News & Stories
Kiel. After corona, competition will focus, even more than before, on two factors: a solid financial base and quality. The Atlantic Hotels Group based in Bremen can and wants to deliver both. Its new 5-star hotel Severin's in Rottach-Egern on Lake Tegern is to top the flagship in Sylt, while its new smart brand unique, on the other hand, will mix up the lifestylish copy-paste concepts. A conversation with owner and investor Kurt Zech, and the two Managing Directors Markus Griesenbeck and Marc Rohe.
Minnetonka/Brussels. Choice International is to buy Radisson Americas for 675 million dollars. This was the news of the week. There was speculation ahead of the deal that Radisson would be sold soon, but bets were on Hyatt or Wyndham to sign it, not Choice. The American master franchisor surprised everyone as it agreed to take over 68,000 additional rooms – while Radisson is cutting itself off from an important source market. Was Jin Jiang forced to sell?
Vienna/Milan. Italy is the main focus of Falkensteiner Michaeler Tourism Group, whose CEO Dr Otmar Michaeler has now unveiled ambitious expansion plans to make premium quality the standard: Going forward, the company wants to operate only at the luxury level: with hotels that will all belong to The Leading Hotels of the World, with 5-star serviced apartments and premium camping. With the new business unit "FMTG Invest", the company also aims to become the alternative financial vehicle for the hospitality industry.
Berlin. The Radisson Hotel Group has long struggled with the acquisition of the prizeotel hotel brand: In 2016 it acquired only part of the shares. The rest followed in 2020. Insiders already saw the brand in resale. Corona then provoked a collective rethink. Now not only prizeotel CEO Connor Ryterski is happy, but also Radisson. The concept and design have been overhauled and the company is set to expand rapidly.
Berlin/Paris. "I've been looking for positive news for the last two and a half years," Sébastien Bazin says as he introduces the 30-minute meeting at IHIF Berlin last week. Now there is positive news: higher room rates and returning group business. The Accor CEO continues to drive the chain toward stronger cross-brand thinking, multiplying success stories and a condensed expansion. Will he also condense the 43 brands? "I created my own monster," he admits, promising to clean up. An update.
Paris. Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs has revised its current operating profit target for 2023 downwards, citing postponements of real estate programmes, greater selectivity in its development projects, and rising costs and salaries. Together with its investors, the European leader in leisure residences has given itself 12 to 24 months to reach the objectives of its "Reinvention 2025" strategic plan.
Berlin. The conclusion of IHIF 2022 in Berlin is: optimism meets worries. The Easter boom showed: travellers just want to get away. Investors and operators would like to take off, but at the same time they are completely thwarted: there are no products, few transactions, but massively exploding costs and fierce inflation, far too expensive properties and rising interest rates... Anyone who signs now is betting on pure risk.
Berlin. Scientists from Germany have compiled in a study what could inspire the new start of tourism from Easter onwards: "Low Touch Tourism", minimised risks, a larger offer and open communication, even on price increases.
Berlin. The Serviced Apartment segment was able to recover further in 2021 and continues to grow with a pipeline of 15,000 units until the end of 2024, albeit at a somewhat subdued pace. This is one of the findings of the recently published "Market Report Serviced Apartments 2022" for Germany. In particular, service-reduced apartment buildings have grown and are also turning into short-stay providers. This is driven by digitalized providers such as Numa and Limehome, which have become strong competitors of the classic hotels. In contrast, the pandemic for aparthotels is far from over.
Augsburg. WiFi, peace and quiet and a view of the beach... That's how many people imagine their workation or bleisure to be. It’s not only large hotel groups looking to help realise such dreams, but also more and more holiday clubs. But it can all go very wrong. Although the potential of New Travel with New Work is great.