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The Mike Moment
Shep Hyken | November 12, 2020
By Shep Hyken We’ve all heard the old adage: “It’s better to give than to receive.” That’s what customer service people do. They give and give and give. They help solve problems and resolve complaints. What they get in return—hopefully—is a nice thank you, which, when you think about it, is fairly insignificant, though appreciated, for the work they do. Yes, they are paid for the job they do, but the people who are amazing at this role aren’t doing it just for the money. The opportunity to serve is fulfilling. They are customer service heroes. This brings me to a story about Mike, a teenager I met back in t...
Hotel Management Company RFQ for a New-Build, Branded Lifestyle Hotel in the Ohio City Neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio
NEWMARK VALUATION & ADVISORY | November 12, 2020
On behalf of and by direction of a Cleveland, Ohio-based commercial real estate development firm, Newmark Valuation & Advisory is pleased to request qualifications from experienced hotel management companies for a hotel development in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. Mixed-use developments at the site are planned to include market-rate apartments, leased retail and restaurant space, and the new-build hotel. The developer is seeking an operator for the hotel component only. Within the Request for Qualifications (RFQ), we provide an overview of the developer, summarize details regarding the proposed hotel and overall projec...
Avison Young 2020 Transactions
Avison Young | November 12, 2020
ATLANTA – November 12, 2020 – Avison Young Hospitality Group announced the firm has closed 39 hotel transactions year to date through the pandemic. The transactions were located in 13 states from Colorado to Connecticut, across most of the brand families, and all the closings were under 200 rooms. The firm has an additional 19 hotel transactions under sale agreement with the closings scheduled over the next several months. H. Keith Thompson said, “while Avison Young’s performance this year pales in comparison to previous years, due to COVID, 2020 has proven to be the most difficult transactional environment in my career. That said,...
Fewer Americans Traveling This Thanksgiving Amid Pandemic
AAA | November 12, 2020
ORLANDO, Fla. (November 12, 2020) – Thanksgiving will be on the lighter side when it comes to the typical number of travelers on the roads and at airports. According to AAA Travel, effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including health concerns and high unemployment, are impacting Americans’ decisions to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday. With health and government officials stressing that staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from getting sick, AAA anticipates at least a 10% drop in travel – the largest one-year decrease since the Great Recession in 2008. Based on mid-October forecast models, AAA would have e...
Study: Travelers Care More About Customer Reviews Than Low Prices When Booking Hotels and Short-Term Rentals
Florida Atlantic University | November 12, 2020
BOCA RATON, Fla. (Nov. 12, 2020) – Operators of hotels and short-term rental properties looking to build back business hampered by the coronavirus pandemic shouldn’t worry about low prices as much as customer opinions, according to a new study by researchers at Florida Atlantic University and four other universities. When booking hotels and so-called peer-to-peer accommodations such as Airbnb, travelers are swayed more by customer reviews than complex discount strategies, the study found. Travelers selecting hotels tend to rely on the percentage of positive reviews, while the number of online reviews means more to people choosing Air...
AAHOA President & CEO Cecil Staton Talks Politics and the Campaign to Assist Hoteliers
Fran Worrall | November 12, 2020
The Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) is the nation’s largest hotel owners association, representing nearly 20,000 members who own almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in communities across the country. Recently, Hotel Online talked with AAHOA President & CEO Cecil Staton about the association’s ‘10,000 Letters, One Purpose’ campaign, which encouraged hoteliers to engage with members of Congress and the White House to implore them to pass a stimulus package that would eas...
Survey: 7 Out of 10 Americans Unlikely to Travel for Holidays
AHLA | November 12, 2020
WASHINGTON (November 12, 2020) – A new national survey commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) shows that many Americans are not expected to travel this holiday seasons. Results show that 72% of Americans are unlikely to travel for Thanksgiving and 69% are unlikely to travel for Christmas, compounding the challenges for the hotel industry during this public health crisis. Business travel has been even more impacted. Only 8% of Americans say they have taken an overnight business trip since March, and just 19% of respondents who are currently employed—or 8% of all adults—expect to travel for business within ...
Amadeus Combines Forward-Looking Occupancy and Rate Data in Powerful New Business Intelligence Solution
Amadeus | November 12, 2020
RevenueStrategy360™, a new solution from Amadeus, provides the hotel industry’s most comprehensive market insight to support recovery When historical data is no longer relevant to plan a successful revenue strategy, hoteliers need access to accurate, real-time data to make informed business decisions. In order to support the evolving needs of hoteliers, Amadeus is proud to introduce RevenueStrategy360™, the latest addition to Amadeus’ unparalleled business intelligence suite of solutions. This new solution builds on Amadeus Rate360® by enhancing the industry’s most extensive database of forward-looking rate data with comprehe...
Volara Doubles-Down on Its Commitment to Supporting the Hotel Industry
Volara | November 12, 2020
Key hire Sarah Kozlowski to provide professional support for Volara’s rapidly growing client base November 12, 2020, NEW YORK — Committed to being part of the solution for hoteliers in the post-pandemic era, Volara is growing its team. Sarah Kozlowski joins the secure voice assistant solutions provider as Account Executive. She brings to Volara a knack for developing excellent relations with an enthusiastic attitude and has a deep understanding that relationships and communication are key to any successful venture. "Today more than ever we need to be there for our hotelier clients,” said Volara CEO David Berger. “I'm proud of o...
Access Point Financial Secures $9.2 Million Loan for Delta by Marriott, Green Bay
Access Point Financial | November 12, 2020
Recognized leader in hospitality-focused lending completes full loan funding in just 15 days amid coronavirus outbreak GREEN BAY, WIS. - November 12, 2020 – Access Point Financial, LLC (APF), a leading direct lender and specialty finance company focused exclusively on the hospitality industry, today announced the completion of an agreement with Lodging Opportunity Fund REIT (LOF REIT) to refinance the Delta by Marriott in Green Bay, WI. LOF REIT worked with Access Point Financial to secure a $9.2 million loan on the property. The REIT chose APF as its lending partner due to the company’s ability to be nimble when working with a limi...
Hotel Lawyer Alert: California Consumer Privacy Act update
Jim Butler | November 11, 2020
By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers| Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com 11 November 2020 On November 3rd, Californians voted to approve Proposition 24 which amends the California Consumer Privacy Act to include expanded consumer rights and greater privacy protections. The California Privacy Rights and Enforcement Act – which also establishes an enforcement agency to guarantee strict compliance – places additional obligations on businesses to ensure that consumer data is transparent and secure. Given the scope of the Act and the short timeframe for compliance, hotels should immediately start looking at thei...
Moxy Hotels Continues Expansion in Asia Pacific With Debut of First Hotel in Taiwan
Moxy Hotels | November 11, 2020
Marriott International today announced the opening of its first Moxy Hotel in Taiwan, shaking up the city’s hospitality scene with its playful spirit. The experiential and next gen-focused Moxy Taichung is located near many of the city's attractions, including the colorfully quirky Rainbow Village, Zhongshe Flower Market, as well as the street food paradise of Yizhong Street Night Market – all must-visit destinations for the young and young-at-heart. “We are excited to see the arrival of the Moxy brand in Taiwan with the opening of Moxy Taichung,” said Henry Lee, President, Greater China, Marriott International. “This opening mar...
COVID-19’s Impact on Values
Rod Clough | November 11, 2020
By Rodney G. Clough, Ryan Mark, Chris Cabrera The hotel sector is most certainly managing its way through the trough of the current downcycle, and a tough winter lies ahead for the U.S. lodging industry, although brighter skies should emerge next year. We took this opportunity to review our valuation findings and compare these to valuations of the same hotels we completed in the years and months leading up to the spring 2020 decline. We have appraised over 1,000 hotels since the start of the pandemic (most from mid-summer to today). Of these, 140 were also appraised by our firm in the 2017–2019 peak-value timeframe. The percentage change...
Five Ways Focused Service Hotels Can Increase Direct Voice Bookings
Doug Kennedy | November 11, 2020
By Doug Kennedy Although they are generally outperforming other lodging segments, most if not all focused and selective service hotels are looking to build occupancy and rate. Indeed, hoteliers can and should continue to focus on digital marketing opportunities to the full extent. However, let us not forget some old-school “analog” ways to generate revenue. Here are a few ideas for training and development. • Offer a small cash incentive for every voice booking secured by the front desk. I know some leaders will say that taking voice bookings is already part of the job description, but I can tell you from experience that mon...
U.S. Looks Set to Lose 9.2 Million Jobs in 2020 Due to COVID-19 and Travel Restrictions, Says WTTC
November 11, 2020
London, UK: A staggering 9.2 million jobs could be lost in the U.S. Travel & Tourism sector in 2020 if barriers to global travel remain in place, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) revealed. The new figure comes from WTTC’s latest economic modelling, which looks at the punishing impact of COVID-19 and travel restrictions on the Travel & Tourism sector. According to the latest data, 7.2 million jobs in the U.S. have been impacted. If there is no immediate alleviation of restrictions on international travel, as many as 9.2 million jobs – more than half of all jobs supported by the sector in the U.S. in 2019 – woul...
Resolving Covid-Related Staffing Problems With Management Software
Larry Mogelonsky | November 11, 2020
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) We’re well on our way into the ‘next normal’ – a catch-all term differing from the more binary ‘new normal’ that inscribes the several of successive post-pandemic phases where operational shifts are required. What we know what our current near future is that hotels need to keep staffing costs low in order to breakeven with stricter cleaning protocols and fewer guests reserving rooms or amenities. This can in turn mean that frontline teams are often overworked and put into unfamiliar circumstances, thereby leading to morale and retention problems as well as service errors...
IHG Signs With Al Rabban Hospitality to Bring voco to Doha, Qatar
IHG | November 11, 2020
IHG® Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel groups, has signed a management agreement with Al Rabban Hospitality W.L.L to bring its global upscale brand voco™, to Doha, Qatar. voco® Doha West Bay Suites will feature 396 rooms & suites, and is expected to open in Q1 2021. Strategically located in West Bay - the commercial business district of Doha, voco® Doha West Bay Suites will be a great option for guests with different profiles and needs. Commenting on the signing, Pascal Gauvin, Managing Director, India, Middle East & Africa, IHG, said: “We are pleased to partner with Al Rabban Hospitality to expand ou...
Ash Bhasin Appointed General Manager for Pendry Manhattan West Opening in 2021
Pendry Manhattan West | November 11, 2020
ORANGE COUNTY, CALIF. (NOVEMBER 11, 2020) – Pendry Hotels & Resorts is proud to announce the appointment of Ash Bhasin as general manager of Pendry Manhattan West, the brand’s first New York City property and part of the eight-acre, six-building mixed-use Manhattan West development located in Manhattan’s Hudson Yards district. In this role, Bhasin will be responsible for overseeing and managing all daily operations of the hotel, slated to open in 2021. Pendry Manhattan West will feature 164 guestrooms including 30 suites; a signature restaurant; a lounge and vibrant open-air terrace bar; and meeting and event space...
Midas Hospitality Promotes Nora Harris to Director of Sales at Courtyard by Marriott St. Peters
November 11, 2020
(St. Louis, Mo., Nov. 11, 2020) Leading hotel development, management and investment firm Midas Hospitality recently promoted Nora Harris to Director of Sales at its Courtyard by Marriott St. Peters located in St. Peters, Mo. She will focus on maximizing profits while ensuring customer satisfaction for new and existing clientele. Her responsibilities include pursuing corporate and individual consumer bookings, as well as maintaining ongoing communication with both the property’s team and guests. Harris previously served as the hotel’s Senior Sales Manager. Prior to that she was the Central Group Sales Manager for four of Midas Ho...
GHM Signs Agreement With Aquarius International Development for Resort in Koh Chang
GHM | November 11, 2020
SINGAPORE (Nov. 11, 2020) — GHM has signed a management agreement with Aquarius International Development (AQI) to operate a 200-key resort on Koh Chang, the third largest island in Thailand. The Chedi Aquarius Koh Chang will feature an all-day-dining restaurant, a cliff-edge restaurant, rooftop bar, spa, infinity pool with pool bar, and conference facilities overlooking the Gulf of Thailand. Scheduled to open in 2023, the new Chedi would complement the brand’s acclaimed hotels in Muscat (Oman), Sharjah (U.A.E.), Andermatt (Switzerland) and Luštica Bay (Montengro), as well as hotels under development for the Maldives, U.A.E., Ind...
Tonino Lamborghini Partners Utopia Corporation to Bring the Legendary Italian Brand’s First Luxury Boutique Hotel to Phuket
Utopia Corporation | November 11, 2020
Tonino Lamborghini, the legendary Italian brand famous for its luxurious products and designs, has unveiled plans to launch its inaugural hotel project on the idyllic Thai island of Phuket, as part of a landmark collaboration with Utopia Corporation. Scheduled to welcome guests in 2023, Tonino Lamborghini Boutique Hotel Phuket will be a one-of-a-kind luxury resort nestled directly on the beachfront at Chalong Bay, on Phuket’s secluded southeast coast. Overlooking the azure Andaman Sea and exotic offshore islands, this spectacular low-rise retreat is the vision of Alexander Wong, founder of Alexander Wong Architects, whose original avant-...
Sarah Garcia Joins Terrapin Hospitality as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Terrapin Hospitality | November 11, 2020
November 11, 2020, Houston, TX— Terrapin Hospitality, one of the nation’s fastest-growing hotel management platforms, announced today the appointment of Sarah Garcia as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Garcia is a long-term hospitality professional with over 20 years of hospitality experience in sales, marketing, and revenue management. She will be responsible for overseeing top-line revenue efforts for all assets and will strive to drive revenue to the top line and all the way down to NOI. Garcia will run the company’s sales organization, including full-service, select-service, and economy properties. “Sarah’s ex...
McNeill Hotel Company Opens TRU by Hilton in Rockwall, Dallas
McNeill Hotel Company | November 11, 2020
Germantown, Tenn. – November 11, 2020 – The TRU by Hilton in Rockwall, Dallas today celebrated its official Grand Opening. The Co-owners of the new hotel, Bill Margaritis and McNeill Hotel Company, announced that the McNeill Hotel Company will oversee all management and operations of the new hotel. Rockwall, TX, is a fast growing suburb along the I-30 Corridor of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, with a population of nearly 40,000 people. The 98-room hotel is within walking distance to Lake Ray Hubbard, and the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital. Nearby attractions include a Bass Pro Shop, the newly developed Harbor District of shops, r...
Hotel Equities and Berry College Break Ground on Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott
Berry | November 11, 2020
ROME, Ga., November 11, 2020 – Berry College held its groundbreaking ceremony Monday to mark the start of construction on the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott hotel adjacent to the Rome Tennis Center at Berry College in Rome, GA. The hotel will be managed by Hotel Equities who will provide development services throughout the hotel’s construction phase. Construction is expected to be complete in fall 2021. The hotel development aligns with the college’s focus on creating new revenue streams to support its educational mission, provide opportunities for student learning and employment, and contribute to the economic vitality o...
