News & Stories
Doha. In Qatar's capital city, two thirds of branded hotels belong to international hotel operators. But there are still many to come. Between now and 2022, when Qatar will finally be a hotspot of public interest thanks to the FIFA World Cup, there is still a lot to be done – also in the hotel sector. By 2022, the number of hotel rooms and apartments will have risen from 19,000 to 65,000. These masses of hotels have to be structured at an early stage and new hotels have to be given future-oriented guidelines. Therefore, the country's supreme tourism authority, the Qatar Tourism Authority, commissioned a German consultant with the development of the hotel classification criteria. These will be more demanding than those of the European hotel umbrella association HOTREC. And starting this year, there is even a minimum of requirements for investors and developers.
Zurich. The Swiss tour operator, Kuoni, has announced the separation of loss-generating tour operators in some European countries as well as the B2C online hotel platform, Octopustravel, and is currently reviewing exit possibilities.
Port Louis. Five star hotels offering partial or full all inclusive packages are now under pressure of Mauritius Tourism office Board.
Munich. Crises, wars and disasters primarily stamp the picture of Africa negatively. However, hotel chains have long ago cast an eye on this market that still promises much growth. Now Michael Thalmair, a Masters graduate of the Faculty of Tourism at the University of Munich, has looked deeply into ten well-chosen African capitals and has analysed the hotel chain industry there with the support of Zarges of Freyberg Hotel Consulting. With the examined capitals, Accra and Pretoria, among others, fell into excellent conditions for investment. Extracts from the study indicate two cities with great potential and two others with great challenges.
Lausanne. How many people know that there are 49 nation states in sub-Saharan Africa? Of course, most of these countries are quite unattractive for hotel development due to rickety infrastructure, corruption, bureaucratic red tape, poor sanitary conditions and lack of personal safety and security. Nevertheless, in spite of the immense challenges facing hotel operators in the region, development is going forward at an accelerating pace, due in large part to a significant pickup in economic growth in recent years, particularly in the countries with important energy resources, like Nigeria, Angola and more recently Ghana.
Salzburg. "It has once again been shown that congresses are less sensitive to economic performance," Bert Brugger, Managing Director of Tourismus Salzburg GmbH, concludes. In particular, the classic congress business will ensure than the perfect year of 2011 will again be followed by another record year in 2012. Despite the city meanwhile having an established congress house, a new multi-functional hall and a diverse range of hotels, there still remains a large question mark over growth for 2013. Theoretically, the city now has the facilities to host large congresses for up to 6,000 participants. Demand for this is not there.
Vienna. The rich uncle no longer comes from America. In Austria's hotel industry, more and more Russians and Ukrainians have taken over this role. In the Alp arch from Oetztal to Gastein, Eastern European capital is purchasing an increasing number of objects, mainly hotels. And often, their future use remains unclear. The calculating of the purchase price often remains vague – many purchase sums are based on speculative approaches and the purchasers act undercover. The reason for the new desire to purchase is manifold and even goes as far as wanting to obtain Austrian citizenship.
Bern. Swiss hotel companies may continue to convert existing buildings into second homes. Second homes can also be built where these are used for the purpose of tourism. This was the decision of the Swiss Federal Council on Wednesday as it set about implementing the Second Home Initiative. The hotel association hotelleriesuisse, hotel companies and tourism regions are relieved by the move.
Bern. Switzerland's mountain regions demand a new tourism model and a tourism bank like the system used in Austria. The demands come in reaction to the recent result of the Second Home Initiative in Switzerland.
Munich. The financing of hotel properties has been the most important topic in the majority of industry talks in the last few months – even more important than in the previous year. Therefore, financing and assets, development and agreements will be the focus of the 11th hotel conference at Expo Real 2012 from October 8 to12 in Munich. The kick-off will be a two-hour nonstop session solely about financing – and the audience is to play a part! About 25 executives with illustrious names will participate in the five panel discussions at the "Hospitality Industry Dialogue" on Monday, October 8, 2012. Among them are well-known decision makers of the hotel and investment/real estate industry from London and Paris. Many of them will give a talk at Expo Real for the first time.