Editorial

Dear Insiders,
Action is again on the cards in Arabia. Even the rulers of the smaller Emirates want a hotel jewel, and the international players offer them every brand. The global chains are now concentrating on spreading their brands in the Middle East, in the Emirates as well as in more important countries. The desire for luxury combined with the desire for expansion - won't that end in a price war across the desert sands?
Other battles are being had by the major shareholders of Accor and the new Board Chairman of TUI. Accor CEO Denis Hennequin has had to go, though asset light stays. Just how this will effect the strong German market together with the austerity drive from Paris is explained by German Managing Director Michael Muecke.
Hefty savings are also to be made by TUI. Board Chairman Friedrich Joussen is introducing massive changes in the tour operator's hotel strategy. And "Mr. Hotel" Karl F. Pojer has had to say goodbye to his beloved hotels. One thing is clear here: The cost structure of the Robinson Clubs is too high. In 2012, the creators of this brand were celebrated as "Hotelier of the Year", a respected industry award in Germany.
How do you win the battle for qualified employees? Employers are polishing their image! Hotel companies are meanwhile digging deep into their pockets for quality seals - and are noting some thoroughly positive effects.
In Frankfurt meanwhile, the Qube has opened - the first German hotel for the Chinese, a baby born of the partnership between the Spanish Meliá Hotels and the Chinese developer Greenland. Steigenberger, on the other hand, prefers to expand at home for the time being, in Stuttgart with a third hotel. The Thai Banyan Tree Hotels are having a similar experience. It too is currently expanding mainly in Asia and the Middle East; Europe remains difficult, though still in focus.
Also more news and trends, for instance on international travel expenses and the preferences of German golden agers. Enjoy! – The full editorial …

Dear Insiders,
Quite a bit is moving again in Dubai: Editor-in-Chief Maria Puetz-Willems and our correspondent, Dania Saadi, were on the road again for you… The destination is developing with giant strides and several superlatives were again announced at the 20th "Arabian Travel Market". However, all of this no longer sounds as obsessed from long before.
Only one is imposing: How government, airlines and hotels work together on a large goal. At the same time, they always have a surprise ready: Now Dubai police is also driving Lamborghini and Aston Martin …
Austrian resorts are also working on new concepts: They are creating new luxury suites and luxury chalets, but prefer a quiet, sensitive luxury – combined with "old values" like friendship and nature.
Meanwhile, global participation, mergers and cooperations continue to increase. Far East Orchard from Singapore concluded a joint venture with the Australian Toga Group and Spanish NH Hoteles has finally brought home the rescuing participation of the Chinese hotel group, HNA.
Steigenberger has published balance sheet numbers for the first time since the takeover by the Egyptian Hamed El Chiaty, additional brief news leads, among other things, to illegal guest houses in France and to Four Seasons in Vienna. An issue that resembles a miniature journey around the world …
The new contribution on our publically accessible microsite "Solutions" also fits excellently: PEP offers are as popular as ever. "meinpep", begun in September, 2012, exclusively allows staff members from the tourism and hotel industry an inexpensive holiday: There are discounts on flights and hotel overnight stays. "meinpep", by the way, was also a co-exhibitor at the ITB "World of Hospitality" joint stand this year. – The full editorial …

Dear Insiders,
There's luxury and there's luxury. The uppermost segment of the hotel industry contains both standardised 5-star chain hotels and individual luxury providers. Presently, local grandees are coming face to face with the global players. Vienna currently provides a good example of this trend, and cries there for better differentiation in the luxury segment are now becoming louder.
Overloading in the top segment is, however, nothing new: In rapidly growing markets like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, work has been done on better differentiation for two years already. The luxury chaos shows one thing: Standard classifications are useless because they're too weak.
Following the opening of Ritz-Carlton and Kempinski, my colleague, Romana Kanzian, takes a look at Vienna's top hotel segment and two weeks ago in Lucerne, I spoke to Kempinski CEO Reto Wittwer on his own self-imposed luxury limits and new lighthouse project. He predicts: "At some point, there'll be a Ritz-Carlton too much."
The Vienna article shows how competition in the luxury segment is weighing on the 4 and 3-star category. At least this is what the CEO of Revpar Guru found on the US market. We give a few tips on how this dangerous downgrading can be avoided.
Positive news from the funds front: AIFM regulation is becoming ever more precise. Special funds, many of which invest in hotels, have now been given the reprieve. And the Austrians are attempting to attract young hoteliers into taking on family businesses with cash injections. Also, Accor is now also pushing its individual MGallery brand in German-speaking Europe, and Swissôtel definitely goes East.
In the next two weeks, my colleague Susanne Stauss will welcome you here as I make my annual trip to Dubai and Doha. – The full editorial …

Dear Insiders,
The hotel moves closer to the guest online, in particular through Social Media. But shitstorms are the boomerang of incorrect use. Romana Kanzian on this virtual platform with which professional communication is required, but does not exist in hotel practice.
Experts also discussed this playful seduction by the web at the 3rd "World Tourism Forum" in Lucerne. But, plentiful Apps and photo gimmicks to entice the customer to more consumption? Slowly, the experts - thank god - speak of the fact that it is a matter of tying together the available customer data only with relevant information … Then, advertisement will likely also function on the web.
The success of the private room intermediaries is, by the way, also a result of online booking availability and community thinking. In Berlin and Hamburg, however, they wish to now clamp down politically on this "grey hotel" market. This might please many hoteliers; nevertheless this segment will not be exterminated.
The unexpected CEO sacking at Accor made headlines this week, as reported in the "Breaking News". Yesterday, at Accor's general shareholders meeting in Paris 300 employees were demonstrating against the major shareholders Colony Capital and Eurazeo. With Four Seasons, well informed sources see a new CEO arriving - neither a hotelier nor a real estate expert this time …
How long one remains in office as a Greek Tourism Minister is presumably as uncertain. Olga Kefalogianni struggles at a quite different level: Their budget has been cut to 10% of the original amount, but they must nevertheless market the country. A short conversation in Lucerne. Additional colourful news and the annual report 2012 from Choice.
Also new on our "Solutions" microsite, freely accessibly for all users: All hoteliers can outsource their eCommerce activities to the Puetter GmbH. The young service company renders online activities measurable. – The full editorial …

Dear Insiders,

Indignant Viennese have complained to the "25hours hourly hotel" that is located in their neighbourhood … A small farce on the fringes and on time for the big party.
The industry-wide signal has been given to Union Investment to launch the first special funds for budget hotels. 400 million Euro is to be invested. This could give a new market push to this segment.
Meanwhile in the global market, the gap between budget and luxury will further widen. This confirms the rising number of the super-rich worldwide and the slowly progressing shift in the monetary balance of power. Figures and changes.
As a result, life for five-star hotels has not become easier. Their target group is at least as inhomogeneous as those of the budget hotels and is still 1000 times more demanding. This becomes even more obvious, the stronger the guest mix itself changes … The luxury guests have literally changed their face. The spending behaviour, however, as individual hoteliers report today, does not always change.
From the news: Carsten Rath, inventor of the Kameha Grand hotel concepts, only has a say in the operation of the Kameha Bonn through the licence and service contract. The owner has taken over the operating company. The market for serviced apartments in Germany is growing at a consistently high level.
Ramada and Austria Hotels observe their competition through the Channelmanager from RateTiger. The result: OTA revenues increased, legal costs lowered. Today, the new contribution on our Microsite "Solutions" – our forum for service providers and suppliers who offer solutions – explains how this works. Have fun reading! – The full editorial …

Dear Insiders,
Currently, Google is working on "Google Glass", mobile "glasses" that explain the world to us on the way, lead us through the world and are something with which we are able to talk, take pictures and make videos. The idea puts mobile in an entirely new dimension. Our colleague Romana Kanzian has gathered a great deal of information about the effects and functionality.
Google representative Dr. Bernd Fauser provided the keyword in a panel discussion about the power of mobile during the ITB hotel conference in March. Once more, this discussion showed the discrepancy between development and realisation.
Google, however, is not invulnerable, as a report about a competing search engine in Russia reveals. There, Google has nothing to say – local search engines have started advancing triumphantly.
Spa hotels are also in need of strong online distribution and strong marketing. Pointing this out to every single hotelier of middle-class spa hotels has even been a challenge for the consortium of Wellness-Hotels & Resorts. In cooperation with beauty24 and GfK, WHR defined the trends for 2013 only recently.
Surprisingly, Starwood's EMEA President Roeland Vos resigned this week. Starting in June, the 55-year-old will continue to work as a consultant for Starwood in future. At Leading Hotels, the next executive is taking her leave following in the wake of Claudia Roth – as reported last week. This time it is Claudia Kozma Kaplan, Senior VP & Chief Marketing Officer since 2011. And there is a new CEO at Azimut Hotels.
The news of the sudden death of Thomas Klippstein, a well-respected General Manger of Kempinski, made me sad; the media's hounding about his Stasi past put a sudden end to his career at the Adlon in 2006. Such news should also provide new food for thought.
HospitalityInside's preparations for the real estate and investment trade show Expo Real in October have become concrete in surprisingly short time, in particular for the planning of the joint stand "World of Hospitality". Eight hotel chains and four other co-exhibitors already confirmed their participation up to now though the early bird discount will still be offered until April 25th. Alongside Accor Hospitality, InterContinental Hotels Group, Grand City Hotels and the Louvre Hotel Group, Kempinski Hotels, Marriott International, Choice Hotels as well as Derag LivingHotels will be present for the first time. More on our page 1. – The full editorial …

Dear Insiders,
Developers and investors are rushing more than ever to serviced apartments. Their streamlined personnel structure, more favourable construction methods and operations promise them higher yields. However, be warned before lumping it all into one: A consulting firm has brought the key numbers from "Select Service" hotels in the USA under a magnifying glass. They do not perform that well in times of crisis.
However, Adina Apartment Hotels is defending itself against being classified as serviced apartments - with limited services. They offer more to living and service. The management team of Adina Europe emphasised this during an interview with hospitalityInside.com. The crisis barely unsettled the properties, Germany has become the base of the Adina expansion and new investors are announcing themselves.
The "CEO-Panel" also successfully demonstrated unusual concepts at the "ITB Hospitality Day" in Berlin. Christoph Hoffmann of German 25hours Hotels and Loh Lik Peng from the Asian Unlisted Collection definitely have in common an enthusiastic core clientele and future potential.
Additionally travel with us today to East Europe and Switzerland. International players such as Rezidor, Marriott or IHG are splitting the Russian market and A locations amongst themselves while the largest domestic chain, Amaks, would sooner romp about in the B destinations. A detailed analysis provides deep insight into this market.
Meanwhile in the Swiss Andermatt, the Egyptian Samih Sawiris continues to fight for his dream, for a mega destination resort on a former military site. With this, he has now financially committed himself even more than before. A contribution regarding his business empire and a look at the Orascom figures.
From the news: Claudia Roth, long-standing EMEA boss of The Leading Hotels of the World, was  ditched by her boss, Ted Teng. Reto Wittwer restructures the development team with Kempinski and additionally gives his Management Board colleague Markus Semer more authority. And last, but not least, Rocco Forte has lost its property in Abu Dhabi – and also Oetker Collection withdraws from there.
Do you know the World Tourism Forum Lucerne? It ambitious to become the "WEF" for the tourism industry. Register for the third convention from April 17-19. Details on our front page. Again, hospitalityInside is  media partner of the event.  – The full editorial …

Dear Insiders,
After the IHIF Berlin, many hurried along to Cannes for the MIPIM, the spring barometer for all commercial real estate. And this points upward: The investors' mood is rising, for the first time again, new mega projects are announcing themselves and everybody wants Germany. This fits to the current cheering shout of the German Hotel Association: In 2012, the industry operated at a pre-crisis level first time – however: The prices still lie 10 percent under the European average!
As a result, the euphoria for the "safe haven" Germany should have actually received a damper, but this is clearly not the case. Presumably, the gap in Germany between the higher European prices will also not change so quickly since the German market is currently registering the large bed increase in the hostel and private room market. It has borne a new, influential species: The "Social Tourist". A new study describes who they are and how they will also give the established budget chains cause for reflection.
The social component receives another accent from Shangri-La: As a part of our sustainability series today, we will introduce this Asian group that quite specifically drives education and continuing education in the local sphere with their hotel staff members and protects the environment at the same time.
The social factor, the work-life balance, also occupied two students who questioned two employers during the Hotel Conference of the ITB. You can find a summary of the dialogue between Gen Y and the hospitality companies in regard to career, children and salaries today on our Page 1, including the link to the YouTube video.
From the news - further summaries from the IHIF and ITB talks and in addition, we are introducing the new German resort brand, Holler Hotels – and more. Read for yourself!
Today, you can find the link to the photo collection of the Cornell and EHL Alumni who took part in the IHIF/ITB Reception in Berlin as well details of the upcoming Cornell Regional Meeting EMEA in Helsinki in April!
hospitalityInside will take leave for the Easter holidays next week; the next issue will appear once again on the Friday following Easter on the 5th of April. – The full editorial …

Dear Insiders,
After initial news from the IHIF investment conference and the ITB Berlin tourism fair last week, today we bring you the first detailed articles on both events. More will follow. Berlin hasn't seen quite so much action for a long while.
The gap between budget/midscale and luxury continues to grow. This was also reflected in Hotel Hall 9 at the ITB. At the same time, IT/technology is taking up ever more space. There is a time in which sensitivity is required. I ask myself here why Hilton celebrates the opening of a Waldorf Astoria in Berlin with grand style but then decides not to take part at the ITB? And why Leading Hotels as marketing association is absent from the world's largest tourism fair, but invests instead in an appearance at a relatively small investment conference? Our ITB summary also looks at the results of the first sales weekend at the ITB.
At the IHIF, four CEOs - from Hilton, Starwood, IHG and Marriott - sought to present themselves as a force for good in the world, though their final impression was less than convincing. Experts which looked at investor behaviour in various markets seemed more credible.
I personally am very pleased with the new record of 2,142 visitors at the hotel conference "ITB Hospitality Day". The appeal of the event illustrates the growing thirst for content. No longer volume, but content determines today's ideas and target groups.
Our first summary of the Hospitality Day panels looks at ideas for young travellers. And this article, and those that follow, aren't only accessible by subscribers, but to all users! Click on Page 1 or on "Network". On our home page, there are also links to the hotel conference's video sessions - in full length!
HospitalityInside was also present with the "World of Hospitality" joint stand in Hall 9 right to the very end of ITB. Read on Page 1 and under "Network" how the co-exhibitors found the second ITB appearance and how they judge their trade fair business. – The full editorial …

Dear Insiders,
The first two professional visitor's days of the ITB 2013 were very busy, the mood unclouded in spite of persistent economic uncertainties. Details on this next week in the calm as our team is still on the move in Berlin. Additionally today, the first sales weekend at the trade show begins – we shall see what it brings.
The ITB Convention by all means enjoyed great resonance once again. The "ITB Hospitality Day" designed by us was once again among the best-visited conferences with 2,142 visitors and marked a new record of its own. In the tenth year of the ITB Convention the important barrier of 10,000 Hospitality Day visitors was broken - we count 10,908 in total!
Only a couple pieces of important news today from the investment forum, IHIF – from Wyndham/Grand City, Fattal, Steigenberger and from the young German prizeotel. It was rather tumultuous behind the scenes because it has been a long time since the appointment plan was not filled by talks with CEOs and top developers. Each one provided powerful acceleration.
In several talks, also before the trade show, hoteliers expressed their distribution worries, which is why we point today to a new book on price strategies.
Appropriate with the tourism week today, the second part on the subject of resorts in which the seven chains questioned express themselves on the trends.
The eco-luxury chain, Six Senses, is now choosing the path from resorts to city hotels. The new CEO of Six Senses, Neil Jacobs talks about the new focus 'urban resorts' and the new development company.
Moreover, we are beginning a new main focus with today's issue: Online law. In the future, IT and eCommerce specialised lawyer, Peter Hense, will comment on developments within this increasingly important segment; he also counsels the members of the German Hotel Association.
How did you like the IHIF and ITB? Write to me with your impressions! – The full editorial …