News
IN BRIEF ...
ROOM DEALS WITH CWT
CARLSON WAGONLIT TRAVEL UK has launched a new online hotel booking tool with unique features including the ability to book allocation content online and manage last room availability contracts CWT Room Select searches property content from the global distribution systems and non-GDS content from CWT's own hotel database, HARP, as well as direct-connect links to major hotel chains.
Search results are displayed in order of the lowest negotiated price first. "Innovation is more important than ever in this challenging environment," said Andrew Waller, CWT executive vice-president UK & Ireland. "We have delivered a unique product that can achieve dramatic savings."
The hotel sector continues to be a growth area for CWT UK, with 2008 bookings worth around £215 million.
ATP INCREASES GLOBAL FOOTPRINT
ATP INTERNATIONAL GROUP has bought marine fares specialist Instone International, taking its worldwide revenues to more than €750 million a year and positioning ATP as one of the world's top travel management companies.
The takeover, backed by Barclays Private Equity, gives ATP branches in 20 countries and access to a worldwide partner network. Group chief executive Graham Ramsey said: "Instone is the perfect fit for us and for our company culture; both organisations are top players in their respective fields and both will benefit substantially from wider service opportunities and a considerably increased global footprint."
More loss predicted for airlines
THE INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION (IATA) now expects the world's airlines to lose US$9 billion this year, almost double the losses forecast as recently as March.
However, even that will represent an improvement on 2008's balance-sheet, which IATA now predicts will show a US$10.4 billion loss. The increased losses are entirely down to the recession - airline fuel bills this year are expected to be almost US$60 billion lower. "There is no modern precedent for today's economic meltdown," director-general Giovanni Bisignani told delegates to IATA's annual general meeting in Kuala Lumpur last month. "The ground has shifted. This is the most difficult situation that the industry has faced."
Lufthansa has reported a first-quarter operating loss of €44 million, against a €172 million profit a year ago. Chief financial officer Stephan Gemkow insisted: "Our foundations are solid and we have the right instruments to take counter action. Now we will see who is prepared and able to react effectively against these difficult conditions."
Brazil's TAM Airlines has become the latest associate member of the Guild of Travel Management Companies (GTMC). The largest airline in South America, TAM operates to 40 destinations within Brazil from its Sao Paulo hub and offers 18 international services - including daily flights to Heathrow.
Greece's Aegean Airlines is to become a member of the Star Alliance group. Launched a decade ago, Aegean is now the largest Greek carrier, operating a fleet of 31 aircraft on 47 routes, with 200 flights daily.
SMARTCARD RAIL TICKET TRIAL
SCOTRAIL STAFF members have begun testing smartcard rail tickets with a view to piloting the new technology with Edinburgh-Glasgow season ticket holders in the autumn. However, it will be at least two years before the smart tickets are made more widely available, via online and offline sales and from vending machines at selected stations.
ScotRail project director Alasdair McNicoll said: "If the pilot is successful, we are keen to extend the use of smartcards to include other ticket types in future. Ultimately, extra features could even include train, bus and ferry tickets in one purchase, and special promotional deals."
LUXURY ECO LABEL FOR UPMARKET HOTELS
SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL (STI), a Colorado-based not-for-profit organisation, has developed a 'green' accreditations system for top-end hotels.
The Luxury Eco Certification Standard (LECS) covers 100 separate aspects of a hotel's eco-credentials, and is awarded only after the property has been checked by independent assessors.
Hotels have to pay more than US$3,000 to apply for accreditation, but STI vice-president Peter Krahenbuhl says: "Implementing LECS will help hoteliers operate their facilities more efficiently and sustainably, which will likely reduce their long-term operating costs, and create customer and employee goodwill."
QATAR GAINS BEST WESTERN
BEST WESTERN'S FIRST hotel in Qatar - the Doha Seef - has opened for business. The 180-room property has a range of meeting facilities, a business centre, a health club and an outdoor pool.
Having recently signed up the Dhow Palace Hotel in Dubai, Best Western will be putting its name on a further five hotels currently under development in the region - two in Kuwait, two in Muscat, and another in Dubai.
Hamra Hotels & Resorts opens the doors to the Acacia Hotel in Ras Al Khaimah, northeast of Dubai in August. In addition to its 270 guestrooms, the Acacia will feature 103 one-bedroomed serviced apartments, a business centre, a conference centre, a choice of restaurants, a gym and a swimming pool.
Raffles Hotels & Resorts' ambitious expansion plans now include a property in Kuala Lumpur, scheduled to open in 2011. The upmarket group, which is part of the Fairmont group, currently has seven hotels open and a further 16 in the pipeline.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts' W brand opens its first hotel in mainland Europe in October with the opening of a 473-room property in Barcelona. As well as the usual spa, restaurant, rooftop bar, infinity pool and fitness centre, the seafront hotel boasts more than 2,500m2 of meeting and function space.
The 34-storey Rosewood Abu Dhabi, with 190 rooms and 140 serviced residences, is slated to open in 2012. It will be the fourth Rosewood in the region - the Dallas-based company already manages hotels in Riyadh and Jeddah.
A 650-room Crowne Plaza is to open in Taiwan's second city, Kaohsiung, by the end of this year. The property will have five restaurants, two ballrooms and 10 function rooms.
Las Vegas' best-known hotel company, MGM Mirage, has announced plans for a 250-room Bellagio hotel, a 350-room MGM Grand property, and a 30-suite Skylofts hotel at the £2.4 billion Dubai Pearl resort development.
Marriott International has opened the 118-room Renaissance Arc de Triomphe in the heart of Paris, and a 187-room Courtyard by Marriott, close to Toulouse-Blagnac International airport.
TALKING SHOP
THE CHALLENGES FACING the meetings and events industry are to be discussed at a summit in September. The forum, on September 21, precedes Event UK, a two-day showcase which takes place at the NEC Birmingham on September 22-23.
It is hoped the summit, for conference, meetings and event associations, will become a regular forum at which best practice for the benefit of the entire industry can be shared.
"2009 continues to be a challenging year for our members and this summit will show that we are all serious about supporting the industry in its widest form," says Jane Evans, chief executive of the Meetings Industry Association.
Marriott goes green
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL has launched a 'green meetings' initiative across its continental European hotels. Trialled with considerable success in the US last year, as part of the company's wider environmental strategy, the scheme has now been extended to mainland Europe as a prelude to a global roll-out.
Eco-friendly meeting planners and participants will now be able to opt for energy-efficient audio-visual equipment, sustainably produced flip charts, and even biodegradable ballpoints - Marriott gives away 47 million pens a year. Individual hotels are being encouraged to offer additional services, such as recycling delegate name badges, issuing tickets or passes for public transport, and serving fair trade coffee.
Regus deals with Cable & Wireless
REGUS, THE "FLEXIBLE WORKPLACE SOLUTIONS PROVIDER", has forged a five-year, £32 million deal with Cable & Wireless (C&W) that will see the latter's "virtual meetings" technology installed in 14 business cities - including London and Manchester - around the world.
The two companies say the pay-per-use telepresence suites, which will come on stream this summer, offer "a genuine alternative to executive travel".
Regus chief executive Mark Dixon says: "Companies that use this virtual tool will save time and money on business travel while minimising their impact on the environment. We are revolutionising how people meet by delivering services that will optimise their performance."
The telepresence suites, which can be hired by the hour, accommodate up to 10 participants who are shown life-size and in high definition on screen, with their discussions "broadcast" in stereo surround-sound.
In addition to London and Manchester, suites will be installed in Regus properties in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Mumbai, Moscow, Frankfurt, Paris, Shanghai, Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo.
- In June, Regus opened its new fl agship business lounge in London's Berkeley Square.
