News & Stories
Munich/Tokyo. On Wednesday, Japanese Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. has announced the 100 percent acquisition of guest feedback platform TrustYou. The company's management will remain to be lead by the two founders, Jakob Riegger and Benjamin Jost, in collaboration with the global management team of Recruit, who is committed to stay on board on a long-term basis.
Bangkok. Global competition is not only driving hotel groups in Europe. In Asia too, family-operated groups must redefine themselves. Banyan Tree, based in Singapore, has brought AccorHotels on board as shareholder. Shangri-La Hotels, based in Hong Kong, and Taj Hotels, based in Mumbai, have formed a strategic alliance. Thailand's Dusit Hotels, on the other hand, will try its luck alone: For this, Chanin Donavanik, CEO of the hotel group up to 2015, has brought in a woman as Group Chief Executive Officer: Suphajee Suthumpun, formerly CEO of Thaicom. One and a half years after its launch, the new strategy is attracting interest. 29 hotels in operation stand opposite concrete plans for a further 48 – plus another 40 in China. The symbol for this move into a new era is the demolition of the legendary Dusit Thani Hotel in Bangkok by mid 2018: The luxury group's original hotel will make way for a modern mixed-use complex.
Vienna. After Verkehrsbuero Hotellerie achieved a 5.1 increase in revenue, which was significantly above the industry average, revenue rose by another 8.2 percent in the first four months of 2017. The majority of the hotel business was generated by the 16 Austria Trend Hotels in Vienna.
Dubai. Ten years ago, Emaar Properties, one of the biggest land and real estate developers in Dubai, founded its hospitality and leisure business division. Full of confidence, the first hotel brand was called The Address Hotels & Resorts. Since then, Emaar Hospitality Group has seen several CEOs come and go – and delays in its plans, as many others have also seen in Dubai after 2008. On April 1, 2017, Olivier Harnisch took on the reins as CEO. Up to then, he was COO The Rezidor Hotel Group in Brussels. The man, a cosmopolitan to be sure, who speaks no less than seven languages, is to push forward the national hotel group, also across the Middle East. And for this he has plans – including a modified model for management contracts.
Amsterdam. The French travel more often than the Brits and Germans. Most still prefer to stay in hotels rather than in alternative accommodation. A new report about "multi-generation travel trends" also reveals the travel preferences of Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Boomers.
Paris. Pierre-Frédéric Roulot is a busy man. On top of being the CEO of Louvre Hotels Group, he has recently taken over as head of the Chinese Metropolo brand for the management and development of Jin Jiang Hotels in Asia. These two networks represent over 2,500 hotels in 52 countries and boast 15 brands. In an interview with Sarah Douag, Pierre-Frédéric Roulot now explains why and how he successfully exports the French "savoir vivre" to China while trying to import the Chinese flair to Europe. Louvre's key European markets – UK, France and Germany – will certainly benefit from this approach.
Frankfurt/M. Once a week, Max Luscher calls a dissatisfied guest. In so doing, the Managing Director of B&B Germany responds to a negative review. And he wins each time – specifically, the guest back. In the era of the online check-in and social media hype, speaking to guests directly is obviously the best way of securing customer loyalty. And Luscher is just as sensitive in his approach to another challenge – in making B&B even more appealing and more profitable. There is news.
Salzburg. The Austrian national tourism office welcomes every opportunity to send Austria's pictures into the world. Now, the energy drink company Red Bull lends a helping hand by having those films, which Austria's tourism produces in tons, play on one of their online channels in the future.
Hainan. At the very latest as HNA acquired a 9.9 percent stake in Deutsche Bank, more and more insiders are asking themselves: Who's behind HNA and what objectives is the Chinese company pursuing? Over the past 20 years, the regional airline has developed into an international conglomerate which has set out to become the biggest hotel group in the world. With its investments in Red Lion, Hilton, NH, Carlson and Rezidor, it has begun to spin the first comprehensive network. The most recent victim of this strategy was Rezidor CEO Wolfgang Neumann, who officially stepped down last Friday. hospitalityInside.com spoke with him and summarises HNA's current ambitions.
Vienna. School children are convinced that they make a key contribution in deciding the family's holiday destination. Ask their parents though, and for them "security" has top priority when making the decision. But: 12-year-olds already research the holiday destination before booking online and form their opinion that way. The internet and colourful pictures have an effect. Various studies on how people decide on their holiday destination have questioned just how much influence children have. Vienna House Hotels are targeting the mini decision-makers of the family on 1 June at the International World Children's Day with a special marketing idea.