News & Stories
New York/Tokyo. A new logo and more room for uniqueness: Two weeks ago at the Annual General Meeting 2010 of The Leading Hotels of the World in Tokyo, President and CEO Ted Teng presented positive annual results. As already reported, Andrea Kracht was also appointed as new Chairman.
Frankfurt. After Karl-Anton Schattmaier and André Witschi, this Tuesday it was Arco Buijs' turn to present the next new future of the Steigenberger Hotels Group. A new model for the future for each CEO - three models from three CEOs in Steigenberger's recent past. Yet the future from 2011 doesn't really look all that different to what it did previously. The new Steigenberger CEO, already in office for five months, presented the new model alone: Neither the long-term CFO Matthias Heck nor Steigenberger owner Hamed El Chiaty were at the presentation. An obvious question thus arises: Is their absence a signal of their opposition? Behind the scenes of the hotel group, the rumours persist that both in terms of organisation and with respect to contents, Steigenberger Hotels is on a course to become an international player: Expansion everywhere, more midscale, more franchising and new management staff.
Berlin. Low budget chain Meininger Hotels has given a British listed tour operator a 50% stake in its company. This is supposed to help expand its business to other countries in tune with the rapid growth the group has seen in Germany.
Wiesbaden. After Oberstaufen in the Allgaeu/Bavarian Alps, the first German cities can now be seen on Google Maps with Streetview. The hospitality industry's response has been a sober one though. Hotels regret the poor quality of the photos - marketing images certainly look different. The German Hotel Association demands that politicians provide for a right to updates.
Frankfurt. Last Friday, the sudden onset of winter, which produced endless traffic jams, unexpectedly thwarted Thomas Althoff in Cologne: at the press conference in Frankfurt, Ameron’s Vice President Edgar Lichter introduced the new Ameron line called “Edition Fine Boutique Hotels” as well as the group’s further plans for expansion. These also include small villas. When it comes to future business development, neither traffic jams nor a snail’s pace are standards the Althoff Group bases its expansion on. The group from Rhineland aims at opening two new hotels per year. With this category, it seems that the group obviously wants to gather new guests for Althoff’s more upscale gourmet hotels.
Singapore/Munich. "GHM Hotels are Asia-based, Asia-inspired and Asia-operated," says Clement Koh, who has been GHM Hotels' Vice President Sales & Marketing for five months now, headquartered in Singapore. The group, founded by Adrian Zecha, manages independent hotels and brand hotels – The Chedi, among others. Now, GHM wants to establish itself in Europe more strongly.
Wiesbaden. In the major European cities, luxury brands of Asian hotel groups have already established themselves for the most part; now they are approaching the Mediterranean with their resorts. There, they want to impress European guests with Asian hospitality. The big attraction among the resort destinations is Greece, and Paris is an especially attractive city. When asking Asian hotel managers and investors why they believe in their success in Europe, the answer is always the same: the Asian concept of service distinguishes its hotels positively from western competitors. The business hotels are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the resorts offer excellent spas. And finally, there are synergies between business and leisure, between European and Asian guests, who travel across the entire world. The state of current expansion of large Asian hotel chains in Europe.
Paris. In the year 2011, the world of Relais & Châteaux will be expanded by 36 new hotels. Most of them are located in Europe. New "ambassador" of the marketing association is the actor Richard Gere.
Dubai. One of the most beautiful hideaways in the world is now in the hands of a standardized hotel chain. The Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa in the desert of Dubai has been part of Starwood Hotels’ “Luxury Collection” since November 1. This could be the first sign of a new strategy.
Budapest. Markus Luthe from Germany was elected into the Executive Committee of HOTREC, the European umbrella organisation of the hotel and restaurant association. At the General Assembly in Budapest, current topics of interest in the industry and the admission of Slovakia were the focus of attention.