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Industry Happenings
7 Tips For Partnering with Instagrammers
Chamberlin Public Relations | March 1, 2019
Partnerships with travel and lifestyle Instagram influencers can help hotels reach new audiences that traditional advertising and PR may not, and now that users can book hotel rooms through the Instagram app, skilled influencers are more valuable than ever for the hospitality and travel industry. Having worked with influencers on a daily basis for quite a few years, we've learned a lot and want to share our top tips on how hotels can maximize these partnerships. 1. Find the Right Influencers When considering an influencer, ask for a media kit with a demographic breakdown of followers to make sure he/she is a good fit for the property. M...
Adventure Tourism: Catering to the Thrill-Seeker Traveler
EHL's Hospitality Insights | March 1, 2019
March 1, 2019 - Through the ages, mankind has been pushing the limits of exploration: we have conquered lands, we have discovered the wonders of our planet and, pushed by our relentless thirst for knowledge, we have greatly expanded our awareness of the world we live in. Today's travelers are no different: driven by an increasing need to find meaning and purpose in their busy lives, they leave their comfort zone to venture into some of the most remote – and sometimes hostile - places in the world or venture into epic journeys. Dubbed "adventure tourism", this trend accounts for one of the fastest growing categories in the travel i...
European Pipeline Soars Despite Economic Slowdown Throughout the Region
Lodging Econometrics (LE) | March 1, 2019
In the 2018 year-end report by Lodging Econometrics (LE), Europe's total construction pipeline skyrocketed to 1,569 projects/243,947 rooms, a whopping 19% increase year-over-year (YOY), and the highest project and room counts ever recorded. The record counts come despite concerns of slower growth throughout the region, shrinking demand for the region's exports, Brexit uncertainties, and political tensions in many countries. There are 784 projects/124,674 rooms currently under construction, 434 projects/68,128 rooms planning to start construction in the next 12 months, and 351 projects/51,145 rooms in the early planning stage. The total ...
PwC Manhattan Lodging Index – Q4 2018
PwC US | March 1, 2019
Revenue per available room ("RevPAR") reached the highest fourth quarter average since 2006, as growth in average daily room rate ("ADR") rebounded at Manhattan hotels. During the quarter, lodging supply, which continued to outpace growth in demand, resulted in declines in occupancy. With strong commercial traveler demand during the first half of the quarter, coupled with price-elastic holiday tourism in the latter half, Manhattan room rates finished the quarter at an average of $328 per night. ...
HVS Market Pulse: Gaylord Rockies – Impact on Denver Lodging Submarkets
Ryan mark | March 1, 2019
By Ryan Mark, Katy Black March 1, 2019 -- With the recent opening of the massive Gaylord Rockies, many are wondering what the ultimate impact of the 1,501-room resort will have on the Denver, Front Range, and greater Colorado lodging market. We believe the impact will be largely positive. Competition for the 200- to 800-room block group, which previously and primarily only looked to The Broadmoor (Colorado Springs) or Downtown Denver to book, now have an alternative, which should intensify price competition in the near term. Despite this pricing dynamic, Colorado is a hugely popular destination for groups, and the opening of a new, upsc...
KASA Hotel Collection Appoints Pablo Gonzalez as Chief Marketing Officer
KASA Hotel Collection | March 1, 2019
(Tulum, MEXICO – March 2019) KASA Hotel Collection announces the appointment of Pablo Gonzalez as Chief Marketing Officer of KASA Hotel Collection in Mexico. KASA Hotel Collection currently operates one hotel located in Aldea Zama, Hotel KASA Parota Tulum. A second KASA hotel, the Hotel KASA Riviera Maya will open in June, followed by a third in September 2019. Two additional hotels are planned for 2020. Hotel KASA Parota Tulum and Hotel KASA Riviera Maya are both members of Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH). Pablo Gonzalez brings a wealth of hospitality management expertise to KASA Hotel Collection, most recently as Director...
Residence Inn Hotel to Open in Midtown Tulsa, Oklahoma
The Sage Agency | March 1, 2019
The 106-suite Residence Inn by Marriott in Tulsa, Oklahoma is set to open today with its upscale, stylish décor that offers flexibility, while creating a unique environment. Located at 4522 East Skelly Drive, the all-suite Residence Inn Tulsa Midtown will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned by Sunny Investment Properties LLC & Development and managed by Champion Hotels of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Located 10 miles from Tulsa International Airport and 14 minutes from downtown the Residence Inn Tulsa Midtown offers its guests convenient access to Gathering Place – a park for everyone, Philbrook Museum of Art, BOK Center...
HVS Market Pulse: Minneapolis - After the Super Bowl
Tanya J. Pierson | February 28, 2019
By Tanya J. Pierson and Justin Westad Surrounded by the beauty of lakes and the Mississippi River, Minneapolis is home to many Fortune 500 companies and more than 11,000 hotel rooms. High quality of life, diversity of employers, and leisure attractions continue to entice demand and an ensuing level of hotel development to the area. While the Super Bowl confetti has settled and the cold weather has returned, Minneapolis remains a strong city, with a broad base of corporate, group, and leisure visitors. Unemployment remains in a downward spiral at 2%, compared to the national average of 3.5% as of November 2018, and the economy continues ...
Steigenberger Hotels AG Extends Lease With Union Investment for Germany’s Steigenberger Hotel Hamburg
Steigenberger Hotels and Resorts | February 28, 2019
Frankfurt, 28 February 2019 Never change a winning team: Union Investment, the owner of the property, and Steigenberger Hotels AG have extended the lease for the hotel on Hamburg's Fleetinsel for another 25 years. The two parties have also agreed to carry out a comprehensive refurbishment of the hotel, which was built in 1992. Beginning with the underground garage and followed by the 8th floor, the hotel will be gradually updated, remaining open during refurbishment. The works are scheduled to start in spring 2019. Union Investment is investing around EUR 50 million in the upgrading programme. "Our guests are accustomed to first-class s...
Building Better Customer Satisfaction in a World of Technology
Chris K. Anderson | February 28, 2019
by Elizabeth Martyn and Christopher Anderson As the hospitality and service industry makes greater use of computer applications and virtual technology, personal contact with employees becomes increasingly important for customer satisfaction. In a recent report from the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR), we explore how those customer contact employees can be trained in the "how" of service, especially when employees are involved in service recovery. We are specifically looking at training in the key skills of employee engagement, communication, and attitude, because they have a strong effect on customers' evaluation of servic...
NorthPointe Hospitality Management Opens New Crowne Plaza in North August, South Carolina
Brasfield & Gorrie | February 28, 2019
ATLANTA (February 28, 2019) -- NorthPointe Hospitality Management announces the opening of the new Crowne Plaza® North Augusta, located in the $200-million Riverside Village development, along the banks of the Savannah River. The new 30-acre mixed-use development combines a beautifully crafted pedestrian-friendly neighborhood with single family homes, condominiums and apartments; a vibrant town and event center; restaurants; brewery; outdoor center; and the new SRP Park, home of the Green Jackets Minor League Baseball Team. The five-story upscale hotel features Crowne Plaza's newly-patented WorkLife Room design; 180 guestrooms and s...
Hotel Industry Issues Statement on Illegal Airbnb Scheme in NewYork City
| February 28, 2019
The following statement is a response from the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) regarding the article in The New York Times titled, Inside the Rise and Fall of a Multimillion-Dollar Airbnb Scheme. In the frontpage Sunday story, New York City officials uncovering an unlawful Airbnb scheme involving more than 100 misleading host accounts and 18 corporations created to run an illegal hotel business in Manhattan to avoid lodging taxes and oversight. The statement below is attributable to William "Chip" Rogers, President and CEO of AHLA. "While the magnitude of this illegal scheme involving Airbnb is shocking, the fact is simila...
There Is No How-To Book for AV Services, But There Is AVaStar
Eric Bracht | February 28, 2019
Your hotel's AV Operations Manual isn't missing – it doesn't exist. A new 'AV as a Service' platform makes managing all AV technology — built-in, portable, background music, digital signage and even outside service vendors — a breeze By Eric Bracht You're getting ready to open your hotel (or are just taking over at a property) and see that there are installed AV systems in your event spaces; there are projectors and screens and flat panel displays in various rooms and public areas. There are different sizes and types of speakers installed throughout the property, indoors and outside. There are control panels and conne...
European Hotel Transaction Levels Down in 2018 Although Investor Interest Remains Strong, Says Hvs Report
HVS | February 28, 2019
28 February 2019, London: European hotel transaction volumes reached €18.6 billion in 2018, a decrease of 14% on the previous year, but still the fifth highest level recorded, according to the annual European Hotel Transactions report published this week by HVS and its brokerage and investment services division HVS Hodges Ward Elliott. A total of 655 properties, averaging 156 rooms, changed hands in 2018 with the average price per key growing by 8% in 2018, reflecting the quality of the hotels that were sold, as well as a growth in values. "The European hotel investment market continues to show rising popularity as an alternative a...
Avison Young Hospitality Group Recent Closings
Avison Young | February 28, 2019
ATLANTA – February 28, 2019 – Avison Young Hospitality Group announced today the closing of six transactions since the first of the year. The properties include two full-service Marriott hotels, a SpringHill Suites in Bossier City, LA, a historic hotel located on the Rhode Island coast and two mid-market hotels in suburban locations. The firm has four transactions closing within the next 14 days representing two properties in San Francisco, a Hilton property near DC and a resort property in the Northeast US. Additionally, the firm has 35 other transactions under sale agreement closing over the next several months. Since 2013...
Hilton Honors 13 Team Members With the 2018 CEO Light & Warmth Awards
Hilton | February 28, 2019
MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton has announced the thirteen winners of this year's CEO Light & Warmth Award. Launched in 2011, the award is the highest honor within Hilton and an opportunity for the company to recognize and celebrate exceptional Team Members and franchisee employees who embody the Hilton vision and mission, as well as its values of Hospitality, Integrity, Leadership, Teamwork, Ownership and Now. In 2018, nearly 700 Team Members from across Hilton's global managed and franchise network were nominated by their colleagues for demonstrating the Hilton values at work and beyond. Finalists were selected by a committee of representati...
Avison Young Hospitality Group Recent Closing
Avison Young Hospitality Group | February 28, 2019
ATLANTA – February 28, 2019 – Avison Young Hospitality Group in association with Metropolis Property Group announced today the closing of the 170-room Residence Inn on Long Island for $20,500,000. Thierry Roch of Avison Young and James Ashley (A.J.) Johnson with Metropolis Property Group handled the sale. ...
IDeaS Revenue Solutions Reports Unprecedented Momentum in EMEA Markets
IDeaS | February 28, 2019
Following a year of significant regional wins, IDeaS projects exponential growth to continue in 2019 Tweet This: @IDeaS_RevOpt has taken Europe by storm as the preferred provider of automated revenue-optimization technology for hotels and car parks. www.ideas.com/news #RevenueScience LONDON—Feb. 28, 2019—IDeaS Revenue Solutions, the world's leading provider of automated revenue management software and services, reported record-breaking client wins across the EMEA region in 2018. With additional new hotel and car park clients in the pipeline, IDeaS expects 2019 to be another significant year, further bolstering IDeaS' indust...
OpenKey Upgrades Hotels Throughout China With Universal BLE Module
OpenKey | February 28, 2019
Largest mobile key company uses new technology to add keyless entry to locks DALLAS (February 28, 2019) - OpenKey announced today that five hotels throughout China, which include the MiniMax Premier Hotel Shanghai Hongqiao, Yunnan Mekong King Lang Hotel, Foshan Ceramik Hotel, Beijing ZMAX Hotel and Shanghai Ruby Hotel, have all integrated their Universal BLE Upgrade Module. The innovative technology from OpenKey adds mobile keyless entry capability to any hotel guestroom lock while maintaining the plastic keycard functionality. Founded in 2014, OpenKey has become the industry standard for universal mobile key technology in hotels. The u...
Anderson Hospitality Group Set to Open Courtyard by Marriott Atlanta Vinings/Galleria
Courtyard by Marriott | February 28, 2019
ATLANTA – February 28, 2019 – Courtyard by Marriott Atlanta Vinings/Galleria is scheduled to open its doors in Atlanta, Georgia this Tuesday, March 5, 2019. Featuring an innovative lobby space as well as Courtyard's latest contemporary room design, the new hotel provides flexibility and choices that allow guests to optimize and elevate their travel experience. Located at 2829 Overlook Parkway, the 159-room hotel will operate as a Marriott franchise, managed by Anderson Hospitality Group of Bowling Green, Kentucky. Whether traveling for business or pleasure, the Courtyard Atlanta Vinings/Galleria offers guests convenient acce...
Interviews With Leaders - Mr. Neil George, Strategic Advisor, Rosewood Hotel Group
HVS | February 27, 2019
1. How would you describe Rosewood Hotel Group's development and growth strategy in the Middle East and Africa? We have a measured and considered approach to our global growth strategy. We have four brands – Rosewood Hotels & Resorts in the ultra-luxury segment, New World in the upper-upscale space, Penta in the upper-midscale lifestyle space, our latest brand KHOS targeting the luxury business-lifestyle space. In this region, we are primarily focused on growing the Rosewood brand, but open to gradual development of New World and Penta, and will soon be launching KHOS too. For Rosewood, as an ultra-luxury brand with 24 propert...
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts to Debut Flagship Wyndham Brand in Malaysia With Q3 2019 Opening of Wyndham Acmar Klang
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts | February 27, 2019
KLANG, MALAYSIA (27 February 2019) – Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world's largest hotel franchisor and a leading provider of hotel management services, has revealed plans to launch its flagship Wyndham brand in Malaysia with the signing of a new landmark hotel in the Royal Town of Klang, just 30 minutes from Kuala Lumpur. Wyndham Acmar Klang will become the first international upscale hotel in this strategically important city, and is expected to be the leading choice for business travellers, meeting planners and leisure guests upon opening in the third quarter of 2019. Located close to three major national highways, the hote...
Ashford Hospitality Trust Selects Remington Hotels to Manage 178-Room Hilton Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley
| February 27, 2019
DALLAS, TX (Feb. 27, 2019) – Remington Hotels, a leading hotel management company, this week takes over the management of Hilton Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley, owned by Ashford Hospitality Trust. The 9th Remington-managed property in the Bay Area, the acquisition of this hotel strengthens the company's foothold in the attractive destination and also marks the third large hotel takeover in less than six months. Remington now boasts 88 properties in its collection, with continued evolution forecasted for the year ahead. Next month, Remington celebrates these successes at the 24th annual Leadership Conference with over 350 field and home ...
With North Point Hospitality, Marriott Opens First Triple-Brand Hotel Combining AC Hotels, Residence Inn and SpringHill Suites in Downtown Nashvil
North Point Hospitality | February 27, 2019
Marriott International today announced the opening of its first newly built property that combines three brands under one roof in vibrant Nashville, across from Music City Convention Center. Developed by North Point Hospitality, the 21-story, $140 million property features three Marriott brands – design-forward AC Hotels, extended stay Residence Inn and stylishly spacious SpringHill Suites – offering business and leisure travelers distinct experiences and amenities under one roof. "Music City is the perfect place for Marriott to make history with its first newly built, triple-brand property," says Eric Jacobs, Marriott Inter...
