Editor's Viewpoint
HOTELS magazine Editor-in-Chief Jeff Weinstein offers his thoughts on hotel industry breaking news and issues of the day.
ALIS Realities, Part 1
I am about 24 hours removed from the 2010 ALIS hotel investment conference in San Diego and have come to the conclusion that industry leaders now better understand and are used to the negative sway, as well as the uncertainty about economic conditions and the lack of merger and acquisition activity. There was a better understanding [or acceptance] this week as to why things are the way they are co ...... Read More
Comments (3)Powerful Twitter
If you have been following the devastating news about the earthquake in Haiti and wondering what is happening with hotels in the country, perhaps the best place for updates is Twitter.Got to Twitter.com and type “Haiti hotel” into the search field and you will get an incredible list of “tweets” updating you on what has happened to the hotels in the country. In fact, Ric ...... Read More
Comments (0)Goodbye 2009
First and foremost, please accept my wishes for a happy, healthy and peaceful New Year. Right about now, I doubt there are many readers out there sad to see 2009 come to an end–perhaps the worst year in the history of the hotel business. Let’s hope we have hit bottom and that 2010 is the year the true turnaround begins. I am already seeing some signs that the industry has hit bottom. ...... Read More
Comments (0)Is CityCenter Las Vegas Savior?
Five years ago when the CityCenter concept was conceived in Las Vegas, it seemed like an inspired idea. Last week, when I attended the opening where MGM Mirage executives put on brave faces, it was all too clear how much had changed in five years. I really want to see this project succeed and help Vegas rebound as a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into this labor of love. Right now, however, ba ...... Read More
Comments (4)Remember To Give Thanks
We are getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States—a day to give thanks for what we have and reflect on all the reasons why we are so lucky. Let’s apply this concept to the hotel industry, especially at such a struggling moment in time, as it really helps to step back and think about what is great about our businesses, the people we work with and those ...... Read More
Comments (3)Aren't Comps Supposed To Improve Now?
About six months ago U.S. hotel industry experts were talking about how the fall would signal the start of an industry turnaround as comparative year-over-year numbers would look much better. Even if the numbers were still down, the comps would soften the blow. Well… Smith Travel Research data for the week ending November 14 showed U.S. RevPAR down 15.7% with luxury and boutique segments of ...... Read More
Comments (1)Ritz-Carlton's Cooper On Marriott Restructuring
Travel Weekly’s Jeri Clausing broke a story on November 16 about Marriott International restructuring its hotel business into four regional divisions around the world, which will lead to “significant reshuffling” yet “not very large” job losses, according to Marriott President Arne Sorenson. Sorenson told Travel Weekly this decentralization, which won’t b ...... Read More
Comments (12)My Favorite Forecast
For the past several years, the Joseph Baum & Michael Whiteman Co., international restaurant consultants from New York City (now based in Brooklyn), put out a piece predicting F&B trends for the coming year. The 2010 article just landed in my in-box and I am always very excited to read the insights of Michael Whiteman, one of America’s consummate restaurant professionals for decades ...... Read More
Comments (0)Expedia Finally Talks About Choice Situation
A public relations person from Expedia called me today to alert me to the company’s earnings call today and comments executives made about the flap with Choice Hotels and also reports about issues with Best Western International. Dara Khosrowshahi, Expedia’s president and CEO, made it quite clear that the Choice negotiations were not keeping him up at night and how Expedia was ...... Read More
Comments (8)Winners, Losers In Choice-Expedia Feud
If you are not already aware, Expedia Inc. pulled all Choice Hotels from its Web sites on October 15 after contract negotiations broke down. Accusatory fingers are pointing in both directions. Choice refused to sign a deal that executives say would have created conditions that effectively take away franchisees’ rights to manage inventory and rates. Choice says it will not allow Expedia to ...... Read More
Comments (71)A New Hotel Security Issue
Hotel security has been in the headlines for a few years now—mostly as it relates to potential terrorist attacks on soft targets like hotels. Now, however, the focus has shifted as a result of a high-profile case involving an ESPN reporter being videotaped in the buff through her hotel room peephole and then having the video show up on the Internet. The media has jumped all over this ...... Read More
Comments (5)News, Quotes, Ideas From The Lodging Conference
I am going through my notes from the Lodging Conference and pulling out interesting comments, quotes and ideas. Enjoy. Doug Dreher, CEO, The Hotel Group, Edmonds, Washington “We are focusing on quarterly action plans and not too much on forecasting which seems almost pointless these days.” Dreher is among the many preferring to error on the side of occupancy, letting rate slip. To ...... Read More
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