Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino Partners With Travel Outlook to Elevate Guest Service Experience
Travel Outlook, The Premier Hotel Call Center™ | October 2, 2024
Debunking Common Myths About AI: Why Human Hotel Staff Are Still Irreplaceable
John Smallwood, President of Travel Outlook | September 17, 2024
Operations
Hotel Equities to Operate Fairfield Inn & Suites in Downtown Memphis Set to Break Ground Early 2017
Hotel Equities | November 3, 2016
ATLANTA - (November 3, 2016) – Atlanta-based Hotel Equities recently announced its selection as the management firm for the new Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott as part of a development in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. Goodlettsville-based EPIQ Hotels, Inc. and MNR Hospitality LLC, under the leadership of President B. Patel, are the developers of the hotel. In addition to this custom urban model of the Fairfield Inn & Suites, the project will also include a signature bar and restaurant on the corner of Union Avenue and B.B. King Blvd., facing AutoZone baseball park. "We see great potential for this beautiful new hotel in ...
Benchmark Appoints Brett Atkinson Senior Vice President of Finance
November 3, 2016
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, November 2016 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Brett Atkinson senior vice president of finance. Kirk Jones, chief financial officer of Benchmark, made the announcement. "It is with great pleasure that I formally welcome Brett to Benchmark," said Mr. Jones. "He brings an important background in finance within the hospitality industry and within banking to his new role, which will serve our company well." Brett Atkinson was previously chief financial officer for Gemstone Hotels & Resorts, a company that merged with Benchmark in July of this year. In addition to his r...
Airbnb Business is Growing Quickly Among Corporate Travelers According to New Concur Data
Concur | November 3, 2016
44 Percent User Growth YOY in Q2; Increased Adoption by Small and Midsized Companies, Education and Technology Sectors BELLEVUE, Wash., Nov. 3, 2016 -- Concur, an SAP (NYSE: SAP) company and the world's leading provider of integrated travel and expense management solutions, today released an in-depth analysis based on a subset of Concur customer data representing $77 million in Airbnb spend and more than 320,000 Airbnb expenses over eight quarters1. The findings showed which industries and segments are driving Airbnb usage in business travel. Airbnb usage also showed strong growth over time, including the number of business traveler...
Aimbridge Hospitality Opens New 142-Key Home2 Suites by Hilton in Houston Energy Corridor
Home2 Suites by Hilton | November 2, 2016
HOUSTON 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 Houston Energy Corridor. Offering 142 suites, the hotel is designed for travelers looking for a fresh, new stay experience. Home2 Suites by Hilton has enjoyed tremendous growth in the Houston market in 2016. "Houston is a major business hub and Home2 Suites by Hilton Houston Energy Corridor looks forward to welcoming guests who expect comfort and value when on the road," said Josh Aviles, general manager. "Whether enjoying our daily complimentar...
Waterford Hotel Group Promotes Claudine McGee-Bounds to General Manager of Courtyard Coatesville
Courtyard by Marriott Coatesville | November 2, 2016
Waterford, CT (November 2, 2016) --- Waterford Hotel Group has announced the promotion of Claudine McGee-Bounds to General Manager of the 125-room Courtyard by Marriott in Coatesville, PA. As General Manager, Bounds is responsible for all of the hotel's operations, sales and administration, as well as the associates employed at the property. Waterford Hotel Group, a national hotel and convention center management firm, professionally manages the 125-room hotel. Bounds joined the Courtyard Coatesville team as Operations Manager before being promoted to General Manager. Prior to that, she was the General Manager for various brands includi...
Do You Know Where Your Hotel Website Bookers Went? Tools to Decrease Website Reservation Abandonment and Boost Direct Bookings
HeBS Digital | November 2, 2016
Background While hoteliers invest time and money into digital marketing campaigns to drive traffic to the hotel website, a staggering 98% and more of those website visitors will abandon the booking process without completing the reservation. This is a tremendous waste of precious marketing dollars and missed opportunity to improve the bottom line. In this multi-channel, multi-device world we live in, travel consumers initiate 17 touch-points before making a hotel booking (Google research). Acquiring new website visitors is becoming increasingly expensive and difficult in this new environment of flattening or even decreasing website traf...
Hey Independents! Are You Thinking About Joining An Association?
Larry Mogelonsky | November 2, 2016
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) For most independent hoteliers, the decision to join an association such as Leading, Preferred, Small Luxury or Relais & Chateaux is a critical and complex decision. All of these organizations have stepped up their game of late, with grand improvements to both their web and sales offerings so that they can all stay relevant as traveler behavior changes. Moreover, the impetus to participate is exacerbated by the proliferation of inventory in the alternate lodging sector – that is, Airbnb – coupled with the marketing behemoths that are the OTAs. The costs of joining an associa...
sbe Expands Management Team for SLS Seattle Opening Summer 2017
sbe | November 1, 2016
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 1, 2016 -- sbe, the Los Angeles-based leading lifestyle hospitality company that develops, manages and operates award-winning hospitality venues, today announced Tawny Paperd as Director of Sales & Marketing, Leah Levar as Director of Human Resources and Gavin Stephenson as Executive Chef and Director of Food & Beverage of SLS Seattle. The luxury lifestyle hotel will span 16 floors of The Mark, a premier 48-story Class-A+ office tower located in midtown of Downtown Seattle. "I am delighted to announce that Tawny, Leah and Gavin have joined our team," said Rod Lapasin, General Manager of SLS Seattle. &...
HMC Appoints Denise Figuls Director of Sales & Marketing at Country Inn & Suites by Carlson™, Anaheim, CA
the Country Inn & Suites Anaheim | October 31, 2016
Dallas, TX – Leo Spriggs, President and CEO of Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC), is delighted to announce the addition of Denise Figuls to the sales team at the newly constructed Country Inn & Suites by Carlson™ in Anaheim, CA, scheduled to open in December 2016. Figuls will be responsible for all revenue generation for the hotel, as well as oversee all sales and marketing efforts. She will focus on developing and increasing revenue opportunities, client satisfaction and managing local initiatives to increase customer and brand awareness. The company continues its ongoing business expansion efforts and is made up...
Chefs from Benchmark Resorts & Hotels Offer New Takes On an American Autumnal Culinary Classic, Chili!
October 31, 2016
The Woodlands (Houston), TX, October 2016 … Chili. It's comfort food with a kick – a creation of chuck wagon cooks to fuel cowboys along the cattle trail. A steaming "bowl of red" is the official dish of Texas, and the Lone Star State traces its origins to the legendary Mexican Chili Queens of San Antonio who lined the city's plazas with pots of homemade chili. Chuck wagon chefs were said to have planted small gardens of herbs, onions and peppers along the cattle trail to ensure a steady supply of ingredients. The meat in the stew could include whatever was available – beef, buffalo, jackrabbit and even armadillo. Out...
HRI Lodging Assumes Management of Scottsdale Inn with $12 Million Renovation Planned
HRI Lodging | October 31, 2016
SCOTTSDALE, Az. (October 31, 2016) – HRI Lodging, LLC announced today that they have assumed management of the Scottsdale Inn, formerly known as the Days Inn Scottsdale. The hotel will undergo an extensive $12M renovation and a complete, formal rebranding with a new concept and name in 2017. This renovation will be led by ESI Ventures, a real estate and development company headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Since 1998, ESI has completed over $100 million in transactions throughout the greater Phoenix metro area and Southern California. This is the company's first hotel development venture. "We are excited to expand our deve...
Waterford Hotel Group Promotes Kristen Pikula to Director of Operations for Marriott Hartford Downtown
Marriott Hartford Downtown | October 28, 2016
WATERFORD, CT (October 28, 2016) – Waterford Hotel Group has announced the promotion of Kristen Pikula as Director of Operations of the Marriott Hartford Downtown. In her new role, Pikula is responsible for overseeing all rooms and food & beverage departments of the hotel, including budgeting, scheduling, associate training and development, inventory, as well as strict adherence to all Marriott and Waterford Hotel Group standards. Waterford Hotel Group, Inc. professionally manages the 409-room hotel. Pikula joins the Marriott Hartford Downtown team from her most recent position as General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott i...
White Lodging, Etkin Johnson Real Estate Partners Begin Construction on Hyatt Place Denver/Westminster
October 28, 2016
MERRILLVILLE, Ind., Oct. 28, 2016 -- White Lodging and Etkin Johnson Real Estate Partners are pleased to announce they have begun construction on a 137-room Hyatt Place hotel in Westminster, Colorado, slated to open in spring 2018. The hotel will be managed by White Lodging Services Corporation. "We are pleased to partner with Etkin Johnson Real Estate Partners on the Hyatt Place Denver/Westminster, another premium branded hotel development in Westminster," said Deno Yiankes, president and CEO of White Lodging's investment and development division. "This development is in line with our strategic development plan to co...
Groundbreaking Celebration Kicks Off Restoration of New Jersey’s Historic Natirar Mansion
Natirar | October 27, 2016
Revitalized luxury events center, including new ballroom, set for June 2017 debut Peapack-Gladstone, NJ … October 2016 – Local leaders, influencers and executives from BENCHMARK, a global hospitality company, gathered at Natirar in the Somerset Hills of New Jersey recently to ceremoniously launch a large-scale renovation and expansion initiative for the historic mansion. The project will return the circa 1912 Tudor mansion to its original grandeur, complemented by the addition of a new ballroom and events center. Set to debut June 2017, Natirar's transformation will make it the region's most exclusive retreat for weddings, ...
Choice Hotels Reports Q3 2016 Net Income of $47.6 million, a 15% Increase Over 2015; Domestic RevPAR Up 4.5%
Choice Hotels | October 27, 2016
ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 27, 2016 -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) today reported the following highlights for the third quarter 2016: Diluted earnings per share ("EPS") for the three months ended September 30, 2016 totaled $0.84 per share, an increase of 17 percent from the same period of 2015. Net income for the three months ended September 30, 2016 totaled $47.6 million, an increase of 15 percent from the same period of 2015. Revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2016 totaled $267.6 million, an increase of 11 percent from the same period of 2015. Franchising revenues for the three months ended Se...
America’s Native Spirit, Bourbon, Is Back and on Trend This Autumn Season!
Gemstone Collection | October 26, 2016
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, October 2016 … Vodka keeps Russians warm on Siberian nights, and images of iconic Britons from Beefeaters to Queen Victoria adorn bottles of English gin. The Scottish Highlands are home to the world's most marvelous malts, and fine cognac will be forever French. But Bourbon is an American original, born in the hills of Kentucky and Tennessee and proclaimed by Congress as "a distinctive product of the United States." This autumn season, it's the ideal beverage to warm the inner soul! Today, this legendary "sippin whisky" is trending in watering holes across America and beyond. Sales of distilled spi...
Hilton Reports Q3 2016 Net Income of $192 million Compared to $283 million in the Year-Ago Quarter; Spin-Off Transactions on Track for End of Year
Hilton Worldwide | October 26, 2016
MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. ("Hilton," or the "Company") (NYSE: HLT) today reported its third quarter 2016 results. Highlights include: EPS for the third quarter was $0.19 and EPS, adjusted for special items, was $0.23; net income for the third quarter was $192 million Adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter was $765 million and Adjusted EBITDA margin was 41.6 percent System-wide comparable RevPAR increased 1.3 percent for the third quarter on a currency neutral basis from the same period in 2015 Management and franchise fees for the third quarter increased 7 percent from the same period in 2015 t...
Maestro PMS Exhibits Latest Innovations for Independent Hotels and Resorts at HX and TribalNet Shows
Maestro | October 26, 2016
Expanded Guest Data Analysis Tools; Integration with Konami SYNKROS Gaming System; Online Check-In and Digital Signature Capture Strengthen Guest Service October 26, 2016 – In November, Maestro PMS will exhibit its hotel management software solutions specifically designed for independent hotel and resort operators, multi-property groups and gaming properties at two of hospitality's leading tradeshows, TribalNet and HX: The Hotel Experience. Attention to client service, sophisticated feature set, innovation and integration have paved the way in bringing the Maestro solution to hundreds of discerning properties across the globe sin...
Consider Traditional Marketing To Differentiate Your Hotel
Larry Mogelonsky | October 26, 2016
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) When was the last time you took a serious look at a traditional advertising campaign, by which I mean print (newspapers and magazines), broadcast (radio and television) and outdoor (billboards, bus shelters, posters and so on)? Given that we are well into the digital age, you may be under the belief that advertising has moved exclusively into the online domain where automated programs such as Google Adwords, retargeting and SEO programs dominate. With traditional dissemination continuing to subside in perceived value year-over-year, many have come to rely solely on digital channels which al...
HeBS Digital & Google Discuss How Hoteliers Can Use Smart Data Marketing to Drive Direct Bookings and Lower Distribution Costs
HeBS Digital | October 26, 2016
Last week, hoteliers arrived at Google's NYC headquarters for "The 2016 Travelers Mindset Conference: Using Smart Data Marketing to Drive Direct Bookings and Lower Distribution Costs." Speakers from HeBS Digital & Google discussed the various ways hoteliers can use data to build a digital marketing plan that reaches the right people, at the right time, on the right device to win the booking. Integrating Smart Data Marketing into the hoteliers' strategy is so important because it helps close the 360-degree customer engagement, retention and acquisition cycle. While retaining past guests, frequent guests, and loyalty members is impera...
Waterford Hotel Group Appoints Prentim Iljazi to General Manager of Courtyard by Marriott, Stuart
Courtyard by Marriott Stuart | October 25, 2016
Waterford, CT (October 25, 2016) – Waterford Hotel Group, Inc. has announced the appointment of Prentim (Pete) Iljazi to General Manager of the 120-room Courtyard by Marriott in Stuart, Florida. Waterford Hotel Group, a national hotel and convention center management firm, manages the hotel. As general manager, Iljazi will be responsible for all phases of the hotel's operations, sales and administration, as well as the associates employed at the hotel. Most recently, Iljazi was the General Manager at the Residence Inn in Danbury, CT and prior to that, the Front Office Manager at the Residence Inn in Hartford, CT, both managed by W...
Harnessing the Power and Prejudice of Glassdoor
Andrew Hazelton | October 25, 2016
By Andrew Hazelton Everyone is a chatty customer in the world of social media. It's no surprise therefore that brands are no longer created or its perceptions managed by marketers, but rather by consumers. And these talkative consumers now include your employees. Welcome to the new reality of transparency courtesy of the 500-pound social media gorilla called "Glassdoor." Glassdoor in concept… Founded by former Expedia veterans in 2007 and backed by Google Capital, the website offers a two-sided "marketplace" for employees to anonymously post salaries, interview questions and reviews of their employers. Sim...
Hotel Equities Selected to Manage Hampton Inn by Hilton in Gainesville, Georgia
Hotel Equities | October 25, 2016
ATLANTA–October 25, 2016– Atlanta-based Hotel Equities recently announced its selection as the management firm for the Hampton Inn by Hilton in Gainesville, Georgia. H&R Hotels, Inc., owner of the property, has developed a strategic partnership with Hotel Equities to manage the hotels in its portfolio. The Hampton Inn Gainesville will begin a major renovation in the near future using the brand's "Forever Young" design that promises to provide guests with a fresh new look and experience. Located in the central business district of Gainesville, the hotel is within walking distance of the Georgia Mountains Convention Center...
The Related Group and sbe Open SLS Brickell Hotel & Residences in Miami, Florida
sbe | October 24, 2016
(Miami, Florida) October 24, 2016 – sbe, the Los Angeles-based leading lifestyle hospitality company that develops, manages and operates award-winning hospitality venues, announced today the opening of SLS Brickell, its second SLS Miami hotel. The stunning property marks sbe's first hotel and residence project in partnership with Related Group. The formidable talents of sbe Founder and CEO, Sam Nazarian, The Related Group founder and Chairman Jorge Perez, Arquitectonica co-founding Principal Bernardo Fort-Brescia and designer Philippe Starck, have joined together to present a property poised to become a Miami landmark hotel, set i...
