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Industry Happenings
Kathie Giles Named Director of National Sales, Southwest Region, for Destination Hotels & Resorts
Destination Hotels & Resorts | July 23, 2013
Englewood, Colo. - July 23, 2013 - Destination Hotels & Resorts announces the appointment of Kathie Giles as Director of National Sales for the Southwest market. In her new role, Giles will be responsible for working with meeting customers to provide the most appropriate meeting solution that fits their needs within the Destination Hotels & Resorts collection of properties and will be located in Southern California. Prior to joining the Destination Hotels & Resorts team, Giles held tenure at Marriott International, where she served as Senior Account Executive/Global Sales for the Southwest region since 2011. In representing all...
White Lodging Names New GMs for Nine Properties; Hotels in Texas, Colorado, California and Michigan
White Lodging Services Corporation | July 23, 2013
MERRILLVILLE, Ind., July 23, 2013 -- White Lodging is pleased to announce the following individuals have been named general managers within the last month across the company. Chris Hammons has been promoted to general manager of the Residence Inn Austin South. Hammons joined White Lodging in 2011 as operations manager at the Courtyard University in Austin. While there, Hammons helped push overall scores to their highest levels since 2008 and all service scores into the top 20% of the brand. Prior to White Lodging, Hammons worked at several different hotel management companies, including serving as general manager at the Residence Inn at...
America’s Best Franchising to Open Five Jameson Inns Before September 2013
America's Best Franchising | July 23, 2013
July 23, 2013 - America's Best Franchising Inc. continues to grow its Jameson Inns brand with the opening of five new hotels in the next 30 days. The new Jameson properties are in: Riverdale, Georgia -- near the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (50 rooms) Helen, Georgia -- north of Atlanta (54 rooms) Jacksonville, Florida (127 rooms) Conway, South Carolina -- near Myrtle Beach (91 rooms) Monroe, North Carolina -- south of Charlotte (79 rooms) Since acquiring the brand in December with 10 properties, America's Best Franchising has grown Jameson Inns to 18 hotels. "The Jameson name is a respected mid-scale brand," e...
HSMAI Searching for Travel Marketing Excellence; Opens Call for Entries for its Annual Adrian Awards
HSMAI | July 23, 2013
Create. Enter. Win: Competition Honoring the Best in Travel Advertising, Digital Marketing and PR Opens July 23 McLean, Va. (July 23, 2013) - The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) today opened its call for entries for the 57th annual Adrian Awards, the world's largest and most prestigious travel marketing competition. The Awards honor noteworthy travel marketing achievements in advertising, digital marketing and public relations. "The Adrian Awards is one of our most exciting events," said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, president and CEO of HSMAI. "Each year, we're astounded by the way the industry is evo...
Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center Names Jennifer Kemble Director of Business Travel
The Mayfield Group | July 23, 2013
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (July 23, 2013) – Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center, an iconic Framingham hotel where old world charm meets contemporary comforts and exemplary service, proudly welcomes Jennifer Kemble as director of business travel. Kemble brings more than 20 years of experience in both transient and group sales within the Boston area and will be responsible for managing current group sales as well as sourcing new business opportunities. Prior to teaming up with Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center, Kemble served as area director of business transient at The Westin Waltham Boston in Waltham, Mass. There sh...
Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center Announces New Director of Business Travel
The Mayfield Group | July 23, 2013
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (July 18, 2013) – Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center, an iconic Framingham hotel where old world charm meets contemporary comforts and exemplary service, proudly welcomes Jennifer Kemble as director of business travel. Kemble brings more than 20 years of experience in both transient and group sales within the Boston area and will be responsible for managing current group sales as well as sourcing new business opportunities. Prior to teaming up with Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center, Kemble served as area director of business transient at The Westin Waltham Boston in Waltham, Mass. Ther...
Brazilian Hotel Chain Selects eRevMax for Maximising Online Revenue
Bourbon Hotels & Resorts: | July 23, 2013
Bourbon Hotels & Resorts Uses RateTiger for Rate and Inventory Management Sao Paulo, Brazil, 23 July 2013: Bourbon Hotels & Resorts, one of the major hospitality players in Brazil, has signed up eRevMax to increase their online business penetration and revenue. Ten properties will be using RateTiger Channel Management solution for managing inventories across their online distribution mix. RateTiger Channel Manager will help Bourbon Hotels & Resorts to increase online sales by ensuring real-time room availability across all distribution points through automatic adjustment from pooled inventory. All reservations made on these ...
innRoad Taps Kyle Fulcher Director of Sales, Midwest
innRoad | July 23, 2013
[New York, NY – July 23, 2013] innRoad announced today the start of Kyle Fulcher as Director of Sales, Midwest. Kyle is presently traveling the region, hand-delivering the innRoad solution to independent hotels in search of higher profits. As a hospitality sales and operations veteran, Kyle has held General Management and Director-level Sales and Revenue Management positions at both Hilton and Starwood, across multiple properties in the Midwest. Most recently, as General Manager of the Element Omaha Midtown Crossing in Omaha, Nebraska, Kyle won Starwood's Element Brand 2012 GM of the Year award for his work in maximizing profitability...
Jocelyn Myers Adams Named Executive Chef of The Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa
Sun International | July 23, 2013
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - July 23, 2013 - Sun International has appointed Jocelyn Myers-Adams as executive chef of The Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town, replacing chef Dallas Orr. Since joining the group in 2009, Myers-Adam has been promoted from executive chef tournant to acting executive chef and now executive chef at Sun International's Table Bay Hotel. Myers-Adams' main responsibilities now include kitchen management and menu creation. "I am honored to accept the position as executive chef at The Table Bay Hotel", said Jocelyn Myers-Adam. "Cape Town is an extremely exciting place to be as a chef right now with a thriving food and wine s...
Softscribe® Inc. Recaps HITEC 2013 for Hotel Technology Industry
Fortalice, LLC | July 23, 2013
Softscribe Inc.'s clients include the shining stars of hospitality technology. Award-winning Tech PR Firm Reports Strong, New Technology Players from European Community and AsiaPac Atlanta - July 23, 2013 - The 41st annual HITEC® event in Minneapolis this June attracted 4,800 hotel technology stakeholders. They came from as far away as Hong Kong, Japan, and Australia. Strong audience participation during the opening keynote signaled a key industry concern: hotel security issues. Innovation was also evident at the 2013 Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference. "I saw exciting new technologies from established players an...
The Science of Sorting; Secur Higher Page Positions on Sorted Search Results
REVPAR GURU | July 23, 2013
By Jean Francois Mourier Many hotel revenue managers live and die by their page position on OTA default searches. From Expedia¹s Most Popular picks, to Orbitz¹ Best Bets, to Agoda¹s Recommended, all of these listings are at the top of search results because the specific OTA made a (very subjective) decision based on a million possible factors, including the relationship that a property has with their OTA market manager, the commission that a property is paying, payment status (paid in full, late payments, etc.), amount of inventory (including last-minute inventory) listed on the site and the pictures included in your property¹s list...
MGM Resorts Adopts SpeedRFP to Power the eRFP Process for the MGM Brand and its Individual Websites
MGM Resorts International | July 23, 2013
Santa Barbara, Calif.: July 23, 2013 - Elite Meetings International (EMI) announced today that its cloud-based, request-for-proposal (RFP) system, SpeedRFP, has been selected by MGM Resorts International (MGM) to power the electronic RFP process for mgmresorts.com and for 15 of its top hotels for groups. MGM joins some of the world's most recognized brands and independent hotels currently utilizing SpeedRFP technology to power their website's electronic RFP process. By adopting the system, MGM will raise its hotels' visibility among the more than 62,000 buyer members currently using the SpeedRFP system, while allowing meeting, incentive...
Michigan’s 367-room Crowne Plaza Detroit Downtown Convention Center Opens
July 23, 2013
ATLANTA (July 23, 2013) - IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) today announced the opening of the Crowne Plaza Detroit Downtown Convention Center hotel. Formerly the Ponchartrain Hotel, the property recently underwent a substantial renovation, with upgrades to all of the guest rooms as well as to its common areas and the exterior. This Detroit hotel, located at 2 Washington Blvd. in downtown Detroit, offers visitors breathtaking views of the Detroit River and the city skyline. It is adjacent to Detroit's COBO Convention Center and minutes away from the headquarters of General Motors® and other major corporations. The hotel is also close...
Prominent Industry Executive Joins Towne Park to Lead Florida Operation
Towne Park | July 23, 2013
Annapolis, MD-Towne Park, America's premiere provider of hospitality, healthcare and commercial parking staffing solutions announced the appointment of Peter Serena as Vice President of the Southeast Region, Diversified Markets. Peter comes to Towne Park with an impressive and extensive pedigree of senior level leadership in luxury hotels and resorts, overseeing properties in Florida for over 10 years. Prior to joining Towne Park, Mr. Serena was the General Manager of Boca Raton Resort & Club, a Waldorf Astoria Resort. There, he oversaw the iconic 1,047 room resort which includes a Premier Club with over 3,100 members, beach club, g...
Swift Hospitality Group Opens Newly Built 97-room MainStay Suites® in Rapid City, South Dakota
Swift Hospitality Group | July 23, 2013
Freeport, IL, July 23, 2013: Swift Hospitality Group, Inc. (SHG) based in Freeport, Illinois, announces the opening of its new MainStay Suites® in Rapid City, South Dakota. This residential-style, extended stay hotel offers 97 spacious guest suites that are fully equipped with added amenities. Business and leisure travelers will appreciate the flat screen TVs, free wireless high-speed internet access, deluxe continental breakfast, business center, and in-suite kitchens that include refrigerators, microwaves, dishwashers, cooktops, cookware, and more. In addition, the indoor heated pool, on-site guest laundry service, and outdoor patio ...
The 123-room Courtyard Cincinnati Midtown/Rookwood Opens Today in Ohio
Courtyard by Marriott | July 23, 2013
Cincinnati, Ohio - July 23, 2013 - Courtyard by Marriott is rolling out its innovative lobby and room design in Cincinnati, Ohio. 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 today, the 123-room Courtyard Cincinnati Midtown/Rookwood also offers a refreshing and stylish room design that helps guests stay connected, productive and comfortable. Thoughtfully planned, each room fe...
Felix Llibre Named as Director of National Accounts for Fontainebleau Miami Beach in Florida
Fontainebleau Miami Beach | July 23, 2013
Miami Beach, Fla. (July 23, 2013) - Fontainebleau Miami Beach announces the appointment of Felix Llibre to the position of Director of National Accounts. In this position, Llibre is responsible for maximizing revenue profitability of the iconic 1,504 room oceanfront hotel by leading the sales process, managing an existing base of prospects and growing market share for both single and multi-site new business opportunities. "Felix has an impressive track record of consistently exceeded sales goals," said Scott Flexman, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Fontainebleau Miami Beach. "We're excited to have Felix join the Fontainebleau tea...
El Monte Sagrado Living Resort and Spa in Taos, New Mexico Names Ray Naranjo as Executive Chef
The Kessler Collection | July 23, 2013
TAOS, N.M. - July 23, 2013 - El Monte Sagrado Living Resort and Spa - a member of The Kessler Collection, a portfolio of 10 artistically inspired boutique hotels, is proud to welcome Chef Ray Naranjo as executive chef to the award-winning De La Tierra restaurant. In keeping with El Monte Sagrado's philosophy, dining at the resort is an expression of harmony with nature. With a creative menu of global and local influences, complimented by a passion for western culture and life, Chef Ray Naranjo will serve locally inspired dishes with worldwide flare, while creating a culinary experience that delights the senses. "El Monte Sagrado and the...
Matthew Walsh Appointed as General Manager for Sonesta ES Suites Somerset in New Jersey
Sonesta ES Suites | July 23, 2013
Monday, July 23, 2013 - Somerset, NJ - Matthew Walsh was recently introduced as General Manager at Sonesta ES Suites Somerset. His leadership will help to guide the hotel through the ongoing repositioning process and oversee the hotel's reintroduction into the local market. With 10 years of experience in hospitality, most recently as Operations Manager for the hotel, Walsh began his career as outside operations manager with Hamilton Farm Golf Club. "Matt will be a great general manager for this property, and he is excited to lead the way with our management company," said Jim Tourtillotte, Regional Director of Operations for Sonesta ES ...
Todd Yohn Appointed as Sales Manager for Pennsylvania’s 119-room Gettysburg Hotel
The Gettysburg Hotel | July 23, 2013
GETTYSBURG, PA (July 23, 2013) - Todd Yohn of Manchester has been announced as the new Sales Manager for the recently renovated 119-room Gettysburg Hotel, located on Lincoln Square in historic downtown Gettysburg. Yohn's responsibilities at the hotel include seeking new accounts and growing existing client relationships, with an emphasis on corporate and association business. The historic Gettysburg Hotel is managed by Waterford Hotel Group, a national hotel and convention center management firm. Yohn joins the Gettysburg team from his most recent position as Area Director of Sales for Hersha Hospitality and Management. His prior busine...
Waterford Hotel Group Names Chuck Moran as GM for Newly Renovated Gettysburg Hotel in Pennsylvania
The Gettysburg Hotel | July 23, 2013
GETTYSBURG, PA (July 23, 2013) - Waterford Hotel Group recently announced the appointment of Chuck Moran as General Manager of the historic 119-room Gettysburg Hotel, located on Lincoln Square in historic downtown Gettysburg. Moran most recently served as a Regional Hotel Director for Waterford in its corporate office, overseeing the operations of several properties in the company's portfolio. Moran joins the Gettysburg hotel team with more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality and food and beverage industry, and as general manager will oversee all operational, sales and administrative aspects of the property. Moran joined Wate...
Thompson Hotels to Open the 247-room Thompson Chicago in October 2013
Thompson Hotels | July 23, 2013
CHICAGO, IL (July 23, 2013) - Thompson Hotels announces October 2013 as the opening of its 11th property, Thompson Chicago, as the company continues to expand its global portfolio of lifestyle hotels. The first phase of the hotel opening will occur in October 2013 with reservations being accepted as of October 1 and the following phases rolling out through the end of the year. Thompson Chicago will offer its savvy clientele sophisticated comforts of a home-away-from-home, joined by personalized service provided by the hotel's highly trained and committed staff. Located in the heart of Chicago's famed Gold Coast, the 247-room hotel offer...
Regatta Travel Solutions Announces Deal with Travel Lane County, Oregon
Regatta Travel Solutions Inc. | July 23, 2013
Charlottesville, Virginia (July 23, 2013) - Regatta Travel Solutions announced that Travel Lane County, marketing the Eugene and Cascades Coast region has signed an agreement to implement the Regatta booking engine on its website EugeneCascadesCoast.org. "We shopped several booking engine vendors and are excited about Regatta," said Kari Westlund, President & CEO of Travel Lane County. "We wanted to add a booking engine that worked well for consumers and was easy for our hotel partners. Ashwin and his team have been easy to work with, their technology platform is easy and comprehensive, and their design looks great. We believe that ...
Robert Henley Returns to John Q. Hammons’ University Plaza Hotel in Springfield, MO as GM
John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts | July 22, 2013
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.- July 22, 2013 - John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts today announced Robert Henley is returning to the company July 22 to serve as general manager of the University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center in Springfield, Mo. One of the key priorities upon his return is to oversee a multistage, multimillion-dollar renovation of the hotel. Located at 333 S. John Q. Hammons Parkway, the University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center is owned and operated by Springfield-based John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, the largest private, independent owner and manager of hotels in the United States. The company also operates the Spring...
