News & Stories

Duesseldorf. In the age of smartphones, laptops and tablet PCs, Internet access belongs among the standard service at many hotels. But in Germany, 40 percent less hotels offer this service than in the USA.

Hamburg. The boom on the tablet PC market is unabated. More and more Germans already own their own tablet PC or plan to buy one. Now, iPad & Co users are attracting special attention from marketing and distribution experts, in particular because they are considered to consume more than average and have strong purchasing power. Is this right?

Cologne/Munich. Sabre Travel Network and HRS/Hotel Reservation Services have closed a multiannual distribution agreement this week. Meanwhile, the HRS subsidiary, hotel.de, has paid out its minority stockholders, and internet mediators and hoteliers have sent a reminder of more fairness at a networking event in Munich.

Paris. The French Review Commission for Trade Practices issued last week its opinion on compliance with the French competition law. Contracts between hoteliers and OTAs must be more fair it said, adding thinking about a way to tax online operators commissions.

Cologne. Should the German Federal Cartel Office finally force HRS to say goodbye to the rate parity, Managing Director, Tobias Ragge, wants to complain. He said this in a talk round during the 1st "Corporate Travel Forum" in Cologne on Monday.

Vienna. HotelTonight is already present in 150 destinations worldwide. Since 25 September, the system has also been trying to establish a foothold in Austria.

Hamburg. The distribution of smartphones in Germany continues to rise unhampered. An increasing number of smartphone owners are discovering the application of mobile Internet devices for surfing and for mobile commerce.

London. InterContinental Hotels Group recently struck a compromise with the British Office of Fair Trade, which had accused the world's largest hotel group of limiting competition on online hotel rooms.

Bendorf. After the latest decision by the German Federal Cartel Office towards HRS, the German Hospitality, Sales and Marketing Association has initiated a survey among its members on the subject of price parity. The answers demonstrate the internal conflict of the industry.

Bonn. The German Federal Cartel Office expressed its competitive concerns about the "best rate clause" of the online travel agent HRS from Cologne in an official communication yesterday at noon. "After examining the statement of the hotel portal HRS and all other leading market participants, the German Federal Cartel Office issued another written warning to HRS for violating German and European competition law", says the statement. After the first warning in February 2012, HRS received the second and more detailed warning from the competition authorities. Tobis Ragge, Managing Director of HRS, has not given in, however. The German Hotel Association is "exceptionally" pleased about the Cartel Office's decision and hopes that the rate sovereignty will now fall back to the hotels.