Hotel Tech Update Your Update on Hotel Tech, Daily!

August, 2019

• 16 August

  Protests, trade disputes affect hotels in Greater China

  

  The ongoing anti-extradition bill protests in Hong Kong have not only disrupted activity at the city’s airport—forced to cancel flights amid civil unrest—but its hotels.   Yiu Si-wing, a Hong Kong lawmaker representing the tourism industry, told Bloomberg revenue per available room in Hong Kong hotels could fall as much as …

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• 16 August

  Upper-midscale leads Asia-Pac hotel-construction pipeline

  

  The Asia-Pacific hotel pipeline has 2,109 projects with 470,650 rooms under construction as of July, representing a 27 percent year-over-year increase in the number of rooms in the final phase of the development pipeline, according to STR data. A majority of the region’s rooms in construction are in three segments: the upscale …

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• 16 August

  Japan’s Unizo seeks rescue via SoftBank’s Fortress Investment Group

  

  Tokyo-based select-service hotel chain Unizo Holdings Co., Ltd. reportedly has received a friendly buyout offer worth up to $1.3 billion from a U.S.-based subsidiary of Japanese multinational conglomerate SoftBank Group.  According to Reuters, if the deal goes through it could help Unizo fend off a takeover bid from Japanese package tour …

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• 16 August

  Four Seasons Supports Cage-Free Egg Sourcing Initiative

  

  TORONTO — Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has committed to sourcing 100-per-cent cage-free eggs throughout hotel and resort operations in the U.S., Canada and Europe by Dec. 31, 2019. At this time, hotels and resorts in the U.S., Canada and Europe are on track to meet this goal, with nearly all …

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• 16 August

  Canadian Hotel Occupancy Down 2.6 Per Cent

  

  HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. — The Canadian hotel industry reported negative year-over-year results in the three key performance metrics during the week of July 28 to August 3, according to data from STR. In a year-over-year comparison, the industry reported a 2.6-per-cent decrease in occupancy to 75.8 per cent, a 3.3-per-cent dip …

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• 16 August

  Dometic Wins Plus X Awards

  

  stock image ELKHART, Ind. — The Dometic DM-Drawer Minibar series has been awarded Plus X Awards for Best Brand of the Year 2019 and Best Product 2019. Selected by expert international and independent jurors from more than 80 industries, 23 strategic partners and more than 700 participating international brands, the …

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• 16 August

  Discover The Wonders Of Austria’s Wachau Valley

  

  “Look around and you will see what this region is all about: wine, wine and wine,” tour guide Christine Wölfel said as rows upon rows of terraced vineyards set in steep hillsides drew near stretching as far as the eyes could see. Located along the Danube River between the towns …

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• 16 August

  Sunwing Finalizes Winter Schedule Without The MAX 8

  

  Sunwing has announced that all flight services during the coming winter season will now be operated without the Boeing 737 MAX 8. The new schedule comes into effect on Nov. 5 and runs until mid-May 2020. While the move has been prompted by the ongoing worldwide grounding of the Boeing …

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• 16 August

  Goway Introduces New Combo Vacations Downunder

  

  Agents are invited to offer their clients the South Pacific in all its diversity with a range of new combo vacations from Goway. New itineraries combine Australia or New Zealand with the South Pacific island destinations of French Polynesia (Tahiti), Fiji or the Cook Islands. Clients can visit Tahiti and …

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• 16 August

  Quite A Lady

  

  On a beautiful summer event in Toronto, Sandals Resorts International welcomed a high-powered group of its tourist board and tour operator partners onboard the Lady Sandals for an evening of conversation and camaraderie. It was definitely a laid-back gathering with Maureen Barnes-Smith, director of sales and marketing for Unique Vacations, …

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• 15 August

  Hotel investment grows in Europe: CBRE

  

  The latest report from global real estate advisor CBRE suggests that despite the total commercial real estate investment in Europe declining 7.8 percent year over year in the 12 months to Q2 2019, hotel investment increased 5.3 percent over the same period for a total of €24.3 billion.  “European hotel …

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• 15 August

  Fairmont debuts in South America

  

  Paris-based Accor has opened the Fairmont Rio de Janeiro Copacabana right on Copacabana Beach. Not only is the hotel the brand’s Brazil debut, but it is also the first Fairmont in South America. The hotel, designed by Patrícia Anastassiadis to evoke the style of the 1950s, has 375 guestrooms. Public …

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• 15 August

  Why Select Service Hotels Are Coming to the City Center

  

  It used to be that guests at every downtown hotel expected bell staff, a concierge, extensive meeting spaces and spacious rooms. But these days, guests are getting comfortable with a lot less. Select service hotels with fewer amenities and smaller rooms — once confined to suburbs, small towns and the …

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• 15 August

  European Hotel Investment Volume Bucks the Trend

  

  Despite the total commercial real estate investment in Europe declining 7.8% year-on-year in the twelve months to Q2 2019, hotel investment saw an increase of 5.3% over the same period, totaling €24.3bn, according to the latest data from global real estate advisor, CBRE. The rise of hotel investment is a …

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• 15 August

  STR and Tourism Economics Forecast Further Slowing for US Hotels

  

  Performance growth projections for the U.S. hotel industry have been downgraded to 1.6% for 2019 and 1.1% for 2020, according to STR and Tourism Economics’ latest forecast just released at the 11th annual Hotel Data Conference. The previous version of the U.S. hotel forecast released in June called for growth …

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