News & Stories

Frankfurt. Next IMEX is coming closer: From May 22-24 experts of incentive travel, meetings and events will meet in Frankfurt for the 10th time. More than 3,500 exhibitors from 150 countries will be present. The US-American section has increased by 15 percent. 

Vodnjan/Croatia. While Angelina Jolie's directorial debut, "In the Land of Blood and Honey" is now running in the cinemas, the relationships that attach Jolie and her partner, Brad Pitt, to the Balkans are becoming ever-more intensified. The latest coup of the globetrotting Hollywood family: A luxury resort in Istria. In Croatia, the media is overrun with news about "Brangelina's" tourism investment. Until recently, the Hypo Alpe Adria had their hands on the project. Even privately, the famous family wants to settle down near a national park.

Wien/Zagreb/Bad Kreuznach. Movement rules in the international trade show landscape: The "Real Vienna" as well as the "Convention" planned as a substitute will not take place at all. On the other hand, a new real estate trade show will spring up in Zagreb and in Wiesbaden, the new trade show, "Meetingplace", will take the field anew after the insolvency of Mice AG.

Muscat/Zighy Bay. What does the new Al Bustan Ritz-Carlton in the Omani capital of Muscat have in common with the Six Senses Zighy Bay in the Omani enclave near Dubai? Both mirror the Oman but in a very extreme way. Both hotels have to find their positioning: one has to find its own profile after a 26-year InterConti past, and a Six Senses spa should support this process – the other one as a young top-luxury hotel in a remote stone desert.

Male/Berlin. It was not an easy task for Maldives' tourism advertisers at their press conference during the ITB Berlin. One month after President Mohamed Nasheed's resignation and ongoing demonstrations in Male, the fascination of the flat atolls in the Indian Ocean faded a little into the background.

Bern. Last Sunday, the Swiss voted in favour of the ban on second homes. For the time being then, the construction of chalets and holiday apartments in the Alps appears to have come to an end. De facto, the decision imposes a ban on the construction of second homes.

Berlin. The mood at ITB 2012 was significantly better than the previous year, and similar to that of the preceding investment conference: 2011 was a profitable year for hoteliers, and the still growing worldwide travel activity gives them confidence. Worldwide financial debates, individual EU countries suffering from crises, natural disasters, unrest and taxes hardly seem to harm the industry any longer, as it has adapted to these crises. All the better, when some officials from industry associations finally publicly brand political mistakes in terms of controlling in Germany, the world's travel champion. The 46th ITB was again fully booked and well frequented. Despite this, the ITB's management raised the question whether travel tours should be sold at ITB 2013 or not. hospitalityInside.com interviewed exhibitors in the hotel-specific halls 8.1 and 9 – combined with the question whether these trade-specific halls should be closed completely on the visitor weekends.

Innsbruck. All three world championships on snow in the years 2012 and 2013 are to be held in the Alpine region only a few driving hours distance from each other. Schladming in Austria, Val di Fiemme in Italy and Ruhpolding in Germany are prepared. Whether it is alpine skiing, Nordic competitions or the already in progress Biathlon World Championships – all three would like to achieve their self-imposed tourism goals: Winter competence, internationalisation and improved infrastructures. In view of the mega sports events, millions in sponsorships partially flow in and also into hotels - nevertheless, beds remain empty. Not all hopes and goals are fulfilled by the mega sports events.

Istanbul. The next palace hotel in Istanbul is in sight, the refurbishment on the Ciragan Palace Kempinski is more urgent. 120 million Euro is available for the planned face-lift of the currently undisputed pearl on the Bosporus: It wants to keep its place as a market leader. Additional imperial 5-star hotels in the Turkish metropolis are expected by hardly no one since the RevPar is recovering too slowly after the latest world economic crisis. However, the international chains have strongly won a presence in the lower segments. And the "exotics" are being attracted, e.g., the first Edition by Marriott worldwide. Quick visits in Istanbul - to the established, to an exotic and to a newcomer.

Berlin. More than 22 million room nights and almost ten million guests – the tourism sector of the German capital reached new record figures in 2011. As a result, Berlin successfully stands its ground in international city and congress tourism and further strengthened its position as third most frequented destination in Europe – behind London and Paris and ahead of Rome. Tourism is one of the city's key industries. The new Berlin Brandenburg Willy Brandt airport will generate new economic momentum from June this year. The German federation and the federal state are still arguing about what will happen to the two former airports that are important for the city's further development. An economic view on Berlin as ITB, the world's largest tourism trade fair, approaches.