Dear Insiders,
In our summary of the ITB talkround on metasearchers, we ask who will win the online monopoly. All users will find this interesting article on our Page 1, again with video link to the complete discussion. This final article brings our "ITB Hospitality Day" reporting to a close. Participating in the discussion were Trivago, HRS and a private hotelier.
Following on from the discussion, HRS CEO Tobias Ragge explained to a handful of journalists how he places HRS in the world of the OTA. He focuses on multi-source, silent partners who are officially rivals, and on satisfied customers. As regards the chains, he wasn't sparing in his criticism.
The German International Hotel Association is also likely to question its position. Otto Lindner, in office as new Chairman of IHA for ten months now, offers the best requirements with his temperament and his entrepreneurial point of view. In our personal conversations, I had the impression that he would like to set things moving. Whether he'll be allowed to? In terms of contents, we have focused on the issues of the lack of employees and the change in image. Both are closely linked, and the Association must get a move on. If it doesn't, even more rankings will take their shot on this "flop" sector.
Rezidor is on the look out for more female managers. It is the first group to have appointed a female director in Saudi Arabia. This success is due to a special support programme established by the hotel group. Kempinski Hotels also uses every niche in order to support Arabian women. Its "Ladies in Red" now also includes a woman in Saudi Arabia. She made her way to Berlin for the big gala event to mark the company's 120th anniversary.
There are more facts and figures today: The first quarter of 2017 sees hotel real estate in Germany continue to boom. In Germany, the OTAs continue to gain in dominance, in particular Booking.com. At the same time, the EU Commission warns the booking portals about misleading descriptions.
The Chinese are meanwhile spending more money on their trips abroad. And Mövenpick doesn't only want to please Chinese guests with its new sleep concept which promises gentle peace on individually adjustable mattresses.
The US is already feeling the impact of the restrictive travel policies of President Trump, even the Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson demurs gently. And a current survey reveals that even more travellers will stay away if entry/visa requirements are intensified further. In France, after the acquisition of Availpro, AccorHotels is suddenly confronted with an angry union fearing data abuse and breach of confidence.

Yours, Maria Puetz-Willems, Editor-in-Chief
Your opinion? maria@hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,
AccorHotels on a shopping frenzy: This week, the company acquired not one but two companies. CEO Sébastien Bazin is rushing forward in IT and luxury. It still looks quite chaotic, but slowly but surely tender paths through the jungle are becoming apparent. This is how Sarah Douah described things following the analysis by Travelsify and VeryChic. At the same time, she has discovered that you can now make your selection by mood on the AccorHotels website! Among hotel groups, that is indeed something quite unique. So we still have some patience with non-stop shopper Bazin.
Franchise is losing friends, some franchisees report. The big chain name above the door can mean greater costs than benefits. Others assert: Without the franchise, the sales just doesn't materialise. In these "boom times" in particular, we are noticing fluctuations in mood for franchise; Susanne Stauss took a look.
Leisure is pleasure: Holiday tourism in Croatia and Spain is flourishing. Both countries benefit from tourist flows redirected from countries touched by terror. Each destination writes its own chain story though, as the underlying data in the first "European Hotels & Chains Report 2017" by Horwath HTL show. The tourism consultants will post the entire report online today. Our subscribers will find the PDF as attachment to the text.
Four weeks ago, a panel at the ITB hotel conference discussed the opportunities and challenges facing Greece, Georgia, Iran and Russia. Omer Kaddouri, CEO of Rotana, his colleague Walter Neumann from Azimut and their two tourism colleagues spoke openly about the current situation at these destinations. A summary by Fred Fettner together with video link can be found by all users on our Page 1.
Other analyses are today provided on the CEE states. The German hotel industry once again boomed in 2016 and posted new records for the 7th year in a row. Now, the hotel association fears that the boom will be choked off by bureaucracy; it is fighting back. Ringhotels continue to strengthen their brand and direct distribution. This and more in today's edition before Easter.
hospitalityInside will take one week's break over Easter; the next edition will appear on Friday, 21 April. We wish you all good Easter business and a pleasant break!

Yours, Maria Puetz-Willems, Editor-in-Chief

Your opinion? maria@hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,
Listening to CEO Arne Sorenson as he explained the integration of Starwood Hotels to analysts, it all seems strategically thought-through. That the giant Marriott now wants to determine commissions in OTA negotiations and in purchasing was foreseen by experts early. Muscles make market economy easier. In order to keep loyalty members happy, Marriott has even acquired a meta-searcher for local activities. That hardly makes a creative impression, rather one of copying. Also, Starwoods cash-cow Sheraton is now to be milked – as the first of all 30 brands, this will now be given a make-over worldwide. In its implementation, the Marriott Starwood puzzle is now slowly getting interesting.
But the AccorHotels puzzle is already really interesting. Now, a party girl has arrived: the French event specialist Potel & Chabot. Why does Bazin now need this – relatively small – player? He is meanwhile connecting rather a lot of French companies.
It's hotting up at Horwarth consultants as they for the first time looked through all data for 13 European countries. The result is a 90-page "European Hotels & Chains Report 2017" which contains aggregate market ratios and hotel group rankings. We currently have exclusive access to the report; today we tease out the first three countries. The report will appear every year in future.
Emotion is not part of the issue Safety & Security. At the ITB hotel conference, experienced crisis managers explained how hoteliers can contribute in times of crisis. Everybody's aim is networked thinking. All users can access this exciting article with video link on our home page.
Sobriety returns to the Austrian Alpine hotel industry when talk turns to staff. The German source has dried up, Austrian employees don't want to move to the mountains - and so politicians have now responded with tax incentives and bonuses. Whether it will help? Fred Fettner provides the details.
Leonardo Hotels go on a European tour, though still see room in Germany. Center Parcs has Germany in its sights. The run on Germany is showing no signs of stopping, incredible... Some developers should take time out to relax in the spa compartment of the Belmond Royal Scotsman. Or remind themselves what it costs to take a brand to the very top of brand rankings. Or otherwise chat to hotel vendors at the luxury trade fair Loop, who must also work hard in the good times until revenues are right. Our news today is well-suited to self-critical thinking.

Yours, Maria Puetz-Willems, Editor-in-Chief

Your opinion? maria@hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,
Today, two articles tackle the balancing act hoteliers are currently facing: between classic hospitality and the feel for trends and innovation. This is why it is good to hear that 25hours Hotels fully commit themselves to being hosts lending themselves the souls of full-hearted restaurateurs for their F&B concepts. Combining it all with design and entertainment. This recipe has turned global in the meantime. The ITB panel about food showed how hotel groups pick up their guests in terms of culinary delights – with down-to-earth and simple offers ...
At the same time, the zany opposite is breathing down the hoteliers' necks: digitisation. As millennials drool over anything involving sharing, partaking and boosting their ego, hosts have to x-ray them virtually addressing their preferences. But before hoteliers can do that, they first need to learn quite a lot about data and digital reception. It became clear that they are far from being able to do just that. Nonetheless, the next digital bogy is looming large: IOT, the Internet of Things. Millennials fully dig it – and soon they'll be screaming for "Hospitality of Things". All that is far from being simple, as the panel discussion on digitisation and automation revealed on ITB Hospitality Day in Berlin. You'll find both reports free for all to read on our first page – including links to the corresponding videos.
My colleague Massimiliano Sarti sensitively tracks all movements on the Italian market. Accordingly, he quotes influential asset management companies that have finally understood how the hotel business is working – and are now willing to invest millions. In a major discussion, the courageous sat together, among others InvestiRe, Castello, Unipol, and HNH.
From the reports: in Switzerland, OTAs continue to grab further market shares, Dehoga Germany is issuing a campaign against strict working hours in the wake of the starting election battle, and spa vacation are being increasingly scrutinised. And two German down-to-earth companies, SeetelHotels and Raphael Hotels show how solid, sensitive and successful independent hotels can be.
By the way, behind the scenes at Rezidor, HNA sold shares worth only 5.6 percent. The acceptance period was prolonged until today, March 24th. From March 29th, it should be clear how great the Chinese influence will ultimately be.

Have fun delving into new trends and concepts!
Yours, Maria Puetz-Willems, Editor-in-Chief

Your opinion? maria@hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,
IHIF as well as ITB Berlin are still finding their customers but a change has become evident: the events have become large and rigid. And in addition, there is the high entrance fee at the investment conference. In the last few years, some people have turned their backs on the ITB. Over time, it has increasingly become a contact trade show. Therefore, this year's minus – 11,000 fewer trade visitors – cannot only be attributable to the strike at Berlin's airports last Friday. We are media partners at both events, and at both events we listened to the visitors.
At IHIF, I was granted a 30-minute solo interview with Sébastien Bazin, who admitted self-critically that AccorHotels has no DNA for sales, and operations have to be improved.
At the "ITB Hospitality Day", it also became clear that the chain is serious about the transformation into a lifestyle corporation: at the hostel panel, the brand Jo&Joe cut a fine figure next to Meininger and The Student Hotel. By the way, all panels of the hotel conference are now available on YouTube and at full length! You will find the link on our page 1, as well as the written summaries of the individual panel talks – every Friday from today.
Prior to the ITB, we journalists were invited to a preview at the new Motel One Upper West Berlin. It will open on April 14. With this 582-room hotel, the budget chain from Munich raised the bar even higher regarding design. At any rate, the "One Lounge", located on the 10th floor, which is equipped with Italian design furniture exclusively, has more atmosphere than the entire Waldorf-Astoria Hotel directly opposite.
IHG talked about its new focus on F&B for Kimpton as well as about its mid market brands; in addition, our News Mix today contains more news from Berlin.
The happiness of Deutscher Ferienhaus-Verband about the "green light" for holiday apartments in residential areas has been put into perspective by our legal experts in the meantime. Christie & Co provides current performance figures for 6 German top cities. Maritim Hotels had a weak total performance in 2016, just as Bavarian police officers showed definite shortcomings while controlling the passengers of a long-distance bus. My colleague Fred Fettner – a victim of the strike at Berlin's airports – was on the bus, shaking his head. What a marketing for Germany!
Last but not least: "After the ITB" means "before the Expo Real" for HospitalityInside by now. Our trade fair team has already started planning the joint stand "World of Hospitality" in Munich. Interested parties will find the conditions with one click on the respective banner at our home page.
Nevertheless, on our start page you will find a link to the new video about the ITB joint stand "World of Hospitality" in Hall 9a/108, about our partners and guests. Enjoy the video!

Yours, Maria Puetz-Willems, Editor-in-Chief

Your opinion? maria@hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,
On Monday morning, just on time for the start of the investment conference IHIF, AccorHotels officially announced a new joint venture with the Turkish Rixos Hotels. We already reported about it three weeks ago. In any case, Bazin continues his shopping trip.
In Berlin at IHIF however, a pure party atmosphere prevailed. "The most sexy party girl" was and still is Germany. But market surveys forecast a good year 2017 for all of Europe, despite any Trump, Putin, and Erdogan messages, and low interest-rates are pushing hotel financings forward.
The atmosphere at the ITB is also positive. From the very beginning, the trade show had full halls. The industry "is flying" – in the real estate segment as well as in tourism, in a global boom, which is only slowed down in some regions.
The financial and economic shock of 2008 has been forgotten, 2017 will be as great again as 2016... Elections? Oh, yes, this rings a bell. But this is the only keyword, which makes the party girl Germany pause for a short moment.
Today, we are picking up on a few important pieces of news, but more will come next week with more background information on both events. From IHIF our team directly went on to ITB – and I focused on the "ITB Hospitality Day". ITB plans to upload the videos of the individual panels today - please click on the link in our ITB ticker on the front page! The discussions have been exciting again.
About today's edition: AccorHotels' transformation is still keeping us on our toes. One year ago, Sarah Douag talked to Romain Roulleau, Head of eCommerce and Digital, about the development of von accorhotels.com – and now again. Last year, AccorHotels learned the following: volume is good, but they are moving on to quality now.
Concerning the world of investments, Beatrix Boutonnet describes the topic of REITs today. In the US, they are already very popular in the hotel industry; in Germany, this special type of real estate share is still eyed suspiciously.
In Frankfurt and Nuremberg, Adina Apartments Hotels opened new hotels successively – displaying its new lobby concept. But the rooms have also been enhanced: the kitchenette measuring only 1.8 metres in length sets the bar very high. And right on time for the 10th anniversary in Germany, there is a large pipeline available. I talked to Georgios Ganitis, Regional Manager Europe, in Nuremberg. And appropriately for the boom of serviced apartments, a new specialised booking platform in this segment is emerging: Livabout from Munich. This and more in today's news – have fun reading!

Yours, Maria Puetz-Willems, Editor-in-Chief

Your opinion? maria@hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,
It is that time of year: the tourism caravan has started moving towards Berlin again... We look forward to seeing many of you again at ITB and also IHIF next week. You will find our SPECIAL – fresh from the press – at 100 business hotels in Berlin, at the IHIF press table, at our ITB stand, at the ITB hotel conference, and at our ITB partners. But today, you are able to receive your copy of the online edition here!
Please visit us and our co-exhibitors at the "World of Hospitality" at ITB Hall 9/108. Our stand will be hosting the hotel groups Motel One and Premier Inn, the digital signature and IPTV specialist Macnetix, the digital content distribution provider Media Carrier, and the software developer NextGenOpti.
Should you not make it for the ITB Hospitality Day on Thursday from 10.30 am in Hall 7.1b/Auditorium London you can follow the discussions via live stream. You find the link on our page 1!
I prepared a white paper for the IHIF about transactions in the German-speaking market in 2016. You are able to download this document for free. You will find all information and links concerning ITB and IHIF on page 1!
You will definitely hear about today's topics in many other discussions in Berlin: smart start-ups discovered the "day rooms" as an additional source of profit and are marketing them in OTA style. Sarah Douag took a look into Day Use and others. It all sounds extremely smart.
Massimiliano Sarti shows that Italy experienced a successful year 2016, but could also have been even more successful. Spain, in comparison, made use of its chance. Experts are even pointing out first alarm signals for Italy. At least, an official strategy plan for tourism 2017-2022 has just been approved.
In China, "official" data do not mean much. They can still be amended. Our China expert Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Arlt explains the chaos of statistics on time for the ITB: How many Chinese travel to Europe? 10 million does not mean 10 million at any rate. Just as punctually, Messe Berlin reports that its premier trade show ITB China is booked out completely.
At the IHIF, the discussion will be about the most recent transactions in Europe and Germany as well as about new names in the market, e.g. about Gambino Hotels in Munich, which were able to secure a very sought-after property with 300 rooms at Ostbahnhof in Munich. Last night AccorHotels announced a new management deal with Brazil Hospitality Group, taking over 26 hotels with about 4,400 rooms in Brazil's major markets. For the IHIF, additional announcements are already showing up on the horizon.

Our team is out and about for you and will keep the news rolling next week!
See you in Berlin!
Yours, Maria Puetz-Willems, Editor-in-Chief

Your opinion? maria@hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,
Not a week without Sébastien Bazin: AccorHotels' CEO loves scripts involving the powerful of this world. Now he is even helping a former French president out of his political minor role giving him the main role as a strategist in the transformation drama round about the biggest French hotel chain. Ça va! Yes, the two know each other well.
However, Bazin seemingly had to cope with a defeat regarding the bidding for the Canadian Luxury Retreats platform – Airbnb grabbed it. Annoying. 4,000 luxury hotels at one swoop – that would have been perfect for the group's own sales platform. Now he needs to put together smaller packages. All those unwilling to give away their luxury hotels should take cover. Revenue and EBIT figures covering 2016 – published two days ago – will further give wings to Bazin.
But there are also hotel groups that don't want to be swallowed, taking action by themselves: as reported, last week, Kempinski professed its future as an independent boutique hotel group via a shareholder change, and yesterday afternoon, Vienna House in Vienna announced a new 100-percent shareholder: another Thai company, backed by a listed billion-dollar conglomerate. Simoner, himself a former Kempinski top manager, knows the owners of its parent company BTSG from his days at Kempinski. Apart from that, the timeframe and the same focus were pure coincidence, he reassures us. But: the family operating hotels in Asia itself doesn't want to see Vienna House drown in the merger mash.
Finally, the trend has an anti-trend! The hotel sector needs diversity – it lives from it ... We don't need any additional unisex lounges!
In England, the hard Brexit is shaking up hoteliers. The immense costs and disadvantages are becoming clearer and clearer. Experts and the British Hotel Association are pessimistic almost across the board. And Frank Marrenbach, CEO of the Oetker Collection operating the Lanesborough London brings up the following image with respect to the planned exclusion of employees: the best curry isn't of British origin!
Today, our legal experts analyse the difficulty in differentiating between residential living and Serviced Apartments in Germany – an important contribution in the context of this booming segment. Further news cover the 2016 balance sheets of AccorHotels, Choice and IHG, the stagnating room nights in Switzerland in 2016, and the EU Commission investigating against Meliá Hotels and tour operators.
And finally, we talk about three panels you should visit at ITB Hospitality Day on March 9, and the IHIF announced the new winner of the "Young Leader Award" in the run-up to the 20th anniversary: the young lady comes from Berlin. Enjoy reading!

Yours, Maria Puetz-Willems, Editor-in-Chief

Your opinion? maria@hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,
Kempinski versus the wave of consolidation: despite "all those" who have stood in line to buy Kempinski in the past two years, CEO Markus Semer implied that the two associates from Thailand and Bahrain have opted for a long-term strategy focusing on quality instead of an ad-hoc sale generating short-term top yield. Yesterday, we had the "Breaking News" about the switch of shares between the two owners, while today Semer lists several arguments why Kempinski has a good chance as an individual boutique hotel group.
And where does luxury meet its limits? In other words with a smile: among budget chains that treat themselves to a "luxurious" appearance partly including the term of "luxury" in their name. Motel One is consequently pushing on upgrading its budget design provoking a discussion. 17 square metres and upgrading without limits? Who will tag along? Nearly everyone, as it seems. We explicitly asked Motel One, prizeotel, Ruby, AccorHotels/ibis, Super 8, and B&B. 2 and 4 stars are definitely closing the gap in terms of space, which is why developer GBI says: budget is not out – but subject to change.
As described several times, the Italian hotel market is experiencing major changes. But once again, my colleague Massimiliano Sarti ascertains – this time talking with experts of Horwath HTL – that important market figures are still strongly diverging. Chain and brand hotels, respectively, have selectively gained ground during 2016, but statistically speaking, private hotels still remain very strong. In summary, Italy continues to grow as many figures show.
Sébastien Bazin of AccorHotels has implanted the term of "growth" into the company DNA: hospitalityInside.com learned that the hotel group is obviously about to acquire Turkish Rixos Hotels. The luxury puzzle is getting even bigger!
And regarding technology, mergers keep going – now in the metasearch segment. New brand names are pushing towards Germany. In the meantime, Best Western is happy about the synergies of its European network consisting of ten countries: things are beginning to take effect. Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Rezidor, and Wyndham have published their results for 2016 and the fourth quarter, respectively.
It was an exciting week between breaking news and news.

Until next week!
Yours, Maria Puetz-Willems, Editor-in-Chief

Your opinion? maria@hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,
If I was Trump, I would seal off my website just as Trump Hotels does. The media are unable to find downloadable pictures; there is no login, there are no contacts. Normally, this is standard among other hotel groups. The company does not return any calls. Therefore, we are very happy about the fact that all Trumps love to twitter and reveal their activities this way. However, the POTUS and his family empire are offending an increasing number of "watchdogs". Sarah Douag summarises the areas of conflict concerning hotels. We decided to label this article "Part 1", because sequels of this dramatic POTUS Soap Opera are probably guaranteed.
easyHotels once started off with full-bodied announcements, but then expansion got stuck. Now, easy founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou no longer has any influence and expansion is starting to roll again... The new Franchise Director Wolfgang Gold provides details and tries to enthuse new franchisees.
Renowned funds firmly believe in Greece's future in the tourism industry; the funds just provided 250 million euros for the further development of the Ikos/Sani Group. These brands are supposed to redefine all-inclusive on a luxury level à la Four Seasons and push the development of a mega resort destination.
This week, AccorHotels added another puzzle to its growing luxury brand empire, as revealed in an announcement, with Travel Keys. It is exciting to watch Sébastien Bazin buy and buy and only he seems to be able to see the entire picture at the moment. Marriott is also tattering itself: Of all things, the sensitive well-being brand Element will be provided with communal "suites" following the style of the Sharing Economy.
Motel One has quietly removed the small word "low" from its original subtitle "Low Budget Design" hotel group, and announced the next high-quality product improvements at the new Motel One Upper West Berlin. It should actually be becoming quieter with respect to Airbnb, but the last record fine of the city of Amsterdam affects the landlords first and foremost again and not the business.
The new Honestis AG bought Dorint Hotels, and officially leaves the former shareholder E&P behind. Worldhotels, on the other hand, were sold to an entirely new US partner; together, they plan to explore new paths in Europe concerning the MICE business. In Berlin, the German industry celebrated its awardees of the year; and from the human resources departments of several companies, new names are coming through.
And, finally: Today we can present the programme of the 2017 "ITB Hospitality Day" at ITB Berlin: six lively panels about hostels, automatization/artificial intelligence, food design, safety&security, challenging countries and metasearch. Have a look at our page 1!
Enough for today; enough to read, enough to be astonished at.

Ihre Maria Pütz-Willems, Chefredakteurin

Your opinion? maria@hospitalityInside.com