Dear Insiders,
Off we go again after the summer break - into the autumn of trade fairs and the last crucial revenue-generating months of 2015! The good weather over the summer has invigorated our correspondents and experts in their analysis of background issues, all of which affect the hotel industry at its very core. Our correspondent Sarah Douag and I have for weeks been disturbed by the unfair comparison of Airbnb with the hotel chains - mainly fanned by US media reports, all of which appear to idolise Airbnb. We asked European experts and take an objective look at the phenomenon. In two articles today and next week, we ask: Where's the value of Airbnb?
Our legal expert for labour law Joachim Jungbluth is just as analytical today and next Friday with regard to new German minimum wage legislation. The minimum wage has been mandatory in Germany since January and has caused many a discussion, as articles next week will show.
Karl-Heinz Kreuzig from bbg-Consulting Düsseldorf is also analytical when he talks of cross-subsidies and reserves in earnings management in a guest contribution today. "Whenever large hotel groups post their semi-annual or annual results, the questions pile up," the consultant says.
The BAT "Leisure Monitor" looked at stress factors in leisure time yesterday; one consultancy based in the US looked at turnover among CEOs and at remuneration of the world's top 38 managers. A table lists the millions and the incentives.
Good news for the sometimes frustrated Germans: Their hotel market ratios are finally moving closer to European averages. The Grand Resort Bad Ragaz has performed very well in the difficult Swiss currency environment, and Orascom has also taken huge steps forward.
Among our personalia today are somewhat longer than usual - also because we cover a number of switches missed in our two-week break.
We now move into the organisational home straight for Expo Real Munich. The number of co-exhibitors at our "World of Hospitality" joint stand has settled at 23. The current list can be found on our page 1. Further information on the Expo and on the hotel conference will follow. – The full editorial …
