News & Stories

Turin/Milan. In April, there was a transaction between Spanish NH Hotels Group and Italy's largest bank Intesa Sanpaolo. Now the bank has entered into a new agreement with the major NH shareholder, the Chinese group HNA, in order to sell a share of the stock to them as part of the previous deal.

Strass/Zillertal. Strass, the small town at the beginning of the Austrian Ziller valley, has been considered the "spa hub of the world" for years – thanks to the pioneer Heinz Schletterer. Now, the entrepreneur has to admit a bankruptcy of millions. Only Schletterer Consult might survive.

Dubai. Several hotels from the portfolios of Alila, Grace and Corinthia Hotels have become founder members of the new "Ultratravel Collection", a joint venture between Travel Leaders Group, Global Hotel Alliance and Ultratravel.

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.