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Industry Happenings
iTesso Enhances Data Security With Merchant Link Interface
iTesso | December 3, 2013
The revolutionary iTesso Enterprise Lodging System partners with Merchant Link for enhanced data security through point-to-point encryption and tokenization. BREDA, NETHERLANDS - DECEMBER 3, 2013 - iTesso, the global innovator in Cloud-native hospitality technology, announces a new interface between the iTesso Enterprise Lodging System and Merchant Link, a leading provider of payment gateway and data security solutions. By teaming with Merchant Link, the iTesso solution is not subject to Payment Card Industry (PCI) requirements, but actually exceeds the standard by completely eliminating the storage of cardholder data in the iTesso data...
Alila Hotels and Resorts Set to Unveil Three New Properties in 2014; In Oman, Bali and India
Alila Hotels and Resorts | December 3, 2013
(3 December, 2013) Alila Hotels and Resorts, a leading Asian boutique hotelier, is to add three new properties to its lifestyle collection in 2014. Marking the group's entry into the Middle East, Alila Jabal Akhdar Oman will open in March, followed by Alila Seminyak Bali and Alila Fort Bishangarh Jaipur- India in late 2014. ALILA JABAL AKHDAR – ALILA'S FIRST RESORT IN THE MIDDLE EAST Alila Jabal Akhdar will be the first luxury resort in the stunning mountainous region of Jabal Akhdar in Oman. Set 2000 metres above sea level, under two hours' drive from Muscat, the resort will provide access to one of Oman's most spectacular and untapp...
HMC to Manage the New Build 83-key Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Midland, TX; Opening in Q2 2014
Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC) | December 3, 2013
Dallas, TX, December 3, 2013: Leo Spriggs, President/CEO of Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC), one of the country's largest third-party privately held hotel management companies ranked in the top 40 (of all third party and owner operated) largest independent U.S. Hotel Operators is pleased to announce the signing of a property management agreement for a new build Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham, located in Midland, Texas adding to HMC's growing portfolio of managed properties. The Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham will have a total of 83 guest rooms and is to be completed by early April 2014. Some of the Hotel amenities a...
Holiday Inn Express New Orleans Airport Boosting Cell Coverage and Guest Satisfaction
RoamingAround | December 3, 2013
RoamBoost from RoamingAround providing amplified cellular service BOSTON, MASS. - DECEMBER 3, 2013 - Today the Holiday Inn Express New Orleans Airport is offering superior service to guests now that issues with insufficient cell phone coverage have been eradicated. Once a black hole for cellular service, the Big Easy's newest hotel, managed by New Orleans-based Expotel Hospitality Services Inc., and located adjacent to the Louis Armstrong International Airport, now provides exceptional mobile connectivity no matter where callers are on property thanks to RoamBoost from RoamingAround. RoamBoost enhances the local geography's coverage in...
The 273-key Courtyard New York Manhattan/Chelsea Set to Open; Owned by Altitude Capital Management
Courtyard by Marriott | December 3, 2013
New York, NY - December 3, 2013 - Courtyard by Marriott is rolling out its innovative lobby and room design in New York City. This is the newest Courtyard in the area featuring the Refreshing Business lobby environment, where guests can enjoy an open and flexible space. Along with media pods, Wi-Fi and a variety of seating zones, the redefined space is ideal for everything from pop-up meetings to social gatherings. Scheduled to open on Thursday, December 5, 2013, the 273-room Courtyard New York Manhattan/Chelsea also offers a refreshing and stylish room design that helps guests stay connected, productive and comfortable. Thoughtfully pl...
Department of Commerce Seeks Applicants for Membership on U. S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board
| December 3, 2013
December 03, 2013 - Notice Of An Opportunity To Apply For Membership On The United States Travel And Tourism Advisory Board (from the Federal Register) SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce is currently seeking applications for membership on the United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (Board). The purpose of the Board is to advise the Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the travel and tourism industry. DATES: All applications must be received by the Office of Advisory Committees and Industry Outreach by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Wednesday, December 18, 2013. ADDRESSES: Please submit application information ...
W Hotels Debuts in Switzerland with the Opening of the 123-room W Verbier
W Hotels Worldwide | December 3, 2013
CANNES, France - December 03, 2013 - From the 12th annual International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM), W Hotels Worldwide (NYSE:HOT), the global design powerhouse, today announced the opening of its 45th hotel and first ever-ski retreat, W Verbier, as it marks 15 years of industry innovation this month. On track to reach more than 60 hotels by 2017, W redefines the contemporary hotel experience with each new opening, offering cutting-edge design, Whatever/Whenever® service, buzzing bars and restaurants, and insider access to what's new and next for both its guests and locals alike. Following its 1998 debut in New York City, W now boasts ...
Seven Pain Points in Analytics, Seven Possible Solutions
EyeforTravel | December 3, 2013
Being more focused and strategic with data and analytics can deliver significant benefits to the bottom line, writes Pamela Whitby, editor, EyeforTravel. Everybody is talking about how data, if used correctly, can deliver greater efficiency and a better customer experience. But achieving this in a rapidly changing environment is anything but easy. From keeping on top of big trends (think the rise of metasearch, holiday rentals and homestays) to skilling up and spending in the right place, analytics teams must be statistically minded and strategically focused. Ahead of EyeforTravel's upcoming Smart Travel Analytics North America 2014 sh...
Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Hotel & Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Resort to Open on Samoa by Mid-2014
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. | December 3, 2013
SYDNEY - December 03, 2013 - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc (NYSE:HOT) today announced that it has signed definitive management agreements to operate the Aggie Grey's Hotel & Bungalows and Aggie Grey's Lagoon, Beach Resort & Spa on the island of Upolu Samoa. The hotels will join the Starwood Hotels & Resorts group immediately, and will relaunch as the Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey's Hotel and the Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey's Resort, respectively, by mid-2014 following extensive renovations. The signings mark Starwood's debut into the region, with Sheraton once again the first international hotel brand to enter the m...
Saddlebrook Resort Adds Two Veterans to the Conference Sales Team, Katie Copenhafer & Marnie Hock
Saddlebrook Resort | December 3, 2013
Wesley Chapel (Tampa), Florida - Saddlebrook Resort has added two industry sales veterans to the property's experienced conference sales team. The two new additions complement the five tenured sales professionals who have worked at the resort for many years bringing the total to seven Directors of National Accounts. "We're very excited to add two strong sales professionals to our existing team. Katie and Marnie will allow us deeper market penetration and coverage in critical territories as we continue to grow our conference market segment" commented Pat Ciaccio, Saddlebrook's General Manager. A welcome addition to the Saddlebrook sales ...
Midas Hospitality to Build and Manage 125-room Courtyard by Marriott in St. Peters, Missouri
Midas Hospitality | December 3, 2013
SAINT LOUIS, MO, December 3, 2013 - An investment group led by Midas Hospitality, LLC announces the development of a new 125-room Courtyard by Marriott in St. Peters, Missouri, a St. Louis suburb. The St. Louis-based hotel owner, operator and developer, Midas Hospitality, LLC will manage the asset. Located in St. Charles County, the Courtyard by Marriott - St. Peters is 30-miles NW of downtown St. Louis ideally located on the I-70 corridor. The new Courtyard will replace the former 30-year old, 200-room, Holiday Inn. Demolition of the old asset will commence Q2, 2014 with a projected opening summer, 2015. The $14.6 million, 4-story proj...
Aqua Hospitality to Assume Management of Two Hotels in Guam Owned by Sentry Hospitality
December 3, 2013
Honolulu, Hawaii - December 3, 2013 - Hawaii-based Aqua Hospitality, founded in 2001, has announced it will assume management of two hotels in Guam beginning in December 2013. The two additional properties brings the number of hotels in the company's portfolio to 26. The new management contracts represent a milestone for Aqua as they will be the company's first hotels outside of Hawaii. The two Guam properties owned by Sentry Hospitality collectively offer almost 200 rooms. "We are excited in that just a little over a decade we have gone from one Hawaiian island to every Hawaiian tourism island. Now we are expanding our dynamic manageme...
Steve Contes Named General Manager for Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina on Fort Myers Beach, Florida
Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina | December 2, 2013
Fort Myers Beach, FL - December 2, 2013 -Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina on Fort Myers Beach Florida, the award winning AAA resort, appointed Steve Contes General Manager. He will be responsible for managing all aspects of Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina including guest services, the Marina, Jack's, Bongo's Bar & Grill, Aquagene Spa, Audrey's, sales & marketing and employee satisfaction. Contes' management style will allow Pink Shell to enhance its position as the premiere resort in the Fort Myers Beach market. Contes, a hospitality executive, has over 25 years of progressive management experience within the industry. ...
Boscolo Hotels in Rome and Milan, Italy Join Autograph Collection
Boscolo Hotels | December 2, 2013
London, United Kingdom, December 2, 2013 - Boscolo Hotels and the exclusive portfolio of independent hotels, the Autograph Collection, announced today the news that twoadditional luxury Boscolo Hotels in Italy will join its ensemble this fall. The Boscolo Milano will be the first to join the collection, followed by the Boscolo Exedra Roma in early December. Boscolo began its partnership with Autograph Collection in 2011 with the inauguration of its first hotels in the portfolio in four of Europe's most exciting cities, including the Boscolo Palace in Rome, Boscolo Venezia in Venice, Boscolo Prague in the Czech Republic and the Boscolo B...
Playa Hotels & Resorts Names Kevin Froemming Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer
Playa Hotels & Resorts | December 2, 2013
FAIRFAX, Va., Dec. 2, 2013 -- Bruce Wardinski, Chief Executive Officer, Playa Hotels & Resorts B.V. ("Playa") today announced the appointment of Kevin Froemming, to the newly created position of Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer for Playa Resorts Management. Previously Froemming was President of Unique Vacations, the worldwide representatives of Sandals & Beaches Resorts. The announcement follows Playa's recent agreement with an affiliate of Hyatt Hotels to own and manage Hyatt's two new all-inclusive brands: Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara, throughout Mexico and the Caribbean. Playa also recently acquired Real ...
Latest Obamacare Delay Causes Added Uncertainty for Hoteliers; AH&LA Releases Statement
American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) | December 2, 2013
Washington, D.C. - December 2, 2013 - The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), the sole national association representing all segments of the 1.8 million-employee U.S. lodging industry, issued the following statement subsequent to today's announcement that small business enrollment in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) SHOP exchanges has been delayed until 2014: "Today's announcement regarding online enrollment with federally-facilitated SHOP exchanges provides even greater uncertainty for small businesses attempting to both comply with the new healthcare law and focus on their operations," said Katherine Lugar, AH&LA pr...
The 126-room Hotel Indigo® Düsseldorf – Victoriaplatz Opens in Germany
The Hotel Indigo | December 2, 2013
2 December, 2013 - InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®), one of the world's leading hotel companies, is thrilled to announce that it has opened Hotel Indigo® Düsseldorf - Victoriaplatz at the centre of this fashion-forward German city, renowned for its style credentials. Hotel Indigo Düsseldorf-Victoriaplatz will operate under a franchise agreement with LFPI Hotels Management Germany GmbH. The hotel will be the third Hotel Indigo property in Germany, alongside Hotel Indigo Berlin – Alexanderplatz and Hotel Indigo Berlin – Ku'Damm. As IHG's boutique brand, every Hotel Indigo property is designed to reflect the local neighbourhood...
TravelClick Takes Home the Most Hotel Website Design Awards
TravelClick, Inc. | December 2, 2013
TravelClick Closes Successful 2013 Awards Season with 11 Adrian Award Wins NEW YORK - December 2, 2013 - TravelClick, a global provider of innovative cloud-based solutions that enable hotels to grow revenue, won more than 70 awards in 2013 for website design and media in hotel and lodging categories from organizations including the Interactive Media Awards, Travel Weekly Magellan Awards, The W3 Awards, Web Marketing Association's WebAwards and Mobile WebAwards. Most recently, TravelClick and its hotel clients took home four gold, four silver, and three bronze titles at the HSMAI Adrian Awards, along with two integrated marketing campai...
Hawaii Seaside Resorts Broadens their Social Reach by Over 20,000 in First Month with Flip.to
Flip.to | December 2, 2013
Orlando, FL — December 4, 2013 — Flip.to, the brand advocate platform for hotels, is helping Seaside Hotels Hawaii boost brand awareness and earn new guests with the help of their most trusted, untapped marketing source - their guests. Since going live with Flip.to in October, guests of the three Seaside Hotels have spread the word about their stay to over 21,000 of their closest friends, relatives and colleagues. Flip.to has turned 22% of Seaside Hotel's guests into trusted advocates. Each advocate shared a branded message with a unique link about the resort with their social networks, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Each...
Direct Sales: Some Challenges for Leadership by Brenda Fields
Brenda Fields | December 2, 2013
December 2, 2013 Could it be that following the Age of Industrialization, we have entered into the Age of Impersonalization? How many times have you been a victim of "statistics" and not viewed on your individual merits? For example, did you pay premium rates for car insurance or health insurance just because you were a certain age or gender? Or was a loan denied despite an excellent credit history because "statistics" indicated you were a poor risk? And have you ever felt the frustration of trying to reach a "live" person to resolve a dispute or just to ask a question? And you went round and round in circles by pressing various numbers...
Topland Group Acquires Menzies Hotels as Part of Strategy to Build £1bn Hotel Business
| December 2, 2013
LONDON, December 2, 2013 - Topland has acquired the parent company of Menzies Hotels from administration for close to £85m as part of an ambitious drive to build a £1bn hotel business. Topland Group, led by Sol Zakay, is one of the largest privately owned international investment groups. It already owns a number of hotels including Bath's Royal Crescent Hotel, the Brighton Metropole, the Glasgow Hilton and a portfolio of Thistle Hotels, six in central London and one in Edinburgh. The company acquisition which saved 1,200 jobs completed on Friday and sees Topland acquire the Group including the 12 hotels and Bakum House the company's f...
Hotel AG Closes 13 Hotel Transactions in November
Hotel AG | December 2, 2013
ATLANTA - December 2, 2013 - Hotel AG announced today the firm closed 13 hotel transactions during the month of November. The hotels sold consist of 5 Hampton Inn & Suites, 1 Hilton Garden Inn, 1 Residence Inn, 1 Staybridge Suite, 3 AmericInn hotels and 2 independent properties. The clients represented were CMBS servicers, balance sheet lenders, REITs, Asian rim investment groups and private companies. H. Keith Thompson, principal of the firm, commented, "These 13 recent closings were across the board in terms of product type, pricing, buyer profile, seller profile and valuation methodology. This real estate cycle is very diverse an...
Travel Outlook Premium Reservations Call Center Contracts with Skamania Lodge at the Columbia Gorge
Travel Outlook | December 2, 2013
December 2, 2013 - Travel Outlook Premium Hotel Call Center has signed an agreement to provide overflow reservations call services for Skamania Lodge at the Columbia Gorge, in Stevenson, Washington. Skamania Lodge is managed by Destination Hotels and Resorts. Travel Outlook will provide professional back up reservations services for Skamania's existing reservations team, and like the Skamania reservations team, Travel Outlook will connect directly to Skamania's property management system (PMS) providing real time access to a hotel's past guest information. "In the case of Skamania Lodge", says John Smallwood, Travel Outlook CEO, "this m...
Accor Launches Asset Reorganization; New Model Separates Asset Management and Services to Owners
Accor | November 27, 2013
(Paris) November 27, 2013 - A new strategy to enhance growth and sustained value creation --Redefinition of the Group's business model around its 2 core missions, for maximum operational performance & sustainable growth Hotel Services: a hotel operator and brand franchisor that will be fee-oriented and P&L driven. HotelInvest: a hotel owner and investor that will be yield-oriented and balance sheet driven. -- A value-oriented, disciplined hotel ownership strategy, entailing notably the end of expansion through leases, and no further disposals of owned hotels,unless they are structurally under performing assets. -- A new orga...
