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
Owned, Developed and Managed by Ontario Hospitality, Home2 Suites by Hilton Opens in Jackson, Michigan
Home2 Suites by Hilton | November 21, 2017
November 21, 2017 JACKSON, Mich. and MCLEAN, Va. - Home2 Suites by Hilton, part of Hilton's (NYSE: HLT) industry-first All Suites portfolio, announced today its newest property, Home2 Suites by Hilton Jackson. Designed for travelers who want to maintain their normal routine, the hotel features 83 suites and a range of value, tech-focused and eco-conscious amenities. Home2 Suites by Hilton Jackson complements the city's inviting appeal, as it is known for its Midwestern charm, rich history, natural beauty, award-winning wineries and popular festivals. "Whether on vacation or travelling for business, guests can explore a vari...
Gold Key | PHR Appoints Dan Elinan as Executive Chef for The Cavalier Hotel in Virginia Beach
Gold Key | PHR | November 21, 2017
VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA (November 21, 2017) - A Virginia Beach icon since 1927, The Cavalier Hotel (cavalierhotel.com) is about to reopen following a massive $75-million restoration, which will include three exciting world-class dining destinations. Today, The Cavalier announces the appointment of renowned chef Dan Elinan as the hotel's Executive Chef. Elinan will be responsible for the culinary direction of all food and beverage outlets for the hotel including restaurants Becca, The Hunt Room and The Raleigh Room. With an extensive fine-dining background in food-centric cities around the world, Chef Elinan will oversee all three resta...
Hyatt Regency Savannah Names Alison Houston as Executive Chef
Hyatt Regency Savannah | November 21, 2017
SAVANNAH, Ga. (November 21, 2017) – Hyatt Regency Savannah announces the appointment of Alison Houston as Executive Chef. In this role, Chef Houston will oversee all of the iconic hotel's culinary operations, which includes 33,000 square feet of banquet space and the newly opened Moss + Oak Savannah Eatery, Bar and Market. Chef Houston began her career with Hyatt at Hyatt Regency Austin where she took an opportunity as an entry level Line Cook. Over the last 9 years, her career has taken a path across the United States from Hawaii to Georgia. She has worked in the kitchens of Hyatt Regency Lost Pines, Hyatt Regency Chicago, assist...
Waldorf Astoria Key West Appoints David Ferrier as Director of Food and Beverage
Casa Marina and The Reach, Waldorf Astoria Resorts | November 21, 2017
KEY WEST – NOVEMBER 21, 2017 – Waldorf Astoria Key West announces the appointment of David Ferrier as director of food and beverage for Casa Marina and The Reach Resorts. With more than 16 years of hospitality experience, Ferrier manages the culinary program for both resorts including 15,000 square feet of event and banquet space, Casa Marina's Sun Sun, RUMba rum bar, and Spencer's by the Sea at The Reach. "David's experience in simultaneously managing successful venues makes him a valued addition to our team," says John Trovato, managing director for Casa Marina and The Reach. "His talent for high quality service further so...
Global Hotel Groups Support HFTP’s Hospitality Certification Programs
HFTP | November 21, 2017
AUSTIN, TEXAS, USA (November 21, 2017) — Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) offers two certification programs that are globally recognized for setting industry standards for hospitality finance and technology professionals: Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive (CHAE®) and Certified Hospitality Technology Professional (CHTP®). These certification programs have been named a requirement for information technology and accounting employees at Rosewood Hotel Group, Two Roads Hospitality and Accorhotels Group – which operate Fairmont branded hotels. Accorhotels Group recently followed suit ...
Aspire Named One of the Most Innovative Companies for 12 Years in a Row
Aspire | November 20, 2017
CEO Renie Cavallari was recognized at the 2017 Stevie® Awards for Women in Business event in New York City last week. PHOENIX – November 20, 2017 – Aspire. People. Performance. Profits has been named the winner of a Bronze Stevie® Award in the Most Innovative Company of the Year (10 or less employees) category in the 13th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business. This is the 12th consecutive year Aspire has been recognized for innovation. The Stevie Awards for Women in Business are the world's top honors for female entrepreneurs, executives, employees and the organizations they run. All individuals and organization...
BENCHMARK Names Brian C. P. Connors Area Director of Finance for the Ames Boston Hotel and Copley Square Hotel
Ames Boston Hotel | November 20, 2017
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, November 2017 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Brian C. P. Connors area director of finance for the Ames Boston Hotel and the Copley Square Hotel. Both properties, located in Boston, are part of Benchmark's Gemstone Collection. Kirk Jones, chief financial officer, made the announcement. "I am very pleased to welcome Brian to both the Copley Square Hotel and Ames Boston Hotel," said Mr. Jones. "He has had a distinguished career in finance and accounting, both at the corporate and property level, and brings this expertise to both of our properties and to Benchmark." Brian Con...
BENCHMARK Names Colin Ankersen General Manager for The Heldrich, New Brunswick, New Jersey
The Heldrich Hotel | November 20, 2017
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, November 2017 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Colin Ankersen general manager for The Heldrich, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Greg Champion, Benchmark's president & COO, made the announcement. "I am very pleased to welcome Colin to Benchmark and to The Heldrich," said Mr. Champion. "He comes to us with extensive leadership experience running hotels, particularly within New Jersey. He also brings to his new role management experience gained outside the hospitality industry. He will be an excellent leader of this...
Viceroy Hotel Group Welcomes Jeffrey Harvey as General Manager of Viceroy Central Park
Viceroy Central Park New York | November 20, 2017
NEW YORK, NY (November 20, 2017) - Viceroy Hotel Group is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Jeffrey Harvey to the position General Manager of Viceroy Central Park. With over 20 years of hospitality experience leading various branded, independent and lifestyle properties, Harvey brings a wealth of valuable experience to the position. In this role he will supervise the day-to-day operations, guest and employee satisfaction, human resources, financial performance, sales and revenue generation of Viceroy Central Park. "We are extremely excited to have Jeffrey join Viceroy Central Park as General Manager," says Bill Walshe, CEO o...
Anne-Marie Houston Appointed as Resort Manager of Montage Laguna Beach
Montage Laguna Beach | November 20, 2017
LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. (November 20, 2017) - Montage Hotels & Resorts has announced the appointment of Anne-Marie Houston as resort manager of Montage Laguna Beach. With international hospitality experience across four continents, Houston will oversee all daily operations at Montage Laguna Beach. "Anne-Marie's business-minded mentality and innovative mindset is a perfect addition to Montage Laguna Beach," said Rick Riess, vice president of Montage Hotels & Resorts and managing director of Montage Laguna Beach. "Her vast exposure to the hospitality industry, internationally and domestically, will be beneficial to...
Hilton New Orleans Riverside Welcomes Sebastian Stutz as New Hotel Manager
Hilton Hotels & Resorts | November 20, 2017
NEW ORLEANS – November 20, 2017 – Hilton New Orleans Riverside announces today the appointment of Sebastian Stutz as the new hotel manager. As an industry veteran possessing more than 19 years of hotel leadership experience, Sebastian is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the 1,622-room hotel and all aspects of the guest experience. "Sebastian's vast hospitality experience will be an invaluable addition to the team," said Paul Scott, general manager at Hilton New Orleans Riverside. "His wealth of knowledge, keen eye for quality and proven track record will sustain the forward momentum we've built in both...
Wyndham Signs with Galwan for Dual-Branded Wyndham Grand and TRYP by Wyndham in Miami’s Brickell District
Wyndham Hotel Group | November 20, 2017
PARSIPPANY, N.J., Nov. 20, 2017 -- Wyndham Hotel Group, the hospitality giant with an unparalleled global portfolio of more than 8,300 hotels, today announced the signing of the largest hotel development in the Brickell district of Miami to its managed hotel portfolio: a new 445-room, dual-branded hotel leveraging a never-before-seen combination of the Wyndham Grand® and TRYP by Wyndham® brands. The combination of brands celebrates Miami's distinct spirit - both the upper-upscale Wyndham Grand brand and select-service, lifestyle TRYP by Wyndham brands embrace the charm and character of the local destination - incorporating M...
Choice, RREAF Holdings and New Castle Break Ground on New Cambria Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina
Cambria Hotels | November 20, 2017
ROCKVILLE, Md., Nov. 20, 2017 -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), along with RREAF Holdings and New Castle Hotels & Resorts, broke ground on the Cambria Hotel in Charleston, S.C. The Cambria Charleston Riverview, a 126-room hotel is located at 84 Ripley Point Dr. on the Ashley River, and is slated to open early in 2019 and will be built by Freese Johnson Contractors of Atlanta. The Cambria Charleston Riverview is perched on the marshes of the Ashley River, just minutes from Charleston's Historic District. The hotel's location provides quick access to everything that the area offers, in addition to the Medical U...
Georgia Dome Demolition Sets Stage for New 1,010 Room Luxury Headquarter Hotel
the Georgia World Congress Center Authority | November 20, 2017
ATLANTA--November 20, 2017--The Georgia Dome – the iconic, game-changing venue that forever altered Atlanta and the state of Georgia's cultural, architectural and economic landscape - was imploded at 7:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time today. Taking a mere 12 seconds to flatten the building's approximate 250,000 cubic yards of concrete, the implosion utilized more than 10,000 man-hours of preparation, 4,800 total pounds of strategically placed explosives, and approximately 6 miles of detonating cord and 1 mile of electrical wire connections. The Dome's calling card was its versatility. It was the only venue to ever host the Olympics, ...
Hospitality Financial Leadership – Testing vs. Trusting
David Lund | November 20, 2017
By David Lund "All of life is an experiment, the more experiments the better." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson When you really want to do something, the "how to" shows up everywhere. Getting into and staying in action is the key. Having and holding onto the notion that we must have the answer first kills our endeavors. Let me give you an example. A client of mine hired me to help him grow his new real estate business. We did some sessions and something was revealed. He had a predisposed notion of how his business should grow. He was close to trying some new ways to grow his business. He had heard the stories of the other more established and succ...
Shifts In Revenue and Expenses Improve Hotel Food and Beverage Profits
Robert Mandelbaum | November 20, 2017
By Robert Mandelbaum Consumer dining trends tend to be more volatile than lodging trends. Recognizing this, hotel managers have made some significant changes in the way they offer food and beverage service to their guests. The traditional three-meal, all-purpose restaurants and room service are disappearing. Taking their place are self-service kiosks and grab-and-go concepts that provide quick-service for in-house guests. These changes help explain recent changes in hotel food and beverage department revenues, expenses, and profits. To understand recent trends in lodging food and beverage sales, we analyzed the financial performance of ...
HFTP Builds Educational Campaign Ahead of GDPR Compliance Requirements
HFTP | November 20, 2017
Hospitality-specific discussion covered in free-to-industry webinar on Monday, November 20 With just over six months until the new EU General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) are in effect, Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) is ramping up its education campaign to prepare the hospitality industry for compliance. The association initiated this drive last spring with the formation of the HFTP Hospitality Data Protection Officer (DPO) Task Force, a team of 23 experts developing compliance guidelines and resources specific to hospitality, including defining the role of the hospitality DPO. As part of its initia...
Projects in Canada’s Construction Pipeline are Up 11% YOY
Lodging Econometrics | November 20, 2017
November 20, 2017 – PORTSMOUTH, NH – According to Lodging Econometrics (LE), the total Construction Pipeline in Canada currently has 228 Projects/30,875 Rooms, up 11% by projects Year-Over-Year (YOY). There are 80 Projects/11,076 Rooms Under Construction, up 13% by projects YOY. Projects Scheduled to Start Construction in the Next 12 Months are at 87 Projects/10,215 Rooms, up 26%, while those in Early Planning are at 61 Projects/9,584 Rooms, down 8%. The top hotel companies in Canada's Construction Pipeline by projects are: Marriott with 47 Projects/7,121 Rooms, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) with 35 Projects/3,644 Room...
Hotel Industry Icon Publisher, Jerry Merkin, Passes Away at 85
| November 20, 2017
New York, NY, November 20, 2017—Hotel industry publisher Jerry Merkin, an industry icon for more than four decades, passed away at 85 earlier this week following an extended illness. He is survived by his children, Joan and David. Merkin spent his entire career in publishing, most of which was covering the hotel industry, first as publisher of Hotel & Motel Management, now Hotel Management, and in 1992 as founder/publisher of Hotel Business. Both publications continue to be industry leaders. He is a recipient of the Lodging Conference Above and Beyond Award. "In 1989, Jerry was one of the first to join the newly formed board o...
AHLA Celebrates National Apprenticeship Week by Launching Program and Giving $50,000 Grant
AHLA | November 20, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C.- The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) Senior Vice President of Career Development Shelly Weir joined Maryland Secretary of Labor Kelly Schulz, Grads of Life Principal Elyse Rosenblum and local hotel-industry apprentice Wynter Sharps to announce a commitment to provide $50,000 in grants to community-based organizations to recruit and develop "Opportunity Youth" in Baltimore. Currently, six million young people – "Opportunity Youth" – are between the ages of 16 to 24, and out of school and out of work. Connecting them to potential employers is an important step in securing their future. The hosp...
North American Hoteliers End 2017 Strong with Healthy Gains Across All Travel Segments
TravelClick | November 20, 2017
Both Group and Transient Leisure Travel Experience Particularly Solid Growth in Bookings NEW YORK – November 20, 2017 – As North American hoteliers enter the holiday season and round out the year, all travel segments are seeing a noticeable increase across the board in both average daily rates (ADR) and occupancy, up 1.4 percent and 3.9 percent respectively, during the fourth quarter of 2017, according to new data from TravelClick's November 2017 North American Hospitality Review (NAHR). Hoteliers are also experiencing a particularly strong uptick when it comes to bookings for both the group and transient leisure segments, u...
NAVIS RezForce® Lux Services Top-Rated By Forbes Travel Guide
NAVIS | November 20, 2017
NAVIS reservations call center achieves perfect performance scores, consistently rates better than U.S. luxury property average BEND, Ore. (November 20, 2017) – Demonstrating its continued commitment to being the number one reservation sales and marketing platform for hotels, resorts and vacation rentals, NAVIS today announced that its RezForce® Lux call center services have received five perfect scores this year, according to Forbes Travel Guide. "This is quite an accomplishment and a clear indication of NAVIS' dedication to providing superior reservations services for luxury hotels," said Tom Flournoy, Senior Vice President ...
How to Know if Your Hotel SEO Efforts are Working?
Incite Response | November 20, 2017
DOING YOUR OWN SEARCH ON GOOGLE WILL SIMPLY NOT GIVE YOU AN ACCURATE ANSWER. YOU MUST DISGUISE YOURSELF. Recently a hotel general manager and I had a conversation about his frustration that his competitor showed up above his own hotel in his Google searches for a highly competitive search term. He was frustrated by his own poor ranking and amazed at how well his competitor was doing. He wanted to know if he should replace his web agency. I said, "not so fast. Do you visit your competitor's site often?" The answer was yes and so begins our back story. Google stores information about how you search, what you search, where you search and w...
Intelity Adds Mobile F&B Delivery App to ICE Platform
Intelity | November 20, 2017
As a new feature in the ICE v4.2, guests' can now have mobile orders brought to their location when they are not in their room [Orlando, Fla. – November 17, 2017] — Intelity is unveiling a new custom store in its award-winning guest service platform, called ICE: Mobile Dining. ICE: Mobile Dining will provide an out-of-room dining experience for guests using their mobile device while they stay at the hotel. Browsing through the Mobile Dining menu, guests select drink or food items and specify their location (poolside cabana, beach chair, etc.) using manual entry, NFC Tag or a QR code. The order is then fulfilled by the kitche...
