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Hyatt Signs With Alliance City for Development of Hyatt Centric Boulevard Batumi
Hyatt Centric | January 25, 2021
ZURICH (January 25, 2021) - Hyatt announced today that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with Alliance City LLC for the development of Hyatt Centric Boulevard Batumi. Expected to open in 2025, the hotel will offer 180 guestrooms including 14 suites, a restaurant and lobby bar, fitness and spa facilities as well as 5,920 square feet (550 square meters) of event space. Hyatt Centric Boulevard Batumi is expected to mark the introduction of the Hyatt Centric brand to The Republic of Georgia and the ninth Hyatt Centric hotel in Europe. Set to be located at the start of Rustaveli Avenue, Batumi’s main street, Hyatt ...
Wyndham Expands in Gujarat With Opening of Wyndham Ahmedabad Shela
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts | January 25, 2021
PARSIPPANY, N.J. (January 25, 2021)– Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,000 hotels across 90 countries, continues to cement its presence in Gujarat with the opening of the Wyndham Ahmedabad Shela. Serving as tranquil urban retreat, the hotel offers 65,000 square feet of meeting space spread across 34 state-of-the-art meeting rooms able to accompany up to 3,500 attendees along with its indoor and outdoor pools, spa, salon and movie theatre — all with easy access to the shopping and business hubs of Gujarat state’s largest city and commercial capital. The Wyndham ...
Hospitality Financial Leadership: Brotherly Love
David Lund | January 25, 2021
By David Lund I didn’t start out in the hotel business with a plan or even any desire to be a financial leader. I was going to be a GM one day. Well, all that changed in 1986. The large downtown hotel was a big change from the youth-infused Rocky Mountain resort hotel where I had worked for the past three and one-half years. At the hotel in the Rockies, the food and beverage department and the front desk occupied most of my early time, and in the last year, I took a day job in the food and beverage control department. I took the job for two reasons: one the pay was better and two the schedule was Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. ...
Top Management Company Turns to Knowland to Accelerate Group Sales
Knowland | January 25, 2021
Knowland works outside the box to deliver a multifaceted prospecting program ARLINGTON, Va. — Jan. 25, 2021 — Group business is key to hotels returning to profitability. Today Knowland, the leader in hospitality group data analytics, announced the completion of a project with long-term partner, award-winning hospitality management company, Davidson Hotels & Resorts, that helped develop and implement a multifaceted prospecting program to re-invigorate sales teams and accelerate sales into recovery. Using the Knowland platform, properties uncovered approximately $100k in new business for 2021 within two weeks. Advantages of the Kn...
Consumer Behavior Changes During the Pandemic: What Should Businesses Know?
Hassan Al Sayegh | January 22, 2021
By Hassan Al Sayegh It has been one year since the first COVID-19 case was reported to the World Health Organization in December 2019. The World Health Organization declared it a pandemic in March 2020. Multiple countries during the pandemic have initiated nationwide lockdowns and restrictions (WHO, 2020). The pandemic has led to global economic disruptions described by the IMF as the worst since the Great Depression (Jones et al., 2020). COVID-19 is having a lasting impact on consumer needs and preferences (Samuel, 2020). It is being declared as “the new normal” (Charm et al., 2020). Interestingly, consumers are adjusting to this n...
Canada Hotel Performance Fell to Record Lows in 2020
STR | January 22, 2021
HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee - 22 January 2021 —Canada’s hotel industry saw record lows in both occupancy and revenue per available room (RevPAR), according to STR’s year-end 2020 data. In addition to the previously mentioned historic lows, average daily rate (ADR) fell to its lowest level since 2012. Year-over-year declines were the country’s worst across the three key performance metrics. Occupancy: 33.1% (-49.2%) Average daily rate (ADR): CAD130.43 (-21.0%) Revenue per available room (RevPAR): CAD43.11 (-59.8%) Among the provinces and territories, Newfoundland and Labrador recorded the lowest occupancy level (24.7%...
Hotel Sales Teams: 2020 Is Behind Us but Not the Pandemic. Now What?
JoAnn M. Mulnix-Morris | January 22, 2021
By JoAnn M. Mulnix-Morris In Spring 2020, many hotels were forced to furlough most on-property Sales Managers because so much demand for hotels disappeared with the pandemic, requiring any remaining team members to be responsible for market segments which previously were not their responsibility. These remaining Sales Managers were forced to adapt to many other changes in a short time, including rescheduling/canceling events, in addition to learning how to research and sell to new/additional market segments while maintaining relationships with past and current clients. What does this mean for the future sales teams? You Can’...
Kimpton St Honoré Paris Set for Spring Opening in France
IHG | January 22, 2021
Unveiling a new chapter in its European expansion, IHG® Hotels & Resorts’ boutique luxury brand, Kimpton® Hotels & Restaurants, will open its first property in France this spring. The opening of Kimpton St Honoré Paris will see the brand’s playful and sophisticated design, innovative approach to restaurants and bars, and immersive guest experiences that foster genuine human connections, offer a fresh perspective on hospitality in the City of Light. Kimpton St Honoré Paris will breathe new life into a heritage building which once housed the much-loved luxury department store “Samaritaine de Luxe”. Located on the Boulev...
Pride Hospitality Opens avid Prattville-Montgomery North Hotel in Alabama
avid™ Hotels | January 22, 2021
Prattville, Alabama – Pride Hospitality announced today the official opening of the avid Prattville-Montgomery North Hotel at 802 Boardroom Drive, Prattville, Alabama, and just off I-65, exit 181. This 79-room property offers travelers a bright, contemporary destination to take care of business or take a break with the family. Guests can be confident the hotel is following IHG’s high standard of deep cleaning throughout the hotel, as well as respecting social distancing requirements with every interaction. Amenities of the hotel include free Wifi, a spacious meeting room, state-of-the-art fitness center and 24-hour market in the lobb...
Ian Schrager Company Appoints Chelsea Olson as Chief Marketing Officer
IAN SCHRAGER COMPANY | January 22, 2021
New York, NY, January 22, 2021 – Ian Schrager Company is delighted to announce the appointment of Chelsea Olson as Chief Marketing Officer. Olson joins ISC with over ten years of extensive experience in hospitality and marketing. Her career has spanned from media and editorial to public relations, communications and branding. Notably, Olson oversaw all marketing at EDITION Hotel’s flagship property in Miami for four years as part of the opening team. She has been an integral part of the EDITION team, having worked on hotel openings in Barcelona, New York’s Clocktower and Times Square. Since leaving EDITION in 2018, Olson started her ...
Former Kimpton Hotel Allegro Rebrands as The Allegro Royal Sonesta Hotel Chicago
Sonesta International Hotels Corporation | January 22, 2021
CHICAGO (January 22, 2020) - The Allegro Royal Sonesta Hotel is proud to join the Sonesta International Hotels Corporation U.S. portfolio, becoming the third Chicago property and expanding the brand’s national footprint in key tourism regions. The announcement comes as a result of major branding and management changes from Service Properties Trust (SVC), which includes the transfer of 102 InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) properties to Sonesta. The Allegro Royal Sonesta Hotel is located in the renowned Loop cultural district, the Chicago hotel boasts enchanting public spaces that transport you back in time, and 483 stunning guest rooms...
AC Hotel Scottsdale North Opens in Arizona
AC Hotels by Marriott | January 22, 2021
SCOTTSDALE, AZ – AC Hotels by Marriott®, the design-led lifestyle brand from Marriott International, announced today the opening of the 165-room AC Hotel Scottsdale North, inviting travelers to experience a stylish hotel adjacent to world-class shopping at Kierland Commons and palm lined storefronts of the Scottsdale Quarter. Located in a desirable shopping and entertainment district in Scottsdale, the anticipated new hotel embodies AC Hotels’ brand promise of going beyond the conventions of travel to create experiences that strike the perfect balance of details that guests want and the services they need. Developed by Host Hotels...
Evolution Hospitality to Manage New Fort Sutter Hotel Sacramento, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
Aimbridge Hospitality | January 22, 2021
[PLANO, TX] (January 22, 2021) - Evolution Hospitality, the lifestyle division of Aimbridge Hospitality, the leading, global, third-party hotel management company, has opened and is managing the 105-room Fort Sutter Hotel Sacramento. "Our team is excited to be part of this distinctive boutique hotel project and its debut in Sacramento's vibrant Midtown neighborhood," said Will Loughran, chief operating officer of Evolution Hospitality. "The Fort Sutter Hotel, owned by local restauranteurs Randy and Stacy Paragary, will benefit from our extensive experience in the lifestyle space while backed by Aimbridge Hospitality's expansive scale. We lo...
Reaction to President Biden’s Executive Orders on Travel
U.S. Travel Association | January 22, 2021
WASHINGTON (January 22, 2021)—U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement on the COVID-related executive orders issued by the White House Thursday, many of which pertain to travel: “We welcome the president’s focus on policies that will encourage safe travel and help restore the millions of U.S. travel jobs that were lost last year. “The CDC’s inbound testing requirement is the key to reopening international travel and it adds another important layer of safety. If the testing requirement is going to work on a global scale, it has to be flexible and reflect where testing resources are avai...
Vista Hospitality Group Completes Multimillion Dollar Renovation of Maryland’s Sheraton Hotel BWI Airport
Vista Property Management | January 21, 2021
Linthicum Heights, MD & Binghamton, NY, January 21, 2021 -- Vista Hospitality Group’s property management division is pleased to announce the completion of a multi-million-dollar renovation at Sheraton Hotel BWI Airport Linthicum Heights, Maryland. The upscale renovations offer travelers a comfortable gathering place, with a sense of community and technology to the Baltimore area. “Guest comments have been extremely positive. Airline personnel love the new space to eat, drink, work, and relax.” according to General Manager, Rickey Earles. The improvements at the Sheraton Hotel BWI Airport consisted of a newly reinvented Pub...
Remington Hotels Assumes Management of New York LaGuardia Airport Marriott
Remington Hotels | January 21, 2021
DALLAS (January 21, 2021) – Remington Hotels, a leading third-party management company, has assumed management of the New York LaGuardia Airport Marriott in East Elmhurst, New York. The 443-room property recently underwent a $30 million transformation led by SoHo-based luxury hospitality design firm Sawyer & Company. Drawing inspiration from the cultural surroundings of New York’s Queens neighborhood, the New York LaGuardia Airport Marriott is a gateway to the state’s top sights and attractions. "We couldn't be more proud to partner with ASAP Holdings on the New York LaGuardia Airport Marriott,” said Remington Hotel’s Pr...
Confidence Is Growing for a Return to Business Travel
the Global Business Travel Association | January 21, 2021
Alexandria, VA (January 21, 2021) – The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world’s largest business travel association, has released the results from its 15th coronavirus poll, the first in 2021, to measure the impact on business travel following the onset of the pandemic last year. The latest survey finds that more than half of respondents expect most of their employees will return to the office by Q3, in line with a return to non-essential business travel and a growth in traveler confidence. “While we continue to face challenges for our industry, there is light at the end of the tunnel and projections for a return t...
STR: U.S. Hotel Results for Week Ending 16 January
STR | January 21, 2021
HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee - 21 January 2021 —U.S. weekly hotel occupancy climbed back to the 40% mark, according to STR‘s latest data through 16 January. 10-16 January 2021 (percentage change from comparable week in 2020): Occupancy: 40.1% (-31.8%) Average daily rate (ADR): US$89.39 (-31.9%) Revenue per available room (RevPAR): US$35.85 (-53.6%) Aggregate data for the Top 25 Markets showed lower occupancy (38.4%) but higher ADR (US$95.94) than all other markets. Among the Top 25 Markets, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida (53.8%), reported the highest occupancy level. Top 25 Markets with the lowest occupancy levels...
STR: Canada Hotel Results for Week Ending 16 January
STR | January 21, 2021
HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee - 21 January 2021—STR data for 10-16 January 2021 showed Canada’s hotel industry with slightly higher occupancy compared with previous weeks. 10-16 January 2021 (percentage change from comparable week in 2020): Occupancy: 22.6% (-56.7%) Average daily rate (ADR): CAD103.81 (-29.3%) Revenue per available room (RevPAR): CAD23.46 (-69.4%) Occupancy for previous weeks came in at 21.0% (9 January), 19.9% (2 January), and 17.7% (26 December). For the week ending with 16 January, British Columbia recorded the highest occupancy level (30.3%) among the provinces. Among the major markets, Vancouve...
B&Bs on Cape Cod; Is the Current Operating Model Sustainable?
Brian Testorf | January 21, 2021
By Brian Testorf, Sean Cuthbertson, and Jonathan Jaeger As one of the earliest forms of lodging establishments, the bed and breakfast inn (B&B) has long been prevalent in American society. The Association of Lodging Professionals defines a bed and breakfast inn as “a small lodging establishment consisting of four to eleven guestrooms, with six guestrooms being the industry average”. Similar to the hotel/motel concept, a bed and breakfast typically feature common guest areas such as outdoor decks, patios, and dining areas, while offering select amenities such as Wi-Fi, and as the name implies, a continental breakfast. However, unlik...
Mövenpick Debuts in Australia With Opening of Mövenpick Hotel Hobart
Mövenpick | January 21, 2021
Australia, 21 January 2021– Accor has opened the doors to Australia’s first Mövenpick hotel, Mövenpick Hotel Hobart, which stands on one of Hobart’s principal heritage streetscapes near the Hobart waterfront. Welcoming its first guests today, the 221-room warm and contemporary hotel promises to delight guests with Tasmanian nature design-inspired boutique interiors, fine food and wine experiences at Tesoro Modern Italian restaurant, a daily Chocolate Hour, and an assortment of other Mövenpick brand signature offerings. Accor Pacific CEO, Simon McGrath, said: “Mövenpick Hotel Hobart transcends the traditional hotel experience by ...
Accor and LA Hotel Group Open New-Build Mantra Traralgon in Gippsland Valley
Mantra | January 21, 2021
Accor and LA Hotel Group today opened the new-build 50-room Mantra Traralgon hotel in the heart of Latrobe Valley’s largest city. The first hotel to open in Traralgon in more than 10 years, Mantra Traralgon is set to become a destination of choice for business travellers and leisure guests looking for convenient, contemporary accommodation in Victoria’s spectacular Gippsland region. The $18 million development, which comprises of five levels and features 50 well-appointed and comfortable guestrooms and suites, is located directly opposite the city’s major retail centre and within an entertainment complex that houses a cinema, ten-...
Marriott International Signs Agreement With Mario Julen to Bring The Ritz-Carlton Brand to the Swiss Alps
Marriott International, Inc. | January 21, 2021
ZERMATT, SWITZERLAND - January 21, 2021 — Marriott International today announced it has signed an agreement with Mario Julen to bring The Ritz-Carlton brand to Zermatt, debuting the first Ritz-Carlton ski resort in Europe. Expected to open in 2026, the 69-guest room property will bring the brand’s legendary service and elegant design to the world-famous Swiss resort destination. Once open, the property will serve as the second Ritz-Carlton hotel in Switzerland, joining The Ritz-Carlton Hotel de la Paix, Geneva. “We are thrilled to announce this milestone signing with Mario Julen who has a fantastic vision for the project,” said Sat...
Hilton Opens Canopy by Hilton Hotel in China at UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hangzhou West Lake
Canopy by Hilton | January 21, 2021
HANGZHOU, CHINA and MCLEAN, VA — Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced the opening of Canopy by Hilton Hangzhou West Lake. Marking the brand’s 27th property globally, the 160-room state-of-the-art hotel is owned by Zhejiang Xingcai Investment Co., Ltd. and managed by Hilton. Located 26 kilometers from Hangzhou International Airport, within the heart of downtown Hangzhou and a short walk from UNESCO World Heritage Site, West Lake, the hotel is in close proximity to Hangzhou Metro Line 1 and HuBin Pedestrian Road: the city’s thoroughfare for business, retail, and entertainment. "Famous for its rich cultural heritage and nature scenerie...
