News & Stories

Dubai. Here's the reality: no one is to escape this economic crisis. Not even Dubai. It doesn’t matter how fancy the city looks, how much money is being pumped into the economy or whatever counteractive propaganda is being spread around, there’s no way out. Tourist arrivals and hotel occupancy decline massively; Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing already recommends to reduce rates. Meanwhile, hotel rates in Dubai are like a roller coaster ride. Building cranes ceased to work, staff is released. The luxury fairy tale Dubai is over.

Vienna. 2008 was a record year for Austrian tourism. Room nights increased by 4.2 percent exceeding the ten-million mark for the first time. The Minister for Economic Affairs warned of too much euphoria.

Bern (December 12, 2008). The Swiss tourism year 2007/08 was a very positive one. With increase in overnight stays at 3.7%, Swiss hotels crossed the 37 million mark by quite a margin. Summer season 2008 closed up 1.8%

Hanover. The TUI Wolters tour operator will be renamed "TUI Ferienhaus" as of 2009. Apart from well known "TUI Schoene Ferien", "TUI Premium" and "TUI Weltentdecker" travel worlds, the catalogues of the "TUI Ferienhaus" travel world will combine offers of 18,000 holiday houses and apartments.

Vienna. For the first time, the world-famous Hotel Sacher in Vienna, is risking a step into management. It will operate a 19-room and suite noble hideaway in an Austrian top-class skiing destination. "Managed by Sacher" says the subtitle of this resort - it tastes like chocolate on a Sacher cake and ensures a worldwide reputation. The investor of the boutique hotel is a Russian oligarch who is also hitting the headlines in other matters at the moment.

Duisburg. The German tour operator alltours have taken advantage of the real estate crisis on Mallorca and bought the 4-star hotel Bahia del Este. Further hotels are to follow. At the same time, the company announced a new hotel standard focusing more on quiet and comfort.