The Tricycle of Guest Service Excellence: A Perfect Model For Remarkable Experiences
Doug Kennedy | October 4th, 2024
Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino Partners With Travel Outlook to Elevate Guest Service Experience
Travel Outlook, The Premier Hotel Call Center™ | October 2nd, 2024
Zoox Smart Data Continues Global Market Expansion With New Strategic Partnerships in Europe and Asia
Zoox Smart Data | February 9, 2021
Big data innovator adds KloudWiFi and KelTech IoT to list of third-party compatible network and smart solution providers to increase customer access to hyper-targeted advertising technology. Alpharetta, GA — February 9, 2021 — Zoox Smart Data (“Zoox”), an international provider of technological solutions that harnesses big data to build customer profiles from existing Wi-Fi networks, has announced a series of strategic partnerships that will provide more seamless access to its targeted advertising capabilities in Europe and Asia. Within the European hospitality and travel markets, this includes signing an agreement with KelTec...
Naples Grande Beach Resort Appoints Elias Assaly as Area Vice President and General Manager
Naples Grande Beach Resort | February 8, 2021
NAPLES, FL. -- February 8, 2021 -- Naples Grande Beach Resort is pleased to announce today the appointment of Elias Assaly as Area Vice President and General Manager. In his new role at Naples Grande Beach Resort, Assaly will oversee day-to-day operations of the resort and its 474 guestrooms, ensuring ongoing initiatives and activations are aligned with the highest hospitality standards, bringing fresh innovative ideas to the resort and creating exciting new opportunities both on a local and national level. Elias will also provide his expert guidance and support to Naples Grande Golf Club, the legendary Cheeca Lodge & Spa in Islamorada,...
Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index Dropped 8.2% in January
Baird | February 8, 2021
HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee, and MILWAUKEE — 8 February 2021 — The Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index was down 8.2% in January to a level of 4,199. “Hotel stocks pulled back in January and significantly underperformed the broader indices as the vaccine rollout and reopening narrative lost some momentum,” said Michael Bellisario, senior hotel research analyst and director at Baird. “The ‘pent-up demand’ thesis remains topical for bullish investors and industry participants, especially on the leisure travel front, but the more important intermediate- to long-term recovery needs to come from the business traveler, for which a rebound ap...
Is Togetherness the Next Destination for Travel?
IHG | February 8, 2021
8 FEBRUARY 2021 IHG Hotels & Resorts releases insights into future travel showing renewed optimism and resolve for human connection For generations, travel has inspired storytelling in books and songs and fueled the growth of cultures and civilizations. But over the last year, the world went on a different kind of journey, swapping passports for puzzles and beaches for binge-watching. Now, a new survey* from IHG Hotels & Resorts reveals how much people are longing for human connection, to be with their loved ones, and to make new memories. Close to 60 percent of survey respondents said they canceled up to four trips (leisure and ...
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, Names Tom Donovan Vice President & General Manager for Landmark Turtle Bay Resort
Turtle Bay Resort | February 8, 2021
The Woodlands, Houston, Texas - February 2021 - BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Thomas Donovan vice president and managing director for the landmark Turtle Bay Resort situated at the northern tip of Oahu’s legendary North Shore. The resort is currently undergoing a transformational renovation and is scheduled to reopen in the summer of 2021. “I am so pleased to welcome Tom to our company and to Turtle Bay Resort,” said Greg Champion, president and COO for BENCHMARK®. “This represents a return to the Hawaii market for him. Tom brings vast operational and marketing experience to his new position and a keen under...
Aimbridge Hospitality Selected to Manage the Hampton Inn & Suites Dallas/Richardson
Aimbridge Hospitality | February 8, 2021
PLANO, TX – February 8, 2021 – Aimbridge Hospitality, the leading, global, third-party hotel management company, has been awarded the management of the 101-room Hampton Inn & Suites Dallas/Richardson by owner Armadale Capital. Located in the heart of the Telecom Corridor off US-75 and near I-35, the Hampton Inn & Suites Dallas/Richardson is minutes from major tech companies including Ericsson, Samsung, and Texas Instruments. Additionally, the property is conveniently located near The Eisemann Center for Performing Arts and Sherrill Park Golf Course. "We are thrilled to be working with the Hampton Inn & Suites Dallas/Richar...
Stephan Karl Appointed General Manager of Andaz Singapore
February 8, 2021
SINGAPORE – 8 FEBRUARY, 2021 – Andaz Singapore is pleased to announce German hotelier Stephan Karl as its newly appointed General Manager. With a career spanning over 24 years and a successful graduate of the famous Heidelberg Hotel Management School, he started at Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Lindau as an apprentice. Over the next decade, he rose through rooms, food and beverage and banqueting roles at Carlton Hotel St. Moritz, Sheraton Suites Galleria-Atlanta and Castle Hospitality & Catering in Heidelberg, southwest Germany. In 2006, his Hyatt journey enriched with multiracial cultures began at Hyatt Regency Mainz followed by other...
Hotel Sales for Today’s Remote Buyers Requires More Than “Steps,” “Funnels,” “Wow,” and FAB Phrases
Doug Kennedy | February 8, 2021
By Doug Kennedy Although the pace of change has accelerated during the pandemic era, the hotel sales habitat has been evolving rapidly for years. Yet when our KTN team conducts group sales shops and our sales “lead flow” audits, we find that most - but not all - hotel salespeople are stuck in the early 2010s. This is not surprising, given that too many hotel sales training programs are still focused on outdated models such as sales funnels, feature-advantage-benefit (FAB) phrases, and “wowing your prospects.” In the pre-pandemic years, too many hotel companies put ongoing training on the back burner altogether. Those who did s...
5 Steps to Prepare Your Hotel Housekeeping Team for 2021 and Beyond
Amadeus | February 8, 2021
The challenges the hospitality industry has faced in the wake of COVID-19 reminds us how critical the housekeeping department’s role is to a hotel’s overall success. The urgency to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has accelerated change in our industry, including the need for new hygiene and cleaning processes. Even before the virus, 78% of hotel guests believed cleanliness to be the most crucial factor affecting their choice of where to stay, with hotel cleaning protocols moving up to the #1 top-ranked category for travel with COVID-19. As guests expect the highest standards of sanitation to feel at ease in a hotel and once again re...
Lodging Interactive Launches DiningClick – ADA Compliant Catering Menu Services to Replace PDFs
Lodging Interactive | February 8, 2021
PARSIPPANY, NJ - February 8, 2021 - Lodging Interactive, an award-winning digital marketing and social media engagement agency exclusively serving the hospitality industry, today announced the launch of DiningClick an online menu management and publishing system for hotels and restaurants. DiningClick was developed to assist hotels and restaurants with their efforts to remain compliant with the various global website requirements for serving the visually impaired. “As the hospitality industry continues to invest heavily to ensure hotel and restaurant websites are fully ADA and EAA/EN 301549 compliant for the visually impaired, most ope...
Botanique Hotel Prague Blooms With Infor
Infor | February 8, 2021
Central Prague lifestyle hotel standardizes on Infor EzRMS Feb. 8, 2021 – Infor today announced that Botanique Hotel Prague, a newly independent lifestyle hotel in central Prague, has implemented Infor EzRMS. The application provides a centralized revenue management software solution that delivers an intelligent, dynamic, and consistent view of optimal potential revenue for the hotel’s 214 rooms. Following a rebranding and a thorough review of the market as the hotel moved out of a well-known chain to become independent, Infor EzRMS was chosen based on its capacity for artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to recognize patterns and...
Hospitality Financial Leadership: Serving Lunch
David Lund | February 8, 2021
By David Lund Almost 40 years ago now I was a busboy at a large and busy resort in the Canadian Rockies. I had transferred west a few months earlier from another hotel in the same chain where I had worked for two years. This is a story about me starting to find my way through this maze we call the hotel business. This piece was inspired by a reader who sent me a note. In the early eighties, I completed high school and through a bit of a cluster flux I ended up in hotel school at the local college. While attending the hotel program I was fortunate enough to get hired at the summer resort as a bartender, the hotel also had a year-round ba...
Launching a Hospitality Start-Up During a Pandemic: Keys to Success
Virdee | February 8, 2021
By Branigan Mulcahy, Nadav Cornberg 2020 can be seen as a hugely challenging time to have launched a start up company – especially in the hospitality space, which has suffered massive dislocations as a result of COVID-19. In spite of the challenges, our experience has been that the need for innovative solutions for hotels has never been greater - and there is a growing recognition that start up innovation is a key to both recovery and future industry growth. We started Virdee with the vision for a solution to help hoteliers automate check-in, ID verification and payments. The past year’s experience of turning the dream into a rea...
Canopy by Hilton São Paulo Jardins Opens in South America
Canopy by Hilton | February 5, 2021
SÃO PAULO, Brazil and MCLEAN, Va. - Today Hilton (NYSE:HLT) announced the opening of Canopy by Hilton São Paulo Jardins in Brazil, marking the first Hilton lifestyle brand to launch in South America. True to Canopy by Hilton’s “thoughtfully local” ethos, the new hotel will embrace the robust culture of São Paulo, collaborating with local experts to curate authentic experiences for travelers and locals alike. “As we continue expanding our portfolio in key destinations throughout Latin America, we are thrilled to introduce a new brand in Brazil,” said Jorge Giannattasio, senior vice president and head of operations, Caribbe...
COVID-19’s Impact on the Phoenix Lodging Market
Michael Smithson | February 5, 2021
By Michael Smithson, McKenna Luke During the Great Recession, Metro Phoenix’s[1] occupancy fell nearly 16 points from its pre-recession peak of 68.2% in 2006 to 52.4% in 2009. However, occupancy fell from the 2019 peak of 70.5% to 47.0%[2] in 2020, reflecting roughly a 24-point correction. Although average daily rate (ADR) declined 19% from a pre-recession peak of $124.80 in 2008 to a low of $100.94 in 2010, ADR only fell 14% in 2020, from $132.64 in 2019 to $114.44 in 2020. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Phoenix has been two-fold. The first quarter is peak season in Phoenix; as such, some of the strongest months out of the yea...
HVS Market Pulse: Buffalo, New York
Christian Cross | February 5, 2021
By Christian Cross Like so many markets throughout the United States, the decade of growth following the Great Recession benefited the Buffalo metropolitan market. Developers started to take notice of the strength of this market, and new supply began to increase. While hotels were being built throughout the country, the increase in supply within this market was notable, especially in the upscale and upper-upscale segments. Since 2014, supply has increased more than 45%, with the following hotels having entered the relatively small Downtown submarket: Source: HVS In addition to all the new supply, the former Comfort Suites was ren...
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Tampa RJ Stadium Opens in Tampa, Florida
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson | February 5, 2021
Minneapolis - February 5, 2021 - Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, a leading upper midscale hotel brand, today announced the opening of Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Tampa RJ Stadium at 4750 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa, Florida. Convenience meets comfort at this fantastic location providing business, leisure and transient guests with a relaxing respite ahead of their next journey. The hotel offers easy access to U.S. Highway 92 and is just minutes from Tampa International Airport (TPA). Additionally, this welcoming hotel places sports aficionados within five minutes of Raymond James Stadium, host of Super Bowl LV and home of ...
Choice Hotels Names Three New Regional Vice Presidents
Choice Hotels | February 5, 2021
ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Feb. 5, 2021 -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest lodging franchisors, has announced three new regional vice presidents to advance the company's corporate priorities and drive growth. These include: Odette Brown has been promoted to regional vice president (RVP) of franchise services, overseeing the mid-southern United States region. In this role, Brown will join an RVP team that spans the country, leading assigned area directors, regional area directors and area managers. Together, these teams will work to optimize hotel portfolio support strategies while helping drive h...
Hospitality Asset Managers Association (“HAMA”) Names 2021 Board of Directors
HAMA | February 5, 2021
ATLANTA — February 5, 2021 — Officials of the Hospitality Asset Managers Association (“HAMA”) today announced their new board of directors for 2021. Appointed at the group’s semi-annual conference held virtually this past year, the new members include: Larry Trabulsi, CHMWarnick, CHAM – President Matthew Arrants, Pinnacle Advisory Group, CHAM – Vice-President Sarah Gulla, Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, CHAM – Membership Chair Kerry Gaber, Host Hotels & Resorts – Treasurer Chad Sorensen, CHMWarnick, CHAM – Marketing Chair Elizabeth Lloyd, Ashford Hospitality Trust – Industry Chair David Daniel...
Gearoid Lyons Named General Manager of Conrad Bangkok
Conrad Hotels & Resorts | February 5, 2021
BANGKOK, Thailand— February 5, 2021 — Gearoid Lyons has been appointed general manager of Conrad Bangkok in Bangkok, Thailand. Mr. Lyons brings with him more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Joining Hilton in 2010 he has previously held various management roles in full service and luxury hotels across multiple markets including London, Sydney, Perth, Tokyo and Bangkok. In his most recent role as Hotel Manager at Waldorf Astoria Bangkok, Lyons was a key member of the leadership driving the launch of the first Waldorf Astoria hotel in South East Asia in August 2018. Lyons is a graduate of Shannon College of Hotel ...
Shaner Hotels Opens SpringHill Suites by Marriott Columbus Dublin in Ohio
Bridge Park | February 5, 2021
DUBLIN, Ohio — February 5, 2021 — Officials of Shaner Hotels, an award winning, international hotel owner, operator and developer, today announced the grand opening of the 145-room SpringHill Suites by Marriott Columbus Dublin located in Bridge Park. Shaner will operate the hotel in a partnership with ownership, Crawford Hoying, a large-scale real estate developer headquartered in Central Ohio. The Springhill Suites by Marriott Columbus Dublin provides the freshest hotel choice in Dublin’s Bridge Park, a new development giving an urban feel to this upscale suburb,” said Plato Ghinos, president, Shaner Hotels. “The hotel provides...
Marriott Dallas Uptown Welcomes General Manager and Executive Chef
Marriott International | February 5, 2021
DALLAS – February 5, 2020 – The Marriott Dallas Uptown team is excited to announce the appointment of Robbie Tawil as General Manager of the hotel property. Tawil has more than 35 years of experience with Marriott and the hospitality industry, including previous leadership roles in management and operations. Thrilled to open the 14-story, 255 guestroom hotel, Tawil will lead Marriott into the future, opening the first Marriott property with the latest generation room design. He is well equipped to lead his team and has done so successfully in the past. During his tenure with Marriott, Tawil has served as General Manager of the Marriott C...
WTTC Says Governments Should Abandon the Concept of ‘High-Risk Countries’ and Instead Focus on ‘High-Risk Travellers’
WTTC | February 5, 2021
London, UK - February 5, 2021 - The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is calling for governments to abandon the concept of ‘high-risk countries’ and instead focus on how individual ‘high-risk travellers’ are treated at borders. WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, is urging governments around the world to shift their focus from whole countries, towards individual travellers. Instead, WTTC says governments around the world should redefine their whole approach to risk assessment, to revive international business and leisure travel. Combined with a common international consensus on the m...
Tourism Tidbits: Some Merchandising Ideas in the Age of Pandemics
Peter Tarlow | February 5, 2021
By Dr. Peter Tarlow Even with the arrival of vaccines, and the hopeful large-scale inoculations, tourism leaders know that these next few months will not be easy. In many places there has been a second or third wave, and other nations are now dealing with alternative strains of the virus. Until the pandemic ends it will be necessary to increase our merchandizing skills both for tangible products and for those products that are intangible but very much a part of the travel and tourism experience. Due to the Covid-19 economic meltdown throughout much of the world, how we market and merchandise may determine the difference between an ac...
