Top Stories

• Asia Projects Off Just 20%
  
  PRESS RELEASE, March 16, 2010
  Because China has the second largest pipeline in the world, total project counts for the region are off just 20% from the peak and total rooms by 16%.
  
• Mastering Internet Marketing In 2010
  
  Max Starkov, Mariana Mechoso Safer and Evan Rosenblum, March 16, 2010
  Survey results show how hoteliers shifting the balance between offline, online marketing budgets. Which initiatives do they believe will bring the highest ROIs and which are they willing to start devoting more of their budget?
  
• Starwood Piloting Secret Loyalty Program Beyond SPG
  
  March 16, 2010
  Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is in the pilot stage of a secretive guest loyalty program that targets the most valuable frequent travelers from rival hotel companies and even its own Starwood Preferred Guest program.
  
• NYC RevPAR Turns Positive For 1st Time Since 2008
  
  PRESS RELEASE, March 15, 2010
  Sean Hennessey, CEO of Lodging Advisors, says that based on an analysis of STR data, New York City hotel RevPAR turned positive in February, the first time since September 2008.
  
• Interval International Launches Members-Only Social Network
  
  PRESS RELEASE, March 12, 2010
  Interval International plans to launch Interval Community, an online network designed to provide the 1.8 million members of the Interval Network a platform to share their love of vacation ownership, travel, and social networking.
  
• Chinese Outbound Tourists Attracted To Social Media
  
  PRESS RELEASE, March 12, 2010
  Research shows social media increasingly important, especially for the younger, affluent and techno-savvy Chinese. Word of Mouth and Word of Mouse are key elements of reaching this crucial segment.
  
• NYU Podcast On Recession's Effects On Hotels
  
  PRESS RELEASE, March 11, 2010
  A 30-minute audio briefing about the recession's effects on the lodging industry has been developed by the faculty of the NYU Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management.
  
• Scandic Adds Four Hotels In Finland
  
  PRESS RELEASE, March 11, 2010
  Scandic has agreed to purchase Hotel Linnea, Hotel Rivoli and Hotel Salpaus from Next Hotels Finland Oy. The deal also covers a new hotel that will be built in conjunction with the Paasitorni Congress Centre in Helsinki.
  
• Related To Build Hilton In Palm Beach
  
  PRESS RELEASE, March 11, 2010
  Related Companies has been selected to develop a Hilton brand hotel at the convention center in Palm Beach County, Florida, continuing the realization of the CityPlace master plan.
  
• Amari Launches New Management Company
  
  PRESS RELEASE, March 10, 2010
  Amari has formed a new corporate structure with the creation of ONYX Hospitality Group management company to move beyond Thailand in pursuit of management opportunities in the Asia Pacific and Arabian Gulf regions.
  
• Hard Rock Hotel Vegas President Found Dead
  
  March 10, 2010
  The president and chief operating officer of Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Las Vegas, Randy Kwasniewski, was found dead in his home on Tuesday.
  
• Ritz-Carlton's Cooper Expects RevPAR Growth In 2010
  
  March 9, 2010
    Pricing power is beginning to come back for luxury hotels, particularly in Asia, although the industry in the United States continues to lag the recovery, says Simon Cooper, president of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co.
  
• India, Vietnam, Cuba Named Top Emerging Destinations In Virtuoso Survey
  
  PRESS RELEASE, March 9, 2010
  India, Vietnam and Cuba are the top emerging destinations in this year's report Virtuoso Luxe Report, which offers insight into the direction of high-end travelers.
  
• 2% Of European Hoteliers Expect Sustained Upturn
  
  PRESS RELEASE, March 9, 2010
  A survey of 417 European hotel executives by DLA Piper reveals weak confidence in a recovery this year with only 2% of respondents expecting a sustained upturn this year.
  
• EMEA Pipeline Off 23% Since 2008 Peak
  
  PRESS RELEASE, March 8, 2010
  At the end of the fourth quarter, the total construction pipeline for Europe, the Middle East and Africa had 1,373 projects comprising 285,770 rooms. Pipeline counts have now declined 22% by projects and 23% by rooms since the 2008 second quarter peak.
  
• Starwood To Add 50 In EAME By 2012
  
  PRESS RELEASE, March 8, 2010
  Starwood plans to open 50 new hotels in its Europe, Africa and Middle East division by 2012.
  
• Fiskers To Step Down As Scandic CEO
  
  PRESS RELEASE, March 8, 2010
  Frank Fiskers, who has been CEO at Scandic since 2007, will leave his position after the summer. The recruitment of a new CEO is expected to be finalized during the coming months and Fiskers will join the board of directors.
  
• Park Inn Hyde Park On Market For £35m
  
  PRESS RELEASE, March 5, 2010
  Christie + Co has been instructed to sell the Park Inn Hyde Park, London. This 188-key listed building is on the market for £35 million.
  
• Centara Hotels In Management Takeover Of Astudo Hotels
  
  PRESS RELEASE, March 5, 2010
  Centara Hotels and Resorts has acquired the management of Astudo Hotels and Resorts, effective April 1. Astudo operates seven resorts in Thailand, with a five more hotels in the pipeline in Thailand and the Philippines.
  
• Leela Hotels Names New President
  
  PRESS RELEASE, March 5, 2010
  The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts has named Rajiv Kaul president. He was previously a senior vice president with the company.