News & Stories

Frankfurt. On this early summer day, Karl Schattmeier nearly beams as brightly as the June sun. The Chairman of the Managing Board of the Sentido hotel group reveals the reason. "Including the two Nile ships, we are now the second largest hotel group of the Thomas Cook Group with 26 hotels; we are a heavyweight with more than 100,000 guests in the 2010 summer season," says Schattmeier happily. About one year after the official market introduction in the 2009 summer season, he self-contentedly took stock last week in Frankfurt for the first time. Sentido and Sensimar, the competitive brand of TUI, are becoming more and more alike. Therefore, the question arises whether the market needs such brands or not.

Wiesbaden. The once euphoric expectations of the exclusive German tour operators with respect to the Football World Cup in South Africa were in vain. The crisis and safety have influenced booking figures. Last-minute business is running at a satisfactory level now. The biggest hope for the country concerning tourism is positive reports about the games. Three German tour operators have been authorized by the FIFA. They report on their experiences with booking. Special offers round about the biggest football event of the year have been piling up in the last minute as well.

Dublin/London. In Ireland, only 5% of hotels are generating a profit, hotel experts say. The impact of the over supply factor combined with the economic downturn is directly evident in hotel margins with declines in average occupancy and average RevPar. But this situation is not unique to Ireland, and not only the Irish sector badly needs to move from short term measures aimed solely at buying time to a more strategic approach aimed at restoring long term predictability and management stability to the sector. A case study of the Irish hotel market and similarities and differences to the UK.

Frankfurt. Exhibitors and visitors experienced a lively IMEX 2010 in Frankfurt. IMEX Group Chairman, Ray Bloom, said the show has once again set new records for hosted buyer numbers and countries represented. During the show hospitalityInside.com heard many positive comments. Also, a new IMEX for the U.S. was announced.

Frankfurt/ Main With a share of 15 percent of all outbound European trips, business travel plays a major role for tourism Europe. A study analysed the “promotable business trips” in detail with a special focus on the German event market. This is a multi-billion business. Nevertheless, due to the crisis business travel declined by eight percent compared to the previous year. The new situation also challenges hotels to adjust their offers.

Munich. Again in 2010, Expo Real will be taking up six halls at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre, covering a total of 64,000 sq.m. of exhibition space. This equals the level of bookings achieved for Expo Real 2009. Europe´s largest trade fair for commercial property and investment takes place from 4 to 6 October 2010 in Munich. Hotel experts are looking forward to the "Hospitality Industry Dialogue" coming up with hot topics again.

Frankfurt/Main. As a destination for meetings and conventions, Germany is number 1 in Europe for the sixth time running and number 2 in the world-wide rankings, which have now been published by the International Congress & Convention Association.

Bethesda. Actually you can meet virtually at five teleconference studios in Marriott Hotels located in the US. New locations in Asia, the US and Europe for "telepresence meetings" will follow soon.

Frankfurt. Marriott Hotels & Resorts published results of a survey among business travellers of the four major markets U.S.A., China, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Only the Chinese plan to increase travel.

Dubai/Abu Dhabi. "Why should investors from the Middle East put a foreign brand name on their roofs? This is a question asked by more and more local business people," Thomas Tapken says, Group General Manager of the young City Seasons Group of Hotels in Dubai. He himself has spent the last eight years with Moevenpick Middle East and now brings his knowledge to bear for the benefit of an Arabian investor family. Among the brand new local hotel chains in the United Arab Emirates is Action Group – and this group quite consciously places foreign brands on its roofs. Newly established companies like this one are exposed right from their inception to competitive pressures originating from established hotel groups such as the Abu Dhabi National Hotels, the oldest hotel group in the region, or Rotana Hotels, one of the oldest of the new groups. They all have one thing in common: The intention to grow quickly – either alone or aided by international brands. Newcomers to the Arabian hospitality sector learn quickly and hone in on "best practices". Each one, however, wants to retain its own signature traits.