News & Stories
Berlin. He sees himself today as a "mediator" between property owner and construction industry, as hotelier among real estate economists and as architect among hoteliers. Five years ago, as Olaf Steinhage went into self-employment and set up "hospitality concepts" in Berlin, none of this was even clear to him. Meanwhile, the number of employees has grown from six to 18 and the reference list of hotel and resort projects is long. The real estate economist has taken residence in his niche: As service provider, it's sometimes the banks, sometimes project developers and sometimes hotel groups that now ask for his support.
New York. Nearly one year ago, Welf Ebeling and Marshall Calder left the Leading Hotels of the World. The former disappointment of the long-year Leading managers about the style-less separation procedure at the time has been transformed in new and positive energy. Welf Ebeling founded “The Syngenuity Group” in New York - in addition to his colleague Marshall Calder, he took on board several external, experienced and effectively networked partners in Europe and Asia. The result is not a new market presence, but a team that provides consultation services in questions of marketing, sales and operations and is also able to connect to hotel companies and industrial businesses as an external office. The Syngenuity Group thinks and works globally.
London. With profits plunging and companies adopting a remorseless focus on creating efficiency, one would have been forgiven for expecting senior leadership to come under the microscope; and for there to be some resultant upheaval. A study of CEO turnover at the 50 largest hotel companies in the world reveals however that a change in the company's Chief Executive declined by over 50% in 2009 from 2008. Furthermore, succession rate in 2009 is the lowest it has been for the past five years.
Munich. In March, the Department of Tourism of Munich University for Applied Sciences will see the first German master degree programme in hospitality management. Close collaboration with renowned hotel companies has already been concluded, as the study will be a full-time programme instead of running alongside with work. Based on real-life specifications, the university expects high demand. By 2015, Accor wants 10 percent of its General Managers to have a master degree. An interview with Professor Dr. Burkhard von Freyberg, who is responsible for the master programme.
Wiesbaden. For many hotel owners, another year ended in which no successor has been found. Thousands of transfers of undertakings are set to follow in the coming years in Europe's SME-dominated hotel industry. Those with no suitable successor in the family must make early preparations for an alternative solution. But even the family-operated hotels with successors in their own ranks face a whole range of problems. An analysis of the possibilities and the uncertainties.
Frankfurt. On the occasion of the annual convention of The Leading Hotels of the World at the end of November in Venice, Ted Teng, President and CEO, announced the new training initiative of Leading Hotels worldwide called Leading Learning Institute.
Dubai. The glittering city of Dubai has always been good at providing surprising paradoxes: The once booming market has currently fallen into a deep depression and the plug has been pulled on many projects. As a result, hotel employees, including managers, have had to leave the country within the shortest space of time. All the same, hotel staff are now again being recruited – and this time it's not only in Dubai but throughout the entire region, in particular in Abu Dhabi. The paradox is that staff who still have a job are preferred. Criteria used to select staff are quite different to traditional criteria used in Europe. Ulrich Wilhelm, Director for the Middle East, Africa and Switzerland at the consultancy Konen & Lorenzen, Dusseldorf, compares the two cultures.
Bad Reichenhall. "Investing in privately funded education is like investing in a 5-star hotel," Dr Florian Schuetz compares with a smile, "but we're very satisfied with our investment up to now." The 41-year old business graduate from Munich owns 23% of the University of Applied Scienes Bad Honnef Bonn; two third are held by the private equity company Auctus in Munich. Schuetz acquired the UAS Bad Honnef Bonn in 2007. Last week, the institution was extended to take in a further campus in Germany - in Bad Reichenhall close to Salzburg and the Austrian border. The new location was previously the seat of the former Steigenberger Hotel Institute. This is now called the Steigenberger Academy. On the fringes of the opening celebrations, there was more news: Investors in education have also purchased a new UAS in former East Germany. And this won't be the last. Florian Schuetz and Auctus are rapidly becoming the largest investors in private tourism and hotel education in Germany. Their vision: "We want to establish a wide range of education."
Washington. The Royal Plaza on Scotts Hotel in Singapore is the only hotel among ten award winners worldwide that was distinguished by an American organisation for elderly people for its innovative and age-appropriate human resources policy.
Bern. After two years of hard negotiating, a new collective bargaining agreement for the Swiss hospitality industry has now been concluded by six social partners.