News & Stories

Innsbruck. The only large hotel newly opening this summer in Tyrol, Austria is daring something new with its location and its concept: 5 Star luxury away from the tourist centres; the four restaurants and half board typical to Austria have been dropped. "For Friends" launches July 5, 2014, twenty kilometres away from Innsbruck.

Wiesbaden. If one is to believe the uppermost bosses within the chain hotel industry, their brands have not lost their attractiveness. Internationally-active consortia and special providers of niche products see this differently: They are currently experiencing strong growth – the immigration from the large brand hotel chains. If one is the reality, is the other pure PR. The emotive word for the switch is "individuality". Along with this, many owners have complained to the consortia regarding the chain standards that create expenses.

Stuttgart/Dubai. A bank and a credit card company jointly analysed the spending mood of travelers. The result: more and more Germans want expensive trips, but in 2013, Arabians were the ones who spent the most money on travels.

Schwerin. Food and drink crown every holiday trip and both indeed strongly impart the spirit of the regional culture. This is why students from Schwerin have examined the "culinary tourism" within Germany: The southern federal states and Thuringia are at the forefront here.

Madrid. In 2003, the dream of Juan P. Juliá Blanch became true: the first hotel of the first gay chain in the World: Axel Hotels. What today seems obvious, it was not so clear then but he fought for a company that has not stopped growing in a nonstop-growing market. Today, the group operates four Axel Hotels in Barcelona, in Maspalomas at the Canary Islands and Berlin. But his project is not only a business development. It has also a social role. hospitalityInside's Spanish correspondent Beatriz de Lucas talked to the 44-year old founder and president about myths, challenges, ghettos and tolerant places that make people happy.

Nuremberg. The newly established Campo Bahia, the World Cup quarters of the German National Football Team in Brazil, will soon be completed. A table indicates where the other teams also dream of the champions' title.

Frankfurt. Worldhotels launched its global loyalty programme "Worldhotels Peakpoints" last week. It's one of the first all-virtual global loyalty programmes in the hospitality industry.

Berlin. Why is it that Omni Channel Marketing is blossoming? Because today, many people are sitting on their sofa and communicating over many channels at the time: They watch television, surf on their tablet, pop onto Facebook, answer emails quickly, chat through What's App and perhaps additionally talk on the phone… The picture of the "omni-present" person is quickly characterised as a "couch surfer". On which of the channels, however, can they be reached? With what cost and what budget? The Messe Berlin struck a new thematic path this year with the first "Omni Channel Marketing" Day the day before the ITB.

Frankfurt/Munich. Romantik Hotels & Restaurants AG will temporarily provide the luxury of four members of its Board Directors in the PLC. Among whom is the successor for Inge Struckmeier, who will officially leave the company at the end of the year. Ringhotels also decided to change details in its structure and to push expansion massively.

Brussels/Berlin/Rome. As a general rule, there is not a great deal that penetrates to the outside; behind the scenes, however, the officials within the European hotel industry are exerting great effort in defending the hotel industry against business-damaging influences stemming from the market and from the policy. Particularly counting among them in these current times are the battles against the giants of the online travel agents and the new competitors from the grey area of the private room portals. However, many topics are also dictated by the EU, which is why the European umbrella organisation of hotels, restaurants and cafés, HOTREC, also sits in Brussels and makes use of the quick paths the politicians. "The EU sees the voice of the hospitality industry in us," HOTREC President Kent Nystroem emphasises the growing perception of the industry lobbyists. They have learnt over recent years to argue with hard numbers and facts.