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
Türkiye’s Travel & Tourism Sector Reached Record-Breaking New Heights Last Year
The World Travel & Tourism Council | June 13, 2024
London, UK: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) 2024 Economic Impact Research (EIR) has revealed Türkiye’s Travel & Tourism sector broke all records last year, reaching new milestones across four key metrics. In 2023, the sector contributed TRY 3.11TN to the economy, accounting for 12% of total GDP. This is a significant increase of almost 30% from the previous peak in 2019. The sector also supported more than 3.2MN jobs, representing one in 10 jobs across the country, and more than 18% above the 2019 high point. International and domestic visitor spending also exceeded their previous records, reaching TRY 1.68TN a...
May Events Pushed Berlin Hotel Performance
CoStar Group | June 13, 2024
WASHINGTON – 13 June 2024 – Helped by a number of events, Berlin hotels saw improved performance in May, according to preliminary data from CoStar. CoStar is a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information, and analytics in the property markets. May 2024 (year-over-year % change): Occupancy: 78.8% (+2.6%) Average daily rate (ADR): EUR133.90 (+6.0%) Revenue per available room (RevPAR): EUR105.57 (+8.7%) Berlin was the host of several events in May, including CWIEME Berlin, Carnival of Cultures, Desertfest Berlin, and the Global Business Summit. The market’s highest daily occupancy levels were...
U.S. Hotel Results for Week Ending 8 June
CoStar Group | June 13, 2024
WASHINGTON – 13 June 2024 – The U.S. hotel industry reported higher performance results from the previous week but mixed comparisons year over year, according to CoStar’s latest data through 8 June. CoStar is a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information and analytics in the property markets. 2-8 June 2024 (percentage change from comparable week in 2023): Occupancy: 69.1% (-0.1%) Average daily rate (ADR): US$160.90 (+1.8%) Revenue per available room (RevPAR): US$111.26 (+1.7%) Among the Top 25 Markets, Houston saw the highest year-over-year increases in occupancy +14.8% to 71.1%) and RevPAR (...
Atrium Hospitality Debuts Multimillion-Dollar Renovation at Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel & Spa in Arizona
Atrium Hospitality | June 13, 2024
Extensive Makeover of Full-Service Phoenix-Area Hotel Includes 100,000 Square Feet of Event Space GLENDALE, Ariz. & ALPHARETTA, Ga.--Elevate your experience in the Valley of the Sun at the beautifully renovated Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel & Spa in Glendale, Arizona. The 324-key hotel is operated by Atrium Hospitality, one of the nation’s largest hotel operators. Encompassing a water and earth theme and modern enhancements, our hotel’s nine-month, multimillion-dollar makeover spanned all guest accommodations, lobby, common areas, conference center, fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, restaurants and bars, and 100,...
Unique Factors Shaping the Buffalo Lodging Market
Christian Cross | June 13, 2024
As a border town, Buffalo has historically been heavily reliant on Canadian visitors and U.S. travelers stopping over en route to/from Canada for lodging demand. Based on a recent hotel market study and many hotel appraisals in the greater Buffalo-Niagara area I have performed, it is clear that traffic volume at the land crossings has an impact on these border markets. Below is a brief timeline of the changing restrictions for border crossings from 2020 until 2023. Key Dates for Border-Crossing Restrictions As the one-year anniversary recently passed since all COVID-19 border restrictions were lifted, I wanted to take a look at the co...
Japan’s First Caption by Hyatt Hotel Opens in Osaka
Caption by Hyatt | June 13, 2024
Caption by Hyatt Namba Osaka debuts, marking the introduction of the select-service lifestyle brand in Japan Chicago (June 13, 2024) –– Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE:H) announced today the opening of Caption by Hyatt Namba Osaka, a dynamic, community-minded hotel in the heart of Osaka, Japan. The 167-room lifestyle hotel features self-activated touchpoints, vibrant social spaces, and a trendy design aesthetic with an unmistakable neighborhood feel. Caption by Hyatt hotels offer a seamless and efficient guest experience that allows guests to customize interactions on their own terms. DIY touchpoints include self-service check-in, digit...
Courtyard by Marriott La Paz, Baja California Sur Opens in Mexico
Courtyard by Marriott | June 13, 2024
LA PAZ, BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR, MEXICO – June 13, 2024 - Courtyard by Marriott, part of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of more than 30 extraordinary brands, announced today the opening of Courtyard by Marriott La Paz, Baja California Sur, the first Courtyard by Marriott in the Southern California territory. La Paz, Baja California Sur, is a charming tourist destination on the rise that offers a unique combination of natural wonders and a vibrant cultural scene, offering a complete experience for all visitors. Known for its stunning white sand beaches and crystal clear waters, it is a true paradise for water sports lovers and nature enthus...
Shangri-La Paris Appoints Tony Xu as Executive Chef of Shang Palace
Shangri-La Paris | June 13, 2024
Chef Tony Xu appointed Executive Chef of Michelin-starred Shang Palace Restaurant at Shangri-La Paris For immediate release: Shangri-La Paris is delighted to announce the appointment of Chef Tony Xu as Executive Chef of Shang Palace, the only Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant in all of France. Having retained the international accolade for the past 13 years, Chef Xu, who hails from the city of Chengdu located in southwest China, aims to continue the culinary heritage that has made the restaurant famous since it opened in 2011, while bringing his own personality to the table. "It's a real honor to take the helm at Shang Palace, this auth...
Hotel Effie Sandestin Joins Marriott’s Autograph Collection
Autograph Collection Hotels | June 13, 2024
Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort’s Boutique Property Joins Marriott Bonvoy’s Growing Portfolio of Independent Hotels MIRAMAR BEACH, FL – Hotel Effie, the 250-room boutique hotel located at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, announced today that it has become a part of Marriott Bonvoy’s Autograph Collection. As a newly minted member of the Autograph Collection, Hotel Effie enters the brand’s unique portfolio of diverse and dynamic properties, with more than 295 hotels globally. Carefully selected for hotels’ thoughtful vision and passion, each Autograph Collection property creates a singular and special guest experience through ...
March 2024 Total International Travel Volume To and From the United States
NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM OFFICE (NTTO) | June 13, 2024
In March 2024, International Visitor Arrivals to the United States Totaled 5,893,360, an Increase of 12.6% Compared to March 2023 Outbound Travel Departures from the United States by U.S. Citizens Totaled 9,009,439 in March 2024, an Increase of 15.4% Compared to March 2023 Data recently released by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) show that in March 2024: International Arrivals to the United States Total non-U.S. resident international visitor volume to the United States of 5,893,360 increased +12.6% compared to March 2023 and represented 94.2% of the pre-COVID total visitor volume reporte...
Great Wolf Lodge Celebrates “Topping Out” Milestone for Mashantucket Resort in Connecticut
Great Wolf Resorts, Inc. | June 13, 2024
The first Great Wolf Lodge in Connecticut is now accepting reservations for summer 2025. MASHANTUCKET, Conn.. – (June 13, 2024) – Great Wolf Lodge Mashantucket reached a significant milestone today as Turner Construction hoisted the final beam needed to complete vertical construction into place for the family-friendly indoor water park resort. Now, Turner, along with Neuman Pools and ID3 Group, will focus on completing the elaborately themed interior portions of the resort, including all 549-guest suites, the 91,000-square-foot indoor water park and 61,000-square-foot Great Wolf Adventure Park, along with the various eateries a...
BirchStreet Systems Launches Operational Insights to Help Hospitality Customers Attain Operational Goals
BirchStreet | June 13, 2024
New solution helps companies achieve up to $500,000 in savings per year LAS VEGAS – June 13, 2024 – BirchStreet Systems, a leading global provider of enterprise procure-to-pay -solutions to the hospitality sector, today announced the launch of Operational Insights, an interactive reporting and analytics solution designed to help customers achieve operational goals for Purchasing and Accounts Payable processes and yield substantial cost savings. Operational Insights is the first product in the ongoing ‘Insights’ series targeted specifically to the unique needs of the hospitality industry. The new offering further advances BirchStree...
Nominations Open for the ISHC Lori Raleigh Award for Emerging Excellence in Hospitality Consulting
The International Society of Hospitality Consultants | June 13, 2024
June 13, 2024: The International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) announced that nominations are being accepted for the Lori Raleigh Award for Emerging Excellence in Hospitality Consulting. Launched in 2015 in honor of Lori Raleigh, founder of the Travers Group and executive director of ISHC 2000-2013, the award honors young, successful industry professionals with leadership qualities and a perceived bright future in hospitality consulting. Candidates for The Lori Raleigh Award must be 35 years of age or younger at the time of the award presentation and meet the criteria for ISHC’s associate membership. They also must be recogni...
The Courtyard Los Angeles Pasadena/Old Town Unveils Renovation
Courtyard by Marriott | June 13, 2024
PASADENA, CA - June 13, 2024 - Positioned in the artistic heartbeat of the city near iconic landmarks like the Armory Center for the Arts and Pasadena City Hall, The Courtyard by Marriott® Los Angeles Pasadena/Old Town has concluded an extensive property renovation. Under the management of HHM Hotels, the property's refreshed guest rooms and communal spaces pay tribute to a skillful blend of old and new that reclaims the heritage of Pasadena's early downtown charm, creating a canvas that serves as a stylish hub for guests and locals alike. General Manager Erikk Hilgert shared, "In response to the evolving travel landscape where work and l...
The Embers Hotel Appoints New General Manager and Executive Chef
The Embers Hotel | June 13, 2024
Ben McKethan and Matthew Betlach join the team with years of hospitality and culinary management expertise BLOWING ROCK, N.C. (June 13, 2024) – The Embers Hotel, Blowing Rock’s newest boutique hotel nestled in the enchanting Blue Ridge Mountains, is pleased to announce the appointment of two new key members to its leadership team: General Manager Ben McKethan and Executive Chef Matthew Betlach. Together, the two will play pivotal roles in enhancing guest experiences at the hotel. Ben McKethan, a seasoned expert in the hospitality industry, has been appointed as the new general manager of The Embers. A High Country native, McKeth...
InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco Appoints Bob Bracy as Director of Food & Beverage
The InterContinental Hotels & Resorts | June 13, 2024
(San Francisco, CA – June 13, 2024) –The InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco is pleased to announce that Robert (Bob) Bracy is their new Director of Food and Beverage. Bob Bracy is a target-driven business development professional with almost 30 years of nurturing relationships that increase revenue and propel growth. He has a proven track record of success in sales, ensuring that plans are aligned with organizational objectives. Bob fosters an atmosphere of teamwork and collaboration with an emphasis on goal attainment. He creates and develops highly effective teams, shifting the mindsets of team members from fulfilling tasks ...
Shiji Announces Summer Update for F&B Tech, Infrasys Cloud POS and Digital Dine
Shiji | June 13, 2024
In preparation for the busy summer, Shiji Infrasys Cloud POS and Shiji Digital Dine launch new features and integrations to improve staff mobility, guest payments, business intelligence. ATLANTA, Georgia, USA, June 13, 2024 - Shiji, the hospitality technology innovator, has unveiled a series of new features and partnerships for their F&B (Food & Beverage) tech ecosystem, designed to meet the evolving needs of the hospitality industry. The annual summer update of Shiji’s F&B products went live on June 12, in preparations for the summer season of the northern hemisphere. Supported by strategic partnerships, Shiji Infrasys...
Jim Butler Asks Mark S. Adams for Update on California Junk Fee law: Would SB 1524 Gut SB 478’s Honest Pricing for All?
Mark S. Adams | June 12, 2024
Mark S. Adams is the go-to senior lawyer in JMBM’s hospitality litigation team for assessing legal exposure, pursuing legitimate claims, and defending a client’s rights involving hospitality matters. Jim Butler caught up with Mark to find out what all the fuss is about over California’s Junk Fee law (SB 478) and a proposed amendment by SB 1524 that has consumer advocates for transparent consumer prices in an uproar. Jim Butler: As a hospitality litigator and advisor, you have been at the forefront in junk fee matters for many years, and have written extensively about the latest developments. Tell us what all the fuss is about c...
Spa Revenue Management: The Art of Pricing Optimization for Spa Services
Cheryl Sott | June 12, 2024
Effective pricing strategies are the cornerstone of spa revenue management. While price controls are still largely a manual endeavor in the spa industry compared to the more sophisticated automated programs employed for hotel rooms and airline seats, there are a number of pricing levers including dynamic, real time, advance, and last-minute pricing strategies that can be used to build your spa revenue management program. Let’s explore. 1. Setting Competitive Spa Prices Spa Revenue Management begins with setting competitive prices that attract guests while ensuring profitability. For instance, you analyze the local market and determine th...
Tokyo Room Rates Reached a New Peak in May
CoStar Group | June 12, 2024
WASHINGTON – 12 June 2024 – Tokyo’s hotel industry reported record-high average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR) in May, according to preliminary data from CoStar. CoStar is a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information, and analytics in the property markets. May 2024 (year-over-year % change): Occupancy: 78.4% (+4.2%) ADR: JPY 37,671.27 (+44.0%) RevPAR: JPY 29,529.07 (+50.0%) According to daily data, Tokyo’s occupancy levels peaked on Saturday, 25 May (89.1%), helped by a number of music events held in Tokyo Dome. The market recorded its highest RevPAR levels on the...
Madonna Concert Drove Rio de Janeiro’s Hotel Performance in May
CoStar Group | June 12, 2024
WASHINGTON – 12 June 2024 –Madonna’s final concert of her Celebration Tour pushed Rio de Janeiro’s hotel performance in May, according to preliminary data from CoStar. CoStar is a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information and analytics in the property markets. May 2024 (year-over-year % change): Occupancy: 62.0% (+6.0%) Average daily rate (ADR): BRL729.06 (+19.9%) Revenue per available room (RevPAR): BRL452.14 (+27.2%) On Saturday, 4 May, Madonna wrapped her Celebration Tour with a free concert on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach, which attracted over 1.6 million fa...
Agilysys To Speak on “Revenue Beyond the Room” at HITEC 2024 and on “The Agilysys Turnaround Story: 2017 – 2024” at HITEC IC 2024
Agilysys | June 12, 2024
Agilysys SVP Frank Pitsikalis will present Tuesday, June 25th and CEO Ramesh Srinivasan will present Thursday, June 27th ALPHARETTA, GA (June 12, 2024) — Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading global provider of hospitality software solutions and services, today announced two executive speaker sessions, one at the HFTP HITEC event June 24 – 27 and one at the HITEC Technology Investment Conference (HITEC IC) June 27 – 28, both to be held at the Charlotte Convention Center inCharlotte, North Carolina, USA. Produced by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®), a global non-profit hospitality association, HITEC ...
Alternative Financing to Help Close Hotel Deals
Emil Iskandar | June 12, 2024
Like other commercial real estate (CRE) sectors, the hospitality industry has seen a drop in deal volume. The very stubborn inflation level kept benchmark lending rates elevated for most of last year, and this trend is expected to continue this year. To make matters worse, lenders—particularly local and regional banks—are facing their own issues with maintaining sufficient liquidity to make loans, as well as managing CRE concentration and sub-performing loans in their books. The pool of active hospitality lenders is arguably much smaller today, and those who are still actively lending are very selective in adding new loans to their balanc...
Wellness Floors as a Steppingstone for Enhanced Mixed Use Revenues
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | June 12, 2024
By Adam and Larry Mogelonsky The core revenue stream for every hotel brand will always be heads in beds. But increasingly for luxury, premium and upscale properties, a strong reason to visit is required to convince customers to select you versus the competitor. With the OTAs, metasearch, short-term rentals and a litany of other travel resources, guests have near-endless optionality for accommodations. Your hotel must forge a striking identity, with the wellness industry now assuming a central role in a brand’s strategy for attracting guests and commanding above-market rates. Not just as a reason to visit to feed the rooms revenue ledger, ...
