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Industry Happenings
Hotel Equities to Operate Fairfield Inn & Suites Tulsa SE, Oklahoma
Hotel Equities | December 21, 2017
ATLANTA–December 21, 2017–Atlanta-based Hotel Equities recently announced its selection as the management firm for the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Tulsa SE/Crossroads Village in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Robert Patel and Sonny Patel serve as owners of the hotel. The 99-room hotel is conveniently located two miles south of Woodland Hills Mall and close to upscale shopping and dining. Local businesses in the adjacent area include Kimberly Clark, Hillcrest Hospital South, St. Francis Hospital South, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Rhema Bible College and more. "We are excited to expand our portfolio in the Oklahoma marke...
The Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel Names Jack Strong Executive Chef
the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel | December 21, 2017
Phoenix, Arizona . . . . (December, 2017) - The Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel has named Jack Strong as Executive Chef for the 521-room iconic property, according to General Manager Paige Lund. With more than 26 years of revered culinary experience, the Oregon-born Strong, who hails from Oregon's Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, was most recently the Executive Chef of his tribe's casino and resort, Chinook Winds Casino Resort, located on the Oregon coast in Lincoln City. Prior to that, Strong was Chef de Cuisine at the AAA Four Diamond Salish Lodge & Spa in Snoquaimie, WA. Strong's culinary career in the Valley...
Waterford Hotel Group Appoints Michael Heaton as President
Waterford Hotel Group | December 21, 2017
Waterford, CT, Dec. 21, 2017-- Waterford Hotel Group's Chairman and CEO Len Wolman announced the appointment of Michael Heaton as President effective January 1, 2018. Heaton will succeed Waterford's long-serving President, Robert Winchester, who recently announced plans to hand over the reins in preparation for his upcoming retirement. Winchester will continue in his role through year-end, assisting with the transition of roles, before assuming a part-time advisory position with Waterford for an indefinite period. "Rob's contributions to our organization for nearly 30 years have been significant," said Len Wolman, Chairman and CEO of Wa...
Routier Helps NYC Boutique Hotels Achieve Revenue and Loyalty Increases With the Press of A Button
Routier | December 21, 2017
Hotel Indigo Lower East Side Surpasses Reward Member Numbers by 74%, Other Properties Drive Ancillary Revenue in Creative Ways by Connecting with Guests at all Times During their Stay New York, December 21, 2017 – Routier's automated staff and guest engagement platform helped Hotel Indigo Lower East Side (LES) surpass its quarterly rewards member target by more than 74% and helped another NYC boutique hotel sell thousands of dollars in event tickets in less than 24 hours, by ensuring that all hotel guests had a seamless and constant communication channel with the hotel for the entire duration of their stay. Now in place at dozens...
Fornova Ends 2017 with Rapid Growth, Highlights Three Trends in Hotel Distribution to Watch in 2018
Fornova | December 21, 2017
Direct Bookings Will Move to Target Ownership and "Lifetime Value," as OTAs and Big Hotel Players Continue to Dance and Spar NEW YORK and LONDON, December 21, 2017 – Fornova closed 2017 with year over year revenue growth in excess of 50%, raised a Series B financing to spur accelerated expansion in the year ahead, and was recognized as one the year's most innovative companies by industry authority Lodging magazine in the U.S. Capping the success, CEO Dori Stein anticipates a year of even faster growth in 2018, and pointed to three trends in distribution that all hotels should pay attention to, in the coming year: 1. In a bid to cr...
Wharf Hotels and Duetto Announce Revenue Strategy Partnership
Wharf Hotels | December 21, 2017
Hotelier Adopts Scalable Technology Powered by Open Pricing Hong Kong, 21 December, 2017 — Wharf Hotels, a leading hotel management company based in Hong Kong comprised of 16 properties operating as Niccolo Hotels and Marco Polo Hotels, has partnered with Duetto, hospitality's only Revenue Strategy Platform, expanding its presence in Asia-Pacific. Wharf Hotels will implement Duetto's Open Pricing application, GameChanger, at several of its owned and managed hotels in Hong Kong, China and the Philippines. "As a high-growth company that recognizes the importance of innovation in Revenue Strategy and hotel technology, Wharf Hotels is...
Osage Casinos to Deliver a Superior Customer Experience and Optimize Operational Efficiency with Agilysys Solutions at New Hotel
Agilysys | December 21, 2017
Solutions for New Property Include InfoGenesis, Visual One, rGuest Pay and rGuest Seat ALPHARETTA, GA. — December 21, 2017 — Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading global provider of next-generation hospitality software solutions and services, today announced that Osage Casinos have selected Agilysys solutions for their new hotel property opening in Tulsa, Oklahoma to deliver a superior guest experience across the property, as well as to help drive operational excellence from check-in to check-out. Osage Casinos has seven casino locations in the state of Oklahoma, with hotel accommodations currently available at two of the...
Owned and Managed by Midas Hospitality, Dual Branded Fairfield Inn & Suites and Residence Inn Opens in St. Louis, Missouri
Midas Hospitality | December 21, 2017
ST. LOUIS – December 21, 2017 – Marriott International, Inc. announced that a dual-branded 88-room Fairfield Inn & Suites and 96-suite Residence Inn property will open today in St. Louis / Maryland Heights, Missouri. Located at 11918 Westline Industrial Boulevard, the hotel is owned and managed by Midas Hospitality of St. Louis, Missouri. The hotel will share an indoor swimming pool, a modern fitness center, an outdoor patio with a fire pit and barbecue grill, 1,114 square feet of meeting space, and offer a complimentary breakfast and complimentary Wi-Fi. Located 15 minutes from Lambert International Airport and 25 minut...
Champion Hotels Opens 106-Suite Residence Inn by Marriott in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Residence Inn by Marriott | December 21, 2017
OKLAHOMA CITY – December 21, 2017 – The 106-suite Residence Inn by Marriott in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma is scheduled to open today. Located at 13900 McAuley Boulevard, the all-suite Residence Inn Oklahoma City North/Quail Springs will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by Champion Hotels. This is the second Residence Inn property opened by Champion Hotels in Oklahoma City this year, they also opened the Residence Inn Oklahoma City Northwest in May. The family-run company currently owns and operates over 20 properties in the Oklahoma City area. Centrally located in the North Oklahoma City medical district, the ...
CooperWynn Real Estate Completes the Sale of the Iconic Sagebrush Inn & Suites
CooperWynn Real Estate | December 20, 2017
Park City, UT – December 21, 2017 – As exclusive agent to the sellers, Meek Hotels, CooperWynn Commercial Real Estate, is pleased to announce the sale of the historic 156-room Sagebrush Inn and Suites, located in Taos, New Mexico, to Perry Sanders and John Goede, who also own the 4-star Antlers and Mining Exchange Hotels in Colorado Springs. This iconic property began as 17 rooms built in the early 1930's, was once the temporary home for the renowned painter, Georgia O'Keefe and has expanded over the years to become the Sagebrush Inn and Suites on 10+ acres and containing over 12,000 square feet of meeting space. "We knew it...
Implementations Director Rafael Lozada Joins ALICE to Help Lead Next Stage of Company Growth
ALICE | December 20, 2017
New York, NY -- ALICE, the hospitality industry's leading operations technology, welcomes Rafael Lozada, as Director of Customer Implementations. Rafael joins ALICE at a time of rapid growth for the company, following its $26M Series B funding in August, and the company's acquisition of concierge technology rival GoConcierge in September. A versatile leader with 15+ years of service delivery experience in technology-based companies, Rafael will help ALICE scale customer activation and ensure excellent service. Rafael's fluency in both English and Spanish will also allow ALICE to accelerate product implementation in Mexico and the greate...
6 Tips to Fly Away with Direct Hotel Bookings in 2018
Lure Agency | December 20, 2017
While online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Travelocity and Hotels.com are an important marketing component to a hotel, it's crucial for property owners and managers to also utilize internal sources for revenue generation and to increase hotel bookings. Digital marketing offers amazing opportunities for properties of all sizes and shapes – from boutique hotels to all-suite resorts – to stabilize the booking field using leading marketing tools and tactics. We have a few ideas to help out. Get Smart with Web Design It's not unusual for travelers shopping on OTA's to visit the hotel's website directly in order to learn more abo...
Dream Hotel Group Appoints Ariel Freeman Sanett as Vice President of Development
Dream Hotel Group | December 20, 2017
Ariel Freeman Sanett to Vice President of Development. In this role, Sanett will be responsible for developing Dream Hotel Group's portfolio of brands – Dream Hotels, Time Hotels, The Chatwal and Unscripted Hotels – leveraging her extensive relationships in the U.S. and abroad. Sanett joins Dream Hotel Group with over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Most recently, she served as the Vice President of Business Development at Crescent Hotels & Resorts in Washington, DC, where she was responsible for all corporate business development activities. Additionally, she has held senior leadership positions with...
Foxwoods Names Ming Mak as Vice President of Asian Marketing
Foxwoods Resort Casino | December 20, 2017
MASHANTUCKET, Conn., Dec. 20, 2017 -- Foxwoods® Resort Casino, the premier resort destination in the Northeast, today announced that Ming Mak has joined the team as Vice President of Asian Marketing. Mak brings three decades of casino industry experience and a comprehensive understanding of Asian player development to the resort. "Ming is the ideal fit for the role of Vice President of Asian Marketing, proven by his outstanding track record in not only the gaming resort industry, but in driving the Asian consumer demographic to casino properties," said Felix Rappaport, President & CEO of Foxwoods. "His extensive k...
Grand Hyatt Taipei Names Jan-Hendrik Meidinger New General Manager
| December 20, 2017
TAIPEI, Taiwan (Dec. 20, 2017) – Grand Hyatt Taipei has tapped veteran hotelier, Jan-Hendrik Meidinger, as its new general manager. In his new role, Meidinger will lead one of the region's most iconic luxury properties and its 1,000 hotel Ambassadors. Meidinger relocates to the Taiwanese capital with more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry. The 47-year-old was previously the resident manager at Grand Hyatt Taipei from 2006 to 2010. Most recently he was general manager of The Excelsior, owned by the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, in Hong Kong. "I'm thrilled to be returning to Taiwan and to Grand Hyatt Taipei," ...
Tambourine Shares The Official Gift Guide for Hotel Marketers
Tambourine | December 20, 2017
Forget the silly gadgets and fancy chocolates! Listen up hotel owners and asset managers, we know what hotel marketers really want for the holidays… Here's our annual list of the things that hotel marketers tell us they crave the most: 1. They Want to Be Rewarded for Driving Measurable Revenue Hotel owners expect their marketing team to contribute to the hotel's revenue targets in ways that can be tangibly measured. And hotel marketers are responding! By tracking their marketing cost-per-booking (MCPB) and return on ad spend, they are showcasing the marketing team's direct ROI… this new breed of "revenue marketer" is movin...
Louis T Collection Appoints Mikael Svensson as Senior Vice President
Louis T Collection | December 20, 2017
SINGAPORE (Dec. 20, 2017) – Hospitality executive Mikael Svensson has joined hospitality management and building solutions company Louis T Collection as senior vice president. Svensson will oversee operations of the group's current hotel portfolio and work closely with its technical services team on new projects. The Swedish-native has spent the past 25 years in hospitality in locations across Asia and beyond. His most recent role was general manager of the 468 hotel rooms and 220-room luxury residence Viceroy Palm Jumeirah Beach Dubai. Prior to that he held general manager roles at Park Hyatt Canberra (Australia), Hyatt Regency H...
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, Names Fatima Molina Global Revenue Support Center Director
December 20, 2017
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, December 2017 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Fatima Molina global revenue support center director. Kim Nugent, vice president revenue management, made the announcement. "I am so pleased to announce Fatima's promotion within our company," said Ms. Nugent. "She has performed superbly in her previous position and has a keen understanding of our company's global revenue support center function. Fatima also has significant guest service experience and a keen focus on the transformational nature of travel. She is an ideal example of how Benchmark helps build careers." Fatima Mo...
HVS Market Pulse: Anaheim/Garden Grove
Li Chen | December 20, 2017
By Li Chen The market is experiencing a period of economic strength and expansion, primarily led by the tourism and leisure industry and the presence of Disneyland and the Anaheim Convention Center, which continue to attract visitors and bolster lodging demand. Major Economic Contributors & Developments Disneyland Resort Disneyland is undoubtedly a prominent demand generator for hotels in Orange County, attracting over 15 million leisure visitors per year. Disneyland's 60th anniversary celebration, which began in May 2015 and concluded in September 2016, induced a significant amount of demand, making 2015 a banner year for the m...
5 Ways Hotels Can Use Behavioral Economics to Improve Conversion Rates
Gautam Lulla | December 20, 2017
By Gautam Lulla Understanding the rationale behind consumer decision-making has long been an obsession for marketers. Popularized today as behavioral economics, brands such as Amazon and Netflix invest millions into understanding the psychology of their consumers shopping habits in order to drive purchases. In the travel industry, OTAs also build their platforms around principles of buying psychology to boost conversion rates. Yet far from being a secret or expensive investment, many of these same principles can be applied by hotels. In the following post, we'll look at 5 ways hotels can use behavioral economics with actionable examples...
Florida’s Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa Completes Multi-Million Dollar Renovations
Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa | December 20, 2017
CLEARWATER, Fla. (December 20, 2017) – The 287-room Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa has concluded an extensive, multi-million dollar renovation to its guest rooms, meeting and event spaces, and public areas. Guests will now enjoy a more modernized hotel incorporating updates to improve the overall guest experience, including refreshed interior décor and furniture, the addition of new room types, new food and beverage options like a 24-hour market, technology charging stations, and more. In addition to 37 new suites, almost all of which include fully equipped kitchens and furnished balconies, the resort now o...
Crescent Hotels & Resorts to Manage Flatiron Hotel NYC, Joins Crescent’s Latitudes Collection
Crescent Hotels & Resorts | December 20, 2017
New York, NY (December 20, 2017) – The award winning Flatiron Hotel Manhattan will join Crescent Hotels & Resorts "Latitudes" collection of lifestyle hotels. Crescent & Latitudes, based in Fairfax, Virginia is a nationally recognized operator of major hotels, resorts and conference centers throughout the United States and Canada Located in the heart of Manhattan on Broadway and West 26th Street, the lifestyle Flatiron Hotel is a sophisticated, exciting way for visitors to experience New York. With modern, luxurious rooms and amenities, and live music every night, the Flatiron Hotel is a destination in and of itself in the ...
Educating the Boutique Community: Take-Aways from Stay Boutique Leadership Conference
Frances Kiradjian | December 20, 2017
By Frances Kiradjian In line with our continued efforts to educate the people who make the world of boutique hotels go 'round, BLLA hosts many annual conferences designed to connect and inspire the community. In our first branded 'Stay Boutique' Leadership Conference, the association curated a lineup of speakers that included the CEOs of powerhouse hospitality groups like sbe, Viceroy, The Hospital Club, h.Wood Group, and many others. Major take-aways from the three-day meeting: A leader not only leads his team to success on paper, but fosters an environment where his or her employees feel proud of and invested in the work they are pr...
The Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort Joins Marriott’s Autograph Collection Hotels Following Renovation
Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort | December 20, 2017
Rio Hato, Panama – (December 20, 2018) – The Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort, the centerpiece of the destination's family-friendly Buenaventura resort community, joins Marriott International's distinctive portfolio of one-of-a-kind Autograph Collection Hotels. The announcement comes as the resort completes a renovation to enhance its guestrooms, restaurants and meeting spaces, as well as the addition of the Buenaventura Zoo. Autograph Collection Hotels celebrate the independence and individually of each location, incorporating the personality of the destination. The Buenaventura fits perfectly into the collection with i...
