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BENCHMARK® Appoints Andy Blair as Director of Finance for Snow King Resort, Jackson, Wyoming
Snow King Resort | April 14, 2021
The Woodlands, Houston, Texas - April 14, 2021 - BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has formally announced the appointment of Andy Blair to the position of director of finance for Snow King Resort, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property located in Jackson, Wyoming. Gregg Fracassa, Benchmark’s general manager at the resort, made the announcement. "I am so pleased to have Andy as part of our resort’s leadership team,” said Mr. Fracassa. “His vast financial acumen and his knowledge of our company’s Be The Difference service culture, having previously been a part of the Benchmark family, are invaluable to the property...
The Ransomware Threat Is Ever Increasing, and Hotels Are Paying Huge Ransoms
David Mulhall | April 14, 2021
By David Mulhall No one is talking about it, but everybody knows. It is the secret that is best left unspoken. “Don’t tell anyone, we just got hacked.” No access to our data. Guest experience chaotic in just minutes. Hotels and resorts are at risk like never before. Just when you thought you had seen it all, an industry reeling from COVID, travel disruptions not seen in a hundred years, and now Cyberterrorists are striking. These bad actors are successfully demanding and receiving huge ransoms. We have heard of one recent case where the ransom paid was $500,000. While this is truly substantial, it is only one part ...
Midas Hospitality to Develop First Newly Built Clayton, Missouri Hotel Since 1990
Midas Hospitality | April 14, 2021
Sister company Midas Construction to build the $47 million Residence Inn by Marriott St. Louis, Mo. - April 14, 2021 - A newly constructed hotel in the heart of Clayton, Missouri’s business district – the first hotel built since 1990 – is scheduled to open its doors in Fall of 2022. Leading hotel development, management and investment firm Midas Hospitality recently broke ground on its $47 million Residence Inn by Marriott. Located at 8125 Forsyth Blvd., the 12-story hotel will feature 170 extended stay rooms complete with fully equipped kitchens. The property is situated near the 47-acre Shaw Park, the city’s oldest and largest...
Kimpton Pittman Hotel Names Rajeev Gopalakrishnan as General Manager
April 14, 2021
DALLAS, TX – April 14, 2021– Kimpton Pittman Hotel is pleased to announce the appointment of Rajeev Gopalakrishnan as the hotel’s new General Manager. While Gopalakrishnan is new to the Kimpton brand, he is no stranger to the hospitality industry, having worked in the industry for nearly 20 years. After receiving his Diploma in Hospitality and Business Management degree in his home country of India, Gopalakrishnan continued his education at the Institute Hotelier Cesar Ritz in Switzerland. A true globetrotter, upon graduating with a Diploma in Hotel Management in 2003, he began his hospitality career in London as a restaurant superviso...
React Mobile Leading Discussions on Employee Safety During AHLA’s 2021 Virtual ‘Safety Summit’ Today
React Mobile | April 14, 2021
CEO Robb Monkman and CTO Riley Eller to speak in discussions focused on leveraging technology to improve employee safety. Seattle, WA — April 14, 2021 — Today at the American Hotel & Lodging Assn.’s 2021 Virtual Safety Summit, hoteliers will gather to discuss top safety concerns that are critical to the future of the hotel industry. This “can't-miss” event is designed to help prepare and protect owners and operators from what lies ahead. React Mobile, a Supporting Sponsor of the event and a provider of best-in-class hotel safety platforms, will play a key role with CEO Robb Monkman and CTO Riley Eller moderating three ro...
Cora Cora Maldives Selects IDeaS G3 RMS to Maximise Revenue and Provide Pricing Decisions in Uncertain APAC Market
IDeaS | April 14, 2021
New Maldives resort chooses IDeaS to optimise performance ahead of grand opening SINGAPORE — 14 April 2021 — IDeaS, a SAS company, the world’s leading provider of hotel revenue management software and services, announced today its partnership with Cora Cora Maldives to implement IDeaS G3 Revenue Management System (RMS) at the Maldives’ most anticipated new resort opening of 2021. Powered by advanced analytics, IDeaS G3 RMS offers Cora Cora Maldives the industry’s most comprehensive pricing decisions, interactive dashboards and reporting tools to elevate revenue and occupancy performance. IDeaS’ unrivalled reputation and a lon...
Hawks Cay Resort Welcomes Robert Moore as New Resort Manager
Hawks Cay Resort | April 13, 2021
DUCK KEY, Fla. – April 12, 2021 – Hawks Cay Resort, an iconic destination resort in the Florida Keys, announces the appointment of Robert Moore as the new Resort Manager. Joining the resort from a custom destination marketing organization in Nashville, Moore brings his operational expertise to the AAA Four Diamond resort. Most recently, Moore served as General Manager of CSI DMC Nashville, where he successfully designed and serviced strategies with hotel partners. He has an extensive career in the hospitality industry, having worked with Gaylord Hotels as Hotel Manager and Vice President of Conference Management at the Gaylord Nationa...
Hilton Santa Monica Hotel & Suites Opens in the Heart of Santa Monica
Hilton Hotels & Resorts | April 13, 2021
SANTA MONICA, Calf. April 12, 2021 – Hilton Hotels & Resorts, together with Westmont Hospitality Group today announced the opening of Hilton Santa Monica Hotel & Suites, ushering in a fresh new aesthetic and chic destination to the California bucket list city known for its perfect balance of seaside charm and coastal sophistication. Situated just a few blocks from the shores of the Pacific, Santa Monica’s newest lifestyle hotel stands out, offering more suites – and some of the most spacious accommodations – than any other hotel in the area. The coastal property boasts 286 guest rooms, 211 of them suites, all with unique lay...
Travel and Tourism Deal Activity Registers 40.3% Growth During March 2021, Finds GlobalData
GlobalData | April 13, 2021
A total of 108 deals (comprising mergers & acquisitions, private equity, and venture financing) were announced in the global travel and tourism sector during March 2021, which is an increase of 40.3% over 77 deals announced in February, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The rebound in deal activity in March, following a decline during the previous month, assumes even more significance as the travel and tourism sector was badly hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Deal activity in the sector remained subdued in 2020, while 2021 started on a slower note. H...
Tourism After Lockdown: The Long and Short of Long-Haul Travel
STR | April 13, 2021
Mass COVID-19 vaccination programs are underway across the globe and providing the tourism and hospitality industry a much-needed confidence boost following 12 months or so of seismic declines. However, with lockdowns still in place for some regions and the emergence of new virus variants, predicting future travel demand remains challenging. To track evolving consumer trends in the sector, and examine everchanging attitudes on travel, STR conducted a quantitative survey in February 2021 among 1,333 respondents from its Traveler Panel. In this first article of our latest Tourism After Lockdown series, we look at sentiment towards intern...
HSMAI Foundation Announces Mike Dimond 2021 Scholarship Program
April 13, 2021
The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Foundation excited to open the 2021 call for applications for its Mike Dimond Scholarship Program. This scholarship program was established to support degree-seeking students who are pursuing careers in hospitality sales, marketing, or revenue optimization. The late Mike Dimond was widely recognized as one of the top hotel marketing executives in the United States. He was an iconic sales and marketing executive at both the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs and the Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville. Dimond is a member of the HSMAI Hall of Fame and was hono...
Hotel Melby, Tapestry Collection by Hilton Opens in Melbourne, Florida
Tapestry Collection by Hilton | April 13, 2021
MELBOURNE, Fla. - April 13, 2021 - Hotel Melby, a 11-story, 180-room state of the art, full-service hotel just minutes from Downtown Melbourne, Orlando-Melbourne International Airport and Melbourne Beach is the latest addition Tapestry Collection, one of Hilton's 18 market-leading brands. Hotel Melby offers welcoming beauty with architectural details and comfortable spaces that will capture guests' imagination. Much like the Melbourne community, Hotel Melby is eclectic, vibrant, engaging and historical. The hotel's inviting atmosphere will offer guests an authentic experience, that is casually approachable, free spirited and regio...
Corpus Christi Has Most Expensive Hotel Rates in Texas, According to Survey
Cheaphotels.org | April 13, 2021
DALLAS - April 13, 2021 - Corpus Christi, located in the Gulf of Mexico, is the most expensive destination in Texas based on the cost of lodging, according to a recent survey conducted by CheapHotels.org. The survey compared 30 cities in the Lone Star State, using the average rate for the cheapest available double room (minimum: 3-star hotel) during the month of April 2021. April is typically the month during which most Texan cities reach their highest average hotel rates. To stay in Corpus Christi, travelers will have to spend an average of $105 per night. Also on the podium are the border city of El Paso and the McLennan...
Curator Hotel & Resort Collection Welcomes Sage Hospitality Group as New Founding Member
Curator Hotel & Resort Collection | April 13, 2021
BETHESDA, Md. - April 13, 2021 - Announced today, Curator Hotel & Resort Collection (“Curator”) is bolstering its list of prestigious founding members with the addition of Sage Hospitality Group (“Sage”). Sage is joining a group of six other founding members: like-minded hotel owners and operators committed to working in cooperative competition to lift the independent hotel industry and provide incomparable experiences for travelers. Today, Sage is introducing ten member hotels to the Curator collection of properties, where they will be able to access best-in-class operating agreements, services, and non-proprietary technolog...
Remote Work Trends: What Hotel Workspaces Can Offer Over Co-Working Offices
EHL | April 13, 2021
There was a time when working where and when you wanted was primarily limited to freelancers and digital nomads. But that was before the COVID-19 pandemic paved the way for new remote working trends. Since, the days of daily commutes to large open-plan offices with coffee corner chats and in-person team meetings have, for a large part of the workforce, been replaced by remote video meetings in improvised home-offices or coworking spaces. Working remotely has today become commonplace for many employees and is forecast to become more than just a passing trend. A shift accelerated by the global public health crisis and lockdown restrictions...
Hyatt Partners With Carlisle LLC for a Caption by Hyatt hotel in Memphis, Tennessee
Caption by Hyatt | April 13, 2021
CHICAGO – April 13, 2021 – Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a joint venture (JV) agreement with Carlisle LLC for a Caption by Hyatt hotel in Memphis, Tenn. The Caption by Hyatt brand is grounded in a commitment to caring for people and place and creating connections between them. “We’re excited to bring the Caption by Hyatt brand to Memphis, a brand that is truly committed to embracing the evolving needs of today’s traveler. We are confident this hotel will deliver on creating a welcoming space where both travelers and locals can hang out, be themselves, and feel connected to...
How Digitally Enabling Your Frontline Employees Has Become a Necessity
Andrada Paraschiv | April 13, 2021
Mission Ridge Ski and Board Resort shares how Beekeeper kept its teams communicating during COVID-19 and how it is helping them to prepare for reopening in the upcoming season with minimal employee turnover By Andrada Paraschiv COVID-19 has completely altered the way the hospitality and attractions industries will operate for the foreseeable future. This pandemic has provided an opportunity for business leaders to reevaluate their business models and leverage more technology. Digital trends are not new, particularly when it comes to interacting with customers. But the most recent experience has made it clear that hospitality and attractions...
UT Southwestern Medical Center Campus Dining Implements Agilysys Point of Sale Solution Suite
Agilysys | April 13, 2021
Relationship With Sodexo Leveraged To Expand From UT Healthcare Sites To Campus Dining Agilysys, Alpharetta, GA. — April 13, 2021 — Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading global provider of next-generation hospitality software solutions and services, today announced that the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Campus has implemented the Agilysys InfoGenesis ecosystem of modern cloud-native SaaS POS solutions for its campus dining including InfoGenesis POS, IG Buy self-service kiosks, IG OnDemand mobile ordering and payment, and Agilysys Pay for secure payment processing. The University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW) Medic...
Maestro Is Making a Difference for Hotels via Advanced Two-Way CRS Integration
Maestro PMS | April 13, 2021
With a comprehensive two-way integration between the Maestro property-management system and leading Central Reservation System suppliers, independent hotels without a proprietary 24/7 Call Center can deliver a seamless booking experience and gain more control over their reservations processes Markham, Ontario — April 13, 2021 — Ensuring a frictionless guest experience from booking to check out and beyond is critical in today’s new normal. Thankfully, Maestro is one of only a few property-management system providers with enhanced two-way integration to Pegasus CRS and other leading Central Reservation System providers. Built on Ho...
Entrepreneur 20X, HFTP’s Hospitality Technology Start-Up Pitch Competition Featured at HITEC Dubai
The Hotel Show Dubai | April 12, 2021
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®), producers of Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®), is currently accepting applications for participants, judges and mentors for Entrepreneur 20X (E20X) at HITEC Dubai. Those who wish to participate in the Middle East version of E20X can apply online; start-ups should apply by 15 May and mentors and volunteers should apply by 20 May. E20X Dubai will take place at 15:30 on Tuesday, 1 June, 2021 at the Dubai World Trade Centre during HITEC Dubai. Both events will be co-located with The Hotel Show, produced by dmg events. E20X participants will b...
Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index Dipped 0.2% in March
Baird | April 12, 2021
HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee, and MILWAUKEE — April 12, 2021 — The Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index dipped 0.2% in March to a level of 5,131. Year to date through the first three months of 2021, the stock index was up 12.2%. “Hotel stocks were relatively flat in March but underperformed their benchmarks as investors rotated into more defensive and value-oriented sectors,” said Michael Bellisario, senior hotel research analyst and director at Baird. “The pent-up demand expectation is becoming a reality, and broader travel trends continue to improve as vaccination rates improve; with leisure strength well understood at this point, we expec...
The Goodtime Hotel — A New Hospitality Endeavor Between David Grutman and Pharrell Williams — Opens on South Beach
April 12, 2021
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - April 12, 2021 - The Goodtime Hotel — the first collaborative lifestyle hotel brand from David Grutman of Groot Hospitality and Pharrell Williams — has officially opened its doors on Miami Beach's Washington Avenue and 6th Street. The 266-room property promises an escapist, transportive atmosphere through its reimagined Art Deco aesthetic, which unwinds over nearly 100,000 square feet of public space. Together, Grutman and Williams worked alongside the real estate developers Michael Fascitelli and Eric Birnbaum of Imperial Companies who assembled, and ultimately developed, the full square block between 6...
2020 European Hotel Transactions
Shaffer Patrick | April 12, 2021
By Shaffer Patrick Total European hotel transaction volume reached €8.5 billion[1] in 2020, representing a fall of 69% on 2019 (see Chart 1), which was the previous market peak at €27.1 billion. Even so, 2020 figures remain significantly ahead of those seen in the Global Financial Crisis, with 2009 seeing only €3.1 billion in transaction volume. Highlights 48% of the total 2020 transaction volume occurred in the first three months of the year, primarily representing transactions that were agreed pre-pandemic; Single assets accounted for €5.5 billion or 65% of the 2020 total, decreasing 54% from 2019, though significantly ...
First Radisson Individuals in the Baltics Opens Its Doors in Tallinn
Radisson Hotel Group | April 12, 2021
Brussels/Tallinn - 12 April 2021 - With an excellent location at the entrance to the Old Town, Radisson Hotel Group is delighted to announce the opening of Palace Hotel Tallinn, a member of Radisson Individuals. Built almost 100 years ago and respectfully renovated, this monument of national architectural heritage is the first Radisson Individuals in the Baltic region. Palace Hotel Tallinn, a member of Radisson Individuals offers 79 rooms and suites, including a Presidential Suite stretching across 150 m2 which consists of a large studio with seating area for eight guests, a kitchen area with dining table for six, sauna, private office an...
