News & Stories
Zurich/Berlin. For the first time a "Swiss Hotel Industry Yearbook" has been published. The book is published by the hotel association hotelleriesuisse and the Swiss Association for Hotel Credit and is available in both French and German versions.
Prague. Choice Hotels International has taken leave from the principle of master franchise and has now placed its expansion focus on "software": Satisfied franchisees and guests are to bring the group forward. The new sales and marketing instruments focussed more than ever on the quality of the product, staff training, guest wishes and online marketing. This week in Prague, around 250 franchisees and Choice managers met for the first pan-European congress. Among them was Steve Joyce, President and CEO of Choice International since one year. "Achieving More Together" was the motto of the conference - a sensitive appeal for team work through the crisis.
sculpture "Die Obacht".
Amsterdam. Golden Tulip's "rescue" doesn't seem to be coming along as quickly as intended. Two parties are currently working together with administrators Van Banthem/Keulen in Utrecht to find a solution and to ensure the continuation of the popular Dutch brand.
Zurich. The rumours surrounding the Dolder Grand in Zurich are showing no signs of waning. Industry insider Martin Candrian, former partner of majority shareholder Urs Schwarzenbach in the Dolder restructuring, is stepping down from Dolder's supervisory board. The departure of the experienced industry insider whose family firm Candrian Catering AG runs two hotels alongside 20 public houses has caused an immediate stir.
Frankfurt. On 1 April 2009, EP Group Germany GmbH/Mark Hotels acquired two Steigenberger hotels, the Badischer Hof in Baden-Baden and the Duisburger Hof in Duisburg. The hotels are to be integrated into the EP portfolio, though under what particular brand remains unclear. At the same time EP announced that as of 30th June, the former Steigenberger Hotel Axelmannstein in Bad Reichenhall will be repositioned under the brand Radisson Blu. Independently of this, Steigenberger's management contract for the Hotel Drei Mohren in Augsburg will soon expire; the owner didn't renew the contract.
Berlin/Zurich. "Up to now, Moevenpick has been sailing along the coast, but now we have picked up speed to cross the ocean," says Jean Gabriel Pérès vividly describing the status quo of Moevenpick Hotels & Resorts. On June 1, the Frenchman will have been ten years at the head of the Swiss-German hotel group, "and we have fulfilled many plans," summarises Pérès. The 2008 business report, which was issued this Monday, is proof of the successful course: for the sixth year in a row, the group managed to increase its operational result. Despite the fact that Moevenpick is no longer a quoted company, Pérès' motto for 2009 is about maximizing revenues and growing faster. At the same time, he wants to improve product quality such as employee qualification. In doing so, Moevenpick trusts less in globalization, but in regionalization.
