European online travel overview
Sep 20, 07 | 1:59 am

According to PhoCusWright's European Online Travel Overview Third Edition , the European online leisure/unmanaged business travel as a percentage of the total travel market will approach 25% in 2007, the level achieved in the U.S. in 2004, proving that the overall travel market is marching relentlessly online. But while the pace may be similar to that of the U.S. market of a few years ago, the gait is decidedly different.

The individual markets of Europe, in particular the top five - U.K., Germany, France, Spain and Italy - continue to experience significant online growth, but at dramatically different overall levels. The chart below illustrates the market share that each country had of the overall online leisure and unmanaged business travel in Europe in 2006.



These five markets display the variety of paths online that developing e-commerce economies take. Cultural, technological, strategic and fiscal forces have shaped the online markets of each of these five largest European countries, and PhoCusWright's new set of studies on these markets delve into the drivers and the likely effects of these forces. For example, in Germany where Internet access is widespread and online purchasing is well established despite a relative aversion to credit card usage, travel purchase incidence is extremely low among both online buyers and frequent Internet users. Compare this to the U.K., where access is also ubiquitous and online purchasing routine, but more than twice as many online buyers and regular Internet users buy travel than in Germany. Meanwhile, Italy and Spain share similar connectivity profiles, but a much higher proportion of regular users of the Internet in Spain purchase travel online than in Italy.

PhoCusWright's European Online Travel Overview Third Edition is now available for purchase. It includes an overview of the European market (including total and online gross bookings by sector and channel, online direct by segment, and pan-European online travel agencies market share) as well as local market coverage for the U.K., France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Five individual country reports (U.K., France, Germany, Italy and Spain) are also available for purchase. Each individual country report contains the European market overview along with the specific local market content (U.K., France, Germany, Italy and Spain).

TravelCLICK wins 9 international WebAwards

Sep 20, 07 | 1:58 am
In its first year of competing, TravelCLICK has won nine awards for website design excellence in the Web Marketing Association's 2007 International WebAward competition. The premier award event for website developers worldwide, the WebAward competition sets the standard of excellence for website design and marketing on the Internet.

More than 2,400 sites from 40 countries were entered in this year’s competition. Entries were judged based on design, innovation, content, interactivity, ease of use, navigation, and use of technology.

“We are extremely proud to accept these awards on behalf of the TravelCLICK team and our clients, who recognize that the Internet is driving nearly half of hotel bookings today,” says Shane Ettestad, Vice President of Product Management, Internet Marketing Solutions. “Providing a compelling, interactive website that captures attention, converts shoppers, and enables consumers to up sell themselves by illustrating the value of enhanced amenities is the foundation of a hotel’s complete Internet marketing strategy.”

The competition was judged by a team of independent Internet professionals representing the various relevant disciplines of website development. Judges included members of the media, advertising executives, site designers, corporate marketing executives, content providers, and Webmasters. The Web Marketing Association is an independent organization founded with the purpose of evaluating and recognizing excellence on the World-Wide Web.

“Such a strong showing in their first year of the competition is a significant accomplishment for TravelCLICK,” said William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association. “They have certainly proved themselves as a major player in website design for the hotel industry.”

TravelCLICK’s complete hotel Internet marketing solutions include design, content management, search engine optimization, pay per click marketing, email marketing, and linking strategies that increase online bookings and overall hotel profitability. Together with the award winning iStay web booking engine, these solutions provide the absolute highest converting platform of consumers to bookers, and more importantly help hotels leverage competitive revenue management techniques to maximize the profitability of every transaction.

About TravelCLICK, Inc.
TravelCLICK (www.travelclick.net ) is the leading provider of emarketing solutions that help hotels sell rooms smarter and drive long-term profitability. TravelCLICK helps hotels maximize asset ROI by combining innovative market analysis and proven industry best practices with advanced technology to develop and implement high-return strategies. The company offers a full set of solutions including reservations and distribution management, market intelligence-based decision support, and marketing services. Serving the hospitality industry since 1999 and headquartered in the Chicago area, TravelCLICK has more than 12,000 customers in 140 countries.

Four Seasons all set for a 'formal' launch next year

Sep 20, 07 | 1:58 am
By Lijee Philip

India has been waiting for a long time for Four Seasons’ debut. Ironically, chairman and CEO Isadore Sharp met the media at the Presidential Suite of Mumbai’s 100-year-old hotel, Taj Palace and Towers in Mumbai.

After struggling for 10 years for a proper debut in India, Canada-based Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, which is part-owned by Bill Gates, Price Alwaleed bin Talal and Mr Sharp, is launching its first sub-continent property in Mumbai later this year.

While the property in Mumbai will be developed by the Jatias, in Delhi, the company has signed a letter of intent (LoI) with DLF. The mid-sized luxury hotel player is opening up six hotels in India in the next few years.

Mr Sharp, 76, was struck by the rapid pace of hotel development in the country. “India as a country is a natural draw for travel and tourism. It’s getting more accessible for business opportunities and it’s a tailor-made market for the hotel industry. For us the timing is excellent,” said Mr Sharp.

After, 46 years of global operations, Mr Sharp is ready to step on the accelerator with projects planned for India. However, his big bet is on the growing mid-market segment, which in US parlance is known as ‘full facility limited service.’

Magus Estates & Hotels, part of the Jatia Group (which operates the Hyaat Regency in Mumbai), is the principal developer of the first Four Seasons Hotel in Worli. The Jatia family will hold around 74% in the project. Of the total $90-million investment, Four Seasons will invest $7.5 million. Four Seasons was earlier present in the country through alliances with Leelas and the Oberoi group.

The hospitality chain, which manages 74 luxury hotels, had agreed early this year to be taken private for $3.8 million by Bill Gates, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and Mr Sharp. However, Mr Sharp and his family would continue to hold a significant share of the company and would be involved in the chain’s operations and strategy.

In India, Mr Sharp has identified six locations in metros and tier-I cities. He is looking at a mix of management contracts and equity investments. “We are very optimistic about the Indian market having a sustained period of growth. We are planning with a long-term vision,” said Mr Sharp.

Though the BRIC countries are not contributing significantly to the Four Seasons kitty at present, the rate of development and growth, said Mr Sharp , in the next few years would grow substantially.

Hilton CEO likely to get $10.5 million severance after buyout

Sep 19, 07 | 1:57 am

The retiring chief executive of Hilton Hotels Corp. will likely receive a severance payment of US$10.5 million after the proposed $20.1 billion acquisition of the company closes later this year, Hilton said Tuesday.

The deal with The Blackstone Group LP provides CEO Stephen Bollenbach with the payment if he is involuntarily terminated, as expected after the deal is complete, Hilton said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Shareholders are scheduled to vote Sept. 18 on the proposed buyout.
The filing was made in response to shareholder lawsuits that threatened to delay the vote, the company said.

Plaintiffs had said they would seek to delay the vote unless supplemental details about the proposed deal were disclosed.

The company said Bollenbach was scheduled to step down on Jan. 1 and would have continued as a consultant, receiving $4 million over five years.
Instead, Bollenbach will receive the $10.5 million severance, the company said.

Hilton also disclosed that president and chief operating officer Matthew Hart abstained from the July 3 board vote on the buyout because of the possibility of his remaining with the company after Blackstone takes control.

Hilton said it had agreed to pay Moelis Advisors $14.4 million in fees for its services providing the deal is approved by shareholders.

The company also said adviser UBS Securities LLC provided scenarios for the board assuming alternate purchase prices.

The company's management also estimated for the board that it had a sum-of-the-parts valuation of about $25.92 billion.

Shares of Hilton rose two cents to $46.03 in afternoon trading Tuesday. Shares of Blackstone rose $1.04 to $22.92.

Brand is now the key to success in the competitive hotel market

Sep 19, 07 | 1:58 am
By Václava Seibertová

In the increasingly competitive hotel industry, recent trends indicate that brand is fast becoming the most important ingredient for success, according to Hospitality 2010, Deloitte’s latest research in the future of the tourism industry. This should lead to improved experiences for hotel customers, both business and tourist.

Factors leading to increasing importance of brand
1. Loyalty schemes, traditionally the preferred tool for winning and retaining hotel customers, are having a declining impact. Many hotel guests now own loyalty cards for all of the major chains, therefore such schemes are no longer a dominant factor in their choice of where to stay.
2. Many hotel groups are divesting their real estate interests and pursuing an ‘asset-lite’ strategy in order to free up capital for expansion. Ownership of bricks and mortar is giving way to ownership of the brand itself, in both its physical and intangible aspects: a major cultural shift in the industry.
3. Hotel expansion is intensifying competition; most gateway cities, such as Prague, are reaching market saturation with leading brands sited close to one another, and travellers frequently spoilt for choice. There are now clear signs that hotel groups are beginning to recognise the importance of brand management within their organisational structure. However, this remains very much a work in progress.

Brand’s role in saturated markets
“Hotels in Prague are traditionally differentiating themselves by their location, facilities, service and loyalty programs. However, brand is becoming increasingly important in the customer choice of hotels,” says Gorjan Lazarov, Director of Revenue Strategy for the Prague Marriott Hotel, Renaissance Prague Hotel and Marriott Executive Apartments. “The supply of hotel rooms in Prague is growing at a rapid pace, particularly in the four and five star segment. The city has developed to a point where it is becoming saturated in terms of international hotel brand presence. In addition, many independent small boutique hotels have appeared recently and are ‘fighting’ for their share of the market,” adds Lazarov.
Deloitte’s research has identified some key obstacles and challenges which go to the very heart of the hospitality business model, and which will need to be addressed if companies are to deliver their brand promises more effectively. These include the difficulty of managing the brand of a regional chain of hotels to a similarly high standard; dealing with the new dynamic as Brand Managers become more important in the companies; and making appropriate development decisions on future properties to ensure the brand is not obscured by the chase for more revenue.

Dangers of hotel development
“Hotel operators are desperately seeking new properties to meet the current high demand for rooms. Development teams often have a capacity-driven approach, driven by growth targets and the size of deals rather than encouraged to follow specific brand criteria. While the brand team often has a role in the decision making process, ultimate authority tends to rest on the development side, and all too often the interaction between the two teams is weak. The danger is that the pipeline of future hotel development may not match the strategic goals of the group. In some cases hotel properties have been opened in locations inappropriate for that brand, leading to inconsistency and a further dilution of the brand promise,” says Jim Pickette of Deloitte Czech Republic whose clients include the Strategic Hotels and Resorts, owners of the Intercontinental Hotel in Prague.

Brand management and development integration
Close collaboration and tight structural interaction between the development and brand teams is crucial. Marriott is an example of how this can be achieved via a centralised development function which requires agreement from both operations and brand managers before a development decision can be approved. “Operations, development and brand teams, across both regional and central levels, must be integrated seamlessly if a hospitality organisation is to successfully deliver its brand promises,” says Jim Pickette.
However, Deloitte has also pinpointed a further group of stakeholders who are the leading actors in the brand story – particularly outside of the budget sector – and whose alignment behind the brand is crucial: hotel employees. “Mid and upscale brands are discovering that in order to deliver a great customer experience they must first invest in creating a great employee experience,” says Pickette. Employees must believe in the brand and deliver it every minute of the day – they must realise that every action and interaction reflects their company to their customers. However, managing the brand in this way is far more unpredictable and difficult to replicate than harder, product-driven brands.

Key benefits for customers
What does all this mean for customers of the hotels? In theory it should have two major benefits for customers:
* Hotels will be striving to ensure that the experience of staying at the hotel and the interaction with the staff is of the highest possible standard – not only that the rooms are clean and the furniture fashionable. This should lead to a far more enjoyable hotel experience for all customers.
* The drive to create a consistent brand across chains should mean that the customer gets a far more consistent experience wherever they stay in the world, which should result in a ‘raising of the bar’ in many locations.

Delhi's star hotels see more empty rooms

Sep 19, 07 | 1:58 am
By Vishakha Talreja

It’s not all hunky-dory for the hotel segment. Blame it on high room rates, the occupancies of branded hotels (three to five star) in metros are showing a downward trend.

After Bangalore and Hyderabad, it’s Delhi where occupancies have dipped by 6-7% in the first five months of this fiscal (April to August) compared to the corresponding period last year, according to management consultancy Ernst & Young India. But importantly, average room rates (ARR) across metros have not yet fallen with dipping occupancies.

In past year, except for Crowne Plaza’s 234-rooms in Capital’s satellite township Gurgaon, no new star hotel has come up in the national capital region (NCR). “Occupancies in Delhi have dipped and revenue per room (RevPAR) has been stagnant, even though there has been no substantial increase in supply this year. In the next two years, as new supply comes in, the occupancies will further dip,” says Peter Leitgeb, CEO, The Claridges Hotel & Resorts. Around 2,720 hotel rooms will be added in NCR in 2008, with players like The Leela and Oberoi’s opening their new hotels, again in Gurgaon.

High room rates have led to a shift in travel patterns, and that perhaps explains part of this occupancy dip. “Many corporate travellers now opt for same-day travel. On one hand room rates are high on the other the air connectivity has improved,” says Mona Chhabra, associate director, Ernst & Young.

In metros with big demand for star hotel rooms (Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune) average room rates had jumped around three-fold in last three years. Occupancies have dampened in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Delhi also as many travellers are opting for stand alone un-branded properties. “

Owing to skyrocketing room rates a parallel market consisting of serviced apartments and guest houses has emerged. Many companies have started picking up apartments in Gurgaon, Noida and Bangalore on monthly rental basis to save on hotel costs,” says Saurabh Gupta, senior associate, HVS International, a hotel consultancy.

But with busy travel season ahead, with international businessmen flocking to India during September to February, hoteliers are positive that revenues and occupancies will pick up. “There are many international and domestic conferences this busy season. Next three-four years are quite good for the industry,” says a Le-Meridien official.

As the demand-supply mismatch still exists, the outlook for the industry still remains upbeat according to industry analysts. India has around 1,10,000 hotel rooms in the branded category. Room rates will correct (read dip) as new supply comes in. Bangalore will add 2,216 hotel rooms, Hyderabad 1,633 and Mumbai 860 rooms, besides NCR’s 2,720 in 2008.

Let a hundred decadent spas bloom

Sep 19, 07 | 1:58 am
By Joshua Kurlantzick

Along the Shanghai street, choking haze draped the buildings and gridlocked traffic like a damp blanket. Vendors screamed out prices for water and postcards, and pedestrians hacked into handkerchiefs and covered their faces with masks. Construction workers in torn, dirty jeans bored a hole into the sidewalk, geysering dirt everywhere.

But inside Three on the Bund, overlooking this chaos from a restored 1916 structure that once housed the Mercantile Bank of India, China's urgency and insanity seemed far away. In the cavernous front room of the Evian Spa by Three, which rises several stories and lets in beams of light from its portholelike windows, the only noise was the tinkling of soft music. Spa attendants led guests past polished wood Chinese sculptures and into private rooms, where they could wallow in giant bathtubs and choose from an exhaustive menu of rubs and facials.

Ten or even five years ago, China boasted few spas that could compete with those of Thailand, Indonesia or other famous relaxation hubs. Visitors to the country, and Chinese themselves traveling for the first time, generally sought out the country's best-known cultural attractions, sparing little time for some pampering. China certainly had its own spa tradition — reflexology parlors dotted city streets — but most traditional massage places were simple affairs or, occasionally, fronts for prostitution. Many of the country's hotels, still struggling to overcome the legacy of socialism, had not exactly mastered the art of relaxation.

But times have changed: Chinese spas, sensing the potential of the relaxation market, are giving themselves a makeover, upgrading their services so they can compete with the finest health resorts in Asia. As the Chinese themselves have become travelers — China is becoming one of the largest sources of tourists in the world — they are demanding higher standards of service. With disposable income in upscale eastern cities, Chinese tourists and business travelers now have cash for indulging themselves. And since China features crowds, pollution and fierce traffic, Chinese travelers and foreign tourists often find spas essential to surviving the intense pace of life.

Luxury hotels have opened some of the classier spas in China. In Lijiang, a Unesco World Heritage site in the southwest that could be a poster for classical China, with its old town of cobblestone streets, bridges and houses, Banyan Tree has opened a spa. Near the Great Wall at a complex designed by 12 leading Asian architects, Anantara set its own spa, while Marriott built a spa retreat, called Quan, on Sanya, a tropical resort in the south of Hainan Island. St. Regis even plans to open an upscale hotel in remote Lhasa, complete with a spa.

But in recent years, smaller boutique spas have sprung up across the country as well. “They don't just explore Western things, though, they are interested in exploring Chinese elements as well,” said P. T. Black of Jigsaw International, a Shanghai-based market research firm. “Traditional medicines and technique — from cupping to wolfberries — are playing an important part of the spa experience.” (Cupping involves placing heated glass cups on the skin to extract toxins; wolfberries are said to bolster the immune system and enhance circulation.)

Hoteliers discuss trends at WORLDHOTELS Leadership Forum

Sep 14, 07 | 1:57 am

WORLDHOTELS concluded a successful 2007 Leadership Forum last week at the Grand Hotel De La Minerve and the Hotel St. George Roma in Rome, two WORLDHOTELS Deluxe Collection properties, discussing the following:

Survey of members reveals buoyant industry
Performance Excellence results awarded
Leadership Award presented to Olav Thon, Thon Hotel Group
The Leadership Forum, attended by over 100 hotel owners, management companies and senior general managers, was themed ‘The Future. Now’. WORLDHOTELS used the opportunity to discuss with its hoteliers key issues currently affecting the industry and gauge expectations for 2008.

Speakers at the event included Key Industry Experts: Michael Ryan, Co-founder of Ryanair; Ian McCaig, CEO Lastminute.com; Russel Kett, Managing Director HVS international;

Dr. David Viner, Principal Specialist Climate Change Natural England; David Thorp, Director of Research and Information, The Chartered Institute of Marketing, among others.

As part of WORLDHOTELS commitment to listening to its hoteliers, a survey was conducted among the attendees of the forum about their point of view on current trends and developments. When asked if recent strong business growth would continue for the next three years, 84% replied positively, with respondents citing, for example, the effect of global and local economy growth as well as the prevalence of low-cost airlines. In addition, 88% believed their RevPar would be higher in 2008 due to improved yield management, advanced revenue strategies, and increased demand.

The survey also reflected the growing importance of online technology. 86% believed that in the next three years consumers would use hotel websites in preference to online agents. While 57% believed that over the same period control over rates and inventory would shift towards the hotel industry rather than to intermediaries. Awareness and motivation are the keys to becoming more environmentally friendly, as well as working with suppliers to establish ‘green’ supply chains.

WORLDHOTELS also used the Leadership forum to award the hotels that best performed in its Performance Excellence Programme (PEP) in the past 12 months. The programme, introduced in 2006, evaluates the service and quality of its member hotels by comparing performance between hotel departments and hotels and their competitors. The programme also offers solutions as to how to take advantage of the reports as well as providing benchmark options with year on year data comparison. The winning hotels were: Best Result Global and in the EMEA region for 2007: Marina Hotel, Kuwait; Best Result in APAC 2007: The Eton Hotel, Shanghai; Best Result in the Americas 2007: Graves|601 Hotel, Minneapolis.

Each year the WORLDHOTELS Leadership Forum recognises a key industry figure; this year Olav Thon, Owner & Founder of Thon Hotel Group, was presented with a special award. Thon is the owner of the Olav Thon Group and Thon Hotels, one of Norway’s leading hotel chains with 51 hotels located all over Norway in addition to Brussels and Rotterdam. After starting out with selling fox furs from his backpack as a young boy, Thon started his own company aged 18; Volvat Furs, with all profits reinvested in real-estate. Today the Olav Thon Group has a turnover of about £470 million (700 million Euros) and is involved in real-estate, hotels, restaurants, retail and industry.

Best Western plans to be largest hotel chain in Asia by 2010

Sep 14, 07 | 1:57 am

Best Western International, already the fastest-growing hotel chain in Asia, is quickly becoming the largest hotel chain on the continent. It is on pace to have more than 200 properties by 2010 – expanding from just six hotels in 2001 to 106 today.

“Our numbers are impressive, and that is because of the way we are expanding in Asia: By forming strong local partnerships with developers who understand the history, culture and people of each country and are interested in building high-quality hotels in high-profile areas,” said David Kong, Best Western president and CEO. “Best Western is quickly becoming one of the most respected hotel brands on the continent.”

Best Western’s global sales and marketing, quality assurance and Gold Crown Club International loyalty programs are several reasons the brand is popular with Asian developers and hoteliers. “As the world’s largest hotel chain, we bring scale, reach and a billion-dollar reservation system,” said Kong.

Best Western currently has properties in:
• China. With 32 hotels either open or in the pipeline -- including two slated to be in operation in Beijing before the 2008 Summer Olympics -- Best Western is on pace to open 7 to 10 hotels per year.
• India. The chain recently signed a new master licensing agreement with Cabana Hotels. A $1.2 billion investment is expected to bring 100 hotels and 10,000 rooms to India over the next decade.
• South Korea. Best Western has 11 hotels and is the country’s largest and fastest-growing hotel chain.
• Thailand. With 11 already operating properties, Best Western aims to have up to 30 hotels in the country by 2010. Best Western’s Asia headquarters is located in Bangkok.
• Japan. Twenty-one hotels are under development in the country. When complete, the new properties will add nearly 3,000 hotel rooms to the system.
• Indonesia. Best Western recently established a development office in the country and expects to have 20 hotels within the next three years.

The chain also is operating or developing hotels in Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines.

Is India hoteliers' hottest spot?

Sep 14, 07 | 1:58 am
By Eugene Gilligan

Challenges to hotel industry growth in India still remain, but Abhijit "Beej" Das sees massive opportunities as well.

Last week, Das was named managing director of Molinaro Koger Hotels (India) Pvt. Ltd. The new entity will provide development, branding, capital and brokerage services to its clients.

Das believes the hotel industry India is underserved, with a need most apparent in a number of areas and segments.

"There is a great need for hotels in and around religious and tourist sites," Das said. "Imagine, for example, if Vatican City didn’t have any hotel rooms."

Also, India's secondary and tertiary markets are "massively underserved" in terms of the amount of hotel rooms, Das said, and he also sees a nationwide need for budget hotel product.

India's growing middle class is sure to boost demand. Infrastructure improvement in India is one key to this, Das said, noting that the construction of the Interstate highway system in the U.S. spurred increased hotel demand.

Economic growth is sure to be another driver. India's per capita gross domestic product is now half of the level where travel becomes what Das calls a "lifestyle essential," and with that figure growing at about a ten percent rate, that threshold should be crossed soon, he believes.

Many hotel companies have growth in India in their playbooks. IHG currently operates 14 hotels, consisting of 2,369 rooms in India, and has plans to launch 30 new hotels by 2009.

"Factors creating opportunities for growth in India include a projected increase in the number of domestic travelers, as well as international arrivals, the rise of budget airlines, and the heightened tourist profile in the lead up to the 2010 Commonwealth Games," said Paul Logan, vice president of development for Southern Asia for IHG Asia Pacific. IHG signed ten management contracts in India in 2006.

And, in late August, Wyndham Hotel Group announced that it had signed an agreement with Gammon India Ltd. to develop at least 38 Super 8 and Days Inn hotels across India by 2011.

Challenges are still significant. Rising land prices means that many landowners, believing that prices will rise further, want to continue to hold on to their land, Das said. Many Indian hotels are also overstaffed, he said. While American hotels average less than one staff person per guest, that figure is more like 2.5 to 3 staff members per guest in many Indian hotels, he said.

Source: Commercial Property News

September is world tourism month - CHA celebrates theme: “Tourism Opens Doors for Women”

Sep 11, 07 | 1:58 am
Each year, September is recognized as World Tourism Month, culminating with the celebration of the World Tourism Day on September 27th. The Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) will promote various activities throughout the region to commemorate the occasion, with special emphasis on the World Tourism Organization’s chosen theme for 2007, Tourism opens doors for women, in recognition of women’s impact on the growth and development of the tourism industry.

“The Caribbean tourism industry is blessed with a tremendous pool of strong, successful women, many of whom have climbed the career ladder one step at a time, purely on the strength of their drive and commitment,” said Barbadian hotelier and CHA President, Peter J. Odle. “From those very special employees that make a stay memorable at a Caribbean hotel, to small hoteliers, executives of hotel chains, presidents and executives of national hotel associations – our Caribbean women have earned a distinguished place in the business of hospitality.”

CHA’s own organization reflects how the gender gap is being bridged in many critical areas, particularly human resource development; 75% of the scholarship winners from the CHA Educational Foundation in 2007 being women. Likewise, the annual culinary competition Taste of the Caribbean has seen a substantial increase in the number of female chefs and bartenders competing and winning medals for their performance. Most recently, Trinidad and Tobago won the honor of 2007 National Team of the Year with a culinary team where three of the four chefs in the team were women: Keirha Forde, Sabrina Rosales, and Kathryn Anne Lander. Even operationally, CHA is proud to count on a team of female professionals at all staff levels, which make up two thirds of its workforce.

On the leadership front, 45% of the executives of national hotel associations are women, while names such as Berthia Parle, MBE, president of CHA during the 2004-06 term and current chairwoman of the CHA Board of Directors; Sue Springer, president of the Caribbean Society of Hotel Association Executives (CSHAE); and the Hon. Aloun N'Dombet-Assamba, Minister of Tourism, Jamaica, are considered synonymous with excellence.

CHA hopes to engage the support of national hotel associations and its members at the national level to celebrate women in tourism.

The World Tourism Organization’s campaign theme for World Tourism Month and Day seeks to address the important role of tourism in creating economic opportunities and strengthening women’s economic capacity, as well as promoting women’s leadership

Raini Hamdi is PATA Travel Journalist of the Year

Sep 11, 07 | 1:58 am
TTG Asia and TTGmice Editor Ms Raini Hamdi has been named PATA Travel Journalist of the Year 2007. The award recognises journalists who have raised the bar of quality; persisted where others might have backed off; consistently provided unique insights; and passionately championed the Asia Pacific travel and tourism industry.

"Raini has assiduously and astutely built a network of industry contacts that provide her unique access and insight into the travel and tourism community," said PATA President and CEO Mr Peter de Jong. "This has allowed her to find new angles and approaches to recurring issues and familiar destinations."

Mr de Jong added: "While a loyal supporter of the industry, recognising its intrinsic value, Raini will not shy away from an occasional strong opinion or critical note. Yet she always brings her balance and integrity and charm. In short, she has her finger on the pulse of our industry: long may it continue."

Raini will receive her award during the PATA Gold Awards luncheon at PATA Travel Mart, September 28, at the Grand Hyatt Bali.

Raini said: "I am very honoured to receive this award. I would like to thank PATA; TTG Asia management and my team, who are very supportive of me; every person I ever hounded for an interview, an angle or a view in the last 17 years; and my loved ones."

Tourism growth ignores Stock Market crisis

Sep 11, 07 | 2:00 am
The members of the International Panel of Experts that help the World Tourism Organization to publish its Barometer of trends share the opinion that the recent stock market crisis, caused by the difficulties of the most risky segment of the US housing market, has not at this stage had an appreciable effect on world tourism demand.

The crisis of recent weeks has, for the most part, been financial. If it has wiped out the rapid - and perhaps exaggerated - gains made by certain markets since the beginning of the year, it has not, for the time being at least, had a substantial impact on what is sometimes called the "real economy". Household demand is still buoyed up by objective factors: the sound financial situation of enterprises in the OECD countries and fuller employment in the industrialized countries, including those of the euro zone.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) considers that if it were called upon to revise downwards its growth forecasts for 2007, it would be to a limited extent. The IMF had already made allowance for the relative slowdown of US growth when, in July, it revised upwards (from 4.9 to 5.2 per cent) its estimate of overall growth for 2007, owing to the good performance of other major economies, such as China, India, and Russia.

The OECD, for its part, has just revised, on 5 September, its 2007 projections for the developed economies. This revision, however, is limited. It lowers the growth projection from 2.3 per cent to 2.2 per cent for the G7 countries as a whole, from 2.7 per cent to 2.6 per cent for the euro zone, and from 2.1 per cent to 1.9 per cent for the United States. As for the major European generating countries, projections are slightly lower for Germany and France, but higher for the United Kingdom.

At this stage, therefore, it appears that the macroeconomic impact of the crisis experienced by the stock markets during the summer should be limited.

Besides, if the growth of the economy, and hence the purchasing power of the social groups that account for the bulk of international travel, were to progress more slowly or even, in the later case, to decline slightly, it is by no means obvious that tourism expenditure would be affected proportionally. On the contrary, the experience of recent years shows that travel and tourism have become an important sociological phenomenon and that households are, if necessary, prepared to make sacrifices in other areas of consumption or even to dip into their savings rather than forgo their holiday travel. Strong economic activity, for its part, serves to bolster business travel.

Turning specifically to US households, those experiencing difficulties in repaying their large mortgages were not, in any case, the most likely to travel, especially abroad, given their demographic and social profiles. By contrast, the baby boomers, who are now approaching retirement age and who, for the most part, have already bought their homes, do not seem all that concerned about the subprime mortgage problem. They are, in fact, one of the new and important forces behind travel and leisure demand in that country, as well as in western Europe and Japan.

Broadly speaking, in spite of the trend towards more moderate growth, the US economy remains strong. Average household income and consumption levels have not so far been affected by the crisis. That is why, notwithstanding the trend, until recently, towards a weaker US dollar, especially against the euro, long-haul tourism generated by the US market was up by 5 per cent in 2006 (and by 4 per cent to Europe). Provisional figures suggest that this tendency has continued this summer. Moreover, one of the consequences of the recent stock market turbulences has been to encourage the financial institutions to seek safer investment options than the housing market and, hence, to transfer part of their assets to US public debt securities, which has led to a slight recovery of the dollar. If this trend were to persist, it would reinforce the predisposition of the US tourist to travel abroad.

Just as US demand is proving resilient, the other major generating markets are shored up by the strength of their domestic economies. It should be borne in mind that whereas the USA alone accounts for about a quarter of world GDP, the expenditure of US citizens abroad (72 billion dollars in 2006) represents only 9.8 per cent of international tourism receipts (735 billions in 2006). If 63.7 million US citizens travelled abroad last year, Germany generated 71 million and China 34 million departures, to mention only two countries now experiencing considerable economic expansion.

Taken together, these elements allow us to conclude, relatively safely, that, given its present form and magnitude, the international financial crisis that began this summer is not impeding the growth of tourism to any measurable extent. It would take a veritable collapse of the "real economy", brought about by a depreciation of assets, with repercussions for household consumption and leading to both a reduction in liquidity and a loss of confidence on the part of economic entities, for international tourism to be truly affected. But we would then have entered a phase in the history of the world economy that would replace the period of growth it has enjoyed for several years.

In June this year the UNWTO Barometer showed that the sector grew at a faster pace in the first four months of the year (6.3 per cent for arrivals) than in 2006 (4.9 per cent for arrivals and 4.5 per cent for receipts). The October edition of the Barometer is likely to confirm this positive trend. It would come as no surprise if the number of international tourist arrivals were to reach or even surpass the 880 million mark in 2007. For further information please visit www.unwto.org

The Cadillac Hotel shaped history of San Francisco

Sep 11, 07 | 1:57 am
By Randy Shaw

After the 1906 earthquake, San Francisco's civic leadership sought to show that the city was rebounding by promptly undertaking a series of building projects. Among them was the construction of the Cadillac Hotel at Eddy and Leavenworth Streets. As the Cadillac prepares to celebrate a public 100th Birthday Party on September 19, most San Franciscans are likely unaware of the hotel's unique place in the city's history. The Cadillac was a "supportive housing" hotel before that term existed, and was the first San Francisco residential hotel (SRO) whose dilapidations brought renovation, rather than demolition. Senator Dianne Feinstein was on the Board of Cadillac owner Leroy Looper's original drug-treatment programs well prior to her becoming the city's mayor, and Donald Fisher had an unfortunate stint as the hotel's owner prior to launching the GAP. In many respects, the history of the Cadillac is the history of San Francisco.

On September 19 from 5:00-7:00pm, San Franciscans will have a unique opportunity to get a living history lesson in one of the city's most storied buildings. The Cadillac Hotel is celebrating its 100th Birthday, and will open its doors for an event featuring comments from former residents, a slide show on the hotel's revival in the 1970's, food, music (on the Hotel's 19th Century Steinway concert grand piano), photos of the hotel's history, and much more.

The Cadillac's history is remarkably interlocked with San Francisco's past 100 years.

Built in 1907 to send a message that the city was coming back from the 1906 quake stronger than ever, the Cadillac was once a place where guests checked their furs at the front desk and there was a furrier service to ensure they were properly cared for.

Those were the golden years of San Francisco, and the Cadillac's mammoth size---180 rooms plus a ballroom, in addition to significant ground-floor retail space---made it a popular destination for those visiting the city on a short-term basis.

Through the early 1950's, the Tenderloin was a place where people came to have fun. Longtime San Francisco political leader John Burton loved the neighborhood in those days, and recalled the Cadillac as one of the many hotels where men could meet women before spending a night on the town.

The Cadillac always had long-term residents and never catered to the nightly tourist trade. It may be the only SRO in history to contain an entire boxing gym (Newman's), where Muhammad Ali once trained prior to becoming heavyweight champion.

(It is said that Billy Newman helped Ali when he was on his way back from the 1960 Olympics. Ali hadn't fought a professional fight at that point, and apparently he ran out of money at the San Francisco airport. Newman helped him for a few days, letting him use the gym and lending him money.)

The Cadillac thrived in the days when the Tenderloin was an all-night town where people entered bars and everyone knew their name. Burton reports that one could "make book" (place a bet) in almost every Tenderloin restaurant, and that folks getting off work in the early A.M. would come down to the neighborhood to eat, drink, and make merry.

But the election of Republican Mayor George Christopher in 1957 soon spelled the end of good times for the Tenderloin, as well as nearby Market Street. Christopher had vowed to "clean up" San Francisco, and this meant eliminating colorful facades on Market Street theaters, demolishing the historic Fox Theatre, and stopping bookmaking activities in the Tenderloin.

Hotel News in Brief (Part2)

Smart dining experience wins top honours. Lovers of fine food have even more reasons to delight in the new dining concept offered at Room81 on the Gold Coast, with Chef de Cuisine, Daniel Ridgeway taking out two top titles for his innovative fare. Based at Room 81 located at the Sofitel Gold Coast, this young chef has been honoured for his unique style, having being awarded first place in the Furitechnics 2007 Gold Box Restaurant Challenge and the Gold Coast Panache Magazine's Reviewers Choice ‘Chef of the Year 2007' within a week of each other. Up against strong competition in both events, Daniel's team also won the starter and dessert sections over 15 other restaurant teams at the prestigious Gold Box event staged at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.Then only days later, Daniel was named the best new comer at the annual Gold Coast Panache Magazine gala event. It's no wonder Sofitel Gold Coast's new dining venue has been listed as the hottest spot on the Gold Coast with its swanky yet unpretentious theme and ‘smart dining' concept. Following the new trend sweeping leading restaurants across Vancouver, Paris and Melbourne, Daniel has brought this new dining culture to Queensland, having returned to Australia after an 18 month stint at the multi award-winning ‘West' restaurant in Vancouver.

Top spot for China by 2014. Originally expected to overtake France as the number one tourism destination in 2020, China is now tipped to do so six years earlier, according to the World Tourism Organisation (WTO). Xu Jing, the WTO's Asia-Pacific representative, said China is set to overtake the US, currently in third place, this year in terms of foreign visitor arrivals. With an expected boost from next year's Beijing Olympics, and another shot in the arm supplied by the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, China will overtake France by 2014, Xu said. From just 300,000 in 1978, the number of foreign visitors to China reached 22 million in 2006, excluding arrivals from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, says the China National Tourism Administration. While tourism growth in France has been slow, China has been enjoying double-digit expansion for years, with the number of tourist arrivals doubling in the past five years alone. Source: TTN

Singapore Main-Board listed Banyan Tree Holdings Limited ("Banyan Tree" or the "Group") announced that it has signed a management contract for a new Angsana branded resort and spa on the island of Grand Turk in the Turks & Caicos Islands. This resort follows from Banyan Tree's current development on the island of Barbados and will be the first Angsana Resort and Spa within the Caribbean region. "This project affirms Banyan Tree's strategic intent to be a key player in the Americas. The introduction of Angsana Resort & Spa Grand Turk, will bring our brand of Asian hospitality to a larger group of discerning travelers," said Executive Chairman, Mr Ho Kwon Ping. Developed by G.H.R.D. Ltd, the Angsana Resort and Spa Grand Turk is fronted by the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean and approximately a kilometer of white sand beach. The resort comprises a hotel block with 160 suites, multiple F&B outlets, conference facilities and Banyan Tree's multi-award winning Angsana Spa. The development also consists of exclusive Angsana residential villas for sale.

Trica Jean-Baptiste Communications, LLC, one of the travel industry's leading boutique luxury travel public relations agency, has opened an office in the heart of London's Mayfair district at 16 Hanover Square, as announced by Founder and President, Trica Jean-Baptiste. The London office extends the company's high-profile to the European travel market and will service both international and U.S. domestic clients. It replaces the company's previous European branch which was located in Paris, France. Trica Jean-Baptiste Communications, LLC in London will outreach to media based in Europe and Asia, in addition to providing further public relations support to its European clients. Known for strategic results-oriented public relations programs, the agency represents a client roster of boutique hotels, resorts and private villas. "We are pleased to announce a satellite office in the European media capital, London, England. This location will enable us to work closely with our European media contacts and extend our philosophy of creating revenue-generating PR campaigns to present and future European clients," said Trica Jean-Baptiste. Trica Jean-Baptiste Communications, LLC is headquartered in the celebrated Tribeca film district of New York City, at the Tribeca Film Center, home to the famed Tribeca Film Festival. The company will maintain its U.S. headquarters. Trica Jean-Baptiste Communications London will be managed by company President and Founder Trica Jean-Baptiste and Director Kara Hoffman.

Hotel News in Brief (Part1)

Sep 11, 07 | 1:46 am
Golden Tulip welcomes 80th Hotel in The Netherlands. Golden Tulip is proud to announce the signing of a franchise agreement for the Golden Tulip Papendrecht with Hotel & Exploitatie Maatschappij Papendrecht. The agreement is effective as per September 1st 2007. Golden Tulip Papendrecht is uniquely situated in central Holland in rural Alblasserwaard. The 76 room hotel has joined the Golden Tulip group on September 1st 2007 and will become the only four stars hotel in Papendrecht in the area. The hotel consists of a modern lounge, eleven conference rooms all with daylight and a luxurious bistro. Mr. H.W.R. Kennedie, President & CEO of Golden Tulip Hospitality comments: "This is a fantastic new addition to our portfolio in the central region of the Netherlands. I am confident that the Golden Tulip Papendrecht will become one of several successful franchised hotels recently joined to our chain."

Andy Brown, the founder and Chief Executive of leading supplier management solutions provider -TiVA, based in Shipley, West Yorkshire - is to speak on the opening morning of the 2007 British Association of Hospitality Accountants (BAHA) Annual Conference and Exhibition, which will take place on 8 and 9 November at the 5-star Radisson Edwardian Heathrow Hotel, 140 Bath Road, Hayes, Middlesex, UB3 5AW. Entitled ‘Managing Technology for Profit', the two-day BAHA Annual Conference and Exhibition is one of the leading events on the hospitality industry calendar. On Thursday, 8 November, Andy Brown (see profile at end of Press Release) will be addressing BAHA delegates on the need to change traditional supplier management doctrines to keep pace in a period of constant and rapid change. In his presentation, entitled ‘What Lies Beneath', Andy will point out that Chief Procurement Officers (CPOs) have used the same supplier management doctrines since the 1970s, warning that drastic changes are now needed to keep abreast of new forces in governance and stay ahead of changes in a highly competitive environment.

Swiss-Belhotel Manokwari, The First International-Chain Hotel in West Papua. Recently at an official signing ceremony, Hong Kong headquartered Swiss-Belhotel International Indonesia and Swiss-Belhotel Manokwari in West Papua, Indonesia announced the hotel management agreement of Swiss-Belhotel Manokwari which will be scheduled to open in 28 September 2007. The agreement was signed in Jakarta on 9 June 2007 by Mr. Susanto Pirono, Director of PT. Fanindi View Hotel and Mr. Gavin M. Faull, President of Swiss-Belhotel International.

Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) will add two more Courtyard by Marriott hotels in Thailand in 2008 under a management agreement reached with Destination Properties Company, Limited. The hotels are: • 243-room Tipviman Hotel in Cha-Am which will be rebranded the Courtyard by Marriott Hua Hin at Cha-Am Beach • 180-room Kamala Bay Garden Resort in Phuket which will be reflagged the Courtyard by Marriott Phuket at Kamala Beach. Both hotels will undergo extensive refurbishment prior to being reflagged as Courtyard by Marriott hotels.

Marilyn Carlson Nelson named as one of 'The world's 100 Most Powerful Women'

Sep 06, 07 | 1:58 am

Marilyn Carlson Nelson, chairman and chief executive officer of Carlson, for the fourth consecutive year has been named as one of "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women," according to Forbes magazine.

"The Minnesota-based travel hospitality conglomerate, which was founded by Nelson's late father, continues to expand," Forbes says. "The company acquired rival Navigant in August, doubling the size of its travel services business. Also expanding overseas; opened a luxury Regent hotel in Beijing; with a partner, bought another 45 T.G.I. Friday's restaurants in the U.K. Systemwide sales including franchised operations topped $37 billion in 2006."

Fifty of the top 100 women recognized by Forbes are from the United States. Nelson joins Angela Merkel, chancellor, Germany; Wu Yi, vice premier, China; Ho Ching, chief executive, Temasek Holdings, Singapore; Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State, U.S.; Indra K. Nooyi, chairman, chief executive, PepsiCo, U.S.; Sonia Gandhi, president, India; Anne M. Mulcahy, chairman, chief executive, Xerox; Oprah Winfrey, chairman, Harpo, U.S.; and Queen Elizabeth II, United Kingdom.

Nelson has been chairman and CEO of Carlson for nearly 10 years, and prior to taking the top positions, served in a variety of leadership roles within the company. Carlson will celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2008.

A member of the Exxon Mobil Corporation Board of Directors and the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees, Nelson also serves on the Committee to Encourage Corporate Philanthropy, and the Board of Overseers at the Curtis L. Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.

She is chair of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, which serves as the advisory body to the Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the travel and tourism industry in the United States. She also is a member of the World Travel and Tourism Council; the Business Roundtable; the steering committee of the Aviation, Travel & Tourism Governors of the World Economic Forum; the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum; and she is co-founder and advisory board member of the Women Leaders Program of the World Economic Forum. From 2002-2005, she was the chair of the National Women's Business Council.

In addition, Nelson served on the Singapore Tourism Board and the U.S. National Tourism Organization, and is past chair of the Travel Industry Association.

Nelson was the first major player in the United States travel industry to take a stand in the fight against child sexual tourism by co-founding the World Childhood Foundation, established by the Queen of Sweden. In addition, Nelson personally signed Carlson to an international code of conduct aimed at ending child prostitution, child pornography and the trafficking of children for sexual purposes.

In 2006, Nelson received the National Business Travel Association's highest award – the Icon Award – for a career of leadership in the business travel industry, and she was admitted to the French Legion of Honor in recognition of her outstanding public service. Last October, U.S. News and World Report chose her as one of "America's Best Leaders."

Hotel rooms scarce in Malaysia amid boom

Sep 06, 07 | 1:59 am

Malaysia's tourism minister Thursday said 2007 tourist arrivals would exceed expectations, and advised tour operators to "cool off" as the nation was running out of hotel rooms.

Malaysia launched a major campaign to attract visitors on the 50th year of its independence, but the marketing blitz appears to have been too successful.
Tourism Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said almost all hotel rooms were booked in and around the capital until October.

Popular tourist spots Penang, Langkawi island and eastern Sabah state were also fully booked.
"These are the places the tourists want to be and it looks like we have no choice but to advise the tour operators to cool off," he said.

"Much of the problems are caused by the fact that many tourists are over-extending their stays here."
Tengku Adnan said the country was likely to exceed its tourism arrival target of 20.1 million visitors this year.

"I believe by December, we will have at least 24 million tourists visiting us," he said, adding that so far, the immigration ministry has reported more than 13.5 million arrivals.

Faced with growing regional competition for the tourist dollar, Malaysia spent 200 million ringgit (59 million dollars) during "Visit Malaysia Year 2007" to boost tourism, the nation's second-largest foreign exchange earner.

Malaysia will celebrate its independence day on August 31.
The country received 17.5 million visitors in 2006.
Officials said they hope for 44.5 billion ringgit in tourism receipts this year. Tengku Adnan said they have achieved half that amount so far.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald/AFP

Why some hoteliers excel and others don't

Sep 06, 07 | 2:00 am
By: Neil Salerno

Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking at a senior management conference for a hotel company celebrating its tenth anniversary. Their enthusiasm and excitement was pervasive; capturing a larger share of business through the Internet is their focus for '08. Their enthusiasm for the magic of the Internet was obvious, from their president on down. This is a company that excels.

For the past few years, the Internet has played a major role in hotel marketing and an increasing number of hotels are reaping the benefits by embracing the electronic media. This is good news for our industry. More than 60% of hotel revenues will be influenced by the Internet in 2007; that's a ton of business.

Franchise internet marketing has improved
Most franchises have vastly improved their web sites to make them more competitive with each other and online travel agents. Some, are now permitting their franchisees to have their own proprietary web sites to supplement franchise Internet marketing efforts. This marks a giant step forward in franchise thinking; their only proviso is that the hotel site must use the franchise booking engine for online reservations...that's fair enough.

The fact is that "search" is the major vehicle used to find hotels on the web and only a small number, roughly 22%, of hotel searches are performed by franchise brand name. That, in itself, is a pretty good reason for franchised hotels to have their own property web sites to capture generic search.

A franchised hotel site can create a strong synergistic relationship with its franchise site by capturing generic-driven searches and driving that additional traffic to the franchise booking engine. Generic search is the single biggest weakness of franchise web sites.

Hotel franchise companies can relax; they should know, by now, that their fear of the loss of strength or control was unfounded; permitting or even encouraging franchisees to have their own property web sites will strengthen their franchise Internet marketing position. Increasing the possibility of being found on the Internet is a good thing for franchisor and franchisee.

Franchises, that are still resistant to this idea, need to apply some common-sense to their thought process. You cannot be everything to everyone; third-party aggregators have taken possession of destination search on the Internet; just try searching for a hotel by its location. Franchised hotel web sites can capture their fair share of those searches.

Some companies, like The Preferred Hotel Group, are way ahead of the internet marketing curve, they encourage, even assist their hotels to develop proprietary web sites and support them with in-bound links to improve their search popularity. Their Internet marketing and revenue management programs lead the industry.

Understanding how & why people choose hotels
We know that generic search, based upon destination or trip purpose, is by far the number one hotel search criterion. With very few exceptions, staying at a hotel is not the purpose of a trip; people choose to visit an area for many varying reasons, and then select a place to stay, near where they want to be and the value they perceive.

Sometimes hoteliers get so self-absorbed as to think that people are traveling just to stay in their hotel; maybe this is the reason so many hotel web sites look like hotel brochures instead of being designed for the Internet.

Knowing this, common-sense tells us that location is still the number one hotel selection criterion; so why don't more hotel web sites better define their location? The mystery to me is why so many web site designers think that the hotel's address is an apt description of the hotel's location; or worse yet, simply show the hotel's location as a point on a map.

My hope is that common-sense will prevail among franchises to finally understand the synergy they can develop by working with and supporting their franchised hotels in their Internet marketing effort. The Internet is now a major source of business; its nonsense to think that franchise web site portals can do the job alone.