Industry News

 After announcing last month that publicly traded travel management company HRG's revenues had declined 6 percent annually in the October-through-February period, CEO David Radcliffe spoke with travel management editor Seth Harris about spending behavior, contract negotiating activity and industry growth. 

 The Best Western Hotel President Berlin is the first Web 2.0 hotel in its region to launch an online booking widget for desktops, Facebook and the Web. Powered by WorkLight, the widget allows customers to check rates, book rooms at a discount and receive notifications from the hotel about upcoming promotions.

 In year-over-year measurements, the industry’s occupancy ended the week with a 2.5-percent increase to 55.3 percent. Average daily rate dropped 4.7 percent to finish the week at US$96.06. Revenue per available room for the week fell 2.3 percent to finish at US$53.15.

 Hours before the highly anticipated opening of River City Casino in south St. Louis County, Missouri, thousands of enthusiastic guests gathered to be the first to experience the new gaming and entertainment venue. When the doors opened to the public at 2 p.m., the crowds rushed in, quickly filling every seat in the 90,000 sq. ft. casino.  By the end of its first day of operation, the casino welcomed more than 20,000 guests. 

 Carlson Hotels Worldwide executives this week unveiled their blueprint for the next five years, and it includes tiering the Radisson brand into two distinct products—Radisson Blu, which will fit into the upper-upscale segment, and Radisson Green, which will fit into the upscale segment.

The travel community celebrated a major victory today when President Obama signed into law the first-ever national travel promotion and communications program to attract more international travelers to the U.S. The historic moment, commemorated during a White House signing ceremony, is a major step in addressing America’s decline in attracting overseas visitors to the U.S. during the past decade.

Mystic Lake Casino Hotel has been nominated for the 2009 Casino of the Year award by the Academy of Country Music.  The Midwest's largest casino was one of five in the US nominated for the award, which recognizes the major casino concert venues in the country music industry.  The winner will be announced off air at the 45th Academy of Country Music Awards, which will be broadcast live on April 18th from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.  

 Using the Omni Chicago Hotel's new Orion system, guests can now utilize a variety of services—from ordering fresh made soup and salad to valet and housekeeping requests—with just a few clicks. As the second stop for the luxury brand's continued rollout, the hotel has launched the service using their WiFi connection blending technology and service to create a way for guests to electronically communicate with the hotel.

 Year end statistics show that the tourism industry and the Rapid City Convention & Visitors Bureau (RCCVB) posted positive results across all key economic indicators.  The results place the city well ahead of the industry at the national and regional levels. 

La Quinta is aggressively looking outside the U.S. borders for the first time. Thirty-five of the 218 projects in the pipeline are outside of the U.S.—with the largest concentrations in Panama and Mexico, where La Quinta has established an office. Rajiv Trivedi, executive VP-franchise and chief development officer, said five to 10 properties will open outside of the U.S. in 2010.

The U.S. hotel industry reported mixed results in the three key measurements during the week of 14-20 February 2010, according to data from STR.
 

Landmark legislation that establishes a multi-million dollar, public-private partnership to promote the United States as a premier travel destination and better explain travel security policies to foreign travelers gained final passage by a strong bipartisan vote of 78 to 18 in the Senate today. According to independent analysis by Oxford Economics, the program could attract 1.6 million additional visitors from other countries and create more than $4 billion in consumer spending annually. The legislation, which passed the House in November, is expected to be signed into law by President Obama in the coming days. 

The soccer world will converge for a good cause in St. Louis this summer when “The Rest of the World” challenges South America in the first United Nations Players for Peace Goodwill Game held in the United States.

Benchmark Hospitality International has appointed John Davies vice president marketing for the leading, privately-held hospitality management company.  Greg Champion, chief operating officer, made the announcement. 

 IML, the global leader in interactive event technology, today launches a new audience participation device, the IML Connector. With a variety of features not seen in this marketplace before, the device’s capabilities go beyond voting to provide a totally new level of interactive engagement for attendees at events of all types.

The idea of building a convention hotel by the performing arts center has been fleshed by a Westwood architectural firm wanting to "add to the conversation."The concept by PGAV Architects has several variations, but all focus on the so-called Hereford site at 16th and Wyandotte streets across from the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and the new Bartle Hall ballroom.The firm has designed high-rise hotels around the country -- including the Marriott at 4445 Main St. -- and got a hearing recently from the city hotel task force subcommittee charged with reviewing sites for a potential 1,000-room hotel. 

  Most planners expect meetings expenditures to increase or remain flat in the next six months compared with the last six months, as only 19 percent of 220 respondents to a survey conducted by BTN sister publication MeetingNews expect further declines to meetings spending in the first half of 2010. 

 Whether you’re downright pessimistic, hedging your bets or completely optimistic, most hoteliers and others involved in hospitality are fully invested in the idea that 2010 will be “better.” This hopefulness is so pervasive it virtually hangs in the air and emanates from nearly every industry, household and corner of our economy.

Economic research firm e-forecasting.com in conjunction with Smith Travel Research announced HIP declined in January after improving 2.8 percent in December. HIP, the Hotel Industry's Pulse index, is a composite indicator that gauges business activity in the U.S. hotel industry in real-time, similar to a GDP measure. The latest monthly change brought the index to a reading of 82.4. The index is set to equal 100 in 2000. 

 Social media is no longer the “new” thing, especially for airlines. JetBlue has over one an a half million followers on Twitter. Lufthansa allows passengers to update their Twitter or Facebook status about where they are in the sky. AirAsia drives buzz about its new destinations through custom micro-sites. However, most airlines (and airports and hotels) are still struggling to earn direct revenue from their social media efforts.

Sara Lynn Warren is the fourth-quarter recipient of the Outstanding Performance Award from ETC Enterprises Inc., a management company that manages hotels.

Warren is a guest service representative at the Quality Inn, St. Cloud. She has been employed with Quality Inn for three years, and this is her second time receiving the award.

 Acknowledged for its high quality educational programs, the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International’s (HSMAI) Affordable Meetings® will host a “Meeting Planning Boot Camp” on Tuesday, April 13 in Navy Pier, Chicago, Ill., prior to HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings Mid-America exhibition and conference, April 14-15.

 Chances are you have but did not notice. In any case – welcome! The Janesville Mile starts with Rotary Botanical Gardens, goes on to Lions Beach, the Ice Arena, the Janesville Performing Arts Center, the Hedberg Library and then reaches the downtown with the Janesville Armory, Speakeasy, Metropolitan and other great food and retail establishments.

 Moose International has selected Milwaukee as the host city for its 2013 International Convention. The convention is expected to bring more than 7,000 delegates to the city, take up as many as 18,000 room nights and pump approximately $9 million into the local economy.

 The Traveler Confidence Report gauges travelers' plans and attitudes now as compared to six months prior and one year prior. The following findings are based on the intentions of more than 2,000 North Americans surveyed by Travelocity.

The U.S. hotel industry welcomed the dawn of 2010. Performance measures in the first half of 2009 were particularly troublesome for many companies, and only in the closing months of the year were there glimmers of hope. By December 2009, a number of major markets started to experience increases in occupancy and revenue per available room (revPAR), following what in some cases has been multi-year, record-breaking declines. In particular, steep price discounting appeared to be a less important strategy in filling rooms. As noted in this report, domestic tourism activity is starting to revive for a few select markets, declines in international travel are lessening and business travel remains mostly stagnant.

The U.S. hotel industry reported mixed results in the three key measurements during the week of 24-30 January 2010, according to data from STR. 

 Embassy Suites Jackson-North/Ridgeland in Ridgeland, Miss., and the Hampton Inn & Suites Chicago Southland-Matteson in Matteson, Ill., are the first two hotels certified

On March 3-4, 2010, many of MIssouri's tourism professionals will travel to Jefferson City to interact with the state legislature.  Capitol Days for Tourism, sponsored by the Missouri Travel Council, is an annual event that offers the tourism industry a change to emphasize the importance of tourism to Missouri's economy.

Driving Forward The Value of DMCs

 The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) applauded the Administration for addressing issues vital to the corporate travel industry in its FY 2011 budget proposal. The requested budget addresses several priorities of critical importance to NBTA, including enhanced aviation security and funding for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen).

The U.S. Travel Association sent a letter late last week to Senate leaders with proposals to help put people back to work as part of its continued push to use travel as a vehicle to create jobs and stimulate the economy. The recommendations include travel-related tax deductions, hiring of additional consular officers and creating a promotion program aimed at attracting more international travelers.

 The Association for Convention Operations Management (ACOM), an organization dedicated to advancing the practice of convention services management in the meetings industry, held its 22^nd Annual Conference January 8-10, 2010 at the Westin City Center in Dallas, Texas. Marilyn Healey, CMP, Convention Services Manager at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach, was announced as ACOM’s 2010 President at the Conference.

 BACK in the boom years, I used to attend many of the major travel industry trade shows, which were always held in places with monstrous convention centers like Las Vegas, New Orleans and Orlando, Fla.

 It was only a five-second soundbyte, meant for Wall Street fat cats asking for government bailouts.

 In year-over-year measurements, the industry's occupancy ended the week virtually flat with an 0.9-percent decrease to 46.8 percent. Average daily rate dropped 9.4 percent to finish the week at US$93.87. Revenue per available room for the week fell 10.3 percent to finish at US$43.89.

I wish hoteliers would stop thinking that lowering your rates will sell more rooms and increase room revenue. That tactic may sell a few more rooms, but it rarely sells enough rooms to offset lowered rates. It's simple economics; simply selling more rooms increases expenses, while even slightly higher or flat rates increase profit. As occupancy demand increases, ADR should increase as well.

We want to make it easy for you to be green.  All you have to do is tell one of our advertisers that you saw their ad in Midwest Meetings® magazine and we will plant a tree.  

1.  An advertiser must confirm you saw their ad in Midwest Meetings®.

2.  One tree per meeting planner* per issue - tell your friends!

3.  Trees will be planted personally by Midwest Meetings® staff.

*Some restrictions apply, only qualified meeting planners may participate

Travel Leaders unveiled the top business travel trends for 2010 based on findings from their annual Travel Trends Survey. The survey shows 67 percent of Travel Leaders’ business-focused travel agents are forecasting that business travel for 2010 will match or exceed their total bookings for last year.

 In its revised forecast for 2010, Lodging Econometrics predicts that just 717 hotels, representing 82,620 rooms, will open in 2010. This is a 56% drop from 2009, when 1,301 hotels with 146,929 rooms opened. New Openings peaked for the cycle in 2008 at 1,345 hotels/154,667 rooms.

 Faced with a marketplace still struggling to regain its footing, the majority of hospitality executives remain bearish, but bullish sentiment has begun to gain momentum.
According to the DLA Piper 2010 Hospitality Outlook Survey, asset values are expected to stabilize during the next 12 months and the majority of respondents expect the US hospitality industry to rebound in 2011.
This growing sense of cautious optimism has been spurred by hospitality executives’ strong sense of confidence that current market conditions continue to create “good” buying opportunities, which will be led by investment activity from private equity and foreign investors. Looking abroad, the majority of respondents identified Brazil and China as the most attractive foreign markets for US investors.
Notably, one in four respondents reports having a loan that will mature in the next year, but only a small fraction of these respondents think their loan will move into foreclosure.

 Business Travel News editors again proudly recognize the 25 business and government executives whose decisions held the greatest sway over the business travel industry in the previous year.  Editors vetted nominations that were submitted by industry professionals, including members of the BTN editorial board and staff.  

 Great Wolf Lodge^® is proud to be the first – and only – hotel chain to have all U.S. properties Green Seal™ certified. This means that each resort had to undergo extensive audits of operations and processes covering nearly every aspect of our business, including our hotel operations as well as our conference and meeting spaces.

Group business was the driver of the horrendous year that the hotel industry experienced in 2009, and leaders on a general-session panel at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit don’t see any hope of a recovery until that same business returns.

 In their revised forecast for 2010, Lodging Econometrics predicts that just 717 hotels, representing 82,620 rooms, will open in 2010.  This is a 56% drop from 2009, when 1,301 hotels with 146,929 rooms opened. The new openings peak for the cycle was 1,345 hotels/154,667 rooms recorded in 2008.

With 2009 squarely behind us and talk of “less worse” economic indicators, will the hotel industry soon see a recovery?

This question is top of mind with the big three forecasting firms—PKF Hospitality Research, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Smith Travel Research—that are preparing their answers for the Americas Lodging Investment Summit that begins today.

  Following the withdrawal of Erroll Southers from consideration to lead the Transportation Security Administration, Roger Dow, president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Travel Association, issued the following statement:
"Further delay is unacceptable. We are deeply disappointed that it took eight months to have a nominee and four more months for him to be considered at a time America's transportation system is obviously under threat.

  Following the withdrawal of Erroll Southers from consideration to lead the Transportation Security Administration, Roger Dow, president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Travel Association, issued the following statement:
"Further delay is unacceptable. We are deeply disappointed that it took eight months to have a nominee and four more months for him to be considered at a time America's transportation system is obviously under threat.

 The U.S. hotel industry reported decreases in all three key measurements during the week of 10-16 January 2010, according to data from STR.

In year-over-year measurements, the industry’s occupancy ended the week virtually flat with a 0.8-percent decrease to 47.8 percent. Average daily rate dropped 7.4 percent to finish the week at US$94.78. RevPAR for the week fell 8.2 percent to finish at US$45.33.

Global tourism is set to rebound this year by between 3 and 4 percent as the world economic downturn’s effects on the travel industry appear to have bottomed out, the United Nations World Tourism Organization announced. 

Accor North America, one of the nation’s largest owner/operators of economy lodging, announces the opening of 70 Motel 6 and Studio 6 locations in 2009.  The latest openings include 63 Motel 6 locations and seven Studio 6 properties, with a room count of 5,109. In line with Accor’s plans to aggressively grow the number of properties for its economy brands, the following locations are now open: 

 Best Western International has announced its debut in mobile offerings with the unveiling of its free iPhone application, titled 'Best Western to Go.

AmericInn is poised for growth in 2010, as the company welcomes another key addition to its leadership team. Ron Burgett, with more than 20 years in hotel real estate and management, is joining AmericInn parent company Northcott Hospitality as executive vice president of development. His charge: lead AmericInn’s aggressive expansion beyond its Midwest.

 In a business environment still severely hit by recession Accor reports:Prepaid Services revenue was up 1.4% for the year, in line with the objective set last August, but was down 3.8% in the final quarter.

 Based on US Internet Usage for the Month of December, 2009.

 The U.S. hotel industry reported decreases in all three key measurements during the week of 3-9 January 2010, according to data from STR.

 Proposed 220-mph high speed rail to cut the Chicago-St. Louis trip to less than two hours would also provide a major boost to the economy and efforts to reduce harmful emissions, according to a study released today by the Midwest High Speed Rail Association (MHSRA). 

Economic research firm e-forecasting.com in conjunction with STR announced that the Hotel Industry’s Pulse index gained ground in December. After edging down 0.3 percent in November, HIP increased 1.7 percent in December. HIP is a composite indicator that gauges business activity in the U.S. hotel industry in real-time, similar to a GDP measure for the industry. The latest monthly change brought the index to a reading of 82.5. The index is set to equal 100 in 2000.

The total active U.S. hotel development pipeline includes 3,829 projects comprising 401,090 rooms, according to the December 2009 STR/TWR/Dodge Construction Pipeline Report released this week.

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts and Graves Hospitality Corporation today announced that the 255-room, 21-story Graves 601 Hotel, a luxury, AAA Four Diamond hotel in the heart of Minneapolis, has joined the exclusive Wyndham Grand Collection of hotels.

DURHAM, New Hampshire and NASHVILLE, Tennessee—Economic research firm e-forecasting.com in conjunction with STR announced that the Hotel Industry’s Pulse index gained ground in December. After edging down 0.3 percent in November, HIP increased 1.7 percent in December. HIP is a composite indicator that gauges business activity in the U.S. hotel industry in real-time, similar to a GDP measure for the industry. The latest monthly change brought the index to a reading of 82.5. The index is set to equal 100 in 2000. 

 The Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau (CCTB) sponsored this morning's General Session at the Professional Convention Management Association's (PCMA) 2010 Annual Meeting and announced an exciting opportunity for meeting professionals. The CCTB and the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA), owner and operator of McCormick Place, have partnered with PCMA for the 2010 PCMA Convention Center Auction; marking the third time a convention center has auctioned its meeting space to benefit PCMA.

Brand Adds 81 New Hotels in 23 States, Executes Contracts Internationally and in the U.S. and Reports Significant Year over Year Guest Satisfaction Increases. 

 In recognition of his encouraging voice during a difficult time for the meetings industry, the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) selected G.J. Hart, Texas Roadhouse Director, President and CEO, to receive the prestigious 2009 PCMA Chairman’s Award.  Hart was honored in person during today’s General Session at the 2010 PCMA Annual Meeting in Dallas.

 For those who thought North Dakota was all about oil and wheat, the Commerce Department ranks tourism as the No. 2 industry in the state.

 While presenting at the Hospitality Leadership Forum in early November, Mark Lomanno, president of research firm Smith Travel Research, made a statement ominous enough to send chills up the spines of revenue managers everywhere.

The U.S. hotel industry reported increases in occupancy and revenue per available room in year-over-year measurements for the week ending 2 January 2010, according to data from Smith Travel Research. This is the first week in which two of the three key performance metrics were positive since the week ending 20 December 2008. 

 The U.S. hotel industry reported increases in occupancy and revenue per available room during the week 27 December 2009-2 January 2010, according to data from STR. This is the first week in which two of the three key performance metrics were positive since the week ending 20 December 2008.

Even with its vast resources, its experience at running major golf events and its renowned hospitality division, the Kohler Co. faces a daunting challenge this year. 

Stillwater is the ideal location for corporate functions, board meetings, retreats or social celebrations such as weddings or reunions.  Its location on the St. Croix River, just a half an hour from the Twin Cities of St. Paul and MInneapolis, provides many unique outdoor options as well as banquet facilities with stunning views of the river and historic downtown Stillwater.

 The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in all three key performance measurements during November, according to data from STR.

Hotel revenue management techniques cause hotels to adjust their rates in response to demand and occupancy patterns. But if guests don't know what those rate-changing rules are, they tend to think of them as being unfair. A new Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) study found that hotel guests are more likely to think a rate setting practice is fair when they know how the rules work. 

The Internet has brought dramatic changes to the way customers search for and book hotels, and increasing online sales may be the way to boost hotel profitability without drastic rate slashing. Travelers are using the Web to find the best deals on hotel rooms, so hotel managers should be welcoming those customers online by offering them the best rate possible at the very moment they are searching. Faster and faster broadband connections, new cloud computing technologies, and a travel data explosion on the internet are reshaping the way travelers buy hotel rooms. Smart hoteliers who are investing in the latest technologies will outbid their competitors who cannot keep up with the new revenue management solutions of the next decade. 

Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, issued the following statement on the Obama Administration's announcement of significant new air security measures for international travelers to the United States:

The call of the wild begins at the first tee of this rugged, raucous ride by Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry, who created our top new public course of 2006 at nearby Erin Hills. 

 As has become a tradition now, this is the time of year when I offer my annual look at the top 10 trends in small business. While not a prediction column, there is by necessity a tad of prediction in it, since trends, by their very nature, are gathering forces.

 As the seconds tick down to 2010, I've been thinking about how I can maximize my hotel experience more in the coming year. I plan to be on the road quite a bit, and so I've decided to tailor my resolutions to fit my new lifestyle. In addition to banning all minibar usage (step away from the 2 a.m. Pringles!), I would like to be more strategic about racking up my loyalty points.

 HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee—The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in all three key performance measurements during the week 20-26 December 2009, according to data from STR.

NORWALK, Conn., Dec 28, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Priceline.com (Nasdaq: PCLN) today released its 6th annual list of top 50 destinations for ringing in the New Year. For the 5th year in a row, Las Vegas is the #1 destination for New Year's revelers.

Businesses and politicians across America are questioning business travel, asking whether it is a necessary expense. From a business perspective, travel is increasingly perceived as a cost to be contained and controlled during a time of economic distress. Businesses are focusing on travel as an expense rather than an investment, and are quick to restrict or eliminate business travel.

Our new website provides a greatly improved platform to better communicate with members, industry watchers and other users of USTravel.org. Its presence rounds out the U.S. Travel brand created when the Travel Industry Association and the Travel Business Roundtable joined forces at the start of 2009.

 Americans traveling within the U.S. on leisure or business trips are crucial to our national, state, and local economies.  Americans travel for a variety of reasons and vary widely in demographic characteristics and travel behavior. Understanding your target audience is a key to successful marketing and capturing your share of the domestic travel market.  

 If the average conversion rate for a website is around 3 percent, why do some websites achieve a 10 percent conversion rate? What do they do that the others don't? This is the question that Bryan Eisenberg set out to answer in his presentation '20 Secrets of Top-Converting Websites' at the SES Chicago conference this December.

 The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) – the voice of the business travel industry – today applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for issuing a new rule that establishes a three-hour time limit after which U.S. airlines are required to permit passengers to deplane delayed domestic flights. The new rule also requires carriers to provide food and potable drinking water within two hours of a tarmac delay.

 Our new website provides a greatly improved platform to better communicate with members, industry watchers and other users of USTravel.org. Its presence rounds out the U.S. Travel brand created when the Travel Industry Association and the Travel Business Roundtable joined forces at the start of 2009.

 When it comes to Christmas, Walt Disney World in Orlando is the complete opposite of Scrooge. Its Decorations Staff numbers 20 full-time “cast members” who work year-round to scatter 1,200 trees and drape 5.2 miles of garland with 130 truckloads of decorations

 HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee—The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in all three key performance measurements during November, according to data from STR.

 DURHAM, New Hampshire—Economic research firm e-forecasting.com in conjunction with Smith Travel Research announced their U.S. Hotel Industry Leading indicator—HIL—went up in November, the eighth consecutive month of increase for the indicator. HIL went up 1.4 percent in November after increasing 0.6 percent in October.

 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 October 2009 report.

 From economy to luxury hotels, existing and proposed, knowing the sources, habits, and prevalence of future patrons is crucial to success.

 TripAdvisor today announced the results of its annual travel trends survey of more than 700 Britons, revealing that travellers are unable to predict the final cost of their flight, with nearly one-third paying unexpected additional costs at check-in.

U.S. Travel Association CEO Roger Dow said he was hopeful that the Travel Promotion Act would become law in this calendar year, but whether that happens depends on how long the Senate keeps its single-minded focus on healthcare. 

 AAA is projecting 87.7 million Americans will be traveling 50 miles or more away from home during the year-end holidays. This is a 3.8 percent increase from the 84.5 million Americans who traveled during the same Christmas/New Year period one year ago, and is the largest projected increase for any major holiday this year.

 When asked about social media strategy, I often hear hotel executives say they are 'carefully monitoring' or 'moving at a measured pace'. 'Our strategy is pretty much to listen and monitor,' said another one.

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) is hosting a variety of industry events in 2010, ranging from fundraisers, industry trade shows, and annual meetings of the industry's top executives.

 It seems that the age-old practice of creating familiarization trips, to check-out hotels and facilities, is another victim of the economy. This economy has caused many planners to research travel information via the Web to help ease their shrinking travel budgets. Apparently meeting planners rely on guest comments, too.

 For the travel industry, 2009 is a year best forgotten, or as the chairman of Southwest Airlines, Gary C. Kelly, put it in a message to customers, it was 'an annus horribilis.'

 New Universal Mobile Device Charging Station is Compatible With More Than 2,000 Devices, a Convenient Amenity for Guests That Forget Their Charging Cables

 A recent Nielsen study found that 81% of online shoppers read product or retailer reviews by other customers when shopping, and that 71% agreed that consumer reviews make them more comfortable that they're buying the right product.

 In year-over-year measurements, the industry's occupancy fell 4.9 percent to end the week at 47.6 percent. Average daily rate dropped 7.3 percent to finish the week at US$96.25. Revenue per available room for the week decreased 11.9 percent to finish at US$45.86.

During this industry downturn, we all know that we have to contain costs and drive efficiency at the property level. Experienced operators have learned from previous slumps that avoiding certain temptations will help your performance versus your competitive set now and help set you up for success when the economy improves. While these may seem like basic measures, too many operators forget these five simple things that you should not do.

 In a 7 December filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Boston, Massachusetts-based Pyramid said it plans to acquire luxury and upper upscale properties in the top 35 U.S. travel markets. The company might also acquire resort properties in destination markets and select service hotels in major urban markets.

 Annual Traveler Survey Discovers a Flu-nomenon as U.S. Respondents Becoming Far More Cautious When it Comes to Germs U.S. Travelers Expect to Take More Leisure Trips in the Coming Year Troncones, Mexico is 2010's Top Up-and-Coming Travel Destination.

 Last week the economic research firm e-forecasting.com in conjunction with Smith Travel Research announced that their U.S. Hotel Industry Leading indicator (HIL) went up in October, the seventh consecutive month of increase for the indicator.

 The U.S. unemployment rate beat analysts’ expectations by dropping to 10 percent in November, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Expectations were that the rate would remain at 10.2 percent, unchanged from October.

In year-over-year measurements, the industry's occupancy fell 1.7 percent to end the week at 40.7 percent. Average daily rate dropped 6.7 percent to finish the week at US$84.81. Revenue per available room for the week decreased 8.4 percent to finish at US$34.54.

 In advance of the White House Jobs Summit this Thursday, U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow sent an open letter today to President Obama and Congressional leaders outlining plans to spur economic growth and job creation in the United States.

Thompson Hotels, a collection of luxury hotels in major urban centers, has announced its further North American expansion with the addition of the management of Hotel Sax Chicago.

 Being Singled out among over 4,000 Holiday Inn hotels, the Lakeville's Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites was recently honored with the prestigious 2009 Kemmons Wilson Award!

 Meeting planners are faced with the same economic challenges confronting hotels today—booking effective events at the least possible cost—and as a result are flexing their negotiating leverage and aggressively seeking room rate concessions, according to a recent meeting planner survey conducted by PKF Hospitality Research and Conventions South Magazine.

 The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) sent a letter to President Barack Obama detailing a number of areas of focus where this week's White House jobs summit can help build employment opportunities in the U.S. lodging and travel industry.

 When managing a hotel in a down economy, you can only make so many cuts to your operating expenses. And while most line items are fair game, there’s one area in particular that stands as an exception: sales and marketing.

Hospitality eBusiness Strategies (HeBS) today announced the launch of the 2010 Benchmark Survey on Hotel Internet Marketing Strategies, Budget Planning and Best Practices. The 2010 survey, following the 2007, 2008 and 2009 editions, asks hoteliers which Internet formats and methods they use to reach potential and current guests, which Internet marketing practices generate the highest ROI, how they choose to allocate marketing dollars to certain mediums over others, and more. The 2010 survey also includes new questions concerning Social Media and Mobile Marketing - two of the most progressive initiatives of 2010. 

 First, it's an old story, but stop thinking that lowering your rates will sell more rooms and increase room revenue. It may sell a few more rooms, but it rarely sells enough rooms to offset revenue lost due to lowered rates. It's simple economics; lower rates have not ever, nor, will ever, create room demand. Travelers do not buy rate; they buy value. Don't reduce rates, add value.

 A 'General Agreement for Academic Cooperation' between The School of Hospitality Business at MSU and University of Macau, Macao SAR, The People's Republic of China, has been signed to 'foster cooperation in education and research' between the two institutions.

 In year-over-year measurements, the industry's occupancy fell 2.8 percent to end the week at 52.7 percent. Average daily rate dropped 7.6 percent to finish the week at US$95.85. Revenue per available room for the week decreased 10.1 percent to finish at US$50.55.

 Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R-Palm Springs, is cosponsoring a bill that would prohibit federal agencies from discriminating against resort cities when planning meetings.

 It is that time of year when many Americans pack up the car and head to visit friends and family for the Thanksgiving holiday. While some would argue this ritual will occur whether the economy is down or not, we thought it would be interesting to look back to the most recent downturn in 2001 and see how travel was affected. Hopefully this will shed light on what we can expect this year.

 On 30 November, millions of American consumers will be busy clicking their way to big online holiday deals—but they likely won’t be finding many hotel specials during their shopping sprees.

 ResortSuite, a leading provider of fully integrated guest-centric hospitality management software solutions is pleased to announce that The Crossings has selected ResortSuite to manage its resort operations. This includes its property management (PMS), spa, activities, dining, retail, events, and online room, spa, and activity reservations.

When the economy collapsed last fall, many companies had to make some quick decisions about travel, typically one of the first areas they trim when finances are tight. Should they cut back as most of their competitors were, continue business as usual or spend even more to get a leg up? 

The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) will recognize Keep America Meeting with two Gold Adrian Awards for public relations excellence for its winning entry in the 53rd annual Adrian Awards Competition, the largest and most prestigious travel marketing competition globally.  

The time period for the hotel development cost survey has been expanded to include data from the first half of 2009; as such, the 2009 cost survey reports updated per-room development costs for 2008/09. 

Like a gladiator returning from combat, the U.S. hotel industry has come face-to-face with a number of considerable challenges this year: dismal demand, plunging rates and lack of financing to name a few. Yet while murmurs of recovery have begun to echo from the masses, the fight is far from over.

 The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in all three key performance measurements during the week of 8-14 November 2009, according to data from STR.

 While some have declared the recession over, Bill Marriott thinks the hotel industry is just beginning to see tentative signs of economic recovery, reports CNNMoney.com. The hospitality icon told The Economic Club Thursday that despite early indications of growth, the industry still is recovering from a backlash against corporate travel fueled by politics and public anger over the financial meltdown.

 The RISE Awards-Recognizing Industry Success and Excellence-features seven annual awards in three categories: organizational achievement, individual achievement and community achievement.  Recipients are recognized for innovation, global transferability, impact and influence.  Winners will join the MPI Community of Honorees, a group composed of past award winners and distinguished MPI leaders.

Hotel managers are not the only party at the negotiating table struggling to control costs and operate within the limits of austere budgets. Meeting planners have also been given the challenge of setting up effective events at the least possible cost.

 Apollo Management,the big private equity firm headed by former Drexel Burnham Lambert executive Leon Black, is planning to list on the New York Stock Exchange in the coming weeks, according to people familiar with the matter.

 Signs of a recovery for the U.S. hotel industry might be few and far between as 2009 creeps to a close, but executives at Smith Travel Research think there’s reason for optimism in the future. An uptick for the hotel industry won’t come soon—as in the next six or eight months—but it should be in full swing by 2011, according to STR’s latest U.S. industry forecast.

Marriott International is undertaking an ambitious corporate makeover that will split it into four autonomous divisions around the globe and bring many formerly independent Ritz-Carlton brand operations into Marriott’s corporate offices.

AAA projected 38.4 million Americans will be traveling 50 miles or more away from home over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend; a 1.4 percent increase over last year when 37.8 million traveled.

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts has teamed up with Bath & Body Works(R) to fight the flu and colds by distributing complimentary bottles of the retailer's PocketBacTM Deep Cleansing Hand Gel to arriving guests at 10 Wyndham(R) airport hotels.

 Economic research firm e-forecasting.com, in conjunction with Smith Travel Research, has announced the Hotel Industry's Pulse index edged back up in October after hitting a snag the previous month.

 TripAdvisor announced that accommodations can enhance their TripAdvisor listing with their URL, telephone number and e-mail address, to appear on TripAdvisor sites beginning January 4, 2010. The new TripAdvisor Business Listings enables owners to provide direct contact information to their properties on all TripAdvisor sites around the world. The listings represent a new opportunity for property managers to directly connect to millions of researching travelers, converting potential customers to paying guests.

The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) will recognize Keep America Meeting with two Gold Adrian Awards for public relations excellence for its winning entry in the 53rd annual Adrian Awards Competition, the largest and most prestigious travel marketing competition globally.

Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure Sector May Stabilize as Signs of an Economic Recovery Take Hold. While the tourism, hospitality and leisure (THL) sector continues to be challenged by current economic conditions, a new survey from Deloitte suggests reason for cautious optimism heading into the holiday and winter travel season.

 2010 Application Season Starts Today; $500,000 Awarded Annually to Support Diverse Students Pursuing Hospitality Careers!

Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, issued the following statement regarding the pilot program launched yesterday by the Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection division:

When Chris Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton Hotels Corporation, suggested at the 2009 ALIS Hotel Leader's Outlook panel that the rebound would not be immediate because 'the psychological impact was too great,' we agreed. Have you been psychologically impacted over the past year? I have. Businesses in our global industry are in the wringer. The bright side is that when a company goes through a wringer, what remains is the true value in the business.

 IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG; NYSE: IHG] announced that the 250th Candlewood Suites hotel opened in Kalamazoo, Mich., on Oct. 26, 2009.

 Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) continues to grow with the announcement of 35 newly-opened franchised properties during the month of October. The openings include hotels in 17 states, including six Hawaiian properties, and five countries, adding more than 3,700 rooms to the company's existing 485,000-plus rooms.

 When he began his overview of the U.S. hotel industry for attendees of the Hospitality Leadership Forum Saturday, PKF Hospitality Research’s Robert Mandelbaum didn’t beat around the bush.

 The Americas region of InterContinental Hotels Group gathered in the U.S. capital to review the company’s strategy for driving growth and quality.

As the hospitality industry has been one of the hardest hit segments HVS Executive Search reached out to leading hospitality board directors and CEOs to gain insight on CEO departure trends in the U.S.

LEED(R) Certified Hotel Prototype Will Reduce Costs and Enhance Speed to Market. 

 In year-over-year measurements, the industry's occupancy fell 3.6 percent to end the week at 54.8 percent. Average daily rate dropped 8.5 percent to finish the week at US$97.19. Revenue per available room for the week decreased 11.8 percent to finish at US$53.29.

The staycation still rules as most US Internet users opt not to travel for the holidays this year. While 52% told About.com that, like in 2008, they would not travel this holiday season, another 24% said they were even less likely to travel this year than last.

 Modest 2010 increases in leisure, business and international inbound travel will enable the travel industry to add nearly 90,000 jobs in the United States, the U.S. Travel Association predicts. Leisure travel is expected to rise 2 percent, business travel is projected to increase by 2.5 percent and international inbound travel will increase by 3 percent.

 If there’s a silver lining in the lack of debt availability today, it’s the easing of supply coming online in the suffering U.S. hotel industry. There was a 32.7-percent decrease in the number of rooms in the total active pipeline last month, according to the October 2009 STR/TWR/Dodge Construction Pipeline Report. Of even greater note is the 41.2-percent decline in the number of rooms in the In Construction phase of development.

 Rockford will be the host city of a prestigious state wrestling tournament through 2014.

Although its Contribution to Global GDP has Slipped Further in 2009, and the Recovery Will be Slow, Travel & Tourism Remains a Key Engine of Growth.

The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the industry trade association for the leading U.S. airlines, today said that it expects a 4 percent year-over-year decrease in the number of passengers(1) traveling on U.S. airlines during the 2009 Thanksgiving holiday season(2), despite deep discounting over the past several months. 

 PricewaterhouseCoopers today continued to move its U.S. lodging industry expectations downward, although the firm said industry performance indicates the initial stages of economic and lodging demand recovery.

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts announced today the launch of the new sheraton.com, the first hotel industry website to feature Facebook Connect and allow visitors to interact with their friends and family by sharing their travel experiences through today's most popular social networking site. 

In year-over-year measurements, the industry's occupancy fell 7.2 percent to 51.8 percent, ADR dropped 7.2 percent to US$98.99, and RevPAR decreased 13.8 percent to finish at US$51.28. 

Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, issued the following statement today on the Country Brand Index (CBI) released by FutureBrand, in conjunction with Weber Shandwick's Global Travel & Lifestyle Practice. The index revealed that the United States is the world's top country brand for the first time in the fifth annual CBI, rising from the third spot in 2008.

We suspect that 2010 will show some signs of recovery mixed with continued hardship for many hotels. We all know what happens when revenue levels are constricted; fewer dollars in, fewer dollars to spend. At this point, careful consideration should be made for every dollar spent to develop business. 

 The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) -- the voice of the business travel industry -- today praised the decision of the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to withdraw the plan for a 10 percent increase of fees paid by incoming travelers to the United States. 

 For the week ending 31 October 2009, in year-over-year measurements, the U.S. hotel industry’s occupancy fell 7.2 percent to end the week at 51.8 percent, average daily rate dropped 7.2 percent to US$98.99, and revenue per available room decreased 13.8 percent to US$51.28, according to Smith Travel Research.

 People are fascinated by the daily life of a restaurant, cafe or bar, so why not share a few secrets?

Meet Minneapolis, Official Convention + Visitors Association, this month welcomes 20,794 convention and meeting attendees for Nov. 1 - 30, 2009, including the 5,000 attendees each of the 2009 Original Sewing & Quilt Expo and 2009 Minnesota Ski & Snowboard Expo.

Airline competition is heating up in Milwaukee and that means that travelers to and from "Brew City" are the winners. Milwaukee-bound travelers are seeing lower fares and more options than ever at Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport.  Now with 12 airlines serving up to 50 cities non-stop nationwide, the airport saw a record-breaking 17% increase in numbers of passengers (648,779) in September 2009 over the same period last year. 

 Over the past year I have seen hotels focus more on driving occupancy than rate to improve their RevPAR. While hotels may not be able to achieve the higher average rate of the pre down turn, there are opportunities locally they can exploit locally to drive rate even in the current economic environment.

In a conference call last week, CEO Kenneth Smith cited lower consumer spending, a glut of hotel rooms and a lack of financing for further delaying the 87-acre project originally scheduled to open next year, GlobeSt.com reports.

The Sioux Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau is pleased to report that room tax collections are up in Sioux Falls!

If you’ve been following HotelNewsNow.com for the past few months, you’ve noticed the Hotel Industry’s Pulse reports that are released around the first of every month. The HIP is a real-time indicator that measures the overall health of the hotel industry by capturing current economic conditions of the hotel industry to help identify peaks and troughs in the business cycle. These peaks and troughs then can be traced to the overall U.S. business cycle to better understand how the timing and degree of losses or gains in the hotel industry perform in comparison to the overall economy. In more broad terms, the HIP measures business activity in the hotel industry similar to the gross domestic product for the total United States economy.

The best way to increase sales in a downturns or recessions is not just to look 'outside the box', but to look 'outside the building'. When faced with diminishing sales, a shrinking booking window, and less corporate travelers on the road, hotels and resorts need to use short term actions and long term plans to expand sales. One thing for sure is that online sales will generate immediate results, so here are 4 quick steps to increase short term electronic sales and optimize online bookings now.

Throughout November and December many of the nation's top travel destinations adorn their streets with the cheer of the holidays and present a slue of special activities and attractions paying tribute to the season. From the bright lights of The Big Apple to the relaxed lifestyle of the Ozarks, across the country it is the time for warmth, goodwill and enjoying yourself! 

The Hendricks County Convention and Visitors Bureau has new hope for a convention center and hotel in Plainfield. Executive Director Emory Lencke said in a statement this week that the convention bureau has issued a request for proposals from developers and development teams to design, build and operate a quality facility.

 The key to social media marketing success is customized, quality messages, said Kent Schnepp, chief strategy officer for search engine marketing firm EngineWorks. Schnepp talked about social media marketing strategy last week during a webinar for the Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association, based in West Hills, California.

 For the U.S. hotel industry in year-over-year measurements for the week ending 24 October, occupancy fell 6.3 percent to end the week at 59.0 percent, average daily rate dropped 8.3 percent to US$100.04, and revenue per available room decreased 14.1 percent to US$59.03, according to Smith Travel Research.

 Red Lion Introduces Business Travel Advantage - New Corporate Rate Program Provides Perks, Efficiencies, and Value to Smaller Companies.

 The NCSTD developed the State Tourism Director of the Year Award to honor a tourism director that has clearly influenced the obvious and measurable improvement of a state or territory's "travel and tourism profile" with their leadership. Each year, such success is measured in relationship to the amount of money and staff that the director has at his/her disposal. 

 The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) -- the leading global business travel organization -- today provided its members with the 2010 U.S. Business Travel Buyers' Cost Forecast. This latest installment of the widely-respected annual tool for the U.S. corporate travel industry forecasts the following ranges for changes in travel rates/fares:

 Only web based internet sales can compensate for what has not been sold in advance to fill your hotel. Manage your hotel's web presence to gain greater visibility and better positioning by using blogs, web 3.0 techniques, travel search engines promotions and by putting your hotel on more websites. 

Economic Recovery Likely to Result in 35 Percent Annual Growth Rate for Medical Tourism by 2010 

The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in all three key performance measurements during the week of 11-17 October 2009, according to data from STR. 

Flyte Systems, the leading provider of airport travel information displays and digital signage content for the hospitality industry, digital signage, convention centers and related businesses, announced that Hilton Garden Inn Minneapolis Downtown has installed its FlytePass real-time airline flight information and boarding pass printing solutions in a built-in, high-tech lobby kiosk to aid hotel guests with travel plans.

 It’s a busy time of month for the data processors at Smith Travel Research as the company is releasing U.S. September data and last week’s U.S. hotel performance data today.

The leading global business travel organization -- today provided its members with the 2010 U.S. Business Travel Buyers' Cost Forecast. This latest installment of the widely-respected annual tool for the U.S. corporate travel industry forecasts the following ranges for changes in travel rates/fares.

Day two of the Good News Express from Smith Travel Research reveals the first two weeks of October show positive signs for the hotel industry.

So far, we’ve seen two weeks of daily numbers in October, and it’s safe to say there’s good news on the horizon. The first week, 27 September through 3 October (week No. 35 of 2009), there were positive signs.

Conrad Indianapolis has made the top of the travel list by being recognized by Condé Nast Traveler for the third year in a row, and this year, Conrad has moved up 34 spots on the list.  

Travel buyers increasingly are strengthening their hotel negotiating positions in an environment where they have less demand and more clout by consolidating meetings expenditures, including combining group and transient hotel volumes. Meanwhile, Marriott International reached critical mass on a sales restructuring effort that helps support that strategy.

 Most seasoned hoteliers will recall being told in training classes that 'a happy guest tells five others; an unhappy guest tells 9-10 others.' It seems like not that long ago I was facilitating workshops where, based on these numbers, we tried to quantify the significant cost of future business that was lost through negative word-of-month advertising, and even then it easily justified an investment in hotel hospitality training. 

 The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in all three key performance measurements during the week of 4-10 October 2009, according to data from STR.

 As the U.S. hotel industry traverses the precarious gulf between the summer months and the conference travel season, the year-end projections have not been adjusted, according to STR's monthly forecast.

 The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 10018.58, the first close above 10000 since 3 October 2008, The Wall Street Journal reports. The session was fueled at the open by better-than-expected third-quarter earnings from Intel and J.P. Morgan Chase, which helped already improving global economic sentiment.

 The lunch of squash soup and dill-crusted Arctic char over, MotorCity Casino's Christine Barrett is setting the hook: She's got two women from the 22,000-member United Union of Roofers nibbling, and she'd like to net their 2013 convention for Detroit.

 Emphasizing local flavor, building on a brand’s legacy, cheering travelers, reinforcing a sense of community, stressing locale and conveying a hotel’s personality are examples of hotel marketers’ strategies.

 As we close the summer travel season and move into the fourth quarter, there are pressing questions that will be answered in the coming months. The declines in revenue per available room we’ve experienced throughout the past year started in August 2008, but those losses begin to pick up steam in the fourth quarter (particularly November). As we come to conference season again, our outlook for 2010 and 2011 will depend heavily on the performance data we see during the next two months.

 Workers installed a massive new sign on the Third Avenue side of the Holiday Inn & Suites in Duluth on Friday afternoon. The sign includes a 20-by-20-foot letter "H" that is perhaps the most prominent element of a $1 million investment the Lion Hotel Group is making to update the hotel -- an initiative that has included new bedding and linens plus a host of updated bathroom accessories.

 This year's fall in hotel sales has been even more sharp than in the first half of 2008, though sales of properties valued at $10 million and above began to regain momentum in the second quarter.

 Symbolism is strangling corporate hospitality and travel. Companies that can afford to send their executives on away days and training sessions out of the office don’t because of symbolism. MDs and FDs who believe from empirical evidence that face to face contact and bonding with clients and staff is better for business and profits still opt to stay at home — because of symbolism. 

 The travel industry was hard hit after the first reports of swine fluemerged from Mexico in the spring. Trips were canceled, destination weddings were moved elsewhere and flights were grounded as traveler demand plummeted.

 The U.S. House of Representatives today passed H.R. 1035, the "Travel Promotion Act," with strong bipartisan support, by a vote of 358 to 66. The legislation creates a public-private partnership to promote the United States as a premier travel destination and better explain U.S. security policies. The Senate passed identical legislation earlier in September, but procedural dynamics require an additional Senate vote anticipated in the coming weeks.

 Meet Minneapolis, Official Convention + Visitors Association, is pleased to announce that it achieved 166 percent of its third quarter goal by booking two of the largest conventions booked to date in Minneapolis – the National Education Association (NEA) and the Shriners of North America – and 52 other events that total more than $54 million in future business to Minneapolis. The NEA will bring 16,000 attendees in July 2018 representing $18 million in economic impact and the Shriners 8,000 - 10,000 attendees in July 2014 will yield nearly $6 million.

California Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International Chapters Host 2nd Annual Educational Conference In September 2009 Addressing How The Right Training And Planning Will Help Business And Individuals Champion With In A New Industry Norm During A Bad Economy 

 Travel industry leaders from across the country met Thursday (October 1) for the first time with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to discuss a host of issues affecting the travel industry, including swine flu preparation and efforts to welcome more international visitors to the United States.

The meeting was facilitated by the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus, chaired by Congressmen Sam Farr (D-CA) and Roy Blunt (R-MO), as part of the Caucus’ ongoing breakfast series.

 Many hotel operators and owners continue to be reluctant to engage in a sustainable development strategy. They view it as a costly exercise, particularly when it comes to energy management measures. It simply isn’t so. Nonetheless, here are ideas to help you achieve energy savings.

 The conditions for tourism are starting to indicate a stronger prospect for recovery throughout the world, according the UNWTO. These include macroeconomic upward revisions from the IMF along with preliminary international tourism data through August.

 Let’s start the month on a good note: Worldwide air traffic losses are easing—good news for fly-destinations and hotels in general. According to results released by the International Air Transport Association, passenger traffic declined by only 1.1 percent in August compared with the same period in 2008, representing the smallest year-over-year drop in 2009, reports BTNonline.com.

 The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) -- the voice of business travel -- today testified before the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security in a hearing on "The Future of the Registered Traveler Program." In his testimony, NBTA Executive Director and COO Michael W. McCormick urged Congress to enact the Registered Traveler (RT) provisions included in the House-passed Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Reauthorization Bill (Section 234 in H.R.2200), which would require TSA to evaluate how RT may be used to provide risk management, increase TSA’s efficiency, and improve aviation security.

 To celebrate its new Doubletree name, the Minnesota hotel has completed a $10 million renovation project, which transformed the former Radisson(R) hotel into a modern hotel with stylish guest rooms, increased meeting and event space, delicious dining offerings and more.

 The new corporate name and logo follow the company's recent relocation of its global headquarters from Beverly Hills, Calif., to McLean, Va.

 The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) -- the leading provider of corporate travel education and professional development – announced that enrollment is now being accepted for Core Week 1 of the Strategic Meetings Management Certification (SMMC) education program, an industry-first certification program in strategic meetings management. After a year of development and a successful beta test at the 2009 NBTA International Convention & Exposition last month in San Diego, NBTA is accepting applications for SMMC Core Week 1 to be held November 2-6 at Emory University in Atlanta.

 The 2009 Lodging Conference began with an optimistic eye toward the future and, more specifically, recovery. That was the first topic at hand during the opening general session held at the Arizona Biltmore.

 The consequences of the global economic crisis on the tourism industry and citizens in societies dependent on it are governed by the same 

 Lodging Interactive, a leading interactive agency servicing the hospitality industry, today announced the introduction of its CoMMingle Social Media Marketing Agency operating division. Through a dedicated team of social media experts and proprietary technologies, CoMMingle offers a focused approach towards hospitality social media marketing.

 Gourmands have long been flocking to Fountain Restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia for its warm atmosphere, impeccable service and, of course, it’s imaginative cuisine.

 In spite of these tough times, some hotels are doing better than others and a few hotels are actually doing quite well. This anomaly sparked my curiosity; was this solely a result of local market variations or could it be a result of better management in some hotels?

 The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in all three key performance measurements during the week of 6-12 September 2009, according to data from STR.

 New research conducted by leading global research firm Oxford Economics establishes the first clear link between business travel and business growth. For every dollar invested in business travel, businesses experience an average $12.50 in increased revenue and $3.80 in new profits, according to the study. It is the first time that the return on investment of business travel has been successfully measured. 

 Assuming busy hotel owners and operators don’t have all day to sift through political rhetoric or watch C-SPAN, HotelNewsNow.com created a one-stop shop to help make sense of the health care reform issue.

TIG Global, the leading interactive marketing company for hospitality and travel, is pleased to announce the release of its second eMarketing report specifically written for destination marketing professionals.  The series is designed to serve as a collection of educational tools for DMO marketers that can be directly applied to their online marketing programs.  Each paper covers a separate topic that is pertinent to the travel community and contains real-life examples of interactive strategies and tactics being used by DMOs worldwide.  

 In the midst of general market gloom, the international association sector stands out as a beacon of hope.  These latest survey results from 120 executives (over 40% response rate) shows that their events are more than holding their own.  A clear majority of their 2009 conventions and congresses reported or anticipated increased or static delegate attendances, with an only slightly less optimistic viewpoint on sponsorship and exhibition revenue. 

 White Lodging of Merrillville, IN, in conjunction with Kite Realty Group of Indianapolis, IN, is pleased to announce that they have closed on the financing and commenced construction on the new Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott at Notre Dame. The hotel will be open for the 2010 Notre Dame Football season.

 This morning economic research firm e-forecasting.com in conjunction with STR announced HIP continued to break its downward path. Following 19 months of decline, HIP went up for the second month in a row, gaining 1.5 percent in August. HIP, the Hotel Industry's Pulse index, is composite indicator that gauges business activity in the U.S. hotel industry. 

 Wyndham Hotel Group, the world's largest hotel company with more than 7,000 hotels and 11 brands, has appointed Matthew Sparks as senior vice president of development for the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts(R) brand.

 The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in all three key performance measurements during the week of 30 August-5 September 2009, according to data from STR.

 The U.S. Senate today passed S. 1023, the “Travel Promotion Act,” with strong bipartisan support, 79 to 19. The legislation creates a public-private partnership to promote the United States as a premier travel destination and better explain U.S. security policies. Once passed by the House of Representatives and enacted into law, the program is estimated to create 40,000 U.S. jobs, drive $4 billion in new consumer spending according to Oxford Economics and reduce the federal budget deficit by $425 million according to the Congressional Budget Office. Overseas visitors spend an average of $4,500 per person, per trip in the United States. 

 In a major win for the travel community, 80 Senators voted to move to a final vote on the Travel Promotion Act.  It's critical that every Senator hear from the travel community to support the legislation. The legislation will move to a vote on final Senate passage today. 

 Three out of four respondents to a survey of exhibition organizers in 83 countries conducted by Global Association of the Exhibition Industry reported that business had decreased in the first half of 2009 compared with 2008, while a majority of respondents expected declines to continue throughout the year. 

 The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) released 'H1N1 Influenza Management in Hotels', a guide for lodging businesses to use in managing H1N1 influenza virus situations at their properties.

 Crescent Hotels & Resorts officials today announced that the company has taken over management of two hotels in St. Paul--the 470-room Crowne Plaza St. Paul-Riverfront and the 249-room Hilton Garden Inn St. Paul City Center. Both properties are owned by SP Hotels, LLC.

 The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in all three key performance measurements during the week of 23-29 August 2009, according to data from STR.

 Fitch Ratings released its August report of U.S. commercial mortgage-backed securities with some stark realities for hotel real estate.

 Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals' (HFTP(R)) 2009 Annual Convention & Tradeshow offers attendees a way to find cost-effective solutions to their current work challenges, stay informed on the hottest industry topics, expand their network, increase their professional value and become empowered. The convention's education program focuses on empowering attendees professionally to assure success in the workplace.

 In view of the current influenza A(H1N1) pandemic, UNWTO held a two-day review and preparation exercise on 'Travel and Tourism under Pandemic Conditions' in Madrid 26-27 August. The workshop was convened to anticipate the challenges the virus will bring over the next few months and ensure that the travel and tourism sector is fully prepared for the evolving pandemic.

Best Western Friends Forever Inseparator' application, allows owners to merge their photo with an image of their pet.

The end result is a hilarious image that tests the theory that people start to look like their pets over time and can be shared with family, friends and co-workers, as well as posted online at www.bwff.com.

'Best Western is known for being pet friendly and we wanted to create a fun way for pet owners, and pet travelers, to share their love for their pets,' said Troy Rutman, director of external communications for Best Western. 'We hope the application will remind travelers that pets need vacations too!'

 The city is paying for more than half the $1.8 million sky bridge that will connect the Embassy Theatre and the Courtyard by Marriott hotel. But that doesn't mean most taxpayers will actually be able to use it.

 The Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association (ICVA) has booked another major convention into the expanding Indiana Convention Center.  The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) will hold its annual convention in Indianapolis in March 2013, with more than 11,000 attendees expected to generate roughly $7.3 million in direct visitor spending.

National Pre-Conference Survey Respondents Reveal 'Man Over
Machine' Mindset in Regards to Meetings and Events

 Bing Travel issued a preliminary outlook for the 2009 holiday travel season, uncovering a holiday season that is distinctly more traveler-friendly than the 2008 season. This year, airfare for Thanksgiving travel to domestic destinations averages $327, down 22 percent from 2008 and virtually on par with 2007 fares

 The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in all three key performance measurements during the week of 16-22 August 2009, according to data from STR.

 Preliminary estimates to repair damage sustained by the Minneapolis Convention Center (MCC) as a result of the Aug. 19, 2009, tornado that struck the City of Minneapolis are $350,000 - $500,000. Full extent of the damage is still being analyzed. 

 AAA today projected the number of Americans traveling on vacation this Labor Day weekend will be heavily impacted by when Labor Day falls on the calendar. Approximately 39.1 million travelers are expected to take a trip of 50 miles or more away from home, a decrease of 13.3 percent from 2008 when Labor Day travel was the highest this decade.

 As the hospitality industry looks to turn the corner in a down economy, it is more important than ever that hoteliers arm themselves with partners and tools that will position them to increase bookings and enhance occupancy. TravelCLICK, the leading provider of ecommerce solutions for hotels, today announced partnerships with three industry leaders who provide hoteliers with a competitive advantage across key reservation channels, including the multi-billion-dollar travel agent market and one of the largest third-party travel websites.  

 The NBTA Foundation, the education and research foundation of the National Business Travel Association (NBTA), and Concur, a leading provider of on-demand employee spend management services, released the updated findings of a comprehensive study of car rental, hotel and meal taxes in the top 50 U.S. travel destination cities.

 Last week, the TSA clamped down on liquids carried on board U.S. planes. Those rules came in the wake of a terrorist scare in England, with word of a plot to blow up flights headed to the U.S. by using liquid explosives.

 The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) today announced the new Fiscal Year 2010 (FY2010) federal per diem rates, which will take effect on October 1, 2009 and run through September 30, 2010.

 Peoria's third-largest hotel has a new name. The Grand Hotel at 4400 Brandywine Drive is the former Ramada Inn and Conference Center.The new sign isn't in place yet but the Ramada sign came down Monday, said Kathi Williams, the hotel's director of sales.

 The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in all three key performance measurements during the week of 9-15 August 2009, according to data from STR.

The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in all three key performance measurements during the week of 9-15 August 2009, according to data from Smith Travel Research.

 This travel notice has been removed and replaced by an Outbreak Notice about the global status of novel H1N1 flu.

 The good news is that when faced with lower levels of business in 2008, U.S. hotel managers cut operating costs by 0.3 percent. Unfortunately, total hotel revenues dropped 1.3 percent, resulting in a 3.8 percent decline in net operating income for the average U.S. hotel according to the 2009 edition of Trends(R) in the Hotel Industry. 

 America's lodging industry is working hard in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. 

 There will be less travelers flying this year during Labor Day weekend, according to projections from the Air Transport Association of America.The trade group predicts 16 million passenger will travel on U.S. domestic carriers during the eight-day period from 2-9 September, a 3.5-percent decline from the 17 million passengers who traveled during the comparable period last year, reports MSNBC.com.

Great Wolf Lodge – Traverse City, Michigan today announced that Rhonda L. Hampton, CMP has been named director of sales & marketing. Hampton is responsible for achieving occupancy and revenue objectives and directing the daily efforts of the field sales managers.  Additionally, she is responsible for executing sales and marketing programs to generate visits from corporate meeting and group audiences, as well as leisure travelers. 

Despite a record-setting RevPAR decline in the second quarter,the extended-stay segment still is faring relatively well compared to the rest of the industry in most measures of operating performance, according to The Highland Group’s “The US Extended-Stay Lodging Report: Mid-Year 2009".

The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) today filed comments in response to the U.S. Department of Treasury’s interim final rule on TARP Standards for Compensation and Corporate Governance, which requires corporations that have received government assistance to develop a policy regarding excessive expenditures that may include entertainment, events, aviation and other transportation services. NBTA stressed the importance of a well-managed travel program, urging the Treasury Department to adopt event guidelines for TARP recipients. 

RevPAR declines are expected to continue into the convention season according to STR's revised monthly forecast. The company also revised its forecasts for year-end 2009 and 2010.

Continental (CAL), American (AMR), Jet Blue (JBLU) and Virgin America have limits in their published policies on how long they'll let delayed flights sit on tarmacs before returning to the gate. But they allow wiggle room if planes are expected to take off shortly after the limit is reached.

Smith Travel Research wasn’t the only research firm to release a revised forecast in the past few days. PKF Hospitality Research issued an advance release of the September 2009 edition of Hotel Horizon.

The AAA Four-Diamond Chateau on the Lake Resort, Spa & Convention Center, which sits on an Ozark mountaintop overlooking Branson, Missouri’s scenic Table Rock Lake, is offering many enticing incentives for groups booking and holding a new program by May 1, 2010.

The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in all three key performance measurements during the week of 2-8 August 2009, according to data from STR (Smith Travel Research). In year-over-year measurements, the industry's occupancy fell 7.5 percent to end the week at 65.9 percent. Average daily rate dropped 9.7 percent to finish the week at US$97.32. Revenue per available room for the week decreased 16.5 percent to finish at US$64.10.

The travel intentions of U.S. adults appear to be on the rise, according to the latest travel horizons survey, which is co-authored quarterly by Ypartnership and the U.S. Travel Association. Almost two-thirds (63 percent) of U.S. adults expect to take at least one trip for leisure purposes between August 2009 and January 2010, up from 61 percent who expressed the same intention in July 2008. Assuming Americans act on their stated intention, this will translate into an estimated 142 million U.S. adults taking at least one overnight trip during the next six months.

The total active U.S. hotel development pipelineincludes 4,554 projects with 487,831 rooms, according to the July 2009 STR/TWR/Dodge Construction Pipeline Report released this week. This represents a 26.2-percent decrease in the number of rooms in the total active pipeline compared to July 2008.

When President Barack Obama convened his Cabinet and senior advisers for an early August retreat to reflect on the first half of the year and refocus his administration’s priorities, he did not ask his staff for written briefings or set up a conference call, webinar or videoconference. Instead, the Obama administration held a business meeting. According to The Washington Post, “Two officials characterized the session as an attempt at ‘bonding.’ Another said the gathering … is modeled after similar corporate events and is designed to provide an assessment of how the administration is doing.” The irony is that this meeting comes at the exact time many federal agencies are issuing formal and informal policies against government travel to any destination that might be perceived as a resort or luxurious.  

I was standing in Times Square on a sunny day last month when one of my daughters told me to look up. There was a massive Pure Michigan advertisement, three stories tall, four billboards in all, inviting everyone at the bustling "crossroads of the world" to kick back on a Great Lakes beach. The other daughter, who left Michigan for a job in North Carolina, said she heard the ads every morning all spring, beckoning her home from Tar Heel country. A Chicago newspaper columnist complained that he was going nuts in the Windy City because he couldn't escape the soothing voice of Tim Allen on the radio inviting him to Pure Michigan. Ads for Michigan are wrapped around Chicago tour buses, too.

Corporate travel is projected to drop by 15% this year, compared with 2008, while overall travel demand could decline by 11%, according to a study by a market research firm. As businesses continue to tighten spending practices, corporate travel is projected to drop by 15% this year compared with 2008, while overall travel demand could decline by 11%, according to a study by PhoCusWright, a Sherman, Conn., market research firm. 

The restaurant industry's economic challenges continued to persist in June, as the National Restaurant Association's comprehensive index of restaurant activity declined for the second consecutive month. The Association's Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) - a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry - stood at 97.8 in June, down 0.5 percent from May and its 20th consecutive month below 100.

It has been a stock offering investment bankers have been drooling over for decades. Hyatt Hotels has a prominent brand name and a multibillion-dollar market value. On Aug. 5, the privately held company filed with federal regulators to begin the process of selling shares to the public. et the question on many hotel industry insiders' minds is: Why now, when the travel industry is in the middle of one of its worst slumps in decades?

The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in all three key performance measurements during the week of July 26 to August 1, according to data from Smith Travel Research (STR). In year-over-year measurements, the industry's occupancy fell 6.4 percent to end the week at 66.5 percent. Average daily rate dropped 9.6 percent to finish the week at US$97.48. Revenue per available room for the week decreased 15.5 percent to finish at US$64.86.

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) announces that preliminary data collected for the annual CEIR Index report for the second quarter of 2009 reveals that the exhibition industry experienced an overall decline of 10.9 percent when compared to the same quarter of 2008. Year-over-year contraction of the exhibition industry is directly linked to the continuing recession. These second quarter results mark a 0.7 percent increase in performance compared to the first quarter of 2009.

The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) and the Government Travel Group (GTG)-NBTA's government travel division-today expressed concern over reports of U.S. government agencies blacklisting cities for federal business travel and meetings because they are perceived as resort or vacation destinations. The association supports legislation introduced by Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Representative Suzanne Kosmas (D-Fla) and Senator Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) that would prohibit destination discrimination and stressed the importance of travel and meetings management for efficient and cost-effective corporate travel and meetings.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has introduced a bill to prevent federal agencies from ruling out tourist destinations as places to hold official meetings. The Democrat from Nevada introduced the bill on July 29, called the Protecting Resort Cities from Discrimination Act of 2009.

Since the U.S. Travel Association this month revealed that some government agencies' policies forbid holding meetings in "resort" cities like Las Vegas and Orlando, a wave of legislative opposition has mounted: House leaders have requested a Government Accountability Office investigation, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) has vowed an amendment to prohibit such policies and other Washington players, from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, have come out in opposition. 

Tourism is a vital part of my state’s economy, and I know that many Florida cities offer some of the finest, most competitive prices on hotels and conference facilities. That’s why I was stunned when I found out some federal agencies might be blacklisting Florida cities for travel and conferences because of their proximity to vacation destinations.

hinton+grusich (h+g), a leading national sales organization that represents upscale meeting hotels, destinations and hospitality suppliers, has teamed up with partner One Smooth Stone, a full-service event production company, to invest in meetings industry supportive initiatives.  During a time when companies are cutting back on such investments, these Chicago businesses are showing their commitment to their clients and the industry through offering a series of webinars, panel discussions and a "grass roots" campaign effort to provide feedback to the US Congress.

The Travel Channel’s Extreme Resorts television program has announced that the Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort, America’s largest waterpark resort located in Wisconsin Dells, will be featured in its Wednesday, August 12 show at 7 p.m. CST. According to show producers, it will be one of eight extreme properties from around the world highlighted in the episode.

Members of the National Medical Association will leave more than money in Las Vegas during their convention this week. They'll also leave some health and fitness knowledge with people in Las Vegas neighborhoods where quality medical advice is scarce. The NMA, as it is known to members, was founded in 1895 when black doctors weren't allowed in the American Medical Association and sets aside time during every annual convention to promote good health in the community where the group is meeting. The group hosted a health fair and "Walk a Mile With a Child" event at the Academy of the Healing Arts near downtown Las Vegas. The events were free and open to the public and aimed at encouraging health, fitness and positive mentoring relationships between adults and kids.

Business isn't the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Las Vegas, Nevada, or Orlando, Florida, but these two entertainment capitals are also the top business meeting and convention destinations in the United States. One of the nation's largest employers has discouraged its employees from booking meetings and conventions in the cities where Mickey Mouse lives and Wayne Newton sings.

The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in all three key performance measurements during the week of 19-25 July 2009, according to data from STR. In year-over-year measurements, the industry's occupancy fell 7.9 percent to end the week at 67.0 percent. Average daily rate dropped 9.1 percent to finish the week at US$98.13. Revenue per available room for the week decreased 16.3 percent to finish at US$65.77.

Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) incoming Chairman of the Board of Directors Daniel Fenton took the reins July 30 to lead DMAI, the world’s largest resource for official destination marketing organizations. DMAI launched a new campaign to establish national partnerships with arts, hotel and labor groups. The association, under Fenton’s leadership will also focus on technology and social responsibility. Travel and tourism is one of the world’s largest service exports and largest employers.  

The U.S. hotel industry revenue per available room dropped 18.7 percent to US$53.87 percent for the first half of 2009 in year-over-year measurements, according to data from STR. In year-over-year measurements, the industry’s occupancy dropped 10.9 percent to 54.6 percent and average daily rate fell 8.7 percent to US$98.66.

Going back to the 1920s, there has been approximately a 1 to 1 relationship between the demand for hotel rooms and the U.S. gross domestic product (and its predecessor, gross national product). For some brief periods, this relationship was off a bit, but never as badly as with the current economic crisis. During the Great Recession of 2008-2009, the demand for hotel rooms has fallen FOUR times as fast as the GDP has declined.

The sluggish economy has forced some organizations to cut convention and conference spending at the Dayton Convention Center, but it also may be the force that draws new events downtown. "We're in a transition year, like so many others, as we realign our business with the current state of the economy," Bart Shaw, director of the convention center said.

State's third largest industry reports travel into state is up.  A statewide survey of tourism business found an increase in visitors from other states at the midpoint of summer. The Michigan Lodging & Tourism Association (MLTA) conducted the survey which included lodging properties, golf courses, restaurants, and other tourism business segments.

New hotel openings are projected at 759 hotels/74,493 rooms. LE has also adjusted its forecasts for 2009 and 2010. The 2009 forecast has been reduced to 1,425 new hotels/156,653 rooms, down by 5,036 rooms, a decrease of 3%. The 2010 forecast has been adjusted to 1,073 projects/124,439 rooms, down 21,277 rooms or 15%.

The U.S. Travel Association announced today that S. 1023, the "Travel Promotion Act", now has the support of half the U.S. Senate. The bill will create thousands of new jobs and spur economic growth by attracting millions of additional international travelers to the United States. 

There's a rumor floating in our nation's capital that Orlando has been blacklisted by the federal government when agencies determine where to hold conferences around the country.  Now there is a bi-partisan effort among Florida's congressional delegation to get to the bottom of it.

I was saddened to read in the Wall Street Journal a few days ago an article about how the federal government is clamping down on business meetings.

Intermedia Meetings & Events, a full-service meeting management firm, announces the launch of its newest service: The Meeting Planning Experience.  In addition to offering its acclaimed meeting and association management services, Intermedia is introducing its new training program specifically designed to assist the non-traditional planner, namely executive and administrative assistants and industry suppliers.  The program is tailored to each client's unique needs, with on-hands training taking place "on location" within the students' environment at their office.

With Orlando, Fla. and a few other U.S. locales apparently on a so-called blacklist of sites for government meetings and conferences, one U.S. senator now says he’s going after any agency that deliberately discourages travel to Florida.

The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in all three key performance measurements during the week of 12-18 July 2009, according to data from STR.

What do Reno, Orlando and Las Vegas have in common? To some pockets of the federal government, they just seem like too much fun. Instead, employees at some big agencies, like the U.S. Department of Agriculture, are being encouraged to host meetings in more buttoned-down places such as St. Louis, Milwaukee or Denver.

Hotel sales and marketing executive Michelle Travis is joining the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association (ICVA) as Vice President of Sales. 

 As businesses continued to scale back on travel in the recession, Marriott International Inc.'s second-quarter profit fell 76 percent. Marriott expects the trend to continue and offered far more cautious outlooks for the third quarter and full fiscal year than Wall Street expected, sending its shares down $1.36, or 6.2 percent, to close at $20.44 Thursday.

 Following criticism by various government officials and some media outlets about a meeting by the Social Security Administration in Phoenix, AZ, the Arizona Republic has recently published an article on  why officials believe getaway meetings are important.

There is more reason than ever to attend the U.S. Travel Association's Travel Leadership Summit on September 16-17 in Washington, DC.

The travel business is in a crisis. The recession is taking its toll, but the problem is compounded by the aftermath of the Swine Flu outbreak and the attacks on the meetings and events business earlier this year. The industry has lost billions of dollars in cancellations, and communities across the United States have lost jobs.

Celebrating 25 years of investing back into the global meetings and events industry – the MPI Foundation’s future focus will closely align with corporate leaders to adjust to the dynamics of the shifting economy while positioning the future advancement of professionals within the industry.

The Travel Promotion Act was a bipartisan piece of legislation that the Congressional Budget Office says would shave $500 million from the deficit over 10 years.

The industry-wide Keep America Meeting campaign was celebrated by the NY Metro Chapter of International Special Events Society (ISES) last week, when ISES judges awarded Keep America Meeting two Big Apple Awards for Best Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiative and Best Use of Social Media. 

Several hospitality industry leaders interviewed recently regarding the state of the travel industry agreed that the sports-related travel segment is one of the few bright spots on the travel-industry horizon.

The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) have announced a strategic alliance.  

According to PCMA and ACTE, the strategic alliance will "leverage the strengths" of the organizations, which will each remain independent. It will also expand the current education exchange, enable best practice sharing, share the reciprocal member benefits and special member rates and more. The two groups say that this alliance builds an "enhanced advocacy voice" to promote the industry. Additionally, there exist "potential" for co-located events.