International Visitors Spent Nearly $20.1 Billion Traveling Within the United States in March
National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) | May 23rd, 2024
CBRE Expects RevPAR Growth to Improve in H2 2024, Driven by Holiday and International Travel
CBRE Group, Inc. | May 16th, 2024
BENCHMARK® Names Angel Quiles, CEOE, Director of Facilities for The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark
April 12, 2019
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, April 2019… BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Angel Quiles, CEOE, director of facilities for The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark. The Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property is located in Monticello, New York, within the breathtakingly beautiful Catskill Mountains, and includes 1,600 wooded acres, the site of the Resorts World Catskills entertainment complex. David Kohlasch, general manager, made the announcement. "It is a pleasure to welcome Angel to The Kartrite," said Mr. Kohlasch. "He comes to us with a vast background in facilities management, having worked at lead...
Joseph Violi Appointed as Barbados’ UNNA Resorts Group General Manager
April 12, 2019
St. Peter, Barbados – UNNA Resorts is pleased to welcome Joseph Violi as Group General Manager for Saint Peter's Bay Luxury Resort and Residences and Port Ferdinand Yacht and Beach Club Residences, two luxury seaside properties in Barbados. An industry veteran and graduate of Cornell University's renowned hotel administration program, Violi brings over 30 years of luxury hospitality experience to his role as Group General Manager. In his new role, Violi will be responsible for overseeing all of the management, operations, and business development efforts for the two oceanfront properties to continue positioning Saint Peter's Bay a...
Cabot Links Appoints Malcolm Campbell as Executive Chef
Cabot Links | April 12, 2019
Nova Scotia, Canada (April 12, 2019): Cabot Links, Canada's premier luxury golf resort and residential community, announces the appointment of Malcolm Campbell as Executive Chef. Campbell will oversee culinary operations for signature restaurant Panorama, Cabot Bar and Cabot Public House in addition to all in-room dining and special events. "We are thrilled to welcome Chef Campbell and his innovative approach to world-class cuisine to Cabot Links," said Ben Cowan-Dewar, CEO and Co-founder of Cabot Links. "We take great pride in offering the very best to our guests and we are looking forward to the memorable dining experiences Chef Campb...
BD Hotels Appoints Rani Gharbie as Head of Acquisitions & Development for The Pod Hotels
The Pod Hotels | April 12, 2019
New York, NY (April 12, 2019) - BD Hotels today announces the appointment of Rani Gharbie as the Head of Acquisitions & Development for The Pod Hotels, BD Hotel's highly profitable micro-hotel concept. The Pod Hotels currently has five properties in the portfolio, three of which opened over the past two years (the brand's flagship Pod Times Square opened in January 2018; Pod DC and Pod Brooklyn opened in 2017), with the brand recently announcing two more hotels in the direct pipeline (Pod Philly opening in fall 2019 and Pod LA slated for 2020). Now, The Pod Hotels hires Gharbie to replicate this successful business model in even mor...
Waterton Hires Matt Mering as EVP, Hospitality
Waterton | April 11, 2019
CHICAGO, April 11, 2019 -- Waterton, a Chicago-based real estate investor and operator, is pleased to announce the hiring of Matt Mering as executive vice president, hospitality. Mr. Mering will be responsible for the formulation and execution of Waterton's hotel investment strategy, oversight of asset management and further developing investor relationships. Mr Mering joins Waterton with over 23 years of hospitality experience. He most recently served as director of development at Graves Hospitality, where he was responsible for identifying new hospitality development and acquisition opportunities and oversight of the company's...
Hotel Valuation Index Middle East 2019
Hala Matar Choufany | April 11, 2019
HVS shares the first issue of the Middle East Hotel Valuation Index (HVI) which provides insight on regional values and investment opportunities. By Hala Matar Choufany The Hotel Valuation Index is a hotel valuation benchmark developed by HVS. It monitors annual percentage changes in the values of typical four-star and five-star hotels. The HVI combines the various factors affecting the economy and region at large with hotel-market specific demand and supply dynamics to derive indicative values and future growth trends. For this first edition of the HVI Middle East, we have analyzed 14 key hotel markets in the Middle East with a total ...
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, Names Michael Botha Regional Director of Revenue Management
April 11, 2019
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, April 2019 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has appointed Michael Botha regional director of revenue management. Eric Gavin, Benchmark's chief sales officer, made the announcement. "I am very pleased to welcome Michael to Benchmark," said Mr. Gavin. "He comes to us with an impressive revenue management pedigree, and vast experience with maximizing revenues of independent hotels and resorts. Michael is a terrific addition to our revenue leadership team." Michael Botha previously held the position of regional director of revenue management for Pyramid Hotel Group of Boston, Massachuset...
Radisson Hotel Group Appoints Kristen Richter as Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for the Americas
April 11, 2019
Miami (April 11, 2019) - Radisson Hotel Group today announced the appointment of Kristen Richter as Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer in the Americas. Richter previously served as Vice President, Revenue Optimization for the Americas at Radisson Hotel Group. In this new role, she will work to further increase performance and executional excellence for the Americas' Sales, Revenue Optimization, Marketing, and Contact Center teams, as well as focus on the collaboration and alignment with Operations, Development, and global revenue generating teams around the world. "Kristen has gone above and beyond since joining Radisson...
Provenance Hotels Appoints Andy Welsh as General Manager at Portland’s Hotel Lucia
Provenance Hotels | April 11, 2019
PORTLAND, ORE. (April 11, 2019) – Provenance Hotels is pleased to announce the appointment of Andy Welsh as General Manager at Portland's Hotel Lucia. Taking the helm as General Manager, Welsh will oversee daily operations, revenue generation, cost and quality management to continue Hotel Lucia's growth in the competitive and ever-evolving Portland marketplace. A graduate of Oregon State University and an MBA from the Atkinson School of Management at Willamette University, Welsh brings a deep and diverse knowledge of hospitality and destination expertise to his new post at Hotel Lucia. Beginning his hospitality career with Provena...
Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center Appoints George Bargisen as Director of Food & Beverage
Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center | April 11, 2019
AURORA, Colo. (April 2019) – Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, the recently-opened largest combined resort and convention center in Colorado, is pleased to welcome George Bargisen to lead its food & beverage and culinary teams as the property's new director of food & beverage. "George comes to us with years of experience in the hospitality industry and we're thrilled to have him join our exceptional team here at Gaylord Rockies," said Rick Medwedeff, general manager for Gaylord Rockies Resorts & Convention Center. "We're confident that his expertise will help to establish the resort as a dining destinatio...
BENCHMARK® Appoints Courtney Dall’Olmo Director of Marketing for The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark
April 9, 2019
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, April 2019… BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has appointed Courtney Dall'Olmo director of marketing for The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark. The Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property is ideally situated in Monticello, New York, within the Catskill Mountains, and includes 1,600 wooded acres, the site of the Resorts World Catskills entertainment complex. David Kohlasch, general manager, made the announcement. "I am very pleased to welcome Courtney to The Kartrite and back to Benchmark," said Mr. Kohlasch. "She comes to us with keen understanding of the resort market, and as a fo...
PM Hotel Group Expands Executive Team With Three Senior Leadership Promotions
PM Hotel Group | April 9, 2019
Chevy Chase, MD. (April 9, 2019) PM Hotel Group, one of the nation's leading hotel management companies, today announces three senior leadership promotions. The company's executive team is expanding with the promotions of Seon Heo and Fran Owen as Vice Presidents of Sales & Marketing and Chris Macary to the role of Vice President of Hotel Operations. "The strong portfolio growth we experienced in 2018, opening 3 new properties and taking over management of 3 existing hotels, has continued into Q1 of 2019. These promotions reflect the demonstrated strength of our management team and our well-deserved reputation for creating a culture...
The Peninsula Beverly Hills Appoints Sharon Cabral as Director of Marketing
Peninsula Beverly Hills | April 8, 2019
Beverly Hills, Calif (April 8, 2019) – The Peninsula Beverly Hills is pleased to announce the appointment of Sharon Cabral as Director of Marketing, effective since February 25, 2019. In her new role, Ms. Cabral oversees strategy for sales and marketing – including public relations, brand, digital, e-commerce and database management – in addition to catering and reservations. "We are pleased to welcome Ms. Cabral to The Peninsula Beverly Hills executive team. Her twenty-seven years of experience in luxury hospitality will be a welcome addition," says Offer Nissenbaum, Managing Director. In her most recent role, Sharon ...
Best Western® Hotels & Resorts Appoints Brand LeBlanc Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer
April 8, 2019
PHOENIX, Arizona (April 8, 2019) – Best Western® Hotels & Resorts today announced that it has appointed Brad LeBlanc as Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer. LeBlanc will oversee North American development and will report directly to David Kong, President and CEO of Best Western Hotels & Resorts. In recent years, Best Western has transformed into a modern and innovative global hospitality powerhouse with 16 distinctive brands in key markets across the world. Now boasting more than 4,500 properties in nearly 100 countries and territories worldwide, Best Western offers hotel solutions to suit guest and dev...
Kanit Sangmookda Appointed as General Manager of Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu
April 8, 2019
Malaysia, Sabah - Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Kanit Sangmookda as the new General Manager and is responsible for all areas in the hotel including product development, financial performance, brand compliance and guest satisfaction. Born in Thailand, Mr. Kanit holds a master's degree in International Business Management majoring in Management and Economics from Wollongong University in Australia. He brings with him more than 19 years of experience, working in leading international chain hotels including Marriott International, Minor Hotel Group and former Starwood Hotels and Resorts. His ...
Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate Appoints Anne Madden as Senior Sales Manager
Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate | April 8, 2019
ORLANDO, Fla. (April 8, 2019) – Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate today announced several promotions and new appointments to the sales and conference services management teams on property. Among these hires is Anne Madden, CMP HMCC, Senior Sales Manager, who will bring a special blend of leadership and a unique management style, all while upholding Omni Hotels & Resorts' tradition of service and dedication to the needs of guests, associates and owners alike. With 25 years in the hospitality industry, Anne Madden joins from Maritz, a sales and marketing services company, where as operations manager she led the sourcing team....
Hotel Erwin Appoints Derek Haug as General Manager
Hotel Erwin | April 8, 2019
(VENICE, CA – April 8, 2019) Hotel Erwin, the quintessential boutique hotel in Venice Beach, California, today announced the appointment of new, dynamic leader, Derek Haug as General Manager, to oversee all hotel operations and management. Mr. Haug comes to Hotel Erwin with more than 20 years of hospitality experience and a well-rounded understanding of all facets of hotel management. Most recently, Derek held leadership roles with Loews Hotels for the past twelve years and comes to Hotel Erwin from Loews Santa Monica Beach. There he oversaw all food, beverage, conference, catering and spa operations for the resort, creating and l...
The Josie Hotel Appoints Jesse Crockett as New General Manager
The Josie Hotel | April 8, 2019
Rossland, B.C., (April 8, 2019): The Josie Hotel - North America's newest slopeside boutique hotel - is pleased to announce that Jesse Crockett has been appointed as the property's new general manager effective April 1, 2019. Bringing more than 20 years of hospitality experience to the luxury boutique hotel, Jesse has been at the helm of some of Canada's leading hotels and resorts. Following his extensive education in the hospitality industry, with a Diploma in Adventure Tourism from College of the Rockies and a Bachelor of Tourism Management from Vancouver Island University, Jesse dove enthusiastically into his field and ga...
Understanding the Resistance to Change Within the Hospitality Industry
Sheetal Singh | April 4, 2019
By Sheetal Singh, Court Williams Frustrating, painful, draining, scary, exciting, unsettling, and exhausting are some of the words people, who are on the receiving side of change, use to describe their experience. It is a highly personal and emotional experience for most of us. Now imagine needing to serve guests cheerfully in a hospitality setting while you are experiencing these negative emotions. As a result, the toll change takes on hospitality professionals is greater than for most other industries. It is, therefore, critical that we understand the resistance to change as well as, have a plan to convert the "resistance" t...
Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral Appoints Rubel Miah as New General Manager
Marriott International | April 4, 2019
Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur - Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral welcomes Rubel Miah, as its newly appointed General Manager. Rubel joins the sassy 4-star Hotel with 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry with a solid foundation in driving customer satisfaction and loyalty. A Master's Degree holder in International Marketing and Business Development from the University of Evry in Paris, Rubel, a French national, began his career in hospitality as a Sales Manager at the Novotel Peace Beijing, followed by a three-year stint with the Sofitel brand in China before moving on to Sofitel Saigon in Vietnam as Director of Sales & Marketing wh...
Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo Appoints Arnaud Dieutegard as Spa Director
Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo | April 4, 2019
GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA (April 4, 2019) – Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo has appointed Arnaud Dieutegard as Spa Director of the newly re-imagined spa and wellness center at the luxury resort located on the 1,400-acre (565 hectare) Peninsula Papagayo on the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica. As Spa Director, Dieutegard will guide the spa's transformative guest experience and oversee day-to-day operations of the indoor-outdoor destination spa that reopened in November 2018 following a complete transformation. "As we continue to elevate our spa and wellness program, putting a premier team in place will help us bu...
Cloud5 Communications Taps Marriott Veteran Neil Schubert to Lead Product Management and Development
Cloud5 Communications | April 4, 2019
Industry Expert Pitches Cloud5 Hospitality Dashboard Experience as Industry Future at TechOvation Semi-Finals during HT-NEXT in New Orleans CHICAGO (April 4, 2019) – Cloud5 Communications has appointed hospitality technology professional Neil Schubert as Senior Vice President of Product Management and Development, bringing three decades of unparalleled experience and knowledge to lead the Company's product strategy and development team. Schubert will also drive development for new product innovation, featuring the Cloud5 Hospitality Dashboard Experience (HDX). Schubert will share the Company's vision for the future of hospitality ...
MGM Resorts International Appoints Atif Rafiq as President of Commercial and Growth
Atif Rafiq | April 3, 2019
LAS VEGAS, April 3, 2019 -- MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) ("MGM Resorts" or the "Company") today announced the appointment of highly respected leader in digital business and companywide transformation, Atif Rafiq, as President of Commercial and Growth, reporting directly to Chairman and CEO Jim Murren. Rafiq has extensive experience in rethinking and transforming global organizations, reshaping consumer behavior and delivering significant, measurable, new sources of profitability for companies. With this new role, Rafiq will develop new customer experiences, business models and revenue streams, including laun...
RLH Corporation Names Vinod Sankar Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer
RLH Corporation | April 3, 2019
DENVER (April 3, 2019) — RLH Corporation (NYSE:RLH) continues to elevate its senior leadership team with the addition of Vinod Sankar as Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer. In this newly established role, Sankar will be accountable for delivering company growth through evolving RLH Corporation's global digital strategy, technology innovation and online customer experience. Sankar joins RLH Corporation from MSG Ventures, a subsidiary of The Madison Square Garden Company, where he served as Vice President of Product Development & Partnerships. Sankar drove development of MSG Ventures' artist and audience-focused tec...
