Copyright 1995-2010 Hsyndicate http://www.hsyndicate.org/ Top Stories - Latest Hospitality and Hotel Industry News en-us Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:31:48 +0100 cs@hsyndicate.com (Hsyndicate) info@hsyndicate.com (Hsyndicate) Hsyndicate RSS FeedGenerator 5 http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045776.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045776.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:39:39 +0200 A few months ago we wrote about the many reasons why hoteliers should not be using free link shorting services such as TinyURL and Bit.Ly. While there are numerous free services available, most put your hotel at risk and may cost you dearly in lost business opportunities. The Internet is still a little like the "wild wild west" and our reasons for not using free link shortening services remains true - doing so puts your hotel at risk in many ways. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045793.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045793.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:35:55 +0200 MICROS Systems, Inc., a leading provider of information technology solutions for the hospitality and retail industries, is pleased to announce that Preferred Hotel Group(TM) has selected MICROS as its exclusive recommended Property Management System (PMS) technology partner for its more than 750 distinctive properties in over 65 countries. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045792.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045792.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:30:28 +0200 Amadeus, a leading travel technology partner and transaction processor for the global travel and tourism industry, today announced the results of its recent survey inviting North American travel agents to share their outlook on the travel industry and how emerging trends are poised to reshape their business as the economy begins to recover. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045791.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045791.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:21:44 +0200 The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today (11 March) hailed the topping-out for the redevelopment of its former staff quarters Pak Sui Yuen in Tsimshatsui East. The new premises, which is scheduled for completion in late 2010, will be home to its world-renowned School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) and a unique teaching hotel. With its distinct design and prominent location by the side of Cross-Harbour Tunnel’s Kowloon entrance, the new infrastructure is set to become a new icon in the heart of the city. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045790.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045790.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:18:59 +0200 Today, Scandic signed an agreement to purchase Hotel Linnea, Hotel Rivoli and Hotel Salpaus from Next Hotels Finland Oy. The deal also covers an amazing new hotel that will be built in conjunction with the Paasitorni Congress Centre in Helsinki. These four new hotels effectively strengthen Scandic’s position in Finland, and prove the hotel chains ambition to continue the expansion in Finland. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045789.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045789.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:11:03 +0200 EZYield.com, the originator of the SaaS-based platform for automated online channel management with integrated booking and reservation delivery technologies, today announced the addition of Rembrandt Hotel & Towers in Bangkok, Thailand, to its growing list of worldwide clients. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045788.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045788.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:05:25 +0200 HVS has released a survey documenting U.S. hotel transactions in calendar year 2009. The HVS Survey of Major and Mid-Market U.S. Hotel Transactions in 2009 details hotel sales of $10 million and above (major) and hotel sales between $3.0 and $9.99 million (mid-market). http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045787.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045787.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:12:37 +0200 J.W. Marriott, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Marriott International, today received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 13th annual International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) in Berlin, Germany. The IHIF Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a business leader who, over his or her lifetime, has made a significant difference in the hospitality industry. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045786.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045786.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:45:10 +0200 Accor, the largest international hotel operator in Vietnam, announces today its strategic expansion plans for Vietnam. This plan includes additional hotels within the Novotel, Mercure hotel brand, launching of the ibis brand and MGallery label and the ambitious goal of doubling the number of rooms under management in the Vietnam by 2012. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045785.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045785.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:38:30 +0200 Always like to make sure you know about the best hotel bars in the USA, even if it means waiting in line? If you answered yes, then you might want to check out Nightclub & Bar magazine's first annual "best hotel bar" award. The magazine just gave the title to the W Hotel's POV bar in Washington D.C. - one of the district's hottest bars. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045784.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045784.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:27:59 +0200 From Paris Fashion Week, W Hotels Worldwide, the hotel category buster and industry innovator, tonight celebrates an industry first, the appointment of international stylist and fashion authority Amanda Ross as the brand’s first ever Global Fashion Director. For more than 10 years, W has continually broken new ground through innovative and first-of-its-kind fashion initiatives and programs. As W Hotels continues to grow globally, on track to increase its footprint to more than 50 hotels by 2011, Ross will serve as a strategic fashion advisor to the brand, providing global insight and guidance for an integrated, cutting-edge approach to fashion. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045783.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045783.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:53:59 +0200 UniFocus, a global pioneer in the hospitality industry for performance, workforce management and feedback analysis solutions, announced the worldwide availability of its Training Management System (TMS) which includes full-service online training delivery, certification and management—all from one portal; and dashboards enable designated supervisors to view, sort or search multiple reports for staff members. UniFocus’ TMS may also be customized to deliver content in multiple languages for international users. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045782.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045782.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:45:17 +0200 Experts from HVS, the word’s leading hotel consultancy and appraisal firm, will contribute to a panel on hotel valuation techniques and host a booth at the 22nd annual Hunter Hotel Investment Conference. The conference will be held March 17-19 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045781.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045781.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:34:08 +0200 In a strategic move designed to take the Lexington Collection of hotels, plaza hotels, boutique hotels, and resorts to the next level, Vantage Hospitality Group, Inc., announced that Bill Hanley will now serve as the managing director of the only membership brand in the upper-mid and upscale lodging segments. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045780.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045780.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:20:15 +0200 The Americana at Brand, an upscale retail/residential community in Glendale, Calif., and its sister property The Grove, a luxury retail/entertainment/fine-dining complex in Los Angeles, are now offering a host of one-touch services to its residents and patrons via a smartphone application developed by a runtriz™. Branded the One Touch Concierge™, the solution uses 3G mobile-device technology to deliver an immediate response to service requests, from ordering drinks and food to be delivered at poolside at The Americana, to getting packages picked up and brought to their car while at The Grove. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045779.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045779.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:09:45 +0200 Most hotel owners are uncertain how to do deal with a hotel loan in distress. This is understandable—their skill is in buying, building and operating hotels. The problem is that they think because they are good at hotel development and management, they will also be good at working out their loan's problems with their lender. As a result, they often don’t consult with anyone with real expertise in negotiating troubled loans with lenders. Here are 10 pointers to consider before picking up the phone to call your lender. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045717.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045717.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:00:12 +0200 RENEE-MARIE STEPHANO, President of the West Palm Beach-based MEDICAL TOURISM ASSOCIATION, and DAN CORMANY, graduate student at the UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA-LAS VEGAS, offer hotels a detailed guide to innovative new revenue opportunities. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045716.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045716.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:57:40 +0200 Investment in technology, like everything else, slowed down with the recession. When it picks up again, what will hotels choose to spend money on? FRANK WOLFE, CEO of the HOSPITALITY FINANCIAL AND TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS (HFTP), asked the HITEC Advisory Council what they’d like to see. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045715.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045715.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:56:25 +0200 What’s the outlook for hotel spa development in 2010 ? MIA KYRICOS, Director of Global Spa Brands & Programming for STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS WORLDWIDE, Inc., gives us her take via that tried and true standby, a S.W.O.T. analysis. http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045778.html http://www.hsyndicate.org/news/154000320/4045778.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:54:54 +0200 Accor SA, Europe’s largest hotelier, said recovery from last year’s revenue drop will take at least four to five years in Germany and other saturated markets as the possibility for price increases is limited. “We have lost about 15 percent of revenue, and we won’t be able to increase prices by more than 3 percent per year in Germany,” Peter Verhoeven, chief of the company’s German operations, said in an interview at the Berlin tourism fair today.