September 1, 2011
FORUM
The Legacy of 9/11 Lingers For the Hotel Industry
The events of Sept. 11, 2001 are on the minds of every American this month. Those heinous attacks on the U.S. and the psyche of all its citizens changed everything about us and continue to reverberate 10 years later. The hospitality industry wasn’t spared from the damage, even though our pain ...
CHECK IN
Catching Up with IHG’s Kirk Kinsell
As much change as InterContinental Hotels Group has been through in the first half of 2011, the company has maintained quite a bit of continuity. When CEO Andy Cosslett announced his resignation in March, Chief Financial Officer Richard Solomons was quickly chosen as the UK-based hotel company’s new leader. When Jim Abrahamson, president of IHG, The Americas, followed Cosslett out the door in June, Kirk Kinsell was right there to take over the big office in Atlanta. ...
Hilton Welcomes Chinese Travelers with New Program
Hilton Worldwide officially rolled out its much-talked-about Huanying welcome program for Chinese travelers Aug. 16 at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square. The program — available in four Bay-area hotels — was launched at 51 Hiltons in 13 countries worldwide. ...
NABHOOD Leadership Deflects Criticism, Vows Change
Informal talks with hotel owners, operators and brand spokesmen suggest impatience, if not dissatisfaction, with the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers. But mere days after the 15th NABHOOD summit and trade show ended at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Miami, several of the same people muted their criticism, closing ranks behind the leadership of an event that hasn’t grown significantly in number or evolved much in programming....
Despite Distressed Properties, O’Hare Hotel Market Sees Signs of Life
Operating performance is up and there’s hope for the future, but some hotels in Chicago’s O’Hare Airport market still struggle with lingering financial problems. Several properties closed and several more have new owners or will soon:...
Developer plans new hotel in Port au Prince
Despite Haiti’s lack of infrastructure, at least a million homeless and a chaotic economy, Dominique Carvonis is taking steps to develop a seven- to eight-story hotel of at least 100 rooms near Toussaint Louverture Airport in the capital of Port-au-Prince....
FEATURES
Independent Thinking: Franchise Companies Target Independents with New Collections
The Hutton Hotel is slightly off the beaten path. It’s a little more than a walk to the famed honky-tonk bars on Broadway in Nashville and other attractions like the Country Music Hall of Fame and convention center. The 248-room independent hotel was designed to be an alternative to the usual array of branded hotels surrounding those venues, ...
Dolce Hotels and Resorts Prepares to Enter Indianapolis Market
Look at a map of downtown Indianapolis to see a vibrant city center, the striking Conseco Fieldhouse outpost, industries including the Indianapolis Farm Bureau and WellPoint, and a parking lot between Eli Lilly & Co. and the city’s bustling retail and commercial core. The 11-acre parking lot, more barrier than bridge, is about to be history....
MLIS 2011 Recap: Signs of Hope
A recap of the 2011 Midwest Lodging Investors Summit....
DESIGN PERSPECTIVE
Design Elements Sept. 5, 2011
A roundup of design and architecture news and notes....
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
OTAs Driving Hotels’ Costs, Business and Conversation
Mark Lomanno joked, somewhat seriously, that online travel agencies contributed 10% of the hotel industry’s business, but led to 80% of the discussion. Lomanno, STR’s chief strategy officer, was moderating a general session at the Hotel Data Conference in Nashville earlier this month when “pre-final” results were unveiled from a distribution channel analysis by STR and the AH&LA....
Tech Bytes Sept. 1, 2011
Roundup of hotel technology news and notes....
BACK OF HOUSE
Behind the Scenes Sept. 1, 2011
Operational insight to help keep your hotel running at full speed....
Products Sept 1, 2011
New and innovative hotel products....
Vendor News Sept. 1, 2011
Roundup of hotel vendor news and notes....
