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Marriott International Caps 2016 With Historic Global Expansion

Marriott International announced that 2016 represented the strongest year of rooms growth in its history. Marriott opened a record 55,000 rooms in 2016, excluding the 381,000 rooms gained with the Starwood acquisition. The combined company signed 880 new hotel deals, representing nearly 136,000 rooms, under long-term management and franchise agreements, and opened over 400 hotels with more than 68,000 rooms around the world. Marriott now operates or franchises over 6,000 hotels and nearly 1.2 million rooms.

“2016 will go down as a remarkable year in Marriott’s history. We completed the acquisition of Starwood and posted record growth that underscores the strong preference that owners and franchisees have for our unmatched brand portfolio, best-in-class sales and marketing platforms, and the most dedicated associates in the industry,” said Arne Sorenson, Marriott’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our accomplishments this year position Marriott for continued success and create greater opportunities for our guests, associates, development partners, shareholders and the communities where we do business.”

“We achieved strong global growth across both established and emerging markets in 2016,” said Tony Capuano, Marriott’s Executive Vice President and Global Chief Development Officer. “According to STR as of December 2016, Marriott’s North American pipeline accounted for a leading 36 percent of industry rooms under construction and 14 percent of industry rooms open. For the first time in Marriott’s history, more than half the rooms in our development pipeline are outside of North America, with 44 percent of those rooms under construction.”

The combined company’s global distribution of select-service hotels included nearly 4,000 properties at the end of 2016. The combined company’s select-service portfolio continues to experience strong global momentum with 275 openings and over 640 new deals signed last year. Growth should accelerate with nearly 1,800 select-service projects in the pipeline. The powerful, select-service growth trajectory was led by the established Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield Inn and Suites, and Residence Inn by Marriott brands and bolstered by the newest members of the company’s select-service portfolio, Aloft and Element, each of which recorded their highest number of signings ever.

The combined company further strengthened its leadership in STR’s high value luxury and upper-upscale segments with the signing of 236 new hotels, representing over 50,000 rooms, and the opening of over 100 hotels, representing over 27,000 rooms, in destinations such as Singapore, Houston and Sanya, China as a new generation of travelers seek distinctive experiences around the world. Marriott’s share of the industry’s luxury rooms pipeline is 29 percent. Independent hoteliers have more options than ever to leverage Marriott’s powerful loyalty and distribution systems with the Autograph Collection, which last year exceeded 110 open hotels, as well the Tribute Portfolio and The Luxury Collection brands. Combined, these three brands generated nearly 80 signed deals during the year, contributing to the opening of 28 hotels in 2016.

“Marriott is well-positioned for continued strong growth in the years ahead,” continued Capuano. “We offer our development partners the benefits of scale and competitive advantages that can help them maximize their returns on investment. We also offer the broadest portfolio of brands and the industry’s leading loyalty platforms. We have the right brand for the right place, whether a new hotel development or an opportunity to reposition an existing asset.”

Source: http://hospitalitybusinessnews.com/20170127026/marriott-international-caps-2016-historic-global-expansion

HTFO | Feb 09, 2017 | Comments 0

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Mandarin Oriental to Acquire Boston Hotel

Mandarin Oriental International Limited will acquire the freehold interest in the property that houses Mandarin Oriental, Boston together with its hotel business for US$140 million. Mandarin Oriental has managed the 148-room Hotel, which is situated on Boylston Street in Boston, under a management contract since its opening in 2008. The Group also manages 85 privately owned Residences at Mandarin Oriental connected to the Hotel.

Mandarin Oriental has exercised its right under its long-term management contract to acquire the Hotel from CWB Hotel Limited Partnership. The Hotel had been offered for sale by auction, and a number of bids had been received. Under Mandarin Oriental’s management contract, it has the right to acquire the property for a sum equivalent to the highest bid. Completion of the sale and purchase of the Hotel, subject to final court approval of the terms agreed at auction, is currently expected to take place in the first quarter of 2016.

Edouard Ettedgui, Group Chief Executive, said, “We are delighted to acquire the property that houses our luxury hotel in the heart of Boston. This acquisition ensures the continuity of our position in Boston, and we look forward to maintaining our award-winning service in this key gateway city.”

Mandarin Oriental’s total investment of US$140 million will be funded through a mixture of existing cash reserves and debt. The acquisition of the Hotel is anticipated to have a positive impact on the Group’s earnings. For the year ended 31st December 2014, the Hotel generated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (‘EBITDA’) of US$5.0 million. For the same period, the Group received management fees and other contributions of US$2.3 million, which were charged against the Hotel’s EBITDA.

Source: http://hospitalitybusinessnews.com/20160124365/mandarin-oriental-to-acquire-boston-hotel-mandarin-oriental-to-acquire-boston-hotel

HTFO | Feb 07, 2017 | Comments 0

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Embracing Domestic Tourism in Africa

For a long time, Africans have perceived traveling as non essential especially within the continent thus only reserved for the high net-worth persons. Attributed mostly to their supposedly low spending power, Africans are said to believe that money should be spent on ‘more important priorities’ which exclude traveling (in this case considered as leisure). Therefore, spending on travel is only for purposes of unavoidable occasions such as burial or wedding ceremonies either within or without the home country.

Euromonitor International however says this trend is gradually changing, as more Africans are now embracing domestic tourism both in their countries and within the continent. This is highly as a result of efforts by respective governments to ease travel measures, with favorable packages that are affordable for the locals as well as visa free restrictions within many African countries.

Kenya: A Case Study

After a significant period of severe decline in the influx of tourists in Kenya, due to, among others, the election related challenges and impact of international economic and financial crises as well as security related challenges, the Tourism Sector is gradually stabilizing. This was largely attributed to the lifting of travel advisories by the United Kingdom, especially towards the country’s 2015 peak season. The relative security across Kenya during the 2015-2016 period has also gone a long way in restoring confidence among both domestic and international tourists.

American President Barrack Obama’s visit to Kenya in July last year (approximately a year ago), as well as major international conferences; notably the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference held in Nairobi in December 2015 and the just concluded UNCTAD 14 Conference (July 2016), were great endorsements towards restoring the country’s Tourism Industry. In supporting the claims, Estelle Verdier, East & Southern Africa’s Managing Director of Jumia Travel, Africa’s leading online hotel booking portal, depicts the global trust in the Kenyan tourism industry as a great milestone in encouraging locals to explore the country’s great tourist treasures.

The zeal by Kenyans to save the dwindling industry cannot be overlooked. The Kenyan government has come out to strongly encourage Kenyans to embrace domestic tourism. Recently, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said that Kenya should not rely on foreign markets to boost the tourism sector; rather they should come together and promote domestic tourism. Among the measures put by the government to encourage local tourism is by providing that corporate and business entities (employers) pay vacation trip expenses for their staff on annual leave in Kenya and deduct such expenditures in their taxes. This would bring to total over 300,000 additional Kenyan guests in Kenyan hotels throughout the country.

Being the enthusiasts they always are, Kenyans took up the spirit to rise above its dependence on foreign tourists to grow the industry. The introduction of campaigns like ‘Tembea Kenya’ (A Swahili statement for Tour Kenya), is a true reflection of Kenyans patriotic spirit. With an aim to promote tourism particularly among Kenyans, Tembea Kenya, led by local Radio host Maina Kageni, sets to tour 53 locations around the country. Corporates have also not been left behind, with campaigns such as#KenyaYetu by Jumia Travel, aiming to encourage Kenyans to share photos of their travel experience from across various destinations in the country. This move is also seen to motivate others to tour the same destinations to first hand experience the country in all its beauty.

With such initiatives by Kenyans for Kenya, domestic tourism has become significant as it is expected to cushion tourism during low periods of international arrivals. In Kenya’s Vision 2030, tourism has been identified as one of the top priority areas for driving a double digit economic growth and development.

However, while enthusiasts remain optimistic, early political campaign rallies this year in preparation for the 2017 election might cause an alarm in the tourism sector. Yet, despite these numerous challenges, Kenya remains a top travel destination in the world; and hopefully the aspect of domestic tourism will place Kenya at an even better position.

Conclusion

Kenya is just but one of the many African countries striving to cash in on domestic tourism, especially during turbulent times. Figures by the Domestic Tourism Growth Strategy (2012-2020), show the volume of domestic holiday travelers in South Africa rising from 3.9 million in 2010 to a target 6 million in 2015. The trajectory shows a possible 9 million domestic tourists by the year 2020.

Other factors highly contributing to the increase in domestic tourism in Africa are the presence of local airlines offering affordable air fares for locals traveling from one domestic short haul destination to another. Provision of discounted boarding rates for resident tourists by major hotels has also gone a long way in encouraging locals to travel; not to mention the flexible mobile payment options like EcoCash in Zimbabwe, Tigo Pesa in Tanzania and M Pesa in Kenya among others.

According to UNWTO Tourism Highlights 2016, as a worldwide export category, tourism ranks third after fuels and chemicals and ahead of food and automotive products. In many developing countries, tourism ranks as the first export sector. As an emerging tourism destination from the traditional favorites of Europe and America, Africa has proved resilient to the occasional shocks and is set to receive a three-fold boost in its tourism revenue with the continued domestic tourism initiatives.

Source: http://www.hospitalitynet.org/column/global/154000392/4077654.html

HTFO | Aug 14, 2016 | Comments 0

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The hostel grows up: ‘Poshtels’ make their way to USA

For many people, the word hostel evokes images of grungy backpackers, uncomfortable beds, shared bathrooms and snack machines.

But that’s a hostel for another era. These days, hostels are more like boutique hotels at a bargain price.

The upscale hostel trend was born in Europe. To attract younger travelers, hoteliers started outfitting hostels with bars, coffee counters, game rooms and full-service restaurants.

This type of accommodation has become so common that it has earned a name: poshtel, short for posh hostel.

The idea has made its way across the Atlantic, with the introduction of such brands as Freehand and Generator. Rates for shared rooms can be as low as $25 a night. Many offer private room alternatives as well as free Wi-Fi, breakfast and activities to promote interaction among guests. Some even have swimming pools.

“Over the last 20 years, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in the variety of the look and feel of hostels,” says Netanya Trimboli, director of communications and public relations for Hostelling International USA, a non-profit, member organization. “With just the sheer number of hostels in Europe, there has been a natural creation of various niche products. Just as the hotel market saw the introduction of life-style boutique hotels 25 or so years ago, we’re now seeing the same in the hostel sector.”

Trimboli says there are more than 360 hostels in the USA. According to the global organization Hostelling International there are more than 4,000 hostels worldwide.

The demographics of a poshtel vary, but for the most part they attract Millennials, those in their 20s and early 30s who are highly coveted by the hotel industry because of their increasing purchasing power and desire to travel.

“We find Millennials are especially drawn to our emphasis on social interaction among people of diverse backgrounds to serve our purpose to create a more tolerant world,” Trimboli says.

The popularity of hostels is growing, says Jeremy Crider, manager of public relations for North America for Trivago, a travel booking website.

In London, hostels accounted for about 3% of all accommodation searches for summer 2016, based on data collected from January to June for travel between June 1 and Aug. 31. Last year at the same time, 2% of searches for London travel involved hostels, Crider says.

“As more and more travelers seek out a local, authentic experience, we can expect to see interest continue, as poshtels and smaller, independent hotels often allow visitors more of an opportunity to immerse themselves in the city,” he says.

Here’s a look at a few poshtels that are upping their game in the USA and abroad:

HI USA

This non-profit organization has 54 hostels in the USA, in cities such as New York, Boston and San Francisco. Trimboli says many have added amenities such as free breakfast, Wi-Fi and regularly scheduled tours and activities to help them compete with other poshtels. The Boston and San Francisco properties offer each guest a “bed oasis” featuring a private charging station, lamp and shelf. At HI Boston and HI Richmond, guests can charge devices in the protection of a private locker next to the bed. HI Boston has a washer and dryer that will text guests when done. Beds at HI NYC have privacy curtains. HI San Diego plays host to a quarterly art show. And HI San Francisco Downtown has a movie room.

Dorm beds range from $20 to $49 a night.

Freehand Miami/Chicago

The company bills its properties as a “hotel and hostel,” with shared and private rooms available. The Freehand Miami offers a complimentary breakfast that includesCuban pastries and locally roasted Panther Coffee. It also has a pool and an award-winning cocktail bar called Broken Shaker.

The Freehand Chicago is housed in a classic 1970 building in the River North neighborhood. An event coordinator plans outings and activities for guests. The company teamed with design firm Roman and Williams to give the property an upscale yet comfortable look.

Rates for shared rooms start at about $40 a night.

“People are looking for good value and the shared alternative is a way for people to travel and spend money on food and experiences rather than spend much of their budget on accommodations,” says Andrew Zobler, founder and CEO of the Sydell Group, which developed the Freehand. “People are staying in school longer. They’re staying single longer. And so they’re looking to travel but not to spend a lot of money.”

Zobler, who is also behind the ritzy NoMad hotel in New York City, says he wanted to provide that affordable alternative without compromising style or comfort.

“Some people have this idea that hostels can be more like army barracks and cot-like,” he says. “All of our beds are solid and made from Amish craftsmen. We’re trying to bring that NoMad spirit to the Freehand.”

The Bivvy, Breckenridge, Colo.

This ski hostel has an outdoor hot tub overlooking the Ten Mile Mountain Range. A hot breakfast is included. All rooms, including shared ones, have private bathrooms. Wi-Fi is free. Draft beers and wine are served each night. Guests pay as little as $29 a night depending on the season.

Hotel manager Balazs Jarai says skiing can be an expensive hobby and the Bivvy gives travelers, especially younger ones, the opportunity to indulge in it.

“There really wasn’t an affordable way to do it,” he says. “You were looking at peak season, a $200 hotel room. Or you’d have to get up at 5 a.m. for one day of skiing. We’re basically aiming to offer a little bit more and still have the hostel atmosphere,”

While most guests tend to be 18 to 35 years old, the hostel attracts older people too, he says.

“It’s a really nice scene,” he says. “You’ll have a couple of in their 60s talking to an 18-year-old backpacker from Australia and getting along quite well.”

Space Hotel, Melbourne

Poshtels are now popular all over the world. This budget hotel offers shared and private rooms. The rooms have a modern design and feature iPod-docking stations, high quality mattresses and flat screen TVs.

There are 44 dorm-style rooms that can sleep up to eight people at a price of $37 a head. Female-only rooms are available. There are 63 private rooms with shared facilities for $89, and rooms with private bathrooms start at $115.

Wi-Fi is free. Guests can play games and lounge around various public areas. There’s also a fitness center, reading lounge and a movie screening room. The Space Deck is a rooftop retreat with a jacuzzi, sun lounges and impressive views of the city.

“A poshtel is like a social hotel experience,” says Yossi Gallor, chief operations officer. “Guests get all of the comforts of staying in a hotel along with the advantages of the social atmosphere associated with hostels.”

The Blue Moon Bar offers cocktails and craft beer. For those who don’t want to eat out, a full-equipped kitchen is available with individual lockers for food storage.

Generator Amsterdam

This global hostel chain is quickly expanding, with a Miami property scheduled to open next year. So far, there are 10 properties. In addition to the Miami hostel, properties are scheduled to open in Rome and Stockholm next month.

The recently opened Generator Amsterdam offers amenities such as a restaurant and two bars. Whimsical murals are painted throughout the property. Private rooms are spacious, with some offering views of a park across the street. Shared rooms have private bathrooms. Each bunk has outlets for charging mobile devices.

Starting nightly rates for shared rooms are about $17, for private rooms about $73 and for luxury suites about $113.

Guests can drink local artisan coffee. They can also borrow bikes.

Built in a former university that housed science labs, the designers kept many of the features including an auditorium used for lectures. That is now the site of one of the bars.

“This is not what you think about when you think of a hostel,” says Fredrik Korallus, Chief Executive Officer of Generator Hostels, during a tour of the property.

Korallus says poshtels are increasingly competing with lifestyle and boutique hotels, such as the trendy Ace and Hoxton.

“For the traveler who can’t afford the Hoxton or the Ace, we offer, from a social perspective, a similar experience, and from the design perspective, a similar experience,” he says.

The food and beverage experience has also become increasingly important at upscale hostesls. The hotel offers a menu with locally sourced ingredients and craft beers. Employees also organize events and curate the music guests hear in public spaces.

“For the first time in my career, I’m not selling sleep. I’m not selling beds,” he says. “I’m selling experiences. The bed and the sleep become secondary.”

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2016/06/24/poshtels-upscale-hostels-usa/86053480/

HTFO | Jul 04, 2016 | Comments 0

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Marriott Receives Antitrust Clearance from the European Union to Acquire Starwood

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) and Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide (NYSE: HOT) today announced they have received unconditional clearance from the European Union for Marriott to acquire Starwood in a merger transaction.

In announcing the decision in a press release issued by the European Commission, the Commissioner for Competition, Margaret Vestager, said, “This is an important merger for the hotel industry and its customers. Our investigation confirmed that the hotel sector will remain competitive for customers in Europe following the merger, so I am pleased that the Commission was able to clear the transaction quickly.”

The closing of the proposed merger is subject to obtaining additional antitrust clearances, including in China, and satisfying other customary closing conditions that are in the merger agreement. European Union clearance represents satisfaction of a major closing condition to the proposed merger.

Until legal close, the companies will continue to operate as separate and independent entities.

Stockholders of both Marriott and Starwood overwhelmingly approved proposals related to the transaction on April 8 and Marriott and Starwood anticipate closing the transaction in July 2016.

Note on forward-looking statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws, including the parties’ plans for closing the transaction; plans and expectations; and anticipated future events and expectations that are not historical facts. We caution you that these statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including the receipt of necessary consents, and other risk factors that we identify in in Marriott’s and Starwood’s most recent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and in the joint proxy statement / prospectus on Form S-4 that Marriott filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on February 16, 2016. Any of these factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations we express or imply in this press release. We make these forward-looking statements as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Source: http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/global/154000320/4076853.html

HTFO | Jul 04, 2016 | Comments 0

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The Waldorf Astoria Hotel As You Know It Is Over

KEYSTONE-FRANCE VIA GETTY IMAGES, The Waldorf Astoria, still under construction.

As the saying goes: “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”

New York City’s landmark Waldorf Astoria hotel will close for up to three years while most of its rooms are gutted and turned into luxury apartments, according to The Wall Street Journal. Once the renovation is completed, the remaining 300 to 500 rooms will remain available to travelers as hotel rooms. China’s Anbang Insurance Group, which acquired the hotel in 2015 for nearly $2 billion, plans to close the Waldorf for renovations in spring 2017.

While it’s no secret that the hotel had declined in recent years, with bed bug infestations plaguing the swanky site, this news signifies the end of an era. The 85-year-old iconic hotel has received every United States president since Herbert Hoover and hosted icons like singer Ella Fitzgerald and composer Cole Porter, all while inventing the concept of room service and the Waldorf Salad. The Waldorf Astoria was once the largest and tallest hotel in the world, a must-stay for wealthy New Yorkers and foreign dignitaries. The property was famously called “the greatest of them all” by hotelier Conrad Hilton.

Here are 5 fascinating facts you never knew about the Waldorf Astoria.

1. The original Waldorf Astoria hotel was the product of a family feud.

William Waldorf Astor opened the Waldorf Hotel in 1893 on the corner of 33rd Street and Fifth Avenue. Four years later, Waldorf Astor’s cousin John Jacob Astor IV opened the Astoria Hotel next door. The cousins ended up connecting the hotels with a 300-foot corridor called Peacock Alley. The hotel’s name was changed to Waldorf=Astoria, with a double hyphen to represent the corridor.

The original building was later knocked down in 1928 to make way for the Empire State Building. Waldorf manager Lucius Boomer purchased the Waldorf Astoria name for $1 and moved the hotel uptown, where it opened at its current address in 1931.

2. There’s a secret train platform underneath the hotel.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt famously used Track 61 to enter the Waldorf Astoria. VIPs with private rail cars could go directly to the hotel instead of Penn Station or Grand Central Terminal.

Author and journalist Sam Roberts wrote in his book, Grand Central: How a Train Station Transformed America, that FDR used the hidden platform “in part to hide his disability from the public.” The private railway was made large enough to accommodate the president’s armor-plated car, which could drive off the train and straight into the hotel elevator.

3. Marilyn Monroe called the Waldorf Astoria home.

Marilyn Monroe lived in the hotel’s $1,000 per-week suite in 1955. A year earlier, Monroe moved to New York City to film “The Seven Year Itch.” She also wanted to take acting classes with Lee Strasberg and to leave behind her more hectic lifestyle in Los Angeles. Monroe filmed her iconic white dress scene on a subway grate just up the street from the Waldorf, at 52nd Street and Lexington Avenue. She and husband Joe DiMaggio split soon after the scene was shot.

4. Cole Porter’s Steinway piano is in the hotel.

Cole Porter lived in the Waldorf Astoria Towers for 25 years. He played some of his most famous songs in his suite, including “You’re The Top” from “Anything Goes.” His Steinway & Sons piano still resides at the hotel. Years later, Frank Sinatra and his wife, Barbara, moved into the same suite. The Waldorf’s 5-bedroom Cole Porter apartment rents for $150,000 per month, according to the hotel’s website.

5. In 2012, the Waldorf Astoria began an amnesty program to retrieve stolen artifacts.

The historic hotel allowed guests to return items stolen from the Waldorf Astoria over the years without any penalty. The hotel showcased the returned items on social media to attract younger generations to the Waldorf, and displayed select pieces in the lobby. The program saw the return of silverware, ashtrays, teakettles and more. Items stolen as long ago as the 1920s finally found their way home.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified the musical for which Cole Porter wrote “You’re The Top.” It was in “Anything Goes.” Language has been amended to reflect that Cole Porter is more well-known as a composer and songwriter.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/waldorf-astoria-hotel-closing-apartments_us_57715b61e4b0f168323a4a47

HTFO | Jul 04, 2016 | Comments 0

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Swiss International enters the Kingdom of Bahrain with the signing of the Swiss International Palace Hotel

The well-known Palace hotel, located in the Gudaibiya area of Manama will be rebranded to receive its guests as the Swiss International Palace hotel, effective July 1, 2016.

The Palace hotel (formerly known as the Ramada Palace hotel) concluded a franchise agreement with Swiss International, with effect from July 1, 2016. The signing took place on Monday June 20th at the hotel in Gudaibiya Avenue Road in Manama, Bahrain. The Managing Director of the owning company, Sheikh Mohammad Sajid and the Chairman of Swiss International, Mr. Henri Kennedie signed the agreement in the presence of the management team of the hotel, under the guidance of Mr. Harish K. Bhojwani, the hotel’s General Manager.

With the addition of Bahrain in the company’s portfolio, Swiss International embarks on the journey to create its mark in yet another region of Middle East which displays the brand’s strong commitment to the Middle East. Coupled with the different attractions that Bahrain offers catering to the distinct interests of people will reap positive results for the hotel and its shareholders.

The Company is already represented in Saudi Arabia with 9 hotels and is looking for further expansion in the Emirates, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait.

“After 10 years, we wanted to be affiliated with a brand that would align better with our product positioning. Swiss International’s Mission Statement: “Living up to the reputation of Swiss Hospitality” is exactly what we want for our hotel in the coming years”, said Sheikh Mohammad Sajid.

Mr. Harish K Bhojwani added, “Swiss International offers everything and more what we need to effectively operate in the Bahraini market. A state-of the art central reservation system, forward looking reputation management system, an strong revenue management system and a set of loyalty & reward programs that will impress our guests”.

The Chairman of Swiss International, Mr. Henri Kennedie said: “For some time now, we were looking for the right partner in Bahrain to get affiliated with. The company, Al Jabriya Hotel Management CO WLL is committed to the hospitality industry with several hotels in Bahrain and Qatar. Their Palace hotel in Manama is a prime example of an upscale hotel, representing the Swiss Values, which we want to see so dearly in our hotels.”

The Swiss International Palace hotel will offer:

Hotel of 84 spacious rooms and suites with free wifi
Restaurants: Swiss Café – Restaurant & Lounge, TED & Co, Bar & Lounge, Akbar, Indian specialty restaurant, Thai restaurant and a Turkish Moroccan restaurant
Eventives for conferences and Banquets – Capacity from 10 delegated to 2,000
Twister Club
Inspirations Pool & Gym and Thai Spa

The rebranding of the Palace Hotel to the Swiss International Palace hotel will be completed by September 1, whilst the reservation channels will be open as from July 1, 2016.

It is with no doubt that the Swiss International brands have made remarkable impact on global hospitality offerings and businesses. This has led to the growth of the brand with more number of hotels. With every new addition of hotel Swiss International views itself closer to the aim of having 50 hotels in the Middle East and150 hotels worldwide by the end of 2020.

Source: http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/global/154000320/4076860.html

HTFO | Jul 01, 2016 | Comments 0

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Dubai Tourism – Statistics And Trends [Infographic]

Holding some of the biggest modern manmade marvels, Dubai is one city that can’t be missed to visit. It homes 7 of the 10 tallest hotels in world and the tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. The Building is so tall that people on the top floors have to wait a while longer than those on the ground to break their fast. From hotels and manmade beaches to upcoming climate controlled cities, Dubai has accomplished incredible feats engineering on the harshest of environments.

Even though it’s built on a desert, it doesn’t stop people from around the globe to come and see its stunning architecture and beautiful resorts with their own eyes. To no surprise, Dubai has the 4th largest tourist visit throughout the year recorded at 14.9 million in 2015 next to Bangkok. By 2020 the expected number of tourist visitors is anticipated to reach 20 million. At times it gets so full that 86.5% of the all the combined hotel rooms in Dubai are occupied with tourists from Saudi Arabia, UK, India, USA, Iran, Oman and China etc. The presence of so many tourists means high rate of spending from them. It was estimated in 2014 that that overnight visitors in Dubai spent $10.9 billion, about $817 per person. 153066719

Source: http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/global/154000320/4076874.html

HTFO | Jun 29, 2016 | Comments 0

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From Berlin to Barcelona; will Airbnb ruin our most loved cities?

To use the industry jargon, it is the ultimate “disruptor”. Airbnb, the website that allows homeowners around the world to rent out their spare rooms, has had a seismic impact on the travel market.

Hotel chains are reportedly feeling the squeeze as the US upstart – which has attracted $2bn in funding in less than a decade – eats into their business model by offering travellers the opportunity to “live like a local” and “belong anywhere” in one of the two million rooms and properties that are listed on its site.

The savvy exhortations, which feature in slick adverts on bus stops and billboards across the world’s cities, have helped Airbnb expand at a seemingly relentless pace. Already operating in 191 countries and 34,000 cities, analysts at financial services company Cowen & Co predict that, by 2020, Airbnb hosts will be taking 500 million bookings a night, rising to a staggering one billion by 2025.

It is a truly global phenomenon. Yet, just as Uber’s attempts to shake up the taxi market has met resistance, Airbnb finds itself a victim of its own success as cities and countries wake up to the fact that the cute new kid on the block has been transformed into an 800lb gorilla.

The latest salvo was fired last week when Mark Tanzer, chief executive of the Association of British Travel Agents, warned that the popularity of companies such as Airbnb was leading to such an influx of visitors that there was a danger that some of Europe’s most attractive historic cities would be ruined. “If they can’t get around the city you are going to lose value from tourism, even if the numbers are going up,” he said. “Overcrowding in key destinations is becoming a pressing issue. Without controls, we know tourism can kill tourism.”

In the UK, more than three million people have used the site, while 52,500 people have opened their homes to strangers. A typical host can expect to earn £2,000 in return for renting out a room for 46 nights a year.

Until recently, Airbnb’s rise has been largely embraced by politicians and governments, who were quick to hail it as an exemplar of the “sharing economy”. George Osborne unveiled plans in his last budget that will allow hosts on sites such as Airbnb to earn £1,000 in additional untaxed income by sharing their homes. In March, in a sign that it has truly come of age, Airbnb won a contract to provide a reported 20,000 rooms for this year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

It’s not bad for a company that started life in 2008, when its three founders rented out air mattresses in their San Francisco flat as a way of making money. It is now one of the largest online global travel brands and only Priceline, Expedia, Ctrip, and Marriott drive more online room bookings, according to Cowen & Co.

Luca Florio, an enthusiastic Airbnb host, began using the service three years ago to rent out a spare room in the flat he shares with his wife in the centre of Florence. He said: “We saw it as a chance for cultural exchanges, a chance to talk to people from different countries. It was only after three months that we appreciated it could also be a way to make money.”

Florio said he and his wife could rent out their spare room every night if they wished, but he tries to limit it to 20 nights a month during peak season because it “is not just a business, we want to be free”. Guests come from all over the world: in addition to Spain, France, Austria and Switzerland, Florio regularly hosts visitors from the UK, the US, Australia, India, South America and China. “It’s a kind of alternative tourism, a new opportunity for tourists to gain a different view of Florence,” he said.

Florio appears to be a typical Airbnb host, someone using a valuable resource – a spare room in one of the world’s most loved cities – to make a little money, while learning more about people from other countries and cultures. This is certainly how the company likes to portray itself – a platform that allows the little guy to build up a complementary industry, one that increases the size of the hospitality pie rather than takes a slice from existing businesses.

Airbnb points out that almost 900,000 guests used it to visit Barcelona last year, spending some €740m – nearly six times higher than in 2013. Three quarters of the city’s hosts have incomes below the national average – evidence, the company says, that its business model can expand the economic benefits of tourism to more people and more areas.

When Airbnb arrived in Barcelona in 2009, almost 80% of bookings were in the Old Town. Today, in contrast, almost 70% of bookings are for listings outside the Old Town.

Tanzer’s comments about Airbnb’s expansion having a negative impact on tourism were fiercely rejected by the company. In a statement to the Observer, it said: “It is disappointing – but not surprising – to see attacks on new forms of travel that put money in the pockets of local residents and support small businesses outside hotel districts. Airbnb spreads guests and benefits to more families, communities and local businesses – many that haven’t previously benefited from tourism.”

But the Airbnb phenomenon that is driving record numbers of tourists to certain destinations is not just irking the more traditional holiday operators, it is also inviting closer analysis of the company’s business model.

A report examining Airbnb’s operations in the US, published this year by Penn State University, identified the rise of the mega-operator – people who rent out three or more Airbnb units. The report found that “a growing number of hosts were using the Airbnb platform to operate an unregulated, full-time business. Nearly 30% of Airbnb revenue is derived from this group of full-time hosts. They are becoming bigger and more prominent.”

Other organisations have expressed similar concerns. “There is strong evidence that far from simply facilitating the use of empty spare rooms, Airbnb actually enables landlords to bypass government regulation and in effect run illegal hostels,” Julian Ledger, chief executive of YHA Australia, told a parliamentary inquiry.

Airbnb vigorously rejects these fears, pointing out that it is quick to take action against any hosts who are suspected of breaking the law and trying to avoid the taxman.

Earlier this month, it released data showing that since it began it has collected $85m in tax revenue for cities worldwide. Late last year, it unveiled itsCommunity Compact, a series of pledges to “treat cities individually, help our community pay its fair share of tourist and hotel taxes, build an open and transparent home sharing community and promote responsible home sharing to help make cities stronger”.

The initiative came ahead of a sensitive time: Wall Street expects Airbnb to float on the stock market this year, a move that could see it valued at almost $26bn.

But not all governments and authorities buy into the home-sharing concept. San Francisco has passed a law that permits hosts to rent out properties for only up to 90 days a year. Berlin prohibits users from renting out entire properties, whileIceland has proposed rules that will force some home sharers to register as businesses.

Now, in what could prove the most significant threat to Airbnb’s business model to date, the New York state senate and assembly has just unveiled laws that would bar New Yorkers from advertising their homes on its platform.

“If it becomes law, this legislation would threaten thousands of low- and middle-income New Yorkers with fines of up to $7,500 simply for listing that they would like to share their homes,” Airbnb fumed.

Given that it is a fledgling company yet to establish its bona fides, analysts suggest resistance is only to be expected. But, some day soon, Airbnb may have to face up to who is benefiting from its seemingly relentless expansion.

“There are people who do it just for business,” said Florio. “They buy three or four flats in the city and it’s too much.” Such people, he suggested, were damaging the complexion of historic city centres. “These people don’t care about Florentians, just about tourists.”

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jun/25/from-berlin-to-barcelona-will-airbnb-ruin-our-most-loved-cities?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

HTFO | Jun 29, 2016 | Comments 0

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Airbnb sues San Francisco over new rental legislation

The short-term rental company filed suit today over a new law that requires Airbnb to verify that its hosts have registered with the city before showing ads for their homes online. The suit aims to block the law from going into effect as scheduled on August 1.

San Francisco legislators passed the law earlier this month in an effort to combat the housing crisis in the city, but Airbnb and technology advocacy groups argue that the new rules violate the Communications Decency Act.

“This legislation ignores the reality that the system is not working and this new approach will harm thousands of everyday San Francisco residents who depend on Airbnb. It also violates federal law,” Airbnb said in a blog post announcing the suit. “This is an unprecedented step for Airbnb, and one we do not take lightly, but we believe it’s the best way to protect our community of hosts and guests.”

This is an unprecedented step for Airbnb, and one we do not take lightly.

San Francisco already requires Airbnb hosts to go through a rigorous registration process that involves acquiring a business license, in-person registration, quarterly reports on when guests are sleeping in the home (as opposed to when the owners are), and a list of all the furnishings in the home that a guest might use, down to the sheets and towels.

The process is intended to help the city weed out commercial renters who are taking their properties off the housing market and listing them exclusively on Airbnb. Doing so might earn a homeowner more money, but it also takes housing stock away from a city that desperately needs all the housing it can get.

Understandably, many hosts opt not to go through the cumbersome registration process — and the new law puts Airbnb on the hook to make sure its hosts comply. The law requires Airbnb to make sure hosts register, and the company faces $1000 per day fines if it does not.

Airbnb launched a campaign asking its hometown to streamline the registration process, but the company is taking its fight to federal court, too.

In documents filed this afternoon, Airbnb argues that the new law violates Section 230 of the CDA, which protects websites from being held liable for content provided by their users. Airbnb argues that the city should hold hosts accountable for registering instead. “Instead of punishing Airbnb for publishing unlawful listings, the City could enforce its short-term rental law directly against hosts who violate it,” Airbnb’s filing suggests. “Removing these listings would cause a substantial disruption to Airbnb’s business and have a significant detrimental effect on Airbnb’s goodwill and reputation among both hosts and guests, thus threatening irreparable injury to Airbnb’s business.”

It’s the same principle for online vendors of alcohol and cigarettes.

However, the San Francisco City Attorney’s office argues that Airbnb is misinterpreting the CDA. “Nothing in San Francisco’s pending ordinance punishes hosting platforms for their users’ content. In fact, it’s not regulating user content at all — it’s regulating the business activity of the hosting platform itself,” City Attorney spokesperson Matt Dorsey said. “It’s simply a duty to verify information that’s already required of a regulated business activity.”

The CDA protects YouTube from liability when users upload violent content and eBay when sellers use the platform to trade illegal goods, but the City Attorney argues that Airbnb is less of an online business and more of a physical one. “It’s the same principle for online vendors of alcohol and cigarettes. Businesses that sell those products have a legal duty to verify the age of their customers, whether it’s online or at the corner store, so they don’t sell alcohol and cigarettes to children. They, too, are required to verify information that’s already required for their regulated business activity,” Dorsey added.

In addition to the alleged CDA Section 230 violation, Airbnb also claims that San Francisco shouldn’t require the company to turn over information about its users without a subpoena. Airbnb argues that the city’s requirement to disclose users’ registration data also violates the Stored Communications Act.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2016/06/27/airbnb-sues-san-francisco/

HTFO | Jun 29, 2016 | Comments 0

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