| May 11, 2012 | News for hotel and lodging professionals |
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- China expansion will push forward, IHG's CEO says
Richard Solomons, CEO of InterContinental Hotels Group, reaffirmed the chain's focus on growth in China despite efforts by the government to curb development in the country. "Our strong and profitable platform and leading position in Greater China result from our growing scale, expertise of our team and the quality of our relationship with owners," Solomons said. IHG opened three hotels and signed nine hotel deals in Greater China during the first quarter. HotelNewsNow.com
(5/10)      
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- Accor eyes acquisitions to drive growth in India
Accor is considering targeted hotel purchases to drive its expansion efforts in India as it aims for 90 new hotels in the country by the end of 2015, said Accor CEO Denis Hennequin. "Ninety hotels in India is an ambitious but realistic goal, and we may look into making targeted acquisitions to accelerate our development," Hennequin said. Reuters
(5/10)
- Starwood Capital's Baccarat brand will undergo global expansion
Starwood Capital Group is eyeing global growth for its Baccarat Hotels & Residences brand, starting with a 2013 opening of a 357-room Dubai property and the 2014 launch of the 114-room Baccarat New York, the company says. Growth targets for the company include China, Morocco and Western Europe, said Kevin Colket, vice president of acquisitions. HotelNewsNow.com
(5/10)
- Home Inns posts $16.4M loss for Q1
Declining occupancy and revenue per available room affected first-quarter results for Home Inns & Hotels Management, which reported a loss of $16.4 million. While overall revenue climbed 66%, to $199.4 million, during the quarter, operating costs and expenses rose 79%, to $193.3 million. RevPAR dipped 5.7%, while occupancy slid to 80.7%, from 85.1% a year ago. The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Newswires
(5/10)
| Market Trends | | |
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- U.S. tourism rebound prompts increased hotel hiring
Hotels in the U.S. are boosting employment as improvements in leisure and business travel increased the demand for more hotel staff, this feature says.
The Department of Labor reports that the number of Americans employed in the lodging sector reached 1.6 million in March. "With more people on the road, we'll need more people working in hotels," said Jan Freitag, a senior vice president at STR. Bloomberg Businessweek
(5/10)
- Economic growth in Latin America spurs hotel development
Countries in Latin America continue to draw the interest of major hotel chains, which are lured by the area's robust economic growth, panelists at the Hotel Opportunities Latin America conference said. However, hoteliers cautioned investors about challenges in the region, which include limited financing and poor infrastructure in some countries. HotelNewsNow.com
(5/10)
| Spotlight on Technology | | |
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- Hilton launches "innovative" design website
Hilton Worldwide introduced its new Hilton Design Studio website, a new tool where developers and owners can test room design ideas in line with the company's distinctive brand philosophy, this feature says. "The most exciting part of the website is, you can build a guest room in three minutes. The site keeps you in the swim lanes of what we're trying to do [as a brand]," said Dave Horton, global head of Hilton Hotels & Resorts. HotelNewsNow.com
(5/10)
| Best Practices | | |
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- Column: How to boost hotels' honeymoon business
Aside from weddings, honeymoons are also potential revenue-boosters for hotels, writes Larry Mogelonsky, president and founder of LMA Communications. Hoteliers can seize this segment through marketing, targeted packages and services appropriately themed for the special occasion. "Everyone remembers their honeymoon, and what separates this vacation apart is that it's a topic of discussion for many years to come. Anything you can do to make a couple's experience all the more exceptional will contribute to the positive word of mouth thereafter," Mogelonsky writes. Hotel Interactive
(5/10)
| Development | | |
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| AH&LA News | | |
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Prepare security personnel to handle critical issues
The revised Lodging Security Officer program from the Educational Institute has been updated with new information on child trafficking, active shooters, hostage situations and more. The four modules and DVD are ideal for self-study or group training, and can prepare employees to be a Certified Lodging Security Officer.
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USA Today discounts ads by 25%
AH&LA members receive an exclusive 25% discount off regional and national advertising in Travel Today, the weekly travel display feature. Let USA TODAY & USATODAY.com help deliver your message to more than 3 million frequent travelers daily. For a tailored campaign to meet your needs, contact Tom Tempe at (703) 854-5444 or ttempe@usatoday.com.
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