Geneva. Kempinski Hotels have moved into Central Asia for the first time with the signing of a cooperation agreement with Okan Holding, one of
Kazakhstan's leading real estate development companies, covering
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. At the same time the formerly German group gives up its resort Bel Air on the island of Ruegen in Northern Germany.

Rust. Live like monks and nuns, yet a little more luxuriously - from next year, this is exactly what's being offered to guests to the Europe-Park in Rust near Baden-Baden. Family owners Mack are now building what will be their fourth hotel in the park in the last eleven years. This time the style is that of an old Portuguese cloister.

Berlin. The football world cup meant clear increases in occupancy and average room rates for Germany's hotels. Above all, it was stays made by foreign guests which gave the necessary push to this upward trend.

New Delhi. EIH Limited, flagship company of The Oberoi Group, India, announced extensive expansion plans for both the luxury Oberoi Hotels & Resorts and Trident Hilton brands at the 56th Annual General Meeting of EIH Limited, last week. Chairman P.R.S. Oberoi announced 12 new projects in India and abroad.

Frankfurt/M. The expansion of the Hilton Garden Inn brand in Europe has meant serious competition for Scandic by Hilton. It wasn't until September 2005 that Scandic was declared an operating franchise brand. Now the hotel group has now announced plans to open a further three Hilton Garden Inns in Europe.

Dubai. Nakheel, a  leading property developer in the UAE, has embarked on a strategic alliance with Jumeirah Group, the Dubai-based luxury hospitality group.

Munich. The Treugast Institute of Applied Hospitality Sciences founded last autumn in Munich has entered a partnership with the faculty for tourism of Munich University of Applied Sciences.

New York. At the end of the second quarter 2006, the total Construction Pipeline within the US stood at 3,436 projects, or 463,629 rooms.  "It's a new high for this cycle," says Patrick Ford, president of Lodging Econometrics, a Portsmouth-based Research firm.

Paris. In Europe the revenue per available room increased by 4.7% during the first half of 2006, against +1.6% for the whole year of 2005. The recovery accelerates in Germany, France, Spain and the UK. All segments are boasting performance improvements - the 4 star category benefits in particular from an increase in demand. Results shown by the French consulting firm MKG.

Bad Salzuflen. Maritim company HMS International Ltd based in Cologne, has recently signed contracts for two hotels, one in Marmaris and the other in Alanya, on Turkey's south coast.