News & Stories

Bangkok. The current tumult and deaths in Tunisia also brings to mind a memory of the chaos in Thailand in 2010. The effects there will still be felt in 2011, even if the New Year could bring about a tourist comeback in Thailand. This would also generate strengthened profits for the international hotel industry. However, in spite of an improved capacity utilisation, the room rates remain near their lowest and the country is still a long way from being politically stable. Considerable risks for hotels and investments remain persistent. hospitalityInside author, Peter Hinze, was recently in Thailand and spoke known hoteliers with the top five luxury hotels in the city about the past and the New Year.

Bangkok. Within three years, Lebua has become a hotel brand that has managed to win over a good many guests from internationally renowned luxury hotel chains. This success originates from Deepak Ohri, CEO of Lebua, who has an extraordinary good knowledge of human nature, as well as from unique F&B service that has made the hotel so popular.

Berlin. Best practice examples from the private hotel industry, a look at the international spa market and a round table event filled with renowned speakers will be the highlights of the "ITB Specialist Forum Wellness 2011" on 10 March 2011.

Istanbul. "Turkey is the European tiger," said Michael Widmann, PKF hotelexperts, last week in Vienna. The British consultancy confirms the country's potential based on its current hotel market analysis. In Istanbul, the next hotel investment conference should reveal new details.

Hanover. TUI Deutschland’s most recent growth strategy includes the introduction of new hotel brands. The two first brands are planned to start off in summer 2012. The aqi brand, which started with one hotel two years ago, is still waiting for new offspring.

Frankfurt. "Exclusive" and "target group-related" - these will be the magic words used by German tour operators when dealing with hotels in the coming year. Major tour operators are increasingly pressing for exclusive agreements with their respective authorized hoteliers. Be it TUI, Airtours, Thomas Cook or Jahn Reisen, they all have one thing in common: they market services which, according to them, are exclusive to their guests in corresponding hotels. Besides, TUI launched two further hotel concepts. Despite or rather because of the exclusivity approach: It will be rather difficult to keep track of all those exclusive offers in the future. Will the label exclusive still live up to its meaning?

Lucerne. Two new hotels are under construction in the small Melchsee-Frutt resort region in the middle of Central Switzerland, surrounded by lakes and mountains. What is unusual about that? Hotel rooms are being offered for sale.

Berlin. The first specialized "MICE Day" at ITB Berlin 2011 in cooperation with the Association of German Event Organisers promises solutions for travel managers and event planners.

Vienna. Even before its brand symposium, the Austrian Tourism Board have let the cat out of the bag with respect to how domestic tourism experts will in future meet with their international partners "at eye level".

Munich. The activity level of Twitter usage does not depend on the size of the event. Social media communication takes place while the event is being held. Power users account for a large share of all tweets about the event. Aside from other results, a study revealed after tracking 10 global events. More than 31,000 tweets posted were analysed.