News & Stories
Amsterdam. Traveling from one city to another to inaugurate new NH Collection properties has become a full time job for Federico Gonzales Tejera. The NH CEO, who in the past few months, has been seen in Rome, Amsterdam and most recently in Berlin, travelled to the Dutch capital in April to celebrate the rebranding and re-opening of three iconic hotels joining the NH Collection. Together with Maarten Markus, Managing Director of NH Hotel Group in the Benelux, UK, France and Africa, he welcomed hundreds of guests and showed them what this new upscale brand was all about. Our correspondent in Amsterdam, Sarah Douag, checked out the new spirit of the three historical buildings and talked with Maarten Markus about brand positioning, guest expectations and development.
Toronto. In the last few days, the luxury hotel group Four Seasons has allegedly dismissed about 50 executives at global corporate level or transferred them around the globe. The history of Four Seasons has never before experienced such a wave of staff changes at top level. The company itself puts things into perspective.
Last night, Sorya Gaulin, Director Global Corporate Public Relations and Social Media, from Toronto, did not want to confirm the number 50 to hospitalityInside.com, but she admitted that single positions were eliminated and instead, investments made in other areas of responsibility. She talked about a "restructuring" of the company and a reconcentration of energies.
Insiders report the following changes – which were also confirmed by Sorya Gaulin on request: Christopher Norton, current Chief Product Officer, will also take over the position as COO. Chris Hart, President Americas, leaves the business after 27 years as well as William Makay in Singapore, who joined Four Seasons in 1982 and became President Hotel Operations Asia Pacific in 2014. Guy Rigby, Vice President Food and Beverage, will leave the company in a few months as well.
The position of Chris Hart will be taken over by Christian Clerc, who has been working as President Hotel Operations EMEA in Dubai up to now. Clerc's job will be assumed by Simon Casson, currently Regional Vice President in Dubai and GM of the Four Seasons Jumeirah Beach. The position of William Makay will be taken over by Rainer Stampfer, current Regional Vice President in Shanghai and GM of the Four Seasons Shanghai Pudong.
Amongst others, top-level managers in HR development, in sales USA, in PR as well as top finance experts such as Chris Garland and Jeff Blakeman have allegedly been dismissed. However, Sorya Gaulin did not want to confirm this explicitly. She did admit though that the procurement department will be outsourced – as many other hotel groups have already done.
Rumours that the development department should be closed down as well were rejected by Sorya Gaulin: on the contrary, they will invest vigorously in this business field. There will be great re-investments in half of the positions, generally speaking. It is simply not true that Four Seasons is losing its culture. And she added: "We have to realign our resources; we are a small group in competition with big groups."
Brussels. The red is quite a shock, especially when arriving in the evening as a single woman by taxi: Bright red fluorescent lights frame the entrance to the Radisson RED in Brussels. What's hiding behind them? A nightclub, here? Directly next door to the European Parliament? It's not obvious what's behind, as the broad glass front and the revolving door are also illuminated in red. A peek into the lobby is impossible. The entrance scenario is meanwhile a discussion point among guests and for Rezidor itself. The red sends a clear signal: The Radisson RED is breaking with all classic hotel standards. And Rezidor wants to show that it too can do millennial! A visit to Brussels, to the global pilot project for the new brand and an interview with Rezidor CEO Wolfgang Neumann and COO Olivier Harnisch.
Wiesbaden. Through all its distribution problems, is the industry ultimately losing sight of the guest? Whilst, in response to Airbnb, the global chains are currently in the process of expanding their portfolios to include holiday home platforms, often acquired at great expense, the smaller groups and consortia are focusing on the core values of the hospitality business. They score points with the guests through their personal services, authenticity and cordiality. Arcona Hotels focuses on a "motherly" concept, whilst Ringhotels changes its entire brand essence around the motto "Experience real home pleasures" - and are even expanding their quality criteria to include regional aspects. And Vienna House is turning the entire group upside down to be able to give its guests a new home from home. Online Genuss portals are also being created as well as quite real Genuss regions.
Kleine Scheidegg. To enter the Hotel Bellevue des Alpes in the Swiss Alps is to step back in time – to at least the early part of the last century. Early on a February evening, voices speaking in English, Schweizerdeutsch, French, German and, maybe Dutch and Swedish as well, can be heard before a crackling fire in the cosy Victorian-styled foyer. By 6 p.m. all is quiet outside except for the faint groaning of snow cats, grooming the ski trails for the following day, evoking a bit the atmosphere of Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film, "The Shining". At an altitude of 2,070 metres, this ski-in, ski-out hotel is unique – and a reference to the "good old past", very much appreciated today.
Madrid. Global consumers are increasingly spending their disposable income on experiences rather than material goods. Consumers' desire for life experiences is spurring a growth in luxury travel that is outpacing the rest of the travel industry. A new report shows details of the development in this segment, differentiated by regions and client tribes.
London. On June 23, Britain is organizing a referendum to decide if the country should leave or remain in the European Union. A simple "Yes" or "No" to this question could have massive consequences on the economy should the vote result in leaving the EU. Tourism institutions and hospitality professionals are already blowing the whistle. The British Hotel Association warns that no matter what the outcome, uncertainties around Europe have already created angst amongst businesses and investments. The vast majority of businesses in the country have many Continental European staff; furthermore the BREXIT could not only damage London's reputation as a global financial hub, the city is also likely to see an exodus of global corporations as a result. Should the UK decide to "go alone", there will be significant changes to the hotel landscape.
Vienna. As the hotel industry is pulling out all the stops in the cities in order to slow down the US-platform Airbnb, are private landlords discovering the platform as a new opportunity – just as Airbnb is discovering the holiday regions. Now the tourism association Mayrhofen is a pioneer.
Berlin. The two-year grace period is over since last Sunday, May 1, 2016, it will get really expensive. Now the Alienation Prohibition Act for Residential Space is effective in the city of Berlin – and a fifty-percent-rule for tourism. Airbnb and Berlin could not agree with each other and therefore the platform now published own figures.
Minneapolis/Beijing. The next deal is done: Few weeks only after Marriott/Starwood take-over was approved by shareholders, consolidation in the hospitality industry continues with Carlson/Rezidor being sold to Chinese group HNA for allegedly 2 billion dollars. Part of the top-10 largest hospitality companies in the world, the Carlson Hotel Group operates 1,400 hotels in more than 110 countries and territories under brands including Radisson, Park Plaza Hotels and Country Inn and Suites. Not much about future strategies has been shared so far, except that HNA will invest massively and develop the existing Carlson's portfolio starting with Radisson Red.