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Pinnacle Advisory Group Issues Hotel Management RFQ for a 225-Room Hotel at the University of Virginia
Pinnacle Advisory Group | June 24, 2019
On behalf of the University of Virginia, Pinnacle Advisory Group is seeking qualifications from a hotel management company to develop and operate a proposed independent, upper upscale, hotel with 225-rooms and 25,000 SF of meeting space on the campus of UVA. To receive a copy of the RFQ please contact Anne Purcell (apurcell@pinnacle-advisory.com)....
Welcome Group Appoints Leadership Positions for AC Hotel Los Angeles South Bay’s Opening Team
Welcome Group, Inc. | June 24, 2019
El Segundo, CA – June 2019 – Slated to open this summer, the AC Hotel Los Angeles South Bay, a new build Marriott lifestyle hotel with a rooftop restaurant and bar, announces the appointment of two dynamic team members. Welcome Group, Inc., the El Segundo-based hospitality group behind the South Bay’s most buzzed about new property, has named Hector E. Martinez as Director of Sales and Marketing, and Alexis Hansen as Director of Food and Beverage. “I’m proud of the all-star opening team we have assembled,” said Ahmed Elassy, AC Hotel Los Angeles South Bay’s General Manager. “They represent some of the best and brightest pla...
Blue Sky Hospitality Acquires New Orleans Marriott Metairie and Long Island Marriott
Blue Sky Hospitality Solutions | June 24, 2019
UNIONDALE, N.Y., June 24, 2019—Officials of Blue Sky Hospitality (BSHS), one of the leading and fastest growing hotel owner/operators in the United States, today announced that the company has acquired the 220-room New Orleans Marriott Metairie at Lakeway in La., and the 615-room Long Island Marriott in Uniondale, N.Y. “The hotel cycle is maturing, which creates growth opportunities for experienced operators and investors with a contrarian approach to the industry,” said David Fincannon, COO, BSHS. “We have accumulated a substantial portfolio of managed and owned properties in just six months, and we have a substantial appetite to ...
Southern Lodging Summit Announces Full Speaker List for 17th Annual Conference August 27th & 28th in Memphis, Tenn.
June 24, 2019
MEMPHIS, Tenn., June 24, 2018—Officials of the Southern Lodging Summit, an annual gathering of hoteliers specializing in development and operations in the southern United States, today announced the full speaker roster for its annual conference running August 27-28, 2019, in Memphis, Tenn. “We have gone to great lengths to not only feature some of the industry’s best and brightest on our panels, but to also find newer voices that you may not have heard from at other events,” said Chuck Pinkowski, owner of Pinkowski & Company and conference co-founder. “It is important for our attendees to hear different perspectives from diff...
Wellness Tourism Association Introduces New “WTA Annual Award” to Honor Innovators and Difference Makers in the Field of Wellness Tourism
June 24, 2019
June 24, 2019 (Denver) - There was business as well as wellness on the agenda as the Wellness Tourism Association (WTA) held its second annual meeting of membership at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona, May 29-30, 2019. One priority? The introduction of the WTA Annual Award (WTAAA). Open to WTA members and non-members alike, the new Annual Award will be presented once each year during the association's annual meeting to honor an organization, company, or individual that has successfully launched and implemented a wellness project or initiative in keeping with the association's stated mission "to shape and support sustainable wellness tourism...
Hospitality Financial Leadership: Zero Based Expenses – How to Plan and Manage
David Lund | June 24, 2019
By David Lund I help hotels manage their profits more efficiently and in the hospitality world, there are only two main cost types that need a system and a strategy to properly control them. The two culprits are payroll and expenses. In this piece, I am going to talk about expenses, namely a process for establishing and managing your expenses on an ongoing basis in real time using a zero base. Zero based expenses are nothing new. Here is the definition from Wikipedia. Zero-based budgeting originated in the 1970s. Many businesses will budget and plan out things to maintain financials. In the past, businesses would only look at specif...
Congress Group and AECOM Capital Celebrate Groundbreaking of Tennessee’s First Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Nashville
AECOM Capital | June 21, 2019
NASHVILLE (June 21, 2019) – Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the world’s leading luxury hospitality company; The Congress Group Inc., a Boston-based real estate investment and development firm; and AECOM Capital, the investment arm of AECOM, today celebrated the groundbreaking of Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Nashville. “Today, we officially celebrate the start of construction on an iconic tower which will become synonymous with Nashville’s skyline,” said Dean Stratouly, president of The Congress Group. “Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Nashville will be the premiere luxury destination to live and stay. In ...
The Woodlands® Resort Appoints Nicole Kubitza as Director of Sales & Marketing
The Woodlands Resort | June 21, 2019
The Woodlands, TX (June 21, 2019) – The Woodlands® Resort is pleased to announce the appointment of Nicole Kubitza as Director of Sales & Marketing. Utilizing her 20 years of industry experience – earned at everything from city-center convention hotels to mountain-bound ski resorts – Kubitza will lead a team of 17 in establishing and executing creative strategies to drive revenue from corporate and social clientele. In her role, she will also be responsible for positioning and raising awareness of The Woodlands as the premier resort destination within easy access of the city of Houston. “Nicole brings with her wide-ranging exp...
21c Museum Hotels Appoints Shelley Meszoly as General Manager of Cincinnati Property
21c Museum Hotels | June 21, 2019
Louisville, KY (June 21, 2019) – 21c Museum Hotels, the award-winning Louisville-based boutique hotel, contemporary art museum and restaurant group, announced today the appointment of Shelley Meszoly as General Manager of its Cincinnati property, located at 609 Walnut Street. In this role, Shelley will oversee all hotel operations, sales, community and guest relations. Shelley Meszoly brings over 25 years of leadership experience, specializing in revenue generation through destination and hotel sales, marketing, customer retention and revenue management, with expertise in talent development, team building and colleague engagement. Prior ...
The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas Welcomes Akis Neocleous as New General Manager
The Ritz-Carlton | June 21, 2019
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (June 21, 2019) – The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas is pleased to announce the appointment of Akis Neocleous as General Manager. Neocleous will oversee the reopening of the resort later this year and head all operations. Most recently, he served as the General Manager of the W Panama, which opened to great fanfare under his direction. “I am excited to join the Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas during the reopening of this iconic property,” said Neocleous. “My goal is to continue the legacy of excellence with my commitment to exceptional service and the highest level of operational produ...
Marriott International Signs Contract With BPM Real Estate Group to Bring The Ritz-Carlton Brand to Portland, Pacific Northwest for First Time
Marriott International | June 21, 2019
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) has signed an agreement with developer BPM Real Estate Group to bring its Ritz-Carlton brand for the first time to Portland and the Pacific Northwest. Under the contract, the brand would manage 251 hotel rooms and 138 residential units – including eight spacious penthouses – within a nearly $600 million, 35-story tower that would have sweeping views of the city’s majestic landscape. Construction is expected to commence later this year, with an anticipated opening in early 2023. “This landmark project is a game changer for The Ritz-Carlton brand and the City of Portland,” said Noah Silver...
7 Things Hoteliers Can Learn From Airbnb’s Guest Experience
Kacey Bradley | June 21, 2019
By Kacey Bradley Airbnb has become a popular site for travelers who want an authentic and memorable experience. The hotel alternative has become so popular that it has grown to more than 6 million properties across 191 countries in as little as 12 years. With no recognizable brand name or structured expectations, what is it that attracts guests to the site? From reviews and photos to enhanced personalization through data collection, Airbnb utilizes several tactics to attract potential guests and turn them into loyal bookers. Hoteliers can learn to enhance their own guest experience by learning a lesson from Airbnb's approach. 1. Offer ...
Tambourine Shares Why Travel Intent Products Are Baffling Hoteliers
Tambourine | June 21, 2019
A helpful guide to the travel intent products hoteliers should care about. In the war to shift share away from the OTAs and maximize direct bookings, hotel marketers have become tactical experts with their media dollars. When they invest a dollar into a media channel, they expect to see a return. As more and more hoteliers adopted the “SHIFT SHARE” mentality, Google Branded Search campaigns became the go-to marketing solution for hoteliers looking to stay high on search results and battle the OTAs (who are aggressively bidding on your hotel’s brand keywords) for direct bookings. Essentially, it’s cheaper to run ads to capture the boo...
HVS Market Pulse: Toledo, Ohio
Stacey Nadolny | June 21, 2019
By Stacey E. Nadolny Much like other markets in the “rust belt” Midwest, Toledo is experiencing a period of redevelopment, with major projects occurring in the healthcare, public, education, tourism, and, yes, hospitality sectors. Eight new hotels have opened since 2014 (including the fully renovated Renaissance), accounting for a 24% increase in overall supply in Lucas County during a five-year period. For several years, the growth areas in Toledo were clustered in the suburban markets of Holland and Maumee, as the city’s major employers moved to the south suburbs, leaving major vacancies Downtown. Further south, Perrysburg, in Wood...
Bay Tree Solutions Applauds ARDA Stance on Timeshare Exit Firms
Bay Tree Solutions | June 21, 2019
June 21, 2019 (ATLANTA, GA) -- Bay Tree Solutions, one of the timeshare industry’s most robust and ethical online timeshare marketplaces, issued a statement applauding the timeshare industry’s stance on timeshare exit firms. In a recent press release from ARDA (American Resort Development Association) entitled “Judges Ruling Demonstrates the Pattern of Fraud and Deception Perpetrated by Exit Firms on Unsuspecting Timeshare Owners” Robert Clements, VP of Regulatory Affairs and General Counsel of ARDA said “timeshare owners were deceived into paying large upfront fees for services that the exit company knew it could not deliver.” He...
Banyan Investment Group Acquires and Will Operate 110-Room Courtyard by Marriott Houston Pearland in Texas
Banyan Investment Group | June 20, 2019
HOUSTON, Texas, June 20, 2019 - Banyan Investment Group, an Inc. 5000 recognized hotel investment and management company that acquires and manages select-service hotels in the United States, today announced that it has acquired and will operate the 110-room Courtyard by Marriott Houston Pearland in Texas. “We continue to seek institutional quality assets, such as the Courtyard by Marriott Houston Pearland, in major markets with numerous demand generators,” said Andy Chopra, founding principal and chief investment officer, Banyan Investment Group. “The hotel benefits from its location within Pearland Town Center, a popular mixed-used ...
Why Amazon Should Acquire Airbnb, and It’s Not for the Love of Travel
Jason Price | June 20, 2019
By Jason Price Amazon has set the chessboard to succeed in the travel vertical – in a way that is not expected. Up until now Amazon’s foray into the travel vertical has been lackluster at best. Starting in 2012 and running for three years was Amazon Local, a Groupon-like business model for local travel providers. The steeply discounted "flash-sale" quickly ran its course with customers and never presented a sustainable economic value to the supplier community. In 2015, the launch of Amazon Destinations offered locally curated, weekend get-away vacation packages. Short excursions by car have its appeal but the two-fold punch of custo...
ALHI Appoints Michael Dominguez As Its President and Chief Executive Officer
Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) | June 20, 2019
BOSTON, MA (June 20, 2019) – Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) has named hospitality industry veteran Michael Dominguez as its President and Chief Executive Officer. For more than 30 years, ALHI has provided global sales services for its exclusive collection of the world’s most prestigious hotels and resorts, cruise ships, destination management companies (DMCs) and similar travel partners, connecting these members to the meetings, incentives, convention and exhibitions (MICE) industry’s leading meeting and event professionals. For the past seven years, Michael Dominguez has served as Senior Vice Preside...
Airbnb’s Market Share: U.S. Lodging Demand Analysis
Hans Detlefsen | June 20, 2019
By Hans Detlefsen In this article, Hotel Appraisers & Advisors (HA&A) estimates Airbnb’s market share of U.S. lodging demand. This year’s edition of our study differs from prior publications in two major ways. Firstly, we isolate data from Airbnb, while excluding data from other, smaller home-sharing companies that were included in prior publications. Secondly, we have focused our analysis on Airbnb demand that we believe is most like traditional hotel lodging demand. We exclude, for example, the rental of shared rooms or rooms with shared living quarters. Since its creation in 2007, Airbnb has become a dominant channel for ...
Concord Hospitality Appoints Leadership Team at Cambria Hotel Milwaukee Downtown Opening August 2019.
Cambria Hotel Milwaukee Downtown | June 20, 2019
MILWAUKEE, Wis. (June 2019) – In advance of its completion slated for August 2019, the Cambria Hotel Milwaukee Downtown team is expanding with the recent appointments of David Noel as General Manager and Tara Wurtz as Director of Sales and Marketing. Noel will enter his new management role with more than a decade of hospitality experience. With an extensive background in sales and marketing, Wurtz will assist in achieving overall revenue goals and building awareness of the property as the first Cambria hotel in Milwaukee. “We are excited to congratulate David and Tara on their new positions at the Cambria Hotel Milwaukee Downtown,” s...
Learning From the Past: Inoculating the Incentive Travel Industry
Rick Garlick | June 20, 2019
By Rick Garlick It has been a decade since the recession of 2008-2009 painted incentive travel as an example of corporate excess and waste, and the impact of that shift in mindset continues to ripple through the industry. Incentive trips, corporate events, and meetings were not only cancelled that year, but companies continue to be mindful of this perception, being more budget-cautious less likely to reinstate or explore these programs. What was lost during this time was how well-designed incentive travel programs are profit drivers, rather than cost centers, driving productivity and revenue. It seemed like no one was able to effective...
How Art and Photography Are Positively Impacting Hotel Design
Morrison Hotel Gallery | June 20, 2019
By Peter Blachley When you first step into a hotel, you are immediately impacted by its surroundings. From the very first look at the hotel lobby to the front desk, up the elevators, to your room, and beyond, you can instantly determine whether or not the property is well-designed, put together, and luxurious. The expression “the eye of the beholder” is always at play in the art and design world because we gain awareness of things through our senses. When it comes to adding design elements to a hotel property, specifically, visitors and guests want to feel the influences of the surrounding areas and the coziness of their own homes,...
OYO Hotels to Invest $300 Million in the U.S.
OYO Hotels & Homes | June 20, 2019
June 20, 2019, San Francisco / New York – OYO Hotels & Homes, the young hotel startup, which also happens to be one of the world’s fastest-growing hospitality companies, celebrates its growth in the U.S. by announcing plans to invest $300 million over the next few years. The new-age hospitality company currently offers great living spaces throughout its 50+ OYO Hotels in 35 cities and 10 states, led by a strong team of more than 350 OYOpreneurs across 15 states. The company’s ability to win customers by introducing its popular concept of ‘comfort design’, and deliver value-chic hospitality experiences at hard-to-ignore prices, m...
MCR Acquires Courtyard by Marriott Newark Downtown in New Jersey
MCR | June 20, 2019
NEW YORK / JUNE 20, 2019 - Sweet dreams are made of this: MCR, the sixth-largest hotel owner-operator in the United States, has acquired the 150-room Courtyard by Marriott Newark Downtown. The pitch-perfect property is just steps from the Prudential Center, one of New Jersey’s premier venues for live music. The Courtyard by Marriott Newark Downtown made history when it debuted in 2012 as the city’s first new hotel in 40 years — and its prime location will help concertgoers get into the groove this summer. Hang tough with New Kids on the Block (along with fellow 90s sensations Salt-N-Pepa, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson and Naughty by Nature)...
