HFTP® Acquires Leading Hospitality Industry Brands: Hospitality Upgrade, Hotel-Online, The CIO Summit and The Executive Vendor Summit
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals | June 25th, 2024
Spa 2.0: How to Find Profits in the Emerging Wellness 2.0
Babs Harrison | October 23, 2018
By Babs Harrison Face a stark reality: many resort and hotel spas disappoint management and owners alike when it comes to guest usage and the resulting profits. Word of advice: it will only get worse for those pursuing a rigid spa menu of services and activities. Spa just isn't a universally powerful guest magnet anymore, in part because of the sheer number of spas, in part because a "been there, done that" indifference has spread across many potential guests when they think about a spa vacation. Wellness is a powerful magnet - it's new, there's major buzz, and many swear by its benefits. That's why for those ...
Ojai Valley Inn Implements Knowcross to Achieve Operational Excellence
Knowcross | October 22, 2018
California's most revered destination, since 1923, becomes the latest to join Knowcross' roster in the US Washington D.C., October 22nd 2018 - KNOWCROSS, the preferred service quality management platform of the finest hotels across the globe, is the preferred choice of the Ojai Valley Inn to help them automate their work-flow management and housekeeping departments, in an effort to maximize efficiencies and deliver enhanced guest experiences. The Ojai Valley Inn has tapped into the cutting-edge technology and innovation of the Knowcross platform, which enables them to provide a top-notch and highly personalized service for their estee...
Owned by Asia Prestige Management, ZAZZ Hotels & Resorts to Debut in Ho Chi Minh City Q1 2019
ZAZZ Hotels & Resorts | October 16, 2018
ZAZZ Hotels & Resorts, the vibrant upscale brand owned by Asia Prestige Management and managed by Unicorn Hotels & Resorts, is pleased to announce it will debut in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Scheduled to open in Q1 2019, ZAZZ Urban Ho Chi Minh Hotel is located in District 5, Saigon's historic Chinatown. The urban oasis-themed hotel offers 40 stylish guestrooms and suites. The boutique hotel also features a unique street-front destination cafe & restaurant called Day'li. t ZOOK. ZOOK is the hotel's rooftop bar that offers a variety of expertly-crafted cocktails and other beverages along with comfort food dishes and small bites. Iv...
Aston Waikiki Circle Hotel Goes All-In With Knowcross
Knowcross | September 25, 2018
Global leader in hospitality technology adds the much-sought-after jewel in Waikiki to its client roster Washington D.C., September 25th 2018 - KNOWCROSS, the preferred service quality management platform of the finest hotels across the globe, has been chosen by the Aston Waikiki Circle Hotel to maximize control and ensure efficiencies across their hotel operations. This inclusion adds to the growing list of marquee hotels & brands associated with Knowcross in the Americas. The Knowcross platform facilitates automated handling of guest requests, complaints and maintenance jobs while helping to capture, track and significantly reduc...
All Suites Brands by Hilton Open 34 Properties, Ink 35 Hotel Deals in Q2 2018
Embassy Suites by Hilton | September 7, 2018
Category-leading brands capitalize on growing meetings/convention business with opening of new convention center locations; expand footprint of multi-brand hotels MCLEAN, Va. – September 7, 2018 – The All Suites brands by Hilton have continued their strong growth into Q2, opening 34 new hotels and bringing the total number of All Suites properties to nearly 1,000. The second quarter was marked by the All Suites brands entrance into several new convention center submarkets, and further expansion of the brand's footprint of multi-brand hotels. The All Suites brands also signed 35 hotel deals in the second quarter, continuing t...
Managed by Baywood Hotels, the Home2 Suites by Hilton Charlottesville Downtown Opens in Virginia
Home2 Suites by Hilton | September 7, 2018
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. and MCLEAN, Va. - September 7, 2018 - Home2 Suites by Hilton, part of Hilton's (NYSE: HLT) All Suites portfolio, announced today its newest property, Home2 Suites by Hilton Charlottesville Downtown. Designed for travelers who want to maintain their normal routine, the hotel features 113 suites and a range of value, tech-focused and eco-conscious amenities. Home2 Suites by Hilton Charlottesville Downtown complements the area's continuous increase in lodging demand year over year*. "Virginia's tourism growth in recent years** has given us the opportunity to seamlessly expand our brand footprint throughout the stat...
Tourism Tidbits: Developing a Tourism Marketing Plan in a Changing World
Dr. Peter Tarlow | September 7, 2018
By Dr. Peter Tarlow Anyone who even briefly watches the news cannot help but be aware that the world is changing rapidly and the tourism and travel industry continues to face numerous challenges. From hostilities in the Middle East to the up and down cost of fuel, from tsunamis in Asia to crime waves and kidnappings in Latin America, tourism officials often find themselves "hostages of current events." Tourism, and its travel and hospitality related industries, often base their business designs on market share, product improvement, and other non customer-centric designs. As tourism becomes an ever more competitive industry, ge...
Tambourine: Do You Know Your Hotel’s Optimal Business Mix?
Tambourine | September 7, 2018
As the number of hotel distribution channels, marketing tools and rate types increase—and the cost for each booking varies—so does the need for determining a hotel's optimal business mix (OBM). But with so much data to process and analyze, coming from multiple sources, the challenge is to maintain a high-level perspective on the hotel's overall revenue goals and needs. That's where the art and science of determining a hotel's OBM come into play. To put it simply, finding a hotel's OBM is the process of finding which sales channels, demand segments and rates work best for the property, factoring in the cost of each customer, ...
Technology: Great Enabler for Hospitality Professionals
Avukile Mabombo | September 7, 2018
By Avukile Mabombo It's well known that technology is only as useful as the user (and the purposes for which it is being used). The many uses of technology in business present fantastic opportunities to tap into broader markets and opportunities; it's an enabler that should be embraced, and that's the message the UNWTO is driving in this year's World Tourism Day's theme: transformative technology in tourism. Disrupting an industry Technology isn't simply what happens inside your computer or mobile device, it governs every aspect of what we're doing, having an impact on sustainability initiatives, resource man...
Hotel Industry Announces Added Safety Measures for Employees; Builds on Layers of Security Procedures
AHLA | September 6, 2018
Major Brands to Deploy Safety Devices; Competitors Across Lodging Industry Unite to Advance Employee, Guest Protection Partner at Buckley Sandler and Co-founder of Time's Up Legal Defense Fund Applauds Progress on Employee Security Washington, D.C. (September 6, 2018) – Building on decades of investments in safety and security and in coordination with security experts, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the major hotel brands in membership today announced the 5-Star Promise, a pledge to provide hotel employees across the U.S. with employee safety devices (ESDs) and commit to enhanced policies, trainings and re...
Flight Centre’s Hotel Management Business BHMA Launches New X2 Vibe Viet Tri Hotel in Vietnam
BHMA | September 6, 2018
Bangkok, 6 September 2018 - Flight Centre Travel Group's hotels and accommodation business BHMA has announced the launch of a new hotel in Vietnam – X2 Vibe Viet Tri Hotel. This property continues the group's strong expansion of managed hotels throughout Southeast Asia. Managing Director of BHMA, Kent Davidson said that our first Vietnam property X2 Vibe Viet Tri Hotel would be the only hotel under international brand in the city of Viet Tri, catering to both the business and leisure market. The hotel is conveniently located 60 km from Hanoi's Noi Bai International airport, in the northeast region of Vietnam. "We will serve the in...
Strand Hospitality Set to Open 90-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Crestview, Florida
Fairfield Inn & Suites | September 6, 2018
Crestview, FL – September 6, 2018 – The 90-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Crestview, Florida is scheduled to open this Tuesday, September 11, 2018 with a new décor that provides guests with a feeling of warmth and calm while traveling. Located at 110 Crosson Street, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Crestview will operate as a Marriott franchise, managed by Strand Hospitality of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The Fairfield Inn & Suites Crestview offers guests convenient access to Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Eglin Air Force Base, Northwest Florida State College, Garden City Sports Complex and Timber Cree...
Hotel Booking Sites Under Scrutiny: Implications for the Hotel Industry
Stuart Pallister | September 6, 2018
By Stuart Pallister At the end of June, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched a crackdown on a number of hotel booking sites due to concerns they were breaking consumer protection law. Concerns included search results rankings, pressure selling, discount claims, and hidden charges. The CMA has sent warning letters to a "range of sites", demanding that these booking sites review the way they rank and display information, and comply with the law. It says "the next step is to take any necessary action – including through the courts if needed – to ensure people get a fair deal." EHL assistant professor of mar...
How Serviced Apartments Are Tuning Into Modern Traveler Needs
JLL Real Views | September 6, 2018
As the line between work and leisure trips continues to blur, serviced apartment operators are both fuelling and catering for this growing 'b-leisure' market. More than two thirds of business travelers tag on extra days before or after meetings on at least one trip a year, according to Egencia. Combine it with changing traveler preferences for home-style accommodation in convenient locations, and serviced apartments are an increasingly popular choice. "Many of today's travellers want to stay somewhere where they tend to have more space and greater independence than in traditional hotels," says Eva Chan, vice president of JLL Hotels and ...
Conrad New York Appoints Trevor Brune as Director of Catering and Events
Conrad New York | September 6, 2018
NEW YORK, NY. – September 6, 2018 – In partnership with Union Square Events, Conrad New York is pleased to announce the appointment of Trevor Brune to director of catering and events. With more than 12 years of hospitality experience, Brune brings targeted knowledge in event trends and guest relations expertise to lower Manhattan's only all-suite luxury hotel where he will manage the planning and execution of all operations by Union Square Events, the hotel's exclusive catering partner. "We are thrilled to welcome Trevor to Conrad New York and Union Square Events as our director of catering and events" said Marlene Poynder, ...
HFTP and HTNG Sign Partnership Agreement to Strengthen Resources for the Hospitality Industry
HFTP | September 6, 2018
Two hospitality technology organizations to work together to cross-promote education and resources Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) and Hospitality Technology Next Generation (HTNG) announced during Hospitality Upgrade's Annual CIO Summit that they established a partnership geared toward strengthening the progression of the technology in the hospitality industry. The agreement is based on both organizations' desire to use each group's complementary strengths and resources to advance technology in the hospitality and travel industries. "For years, HFTP and HTNG have worked in parallel in sup...
Two Roads Hospitality to Debut Bell Works Hotel as Part of Destination Hotels Collection
Destination Hotels | September 6, 2018
DENVER, CO. – September 6, 2018 – International boutique and lifestyle company Two Roads Hospitality today announced the debut of a new Destination Hotels property opening in Bell Works, located in Holmdel, New Jersey's largest "Metroburb." The hospitality brand will debut an extensive conference center and reception ballroom in Fall 2018, with a hotel launch to follow. Steeped in history, Bell Works is located in the former Bell Labs research building, a vast, 2-million-square-foot development originally designed in the 1960s by world-renowned modernist architect Eero Saarinen. Listed on the National Register of Historic Pl...
National Diagnostic Survey Reveals How Well Six Hotel Brands Connect With Their Customer Base
The Values Institute | September 6, 2018
SANTA ANA, Calif. (Sept. 6, 2018) — Holiday Inn, an Atlanta, Ga. company, finished at the top of the hotel category in a national survey measuring the trustworthiness of the nation's largest brands in eight key industries. Hilton landed in second place, followed by Hyatt, Sheraton, Marriott, and Best Western. The survey, which measured how well 43 of the largest U.S. brands connect with customers, found that hotels and appliances are the country's most trusted brand categories while cell service providers and rideshare services rank lowest on the public trust spectrum. The Values Institute (TVI), a leading social science research ...
Millennials: Changing Preferences & Priorities of Hotel F&B
Lori Crowley | September 6, 2018
By Lori Crowley Coming up as a Boomer, we simply did not have many choices when it came to what (and even where) we ate. For most of us, dinner was on the table every night, and there was a structure and familiarity to the ritual-not to mention the menu-that was very different than today. Boomers grew up in a time when life for most families was more structured and regimented, (usually) with more limited funds to devote to food shopping, and a budget that made eating out a relative rarity. And yes, of course, that's a generalization, if not a stereotype, but it's an anecdotal observation that's been backed by some convincing...
Woodbine Legacy Investments Launches $20 Million Phased Renovation of W Atlanta-Buckhead
Woodbine Legacy Investments | September 6, 2018
ATLANTA (Sept. 6, 2018) — Woodbine Legacy Investments (WLI) launched a $20 million renovation on W Atlanta-Buckhead, a 12-story, 291-room full-service luxury hotel in Atlanta's affluent Buckhead neighborhood. The renovation began in May 2018 and will be complete in late December 2018, just weeks before the city hosts Super Bowl LIII. "When this hotel debuted as part of the W Hotels portfolio in 2008, it quickly became a hotspot for locals and visitors alike and has remained that way for the past decade. That said, when Woodbine purchased the property in 2017, we knew it needed a reboot to restore its shine," said Dupree S...
Conrad Hong Kong Appoints Stephane Roubin as Hotel Manager
Conrad Hotels & Resorts | September 6, 2018
HONG KONG, Sept. 6, 2018 -- Conrad Hong Kong announces Stephane Roubin as its Hotel Manager. A compassionate leader with far-reaching vision, he promises to help the hotel maintain its attention to detail that has impressed the guests, while injecting new elements to its services using his previous work experience as inspirations. Born in France, Roubin holds a Master Degree on Hotel Management at the Vatel Hotel & Tourism Business School in Lyon and a Bachelor Degree on Law at The University of Toulon. Since fifteen years ago when he joined the Hilton, Roubin has traveled across the globe, working in various establishments of the h...
Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo Appoints Ryan Grande as Resort Manager
Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo | September 6, 2018
GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA (September 6, 2018) – Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo has appointed Ryan Grande as Resort Manager of the Forbes Five-star luxury resort that is nestled between two beaches on the 1,400-acre (565 hectare) Peninsula Papagayo on the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica. In his new role, Grande will guide the resort's exceptional guest experience and oversee day-to-day operations of the award-winning tropical resort. Grande most recently served as the resort's Director of Room and Residences. "We are thrilled for Ryan to continue to grow and thrive at Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica as our new R...
The Duniway Appoints Ryan Kunzer as General Manager
The Duniway | September 6, 2018
PORTLAND, Oregon (September 6, 2018) – Today The Duniway, A Hilton Hotel announces the appointment of Ryan Kunzer to General Manager. With over six years of General Manager experience, Kunzer is responsible for devising all capital expenditures including revenue management, team building and delivering a business strategy to increase quality and efficiency of overall operations. Kunzer's enthusiastic and result-oriented approach provides effective leadership with a focus on innovation, increased revenues and creating an unsurpassable luxury guest experience, to support the nearly two-year-old property in the heart of downtown Port...
Blockchain and Real Estate: Don’t Let Bitcoin Blind You to the Usefulness of Blockchain
Savills Vietnam | September 6, 2018
Bitcoin and crypocurrencies may not interest you, but the underlying blockchain technology should. Imagine that, early this year, you sold a property for $10m and opted to take payment in Bitcoin. Perhaps your $10m of Bitcoin was transferred to you on January 6, when a Bitcoin was worth $17,135.84. If you didn't use those funds by, say, the next Tuesday, your store of Bitcoin would have fallen in value by 16%. If you waited another week to spend those coins, you would find they'd plummeted 55% in value. Of course, had the sale taken place exactly a year earlier, you could have watched your $10m of Bitcoin turn into more than $200m by t...
