incorporates a wide range of innovative facilities, including a number of industry firsts      The newly opened Rosedale on the Park in Hong Kong – which claims to be the world’s first custom-built high-tech hotel - is claiming a fistful of firsts. The Rosedale, which describes itself as an “intelligent hotel”, is technology - heavy, with a higher-than...

RoomSource.com Enters the Reservation Portal Market / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report RoomSource.com Enters the  Reservation Portal Market Atlanta, GA – February 5, 2001 - HotelTools, Incorporated, a company specializing in technology solutions for the hospitality industry, announced today that it has launched RoomSource.com, a low-cost reservation portal for travelers and travel professionals.  It is the first of several phases of the company’s long-term strategy for its Universal Reservations Service, enabling the most cost effective direct distribution of the HotelTools’ single image room inventory. “We can now offer hoteliers a private label distribution channel in...

Finally – A Conference for Resort Management / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Finally … A Conference for Resort Management The Resort Management Conference  April 8-10, 2001  TheVail Cascade Resort – Vail, CO February 9, 2001 - Hotel management and resort management are apples and oranges, as anyone who’s ever worked in both will tell you. In an effort to reach a broad hospitality audience, most educational offerings miss the mark entirely when it comes to appealing to resort professionals. The unique issues facing resort management professionals were first in mind in planning the curriculum for the first-ever Resort Management Conference, to be held April ...

Radisson SAS New Image Campaign Is Not Traditional Hotel Advertising / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Radisson SAS New Image Campaign Is Not  Traditional Hotel Advertising Brussels,  February  2001Â….  Radisson SAS Hotels &  Resorts  launches  a striking  new  print advertising campaign to continue  the  momentum  of building  its  brand  awareness.   Through  the  use  of  unconventional concepts and dramatic photography this leading international hotel chain aims  to break away from traditional hotel marketing and stand out  from the competition. The  two million euro campaign,  to launch this month,  is targeting the frequent  traveller,  not  only  in  theirÂ...

Richard Dunkelberger Named General Manager for The Council House and Wingspread in Racine, Wisconsin / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report     Richard Dunkelberger Named General Manager for The Council House and Wingspread in Racine, Wisconsin THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS, January 22, 2001…Benchmark Hospitality has announced the appointment of Richard Dunkelberger as general manager for The Council House, an exclusive international conference center for SC Johnson, a Family Company, and Wingspread, a private conference center for the Johnson Foundation.  Both unique properties are located in Racine, Wisconsin.  Laura Neumann, regional director of operations for Benchmark, made the announcement.   Mr. Dunkelberger joins the staf...

Professional Selling: The Critical Link Between Marketing and Operations / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive  Professional Selling: The Critical Link  Between Marketing and Operations   February 2001 - In hospitality, like many other industries, sales management and personal selling are vital links between marketing and operations.  Hospitality Sales: A Marketing Approach, recently published by John Wiley & Sons, takes this approach in a highly focused and direct manner. Professional selling effectively begins with a solid marketing plan, which is where the book begins.  Later, the personal selling sales process is described in depth which, in marketing parlance, is the “gettin...

The Brunei Investment Agency Appoints the The Dorchester Group to Manage Hotel Plaza Athenee in Paris / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report     The Brunei Investment Agency Appoints the  The Dorchester Group to Manage  Hotel Plaza Athenee in Paris LONDON - Feb. 8, 2001--The Dorchester Group announced today that it is now managing the Hotel Plaza Athenee in Paris on behalf of The Brunei Investment Agency, which has acquired the hotel from HRH Prince Jefri Bolkiah.   The Plaza Athenee is one of Europe’s most prestigious hotels with an international reputation for the quality and excellence of its service and facilities. Set on the avenue Montaigne, it enjoys the patronage of a number of prominent personalities and the e...

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  Perot Systems iQom™ Energy Services To Manage  Energy Usage for Wyndham's 109  Hotels Wyndham International Signs Five-Year iQom™  Energy Services Agreement  DALLAS, Feb. 13, 2001 - Perot Systems Corporation (NYSE: PER) today announced a five-year agreement for Perot Systems iQom™ energy services solutions to manage annual energy usage for Wyndham International, Inc. Perot Systems will manage approximately $45 million in annual energy expenditures for the hotel and resort company, and could earn as much as $6 million over the term of the agreement. The agreement covers Wyndh...

Park Hospitality, Part of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, Adds Six Properties in North America / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report     Park Hospitality, Part of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, Adds Six Properties in North America MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (February 7, 2001) - Park Hospitality, the newest member of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, today announced the addition of six new properties in North America to its growing portfolio.   A 148-room Park Inn in Omaha, Neb., and 73-room Park Inn in Platteville, Wis., are currently in operation. Plans for other hotels to open soon include a Park Plaza hotel in Charlotte, N.C., and Park Inn hotels in Burr Ridge, Ill.; Beckley, W.V.; and Montreal, Quebec, Canada.  “We are v...

Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts Adds Four New Regional Sales Manager in the US / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report    Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts Adds Four New  Regional Sales Manager in the US San Francisco, CA - February 6, 2001 --- In an effort to further expand upon their presence in North America, Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts has added four new regional sales offices in Toronto, Chicago, Atlanta, and Washington DC. They are: Toronto: Susan Bernad Sbernad@pan-pacific.com  With over 19 years of hotel experience, with 11 of those years in sales, Bernad’s current and past clients include Loews Hotel Vogue Montreal, Hotel Club Tremblant, and Hotel InterContinental Toronto.  She is actively ...

Peter James Freeman and John MacNeill Named GMs for Century International Hotels in Asia / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Peter James Freeman and John MacNeill Named GMs  for Century International Hotels in Asia   February 2001 … Mr Brian Deeson, President and CEO of Century International Hotels has appointed Mr Peter James Freeman as General Manager for Imperial Century Hotel & Resort in Indonesia, and Mr John MacNeill for Century Imperial Palace Suites in the Philippines.      Mr Freeman, of New Zealand nationality, brings to Century more than a decade's experience in the hospitality industry.  His versatility and competency in executing various duties is displayed during his prior appointments as the Di...

Publishers Electronic Printing Concept (PEPC) Introduces the first Electronic Newspaper Vending Unit; Global Newspapers On-time, On-line and On-deman

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Publishers Electronic Printing Concept (PEPC) Introduces  the first Electronic Newspaper Vending Unit -- Global Newspapers On-time, On-line and  On-demand in Your Hotel February 2001 - PEPC Worldwide has developed an electronic newspaper distribution and publishing concept. Headquartered in the Netherlands, PEPC Worldwide distributes digital content from the world’s most influential newspapers via satellite to self-contained interactive kiosks: the PEPC Newspaper Vending Unit. The Newspaper Vending Unit is capable of printing same-day editions of newspapers, on-demand within minutes. After ...

Prime Hospitality Corp. REVPAR Grows 4.9% for Full Year 2000, Adds 35 Hotels, Enhances Web Site / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report     Prime Hospitality Corp. REVPAR Grows 4.9% for Full Year 2000, Adds 35 Hotels, Enhances Web Sites Hotel Performance Summary FAIRFIELD, N.J., Feb. 8, 2001 - Prime Hospitality Corp.  (NYSE: PDQ), a leading hotel owner, operator and franchisor, reported its results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2000. Net income for the fourth quarter of 2000 was $12.0 million, or $.26 per share, compared to net income of $11.0 million, or $.22 per share, for the fourth quarter last year.  Earnings per share before asset transactions and special charges grew by 8.3% to $.26 per...

Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Gets Serious About Being Family Friendly / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Gets Serious  About Marketing to Families HONOLULU, HAWAII, OAHU - February 12, 2001 - The largest family-run hotel company in the Pacific, Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, is making family travel their top priority this year. On March 1, 2001, Outrigger will officially launch a new “family friendly certification” program that is designed to rate each of its properties individually to determine which are the most “family friendly.” “Family travel is a very important part of the market in Hawaii, representing approximately 25 percent of all visitors,” said Rob...

Net Enhancements – Six Features To Improve Your Web Pages and Generate Increased Awareness/ Donald E. Bender / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  Net Enhancements - Six Features To Improve Your Web Pages and Generate Increased Awareness  HSMAI Article - - By Donald E. Bender January 24, 2001  Welcome to The Online Marketer! Each quarter this column explores the issues, events, and technologies which are making the Internet and World Wide Web the most talked about new marketing media ever devised. The Online Marketer looks at the many critical issues and opportunities associated with using the World Wide Web for marketing hospitality, travel and tourism companies and organizations. Its unique industry focus means that it off...

The 5th Annual International Multicultural Tourism/Hotel Ownership Summit & Trade Show Set for September 5 – 9, 2001 / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report The 5th Annual International Multicultural  Tourism/Hotel Ownership Summit & Trade Show  Set for September 5 - 9, 2001 FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA - The 5th Annual International Multicultural Tourism/Hotel Ownership Summit & Trade Show presented by Black Meetings & Tourism Magazine and International Association of Black Hotel Owners & Developers (IABHOD) has changed its conference date to September 5 - 9, 2001. The Advisory Board made the decision to change the date because the conference hotel, under construction and soon to be the largest African American owned resort in the country, will not ...

Globe Developers Inc. Developing Luxury Radisson SAS Resort at Mijas Golf in Spain / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report    Globe Developers Inc. Developing Luxury  Radisson SAS Resort at Mijas Golf in Spain Brussels,  February 2001….  Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts has signed  an agreement  with  Mijas  Hill Development,  S.A.,  a Spanish  development company,  to manage a new hotel in Mijas,  Spain.   The property will be the  chain’s first step into the Spanish market.   The future resort  is currently under construction and expected to open in January 2002. Located  within  the  province of Malaga,  in the south  of  Spain,  the municipality of Mijas has lots of different sit...

The Riviera Hotel in Beirut, Lebanon Now Managed by Sol Melia / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report The Riviera Hotel in Beirut, Lebanon  Now Managed by Sol Melia February 2001 - Sol Meliá has announced the signature of a management agreement with the company Salloum & Company for its first hotel in Lebanon: the Meliá Riviera. The announcement was made during a press conference held in Beirut attended by the Sol Meliá Executive Vice President for European Resorts, Marcello Pigozzo, and the new General Manager of the Meliá Riviera, Ghassan Naaman. This luxury hotel, already in operation, provides 120 rooms right on the seafront and only 5 minutes from the centre of Beirut. Its excellent ...

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Las Vegas, Louisville and Nashville Rank as Top Three  Most Economic Locale for Corporate Meetings;  GetThere Survey Names Ten Best ‘Meeting’ Cities MENLO PARK, Calif., Feb. 13, 2001 - GetThere, a Sabre company and the leading provider of Internet-based business-to-business travel procurement systems, today issued survey results that identify the top ten cities ideal for corporate meetings based on cost.  According to results generated by GetThere’s online meeting planning tool, GetThere DirectMeetings, Las Vegas ranks as the most economic locale for corporate meetings.  Louisville ...