Editorial

Dear Insiders,
The entire hotel genre has recently experienced unimagined competition. New online portals such as wimdu, airbnb or 9flats are more successful than ever at marketing unconventional forms of accommodation. In Germany's capital, Berlin, the many apartments offering short-term accommodation for tourists are not only beginning to bother neighbours, but have also attracted the attention of the German Hotel Association.
Meanwhile, Romana Kanzian analyses why hotel industry in Croatia does not make any progress: Still today, around 50 percent of overnight stays are counted by private providers who are anxious not to lose business in future.
The guest, the unknown creature, stands at the core of this edition. Despite all technological progress, even hotel chains still don't appear to know exactly how their guests find their way into their hotels. This was the finding of a sobering and surprising survey conducted by our editorial team.
It's even more satisfying then to find that some real estate funds have not lost faith in the hotel. Beatrix Boutonnet took a look and found investors who gave good reasons for their investments in the hotel industry.
Other topics to be found in this edition include travel trends, revenues and campaigns by Swiss Deluxe Hotels and staff changes. - The full editorial…

Dear Insiders,
Is there a credit crunch now or not? The assessments are different, but everyone is feeling the bottleneck in financing. Beatrix Boutonnet has questioned banks, real estate experts and loan mediators.
Accor first introduced their new, global programme "Planet 21" in Paris and then in Berlin afterwards. Again, the hotel pioneer in sustainability leads the way.
Romantik Hotels & Restaurants may proudly look back on 40 years. It was brought to life by private hoteliers as one of the first answers to the advancement of the international chains within the country. Today, more than 200 members in 12 countries of Europe benefit from many common activities for revenue and brand awareness increases.
The consortia have recognised its opportunities, as Preferred Hotels. They are consistently developing their brands orientated toward new target groups such as gays and multi-generation travellers - and want to bring in 300 properties per brand! This equates to the ambition of global chains.
In the meantime, they have flocked around so many brands and concepts that the coming years may bring about some clearing out within. As it is, Marriott announced the sale of ExecuStay. Matching with this, STR Global just delivered the brand new "global hotel inventory". Subdued economic news from Switzerland is reaching us during these days: Three leading hotels/hotel groups are suffering from the strength of the franc, as their annual reports 2011 show. The outlook in boomtown New York is precipitating quite differently. - The full editorial…

Dear Insiders, Since the turmoil in the Arab world, North Africa and the Middle East have become the new great unknowns for hotel developers and investors. They are faced by considerable problems in making their decisions. Their views and assessments on the current hotel situation in the Arab countries have been summarised this week by hospitalityInside correspondent Dania Saadi in Dubai and Editor-in-Chief Maria Puetz-Willems. They visited the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference and the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai. One conclusion: The hospitality industry in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and also Qatar is set to benefit from the instable states. The development in China and its consequences on western tourism forms the second focus of this edition. Know-how on the correct way to deal with China has been secured by the Spanish hotel group Sol Meliá with a joint venture deal with its Chinese counterpart Jin Jiang. In Switzerland, the Victoria-Jungfrau Collection has also raised attention. A hotel was sold, and the director carousel turns.Further personal profiles as well as news on marketing, development and finance…Relexa Hotels are heading towards new Serenata technology, focussing on CRM and clients. Sales manager Tim Zerr explains. Click on "Solutions". - The full editorial…

Dear Insiders,
Six Senses is to be broken up. An American capital company has acquired the pioneer whose visions have changed the industry and which sensitively combined ecology with economics and design. Hopefully the new shareholders will leave Six Senses its basis - its "senses".
HolidayCheck can also be accused of a similar lack of sensitivity: The portal is currently hoping for glamorous PR effects by odd topics like "disgusting hotel pools".
An employee has also challenged the wording of his work reference. The phrase in question was "he/she always tried to meet expectations". The German Federal Labour Court held in the employer's favour.
Looking to find new friends and provide jobs is Worldhotelbook - a new social network exclusively for the hotel industry.
Students speaking at the end of the discussion round "War for Talent" at the "ITB Hospitality Day" criticised the lack of perspectives and unclear statements from employers. hospitalityInside ends reporting on the ITB hotel conference with a summary of this debate - text and video summary. All articles and links will remain on the "network" page in future and are accessible for everybody.
In the next three editions, my colleague Susanne Stauss will welcome you here. In this time, I will look for news in Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. - The full editorial…

Dear Insiders,
Lehman Brothers, owner of The Setai Hotel Miami arrived at the hotel with armed security guards and police officers and threw out operator GHM... An incredible scene, at least as GHM describes it. The other side tells a completely different story. Recently "surprising" owner decisions abound. Yet this one would be a more aggressive one.
By contrast, the story with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie has real entertainment value: They want to invest in a resort in Croatia. Wow! It would be pure advertising gold for the small country.
Where the celebs go, security is generally tight. And security will become the new "standard" in the travel industry, as the talk round from the ITB hotel conference shows. For the written summary or the video web, click on the "ITB Hospitality Day" banner on our homepage.
The article on Switzerland makes sobering reading: Current statistics show the increasing displacement of businesses by ever larger brand hotels. A profound structural change in the country.
And in the news of this week: Choice Europe and Germany, Moevenpick and Warimpex have posted their results for 2011. - The full editorial…
The hospitalityInside team wishes you a Happy Easter!

Dear Insiders,
Meanwhile in Vienna, the talk rounds over the hotel situation are piling up just the same as in some German cities. Large operators are coming, but there are no draught horses in the budget and luxury segments. Beyond that however, experts warned in a discussion group that there are also many other hot irons.
There are challenges everywhere, likewise in Oman: The Six Senses hideaway Zighy Bay and the Ritz-Carlton Al Bustan in Muscat are considered as archetype hotels, but must nevertheless work on their positioning.
And communication also belongs among this. If this, as in the case of the Branded Serviced Residences, fails miserably, one must pose the question as an author/reader of whether this profit-promising segment is not overrated and whether its makers know what they are doing.
Fitting in with this is our summary of the "ITB Hospitality Day" discussion about brands: While Interbrand reproached the hotel industry with absolute interchangeability, the self-assured discussed this further: Brands define themselves after niches and target groups. Our summary in text and the link to the video – is accessible to all users. Simply click on the Hospitality Day banner on our homepage.

As the news surrounding McDreams, aloft and the news mix indicates, there is movement once again within the budget and midscale brands. Rezidor has published its commercial figures for 2011 and there have also been a few changes in the international trade show landscape. Top news from yesterday: The Hopp familiy kicked out Four Seasons in the French Provence. - The full editorial…

Dear Insiders,
For the first time ever, Moevenpick Hotels held a press conference at the ITB; and the 60 journalists that attended confirmed that there was certainly a demand for hotel news. Since the crisis though, very few chains have used this PR chance before international media in Berlin.
Moevenpick also had no such announcement to make, but reported "only" from the regions and of the amendments to its concepts. Together with information we gained from our visit to Moevenpick's headquarters in Zurich, this week's edition contains an article on the new flight route of the Swiss "Möwe".
Before the ITB, I spoke with David Fattal and Daniel Roger on the further expansion of Leonardo Hotels: a new sub-brand is arriving, and expansion into France and Italy becomes reality.
As a host, one of the most pleasant dialogues at the ITB hotel conference was with four gentlemen on the "CEO panel with father and son". Dieter & Daniel Mueller from Motel One and Chanin & Siradej Donavanik from Dusit Hotels were present. Susanne Stauss summarises their views on family businesses and the markets. From today, you can see this panel as well as all other "Hospitality Day" discussions as video on the ITB/Trade Fair Berlin website. Simply click here. Our summaries and the videos are accessible for all users.
Today, we also publish another analysis of German and Austrian travel behaviour, current statements from the Maldives and news from the Spanish Meliá chain the Indian Leela Hotels. The German Hotel Association yesterday also released its industry report.
2012 will obviously also be a challenging year for open-ended funds. The difficulties of this asset class. - The full editorial …

Dear Insiders,
The true news value in this year's investment conference and ITB Berlin lies in the not readily available news. Likewise, the continuous pipeline announcements by the global players at the IHIF do not change anything. Only when industry subjects are handled seriously and more deeply, possibly at the "ITB Hospitality Day" by ITB, does it become clear that the hotel industry is in the increasingly powerful stranglehold of financing and distribution/technology. Read the summaries of IHIF and ITB - including a spontaneous survey among exhibitors if hall 9 should be closed at the weekend in future.
Starting today and then every Friday, we will summarise another panel from the ITB hotel conference under "Network". Hopefully next week, I can also refer you to the respective web-video links. Simply click on the respective banners on our homepage.
The 46th ITB brought us another step forward as a hospitality platform, thanks to the 1st joint stand, "hospitality X-PERTS Lounge". The co-exhibitors' feedback.
Today, you will also read the first extracts from the press conferences and interviews in Berlin, e.g. details about the new Super 8 room and the latest travel forecasts. Of course, more news will follow in the next issues and we will provide you with the details and backgrounds you expect from us. - The full editorial …

Dear Insiders,
The IHIF investment conference in Berlin is over without big news; ITB ends the first half with the trade visitor period today. The "ITB Hospitality Day" hotel conference was again a great success recording 1,450 participants. And a great number of interested guests visited the first hospitalityInside joint stand, the "X-PERTS Lounge".
Several of our team members are still in Berlin, which is why you won’t be able to find detailed background stories and reports before next week, when all information and interviews will be reviewed and evaluated. One current piece of news, though: Wyndham is launching its American Super 8 budget brand in Germany and Poland.
The Biathlon World Championships in Ruhpolding, Germany will also go on for several days. A critical look at this mega event and the ones to follow to find out in what way both the destination and its hotels benefit from them.
Current closed funds performed relatively well and investments in niche hotels was partly rewarded.
Courage is also needed to establish "learning partnerships" among executives and their subordinates. Accor introduced this approach at its German headquarters and had the experiment evaluated by a university.
In contrast, the German Federal Labour Court didn't hesitate to pronounce a judgment contradicting the decision in the "Emmely case". The bond of trust between employer and employees is once again a topic of discussion. - The full editorial...

Dear Insiders,
Will we see you in Berlin? Next week, IHIF and ITB will be the two magnets of the industry. Here you can read where our joint stand at ITB is located and where you are able to obtain our ITB SPECIAL.
Berlin is booming and is mentioned in the same breath with London and Paris. Prior to ITB - the current economic data and the plans for the old and new airports.
Not far away from Berlin, the Grand Hotel Heiligendamm is located at the Baltic Sea. August Jagdfeld, initiator of Fundus Funds, has filed for insolvency for the luxury hotel. Millions of grants were burnt, the investors conned out of their investments.
Some hotel managers feel defamed by negative or wrong hotel reviews in the internet. However, they are actively managing criticism but do not really know when it is a forgery. A university carried out a detailed survey for the ITB, we obtained the results in advance.
At the ITB, Turkey will surely present itself as a fantastic country for travelling. In Istanbul, all renowned hotel operator names have been presented by now. Considering the new competition, the established ones are upgrading and it will be hard for newcomers. There, the key to success is the location.
Come and visit the "CEO Panel" at the ITB hotel conference next Thursday. The heads of Dusit and Motel One have brought their sons with them. What does the younger generation think about the hotel industry? All news about the "ITB Hospitality Day" will be publicly available for everybody on our website at "Network" after ITB. From the news: Horst Rahe is launching a new resort brand; Orient-Express, Meliá, Motel One and others published their 2011 results, and there are new market figures available for Europe and Switzerland. See you in Berlin! - The full editorial…