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...

Dear Insiders, Wrong or imprecise weather forecasts keeps guests away - and given the ever more short-term nature of bookings, can mean real damage. Susanne Stauss plays for us the role of "weather frog".Abu Dhabi can report "clear sunshine" all the time. There, hotels have other challenges to meet - e.g. crisis marketing and overcapacity. Read how Abu Dhabi's dessert flagship Qasr Al Sarab, The Fairmont, Shangri-La, The Yas Hotel and aloft are overcoming these problems."Typical hotel operational or financial indices are virtually useless for vacation ownership business models," Joachim Mezger from Interval says today in a guest contribution on the economic principles of vacation ownership. Difficult but interesting. Also interesting will be your autumn with hospitalityInside. Before we leave today and go into our summer break, we have again summarised our upcoming events so you can make plans in good time.The hospitalityInside team will be back with further news and reports on Friday, 27 August. Until then we wish you happy holidays and good summer business! - To the full editorial...

Dear Insiders, Europe is increasingly opening up to franchise. The current state of play and the differences with the USA are described by the first European Franchise Guide.The economic crisis and volcanic ash cloud have encouraged many companies to look to the benefits of video conference meetings and of cancelling conferences. Nevertheless, Swiss researchers believe face-to-face congresses are here to stay. But: new hybrid forms of congress will come into existence.The Hotel Adler Balance in South Tyrol has learned from the mistakes of the past. It has had to adjust its health programme over recent months in order to remain credible. The success has proved the owner family right. The 10 million EUR restructuring was worth it.Autumn with its full range of hotel conference is rapidly approaching. The International Hotel Conference is meanwhile well established. Again, the conference offers an interesting programme of events with charming network character. hospitalityInside.com remains media partner of the IHC.One after the other, the large chains are posting their semi-annual results, and the Germans again find exceptions for the strictest Non-Smoking Act - and more...

Dear Insiders, "We're still only at the beginning," Motel One Chief Dieter Mueller says, in spite of his company's success. Recently, he has again signed new contracts. Internationalisation is on its way. An interview on brand, strategy, locations and returns. In spite of his success, Mueller is fully aware that others are on his heals with new approaches. Letomotel, for instance – a new brand which already plans three further hotels in Munich. A room from 39 EUR, in a central big-city location – this is a war cry to other established budget providers. Again and again it's a matter of location. And a dream location is something the Baur au Lac in Zurich can offer. The Kracht family has made the grand hotel fit for the future. Read an interview with the long-term Director Michel Rey. Family management is also the secret of the Goebel Hotel's success. We present this hotel under our "Small Chains" category.Accor has reported revenues for the first-half of 2010, and Hartl Resorts again finds itself in court – and much more… - To the full editorial…

Dear Insiders, The second summer season has now begun for the new Hotel Budersand on Germany's favourite holiday island, Sylt. The 79-room hotel with golf course commanded an investment volume of some 60 million EUR, a sum which by any standards sounds ambitious. And the aim was: understatement. Those setting spa benchmarks are often much less modest. Judy Singer, our spa expert has compared international benchmark providers. Health real estate offers great market opportunities, and this is confirmed by our second summary of the Kohl& Partner workshop on this subject. Experts there looked at eight different types of health/hospitality property.The Italian market also seems to hold unlimited potential. But things there are tough. Investors seem to focus on luxury products, but there's a huge demand in Italy for a midscale segment. Also, Willy Weiland's successor at the InterContinental Berlin is announced, there are interesting background details on the sale of the Buehlerhoehe in Baden-Baden and much more… - To the full editorial…