Navina PersaudHADM 3010Week 3 articles Title of article: Owner’s view on LQ- Wyndham deal: Rewards outweigh risksSource of article: hotelnewsnow.
comPublished Date: January 22, 2018Wyndham Worldwide recently acquired $1.95 billion dollars of La Quinta Holding’s hotel franchising and management businesses. Although there may be some risk associated with this acquisition owners and analyst see the deal as a smart move. Alex Patel, La Quinta Brand Representative since 2014, said that the deal is positive for both companies and that the loyalty program integration of Wyndham Rewards and La Quinta Returns is a meaningful piece of acquisition. Wyndham spokes people have expressed excitement for the news and says that it helps strengthen their position in the midscale and this increased scale will help them- as scale matters more today than ever. La Quinta operates in the midscale category of hotels along with Wyndham brands, AmericInn and Baymont Inn & Suites. Patel also goes on to say that since La Quinta classifies itself as an upper- midscale brand, “there won’t be any significant overlap as the target customer for La Quinta likely does not stay in the economy segment often of at all.
” Title of article: STR: Central/ South America 2017 hotel performance Source of article: hotelnewsnow.comPublished Date: January 24, 2018In 2017 hotels in Central/ South America region reported year- over- year results in three key performance metrics, according to data from STR. The three key performance metrics are occupancy, average daily rate, and revenue per available rooms. Using U.S. dollar as constant currency they compare 2017 with 2016 results. In Central/ South America occupancy was up 2.
2% totaling 56.6%. Average daily rate (ADR) was up 0.7% to $105.24. Revenue per available room was also up 2.
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8% to $59.45. In Argentina, a spike in demand paired with nearly flat supply pushed their occupancy above 60% for the first time since 2011. However in Brazil, due to the Summer Olympics in 2016 significant ADR levels couldn’t be met. A similar trend was seen in Bogota, Colombia where occupancy rose but ADR fell. As a whole however, central/ south America results were positive. Title of article: Spanish hotel groups eye expansion into new regionsSource of article: hotelnewsnow.comPublished Date: January 24, 2018Spanish hotel chains expect 2018 to be a banner year with international arrivals breaking records and new destinations in sight.
In 2018, NH hotel Group plans to reinforce its premium brands, NH Collection and Nhow. Jaime Buxó, business development manager at Barceló Hotel Group said that they “had an excellent year in term of growth with 10 new hotels, and half of those were right in our home market.” Barceló is diversifying geographically and they have opened their first hotels in Mexico City and United Arab Emirates. They are also expecting to open in Spain, Morocco, Hungary, Germany, China, Cairo, and Istanbul. They expect Egypt and Turkey to improve and they believe there are certain risk you have to take. Despite the rise in income of Barceló Group the company failed to merge with domestic rival NH Hotel Group, who rejected Barceló’s €2.4 billion proposal earlier this month.
Meliá Hotel International, Spain’s biggest hotel group, with 71 new hotels in the pipeline over the next two to three years and primarily focused on development in the Asia/Pacific. Meliá brands include Gran Meliá and Meliá Hotels and Resorts, Me by Meliá, Paradisus, Innside, Tryp, Sol and Circle. Along with expansion they plan to better serve the increasing tendency by guests to blend business and leisure travel, meet the rising demand for wellness services in its hotels, and enrich guests experience through art and culture and better food and beverage offerings.
Title of article: India’s ITC Hotels defines luxury in its own waySource of article: hotelnewsnow.comPublished Date: January 24, 2018The idea for the foundation of the ITC Hotel brand, in India, is responsible luxury. ITC Hotels launched its first hotel in 1975 with the WelcomHotel Chennai and will now be adding its 12th property to its Luxury Collection. Nakul Anand executive director of ITC Hotels parent company, ITC Limited, said that “luxury as we know it has evolved in the past decade.
Opulence and indulgence that once formed the cornerstone of luxury is fast being replaced with luxury that meaningfully contributes to all affection by its creation and consumption.” ITC’s definition of Luxury has been molded into a triple bottom line approach which the brand calls “Responsible Luxury.” The three tiers are economic, environmental, and social which focus on better profits, protection of natural environment and benefit to society. They keep a commitment towards the environment but at the same time do compromise on the high standards of their guest. They ensure their guest experience is not bogged down with constant reminders to check consumption of towels or water. ITC will continue to grow its Luxury Collection offering the best of both worlds to business and leisure travelers alike.
Title of article: Snapshot: Montana’s Lark hotel sparks adventureSource of article: hotelnewsnow.comPublished Date: December 20, 2017The Lark hotel in Bozeman, Montana encourages guest to explore downtown Bozeman and beyond. Owner Comiso said that the 38- room hotel is not just meant to lodge guest but also to encourage them to spend their day out exploring. They decided to forego a restaurant because there are plenty of restaurants and bars within walking distance of the hotel. Since the downtown area also has spas, gyms and other facilities those amenities weren’t needed in the hotel either.
However, the hotel does have a partnership with a nearby gym where guest can go with passes and receive a discount on equipment rentals at a sports shop next door. Title of article: High Tech Airport Security Initiative Launched at Davos World Economic ForumSource of article: travelmarketreport.comPublished Date: January 26, 2018Travel companies and various government agencies are merging efforts to develop “The Known Traveler Digital Identity system” that will enable the industry to protect travelers and facilitate the rapid global growth already straining its infrastructure. This system leverages digital technologies such as advanced biometrics, cryptography, and distributed ledger technologies which will support risk- based approaches to public safety and security. Canada Minister of Transport Marc Garneau says that it will make “air travel more efficient whole improving the travel experience.” This program will be central to enabling a more secure and seamless traveler journey. It provides the opportunity for law enforcement, immigration and aviation security officials to request and receive verified information from travelers far sooner in their journey which will lead to increased advanced passenger screening and the clearance of low- risk travelers.
This in turn will allow officials to spend more time focusing their efforts on vetting passengers who raise more concern. Title of article: TSA PreCheck Reaches 5 Million EnrolleesSource of article: travelmarketreport.comPublished Date: July 5, 2017The Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) PreCheck Program is offered in more than 180 airports nationwide. The program is offered for $85 for five years and with the membership, travelers get to go through security without removing shoes, belts, light jackets, laptops, or 3-1-1 liquids from their carry- on bags. In just three and a half years they hit 5 million enrollees and according to TSA Acting Administrator Huban A. Gowadia they will continue their efforts to further expand the program, with the ultimate goal of providing the most effective security in the most efficient way. Title of article: Autism Awareness Month: What Travel Agents Need to KnowSource of article: travelmarketreport.
comPublished Date: April 28, 2017 It’s important for agents to know which companies will go out of their way to accommodate individuals with autism and their families and have programs that are available to enhance their travel experience. Autism Speaks has partnered with JetBlue to create a program, called Blue Horizons for Autism, that is designed to prepare families for a full airport experience without risking missing a flight. Families have the opportunity to practice a complete experience from check in, a wait at the gate, to board a plane and then taxi around the runaway while the flight crew makes announcements and serves snacks.
At sea, Royal Caribbean creates a warm welcoming environment for their guest with disabilities. For children with autism, they have a kid’s clubs and “Autism at Sea” staff that help the children in autism friend programs. Disney Parks and Resorts has also been long time advocates for the autism market. Providing Disability Access Service passes are among the many things that they offer. Title of article: Disney Parks Just Got a Little More ExpensiveSource of article: travelmarketreport.
comPublished Date: February 13, 2017Disney Parks announced that ticket prices at its parks in Florida and California are rising between $2 and $5. Last year Disney started a tiered admission system, separating the calendar year into “value,” “regular,” and “peak,” days. This was in order to spread out attendance and increase revenue. Annual passes have also increased. However, they did introduce a new $20 discount on Magic Your Way bundles that were purchased in advance online or by phone. Preferred parking will also rise from $35 to $40.
Title of article: 10 Reasons to Visit Disney and Universal this SummerSource of article: travelmarketreport.comPublished Date: April 04, 2017Universal Orlando opened their “radically- innovative water theme park” Volcano Bay. The 30- acre park includes Florida’s first aqua roller coaster which uses induction motor technology. The park also introduces island- inspired food like a Poke Poke Bowl, Mango BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich and Hawaiian Ribs. Universal also unveils TapuTapu wearables which is a wearable device that eliminates the need to wait in line.
It alerts guest when it’s time to hear to their next attraction and the wearables are no extra cost. Other Universal Studios Attractions include Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. At Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park, there are added security checkpoints in effort to reduce long lines at the theme park’s entrance. Disney also introduces Pandora- The World of Avatar in Animal Kingdom. Pandora will also have a new food- ordering system that speeds up the process.
It allows visitors to order remotely and pre- pay using the MyDisney Experience app. It has a “I’m here” button that alerts the kitchen that guest have arrived and they will alert you when meals are ready to be picked up at a designated window. Disney California Adventure will welcome the new “Guardians of the Galaxy- Mission: BREAKOUT!” ride. “The Music of Pixar Live! A Symphony of Characters” will be a new concert featuring songs from Pixar movies such as “Toy Story” and “Cars 3.”
