Riding High Through the Recession - What Jam Bands Can Teach the Brands - By Rob Rush

The first sign of the times, you ask? Perhaps it was back in 2006 when Ritz-Carlton looked in the mirror and realized that 'Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen' didn’t exactly apply to a 32-year-old CEO in jeans and a t-shirt. In a nod to the changing demographics of those who consumed 'luxury,' Ritz loosened up a bit, recognizing the need for a generational component to its time-honored and revered operational and guest service standards. ...more

The Recession Is Over! Now What? - By R. Mark Woodworth

In the December 2008, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) made the official proclamation that the U. S. entered an economic recession in December 2007. As is sometimes the case, U.S. hoteliers began to feel the pain well before most other businesses. ...more

STR Reports Caribbean and Mexico Pipeline for January 2010

The Caribbean/Mexico hotel development pipeline includes 130 hotels comprising 18,088 rooms, according to the January 2010 STR/TWR/Dodge Construction Pipeline Report released this week. ...more

STR Global Reports Central and South America Hotel Pipeline for January 2010

The Central/South America hotel development pipeline includes 125 projects with 19,877 rooms, according to the January 2010 STR Global Construction Pipeline Report released this week. ...more

STR Global Reports Asia/Pacific Hotel Pipeline for January 2010

The Asia/Pacific hotel development pipeline includes 948 hotels comprising 239,918 rooms, according to the January 2010 STR Global Construction Pipeline Report released this week. ...more

STR Global Reports Middle East/Africa Hotel Pipeline for January 2010

The Middle East/Africa hotel development pipeline includes 456 hotels comprising 123,764 rooms, according to the January 2010 STR Global Construction Pipeline Report released this week. ...more

STR Global Reports Europe Hotel Pipeline for January 2010

The Europe hotel development pipeline includes 602 hotels comprising 101,704 rooms, according to the January 2010 STR Global Construction Pipeline Report released this week. ...more

STR Reports Canada Performance for Week Ending 13 February 2010

The Canadian hotel industry posted mixed results in the three key performance measurements during the week of 7-13 February 2010, according to data from STR. ...more

BlueKai's Pulse Index Shows Online Travel Intent Actions Rose Sharply in January

BlueKai reports that the volume of online flight search actions increased by 45% from December 2009 to January 2010, with activity for domestic destinations up 44% and international destinations up 48%. ...more

Hotel Industry Leading Indicator Growth Stagnant

Economic research firm e-forecasting.com in conjunction with Smith Travel Research announced HIP declined in January after improving 2.8 percent in December. ...more

US Travel Spending Declines in 2009, Growth Expected in 2010

While travel spending in the US saw a decline of 9% in 2009*, Mintel expects to see more people taking off in the new decade with a 6% increase in travel spending expected for 2010. ...more

Guest Satisfaction - January 2010 Chatter Guard Benchmark Report Is Released

Lodging Interactive, a leading interactive marketing agency servicing the hospitality industry and the publisher of the free Chatter Guard Monthly Benchmark Monitor Report has released its January 2010 report. ...more

The Top 50 Travel Blogs Have Been Announced

Konector analyzed each of the leading 150 independent travel blogs and used the Online Impact Factor to find the top 50 blogs with the greatest influence in the travel sector. ...more

Resort Group’s New Affiliate Partnership With ABetterStay.com Generates Bookings, Offers Benefits

ABetterStay.com, a premier online source for booking alternative, high-value lodgings such as vacation rentals, condos, resorts, timeshares and bed and breakfasts, today announced that Resort Group has joined its affiliate program. ...more

Holiday Inn in the Walt Disney Resort Opens

Holiday Inn will open on Disney property today. The 14-story, 323-room hotel, located on Orlando’s Hotel Plaza Boulevard, is the latest property as part of the $1 billion global relaunch of the Holiday Inn brand. ...more

Winter Olympics' 'floating Hotel' Cancelation Causes Vancouver-based Company to Offer Refunds of over $200,000

Canada's cruise retailer, Cruise Connections Canada, offers refunds to guests affected by NewWest's Special Projects cancelations ...more

Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Expands to Africa with Nigerian Hotel

Hawthorn Suites® by Wyndham today announced its expansion into Africa with the opening of its newest extended-stay hotel: the 108-room Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Abuja in Abuja, Nigeria, the country’s capital city. ...more

Hotel Brokers International Recognizes Florida Broker for Rapid Sale

Kenneth Olipra is honored by Leading Hotel Sales Organization ...more

Papa Bello Enterprises Partners With Thilanka Hotels and Resorts for Development in Sri Lanka

Papa Bello Enterprises (Pink Sheets: PAPA) announces that the company has partnered with Thilanka Hotels and Resorts to develop and manage Papa Bello Enterprises 'Fast Casual' Concepts in the country of Sri Lanka. ...more

Gansevoort South Hotel Miami Beach Management Awarded to Coral Hospitality

The Gansevoort South Hotel in Miami Beach has appointed Coral Hospitality to manage operations at the hotel and its adjacent condominium residences. ...more