Editorial

Dear Insiders, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha make up the new dynamic desert trio in the Middle East. Dubai will still provide the best infrastructure and most glamorous lifestyle in the next few years, but the two other emirates are the ones to set the economy in motion again. Our “Middle East news mix” lists hotel projects in detail.Accor Middle East shows how important it is for operators to take a detailed look at the individual markets. A talk with COO Charlie Langlais and Chief Developer Christian Karaoglanian.However, Eastern Europe also has a lot of potential. Christian Kettliltz, the new CEO of Mamaison Hotels from Prague, talks about the boutique hotel group and the CEE countries.Mamaison is also thinking about joining affiliations: Mats Carlbaeck of Goeteborg University has done some research on the benefits of affiliations.The decision of the French hotel association on crowning the best 5-star hotels by calling them “Palace” is definitely a unique marketing move. Palaces are highly popular everywhere in the world, such as in India, where The Claridges Hotels are expanding in this particular niche. - The full editorial…

Dear Insiders, Two weeks in Dubai have again provided interesting insights… The crisis is still hurting: loans are short in supply and securing finance takes an awful lot of time. The slump in the real estate market has also made banks extremely cautious. Our correspondent Dania Saadi has summarised statements and fears.In Europe's saturated hotel market, there's good news from Zurich: The city can support an additional 44 hotels, a study claims.Investors as well as hotel operators should consider their goals and room for manoeuvre well ahead of negotiations. The continued and increasingly intense pokering surrounding the ex-InterConti in Berlin as well as the ex-Shangri-La in Vienna provides a good example. Snapshot of the week.The Spanish NH Hoteles could soon show Chinese touches. The group has just sold 20% of its stock to the Far East.Much has also been written about Portugal and its financial woes. The small Tivoli Hotels, however, are performing well in their niche. This and more, peppered with interesting personalia, in today's edition… - 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, The economic crisis has also changed master plans and business in Eastern Europe. A discussion on the ITB "Hospitality Day" showed the different stages of development of Romania, Russia, Croatia and Poland. More under "Network". Even with the USP "historic hotel", owners often have serious problems with castles and stately homes - especially concerning their size. This was clear from conversations at the first pan-European meeting of the "Historic Hotels of Europe". Branded hotels did better through the economic crisis than independent hotels. A comparison of figures. Our legal expert today explains the reasoning behind the judgement resulting in the reinstatement of supermarket cashier "Emmely" after her dismissal for "bottle deposit theft". We also have a selection of further news. Last but not least a little reminder: The deadline for registrations to the workshop "Spa Investment" for investors, planners and hoteliers closes on 2 May. Details on the starting page. - The full editorial…

Dear Insiders, Growth/profit and sustainability do not fit together. The reality is bitter, despite all good arguments. At the 2nd World Tourism Forum in Lucerne last week, many researchers and only a few leaders discussed the global problem. An initial summary.Many hotel chains have committed themselves to “CSR”, but it still massively lacks group-wide realisation. This is the result of an analysis and a ranking of European consumer protection associations.Bosnia-Herzegovina is one of the delicate blossoms in Eastern Europe. Here, initial international chains are discovering the hotel market – focussed on the capital of Sarajevo.What does the supermarket checkout lady who embezzled bottle deposit receipts worth 1.30 euros have to do with the hotel industry? Quite a bit, from an employer’s perspective. Both proceedings and judgment in this case about a “trifle” bring up far-reaching implications for every company. Our legal expert and employers’ lawyer Joachim Jungbluth explains the entire issue.Furthermore, there are colourful bits of news again today, among them a highly interesting news about the probable call-off of the Sheraton project at Berlin Central Station.A small and qualified group already signed in for our workshop "Investment in Spas". Would you like to join us? Deadline for your registration is May 2, 2011. The details - please see our start page or the "Health" column inside the magazine.Next week, my colleague Susanne Stauss will be welcoming you, as I will be looking around in Dubai and the Emirates as every year around this time… - The full editorial…

Dear Insiders, Operators will again have to pay to get good contracts. This was the prevailing opinion in an IHIF discussion on alternative forms of finance. Even Starwood has had to explain much more than usual to its investors through the crisis, CEO Frits van Paasschen says. He gave an interview at the ITB and spoke about the company and the market. And in order to gain the trust of the banks, Axel Mehn did his homework. And it paid off: The expansion of the 3-star brand acomhotels is progressing quickly and with top partners, without problems with finance. The hotel business is certainly not getting any easier though: Distribution is claiming more time and skill. Part of this is social media, also in connection with search engines and booking portals. In the ITB talk round at the 6th Hospitality Day in Berlin, two hotel representatives criticised TripAdvisor and Google. The summary - click on the ITB logo on the start page. By clicking on the Cornell headline today, you can also catch a glimpse of the Cornell/EHL reception during the ITB. And last but not least, we would like to draw your attention to the hospitality joint stand at the commercial real estate trade fair Expo Real in October: The deadline for registrations is fast approaching! Interested companies can still benefit from top conditions and trade fair advantages. – The full editorial…

Dear Insiders, Dorint didn't manage to present a successor for the former InterConti Hotels in Berlin and Duesseldorf. As a result, some media have pounced on every rumour and also partly report incorrect facts. Today, we look at the circumstances and the players a little closer - at the Ebertz funds.Multi-culti Berlin is always good for a headline: Now, former party animals have themselves begun to complain of mass tourism and all-night noise in the city centre. The German capital and its tourism dream/nightmare.From the new Waldorf Astoria the first photo of the mock-up room is available. It reminds me of lots of things, but not of the Waldorf Astoria in New York.Future researchers gave tips at the ITB how hoteliers may overcome the next few years: By providing an absolutely individual super service! Everything will become even more sophisticating. The summary of the ITB Hospitality Day speech on "Hotels 2020" can be accessed by everyone under "Network". Or click on the ITB banner.Owners of the Historic Hotels of Europe are mostly quite a way away from the competition battles faced by business hotels and from IT-controlled management. They are still hosts in the best sense of the word. Nevertheless, the dynamic environment is also challenging them. About the first European summit in St. Moritz: Click on the HHE banner on our start page.And also, our social media column on the virtual effect of the soya latte macchiato and a further smattering of news. - The full editorial…

Dear Insiders, The disgrace for InterConti is perfect: The chain has today lost three of six InterContinental properties in Germany. As lessee, Dorint invited the press for 11 a.m. today in Berlin. The status quo of last night. Today's edition has a budget focus. We introduce two companies in "facts & figures": the Malaysian Tune Hotels with its rigorous distribution concept and the online booking platform hostelclub.com. Parallel to this, B&B reports of a new long pipeline and keen investor interest. Exactly these chains and distribution structures will compete with the medium-sized "Mom-and-Pops" hotels. Our summary of the ITB Hospitality Day talk round also explains, indirectly, why budget hotels are booming. More on clicking on the ITB banner or on networks, start page. CEOs and other executives will discuss the world's biggest problems at the 2nd World Tourism Forum Lucerne. They focus attention on sustainability in tourism. Anyone not yet having registered still can. More on clicking on the WTF banner or on networks, start page.Does each spa make profit? A one-day profitability workshop on 23 May is aimed at planners, bankers, operators, architects and developers. "Investment in spas" is organised by the renowned Rizzato Spa Consulting in collaboration with hospitalityInside. More on clicking on the spa workshop banner or on networks, start page. And remember to remind your partners! - The full editorial…

Dear Insiders, Expansion in Asia is good, but "good old Europe" is obviously still essential. Even the global players generate their core revenues here. And read here – there is still place for further Hilton brands in Europe. Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta and his EMEA colleague Patrick Fitzgibbon about the market.Similar to the IHIF in Berlin, the mood at the MIPIM in Cannes was subdued. Only certain markets, notably Germany, are attracting interest from investors. The upwards trend was also confirmed by the recent market analysis conducted by the German Hotel Association.The low budget sector is already pushing full steam ahead. A study has illuminated growth in Germany, and the parallel talk round at the 6th "ITB Hospitality Day" at the ITB Berlin illuminated the international success. Tune Hotels, A&O and hostelclub.com gave details of business with the next budget wave.At Dorint/InterConti and Starwood/Arabella, there are still no final decisions to report on at the end of this week; so we decided to abstain from putting out a rumour. There is, however, a replacement in sight for Shangri-La in Vienna.Hotel spas have become a standard feature today. But not every hotel earns money with it. A single-day figure-focused workshop for investors, planners and operators will provide some orientation. Details under "Network". Or click on the banner "Investment in Spas" on our start page. For the first time, an Austrian hotel received the Green Building Certificate. The conversion to "Green" should pay off in the next ten years. Technology partner Siemens describes the successful example for sustainable operations on our "Solutions" microsite. - The full editorial…

Dear Insiders, The shadow of the Japanese disaster came down at the end of the world's biggest tourism trade show in Berlin... All together, the 45th ITB was seen as a complete success. Sold out trade show halls and approximately 170,000 visitors allowed the faces of most exhibitors to shine. Loftier in contrast, the Investment Conference at the InterContinental Berlin. A review on IHIF and ITB.The "hot shots" of the industry were up on stage, which is why we begin our post-reporting today with the CEO Panels with IHIF and ITB. The bosses at Accor, Hyatt, Carlson, Starwood, Kempinski and Grand City illustrated their perspectives and positions there.We have concisely summarised the trade show titbits and rumours of both events for you and have processed the strategic news of the large chains in separate news.For hospitalityInside as an organizer of the 6th "ITB Hospitality Day" at the ITB Berlin, the hotel conference was a great success: 1,900 visitors found their way into Hall 7.1 - 500 more than in the year before. From today, we will summarize another panel of the ITB Hospitality Day every Friday. Click on the ITB logo on our start page or go to "Network". All articles are accessible for all users. Also, our first printed Special, the hospitalityInside Special ITB, sold like hotcakes. For those who did not get a copy, it can be opened online at our start page. - The full editorial…