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
Third Door Media SVP Michelle Robbins Joins Milestone as Head of Digital
Milestone, Inc. | March 12, 2019
March 12, 2019 - Santa Clara, CA: Milestone, Inc. today welcomed former Third Door Media SVP Michelle Robbins as its new Head of Digital. Robbins brings more than two decades of experience in digital marketing, technology, content strategy and digital marketing leadership. She most recently was Senior VP of Content & Marketing Technology at Third Door Media where she led content strategy and data analysis for leading digital marketing publications including MarTech Today, Search Engine Land and Marketing Land; as well as leading editorial programming for the Search Marketing Expo (SMX) events. "I've known Milestone for many...
Sagamore Pendry Baltimore Appoints New Executive Chef, Robert Mcgrattan
Pendry Hotels | March 11, 2019
Baltimore (March 7, 2019) – Sagamore Pendry Baltimore, the latest Pendry Hotels property that sits atop the iconic Recreation Pier overlooking the Inner Harbor, is proud to announce the appointment of Robert McGrattan as executive chef. McGrattan brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the 128-room luxury hotel and is responsible for overseeing Sagamore Pendry Baltimore's culinary initiatives, including on-property restaurant Rec Pier Chop House, the Italian rosticceria, and The Cannon Room, an American whiskey bar, both by acclaimed Chef Andrew Carmellini and NoHo Hospitality Group. McGrattan's extensive 14-year culinary ca...
Annette Williston Promoted to General Manager Hampton Inn and Suites Halifax-Dartmouth
New Castle Hotels & Resorts | March 11, 2019
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia/SHELTON, Conn. - - March 11, 2019—Guido Kerpel, regional vice president Canada of New Castle Hotels & Resorts, a leading hotel owner, operator and developer, today announced that Annette Williston has been promoted to general manager of the Hampton Inn and Suites Halifax-Dartmouth. Previously, she was the hotel's assistant general manager. Williston was part of the hotel's opening team in 2009, starting as a front desk supervisor. In the subsequent years, she held numerous operational and marketing positions including director of sales, housekeeping manager and front office manager before her promotion to ...
Emaar Hospitality Group Appoints Mark Kirby as Area General Manager of Four Address Hotels + Resorts
Address Hotels + Resorts | March 11, 2019
Dubai, UAE; March 11, 2019: Emaar Hospitality Group, the hospitality and leisure business of Emaar Properties PJSC, has appointed hospitality veteran Mark Kirby as the Area General Manager of four premium luxury hotels under Address Hotels + Resorts. Bringing more than two decades of regional and international experience, Mark will drive all aspects of the hotel operations of Address Downtown and will oversee Palace Downtown as well as the soon to open Address Fountain Views and Address Sky View. He is mandated with strengthening the iconic flagship hotel, Address Downtown's brand distinctiveness and directing operations, marketing, sal...
Cambria Dallas Hotel Appoints Zach Lybbert as Director of Sales and Marketing
Cambria Dallas Downtown | March 11, 2019
DALLAS, TEXAS (MARCH 11, 2019) - Cambria Downtown Dallas, located in the historic Tower Petroleum building and managed by Filmore Hospitality, announces the appointment of Zach Lybbert as Director of Sales and Marketing. Lybbert joins Cambria Dallas Downtown with over 15 years of experience in hotel sales and marketing and has held various positions throughout the United States. Most recently, Lybbert served as the Director of Sales and Marketing at The Curtis Hotel in Denver, where he lead a dynamic team of sales professionals. Previously to his position in Denver, he served as the Director of Sales and Marketing for Embassy Suites DFW...
BHMA Appoints Jens Reichert as First Chief Development Officer
BHMA | March 11, 2019
Bangkok, March 11, 2019 – BHMA Hotels and Resorts, an international hotel management company wholly owned by the ASX listed Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), is pleased to announce the arrival of Jens Reichert as the company's first Chief Development Officer. An industry veteran with more than 30 years service, Jens brings the necessary managerial skills to drive the substantial growth BHMA is currently enjoying. As the company's Chief Development Officer, Jens will be tasked with setting up a focused business development team with the ultimate goal of growing the company's portfolio according to BHMA's global expansion plans. BH...
HVS Market Pulse: Rochester, MN – Medicine at the Forefront of Development
Justin Westad | March 7, 2019
by Justin Westad The healthcare sector is the cornerstone of the Rochester market, represented largely by entities such as the Mayo Clinic, Saint Mary's Hospital, and Rochester Methodist Hospital, which is visited by over 1.3 million patients per year. After years of expansion and growth, the Downtown Rochester market is expected to receive an even bigger boost with approximately $5.6 billion of public and private investment injected over the next 20 years through the Destination Medical Center Initiative (DMC). The goal of the initiative is to transform the city into a world-renowned destination medical center. Projects will be aim...
NewcrestImage Names Marissa Maguire General Manager & Kendahl Rasnick Director of Sales For Dual Brand AC Hotel & Residence Inn In North Dalla
NewcrestImage | March 7, 2019
March 7, 2019 - The property, scheduled to open in late June, combines an eight-floor, 150-room AC Hotel with a seven-floor, 150-room Residence Inn in the same building. The two hotels are the first to open as part of an ambitious "lifestyle hotel campus" that is the first-of-its-kind in the country, bringing together four brands and 600 rooms within 50 yards of each other. Marissa Maguire, who has 12 years of hotel management experience, becomes General Manager of the property, while Kendahl Rasnick, with more than 30 years of experience in hotel sales and marketing, becomes Director of Sales. Mrs. Maguire has served in management and ...
Sébastien Cassagnol Appointed Executive Chef of the Royal Savoy Hotel & Spa Lausanne
The Royal Savoy Hotel & Spa Lausanne | March 6, 2019
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, March 6, 2019 – Sébastien Cassagnol has been appointed the new Executive Chef of the Royal Savoy Hotel & Spa in Lausanne. He brings 20 years of culinary experience in senior positions at some of the world's iconic hotels and restaurants. Having managed kitchens and designed menus in ten countries including France, Australia, Bali, Cyprus, England, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tahiti and New Zealand, his international culinary experience will be invaluable to the Royal Savoy, one of the top luxury hotels in the "Olympic City" of Lausanne. Most recently he was the Executive Chef at the renowned La Mamo...
Azza Khalil Named Marketing Manager of the Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne
March 6, 2019
LUCERNE, Switzerland, March 6, 2019 – Azza Khalil has been named Marketing Manager of the Bürgenstock Hotels & Resort Lake Lucerne. An experienced hospitality executive, Ms. Khalil has more than 28 years in the travel and information technology industries. She joined Switzerland's newest luxury resort last December reporting to Gabriela Cojocaru, the Director of Revenue & Business Strategy for the Bürgenstock Resort. Set 1,600 feet above stunning Lake Lucerne, the resort encompasses 383 rooms in four hotels (the five-star superior Bürgenstock Hotel & Alpine Spa, the five-star Waldhotel Health & Medic...
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, Names Chris Audia Area Director of Marketing
March 6, 2019
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, March 2019 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has appointed Chris Audia area director of marketing. Ted Davis, Benchmark's chief sales and marketing officer, made the announcement. "It is a pleasure to announce Chris' promotion within our company," said Mr. Davis. "He has done a superb job with his previous responsibilities, which has resulted in success for his properties and the winning of important industry awards. We look forward to his continued success in this expanded role." Chris Audia's new position with Benchmark represents a promotion for him within the leading independent h...
Reflagged BEI San Francisco, a Pivot Hotels and Resorts Property, Appoints Management Team
BEI San Francisco | March 6, 2019
(San Francisco, CA; MARCH 6, 2019)—BEI San Francisco (50 Eighth Street), the newest independent lifestyle hotel located in San Francisco's Mid-Market neighborhood, announces Marc Choplick as General Manager and Mimi Carter as Director of Sales and Marketing. Choplick and Carter lead the executive team of the recently reflagged 396-room hotel that will complete a $30 million renovation in Spring 2019. The first West Coast expansion from its sister property in Beijing, China will soon offer two dining options and 10,000 square feet of co-working, meeting, and event space. General Manager Marc Choplick brings more than 20 years of ho...
Hotel Internet Services Releases In-depth Analysis on Hotel Guest Wi-Fi and IoT Expectations in 2019 and Beyond
Hotel Internet Services, Inc. | March 6, 2019
New white paper leverages feedback from more than 670 guests and 200 hoteliers to demonstrate what is expected from today's Wi-Fi and internet-based services Clearwater, Fla. — March 6, 2018 — Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions, has announced the release of a comprehensive new white paper examining how advances in consumer technology have impacted and heightened guest expectations of hotel Wi-Fi and related services. Utilizing feedback from a recent survey conducted with more than 670 guests and 200 hoteliers across the United States, the white paper demonstrates how the...
Encore Boston Harbor Appoints Robert DeSalvio as President
Encore Boston Harbor | March 6, 2019
EVERETT, MA (MARCH 5, 2019) – Encore Boston Harbor, a Five-Star, $2.6 billion gaming resort, is planning to open this summer, led by industry veteran Robert DeSalvio. The most anticipated resort opening in New England this year, Encore Boston Harbor will feature 671 hotel rooms, a 210,000-square-foot casino, state-of-the-art meeting and event spaces, an ultra-premium spa, and 15 dining and lounge venues, including award-winning food and beverage experiences, and new, innovative concepts. Mr. DeSalvio joined Wynn Resorts Development in 2014, with 40 years of hotel experience. He helped to bring the proposed project to life in Evere...
Flexing Hotel Labor Today
Robert Rauch | March 6, 2019
Bob Rauch and Sarah Anderson It's easy to say, "flex down your labor costs" when revenues drop, but is it easy to do? In a market of uncertainty and seasonal fluctuations, managing hotel property expenses is a challenging job that remains on the forefront of the minds of strategic operators. Hotels that implement a staffing strategy that adapts to these changes will keep operations running smoothly throughout the year and even throughout an economic slowdown. This can be a remarkable way to improve profits when revenues are flat or even down. With a focused attention on payroll, creative training programs, automation, and F&B stream...
Global Construction Pipeline Hits Record High at 2018 Year-End
Lodging Econometrics (LE) | March 6, 2019
Lodging Econometrics (LE) has released its year-end Global Construction Pipeline Trend Report, which compiles the construction pipeline counts for every country and market around the world. At the close of 2018, LE analysts state that the total global construction pipeline hit record highs with 13,573 projects/2,265,792 rooms, a 7% increase in projects and a 6% increase in rooms year-over-year (YOY). The global pipeline has been ascending for eight consecutive years after reaching its cyclical low in 2010. All regional pipelines, with the exception of South America, continued their upward trend YOY. It is notable considering economic gr...
Address Dubai Marina Appoints Eleni Tsolakou as General Manager
Address Hotels + Resorts | March 6, 2019
Dubai, UAE; March 06, 2019: Emaar Hospitality Group, the hospitality and leisure business of Emaar Properties PJSC, has appointed Eleni Tsolakou as the General Manager of Address Dubai Marina, the premium luxury waterfront destination overlooking Dubai Marina, under Address Hotels + Resorts. With over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry in Africa, Greece, Indonesia and the Middle East, Eleni will be responsible for driving and strengthening the distinctive positioning of the hotel. She will focus on delivering innovative initiatives to achieve higher levels of operational efficiency, guest experiences and unrivalled servi...
The Omni Homestead Resort Names John Hess as New Director of Sales and Marketing
The Omni Homestead Resort | March 5, 2019
HOT SPRINGS, VA (March 5, 2019) – The Omni Homestead Resort, a premier destination located across more than 2,000 scenic mountain acres, recently appointed John Hess as the new director, sales and marketing for the property. In his new role, Hess will lead the departments responsible for catering and convention service, marketing and communications, group sales, revenue management and resort membership in addition to being a member of the resort's executive leadership committee. Hess joins The Omni Homestead Resort with 22 years of operations, sales, marketing and multi-property leadership experience. He was most recently the Dire...
IHG Promotes Willemijn Geels to Vice President of Development, Europe
IHG | March 4, 2019
IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world's leading hotel companies, has today announced the promotion of Willemijn Geels to Vice President of Development, Europe. In her new position, Willemijn will be responsible for driving the expansion of the group's brands across the European Business Unit, encompassing luxury, upscale and mainstream opportunities through managed and franchised deal structures. In addition to identifying new opportunities, Willemijn's team will continue to work closely with owners and investors in a support and advisory capacity to drive long-term revenue. Willemijn, who is fluent in five European...
Giacomo Battafarano Appointed General Manager of Verdura Resort
Verdura Resort | March 4, 2019
March 4, 2019 --Experienced international hotelier Giacomo Battafarano has returned to Sicily and been named as the new General Manager of Verdura Resort. Battafarano, born in 1974 and originally from Matera, brings a wealth of knowledge with him to the iconic Sicilian resort – a Rocco Forte Hotel – which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. After gaining a Master in Hospitality Management qualification at the LUISS School of Business and Management in Rome, Battafarano began his career in the luxury hotel industry with a five-year spell as Hotel Manager at Forte Village Resort. From Sardinia he moved to Portugal, ...
Hotel CEO Turnover 2018: A Study of the Top 50 Largest Hotel Management Companies
Chris Mumford | March 4, 2019
By Chris Mumford, Thomas Mielke, and Dominic Maurer Turnover of Chief Executives at the world's 50 largest hotel groups (as per HOTELS 325 2018 Listing) remained flat for 2018, with new faces appearing at the head of four companies, the same number as for the prior year. Changes in CEO positions were seen at G6 Hospitality, Extended Stay, Millennium & Copthorne and B&B Hotels. Of these, three were planned moves. Jennifer Fox's three-month stint at Millennium & Copthorne, though, can only be assumed to have been anything but planned. A sector turnover rate of 8% is well under the average for the general industry and speaks to...
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, Promotes Eric Gavin to Chief Sales Officer
March 4, 2019
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, March 2019 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Eric Gavin chief sales officer. This represents a promotion for Mr. Gavin, who previously held the position of senior vice president sales & marketing. Ted Davis, Benchmark's chief sales and marketing officer, made the announcement. "It is with great pleasure that I announce Eric's new role within our company," said Mr. Davis. "He has a gift for developing high achievement within his sales teams that has resulted in extraordinary success for our company's sales professionals and for Benchmark. His new position will enable him ...
Arthur Holman Joins Sunridge Hotel Group as Vice President of Operations
Sunridge Hotel Group | March 1, 2019
Mesa, AZ – March 1, 2019 – Sunridge Hotel Group, a leading owner and operator of classic upscale and upper midscale Marriott hotels, today announced the hiring of Arthur Holman as Vice President of Operations. Holman will be responsible for executing the company's operational objectives while driving strong, balanced results and will report directly to President, Brian Welker. "We are honored to bring Arthur in and have him be a part of the Sunridge family," said Brian Welker, President, Sunridge Hotel Group. "Arthur has an excellent track record for achieving operational success, and I have full confidence in his abilities,...
Adventure Tourism: Catering to the Thrill-Seeker Traveler
EHL's Hospitality Insights | March 1, 2019
March 1, 2019 - Through the ages, mankind has been pushing the limits of exploration: we have conquered lands, we have discovered the wonders of our planet and, pushed by our relentless thirst for knowledge, we have greatly expanded our awareness of the world we live in. Today's travelers are no different: driven by an increasing need to find meaning and purpose in their busy lives, they leave their comfort zone to venture into some of the most remote – and sometimes hostile - places in the world or venture into epic journeys. Dubbed "adventure tourism", this trend accounts for one of the fastest growing categories in the travel i...
