HFTP® Acquires Leading Hospitality Industry Brands: Hospitality Upgrade, Hotel-Online, The CIO Summit and The Executive Vendor Summit
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals | June 25, 2024
Industry Happenings
Messaging Apps as Ubiquitous as Booking Engines for Hotel Websites
Lodging Interactive | May 16, 2018
By DJ Vallauri, Technology has made us more dependent on its abilities to plan better vacations and business trips. In recent times hotel websites have come a long way from simply being online static e-brochures to becoming more experiential. Online hotel website experiences sell rooms and create loyal guests. Yet, for the majority of hotel websites, the experience remains mediocre and "ok" at best. Think about it, when you visit a hotel website you are basically on your own without any human connections or the ability to engage and ask questions that you are sure to have when you consider booking a hotel online. Why is that? It's 2018 ...
HSMAI Recognises Tech Innovation of Smart Space by IDeaS
HSMAI Europe | May 16, 2018
- HSMAI Region Europe Awards recognises Smart Space by IDeaS - Industry's leading solution helps hoteliers make informed decisions about M&E business LONDON, May 16, 2018 – Smart Space by IDeaS was honoured by HSMAI, the world's leading hospitality sales and marketing association, for its innovative role in allowing hoteliers to analyse the trends and performance of their meetings and events (M&E) space. April's HSMAI Europe's Best Tech Innovator of the Year awards recognised Smart Space, with the judging panel acknowledging the platform's role in connecting revenue managers and event sales managers with unprecedented vis...
ALICE Celebrates 100 Global Employees (And Counting)
ALICE | May 15, 2018
This week, ALICE, the hospitality industry's leading operations technology, is celebrating the hire of its 100th employee. The New York-based company has grown from its trio of co-founders Alex Shashou, Justin Effron, and Dmitry Koltunov to a 100-strong globally-distributed team in the five years since its founding in 2013. In this time, the Expedia-backed ALICE has gained an enviable position in the industry, raising over $39 million, partnering with over 2,000 hotels worldwide, and embraced concierge software rival GoConcierge through acquisition in 2017. ALICE is helping to inspire innovation across the hospitality sector and amongst...
New 94-Key SpringHill Suites by Marriott Opens in Albuquerque, New Mexico Led by General Manager Brad Merrill
SpringHill Suites by Marriott | May 15, 2018
Albuquerque, NM – May 25, 2018 – Marriott International announced today that the SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Albuquerque, New Mexico is now open. The 94-suite hotel, located at 5910 Holly Avenue NE, will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned by Paseo Hospitality, LLC and managed by Total Management Systems, Inc. of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Located next to the Journal Center Business Park and 11 miles from Albuquerque International Airport. The hotel offers guests convenient access to Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Park, Paseo Del Norte, the Sandia Peak Tramway and Albuquerque BioPark. "As a brand opening a new hotel every ...
Unlocking the Mystery Behind Travelers Planning and Booking
MyTravelResearch.com | May 15, 2018
Carolyn Childs, strategist at MyTravelResearch.com, says there are simple things travel brands can do to capture the traveller at the key planning and booking stages of the customer journey Moving the customer from planning to booking is the eureka moment for travel firms. It's the pivotal minute on the customer's path to purchase. That journey comes in stages: dreaming, the decision to go, planning, booking, anticipating, on the trip, and post-trip sharing. Travel industry specialists MyTravelResearch.com have written extensively about the stages of the customer journey. In a new report, Carolyn Childs, co-founder of the travel intelli...
The Estate Yountville Welcomes Katie Cotten as Director of Catering and Conference Services
The Estate Yountville | May 15, 2018
YOUNTVILLE, Calif. (May 15, 2018) – The Estate Yountville is expanding its seasoned culinary team with the addition of Katie Cotton as Director of Catering and Conference Services. Cotten brings over thirteen years of experience to the role and a skillset honed by luxury experiences at famed iconic resorts. As Director of Catering and Conference Services, Cotten will oversee operations to assist meeting and event planners in producing unforgettable events in the stunning setting of Napa Valley, California. Cotten specializes in setting goals with her clients and working with them closely to exceed expectations, whether it is for a...
Gavin Philipp Promoted to Vice President of Operations at Charlestowne Hotels
Charlestowne Hotels | May 15, 2018
CHARLESTON, May 15, 2018 — Charlestowne Hotels, a full-service hospitality management company, proudly announces the promotion of Gavin Philipp as vice president of operations. Philipp originally joined the Charlestowne team in 2013 as a regional director of operations, overseeing various flagship properties in the company's hometown of Charleston, SC. It was under his leadership that The Spectator Hotel was awarded the coveted title of number one hotel in the U.S. by Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards. Philipp is an integral leader on countless special projects and business development ventures, including the operational mana...
Joanna McCreary Appointed General Manager of W Austin
W Austin | May 15, 2018
(Austin, TX) May 15, 2018 – Marriott International has appointed longtime W Hotels veteran Joanna McCreary to General Manager of W Austin. McCreary returns to her Austin roots where she served on the opening team as W Austin's Director of Rooms. Throughout her impressive tenure with the brand which spans 16 years across five W hotels in various management roles, she re-opened W New Orleans post Hurricane Katrina, opened W Atlanta Midtown in early 2008 and W Austin in late 2010. Her most recent role was Hotel Manager at the W Bellevue which received "Hotel Opening of the Year" in 2017 under her leadership. She also assisted with th...
Lingerfelt CommonWealth Partners to Purchase and Rebrand Virginia Beach Resort Hotel & Conference Center With $44 Million Capital Investment
Lingerfelt CommonWealth Partners, LLC | May 15, 2018
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (May 15, 2018) — Lingerfelt CommonWealth Partners, LLC, a vertically integrated, real estate income fund management firm headquartered in Richmond, Va., will purchase the Virginia Beach Resort Hotel & Conference Center at 2800 Shore Drive for $19 million. Lingerfelt CommonWealth Partners has hired Commonwealth Lodging Management, LLC, a hospitality management and consulting firm headquartered in Virginia Beach, to operate and manage the hotel/conference center, which comprises 263,328 square feet with 295 suites on a 3.6-acre site along the Chesapeake Bay. Lingerfelt CommonWealth Partners plans a major $25 ...
Lisa Matsuda Joins Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa as New Director of Marketing Communications
Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa | May 15, 2018
HONOLULU, HI (May 15, 2018) – Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa announces the appointment of Lisa Matsuda as the resort's new Director of Marketing Communications. With more than 20 years of marketing and communications experience, including 15 years in the hospitality industry, Matsuda possesses a strong track record of results-driven marketing initiatives. After years in both corporate and start-up environments, she has extensive knowledge of digital marketing tactics, social media activations, public relations strategies, and traditional advertising. Prior to her appointment at Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Sp...
New Castle President and COO Gerry Chase to Retire From Company After 30 Years
New Castle Hotels & Resorts | May 15, 2018
SHELTON, Conn. -- May 15, 2018— New Castle Hotels & Resorts, a leading third-party hotel management company, owner and developer today announced that longtime president and COO Gerry Chase will retire from NCHR effective June 30, 2018. Founded by David Buffam in 1980, New Castle will be led by sons Jeremy Buffam and Julian Buffam in the future. Chase joined the company in 1988 and oversaw hotel operations and later development efforts of more than 80 hotels and resorts. Chase began his hospitality career as a bellman, rising through the ranks of Marriott International, and later holding executive positions with Interstate Hote...
Autograph Collection Hotels Debuts in Alberta, Canada With Opening of The Kananaskis Mountain Lodge
Autograph Collection Hotels | May 15, 2018
Autograph Collection Hotels, Marriott International's distinctive collection of passionately independent hotels, today announced its fourth location in Canada with the opening of The Kananaskis Mountain Lodge at the foothills of the Canadian Rockies in Alberta. "We are delighted for Kananaskis Mountain Lodge to join the Autograph Collection Hotels as our first in Alberta, Canada," said Don Cleary, President of Canada for Marriott International. "With its curated design, rich, local history, and beautiful mountain setting, this hotel perfectly embodies the brand's exactly like nothing else mantra and is a welcome addition the growing glo...
IVH Travel + InnCentives Loyalty Club Now Available as a Mobile App for iOS and Android Devices
IBC Hospitality Technologies | May 15, 2018
Global travelers can use the mobile app to find a hotel, make a reservation, check loyalty club status, redeem awards, access their digital wallet, purchase e-gift cards, provide feedback and much more Phoenix – March 15, 2018 – IVHTravel (www.ivhtravel.com), a loyalty-based travel site specifically for member travelers wanting to book private rates on accommodations, activities and rental cars, is now LIVE as a mobile app on the App Store and Google Play. The IVH Travel App enables travelers to choose from and book more than 1.1 million global lodging choices, while the InnCentives Loyalty Club (built into the app) gives me...
Broughton Hotels Appoints Weston Spiegl as General Manager and Steven Maybeno as Executive Chef for Park James Hotel Opening Summer
broughtonHOTELS | May 15, 2018
(Anaheim, CA, May, 15, 2018) Broughton Hotels, a leading Anaheim, California based hospitality management company, announced today the appointment of new members of the executive team for the Park James, a luxury boutique hotel, and Oak+Violet, a California craft kitchen, opening this summer in Menlo Park, California. Weston Spiegl has been appointed the hotel's General Manager and Steven Maybeno as Executive Chef. Weston Spiegl, the General Manager, will oversee the operation of both Park James and Oak+Violet, a California craft kitchen. He has previously held executive positions for Levy Restaurants at the STAPLES Center and Micro...
Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort Welcomes New Food & Beverage Director Kyle Erickson
Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort | May 15, 2018
(SOLVANG, CA; May 15, 2018)— Santa Barbara native and certified sommelier Kyle Erickson joins the team at Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort as the new food & beverage director. Bringing his noteworthy experience in the wine and spirits industry, he works in tandem with Executive Chef Anthony Endy to elevate Alisal's already reputable food and beverage program. He strives to incorporate his passion and knowledge of the region in his approach to his new role at the Ranch. "We really want to show off the Central Coast," Erickson says. "I want to be on the forefront of championing the trailblazers who are putting Santa Barbara on th...
Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers Names New Senior Management Members
Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers | May 15, 2018
Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers, the longest operating Sheraton hotel in Asia Pacific, is pleased to announce the appointment of Allwyn D'souza and Joyce Wong, the hotel's new Resident Manager and Director of Sales & Marketing, with immediate effect. Commenting on the appointments, Charles Woo, Managing Director of Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers said, "Allwyn and Joyce are seasoned hoteliers. With their solid experiences in the hospitality industry, we are confident that their exceptional insights will strengthen the teams and take the hotel to even greater heights." Recipient of the Rooms Leader of the Year for Marriot...
See the Future of Meetings at HITEC via AVaStar
AVaStar | May 15, 2018
Designed by experts with 100+ years of combined hospitality AV experience, the AVaStar SaaS is packed with intelligence, making it easy to use for staff unfamiliar with event technologies Visit Booth #1019 at HITEC, June 18 to 21, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston [Gaithersburg, Md.—May 15, 2018]—The adoption and use of new technology has sparked a shift in meeting planner objectives and goals. According to the International Association of Convention Centers' (IACC) 2017 Meeting Room of the Future™ report, meeting planners are looking to create more personalized experiences for delegates by integrati...
Hilton Signs Two Tapestry Collection Properties in Lima, Peru: Hotel Bel’Arte Lima and Hotel Museo de Osma
Tapestry Collection by Hilton | May 15, 2018
McLEAN, Va. – May 15, 2018 – Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced the signing of two Tapestry Collection by Hilton agreements in Lima, Peru: Hotel Bel'Arte Lima and Hotel Museo de Osma – representing the first international properties for Hilton's 14th brand created for travelers looking for a unique, upscale hotel experience. These new deals form part of Hilton's development pipeline of eight hotels in Peru, with plans to add more than 1,000 rooms in key markets throughout the country. "As Hilton continues expanding in Latin America, our team has strategically focused on pursuing opportunities in Peru, one of the re...
Karma Group Acquires Historic Borgo do Colleoli Estate in Tuscany, Italy
Karma Group | May 15, 2018
Karma Group has announced the acquisition of Borgo di Colleoli, a historical estate in Tuscany, Italy. The sprawling estate is nestled in the stunning Tuscan hills, representing the latest in Karma's stable of spectacular European estates alongside Le Preverger on the French Riviera, Pelikanos on the Greek island of Mykonos and the soon to open Chateau de Samary in Carcassonne, France. Over the years, the original medieval castle evolved to become an aristocratic villa and estate. During the 17th and 18th centuries much renovation work was carried out to the frescoes and delicate mouldings, transforming the Borgo into an elegant country...
Cvent Unveils 2018 Lists of Top Meeting Hotels in the U.S., Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific
the Cvent Supplier Network | May 15, 2018
TYSONS CORNER, Va.--Cvent Inc., a market leader in meetings, events, and hospitality technology, today announced the results of its Top 50 Meeting Hotels in Asia Pacific. The list was compiled by analysing group booking activity through its Cvent Supplier Network, which sourced more than $14.7 billion and more than 40 million room nights in 2017, helping to support more than 715,000 events worldwide. "With industry research showing the current global value of the meetings and events industry at $750+ billion* and growing substantially, there is huge potential for hotels across the region to capitalise on group business opportunities," s...
Corporate Governance: Why Independent Audit Committees Matter
May 15, 2018
By Dr. Cédric Poretti Corporate governance has been a hot topic for many years in the US and Europe as corporations, whether in finance or the hospitality industry, grapple with their supervisory structures. Since 2000, the audit committee has been put forward as an effective mechanism to limit fraudulent financial reporting. Following financial scandals such as Enron and WorldCom, the US Congress issued the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) in 2002 to protect investors by improving the accuracy and reliability of corporate disclosures. Sarbanes-Oxley requires publicly traded companies to have: the CEO and CFO certifying the financial s...
UpLift Appoints former Cisco Executive Rob Soderbery as Company’s First President
Uplift | May 15, 2018
Bolsters leadership team with the addition of Tom Botts as Chief Commercial Officer and Noha Carrington as Chief Capital Officer MENLO PARK, CA - May 15, 2018 - UpLift today announced it has appointed former Cisco Enterprise SVP/GM Rob Soderbery to be its first President. Soderbery, an early investor and founding board member of the company, will be responsible for all business, engineering and operations functions at UpLift. The company also announced the appointment of Tom Botts as Chief Commercial Officer and Noha Carrington as Chief Capital Officer to build scale in go-to-market, and capital strategy and operations. "Rob brings the ...
The Hospitality Industry Becomes a “HAPI-er” Place With the Launch of HAPI’s Integrated Data Platform
HAPI | May 15, 2018
New cloud-based data streaming, integration and enrichment platform set to take the industry by storm to solve data streaming and system integration challenges Miami – May 15, 2018 – Data Travel, LLC, a hotel technology company comprised of hospitality technology industry veterans, integration experts and data scientists, has unveiled a transformative data streaming, integration and enrichment platform designed to solve the hotel industry's rapidly expanding data management challenges. Appropriately named HAPI (which is short for Hospitality API), the comprehensive new platform aggregates the plethora of data that is collect...
Hotel Internet Services Deploys Advanced Television Voice Command Functionality With BeyondTV
Hotel Internet Services, Inc. | May 15, 2018
Video streaming and casting solution interfaces with Volara and Amazon Alexa to provide guests with ultimate smart guestroom experience CLEARWATER, Fla. — May 15, 2018 — Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, is unveiling the full integration of voice-activated technology in its BeyondTV platform, a state-of-the-art television content streaming and casting solution that offers an all-inclusive guestroom entertainment experience. Deployed alongside Amazon's Alexa and via a software integration with Volara, a leader in voice-based solutions for t...
