News & Stories

Moscow. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company will open its first property in Russia mid-year 2006, a 332-room hotel in Moscow. The 11-story hotel replaces the old Intourist hotel which was demolished in 2002.

Berlin. The number of new hotels opening in Berlin seems endless: The day before yesterday Marriott celebrated the opening of its 267 room Courtyard and Accor yesterday swiftly followed with its 274 room Dorint Sofitel. Accor announced, however, the Dorint Sofitel would be the last of the new hotels to be opened in Germany for 2005.

Innsbruck. Innsbruck in Tyrol, Austria, shows how difficult it is even for a two-time Olympic city to attract international hotel brands. Four new hotels with 500 rooms are planned and under construction, respectively, but only two of them have already found an operator.

London. During the last years tourism in the resort destinations of Asia was rather successful. On most of the regions the Tsunami catastrophe won’t have any longterm influence. Experts from HVS International researched the development of Five Star Resorts in this region. The result of their “Asia Hotel Watch”: The growth will go on.

London. 2004 was overall a positive year for most of the Asian nations. While the economy seems to recover quickly hotels profit from the positive development, except for Taipei in Taiwan. HVS gives an outlook on important asian cities.

Ditzingen/Stuttgart. The German travel business sees itself confronted with a whole host of new challenges. Some, such as the weak economy and high unemployment, affect all commerce. Others, such as the internet, dynamic packaging or fast growing low cost airlines have direct ramifications mainly for tour organizers and/or travel agents. The outcome of a recent study gives information about the most important trends and offers solutions.

Munich. The Honorable Sir Rocco Forte was the only one who made the gentlemen in grey laugh during the foundation stone laying ceremony of his third German luxury hotel in Munich last Friday. "I am not a Heuschrecke", said the courageous hotel operator from Great Britain alluding to the most recent lapses in German economic policy.

Frankfurt/M. Between 2000 and 2003, Europe’s hotel markets had to cope with the difficult economic conditions. A new study of 25 European hotel markets reveals a more relaxed situation for 4 and 5-star categories in the course of 2004. There are separate analyses for Munich and Hamburg.

Toronto. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced two days ago that it has assumed management of five renowned Kenyan hotels following their purchase by Kingdom Hotels International in a joint venture with IFA Hotels & Resorts and Fairmont.

Dubai. Emirates is embarking on yet another large-scale capital investment, only this time it's not an order for more aircraft.