Customer Journey Survey: Take part!

Düsseldorf (July 21, 2023). The opinion of chain hoteliers is reuqired: Take part in the next global study on hotel operations and the customer journey. Until 16 August.

HOTCO moves to Vienna

Vienna (February 10, 2023). After five successful conferences, HOTCO, the hotel investment conference specializing in the large CEE region, is moving from Budapest to Vienna. Thus, on Monday/Tuesday, 27/28 March 2023, participants will meet for the first time on the Danube and at the Andaz Vienna. Organizer is Marius Gomola from Horwath HTL Hungary. He now announced more speakers and panelists. hospitalityInside.com is once again media partner of this event.

Energy and laundry drive costs

Madrid (January 27, 2023). Hotel markets are recovering worldwide. But costs put pressure on GOP margin analysis Michael Grove, COO of Hotstats, revealed how variable and fixed costs are now on the move at the AOHIS investors conference in Madrid on 16-17 January.

A new investors conference

Madrid (November 4, 2022). The timing is clever: Two days before the start of the Spanish tourism fair FITUR - which wants to become the new ITB - a new hotel investors' conference will have its premiere in Madrid on 16/17 January 2023: AOHIS, the Atlantic Ocean Hotel Investors' Summit. It will take place at the NH Collection Eurobuilding Hotel. It will not be a "commercial show", but an event with content and quality, limited to 300 participants. HospitalityInside is happy to support AOHIS as a media partner. Our subscribers receive a special price.

Hospitality helps Ukraine! Links

From imitation towards innovation

Budapest (January 31, 2020). "Emerging Europe" turns 30 this year. "And the countries have changed, from imitation (of the west) towards innovation," said market expert Andrew Wrobel, describing the impressive change at the Hotel Investment Conference (HOTCO) in Budapest last week. This is especially apparent in the Hungarian capital, the gate to Southeast Europe. The B2B platform also showed that the challenges move from west to east, as well as the discussions.

Searching the success drivers

Budapest (January 10, 2020). Only ten days left until HOTCO Budapest! The annual conference at the Kempinski Budapest, this time on 20/21 January, brings together a large bouquet of colourful and hot topics. Discussions will include blockchain, the true value of F&B, the growing shortage of employees and of course new opportunities for developers and investors. Marriott's European President Liam Brown and Kempinski CEO Martin Smura are expected as speakers, among others. hospitalityInside.com is also present as a media partner.

New Retail smashes borders

Prague (March 15, 2019). In 2016, the Chinese online merchant Alibaba redefined retail: It went offline. Because acquisition costs for the customer are lower in store. Apart from that: The Chinese still tend to buy offline, defying their general addiction to the internet. The result of Alibaba's decision: Since then, it's no longer been the retail groups, but the internet and technology giants that have worked hard on efficiently combining online and offline sales and so to learn even more about the individual customers. "New Retail" is the magic word of the future.

The direct connection

Prague (January 11, 2019). In Europe, the battle between hotels and OTAs for direct bookings has been on for years. Chinese address guests directly. For them Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a commodity, chat bots are taking reservations and travellers check-in with face recognition solutions. The conference "Marketing to China" (m2C) on March 29-30, 2019 in Prague will explain the different approach to the Chinese customer and how to anchor the own hotel brand in the Far East. Subscribers to HospitalityInside's paid content magazine and participants of the HospitalityInside Think Tank (HITT) still receive a discount - even last minute.

Pure adrenaline

Vienna (February 23, 2018). "We are the most passionate of all tourism schools"!, the exuberant professor joyfully called out to the 650 guests in the hall of the Austria Trend Hotel Savoyen in Vienna. With these words, Helmut Kuchernig, mentor and co-founder of "The Theatre Hotel", gave the starting signal for the big cultural and culinary final: Last Saturday evening, two 17-year-old "chefs" provided 650 three-course menus and 500 breakfasts in the morning. 260 school students of the HLTW13 Bergheidengasse in Vienna ran, served, organised and sweated – and laughed late into the night, totally exhausted but happy… They had "passed".

The Theatre Hotel

Vienna (December 8, 2017). The history of this Theatre Hotel is unique. Artists made the beginning, but it was the school students at HLTW13 Bergheidengasse in Vienna who turned it into the biggest school charity in Austria – which today even has an impact in Asia. Next time too, at the eleventh event on Saturday, 17 February 2018, school students will cook for and serve around 1,000 guests. For years, around 200 young people have, for one evening only, turned the Austria Trend Hotel Savoyen in Vienna into a unique backdrop for music, man and mankind. The highpoint 2018: a concert with the famous singer songwriter Konstantin Wecker. hospitalityInside.com is supporting the Theatre Hotel with a media partnership. Because unusual activities require unusual reporting.

Living sustainability

Munich (July 29, 2016). There are already several sustainability certificates throughout the hotel industry. But how are they being put into practice in everyday business and how do guests react to them? Frank Oettinger, Vice President Operations & Franchise H-Hotels, addressed certification at the first "Green Hotels – Nachhaltigkeitszertifikate für Hotelimmobilien" ("Green Hotels – Sustainability certificates for hotels") expert symposium on June 22, 2016, at Ramada Hotel & Conference Center Messe Muenchen from an operator's view – providing profound examples that actively involve both employees and guests.

A fresh breeze for everyone

Warsaw (July 1, 2016). "2015 was a strong year for Poland, and 2016 will be the same," Lukas Hochedlinger, Managing Director Germany, Austria, CEE at Christie & Co says. And he views the "basic trend" in other Eastern European countries to be "very positive", even in secondary locations. The discussion rounds at the 3rd "Spotlight Hotel Investment Poland" conference in mid-June confirmed the good "hotel forecast" by Hochedlinger. In the InterContinental Hotel Warsaw, over 250 high-calibre participants arrived for the conference - also a sign of the interest for (more) hotels and international investors. A first impression.

Pearl Searching

Gravenbruch/Frankfurt (April 22, 2016). The third edition of the B2B-luxury fair "loop" at the Kempinski Gravenbruch last week was considerably more international than the last two events, which especially excited the buyers, since more and more well-off clients are looking for new travel destinations: The current crises regions are fueling the search for safe destinations, extravagant ideas and reliable hotels. 100 Hosted Buyers from all parts of the German speaking regions met 100 hoteliers from around the world – two and a half days in 15-minute intervals. That adds up to 70 conversations each and as always, it was intense but good.

Making shopping an event

Frankfurt (April 8, 2016). 100 exhibitors and 100 luxury travel buyers will come together again this year at Germany's only luxury travel trade fair "loop - luxury on our planet". For the third time already, the B2B trade fair will attract hoteliers and travel agencies/tour operators to Frankfurt. hospitalityInside.com will also support the event for the third time as media partner.

Higher occupancy or higher rates?

Warsaw (June 26, 2015). "Spotlight Hotel Investment Poland" launched one year ago. Last week, 200 participants, around 40 more than at its premier, were at the second such event. Promisingly, this included many Poles. The event proved that the hotel pulse is beating strongly in this country. Talk rounds also revealed minor changes over the last 12 months. Hoteliers are already thinking beyond national borders and international developers are increasingly thinking in a more differentiated way. Only the bankers remain conservative and are pleased to find investors willing to finance projects in Zloty.

Big interest in a small market

Warsaw (April 24, 2015). 80 percent of the speakers and talk round participants have already confirmed two months before the event. This is a good sign for the second edition of the small, refined "Spotlight Hotel Investment Poland" Conference on June 16, 2015 at the Westin Hotel Warsaw. Registrations are still possible, the regular price of 160 Euro remains affordable. Up to the end of April, the early bookers were even paying only 140 Euro. It is about the hotel market in Poland, its development, its financing, the potential for investments and about the role of the chains.

The cake is delicious

Frankfurt/M (March 20, 2015). The "cake design" has proved itself, just the same as the 15 minute tempo for intensive conversations between hoteliers and buyers. The fact that the Offenbach-based marketing representatives, Lobster Experience, had touched on a nerve with their "loop" premiere the last year was impressively underlined in the second edition: Only beaming faces everywhere. As a result, loop, short for "luxury on our planet", has been able to establish itself as a valuable B2B trade fair in Europe. This year, the large hotel chains were present with their luxury brands for the first time.

Luxury fair loop, the second to come

Offenbach (December 19, 2014). After the successful debut of the first tourism luxury fair "loop – luxury on our planet" in 2014, their founder Lobster Experience is currently preparing for the second round from March 9 to 11, 2015. Applications are welcome.

Enthusing and disillusioning

Warsaw (June 27, 2014). For international chains, Poland is a promising land as the country has several good cities with potential and the chains are able to spread their brand portfolio. In general, investors are positive even if Polish banks are very conservative. At the beginning of June, the first hotel conference "Spotlight Hotel Investment Poland" in Warsaw provided insights concerning expectations, hopes and potentials.

With high-quality speakers

Warsaw (May 23, 2014). A series of well-known speakers will directly lend the right shine to the first "Spotlight Hotel Investment Poland". Not quantity, but quality will distinguish the premiere of this event surrounding the hotel real estate in Poland. This is why even the organisers themselves are awaiting the conference day on Monday, June 2, 2014, at the Golden Tulip Warsaw Centre Hotel with excitement. Quickly-deciding participant only pay 160 Euro for this interesting day.

Small, sophisticated, personal

Frankfurt/M (March 21, 2014). Nothing plays a greater role in the luxury hotel segment than the person. This also applies for B2B – there, it's the personal relationship between hotelier and purchaser. Those looking for holidays for demanding private travellers and high net worth individuals (HNWI) or companies looking for the latest event kick like to sharpen their senses at luxury trade fairs. The ILTM in Cannes is considered a hot spot for B2B in the international luxury business; last week though 'Loop' ("Luxury on our planet") set a new emphasis as the first B2B luxury trade fair in Frankfurt for the important Germany, Austria and Switzerland source market. In conversations with hoteliers from 31 countries as well as with hosted buyers from 12 countries, hospitalityInside.com also got a feel for what well-heeled guests are looking for and how hotels are looking to benefit.

360° Luxury Networking

Offenbach (February 7, 2014). The new trade show "loop – luxury on our planet" from the 9th to the 12th of March in Frankfurt/Main promises a fresh breeze in the luxury segment (see link). The first B2B luxury trade show for the German-speaking market organised by the Lobster Group from Offenbach (www.lobster-experience.com) will bring luxury hoteliers together with luxury buyers. The circle will open up the networking to interested external guests on the final evening. hospitalityInside.com is an exclusive media partner of this premiere and will also report about it later while on location – accessible to all users.

Small hotels' creativity required

Saint Moritz/Sils (April 29, 2011). Groupings of the Historic Hotels of Europe (HHE) are represented in 22 countries. They enable to their guests to dive into submerged worlds or at least, to stay in a historical construction. Not all are "castle hotels and mansions", as characterised by the resident Austrian consortium. In other countries, potentially converted industrial cathedrals are to be found – or old residential houses and castles. Characterising the image of the venerable grand hotels remains to be represented as with the Swiss Waldhaus Sils. Nevertheless, with the first HHE Congress in the Waldhaus, there was also much to hear regarding the great challenges to small and medium-sized private hotels.

History and hospitality

St. Moritz (February 25, 2011). The history of the hotels, the hospitality and the personalities of the hosts form the common denominator for the colourful hotel crowd from all of Europe that meets for the first time from the 27th to the 29th of March, 2011 in Saint Moritz, Switzerland. "Historic Hotels of Europe" gather for the first time at an international meeting. Since 1997, they have marketed themselves under this name (HHE). hospitalityInside.com is a media partner for this premiere.

Permanent changes in perspective

Berlin (July 9, 2010). Everything today is hybrid – from the car to the contract. And now, it seems, so too is the human being. He or she has become a hybrid thinker. After two decades of standardisation and controlling, the hybrid thinker finally puts paid to copycats and benchmark junkies. The future is concerned with the following question: Can things be seen and shaped differently in future? The new power is in seeing, feeling, smelling and forming, in questioning and redefining. David Bosshart, CEO of the Gottlieb Dudweiler Institute (GDI) in Zurich, and Robert Thiemann, Editor in Chief of the design magazine "Frame" in Amsterdam, attempted to describe the new ways of thinking whilst speaking at the Design Hotels "Future Forum" in Berlin. This turns almost everything on its head.

Sustainable in the niche

Berlin (May 14, 2010). When Design Hotels host their "Future Forum" of "Hybrid Thinking" in the middle of June in Berlin, future prognoses will be the subject of discussion. For CEO Claus Sendlinger, the meeting with trend searchers and member hotel managers always triggers self-reflections about personal strategies. In future, he will increase the focus on authentic hotel concepts where design and architecture are ingrained.

Successful lead-up conference for Balkan States

Nova Gorica (June 20, 2008). About 100 participants paid tribute to the initiative of "Slovenian Times" in organising the first inter-regional investment conference for the western Balkan States. At the "IC Investment Conference 2008" in the Slovenian-Italian border town of Nova Gorica, interesting panel discussions and presentations provided a more detailed insight last Monday and Tuesday into the various tourism approaches of the states of Eastern Europe opening up.

A region growing faster than Europe

Ljubljana (May 23, 2008). Slovenia is expecting its tourism-related investment conference in the region, organized by The Slovenia Times. On 16-17 June in Nova Gorica, international investors, tourism experts and decision-makers from Slovenia and the Western Balkans will discuss the opportunities for investment in tourism-related projects as well as growth prospects of the region's tourism industry. hospitalityInside.com joins the conference as a media partner.

Next week: Spa experts meet 

Monte Carlo (January 11, 2008). The 2008 edition of The Monaco Spa Event will host a number of important new introductions at this event held for the international protagonists of the "Luxury Spa" sector and leaders in the industry of well-being. The Monaco Spa Event, from January 18-20 will take place in the Grimaldi Forum Monte Carlo.

Ambassador for the senses

Monte Carlo (December 7, 2007).

Ask the experts

Design sets the mood

Vienna (November 3, 2006). The Californians have meanwhile installed coffee machines in their cars. Hardly surprising when one considers that statistics show that they spend up to 15 percent of their time on the roads. The first tailor made ship containers are also beginning to appear, a mobile house if ever there was one. But the traveller of today doesn't need a house. He can bathe in airport lounges and can work in his hotel room. These are the facts and the visions for living in the future as discussed by international consultants and architects/designers at the "Future Forum" of the design hotels in Vienna recently. The event closed on a note from the Trend Director of London's renowned Future Laboratory. Trend specialist Tom Savigar presented his ideas on luxury, brands and design.

Only with a concept

"Future Forum": Living visions up close

Berlin/Vienna (September 15, 2006). The "Future Forum" of Design Hotels originally stems from two separate sets of events: the annual consortia members' meeting and trend discussions with guest speakers. In three weeks, 'architects of the future', property owners, investors and all those interested will convene in Vienna in order to exchange ideas and visions for living and lifestyle trends at "The Future of Living" symposium. Hoteliers interested in taking part may do so for 10 Euros entrance fee.

"Future Forum" led by Design Hotels

Berlin/Vienna (August 25, 2006). Finding answers in modern architecture, living space as flowing living zones - what will "The Future of Living" be like? Design Hotels based in Berlin initiate a "Future Forum" in Vienna. One panel discussion is open to the public and costs ten Euros. hospitalityInside.com is the Future Forum media partner.