News & Stories

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.

Wiesbaden. The fight for the private hotels has broken out between the consortia and chains. The least among them belong to global brands and the most stand closely settled throughout Europe - exactly where the big chains are approaching their limits at the moment through their expansion on the basis of management or franchise contracts. With this, a large acquisition pool has arisen for the chains and at the same time, the inventors of the standardised brands are registering the wishes of many guests for more individuality – and to promptly create less standardised offers. These new brands carry names that no longer reveal a relationship to the "mother". The result: Chains are rising to the competition of consortia. What do the classic consortia offer? The reactions of Accor, The Leading Hotels of the World and Worldhotels.

Rome. The Autograph Collection: the name sounds poetically independent, and nothing is reminiscent of the parent company, Marriott Hotels. This is intentional. The American bed giant with 3,500 hotels is now pressing ahead to promote its 18th brand in Europe as well. The Autograph Collection targets the bastion of independent individual hotels – but they seem to be much less easy to convince than expected by the US managers. After two years, the dynamically expanding chain only has 26 franchisees worldwide. Only nine of them are located in Europe, which has the biggest pool of individual hotels. Last week in Rome, when four Boscolo hotels were included in the chain, Marriott seized the opportunity to introduce the concept officially. The superficial presentation in American-style, however, gives reason to doubt whether Marriott is taking the right approach in continental Europe. The only counterargument: Marriott's distribution power.

Vienna. Austria’s biggest hotel chain is a relatively unknown company: Jufa. The name derived from the "Styrian youth and family guest houses”. With 43 hotels either operating or under construction and further hotels in the planning stage, Jufa clearly surpasses the 33 Austria Trend Hotels belonging to Verkehrsbuero Group. Now Jufa is also expanding to neighbouring Germany. As regards urban hotels, Jufa pursues a different strategy compared to the rural ones. The 515-room hotel in Vienna, which is currently under development, is considered a role model.

Madrid. Mariano Pérez Claver, new president and CEO of NH Hoteles since March, sets a course: The hotel group changes its organizational structure, strengthens the commercial and cost control divisions and replaces the management of Sotogrande. All this measures are part of an efficiency improvement plan.

Frankfurt. 18 new hotels have joined Romantik Hotels & Restaurants in the first nine months to October of this year. Accordingly, the consortium now counts 213 hotels in 12 countries.