News & Stories

Shanghai. Shanghai counts sixty luxury hotels today, though only a few of these compete on an international level. That at least is the view of Rainer Stampfer, who for the last four years has been General Manager of the Four Seasons Hotel in Shanghai Pudong. However, the growing hotel offering in the luxury sector is set for more arrivals, his colleague Rainer J. Buerkle, General Manager of the Ritz-Carlton Pudong says. In 2016, the world's biggest Disneyland will open and send a new signal: Shanghai is no longer to be a mere financial centre, but also an attractive tourist destination. Baerbel Schwertfeger visited China and today throws the spotlight on Shanghai with these two senior managers.

Barcelona. Because Barcelona's new mayor Ada Colau doesn't want her city to turn into Venice, a place where locals have been pushed out by tourists, she has decided to put the tourism industry on hold. All hotels developments are frozen for one year resulting in huge delivery delays and 15 to 20% higher costs per room to be expected in the next 3 years.

Frankfurt. Achieving above-average growth rates, Germany's major cities and metropolitan regions maintain their leading position regarding incoming tourism. Particularly the city states attract international tourists.

Paris. This year, once again, the Tour de France brought the world's attention to the country. 4,000 hours of beautiful images of the destination were broadcasted on TV in 190 countries. Hotel occupancy increased everywhere the "caravane" stopped, increasing the RevPar by double digits. Sports events will promote France even more in 2016.

Munich. Fast WiFi is the most important amenity when booking business travel, reveals a first "Business and Technology Travel Study" carried out in Germany, France and UK. Smartphones and laptops make travelling a productive time. Business and leisure travel is blurring.

Frankfurt/Berlin. The business travel market only accepts offers of the share economy reluctantly. Proof of this is found in the current edition of the VDR "Business Travel Report 2015" for Germany. The hotel industry achieves record figures.

Frankfurt. For the first time, the loop luxury trade fair will no longer take place following the ITB Berlin in 2016, but rather has chosen an independent date in April. Registrations are now possible.

Athens. To what extent the political deadlock of the Tsipras government is currently influencing the tourism in Greece has also remained to be unclear this week – during the days following the Greek referendum. Independent of this, TUI has separated from its partner Grecotel. A snapshot.

Bern. Hot weather in the valleys could drive some tourists into cooler mountain regions. In general though, the Swiss hotel association hotelleriesuisse remains pessimistic at the beginning of high season. Overnight stays continue to fall, price pressure remains.

Santo Andre/Munich. A year after the football World Cup in Brazil, the owner of Campo Bahia, the quarters for the German World Champions, has an eye on the sale of the facility.