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
Served a Fish Soup That We Never Had
Dr. Gabor Forgacs | June 13, 2022
Dr. Gabor Forgacs I was the General Manager of the three-star Hotel Rege in Budapest, Hungary when we happened to host a conference in April of 1985. The event was attended by the chief executives of cooperative corporations of the travel and tourism industries of European countries. It was a multi-day event during which the attendees were entertained by visits to tourist attractions and enlightening day trips to the countryside, giving them a taste of the traditional Hungarian hospitality offered by successful coops. The event was a great success to Cooptourist, the official organizer (and owner of our hotel), and the staff of our hotel h...
Travel Industry Welcomes Lifting of Pre-Departure Testing Requirement for Inbound Air Travelers Following Months of Advocacy
U.S. Travel Association | June 10, 2022
WASHINGTON (June 10, 2022)—U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement on the Biden administration’s announcement that the pre-departure testing requirement for inbound air travelers to the United States will be lifted on June 12: “Today marks another huge step forward for the recovery of inbound air travel and the return of international travel to the United States. The Biden administration is to be commended for this action, which will welcome back visitors from around the world and accelerate the recovery of the U.S. travel industry. “International inbound travel is vitally important to ...
ADA Defense Lawyer: DOJ Issues Guidance On Website Accessibility
Jim Butler | June 9, 2022
By Jim Butler, Stuart Tubis ecently on March 18, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a “Web Accessibility Guidance” statement for state and local governments and public accommodations (including businesses) under Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A copy of the Guidance document can be found here. In the Guidance, the DOJ clarifies once again that the ADA applies to websites: “the Department’s longstanding interpretation of the general nondiscrimination and effective communication provisions applies to web accessibility.” The Guidance also provides some examples of website acces...
HotStats’ COO Talks Profitability — Today and Tomorrow
HotStats | June 9, 2022
Hotel demand is high, rates are up, but what does it mean for the full spectrum of the profit-and-loss statement. The global hospitality industry is still facing down operational headwinds, and Michael Grove, COO of HotStats, outlined those challenges during a panel session at the International Hospitality Investment Forum (IHIF) titled, “Decoding the Data.” Grove’s presentation, which you can watch in full below, touched on myriad data points and honed in on four main issues impacting the hotel industry’s recovery from the depth of the pandemic: 1) the labour challenge 2) the return of corporate, group and conference travel 3) the...
Restaurateur Charlie Palmer and Four Seasons Veteran Christopher Hunsberger Launch Appellation Hotel Brand
Appellation | June 8, 2022
Healdsburg, CA: Celebrated American chef Charlie Palmer and hotel industry veteran Christopher Hunsberger announce the co-founded launch of Appellation, the first hotel brand born from the elegant merger of culinary and hospitality. Appellation, meaning “to give a name to a place,” will cultivate community around food and the role it plays in bringing people together, while exuding ‘approachable luxury’ in accommodations and service. The brand’s initial new-build hotels will debut in iconic leisure destinations in Idaho with Appellation Sun Valley (2023) and two distinct regions in California with Appellation Healdsburg (2023) and A...
GHG Partners Guy Maisnik and David Sudeck Recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal and the Los Angeles Times
JMBM | June 8, 2022
Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP (JMBM) is pleased to announce that two senior Global Hospitality Group® members were honored last month for their legal accomplishments. Guy Maisnik, Vice Chair of JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group®, has been included in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s list of “Top 100 Lawyers.” This list honors the top lawyers in Los Angeles for their legal achievements, professional impact and community involvement. Guy advises clients on hospitality transactions, representing buyers, sellers, lenders, opportunity funds, special servicers, REITs, and developers in hotel transactions, joint ventures...
HSMAI Announces Inaugural Marketing Award Honorees
Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) | June 7, 2022
McLean, VA—The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) will celebrate three remarkable marketing leaders during HSMAI’s Marketing Strategy Conference in Orlando on June 28. Jessie Burns, Senior Director of Brand & Public Relations Strategy for Terranea Resort, and Sean Dee, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for Outrigger Hospitality Group, will be presented with the Marketing Professional of the Year Awards for single/multi-unit and corporate categories, respectively. Dr. Katerina Berezina, Associate Professor at the University of Mississippi, will be honored with the Marketing Educat...
Marriott International Launches “Marriott’s Bridging The Gap” Hotel Development Program
Marriott International | June 6, 2022
$50 Million Program Aims to Increase Development and Ownership of Marriott Properties Among Historically Underrepresented Groups Including Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native American/First Nation and Women At the 44th Annual NYU International Hospitality Investment Conference, Marriott International (Nasdaq:MAR) announced the launch of “Marriott’s Bridging The Gap,” a multi-year, $50 million development program that aims to address the barriers to entry that historically underrepresented groups face in owning and developing hotels in the United States and Canada. Recognizing that access to capital constitutes a critical barrier to market ...
Visitors Flock to UK to Join Celebrations as the Queen Celebrates 70 Years on the Throne
WTTC | June 2, 2022
Total number of UK Travel & Tourism jobs has risen 49% since the Golden Jubilee 20 years ago London, UK: According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) visitors from overseas are pouring into the UK to join the celebrations marking Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. As the UK gears up to celebrate, new data from WTTC’s partner ForwardKeys shows the number of arriving tourists from key overseas markets and leading Commonwealth countries, such as Singapore, Australia and Canada are all up this week compared to last week by 19%, 6% and 2% respectively. Indeed, the UK Travel & Tourism sector has gone from str...
Hotel of Tomorrow Project Unveils Seven New Hospitality Concepts
The Gettys Group | June 2, 2022
Chicago, Il (June 2, 2022) --What will hotels of the future look like and how will they function? The Hotel of Tomorrow Project (HOT Project®), a global think tank of industry leaders, seeks to answer that question. After an eight-month collaborative effort, which included regular and virtual reality meet-ups on a custom-built HOT airship in the metaverse, a team of more than 200 including representatives from Hilton, IHG and Marriott hotels, along with technology experts and hospitality school students has unveiled seven future hotel visions. “When you gather and collaborate with many of the most innovative minds in the hospitality ind...
Benchmark Pyramid Rebrands to Pyramid Global Hospitality
Pyramid Global Hospitality | June 2, 2022
BOSTON, June 2, 2022—Benchmark Pyramid today announced the company has rebranded to Pyramid Global Hospitality. The parent entity will include multiple divisions responsible for specific industry segments. All branded properties in the Americas will fall under the purview of Pyramid Global Hospitality. Benchmark, Pyramid Luxury Lifestyle will focus exclusively on the company’s portfolio of independent properties. Hamilton, Pyramid Europe will continue to be responsible for the company’s growing portfolio of European hotels. “Prior to the merger, each entity had its own identity that resonated with different audiences," said...
Sports Tourism – A Rewarding Opportunity for Hotels
Saniya Zanpure | May 31, 2022
By Saniya Zanpure, Dipti Mohan The global sports tourism industry, as per Industry Reports valued at US$ 458.8 billion in 2019, is one of the fastest-growing segments in tourism, with a CAGR of 16.1% expected to reach US$ 1,803.7 billion by 2030. In 2019, the US alone recorded 180 million sports-related visitors, generating 69 million room nights for hotels. The sports tourism market, like all other tourism segments, took a hit due to the COVID-19-related restrictions on travel, with the segment’s value declining to US$ 323.42 billion in 2020. Having said that, unlike corporate meetings and other events, sports events cannot be hosted o...
Hyatt Centric Gran Via Madrid to Enter The RendezVerse
Hyatt | May 31, 2022
LONDON UK, 31st May 2022 - Web3 technology is creating new ways to market and monetise hotels which has led The Hyatt Centric Gran Via Madrid to agreed terms to work with the team at RendezVerse to bring to life the vision of where the industry is headed in an effort to save our most valuable assets, time, money and the planet. RendezVerse is building a community in the metaverse for the hotel and events industry, bringing together buyers, venues, service providers and event specialists inside digital twins of some of the most iconic venues and hotels in the world. RendezVerse will enable meetings, site visits and eventually events in the ...
UMF Corporation Names Mabel Castro as National Guest Room Attendant Excellence Award Recipient
UMF Corporation | May 27, 2022
Northbrook, Ill. – May 27, 2022 – UMF Corporation today announced that Mabel Castro, guest room attendant (GRA) at the Chicago Marriott Downtown, has earned the company’s third annual Guest Room Attendant Excellence Award. UMF established the GRA Excellence Award in 2020 to acknowledge the crucial role GRAs play in ensuring hotel guest safety, satisfaction, and loyalty in the COVID-19 era. “In the more than 15 years that Mabel has worked for Marriott, she has been recognized countless times by our guests for going above and beyond,” said Chicago Marriott Downtown Director of Services Victoria DeSantis. “She consistently exc...
The Year of the Big Family Holiday: Brits Set to Spend Over £80bn on Family Holidays this Year
Hilton | May 27, 2022
LONDON, UK: 27 May, 2022 – As the worst effects of the pandemic pass, travellers are expected to make more considered travel choices. In fact, with over a third (37%) of the nation admitting they have not fully used their annual leave since before the pandemic, new research by Hilton (NYSE: HLT), reveals that Brits are prepared to spend an estimated 34% more on their holidays this year than pre-pandemic - an average total of £1,246 per person on travel, and an impressive £83.6bn as a nation this year. However, despite this willingness to spend, value remains key to UK holidaymakers as affordability ranks the top ‘must-have’ for ha...
IHG Hotels & Resorts Honors Top Performing Americas Hotels With Spirit of True Hospitality Awards
IHG Hotels & Resorts | May 27, 2022
Annual awards program celebrates hotels for exceptional cleanliness and guest satisfaction IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, recently recognized nearly 400 hotels and their respective teams as Spirit of True Hospitality Awards recipients for their 2021 accomplishments. The annual awards program acknowledges hotels across the Americas – including the U.S., Canada and Latin America – for exceptional performance among several key customer criteria, including cleanliness and overall customer service and satisfaction. Considered the most prestigious honor among IHG Hotels & Resorts properties, ...
73% of Americans Plan to Travel This Summer – But Inflation Has Forced Some to Alter Their Plans
ValuePenguin | May 26, 2022
ValuePenguin Survey Finds Americans Will Take Fewer Trips but Plan to Spend More Money While on Vacation NEW YORK, May 26, 2022 -- After a 2-year slump, summer travel is heating up. A new ValuePenguin Survey finds that 73% of Americans are ready to cross off coveted destinations from their bucket lists but not everyone is ready to splurge. Soaring costs and a lingering pandemic have some opting out and staying home. Highlights More Americans plan to travel this year - On average they plan to spend about $2,700 per trip, up $300 from 2021. High costs keep others from vacationing - 57% of those who aren't traveling this su...
HFTP Announces Participating Startups for Entrepreneur 20X (E20X) at HITEC Orlando and Winners for E20X at HITEC Dubai in 2022
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) | May 26, 2022
Three innovative hospitality technology startups receive top awards during E20X competition at HITEC Dubai on May 25, just as eight startups are selected to pitch during the next E20X event at HITEC Orlando this June. Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®), producer of Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®), announces the exceptional startups to receive awards at E20X Dubai held May 25, 2022 at HITEC Dubai, co-located with The Hotel Show at the Dubai World Trade Center. HFTP’s E20X startup pitch competition gives passionate startups the chance to gain valuable industry exposure and...
Grand Pacific Resorts Celebrates Multiple ARDA 2022 Wins
Grand Pacific Resorts | May 26, 2022
CARLSBAD, CA, May 2022 —Grand Pacific Resorts returned triumphant from the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Conference with three new ARDA Awards in tow, further solidifying its reputation as an award-winning resort management company. Every year, ARDA recognizes timeshare industry professionals and programs for their noteworthy accomplishments and excellence in a range of competitive categories. Grand Pacific Resort’s Marketing & Communications Team won the Best Communications Team Award, and individual Grand Pacific Resort associates earned awards in their respective categories: Shannon Kucharski from San Clemente C...
ISHC Young Leader Award Goes to Theo Bortoluzzi
ISHC | May 25, 2022
Berlin — 25 May 2022 — The International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) in partnership with the International Hospitality Investment Forum (IHIF) presented the prestigious ISHC Young Leader Award to Theo Bortoluzzi, the youngest member of the Kerten Hospitality team. Theo has grown from Intern to Business Development Manager in just two short years. Based in Barcelona, Theo was instrumental in the signing of Kerten Hospitality’s first deal in Europe and is currently spearheading projects that help support the development of more sustainable properties. Theo has been recognized as a 30 Under 30 by Hotelier Middle East. ...
Atlanta Hospitality Alliance (AHA) Names Kim Bardoul President
Atlanta Hospitality Alliance (AHA) | May 25, 2022
ATLANTA, May 25, 2022—The Atlanta Hospitality Alliance (AHA), the premier peer-to-peer learning and networking organization for current and future hospitality investment leaders in Atlanta, - announced its 2022 Board of Directors, including naming Kim Bardoul as president. The organization also announced a restructuring of its membership platform. “Kim’s hospitality bona fides are impeccable, and her Atlanta roots run deep, making her the ideal candidate to lead the AHA for the coming year,” said Jatin Desai, managing principal/CFO, Peachtree Hotel Group, and immediate past chair, AHA. “In addition to her work with us, she is...
Getting Back to Getaways: 2022 Deloitte Summer Travel Survey
Deloitte Transportation, Hospitality & Services | May 24, 2022
Against the backdrop of a persisting pandemic, the Deloitte 2022 summer leisure travel survey explores Americans’ travel intent Eileen Crowley Michael Daher Peter Caputo United States United States United States Anthony J. Jackson Maggie Rauch Bryan Terry United States United States United States As the COVID-19 pandemic moves through unpredictable ups and downs, intent to travel continues to climb higher. Unhindered by continued news about variants or by rising airfares and hotel rates, travel intent has reached a level that would have been high befo...
HFTP Announces 2022 Inductees to the Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame: Jeff Bzdawka and Jeff Edwards; Honored at HITEC Orlando Next Month
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals | May 23, 2022
The industry icons will be recognized for their influential role in advancing hospitality technology in a special presentation on June 28, 2022. Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) is pleased to announce two champions of hospitality technology, Jeff Bzdawka and Jeff Edwards as the 2022 HFTP International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame inductees, both recognized for their experience and leadership in promoting hospitality innovation and technology. Bzdawka serves as CEO at Knowland. Edwards is senior vice president of Property, Owner and Enterprise Products and Platforms at InterContinental Hotels Group (IH...
Sustainability Momentum Builds for Corporate Travel and Meeting Management According to New Research From GBTA and Cvent
Global Business Travel Association | May 19, 2022
Alexandria, VA – Sustainability is at the forefront of global business, but have company commitments to sustainability made their way to corporate travel and meetings management programs? What will it take for companies to make business travel and meetings more sustainable? A new report from Global Business Travel Association and Cvent – “The Journey to More Sustainable Corporate Travel and Meetings Management Programs” – surveys corporate travel managers and meeting planners across the U.S., Canada and several European countries about their current sustainability programs and activities. The report reveals where corporate trave...
