News & Stories

Vienna. The demand and the number of guest beds in Austria's lake regions have been decreasing for years now. A current survey not only reveals the reasons but also recommends alternatives, especially for the extension of the season.

Gstaad. It is a new patron's hotel of Switzerland, but it should integrate – stronger than others – the local population once again. The Alpina Gstaad ventures a balancing act with 56 kingly rooms and suites at high-level prices, 14 residences and three chalets at top prices and a refined gastronomy trade at moderate prices. The legend shall live again, awoken by a Swiss real estate agent and an African sugar planter. A Swiss top hotelier who is returning home to his native country after 32 years in Asia and New York has formed the multicultural bridge between everyone and everything: Nik Leuenberger. He must bridge the gap between VIPs, seasonal tourists and locals; he must fight against a growing competition, shorter lengths of stay and melting snow. A visit to the building site in Gstaad five months before its opening.

Lugano. The occupancy rates of the Ticino hotels currently leave much to be desired. However, the future opportunities for hotels in the Italian section of Switzerland are not bad.

Frégate Island/Seychelles. The new GM of the eco-friendly luxury Frégate Island Private resorts on the Seychelles goes on a promotional tour in Europe: He wants to entice families and children and has put together an authentic programme with an old-fashioned fisherman for this.

Palma de Mallorca. At the start of the hot summer months, Europe's coolest surf location, the large holiday resort Calvià Beach Resort, wants to impress with its converted Sol Wave House in Mallorca. The first European "Wave House" simulates "the perfect wave", which is the classical tube of the famous three-metre high wave of the Banzai pipeline among surf pros. With this move, Meliá Hotels International is setting new standards on its home island and participating in the reconstruction of a region with eight hotels.

Gdansk. More than three million spectators watched the EURO 2012 in Poland´s stadiums and fan miles. According to initial estimates, about 600,000 guests from 110 countries visited Poland for the Football Euro Cup.

Rust/Freiburg. Amusement parks are currently experiencing a huge boom worldwide. Europa-Park in Rust, 30 km to the north of Freiburg is doing particularly well: Currently with four million visitors per year, it is the largest seasonal amusement park in the world. And there, the now fifth hotel in the amusement park, Bell Rock, will open on the 12th of July. The first four hotels register continual occupancies of more than 90 percent. Enterpriser, Roland Mack, is also the President of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, IAAPA, this year. "We are experiencing an unbelievable growth", says Mack on the booming industry - particularly in Asia and Central Europe and East Europe.

Hanover. In the winter season 2012/13, tour operator TUI will be launching a new premium experience brand called "Michael Poliza Experiences" and thus enlarging its operator brands.

Cairo/Munich. More than two thirds of foreign tourists regard their own presence in the country as a little annoying for the local population. In comparison, the perception by the locals indicates a completely different picture: More than every second person feels disturbed by the presence of tourists. 63 percent say that the Europeans themselves do not adapt to the culture of the country. This is the stupefying result of a study by the Jade College in Wilhelmshaven. For Professor Torsten Kirstges, a danger lies within it for tourism development in the Arabian country. Along with this, the expert also sees the hotels as responsible.

Frankfurt/M. The cost-reduction potential for business travels has been exhausted in German businesses. Especially low-cost airlines have become obsolete as a cost-cutting measure. This was revealed in the tenth VDR business travel analysis, which was published by Verband Deutsches Reisemanagement e.V. in Berlin this week.