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Travel Outlook, The Premier Hotel Call Center™ | October 2nd, 2024
GBTA Calls on Congress to Take Action on Expanded Relief for Distressed Business Travel Industry
The Global Business Travel Association | August 4, 2020
Alexandria, VA – As the U.S. Congress negotiates a new coronavirus relief package for individuals and businesses, the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) – the leading voice of business travel worldwide – has called on Congressional leadership to enact measures to renew business travelers’ confidence and to curb the devastating impact of the pandemic on this vital sector of the global economy. The August 3 letter to Congressional Leadership calls for increased funding for rapid COVID-19 testing across the U.S. and for additional financial relief for stricken travel businesses that continue to face the near-cessation of all work-...
HFTP Offers New Digital Format for the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI), 11th Revised Edition
HFTP | August 4, 2020
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) has just released a new format for the USALI, 11th revised edition: a digital version that is available through a subscription service. The popular guide is widely used internationally and its primary purpose is to offer operating statements formatted to provide hotel owners, managers and other interested parties with operational information pertinent to the lodging industry. The USALI was first published in 1926 and is currently in its 11th edition. The subscription will make it easy to access on multiple digital devices. "In 2018, HFTP purchased the copyright to the USALI with t...
How F&B Service Will Change Post-COVID
HotStats | August 4, 2020
As COVID-19 plows through the hospitality industry, it’s carving new paths to profit along the way. Moving forward, hotel food and beverage (F&B) services will be among the most transformed departments in the post-COVID-19 world. Already, the virus has changed how F&B services attract customers, and it’s altering the habits of guests. (In a prior post, we presented how social distancing could transform F&B operations.) Wondering how F&B services will change for hotels post-COVID-19? In this article, we’ll dig into the answer. What’s the State of Hotel F&B Services Now? Unfortunately, many business owners wi...
Radisson Debuts in the Maldives With Opening of Radisson Blu Resort Maldives
Radisson Hotel Group | August 4, 2020
Singapore - August 4, 2020 - Radisson Blu, the upper-upscale brand that delivers personalized service in stylish spaces, has opened Radisson Blu Resort Maldives – a private island retreat in the Alifu Dhaalu Atoll which becomes Radisson Hotel Group’s first property in the Maldives. Nestled on Huruelhi Island and one other pristine islet, only 105 kilometers from Malé’s Velana International Airport, Radisson Blu Resort Maldives makes this dream destination more accessible than ever before. Guests can take a scenic 30-minute seaplane direct to the resort or a 20-minute domestic flight from Malé to Maamigili Airport followed by a 15-mi...
Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2020 Results
Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. | August 4, 2020
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 04, 2020 - Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (NYSE: RHP), a lodging real estate investment trust (“REIT”) specializing in group-oriented, destination hotel assets in urban and resort markets, today reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020. Second Quarter 2020 Highlights: Second quarter 2020 gross advanced room night bookings of approximately 733,000 room nights for all future years Year to date rebooked room nights through June 30, 2020 of approximately 552,600 room nights or approximately 40% of total room nights canceled related to COVID-19 Successfully reopened 4 of 5 Gay...
Hyatt Reports Second-Quarter 2020 Results
Hyatt Hotels Corporation | August 4, 2020
CHICAGO (August 3, 2020) - Hyatt Hotels Corporation ("Hyatt" or the "Company") (NYSE: H) today reported second-quarter 2020 financial results. Net loss attributable to Hyatt was $236 million, or $2.33 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2020, compared to net income attributable to Hyatt of $86 million, or $0.80 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2019. Adjusted net loss attributable to Hyatt was $183 million, or $1.80 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2020, compared to Adjusted net income attributable to Hyatt of $82 million, or $0.76 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2019. Refer to the table on page 13...
Marriott International Signs Agreement With KJP Participaçoes LTDA to Bring W Hotels Brand to South of Brazil
W Hotels Worldwide | August 4, 2020
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) today announced that it has signed an agreement with KJP Participaçoes LTD to bring the W Hotels brand to Gramado, a mountain resort town in the Brazil’s southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul. The property will be the second W Hotel to open in country and the fourth in the Southern Cone of Latin America. “To have a cutting-edge W hotel in Rio Grande do Sul, a destination ready for the brand’s bold design, signature Whatever/Whenever service and innovative programming is exceptional,” said Laurent de Kousemaeker, Chief Development Officer, Caribbean and Latin America for Marriott Internati...
Santa Cruz’s Historic Chaminade Resort & Spa Completes Multi-Million Dollar Transformation
Chaminade Resort & Spa | August 4, 2020
Santa Cruz, CA (August 4, 2020) – Considered one of Santa Cruz’s premier, luxury destination resorts with breathtaking views of Monterey Bay, the 156-room Chaminade Resort & Spa is celebrating the completion of an extensive, $10 million transformation. To restore the integrity of the beloved property’s 1930’s iconic Spanish Revival architecture, the property’s public spaces including a new arrival experience, spacious lobby, signature restaurant and lounge with spectacular views, the expansive outdoors and firepit areas as well as its 12,000 square feet of meeting and event space, provided an ideal canvas to renew the spirit ...
Fairfield By Marriott Inn & Suites Set to Open in Katy, Texas
Fairfield by Marriott | August 4, 2020
Katy, TX – August 4, 2020 – The 92-room Fairfield by Marriott hotel in Katy, Texas is set to open this week with a new décor that provides guests with a feeling of warmth and calm while traveling. Located at 22100 Grand Corner Drive, the Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Houston Katy will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned by Jay Parbhu Hospitality, LLC and managed by Dalwadi Hospitality Management of Houston, Texas. The Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Houston Katy offers guests convenient access to Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital, Typhoon Texas, Devon Energy, Petroskills, Academy Sports and Outdoors Corporate Headquart...
Hotel Internet Services Unveils Survey Results Revealing New Insight Into Guest and Hotelier In-Room Entertainment and Voice Technology Trends
Hotel Internet Services, Inc. | August 4, 2020
Comprehensive report leveraging feedback from over 700 guests and 200 hoteliers demonstrates escalating demands for the industry’s embracing of service personalization and voice-activated in-room technology. CLEARWATER, Fla. — August 4, 2020 — Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, has released the full results of its latest survey analyzing how in-room entertainment and technology expectations have continued to increase and how such trends mirror the growing prevalence and reliance on newer technologies in daily consumer life. Conducted on more th...
Cloud-Hosted vs. On-Premise vs. Self-Hosted vs. Private Cloud PMS: All Platforms Have Advantages; Which Is Right for You?
Warren Dehan | August 4, 2020
No need to feel pushed to the cloud to gain a web browser-based system with mobile and contact free innovations; Independent hoteliers have choices By Warren Dehan A great deal has been written over the years about the viability of moving a hotel’s property-management system (PMS) to the cloud to take advantage of the latest technologies, but hoteliers need to realize that it’s not the only viable option. All platforms have advantages, including self-hosted, private cloud and on-premise solutions that leverage the latest mobile, contact free and web-based technologies. Independent operators can still enhance the digital guest experi...
Onyx CenterSource Launches Contactless Virtual Card Solutions
Onyx CenterSource | August 4, 2020
DALLAS (Aug. 4, 2020)— Onyx CenterSource, a leading global provider of B2B payments and business intelligence to the hospitality industry, today announced the launch of virtual credit card payment solutions to its hospitality and travel clients worldwide. Virtual credit card payments allow sensitive data to remain anonymous and secure when payments are made. In addition to enhanced security, this payment method also allows for increased control over the transaction and streamlined, contactless payment. “Virtual credit card payments are increasingly popular for their security and ease of use,” said Mark Dubrow, Onyx CenterSource CE...
Q2 2020 Major US Hotel Sales Survey
Daniel Lesser | August 3, 2020
It appears that this downturn may very well produce a period that rivals the very best in both returns and depth of opportunity. By Daniel H. Lesser The year 2020 will not be soon forgotten as the spread of COVID-19 and society’s reaction to the virus have combined to devastate the global economy. U.S. GDP in the second quarter declined by 32.9 percent on an annualized basis, the most significant quarterly decline observed since the 1940’s. While the stock market has rebounded considerably from its lows and seems to be reflecting an optimistic view regarding an economic recovery, base case will be a slow and very bumpy re-opening o...
Speaker Pelosi, Choice Hotels CEO Headline AHLA Leadership Series
AHLA | August 3, 2020
WASHINGTON (August 3, 2020) – Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA 12th District) and Choice Hotels International, Inc. president and CEO Patrick Pacious will join American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) president and CEO Chip Rogers for an exclusive edition of The Forum, a series of thought-provoking conversations bringing together the nation’s top business and political leaders to discuss forces that will shape the hotel industry of tomorrow. This intimate conversation will feature House Speaker Pelosi’s ultimate insider’s view on the very latest relief bill negotiations and how the President &...
Hotel Development: Are Better Feasibility Studies Actually Feasible?
Demian Hodari | August 3, 2020
By Dr Demian Hodari Hotel development is a complex and expensive process involving multiple stakeholders with unique and often conflicting objectives. Since investors, operators, lenders and consultants all use distinct criteria to evaluate a hotel’s projected value, they may green-light projects that are unlikely to satisfy the other parties' financial goals. In order to minimize such subjectivity, investment in a new hotel’s development is typically preceded by a feasibility study, the stated purpose of which is to provide the relevant stakeholders with the information and analysis necessary to estimate the project's financial viabil...
Best Western Opens GLo Tulsa East Route 66 in Oklahoma
Best Western Hotels & Resorts | August 3, 2020
Phoenix, Arizona (August 3, 2020) – Best Western® Hotels & Resorts today announced the expansion of its energetic and exciting brand, GLō, with the opening of GLō Tulsa East Route 66. A new-construction boutique hotel brand, GLō provides a dynamic experience featuring modern amenities, revolutionary architecture, stylish design and strategic use of LED lighting. Designed with the connected traveler in mind, the addition of digital keys, a digital concierge, and communal workspaces position GLō as a powerful innovator in the growing upper midscale market, and the ideal accommodation for today’s mobile workforce. GLō hotels ar...
America’s Hotel Owners Optimistic About HOPE Act
AAHOA | August 3, 2020
WASHINGTON, D.C., August 3, 2020 – AAHOA President & CEO Cecil P. Staton issued the following statement in response to the introduction of the Helping Open Properties Endeavor (HOPE) Act of 2020, a bill to provide relief to small businesses, like hotels, who hold commercial mortgage-backed security (CMBS) loans. The legislation would require the Department of Treasury to establish a facility to guarantee certain preferred equity investments in CMBS borrowers impacted by COVID-19: “Many of AAHOA’s members, the small business owners who run local hotels, use CMBS loans. This crisis hit them hard, and there is no other relief for th...
Valor Hospitality Partners to Assume Management at Fancourt in Garden Route, South Africa
Valor Hospitality Partners | August 3, 2020
Cape Town, South Africa, 03 August 2020: Valor Hospitality Partners Africa, is pleased to add to its hotel portfolio, with the signing of a management agreement with Fancourt. Valor will be taking over the reins from outgoing CEO Georgie Davidson. Fancourt, a member of The Leading Hotels of the World®, consists of the Fancourt hotel and the award-winning Manor House, which together offer 133 rooms and suites. The 600 ha Lifestyle resort offers an extensive recreational leisure facility including indoor and outdoor pools, a state-of-the-art leisure centre, tennis courts, outdoor activities as well as an fully equipped Spa, hair salon ...
Anantara to Début in the Seychelles With Rebrand of Iconic Maia Luxury Resort & Spa
Minor Hotels | August 3, 2020
Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas announces it will debut in the Seychelles this September with the upcoming rebrand of the iconic Maia Luxury Resort & Spa, one of the country’s most exclusive and stylish properties. Anantara Maia Seychelles Villas will represent the luxury brand’s launch in the archipelago, complementing its existing collection of world-class Indian Ocean resorts in the Maldives, Mauritius and Sri Lanka. Located on Mahé, the largest of the Seychelles islands and just a short drive from the international airport, the resort can be found on the south west coast amongst 30 acres of forest garden, nestled between t...
NH Hotel Group Appoints Luis Martínez Jurado as Chief Financial Officer
NH Hotel Group | August 3, 2020
Madrid, 30 July 2020 - NH Hotel Group has agreed to appoint Luis Martínez Jurado as its new Chief Financial Officer. Luis will report directly to Ramón Aragonés, the Group's Chief Executive Officer, and join its Management Committee. His appointment has already been ratified by the Company's Board of Directors. Luis Martínez Jurado, Senior Vice President of Treasury & Financing at NH Hotel Group since 2016, boasts an extensive career in finance, having held a number of executive positions in the corporate finance departments of multinationals of the calibre of Degremont (Suez), Telvent-Schneider Electric and Prosegur. An economics gr...
Tourism Tidbits: Travel Rage in a Time of Pandemics
Peter E. Tarlow | August 3, 2020
By Dr. Peter Tarlow During the last decade, tourism officials have noted the evolution of various types of angers among those in the general public and especially among those in the traveling public. These angers first became apparent in the form of road rage then became air-rage, morphed into full-blown travel rage, with verbal anger at times turning into physical violence. Now in a time of pandemic, with the public never sure about what is and will be open or closed, we face the newest form of rage: “Travel Pandemic Rage”. Due to an ever-increasing tourism bureaucracy and often poor levels of customer service som...
Hospitality Financial Leadership: 7 Daily Revenue Audit Must Dos
David Lund | August 3, 2020
By David Lund The hotel business is a retail business and in order to stay on top of your business you must fully and completely balance your daily revenues and settlements. Every day we begin anew and every day is a story unto itself when it comes to the revenues and settlements. I may sound like I am repeating “revenues and settlements,” but it cannot be emphasized enough. Many hotels operate on what I call autopilot when it comes to this bedrock function. Many leave it in the hands of their latest manager of the day to ensure this function is properly done. Many hotel owners don’t even know that these controls can or should exi...
New 92-Key Towneplace Suites By Marriott Set to Open in Albuquerque, New Mexico
TownePlace Suites by Marriott | August 3, 2020
Albuquerque, NM – August 3, 2020 – The TownePlace Suites by Marriott Albuquerque Old Town is set to open for business this Thursday, August 6th. The new 92-suite hotel is built for travelers looking for a simple and friendly place where they can settle-in, keep their routine, and easily connect to the Old Town Albuquerque area. Located at 2510 12th Street NW, it will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned by IPMI Hotel Group and managed by Sun Capital Hotels of Albuquerque, New Mexico. General Manager Joseph Alderete leads the management team at the property. All service team members are thoroughly trained on local knowledge and look f...
Victor Betro Appointed as New General Manager of Kempinski Hotel Aqaba Red Sea, Jordan
Kempinski Hotel Aqaba Red Sea | August 3, 2020
Aqaba, Jordan, 3 August 2020 – From the golden dunes of the Arabian Desert to the azure shores of the Red Sea: Victor Betro has been appointed as the new General Manager of Aqaba’s prominent luxury hotel, Kempinski Hotel Aqaba Red Sea, and has moved from the Palm Island in Dubai to the aquatic city of Aqaba - Jordan’s only southern beachfront city located on the Red Sea Riviera. Victor started his career path with Hyatt International back in 2005 in the food and beverage team at Hyatt Regency Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, followed by a position in the same field at Grand Hyatt Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Switching from operations to the r...
