Editorial

Dear Insiders, The subject of "mobile devices" is busying the hotel industry more and more. The talk round at the ITB hotel conference took a look at such devices and, in particular, at the "Apps". The summary accessible to all in our Network section.I also recommend the interview with Marcus Nussbaum from prizeotel: He's among the young managers who have said goodbye to expensive distribution systems such as GDS and catalogue distributers. He focuses on online platforms, social media and mobile devices. "We push everything that secures us the highest contribution margins from the rate!" he clearly says.Tour operators in Germany, Austria and Switzerland presently speak with one voice: Bookings for summer 2010 are up! The trend is particularly strong for more expensive hotels and all-inclusive offers. Nevertheless, the tour operators claim that hoteliers are not taking full advantage of the distribution potential.The German Hotel Association also announced yesterday: The downward spiral has been stopped! But companies such as Victoria-Jungfrau Collection reported red figures for 2009 this week. Hot of the press this morning: Carlson and Rezidor officially confirmed the sale of Regent Hotels to a group in Taipei. Details under News Mix. Further interesting news: The Concorde hotel takeover has collapsed, and in Austria hotels must now adhere to a new sun-bed ban for minors.Many of you create proximity to guests by "corporate publishing" – e.g. by customer magazines. These magazines move closer to guest lifestyles. This sensitive communication channel needs professional partners such as balleywasl* brand communication which today gives a best practice example – accessible by everyone – on "Solutions". - The full editorial...

Dear Insiders, Thirty percent of all critical hotel reviews refer to the rooms. This is what an internet search engine found out. Then, guests preferably continue moaning about the food. Nothing new actually, but now it has been proved with figures! Toilets are hotels’ business cards – this is also an old saying. A new “culture” has emerged. Today: a kissable toilet.Activities for climate protection are reasonable, but they are also a question of context. This became clear during the panel talk about the challenges of the climate change at the 5th ITB Hospitality Day in Berlin. Hoteliers should question the value chain as well. This article can be read by everybody under “Network”. Healthcare real estate also requires lots of background knowledge. The first workshops by Kohl & Partner proved it. From today on, we will be addressing the problems in several articles. How healthcare real estate and tourism/hospitality can come closer together will be shown at a workshop in Munich in July. Please find more information in the magazine and under the banner on our homepage. Consultants noticed that investors are often not familiar with the USALI changes in connection with cap clauses. Here is an update for you. The alumni of the Cornell Regional Chapter EMEA are already looking forward to the meeting in Paris in May. One highlight: the discussion about the hotel market and hotel real estate with Dean Johnson and industry experts. Externals may also take part Find more under “Network”. Our hospitalityWhisperings this week pass on rumours and curiosities such as those about the Dolder and Steigenberger, while another article deals with Aman, Regent and Fairmont Raffles. - To the full editorial...

Dear Insiders, Budget "makes the world go round"… Whether in Europe, India or Africa - soon everywhere will see clean, smart accommodation being offered for those of us on a smaller budget. More from the discussion at the 5th ITB Hospitality Day, to be read here under "Network".The ITB is hardly over and already we're preparing for the next fair: The Expo Real in Munich. At Europe's leading commercial real estate fair, hospitalityInside plans to introduce a joint stand for hotel operators, investment companies and project developers for the first time. The move should increase awareness and help to save time and expense in these days. More under "Network".At the IHIF investment conference, developers discuss an old subject anew: What offers greater benefit for the investor – the brand hotel or the independent hotel? Talk round participants there were passionate in their opinions.Tia Vassiliou would like to see equally passionate customers. As communication trainer, she works together with companies to ensure efficient statements and dialogue. A Newcomer portrait.The new event directives compiled by Gerhard Bleile also concentrate on clarity and efficiency. Many companies still don't know what their annual event expenditure is. This provides the hotel industry with an opportunity! A Happy Easter! - To the full editorial...

Dear Insiders, The year 2010 started with a slight upswing; hotel developments seem to increasing as well. But the IHIF "Developers Debate" indicated: Like never before, hotel groups are now trying to support financings...Others, however, are relying on creativity. Due to this "software" approach, the innovation panel at the ITB Convention ITB Hospitality Day became an unusual panel discussion! The trend subject – readable for all at "Network".Starting today, our magazine will be looking into subjects and trends of Social Media on a regular basis. In future, our new editor, Goetz Primke, will explain these complex connections in an understandable way. For today, we start with a basic article on "What is Social Media?"Five years ago, Olaf Steinhage entered the hotel real estate market and founded hcb hospitality concepts. In the meantime, his business has established itself firmly at the interface of both segments. A portrait.Special properties are in the focus of the first symposium, which will be initiated by the leading tourism and hotel consultancy from Austria, Kohl & Partner, in July in Munich. The subject is health(care) properties. What are the requirements, which locations are suitable, what do investors, developers and operators have to keep in mind? hospitalityInside is the event's media partner; there are special conditions for subscribers. Readable for all at "Network".The news contains more first-hand information from Sol Meliá's CEO Gabriel Jaume Escarrer and from Starwood's EMEA President Roeland Vos, collected at ITB. Moreover, there is a new booking portal for renting day rooms... - To the full editorial.

Dear Insiders, After the disastrous year 2009, the signals of the IHIF and ITB in Berlin are positive – even if nobody has been able to grasp the faint signs of a new trade cycle so far. But people are still looking for further guidance. The increased number of visitors at the ITB Convention is proof of this. With 1,400 visitors, the 5th Hotel Conference, the ITB Hospitality Day, established a new record. 500 participants alone came to the Innovation Panel – just as if it were a symbol for finding new ways.Today, on our network site, we are publishing the summary of the discussions at the hotel conference. Every Friday, six times in a row, you will be able to read a new report here. For starters: the CEO Panel with David Fattal and Wolfgang Neumann.In Berlin, we also met Carsten Rath, founder and CEO of Kameha Hotels, and were also able to obtain more details about the design and high-tech refinements of his newly opened lifestyle and event hotel in Bonn, as well as more information about his new projects. The region of Rhine and Ruhr is dreaming of beautiful and fully occupied hotels. The region is now "European Capital of Culture" and the hotel industry hopes for new impulses. A former hotel manger, Christian Wuelfing, designs a large crowd puller.Among the news: more ITB news, the travel analysis Germany, the 2009 results of Design Hotels, Maritim and Seetel, two new budget hotels and new Marriott structures. More news from IHIF and ITB next week! - The full editorial….

Dear Insiders, Except for the new trend report, German Treugast published its first City Attractiveness Index at ITB including a lot of suprises. At the ITB, Accor Deutschland, Germany's biggest hotel chain, explained how it wants to use the savings generated by the 12-percent VAT reduction from 2010. Together is better: How do Best Western, Choice, and Rezidor check their standards concerning franchise operations? Taking a look inside the back office. Swiss journalists put the hotel industry in critical light. They have performed a hygiene check. In 2010, it is no longer acceptable that professional hosts make such huge blunders. Next week, we'll inform you about this year's ITB and IHIF Berlin. The ITB trade visitor days thus far have turned out to be lively and positive in terms of mood. Read more next Friday! - To the full editorial…

Dear Insiders, In six days time, hospitalityInside.com will celebrate its 5th birthday! Today, we feel our advertisement-free, quality-orientated and bilingual online magazine has proved itself – thanks to you, our readers' and partners' support! We take a look back and say a big Thank You…Confidence in the young medium hospitalityInside and its industry network also came from Trade Fair Berlin as it placed us in charge of the ITB Hospitality Day just a few months after our start. Now, for the 5th time, we have organised the hotel conference for the world's biggest tourism fair. Next Thursday, on hospitalityInside's birthday, is ITB Hospitality Day! We will be in Berlin from Tuesday to Friday; if you like to meet us, please contact us.For me, last week brought a large highlight: the official opening of the Grand Kameha Bonn. Kameha CEO Carsten Rath sets a benchmark with this product in the lifestyle and event niche well beyond Germany's borders. An initial impression…Just how difficult it is and will remain in luxury sector is shown today by Welf Ebeling. We present him and his new transcontinental company and he presents facts and figures on the changed travel behaviour of the rich and the superrich.The Arabs create only at the "high end" and so Abu Dhabi aims to foster a different image to Dubai. On site, however, one discovers many - notable - parallels between the two emirates. - To the full editorial….

Dear Insiders, Enthusiasm for budget hotels is unbridled. At the same time, initial critics caution against potential overheating of this market segment. Therefore, we have asked leading heads of the industry about this for you: operators, project developers, investors and consultants!B&B Hotels has also noticed that investors like 2-star hotels – sounding the charge for expansion in an enlarged Europe. Only Tank & Rast in Germany is currently slowing down B&B's speed considerably.Grand City also moves between budget and medium-class and refrains from luxury hotels. Its franchise concept made it the second largest group in Germany. It does not trust in emotion, but toughly calculates RevPar – beginning with the purchase of favourably priced properties. The Swiss hospitality sector is also struggling with rates – mostly with those of competitors in the neighbouring countries or with its own strong franc. The statistics for 2009 revealed significantly reduced figures, but it was still "complaining on a high level"….Hopefully, trade fair visitors will leave the "ITB Hospitality Day" full of enthusiasm. Six panel discussions on March 11 promise new findings about trends. One of them will grant an insight in to the way tour operators think: how do they adjust their products to the general trend towards individualisation?Last week, IHG, Accor, and Orient-Express announced their results for 2009. None came out of the crisis unscathed. Last week, IHG, Accor, and Orient-Express announced their results for 2009. None came out of the crisis unscathed. How to communicate easily with your customers from different departments and via different channels is demonstrated by our new "Solutions" partner Serenata Intraware today. Read more about Serenata @mail! - Read the full editorial….

Dear Insiders, Istanbul obviously manages the balancing act between tradition and modernism, between a business and vacation atmosphere. Gerhard Struger of Swissôtel belongs to the experienced market specialists in Istanbul. He describes the current situation from a hotelier's point of view. And Simone Spohr took a look at the newest hotels.As our portrait of the Romanian hotel market slipped our latest German issue due to a technical fault, we have included the article in today's issue once again. This analysis shows up interesting but different details on Eastern Europe.Cornelia Markus-Diedenhofen takes a look at hotels "from the inside". Together with two partners, she founded a new joint company in order to offer more from a single source.In the second part of our legal feature about "business succession", the two specialist lawyers and tax consultants deal with aspects concerning the law of inheritance.The countdown has started for the ITB and our own preparations for the 5th ITB Hospitality Day. Four of 27 experts will deal with the climate: how do hoteliers have to adjust their products in the future? You'll find the details again under the "Network" button.In our "Solutions" area our new partner Siemens Hospitality describes its wide product range and also announces a holistic solution for the management of buildings - "Hotel Site Cockpit". Owners and operators are able to control all hotel functions and services easily and at a glance. Siemens Hospitality will launch the innovation at ITB Berlin. - See the full editorial…

Dear Insiders, the closure of the Ramada Bad Laasphe at the end of January shows where errors in investment and lack of maintenance can lead to. The former Helmut Fitz property is again, twenty years later, the subject of debate.Romania's hotel market is currently at rock bottom. Nevertheless, there is hope in secondary cities. A market overview in facts and figures.Handing over businesses: Two hotel-specialised lawyers and tax consultants draw your attention to taxation and legal pitfalls of a transfer of undertakings.At Swire Hotels in Asia, things are more philosophical. The group is now looking to Europe with its unique and extremely generous luxury boutique concept.The ITB in Berlin is now busy again reminding us of its highlights: For us, hospitalityInside.com, it will be the hotel conference "ITB Hospitality Day" on 11 March. Read today details about the "CEO Panel" and the talk round "Mobile Devices".As media partner of the Cornell University/School of Hotel Administration, we also invite all "Cornelians" as well as friends of the Ecole hotelière Lausanne to the ITB reception of both hotel institutions. Details can be found under the "Network" column. - To the full editorial…