News & Stories

Bad Aibling. In Switzerland a new, international consortium has been founded. In addition, the Association of Alpine Gastgeber also promotes it members - small family businesses.

Hirschegg/Kleinwalsertal. Just recently, there has been a change in General Manager at the 1 year-old Travel Charme Ifen Hotel. In addition, there is a new person responsible for hotel openings and support in sales and marketing. The resort hotel group is expanding quickly.

Frankfurt/Eschborn. At eight locations in Germany, the first Best Western Plus hotels opened their doors. Up to 60 hotels of this new category are planned in Germany.

Berlin/White Plains. Dr. Klaus Naeve, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Schoerghuber Stiftung & Co. Holding, has validated his plans - and has sold the last hotel shares of its subsidiary Arabella Hospitality SE. Starwood Hotels & Resorts has taken over 49.8% of Design Hotels AG in Berlin. What Starwood wants with it is still entirely open at the moment.

Aerzen. Within one year, the German marketing consortium "Feine Privathotels" has brought on eleven members. The optimisation of the concepts and the expansion of the membership has progressed.

London. The dynamic competition in Europe finally inspired the bed giant Marriott to rework its concept for the medium-class brand Courtyard by Marriott. After 18 months of investigations and development, a new profile for the European market was introduced which concentrates purely on the demands of the European business traveller. In doing so, the US chain has shown unusual amiability towards Europe and the regions. The focus of expansion is not Great Britain – as normally – but Germany and France. Last week, the European management of Marriott introduced the showroom for the new Courtyard buildings in London. The details.

Paris. Louvre Hotels Group signed a partnership with Jin Jiang Inn to promote the development of hotel tourism between France and China. Step by step, Jin Jiang enters all important markets worldwide.

Paris. The 2012 Relais & Châteaux Guide has been published in a new layout. Europe remains well represented in it; however, the cooperation's fan community is growing in double figures in the US, too.

Hong Kong/London. With one to two new hotel openings per year, the Asian company Mandarin Oriental Hotels is one of the world's more cautiously expanding hotel groups. The standards are high. However, the average room rates seem to indicate that a consistent concept and precise, controlled planning is a recipe for success. The acquisition of the German Rafael Group in 2000 paved the way for the Asian company to expand into Europe. The result was obviously a relaxed relationship with Europe's higher costs so that the company now hopes to see the exceptional figures recorded in other destinations also in Paris, where a new hotel has recently been opened. Christoph Mares, Director of Operations for Europe, Middle East and Africa gave an interview to Maria Puetz-Willems on the status quo and the company's strategy.

Kempten. Does the internet cause the touristic world of brands to stumble? What is best - brand concentration or brand diversification? Is the role of brands being over-estimated in the hotel industry? Dr. Marco A. Gardini, Professor at Kempten University and author of the book " Mit der Marke zum Erfolg", describes the brand performance as "labelling" or "name cosmetics" in the hotel industry. In the following interview with Susanne Stauss, he expresses his criticism about brand loyalty, multi brands and brand fusions.