Editorial

Dear Insiders, Hervé Humler came to Ritz-Carlton as "no. 4" in its ranks. Now, he's President – and he told us just how the luxury group is doing now. My stay in Singapore last week was a far cry from Ritz-Carlton service standards. Notes from a business traveller here. The developments at ITB Asia, which again "experimented" with new contents and offers, were then even more satisfying. Positive comments from exhibitors were also in the majority. The International Hotel Conference in Venice was less successful though, as our correspondent Guy Dittrich reported. There too, he felt a cautious optimism, whilst the conference itself suffered under the consequences of the crisis.My colleague Baerbel Schwertfeger visited Lebanon – and returned quite shocked by the still very blatant contradictions between the war-torn facades and top-modern luxury hotels. And as always, a colourful selection of international news. - To the full editorial…

Dear Insiders, a modern destination resort is to be made of the Swiss mountain village of Andermatt. In the centre of Qatar's capital city, Doha, a new city district is also being built. Both projects are to be completed in 2016, cost billions and follow a simple goal - to make money. Whilst the ambitious project in Andermatt is financed by an Egyptian entrepreneur, the money behind the development in Doha comes from the Sheika of Qatar. Both destinations are looking for operators... But should Andermatt and Doha become new tourism magnets, the hotels will face a very contemporary problem: They need qualified staff to meet the high demands of their guests. Just how concerned hotel representatives are today of other countries poaching important staff is illustrated in this week's edition in one of our articles about the Austrian Hotel Association. Growing personnel costs and changing guest behaviour is also accelerating the growth of budget chains in Europe. An interesting study which looks at the budget concepts developed by the brand hotel industry and how they are calculated. Yet, low-cost concepts aren't a thing of the future alone. Our author Baerbel Schwertfeger has observed how the holiday destination of Bodrum may develop to the St. Tropez of Turkey. And last but not least, a practical tip for companies: The increasing flood of documents and storage duties place ever more stringent requirements on organisation in companies. Micros-Fidelio today shows the solution. Click on Solutions! - To the full editorial…

Dear Insiders, Management contracts should only be concluded by crisis resistant investors. One could fall back on franchise as the new catalyst… Clear statements and lots of food for thought at the Expo Real talk round on the value of management and franchise contracts. Just as exciting was the "green" round in which Accor and InterConti presented their sustainability concepts. The latter topic is supplemented this week by our report on Switzerland's online energy platform. Activities also go on in Germany and Austria.For weeks, we have been reporting on funds, investors and hotel groups which are redefining themselves – and are all making a keen start towards Germany. Each believes it has more bite than existing operators – as does Dormero Hotels, which Gold Inn AG has now become.And of course, we supply a range of interesting other press announcements.Next week, my colleague Susanne Stauss will welcome you here as hospitalityInside flies to Singapore as ITB media partner, the 3rd ITB Asia. - To the full editorial…

Dear Insiders, The international real estate industry has been sending smoke signals: The market is recovering. The hotel industry should benefit by next year at the latest, as the Expo Real Munich illustrated… Three articles today describe the mood at the trade fair and provide expert opinion on the hotel market shifts and on possibly lucrative money sources and markets. Also this week, Treugast presented its investment ranking for Germany and Austria at the Expo Real; sale and leaseback transactions were announced and a new hotel fund has opened. Further Expo Real news and topics next week…For hospitalityInside, this Expo Real was also a great success: A special issue of the magazine, as usual in German and English version was warmly received and quickly snapped up. The announcement of the planned joint hospitality stand 2011 also met with great interest.Our second networking event "BRICKS&BRAINS" coincided with the last night of the Oktoberfest, though there were certainly enough reasons for toasts among guests. A picture series giving some insight into the event, which in future will remain true to its "by invitation only" philosophy, is available on our publically accessible "Network" page. - The full editorial…

Dear Insiders, The Expo Real Munich is just around the corner. And we believe Europe's leading commercial real estate trade fair will become increasingly important for the hotel industry. The crisis has clearly demonstrated who has the final say in the upscale and internationally oriented hospitality sector: investors/owners and banks. They decide which hotel operating companies fail and which will be established. It's time to become more professional in the international real estate market! And for this reason, hospitalityInside will be increasing its involvement at the Expo Real: I will be organising the contents of the hotel conference "Hospitality Industry Dialogue" for the third time; for the second time, executives from the hospitality and real estate sector will meet and network; and for the first time we have put together a "hospitalityInside Special Expo Real" describing the concept for the first joint hospitality stand at Expo Real 2011 - and more. The imminent trade fair has also prompted us to list the regular sector studies provided by large hotel consultancies. Painstaking work for my colleague Susanne Stauss, but a very useful overview for you! Further, we provide information on four new books. And announce our planned spa investment workshop next May.Union Investment Managing Director, Dr Frank Billand is now considering closer cooperation with franchise partners. This could unfold a significant signal effect within the industry. Conversely, a former franchise group no longer intends to focus exclusively on franchising: The Golden Tulip CEO is currently on tour presenting the group's new concept. - To the full editorial…

Dear Insiders, There are only very few destination resorts in German-speaking countries: one of them - Land Fleesensee in the north of Germany – is already ten years old. The four hotels are putting up a good fight but the investors are troubled. An insight into the "Fleesensee challenge" and Dorfhotel on Sylt. Iberotel and Dorfhotel Managing Director Michael Franke talks about strategies and figures concerning these two types of resort hotels whose profiles are to be sharpened in the home country of the TUI parent company.In the bustling federal state of Tyrol in Austria, a "cluster wellness" has been inviting participants to an exchange of experiences for some time now. Last week, a prominent name appeared - Leo Nefiodow - but this rendered little substance. The cluster friends talked shop and in the end they simply determined that only every 20th guest in Southern Tyrol books wellness or health.A glance to far-away India: one of the two major hotel groups in the country, the Taj, is really surging ahead now. Last week, the chain introduced its new lifestyle brand Vivanta.In Western Europe, more operators and investment companies are discovering the less volatile hotel market of Germany after the crisis. Today, the French are announcing plans. News melange and some whisperings... - The full editorial…

Dear Insiders, We repeat our slogan from last week – crisis means opportunity. This week, a further new hotel group has presented itself to the public: Rilano Hotels & Resorts. Five hotels are already on board and a further six are soon to join. Rilano launches with two sub-brands.In contrast, Leonardo Hotels looks almost like a mature hotel group. Managing Director Daniel Roger explains today the status quo. The 23 hotels record healthy results. As interior designer, Andreas Neudahm belongs to the core team surrounding Leonardo Hotels. He obviously has a particular talent for creating tasteful, quality hotels within tight budget limits. The Austrian hoteliers lobby group, OEHV, has looked at price comparison sites and is outraged at the chaos caused by such portals. At the site of Berlin's new airport, Steigenberger wins a deal with project developer ECE. The shopping centre specialist has now moved into hotel development.What do your guests think about your hotel? Today, our "Solutions" partner Serenata presents new practicable eMail tools for your client communication. Stay up-to-date! - To the full editorial…

Dear Insiders, Crisis offers opportunities: This is demonstrated by Peter Cashman and Hans-Dieter Schiller. Both former Choice colleagues are now launching their own operator company – and are now moving from Britain to Germany. In Austria, some clever political tactics are underway. Next week, an attempt will be made to unite Alpine nations beyond borders and form a joint tourism association. "theALPS" is intended to make Europe more sexy abroad. A second article also brings Austria into focus – and the international operators which are finding it difficult outside cosmopolitan Vienna. The best locations are still kept by the locals. Children, on the other hand, think less tactically. They express their likes and dislikes candidly. And this also influences consumer trends and thus holiday and travel behaviour. "Future Kids" can be defined by ten categories – simply fascinating. In addition, there's a whole range of interesting smaller news.

Dear Insiders, Last week’s surprising closing of ArabellaStarwood was justified, among other things, on the grounds of increased risks due to the new IFRS guidelines. This week, we asked bankers and hotel groups about it: the industry seems quite relaxed about the oncoming changes. All the reactions regarding the reasoning for Schoerghuber's decision to put an end to ArabellaStarwood range from lack of understanding to complete bewilderment and everyone now has their eyes pinned on the group. Quo vadis, Schoerghuber? The legal action of Neue Dorint GmbH is surprising as well. The company is demanding from Rhineland-Palatinate to be allowed to participate in the operational business at Nuerburgring and considers the award procedure a distortion of competition.Switzerland: The Head of the Swiss hotel association is criticising the small, unprofitable hotels in the country. He is addressing one third of all hotels and his recommendation is: close them all!It was simply annoying when the eagerly expected "thermal water” turned out to be only "healing water". But in Kaprun, Austria, they are still hoping to market the thermal spa resort with its 160 rooms.Doubling Steigenberger’s development team is to signal that expansion is getting serious; at Group du Louvre a new CEO takes over…The trade magazin "hotelbau" will focus on Italian and Austrian spas in its next issue. For details, switch to "Solutions". - To the full editorial…

Dear Insiders, On Monday morning, the first working day after his 3-week holiday, CEO Wolfgang Neumann was told that the hotel management group which he runs will no longer exist at the end of the year. The Schoerghuber Company Group plans in future to limit its hotel activities to investment. The shock among staff at ArabellaStarwood Hotels is correspondingly large. On the day of the official news on Wednesday, I had the opportunity to speak with the Schoerghuber Holding Board Chairman on the background to this decision and on its far-reaching consequences. We also report on the reactions to the change in hotel strategy. Design Hotels is also one of the participations held by the Schoerghuber Group. What will happen to them? In this context the management might like to look at one expert study which focuses on design and boutique hotels as investments. Our Austrian reporter, Fred Fettner, also describes the current state of hotel projects in Vienna. We also include a further article on the 3rd ITB Asia soon to take place. - To the full editorial...