August 6, 2008 Today's Headlines: More UK Hospitality Businesses Lose Confidence Sokotel To Develop Sokos Chain In Russia Blackstone Has Losing Quarter, Beats Expectations Choice Hotels Enters Venture With Och-Ziff MGM Mirage Profit Falls, Shares Surge Emirates Palace Offers 'World's Most Expensive Vacation' Istithmar, Nakheel Take 20% Stake In Cirque Du Soleil Women-Only Floors Make Comeback In U.S. More UK Hospitality Businesses Lose Confidence A third of hospitality business in the UK are feeling less confident about their economic prospects over the next 12 months than they do now, according to a new American Express study. Read the full story >> ADVERTISEMENT Filmbank brings Hollywood to hotel rooms Filmbank is the leading provider of Hollywood movies and TV programmes to hotels internationally. Filmbank work with technology providers to enable hotel guests to see films before DVD or Pay TV release. This means that hotels can host their very own in-room film première events after cinema release. Click Here for more information. Sokotel To Develop Sokos Chain In Russia Within eight years, Sokotel plans to invest €600-700 million to develop the Sokos hotel chain in Russia. Read the full story >> Blackstone Has Losing Quarter, Beats Expectations Blackstone Group reports a sharp profit decline from a year ago amid tough credit market conditions. But the results were better than analysts were expecting, as the New York City-based firm reported a net loss of US$156.5 million. Read the full story >> Choice Hotels Enters Venture With Och-Ziff Choice Hotels International has formed a joint venture with a real estate investment fund to provide majority equity to developers interested in building Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites and Suburban Extended Stay hotels in North America. Read the full story >> MGM Mirage Profit Falls, Shares Surge Shares in MGM Mirage Inc. surged after the company secured commitments for US$1.65 billion of the final US$3 billion in financing for CityCenter on the Las Vegas Strip. Read the full story >> Emirates Palace Offers 'World's Most Expensive Vacation' The Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, has unveiled a seven-night holiday package with a value of US$1 million, which will be submitted to the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's most expensive vacation. Read the full story >> Istithmar, Nakheel Take 20% Stake In Cirque Du Soleil Istithmar World and Nakheel announce the joint acquisition of a 20% stake in Cirque du Soleil. Nakheel and Cirque du Soleil previously announced a 15-year partnership to develop a permanent show on Palm Jumeirah. Read the full story >> Women-Only Floors Make Comeback In U.S. American hotels have made floors for women palatable once again after a roughly 25-year drought. But this time around, male guests can book a room on the floor, too. Read the full story >> Click here for all news headlines ADVERTISEMENT HOTELS' Hotelier Radio Listen in as industry's leading hoteliers discuss their experiences, challenges, future plans, vision and outlook on the industry in podcasts featured on HOTELS' Hotelier Radio. Click here to tune in to Hotelier Radio. readers' choice - our most popular web pages Shangri-La's Olympic Hotels Welcome The World HOTELS’ 325 Ideal Green Hotel Guestroom Well-Kept Hotels Reach Value Appreciation At Age 28 XYZ Bar at W San Francisco Debuts ECOLICIOUS Athens Hotel Industry After Athens Olympics HOTELS' Daily News Service is edited by Jeff Weinstein +1 630 288 8260. Copyright © 2007 Reed Business Information. All rights reserved. For information about sponsorship opportunities, contact David Wood +1 630 288 8267.

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