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Industry Happenings
Olshan Properties Appoints Steven Falciani as General Manager of Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa
Olshan Properties | April 9, 2018
NEW YORK, NY – April 9, 2018 -- Olshan Properties, one of the country's leading private owners, developers and operators of commercial real estate, today announced the appointment of Steven Falciani as General Manager of the Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa. In his new role, Mr. Falciani will report to Ernie Catanzaro, Olshan's Head of Hospitality. A corporate leader in the hospitality industry at some of the country's best known hotel flags and regional restaurant businesses since 1984, Mr. Falciani was selected to head up the treasured Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa from a long list of top industry executiv...
RAR Hospitality Appoints New Corporate Executives and Operations Leadership
RAR Hospitality | April 9, 2018
SAN DIEGO, April 9, 2018- San Diego-based, third party hotel management group, RAR Hospitality, is pleased to expand its executive and operations teams with six key appointments. RAR is proud to welcome the following corporate and operational team members: Vikram Sood, appointed to Senior Vice President of Operations Frank Bewley, appointed to Director of Revenue Optimization and Marketing at RAR Hospitality Dieter Hissin, appointed to General Manager at The Lafayette Hotel, Swim Club & Bungalows Andrew Ladd, appointed to Director of Sales and Marketing at The Lafayette Hotel, Swim Club & Bungalows Colin Ross, appointed to...
Banyan Investment Group Acquires 120-Room Hilton Garden Inn and 91-Suite Homewood Suites in Columbus, Georgia
Banyan Investment Group | April 9, 2018
COLUMBUS, Ga., April 9, 2018--Banyan Investment Group, an Inc. 5000 recognized hotel investment and management company that acquires and manages select-service hotels in the United States, today announced that it has acquired and will operate the 120-room Hilton Garden Inn Columbus and the 91-suite Homewood Suites by Hilton Columbus, both in Ga., bringing their combined portfolio of owned and operated hotels nationwide to 16. The company also will oversee $3.8 million in renovations and enhancements to the hotels. "These properties meet many of the characteristics of our stringent deal criteria that should allow us to meet or exceed our...
Falcon Hospitality Group Breaks Ground on 96-Room SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Kansas City, Missouri
SpringHill Suites by Marriott | April 9, 2018
Kansas City, Missouri – April 9, 2018 – Falcon Hospitality Group announced today that a $12 million SpringHill Suites by Marriott broke ground for construction in Kansas City, Missouri and is expected to open Q1 2019. The 96-room SpringHill Suites hotel, located at 8300 N. Stoddard Ave, will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by Falcon Hospitality Group. The new SpringHill Suites will be located just seven miles from Kansas City International Airport (MCI) and 20 minutes from downtown Kansas City. The hotel will offer guests convenient access to Zona Rosa Town Center featuring dining, shopping and entertainme...
6 Steps to Success in Text Messaging & Chat for Hotel Managers
Sudheer Thakur | April 9, 2018
By Sudheer Thakur Smile! That's what hotel staff are trained to do even when talking on the phone. When you smile, you sound pleasant and interested. What are we to do in a world of texting and chat? As text messaging and chat become the communication channels of choice for consumers, more hotels are adapting to the trend by inviting travelers to connect with them by SMS, chat widget, or messaging app. Consumers love messaging because it's fast, easy, and convenient. A Nielsen-Facebook survey found that 56 percent of people would rather message a business than call customer service. And more than half of respondents said they are mo...
In Partnership With DMCC, AccorHotels to Introduce First SO/ Project in the Middle East Slated for Opening in 2020
DMCC | April 9, 2018
Dubai, April 9, 2018 – SO/, AccorHotels' audacious and spirited luxury brand, has announced its debut property in the Middle East with the SO/ Uptown Dubai. The disruptive art and experience driven property will fully embody the concept of a Kaleidoscopic Utopia, reflecting Dubai's urban charm with the hotel's convention-defying, colourful and lively design concepts. SO/ Uptown Dubai, set to open to guests by late 2020, will feature 188 rooms in addition to 215 branded residences. Inspired by edgy and bold architecture, interiors for the luxury property will be brought to life by the Rockwell Group, featuring modular and contempor...
How Asia’s Old Buildings Are Changing With the Times: Hotel Operators Have Taken Note
JLL Real Views | April 9, 2018
It's Friday evening in Bangkok and a crowd has gathered at Warehouse 30, the latest project by celebrated architect Duangrit Bunnag. In the sprawling 4,000-square-metre space, fashionable locals flick through the glossy pages of coffee table books at Candide, a design-centric bookstore, shop for vinyls at Copperwired, or flesh out ideas for savvy tech-startups in the co-working space. When the curated space opened in 2017, it quickly became one of the hottest places in town to see and be seen. Only a few years before, however, the entire complex had been nothing more than two abandoned World War II-era warehouses. Across Asia, former d...
Uber for Corporate Travel Sales Leads
Tucker Johnson | April 9, 2018
By Tucker Johnson In 2017, CNN reported that Uber passed Starbucks as the most common expense for a business traveler. When I read that article last year I remember thinking it seemed unbelievable, since I had only used Uber a handful of times. I hadn't thought much about that article until a few days ago. That's when one of my students (who drives for Uber) mentioned that he earned almost $700 dollars over the weekend driving in San Antonio during the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four. Although the money was an impressive part of the story, what really fascinated me was the access he was able to obtain by having the Uber emblem on his w...
Frasers Hospitality Australia Deploys Infor to Deliver Seamless Mobile Experiences and Become a Paperless Business
Frasers Hospitality Australia | April 9, 2018
Operational Productivity Improves by 80%; Business Intelligence Helps the Business Make Informed Decisions in Real-Time NEW YORK - Apr 09, 2018 - Infor, a leading provider of industry-specific cloud applications, today announced global hospitality operator, Frasers Hospitality, has deployed Infor HMS mobility solutions across its Australian properties as part of its digital transformation strategy. The project, which started in 2015 with the deployment of Infor solutions at Frasers Hospitality's Brisbane property Capri by Fraser, has now been extended across all of Fraser Hospitality's Australian facilities in Sydney, Melbourne ...
Scarlett Hotel Group Acquires 113-Room Fairfield Inn & Suites Downtown Omaha
Scarlett Hotel Group | April 9, 2018
OMAHA, Neb., April 9, 2018—Scarlett Hotel Group (SHG), the next generation of hotel entrepreneurs that provides a full range of management, asset management and advisory services for third-parties and on its own behalf, today announced the company has acquired its third property, the 113-room Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites Downtown Omaha in Nebraska. "We formed our company in 2017 to be in the vanguard of millennial entrepreneurs who will lead the hotel industry into the next generation. Our intent is to own and operate with a fresh new approach, using cutting edge technology and a culture-focused environment," said Rob Sadof...
Hospitality Financial Leadership – Management Incentive Plans
David Lund | April 9, 2018
By David Lund Recently I have been working with a client who has four hotels and we worked on putting together an incentive plan for his executives. This is a story about how we structured the incentive and the goals around the plan and his business. Bonus plans or management incentive plans are nothing new. Even a recent client had almost always given his senior people an annual bonus, typically at the holiday time. When I asked him what it was based on, he said it was just the overriding feeling of his thanks for a job well done. We then discussed the very real fact that he had not shared his financials with his leaders and this was s...
SHR Names Two New Vice Presidents, Plus New Director
SHR | April 9, 2018
HOUSTON, TX, April 9, 2018—SHR, Sceptre Hospitality Resources, a pioneer in advanced hotel distribution technologies and developer of Windsurfer® CRS, announced the promotions of associates Sally Ramos, Dan Edmonds, and Ian Kemp. Sally Ramos has moved from Director of Implementations to Vice President of Implementation and Consortia Services. In her new position, she will focus on becoming SHR's Implementation Strategist, helping their clients activate SHR services, and finding solutions to streamlining client CRS and Consortia needs. In addition, she will be responsible for executing on SHR services that enhance the hotel gue...
Vizergy Launches New Custom Website for Neighboring Hotel, One Ocean Resort & Spa
April 9, 2018
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Vizergy®, the leading intelligent digital marketing solution provider to the travel and hospitality industry, is pleased to announce the launch of One Ocean Resort & Spa, Northeast Florida's only artfully-inspired boutique resort's new website (OneOceanResort.com). "Vizergy is very excited to serve such a fantastic property, right here in our backyard," said Robert Arnold, Vizergy president. "One Ocean Resort & Spa is one of the most unique properties in Northeast Florida and a property that is loved by Jacksonville natives and visitors alike. Jacksonville and the Beaches communities are unique tra...
Top Website Development Trends in 2018
Merchant Stronghold | April 9, 2018
Web technologies are changing and developing faster than ever, and web development industry is no exception. Things that were popular yesterday don't work today and this is the key point to keep in mind. Trends and technology are prone to change; you must stay current with the latest trends to stay ahead of the curve. Web Development Trends in 2018 Check out this list to ensure the highest quality of web development services. JavaScript Created a significant impression in the previous year and it continues to do so, JavaScript continues to develop. Today, JavaScript frameworks and libraries have become more and more flexible and powerfu...
Final Touches Being Made in Preparation for Opening of the New AC Hotel Louisville Downtown in Louisville, Kentucky
AC Hotel Louisville Downtown | April 6, 2018
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 6, 2018) – The new AC Hotel Louisville Downtown, five-story hotel, nestled among NuLu's (New Louisville) shops, restaurants, bars and art galleries, is making final touches before opening its doors. The hotel has created buzz during the last year for its unique modular construction approach. Located at the north corner of Market and Shelby Streets in the heart of the NuLu neighborhood, AC Hotel Louisville Downtown will feature a distinctive European-inspired design and décor package appealing to design-conscious travelers who also want a location that offers an experiential stay. The AC Lounge will se...
Operated by Riley Hotel Group and Owned by Riverview Hotel Development, The Merrill Hotel & Conference Center Now Open in Muscatine, Iowa
The Merrill Hotel & Conference Center | April 6, 2018
April 6, 2018 – Muscatine, Iowa – The Merrill Hotel & Conference Center, an IACC accredited meeting venue in the downtown riverfront area of Muscatine, opens its doors to its very first guests today. This four-star, luxury boutique hotel boasts 122 guest rooms, an on-site, full-service restaurant and lounge called Maxwell's, and a host of top-notch amenities including a saltwater pool, fitness room, 16 flexible meeting rooms with over 12,000 square feet of meeting space and a picturesque top floor ballroom with outdoor terrace overlooking the Mississippi River. The only IACC accredited meeting venue in the state of Iowa,...
GDPR in the EU and UK: AETHOS’ 3 Steps for Complying with Employer Responsibilities
Chris Mumford | April 6, 2018
By: Chris Mumford, London GDPR. Four letters of the alphabet that are proving to represent one of the biggest challenges facing businesses in 2018. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect on 25th May across the European Union (including the UK) and impacts any organisation that operates within the EU and/or that processes data of EU citizens wherever they may be in the world. How organisations hold, store and process personal data will now be subject to higher, and more consistent, scrutiny with the potential penalty for non-compliance being significant. Much attention is already being given to how customer data ...
Kimpton Taconic Hotel in Vermont Welcomes Michael Bates-Walsh as Executive Chef
Kimpton Taconic | April 6, 2018
Manchester, VT (April 6, 2018) – The Copper Grouse, a comfort-driven tavern located in the Kimpton Taconic Hotel, has appointed Michael Bates-Walsh as its new executive chef. Chef Michael will continue to expand the menu with local flair at the contemporary, yet elegant restaurant, situated in the picturesque Vermont town. Drawing on his passion for local cuisine, Chef Michael specializes in creating seasonal menus based on regional, locally-sourced, sustainable ingredients and enjoys catering those menus to specific dietary needs. Chef Michael will ensure there's a balanced flow in each menu that catches the attention of many tas...
Identifying the Right Market to Maximize your Resort Investment
Hector Medina, Senior Manager for New Market Development | April 6, 2018
By Hector Medina Gross domestic product is growing at a global scale, and travel to new and emerging markets remains strong, leading to an extended cycle of extremely positive hotel investment performance. While hotel investors are building their pipelines in highly marketable, beachfront destinations in the western hemisphere in locations like the Caribbean and Mexico, the all-inclusive sector is also continuing to grow in popularity around the world. Several resorts following this model have opened in destinations like Korea and Japan while others, like us at Apple Leisure Group, consider expansion into Thailand as part of a long-term...
Barcelona’s Stress Test – Will the Hotel Market Ride it Out?
Magali Castells | April 6, 2018
By Magali Castells and Sophie Perret Introduction This article presents recent supply and demand trends for Barcelona, before discussing some of the sociopolitical events that have impacted the market over recent months, as well as their effect on hotel performance and the outlook for the coming year. Barcelona is Spain's second-largest city, with a population of approximately 1.6 million in 2017, and is the capital of Catalonia. Located on the Mediterranean coast, 180 km southwest of the French border, Barcelona is the country's principal seaport and is the third-largest port in the Mediterranean region. Since the organisation of the O...
Dusit International Launching New Brand, ASAI Hotels Aimed Toward ‘Millennial-Minded’ Travelers
Dusit International | April 6, 2018
BANGKOK, Apr 6, 2018 -- Dusit International, one of Thailand's foremost hotel and property development companies, has introduced ASAI Hotels, a distinctive new brand designed to link curious, millennial-minded travellers with authentic local experiences in vibrant cities and resort destinations worldwide. Set to officially launch in Q1 2019 with its first hotel in Bangkok's renowned Chatuchak Market, ASAI Hotels embraces a sustainable, community-focused concept, with each property designed to reflect the culture and heritage of its location through collaborations with local artisans. In line with the four core pilla...
30 Years and Many Miles Later, Michael Singer of ACCOR, Specifically Novotel, Shares His Thoughts on Being a Successful Hotelier
| April 6, 2018
30 years later!! It's been thirty (30) years since Michael Singer joined ACCOR and specifically the Novotel Brand in 1988. Being the youngest General Manager in the company he was appointed to manage the opening of Novotel Ipswich in United Kingdom. He wanted to appeal to the local corporate market that needed a hotel like Novotel to cater for the businessman travelling by car and for the ever expanding conference market and help Novotel Brand build its weekend trade. The fruits of his labour were being realized with the opening of Novotel hotels in Ipswich and Novotel London Heathrow in United Kingdom. From 1999 he has held senior-leve...
Indian Hotel Industry Survey 2016-2017
Hotelivate Private Limited | April 6, 2018
Compiled by Hotelivate in association with the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), the Indian Hotel Industry Survey 2016-17 is the twentieth edition of this publication since its inception. The Indian hotel industry has emerged as one of the key industries driving the growth of the services sector and, thereby, the Indian economy. The FHRAI Indian Hotel Survey 2016-2017 aims to provide the most comprehensive guide to All-India performance trends for this industry. Results of the Survey will empower industry stakeholders such as owners, investors, operators, business analysts and researchers with informati...
Managed by Diagonal Hotels, Curio Collection by Hilton Debuts in City of Love with First Hotel in Paris
Curio Collection by Hilton | April 5, 2018
PARIS and MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton (NYSE:HLT) announced the opening of Niepce Paris Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton today. The hotel was hand-picked to be a part of the exclusive collection of one-of-a-kind, independent hotels and resorts all celebrated for their individuality. Located in the heart of the artistic district of Montparnasse, Niepce Paris Hotel offers guests close proximity to unexpected treasures, while being in one of the most sought-after capitals in the world. "We are pleased to welcome Niepce Paris Hotel to Curio Collection by Hilton, as we make our debut in the iconic city of Paris," said Mark Nogal, global h...
