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Industry Happenings
July 30th Opening Set for the Dual-Branded Courtyard and Residence Inn Hotels in Syracuse, New York
Marriott International, Inc. | July 18, 2013
Managed by New Castle Hotels & Resorts Syracuse, New York - July 18, 2013 - Marriott today announced the opening of a combined 102-room Courtyard Syracuse Downtown at Armory Square and 78-suite Residence Inn Syracuse Downtown at Armory Square in Syracuse, New York. Scheduled to open on Tuesday, July 30, 2013, the hotels were developed by the Inns at Armory Square, LLC, and will be managed by New Castle Hotels & Resorts of Shelton, Connecticut. Located eight miles from Syracuse Hancock International Airport, the hotels anchor the city's new Connective Corridor, which links Armory Square with Syracuse University, and mark the late...
Enseo Announces Full-Service Integration Services
Enseo | July 18, 2013
Enseo Re-Seller of Dish Content; Provides Installation, Services and Support Richardson, TX, July 18, 2013 - Enseo, the in-room entertainment platform of choice for the world's largest hotel groups, announced at HITEC 2013 that the company is now a full-service integrator, providing Dish Network content, installation, services, and support. The announcement establishes Enseo as the single source for all in-room entertainment needs. Enseo is partnering with Dish to provide a free-to-guest (FTG) solution to hotels. As a Dish systems integrator, Enseo will resell Dish content in fully-customizable channel packages. The Enseo Entertainme...
Regatta Travel Solutions Announces Project with Washington County, Pennsylvania
Regatta Travel Solutions Inc. | July 18, 2013
Charlottesville, Virginia (July 18, 2013) - Regatta Travel Solutions announced today that the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency has signed an agreement to use the Regatta booking engine on VisitWashingtonCountyPA.com. "Regatta came highly recommended from our CRM provider, Software Management Inc," said JR Shaw, President of the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency. "After an online demo we were convinced that this solution would add significant value to our destination and to our hoteliers." "There is a plethora of history and arts that attract visitors to Washington County," said Ashwin Kamlani, Founder of Regatta Trave...
Tourism Tidbits: On Being A Great Tourism CEO and Industry Leader / Dr. Peter Tarlow
Dr. Peter E. Tarlow | July 18, 2013
Many people outside of the tourism industry tend to think of tourism and travel as an ongoing never-ending party. Yet anyone who has ever worked in the world's largest peacetime industry knows that travel and tourism professionals spend long hours at work and that travel and tourism works to a great extent like any other large corporation. Just as in other businesses tourism and travel professionals need to deal with budgets, have to justify lost opportunities and must overcome the issue of spoilage. The loss of revenue from an unsold airline seat or hotel room can never be recaptured. Travel and tourism executives have other problems t...
Hotel Managers Group Adds Four California Hotels and One Colorado Property to its Portfolio
Hotel Managers Group (HMG Hotels) | July 18, 2013
July 18, 2013 - Hotel Managers Group continues growth with our many special announcements this month including new acquisitions, consulting and management contracts. We are especially pleased that our portfolio is growing with keen attention to using environmentally sustainable operations, keeping us part of a worldwide effort to be ecologically responsible. www.hmghotels.com HMG Hotels now manages the lovely Crowne Plaza San Diego - 416 Rooms We are proud to add this coveted hotel to our management portfolio. Conveniently located just minutes from the sparkling Southern California coastline, the Crowne Plaza San Diego in Mission Valley...
The 618-key Affinia Manhattan Hotel in New York City Completes $33 Million Renovation
Affinia Manhattan | July 18, 2013
NEW YORK - July 18, 2013 - Affinia Manhattan, located adjacent to Madison Square Garden and New York's iconic Pennsylvania Station, has completed the final phase of a top to bottom, two year, $33 million hotel renovation. From the guestrooms and suites to meeting and event spaces, and a stunning new lobby, guests of the new Affinia Manhattan will experience a stylish, smart, and comfortable design infused with the energy of New York City and its surrounding prime location. "The fully renovated Affinia Manhattan was designed to create an urban retreat that reflects the hotel's playground, which is New York City," said Joe Kelly, Affinia ...
DePalma Adds Staybridge and Americas Best Value Inn Hotels to Central Texas Management Portfolio
DePalma Hotel Corporation | July 18, 2013
Arlington, TX, July 18, 2013 - Joseph DePalma, Sr., CEO of DePalma Hotel Corporation announced today the recent addition of the Staybridge Suites, Dallas and Americas Best Value Inn in Killeen, TX to the DePalma portfolio. "Although our recent addition to long-term management contracts has been throughout the US, we continue to focus extensively on adding value for hotel ownership groups here in our home state of Texas." said DePalma. The Staybridge Suites, Dallas--offering 129 extended stay Suites and extensive amenities-is a 2013 "Certificate of Excellence" Award winner as voted by TripAdvisor customers. "We're very excited to be bac...
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group Opens the 114-room Park Inn by Radisson Modesto in California
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group | July 18, 2013
MODESTO, Calif. (July 18, 2013) - Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the world's largest and most dynamic hotel groups, today announced the further expansion of the Park Inn by Radisson brand in North America with the opening of the Park Inn by Radisson, Modesto, Calif. "The opening of the third Park Inn by Radisson in California represents the continued momentum of our Ambition 2015 growth strategy and is aligned with plans to grow Park Inn by Radisson as a winning midscale brand in North America," said Scott Meyer, senior vice president, Midscale Brands, Americas. The brand has grown to more than 125 hotels in operation globally with...
LaSalle Hotel Properties Reports Q2 2013 Net Income of $35.2 M Compared to $24.8 M Same Prior Period
LaSalle Hotel Properties | July 17, 2013
Reports second quarter RevPAR growth of 6.7% (excluding Park Central) and third quarter dividend increase of 40% to $0.28 BETHESDA, Md.--Jul. 17, 2013-- LaSalle Hotel Properties (NYSE: LHO) today announced results for the quarter ended June 30, 2013. The Company's results include the following: (1) See tables later in press release, which list adjustments that reconcile net income to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA"), adjusted EBITDA, funds from operations ("FFO"), FFO per share/unit, adjusted FFO, adjusted FFO per share/unit and hotel EBITDA. EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, FFO, FFO per share/unit, adj...
Sofitel So Singapore Names Six Pre-Opening Team Members Including General Manager Tony Chisholm
Sofitel | July 17, 2013
Singapore, 17 July 2013 - Singapore announces today six senior appointments to oversee the internal and external operations of the luxury design hotel, which marks the Sofitel Luxury Hotels group's first strategic foray into the local market. Joining General Manager Tony Chisholm to firmly establish the upcoming hotel as one of the country's treasured landmarks and the benchmark of 'glocalisation' in the hospitality industry, are: Gabrielle Choy as Director of Casting and Coaching Prerna Pant as Director of Marketing and Communications Jessica Khoo as Director of Sales and Business Development Lloyce Lau as Director of Finance Jer...
Hay Creek Hotels Names Sherri Ferns as Director of Sales at The Exeter Inn in New Hampshire
Hay Creek Hotels | July 17, 2013
EXETER, New Hampshire - (July 17, 2013) - Hay Creek Hotels is pleased to welcome Sherri Ferns as the new Director of Sales at The Exeter Inn, located in Exeter, New Hampshire. In this capacity, Sherri will be responsible for overseeing the direct sales efforts for The Exeter Inn including group, meeting, event and wedding segments, and will participate in the marketing and revenue merchandising of the property. Most recently, Ferns served as Director of Sales at the iconic Common Man family of restaurants, Concord where she achieved tremendous success both by exceeding her booking goals and by improving guest satisfaction targets as wel...
Cornell Hospitality Roundtables Identify Brand and Restaurant Strategies
The Center for Hospitality Research | July 17, 2013
Ithaca, NY, July 17, 2013 - Future strategies for restaurant system operation and ownership and new approaches for brand management were highlighted in two recent Cornell hospitality roundtables, as detailed in recently released proceedings. Key topics in the Branding Roundtable included maintaining a brand's points of difference, while the roundtable on Emerging Trends in Restaurant Ownership and Management addressed new ownership structures. Both roundtables dug into the implications of social media for brand management. The proceedings are available at no charge from the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) at the School of ...
Amber Marie Beard Joins Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas as Vice President Sustainability
Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas | July 17, 2013
July 17, 2013 - Recognized as the pioneer of sustainable high-end tourism, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas further enhances their commitment to the environment with the appointment of Amber Marie Beard as Vice President Sustainability. During almost a decade of professional passion and experience in sustainability, Amber has had a fascinating career in locales around the world, which began in Boston USA, where she delivered enriched levels of environmental and social returns for Lend Lease, one of the world's largest property developers. Relocating to Hong Kong, Amber joined China Resources, which is one of China's largest government own...
Heiko Riebandt Appointed as Executive Chef for The Lodge at Doonbeg in County Clare, Ireland
The Lodge at Doonbeg Golf Club | July 17, 2013
July 17, 2013 (County Clare, Ireland) - The Lodge at Doonbeg has announced the appointment of Heiko Riebandt as its new Executive Chef. Well-traveled and widely experienced, Chef Riebandt oversees all culinary operations for the only 5-star resort in western Ireland, including menu creation for Darby's Pub, The Long Room Restaurant, the Tea Room, and in-room dining, which includes the popular Cottage Cuisine program. He also oversees dining for banqueting, special events and guest cooking programs. "Heiko brings a world of experience crafting fine seasonal cuisine incorporating local ingredients, from renowned and highly rated hotel res...
Holiday Inn Express Makes its Singapore Debut on Orchard Road as First of Two Planned HIE Properties
IHG | July 17, 2013
17 July 2013: InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has opened the first ever Holiday Inn Express in Singapore, located in the heart of the country's vibrant shopping district and entertainment hub, Orchard Road. Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road is the first of two Holiday Inn Express hotels planned for Singapore during the brand's rapid expansion across South East Asia. The 221-room hotel is within easy walking distance of popular shopping malls, such as ION Orchard and Ngee Ann City, as well as prime medical centres, Mount Elizabeth Hospital and Paragon Medical Centre. The hotel offers convenient access to great restaurants, b...
Hyatt Regency Minneapolis in Minnesota Completes Phase II of Renovation and Expansion
Hyatt Regency Minneapolis | July 17, 2013
MINNEAPOLIS (July 17, 2013) - Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, one of the largest hotel properties in the Twin Cities, today announced the completion of Phase II of its renovation. Phase II included a major expansion, adding over 20,000 square feet of event space and an additional 112 new guestrooms and 54 high-end suites. Phase I of the renovation of the hotel's guestrooms, suites, public areas and restaurants was completed in June 2012. The entire project was funded and conducted by a joint-venture of affiliates of Starwood Capital Group, Haberhill and Hyatt Hotels. New York-based Stonehill & Taylor was responsible for the architecture ...
YOTEL to Debut in Singapore With a 600 Cabin Property Slated to Open in 2018
YOTEL | July 17, 2013
LONDON, July 17, 2013 - YOTEL, the revolutionary hotel concept, is today announcing that it will open for business in Singapore with a 600 cabin property on Orchard Road, the epicentre of Singapore. The hotel is due to open in 2018. It will act as a springboard into Asia for YOTEL, following the opening of its 669 cabin hotel in Times Square, New York. YO! Founder, Simon Woodroffe OBE, and YOTEL CEO Gerard Greene conceived the innovative YOTEL cabins to provide a flexible and convenient 'first class' hotel experience at affordable prices. Inspired by first class airline cabins, YOTEL Singapore will be located at 360 Orchard Road, in the...
Starwood Hotels to Launch Dual-Hotel Development in Charlotte, North Carolina
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. | July 17, 2013
Sheraton Charlotte Hotel to Open on August 15, 2013 Followed by Le Méridien Charlotte in January 2014 as Part of $20 Million Conversion Project STAMFORD, Conn. - July 17, 2013 - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announced plans to open both a Sheraton and Le Méridien hotel in Charlotte's bustling uptown business district as part of a $20 million conversion and renovation project. Sheraton Charlotte Hotel and Le Méridien Charlotte will each occupy one tower of a massive hotel complex, currently operated as The Blake Hotel. Owned by Carolina Hospitality and managed by Wischermann Partners, Sheraton Charlot...
StepStone Hospitality Awarded Management of the Ames Boston Hotel
StepStone Hospitality | July 17, 2013
Landmark Boston Hotel Becomes Fast-Growing Company's 11th Managed Hotel PROVIDENCE, R. I. (July 17, 2013) - StepStone Hospitality today announced it has taken over management of the Ames Boston Hotel, increasing the number of properties in its portfolio to 11 and continuing the company's rapid growth. In a recent surge, the company has more than doubled the number of hotels in its portfolio during the past six months. Rhode Island-based StepStone is a hospitality management company specializing in hotel and restaurant operations. "We're eager to grow our hotel portfolio and the Ames is an excellent addition for us," stated Thomas Russo,...
Arden Group Acquires Pennsylvania’s 253-room Doubletree Suites Philadelphia West; Plans Renovation
Arden Group | July 17, 2013
Selects Hostmark Hospitality Group to Manage Property PHILADELPHIA - JULY 17, 2013 - Arden Group recently announced they have acquired the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Philadelphia West. The 253 room all-suite hotel includes over 8,000 square feet of meeting space and incorporates upscale Hilton amenities including an indoor pool, whirlpool, fully equipped fitness center and business center, as well as onsite dining options. Arden will be investing an additional $6 million in the hotel to renovate the guest rooms, public space and the introduction of a new [exciting] restaurant option to be completed in fall of 2014. The property was acq...
Maryland’s Impending Water Outage Causes Operation Suspension for Gaylord National
Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. | July 17, 2013
Ryman Hospitality Properties Provides Update on Impact of Prince George's County Required Water Main Repairs NASHVILLE, Tenn.-- Jul. 17, 2013-- Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (NYSE: RHP) today provided information on the impact to Gaylord National of the impending water shutdown in southern Prince George's County, Md. The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) has informed the Company and the public that a section of pipe in a vital 54-inch concrete pipeline appears to be failing, and significant parts of Prince George's County, including all of National Harbor, will be without water for several days while repairs are made t...
Spain’s Largest Hotel Complex Selects eRevMax to Drive Online Revenue
Marina d'Or Holiday Resort | July 17, 2013
7 Properties in Marina d'Or Holiday Resort Use RateTiger for Effective Channel Management London, 17 July, 2013: The largest hotel complex in Spain, Marina d'Or Holiday Resort has selected eRevMax for optimizing revenue through effective online distribution. All seven properties in the complex will use RateTiger Channel Manager for rate and inventory management across third party channels. Located in Valencia, Marina d'Or Holiday Resort has five hotels in 3, 4 and 5 star categories along with two serviced apartments consisting over 2150 rooms with capacity for 7000 pax . RateTiger will help the revenue management team of these propertie...
UniTravel boosts reservations adding 40,000 new hotels to its grounbreaking booking system
UniTravel Srl | July 17, 2013
UniTravel boosts reservations adding 40,000 new hotels to its grounbreaking booking system VENICE - July 17, 2013 - UniTravel, the leading provider of booking solutions for hotels, travel agents and tour operators announces the acquisition of 40,000 hotels worldwide to its property inventory, becoming one of the largest hotel distribution networks. UniTravel, the next generation hotel booking system, operating its pure website Unitravel.com, has recently contracted the acquisition of 40,000 new properties, increasing its total number of available hotels and its global coverage, which will now include more than 8,000 destinations. Despi...
UniTravel boosts reservations adding 40,000 new hotels to its grounbreaking booking system
UniTravel Srl | July 17, 2013
VENICE - July 17, 2013 - UniTravel, the leading provider of booking solutions for hotels, travel agents and tour operators announces the acquisition of 40,000 hotels worldwide to its property inventory, becoming one of the largest hotel distribution networks. UniTravel, the next generation hotel booking system, operating its pure website Unitravel.com, has recently contracted the acquisition of 40,000 new properties, increasing its total number of available hotels and its global coverage, which will now include more than 8,000 destinations. Despite the difficult economic scene of these years and a market dominated by big players, the e...
