Editorial

Dear Insiders, Expo Real Munich is around the corner. For hospitalityInside, the trade fair this year is a special one: For the first time as a young publisher, we have created a trade fair platform for exhibitors from the hospitality industry. We would now like to wish our eight partners for the first hospitality joint stand every success! The growing presence of hotel groups and hotel-focussed companies at the real estate fair is worth particular mention. It is a signal of the growing confidence of the industry and its desire to stand shoulder to shoulder with the world of finance and real estate! We have summarised all activities at the Expo Real on our homepage. We also include practical links for your trade fair visit. In time for the Expo Real, HVS London has published a current and time-consuming study on the German market for investors. And renowned project developers signal their concerns and desires in their statements. Last week, the Jumeirah Frankfurt was officially opened. A 5-star hotel with difficult blue-print but beautiful rooms. Marketing of the hotel will be a challenge. We will see some of you next week at the Expo Real. We will provide everyone else with an initial summary on events next Friday. Also, these readers may snuffle a touch of Expo Real - in the new, 100-page eMagazine of hospitalityInside. You can read it for free on our homepage. Turn the page! The printed edition will be available at the Expo Real at the convention and at the "World of Hospitality" and the partner stands. - The full editorial…

Dear Insiders, The summer holiday has sharpened my view toward the north of Germany and its coastal regions and thus, the picture of the competition originating between the "old" federal state of Schleswig-Holstein and the "new" federal state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania.

Business for German hotels is fine right now, but do also small and mid-sized enterprises benefit from it? A survey among advisers indicates: The banks are remaining quieter than before.

The strength of the brand is often sworn by. But surprisingly, the upper regional centres of Germany belong to those with the highest brand concentration.

So that we do not become too Germany-heavy today, our look also turns to Singapore, where in four weeks, the 4th "ITB Asia" will also take place. There, the market information also gains in meaning - recognizably in a vast conference programme.

For us, Expo Real and the hotel conference, "Hospitality Industry Dialogue" on the 4th of October is getting ever closer. In parallel, other highly interesting platforms have announced themselves for this autumn: e.g. the "Future Convention for Hotel & Destination Branding". hospitalityInside is happy to support such ideas as a media partner.

Hyatt begins a new extended stay concept, Romantik expands to Spain and among the coupon suppliers, the great feast begins ... - The full editorial ...

Dear Insiders, Wherever in the budget market the motto is "accelerate fast". The speed and financial power of the individual players is now decisive. B&B Hotels is set to spend a nine-figure sum on its expansion, whilst Accor has changed its strategy this week... Who is making quickest progress? The race of the budget giants has begun.

Up-to-date also the views of consultants who we have interviewed on the subject of foreign investors. They too currently love Germany - an island of peace in a very tumultuous Europe.

My colleagues Fred Fettner and Susanne Stauss have busied themselves with the coupon systems this week. Their in-depth contribution shows the many facets of the systems and compares providers.

Tony Potter leaves Corinthia, IHG has mega-plans for Russia, and hotels are a significant element in Berlin`s commercial real estate market. - The full editorial...

Dear Insiders, Figures show that private hotels do better economically that chain hotels. A discussion in Austria touched an open wound in the competition between family and chain hotels.

Hotels now moving on to the market all use iPads and new interactive possibilities. Moevenpick, Rilano, Kameha and Rocco Forte tell of their plans and experiences with F&B tools, iFeedback and personalised websites. Who could give us their views of social media? Three hotel chains/hotels have answered this question.

Contrary to assumptions trade fair business in Germany does not bring the mega volumes to hotels at top trade fair locations. A very interesting analysis on the imminent trade fair autumn by Hotour.

Preparation for the Expo Real Munich set to take place in four weeks time is well underway. By way of reassurance: The hotel conference programme, the "Hospitality Industry Dialogue" is complete. Internationally renowned names such as Blackstone, Drees&Sommer, Orascom, Ascott, Accor, Mandarin Oriental and Hyatt are on board.

The registration period for our second workshop "Investment in Spas" also expires in four weeks. The date: November 3, in Munich.

Among our press releases today: Upscale hotels in France expect an additional levy and the decision of the Swiss National Bank to set a limit to the appreciation of the Swiss franc against the euro raises questions as to the long-term consequences for the Swiss economy.

Dear Insiders, Our features today look at some of the extremes of our society: In Berlin, August Jagdfeld manages to save his skin and position as Managing Director of Fundus Fund by spreading fear among his already maltreated investors. And in Innsbruck, clever tourism experts are dictating the terms of cooperation to uncertain travel bloggers.

It appears that everywhere, it`s a matter of finding and defending position. This is also apparent in an interview with JOI Design. The interior design company is also struggling with the conditions imposed by its clients.

Also assuming a new position is Jost Hurler KG - known to insiders as the owner of the Althoff Seehotel Ueberfahrt on Tegern Lake in Bavaria. The project developer is revitalising its real estate and is also planning a new mega project with luxury hotel in Munich.

Samih Sawiris, founder of Orascom Development, is also left defending his position: An Egyptian court has threatened him. The reservation portal HRS is expanding its hotel reviews. Thanks to the EU, German hotel statistics will also finally again include figures on room occupancy, and on the investments front, a first German hotel-REIT is finally taking shape. - The full editorial...

Dear Insiders, We are back again, refreshed by sea air and glad for the fact that dark clouds were not our recurring theme during this summer break...

Amanresorts is now up for sale, the German Lindner Hotels come onto the market with a new brand, Prince Al-Waleed plans a tower with a hotel higher than the Burj Khalifa in Dubai and various hotel groups signal their positive half-year results in 2011: At the moment, the industry continues to recover.

Because of our 2-week editorial staff break, you will also find the important news from this period under the short and longer articles to be sure that you do not miss anything and also so that no gaps appear in the hospitalityInside archive.

As usual, our front-page stories offer you the current and profound first-hand: from the press conference by Fleming`s Hotels yesterday, about the current hotel developement in Romania and the rebranding of the British City Inn Group to Mint Hotel Group and their expansion into Continental Europe, and last but not least a portrait of 25hours Hotels and their new Hotel HafenCity in Hamburg. There, one finds lifestyle "in containers": A "sailor`s home" as a hotel experience of the finest, without kitsch and compromises. - The full editorial...

Dear Insiders, With today's edition, hospitalityInside says goodbye before the two-week summer break. On August 26, we will be back online - hopefully with a tan...For you today: Cause for thought is provided by the Institute for eTourism, Tourismuszukunft. Managing Director Florian Bauhuber criticises the snail's pace and the indecisiveness of the hotel industry. Material for managers to think about during the summer break.Tourism in Croatia also shows two faces. The popular holiday destination is set for a record season, behind the scenes many problems remain unsolved.Relais & Châteaux sees sales and occupancy increasing: The customer is king and wants to be served individually. Hotels with personality is what Dr. Lohbeck Private Hotels promise to provide: A portrait of a career changer.The Schlosshotel on Lake Woerther begins a new chapter. The change of owner came as a surprise last week; the new operator will follow on September 1. Falkensteiner will replace Capella.Spa enthusiasts should also pencil in another date on their calendar: On November 3, the second "Investment in Spas" workshop will take place in the Kempinski Airport Hotel Munich. Learn to do tough calculations - Rizzato Spa Consulting and other spa professionals know the tricks in practice. Register now! More on our home page.Our homepage also contains the note "End spurt for Exhibitors": If you still intend to take part on the "World of Hospitality" stand, then time is ticking... - The full editorial…

Dear Insiders, A colourful edition awaits today: Developer Georg Schlegel explains the challenges facing the up and coming midscale segment and its differences to the budget segment. And hotel consultants and hoteliers criticise the sluggish and selective behaviour of the banks - they have quite a different story to the one from the bankers last week. Experts also warn of a "black screen" for 2012 when digital television is introduced and they provide tips. Many hoteliers couldn't believe their eyes as Google, in a radical move, removed hotel ratings from the web last Friday: Interesting news from Switzerland: Seiler Hotels are selling their real estate, and the City of Lucerne will establish a "hotel zone" in order to prevent hotels from dying out. We also have new personalia and to round it all off, the story of the baptism of the "Adlon Rose" in the Kempinski Hotel Adlon in Berlin. And last but not least, On Tuesday, October 4, the Hospitality Industry Dialogue will take place and will focus on current themes affecting the industry with high-calibre panelists. The programme is largely already fixed. An overview is provided under "Mice" or under our "Networks" button on our home page and can be accessed by all users. - The full editorial…

Dear Insiders, How do experts and parties concerned evaluate the current funding situation for the hotel industry? Today, banks speak, next week the hotel consultants und hoteliers.With his financing model for the Adlon fund, the initiator of the fund, August Jagdfeld, is up against the wall – therefore, he is starting a PR tour through Germany. Will it help?Accor regards its cooperation with the German Sustainable Building Council as "Tour d'Horizon". Its certificate values the property but Accor wants to obtain it as operator. Why? An interesting interview.An unbelievably high number of hotels let conference requests of over 30,000 Euro slip through their fingers, either by not responding or not checking up on inquiries. A test hands out only bad marks around the globe.The American consultancy HFD created a programme concerning spa performance. Kempinski continues to restructure its personnel; Orascom-founder Samih Sawiris hands over his position as CEO …Investors and hoteliers are already getting ready for EXPO REAL in Munich, from October 4 - 6. And again, there will be a novelty for the hotel industry: the premier of "World of Hospitality". At the first joint stand for hospitality businesses, 7 top companies of the industry will be awaiting you! Details for all users on our front page or under "Network".Last but not least: the programme of the "Hospitality Industry Dialogue", the hotel conference at EXPO REAL, which I am honoured to organize for the fourth time. Details for all under "Network". - The full editorial …

Dear Insiders, What would you think if address data from strangers suddenly appeared on your computer screen? We experienced such a data leak… The scale of the problem was immediately apparent as SynXis was involved here - serving 12,000 hotel clients. The full story today - together with tips as to how hotel groups can protect themselves from internet attacks. The background to DGNB certification also needs some explaining. A first article on this point will today illustrate why this label only applies to the hotel property. In Germany, Van der Valk hotels manage as yet just one hotel. In the Netherlands, they are the biggest hotel group. And no wonder: Behind the hotel group is a family which operates internally like a franchise company. And in time for the holiday season, today's edition will also include a small article from our travel chest: I recently noticed small creative elements in the One&Only The Palm Dubai and in the Pullman Dubai. From the cabana with air conditioning to the wine bar. - The full editorial…