News & Stories
Miami Beach. For the first time the Spanish hotel group Sol Meliá will open a hotel under its own brand name in the USA. The Meliá Royal Palm will further underline the hotel group's strategic plans for expansion in the land of opportunity.
New York/London. The Blackstone Group announced the acquisition of Legoland Parks by affiliate company Blackstone Capital Partners IV, for €375m. The deal includes Legoland's four family theme parks in England, Germany, California as well as in Denmark where the company has a 176 room hotel. This follows Blackstone's acquisition of Merlin last month. The intention is to combine the two businesses. The company also announced plans for a hotel at the German Legoland in Günzburg.
Las Vegas. Three days ago Donald Trump and his partner Phil Ruffin personally led the groundbreaking at the site of the new Trump International Hotel & Tower Las Vegas.
Nuremberg. Within as little as ten years, the silver generations' share of the German population will grow by 10 per cent. The older consumer will influence the purchasing power of the future. In 2005, the over-60s have more than 400 thousand million Euros available. The GfK Group, a reputated market research organization, presented her exclusive market survey for the over-60s last Friday.
Muscat. In many aspects Oman develops similar characteristics and dynamics than other Middle East hotel markets. The sultanate of Oman under Sultan Qaboos sees a lot of potential in the hotel and tourism industry. Approximately US$5 billion will be invested in the tourism sector across Oman between 2005 and 2010. HVS International analysed the market*.
Dornbirn. Two large hotel projects are to be realized in the Rheintal, Vorarlberg. Austria's first Four Points by Sheraton is to be completed soon, right next to the Dornbirn Trade Fair. A novel motel concept is also to follow.
Hamburg. Even the tourist industry has meanwhile come to feel the full effects of increased thrift. In 2005, German holidaymakers choose their holidays almost exclusively according to value for their money - and thereby paid more attention to price. The BAT Leisure and Tourism Research Institute in Hamburg asked 3,000 people about the criteria under which they selected their holiday destination for 2005.
London. Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts are continuing their worldwide expansion unbridled. The takeover of the deeply indebted group is imminent; nevertheless, 21 openings have been announced for the period up until early 2007.
Dubai. A new superlative in Dubai is “made in Germany”: A German fund will build a 1,050-room hotel, the biggest in Dubai. Radisson SAS will be operating the “Dubai 1000 Hotel”.
Frankfurt/M. After fierce competition for the much sought-after hotel project in downtown Frankfurt between the old opera and Hochstrasse, the jury has now decided in favour of the consortia revolving around the operator Mandarin Oriental. It remains to be seen if that was the final word.