Editorial

Dear Insiders,
Kick-off in Brazil! Campo Bahia, the base camp of the German national football team was barely finished for the opening of the FIFA World Cup 2014. The hotel consultant and operator Stephan Gerhard talks about single kitchen pieces, water in the rooms, headstrong employees and traffic chaos.
And once more the World Cup – 2022 in Qatar! It was the main reason for a 20-minute interview with Qatar's head of tourism, Issa Al-Mohannadi – enough to draw some core statements from him and get a bit more of a feel for the Arabian mentality. They are drawing up plans on paper in a professional way, as shown by their tourism strategy 2030. The kick-off in Doha is eight years away – team spirit is what is needed. And that is the actual challenge for the super rich emirate, whose managers have surely never met any hooligans and whose traditional country will be churned up by diggers and picked to pieces by the media ...
Diggers and cranes currently dominate the cityscape of Warsaw. Here, the 1st "Spotlight Hotel Investment Poland" hotel conference took place, attracting nameable investors and operators and thus demonstrating: Poland wants more! Local hoteliers partly criticized a politician in attendance. An initial summary of the status quo on Poland's hotel market can be found on our first page accessible to every user. hospitalityInside acted as a media partner at this event.
Speaking of partners, HR heads should consider themselves partners of their future employees and try to understand their wishes – paying a visit to blogs and social media once in a while. This is where employees relentlessly evaluate their companies. We will present you with tips from two longstanding hotel experts in book format.
And today's news: a report on franchising in Europe, Schoerghuber's hotel losses, Jumeirah's mega cash injection and poor PR performance, and more. – The full editorial …

Dear Insiders,
The chains are becoming increasingly interchangeable – yet at the same time are increasingly falling back on private hotels. Now, Hilton has also launched a "soft brand". Curio does indeed pique one's interest, in particular because the very same interchangeable hotels would fit into this pool as into Marriott's Autograph Collection, Accor's MGallery or into Rezidor's new Quorvus Collection. One can only say to owners of individual hotels here: Accurately compare the fees and check system delivery!
Conchita Wurst, the man with a beard in a dress, recently won the Eurovision Song Contest. As a result, Eurovision will be hosted by Austria next year. Hotel rates are already going up.
The Austrians are very sensitive and progressive when it comes to tourist events and trends. Accordingly, a traditional cure hotel shows how to respond flexibly to changes in the market with a vegan fasting offer. This has brought the industry together with medics and researchers. Their findings have provided many ideas for new concepts in health tourism.
In the second instalment of our Arabia article today, Hilton, Carlson Rezidor and IHG report on their plans for expansion - above all in Saudi Arabia.
The InterConti Davos is insolvent. Only six months after its opening. Its plight is due to the leaseholder and perhaps also a few other parties. Who got their sums wrong? As I see it, this is a case of unbelievable unprofessionalism. This is far from Spain's hoteliers' wishes, they want to be more professional. They demand special regulation for the industry, in particular in view of taxation and costs. In Austria, Red Bull is visible as hotel industry patron, whilst tourist boards all but directly impede financially strong visitors from Scandinavia.
Results from the 2nd "Investment BAROMETER" by hospitalityInside.com and Union Investment are now available. Return considerations are the main driver of investment in hotels at the moment, ahead of diversification and security. The overall sentiment on the hotel real estate market remained good in the 1st quarter. The general trend is described on our Page 1 under "Market Check", subscribers can already read more in the magazine. – The full editorial …

Dear Insiders,
One side of Dubai that always excited me was how it always set trends and realised brave projects, for instance with spectacular architecture. From the flood of information I receive as a journalist, this time it was the futuristic plans for the new ME by Meliá that caught my attention.
From the perspective of hotel developers, the world appears considerably more sober. Dubai has meanwhile been inundated with hotels, now they have to push new regions: Their favourite country in the Middle East is currently Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom, which is difficult to access for non-Muslims, markets itself as the land of milk and honey... Dania Saadi asked regional heads of large hotel chains where they will empty their horns of plenty - and why.
Participation certificates: Do SMEs have a real chance of accessing capital in this way as an alternative to bank loans? Beatrix Boutonnet is sceptical. She provides a comprehensive explanation of the pros and cons of these little "preference shares".
In France, the government has waded into the court case against booking.com.; the Chinese have increased their stake in NH through Italy; Accor CEO Bazin comments on the mega purchase of 97 hotels and the Austrian spa specialist Schletterer is insolvent. And we comment on the rumours surrounding the IHG takeover in another way. – The full editorial …

Dear Insiders,
The MICE trade fair IMEX again revealed the analysis of event business: Germany maintains its position as MICE leader in Europe and also benefits from much more international business flowing into the country.
In Italy, the hotel industry is characterised by frustration. President of Federalberghi, Bernabò Bocca, gave a speech at the association's general meeting. From this, the entire misery of the Italian hotel industry was clear. Nevertheless, there is hope: Overnight stays were up for the first time in the first quarter of 2014.
In our series on sustainability, the Spanish Meliá Hotels explains this week what it is doing in each of its individual brands as well as at corporate level in various committees.
In keeping with sustainability, this week's edition also contains an article on climate change which will change tourism. "We need a new holiday!" one expert claims.
Swiss citizens also decided last Sunday that Switzerland doesn't need a minimum wage. This lifted a huge worry from the hotel industry's shoulders. The Football World Cup in Brazil moves ever closer. HVS has analysed the hotel market in the land of the Sugar Loaf. In Austria, mass tourism weighs on added value, and a new hotel collection has been created in a joint venture with the Global Hotel Alliance and others.
The first "Spotlight Hotel Investment Poland" also moves closer. The new investment conference, for which hospitalityInside.com is media partner, had some very prominent speakers for its guests, as you will read on our front page. – The full editorial…

Dear Insiders,
More than a decade ago, Emirates managers told me that Dubai would be redirecting worldwide tourist flows. This is coming true. Dubai Airport's passenger figures surpass those of London-Heathrow, and soon, Dubai will take over the title of most frequently visited city of the world from London.
For the eighth time in a row, I was on my annual visit to Dubai, and last week's images resemble those of 2007/2008. The second boom has arrived. But is it good or bad? The fact of the matter is, the Emirate is realizing its vision thanks to billions of dollars, extreme discipline, and perseverance. No other region in the world is able to manage this at the moment, which should be acknowledged, despite all skepticism. Dubai has become purely multi-cultural, a bustling mixture of people from all over the world and no longer a hardware potpourri consisting of glass towers and malls…
Today, my colleague Dania Saadi from Dubai and I are reporting on self-confident Arabian statements, the latest trends in the real estate sector, giant new projects and concrete new hotels. Expo 2020 has triggered an unimaginable boost. And that is why now, in May 2014, there is no criticism at all regarding this new boom, just like in 2007.
The fact that investing in hotels is considered sexy is documented by the most recent and upcoming IPOs of international hotel groups. However, share values often show great volatility. We report about the IPOs of La Quinta and Playa Hotels, Dalata, Prince Hotels, Scandic, and Gruppo Statuto.
Change of subject – change of pace: the new mountain resort For Friends lures us into the mountains of Tyrol. Ukrainian capital, however, demands 5 stars including gourmet cuisine in this idyllic solitude. Will this concept work out?
In addition, we have various contributions on TripAdvisor and Choice, booking.com, quarterly results of Hilton, Meliá, Motel One, Preferred, and the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz – and more!
An editorial note: Some readers did not receive last Friday's newsletter including the headlines of last week's issue. In the meantime, we suspect the reason: we used common terms for same-sex partners in our article on Axel Hotels and several firewalls prevented the forwarding of the newsletter. – The full editorial…

Dear Insiders,
Since the "Arabian Travel Market" in Dubai this week, there are now hotel rooms above the clouds. Maria Puetz-Willems admired the suites and apartments of Etihad Airways on site. As hoteliers, you too will be amazed at the meticulous detail of the hotel atmosphere and services offered in the air.
This edition provides an initial summary of the extremely dynamic tourism fair as well as further news from the Middle East. More from Dubai and from the ATM then next week.
Switzerland was also an issue in Dubai - Arabian investors love the Alpine country. A scientific analysis of the 5-star investors in Switzerland shows their share is growing. The study with its many tables, names, figures and background detail is, however, only available in Germany.
Also attractive for investors is the Spanish hotel brand Axel geared towards the gay market. In an interview given to our Spanish correspondent Beatriz de Lucas, Axel founder Juan P. Juliá describes the key characteristics of his unusual group.
Improved operational expertise by investors is a reason for one trend identified by associations such as Worldhotels and Preferred: More chain hotels are switching to consortia. One of their explanations for this is that investors are focusing more than ever on the ROI on their hotel real estate...
Also this week: Students in Schwerin describe culinary destinations in Germany, hotel groups including IHG, Marriott, Steigenberger and Victoria-Jungfrau Collection publish their quarterly or annual results, HRS surprises with a change to their listings and Adrian Zecha resigns. The internationally highly-regards pioneer changed the luxury world with Amanresorts. After the sale of Aman Group, new managers are now in control. – The full editorial …

Dear Insiders,
The number of events and the flood of information on distribution and marketing have risen steadily for years. The Messe Berlin had one more event on the schedule this year - "provisionally" and therefore hardly noticed by many. Before the ITB, there was a four-hour pre-summit on "Omni Channel Marketing". Speakers - from Facebook to GfK - provided basic explanations and details. I have summarised key statements for you.
Our correspondent Macy Marvel looks at the creeping but crucial changes in online distribution today. He reports on the new relationship between the Internet giant Google and the diminutive Room77 whose software allows individual hotels to advertise in the search engine - side to side with the OTAs. Another complex and trailblazing issue.
It will now take a further two years until the path is cleared for the new Buergenstock Resort near Lucerne. It will be 2017 before the mega investment by Katara Hospitality is completed. This was clear at the start of construction for the forest hotel. Photos reveal a top standard though. We report on the current state of play for this spectacular resort renovation.
The spectacular Steigenberger headline - namely the desire to operate 60 hotels in Berlin - quickly turned out to be an embarrassing flop this week. And changes in top management at Accor again attract attention. Choice, Hyatt, Orient-Express, Starwood and Wyndham reported - mostly - positive results for the first quarter. And more in today's edition. - The full editorial...

Dear Insiders,
Four Seasons has always had a way of showing others, including larger chains, how to do luxury. Now it will fly its guests with its own branded jet across the globe. A real PR hit and nice wow-effect for spoiled guests!
Remaining true to yourself is also a "luxury" which HRS would like to allow itself in future. By innovation, streamlined structures and selection, Managing Director Tobias Ragge aims to give the group a new profile. In a background interview with hospitalityInside.com, he indicated how HRS will evolve in future alongside Booking.com and Expedia. OTAs were and are a mega discussion point for the European hotel association HOTREC. Now it has established a task force for private room intermediaries. I met President Kent Nystroem just before Easter in Rome, and he and his German colleague Markus Luthe explained the challenges facing the association.
Qatar is among the destinations that continue to pursue their tourism master plan in view of the Football World Cup 2022 and will soon tempt tourists with a mega zoo in the city desert. This is expected to attract millions more visitors to the emirate. And there can only be superlatives here, for instance a 7-star tree-house hotel...
And in other news: Italian Bank has provided Spanish NH Hotels with more power in Italy; Orascom Development has posted serious losses for 2013, Accor and Rezidor report their first quarter results 2014, in Tyrol the winter season failed and at Romantik Hotels and Ringhotels, personnel changes and strategic announcements point to new paths.
And last but not least: Anyone wishing to be part of the joint stand "World of Hospitality" at Europe's leading real estate and investment fair, Expo Real, in October in Munich should get a move on: Early booker discounts will soon expire... more on our start page. - The full editorial …

Dear Insiders,
Fairtrade is a new trend for hotels of all stripes: Offering Fairtrade products and even Fairtrade bedding is environmentally friendly and shows social conscience. And guests are obviously prepared to pay more. Romana Kanzian has collected colourful examples.
Fred Fettner leads us this week into an exotic world: to Sanya in Southern China. As in many emerging markets, beds are being added in their thousands, irrespective of demand. The latter is to be created with mega projects. Top Austrian managers from renowned chains report of their experience on site.
Readers can learn much from the experiences of others, either by reading customer ratings or busying themselves with other opinion leaders. The University of Applied Sciences in Worms recently presented a comprehensive study on customer reviews and fakes after surveying key provider portals and hoteliers in five countries. We have summarised the results and attach the comprehensive analysis as a PDF.
The last talk round at the "ITB Hospitality Day" Berlin, summarised by us today, also looked at the role of hotel reviews, ratings portal analysts and bloggers. Now that user-generated content is generally accepted, everyone is asking how best to filter through the new flood.
All users can read this article as well as our announcement for the premier of "Spotlight Hotel Investment Poland", which will take place at the beginning of June in Warsaw; a brain child of various renowned organisers. hospitalityInside.com will be media partner for the event; a first in Eastern Europe for the magazine. Details on our Page 1.
At the European level, experts also expect positive hotel developments for 2014 and 2015. According to a recent study, there is still a lot of potential for chains in Italy. Wyndham defines its partnership with German Hospitality Alliance new and the new majority shareholder of Kameha will likely focus on other locations to those considered up to now. Last but not least there are new quality standards for Serviced Apartments.
Also, a last call for our 2nd survey on the "Investment Barometer". Use the quite Easter break for a few clicks... Only those who take part will receive the full results!
And one final personal note: If you sent eMails or faxes between 3 and 8 April, and are still awaiting a response, please send again. Some faxes and mails received over this period were automatically deleted immediately after receipt as a result of a server error.
A colourful edition for you this week - the last before Easter. hospitalityInside will appear next on 25 April. – The full editorial …

Dear Insiders,
The budget operators earn good money. Macy Marvel provides the business results and plans of Ibis, Motel One, Louvre, B&B, Premier Inn and Travelodge in an overview full of numbers. Exciting! My conversation with Mark Thompson, Head of B&B Germany, was a pure coincidence concerning time. He gives us an update about the "simple" profile of his successful brand, which plans to continue to open about 12 hotels every year in near future. In addition, a growing number of HNWI are becoming investors. And the online check-in will start in four weeks.
Keyword online: TripAdvisor wants to remain a review platform and is increasingly looking for the affiliation of smaller hotels as well. Whether they will be able to afford the underlying "Cost per Click" model remains open, however.
At the "Online Distribution Panel", the hoteliers were full of self-criticism at this year's ITB hotel convention. The common perception with OTA representatives and pricing experts was the following: for a long time, it has been about the price but now it is about price controlling.
Online and the misuse of data are very close as the keynote speaker of the "ITB Hospitality Day" explained: the KPMG expert warned the hoteliers of data attacks. It is no longer like James Bond but reality, he warned urgently.
All hospitalityInside users are able to read the two ITB summaries; the other contributions are only available in the magazine for subscribers.
And today's pieces of news in the magazine are the following: Accor and its Mercure franchisee RIMC have a quarrel; the city hotels in Spain are suffering considerably; the EU introduced proposals for visa facilitation in the Schengen States; the last-minute app HotelTonight also integrates hostel offers now...
The second round of the "Investment Barometer" by hospitalityInside and Union Investment has already started. All those who have promised to participate should do so now... Please register via the banner! – The full editorial …