Getting Down to Business in High-Tech Hotel Rooms  

(Reuters) - Hotels rooms aren't just for sleeping anymore. They're hubs of high-technomania equipped with broadband and wireless connections, 42-inch plasma screens, video-conferencing units, ergonomic chairs and e-butlers.

It's enough to keep a weary traveler awake all night.

Increasingly dependent on corporate business, hotels all over the world are competing to find ways of bringing the high-productivity concept to the next level.

But, will building a smarter room necessarily produce a more intelligent guest? Or does the pressure to deliver results rest evenly with both sides.

"Obviously the hotels wouldn't be adding amenities unless there was some sort of demand from the travelers themselves," said stress specialist Dr. Elizabeth Carll. "It's just a matter of knowing when to stop.

"No one is expected to work 24 hours a day ... everyone needs some time out, even on a business trip," said Carll, a Long Island, New York-based psychologist and work place consultant.

To keep business travel a positive experience, hotels are blending low-tech comforts of home with a high-tech environment.

Sheraton Smart Rooms, for example, created a relaxing work environment that allows guests to work effectively within a bedroom suite that doubles as a fully equipped private office that includes a work-desk and adjustable chair, multi-channel TV, radio, minibar, fax/printer and modem outlet.

Industry estimates show that business travelers account for 80 percent of extended-stay, i.e. five or more consecutive nights, guests nationwide. While increasingly computer-savvy, not all of them are comfortable with technology overload.

A national survey conducted by a travel magazine found that in-room coffee makers, easy-to-reach dataports and ironing boards topped the list of preferred amenities for business travelers. And a poll of hotel general managers in 2000 ranked voicemail, Internet access and coffeemakers in the top three.

ART MEETS TECH

Meeting the challenge of integrating art and technology is Le Meridien Minneapolis, set to open in March adjacent to the city's new high-energy Block E Development, the equivalent of New York's Times Square. The hotel is a short walk through the city's climate-controlled Skywalks to high-end shops such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Marshall Field's, just across from the sports arena and near the business and theater districts.

"We couldn't have landed a better or more visible spot to showcase Le Meridien's new cutting-edge Art + Tech product," said Juergen Bartels, CEO of Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts.

The rooms have modern furniture, beds specially engineered for comfort, a cutting-edge multimedia entertainment system, 42-inch plasma TV screens and high-speed Internet access.

The concept was conceived by Bartels, based on his philosophy that today's upscale traveler not only demands substance and comfort, but is also looking for something different. Traditional landmark properties such as Le Meridien's Grosvenor House in London are also partially incorporating the concept.

If guests at London's Art Deco Dorchester have trouble locating their state-of-the-art 42-inch plasma screens -- concealed in wooden cabinets to retain the hotel's English country house style -- they can call an e-butler for assistance.

The opening of The Ritz-Carlton's first South American property is planned for the coming winter in the fashionable Las Condes area of Santiago, the Chilean capital. Club Level rooms accessible by elevator key will offer a level of comfort and privacy and upscale amenities. Food and beverages will be available in the Club lounge throughout the day, as will the services of a multilingual concierge staff.

"Santiago offers the perfect location to enter a cosmopolitan destination while providing convenient access to recreation and cultural attractions in and around the city," says Simon Cooper, president and CEO of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company LLC.

Gentler needs may gain preference as baby boomers continue to age and, in addition to work support, require amenities such as Yoga tapes, libraries or even access to a hotel doctor.

The Lake Austin Spa Resort in Texas is featuring prominent U.S. physicians and experts in health, nutrition, behavioral science and exercise training in its "A Fresh Start to Fitness" program. Interactive sessions and problem-solving seminars are scheduled for January and February (http://www.lakeaustin.com).

Marriott International worked with spa consultant Suzie Somers to create a distinctive atmosphere at its first branded spa, Revive, launched several weeks ago at the new JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona.

Marriott's plans for 2003 also include reinventing its Courtyard by Marriott brand, the "hotel designed by business travelers for business travelers," by adding The Market, a 24-hour pantry with "grab-and-go food." Freshly prepared sandwiches and salads, beer, wine, frozen desserts and snacks will be available for business travelers whether they check in at midnight or are just brainstorming into the wee hours.

For frequent travelers to New York, the Hilton Club (http://www.thehiltonclub.com) offers members a home-away-from-home in a studio or one-bedroom suite on two premier floors of the Hilton Hotel in the heart of midtown.

Overseeing development of the recently implemented project, which combines vacation ownership privileges with the advantages of a full-service hotel, is Parisian born Antoine Dagot, president and CEO for Hilton Grand Vacations Company, LLC, with headquarters in Orlando, Florida.

THE WRITING ON THE WALL

Some places even encourage writing on the walls.

Embassy Suites Hotels has begun testing a new type of room it calls a Creativity Suite, designed to stimulate business travelers creativity -- and, by extension, their productivity.

The suites come with sectional sofas that can easily be rearranged into "thought-provoking positions," and grease boards, complete with a box of crayons, travelers can put to use if struck by an idea, even while taking a shower. Similar rooms are planned midyear in Chicago and Los Angeles.

Products that can help keep work-weary travelers' dispositions sunny include lamps and handheld stress monitors.

"Hotels nowadays are outfitting rooms with bright light units that are five to 10 times brighter than normal home office lighting. That intensity is therapeutic and can be used to adjust sleep style," said light therapy expert Neal Owens, who has been involved with clinical research for 20 years and is now president and founder of The SunBox Company in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

And Canadian manufacturer of handheld biofeedback equipment, Thought Technology Ltd., helps put executives in touch with their level of stress, so they can manage it better. Changes in body function are transformed into a signal, such as a tone or meter reading; a rising tone indicates increased tension.

Lawrence Klein, vice president of the Montreal-based company, said the devices, now used by hotel spas, are "about to be recomputerized to be plugged into PCs."

("Away on Business" appears weekly. Michael Conlon is on vacation this week. Comments regarding this column may be sent to Gunna.Dickson@Reuters.com.)

Ethics and Corporate Governance:
The Role of the Compensation Committee

Written By:  Stephen Goebel & Michael J. Wurster     HVS International

If you could physically pick up the your company, how far do you think you could throw it? Probably as far as investors trust public companies these days, not far. In the aftermath of Enron, WorldCom etc., the role of the board of directors is under greater scrutiny than was once imaginable. In particular, the roles of the Audit, and Compensation committees are literally having their charters rewritten. Having conducted extensive research in executive compensation, and advised numerous compensation committees, we feel it is an appropriate time to comment.

During these volatile times, motivating and rewarding executive management in a well researched, and conceived manner is critical. The Conference Board, Inc. the world’s leading independent, not-for-profit business network released a study on public trust in private enterprise in September of this year. The report advises that linking compensation to strategy is critical, while investigating new ways of linking compensation to performance must be explored.

Among the greatest concerns expressed by the Conference Board is that companies currently have compensation committee members who lack sufficient expertise to effectively monitor programs. They may also be unduly dependent on the CEO to act in a truly objective manner. The necessity for completely independent, and experienced directors to staff future compensation committees will be on every board’s agenda in coming months. Following are some observations on how these compensation committees will be expected to perform.

COMPENSATION COMITTEE DO’s and DON'Ts 

Do; devise compensation to motivate and retain, but not gratuitously reward executives.

Do; link compensation to overall corporate strategy.  Do not establish compensation on a piecemeal basis.

Do; adopt a compensation committee charter that outlines the role and duties of the committee as expected by the full board.  It may include membership criteria, how the chairman is chosen, member rotation policy, and recommendations for dealings with, and responsibilities of outside consultants.

Do; use performance-based compensation linked to long-term goals. This will aid in avoiding windfalls due to ups and downs in the stock market, which are unrelated to executive contribution.

Do; hold the committee accountable for the decisions they make.

Don’t; allow the CEO, or any other company insider to sit on the committee.

Don’t; allow the committee, or any member on the committee to become lax in their duty to direct, and monitor policy.

COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES,
AND RECOMMENDED BEST PRACTICES

Compensation committees are responsible for a wide range of actions:

·         They approve contracts and employment agreements with key executives and approve compensation plans, and pay levels for the CEO and other officers.

·         They are charged with ensuring that an executive succession plan is in place, as well as an evaluation plan for CEO performance which articulates pay-for-performance programs in line with long term strategies.

·         Respond to shareholder concerns, including the impact of stock compensation plans on shareholder value and the necessity to control dilution.

·         Determine who within the company should participate in various compensation plans (including stock option plans) and ensure proper communication with all participants.

·         Communicate appropriately with the full board, executives and other concerned employees, outside agencies, and shareholders.

·         Retain any outside consultants who advise it, and assure that  said consultants report solely to the committee.

The above merely scratches the surface, and highlights some key points regarding the responsibilities, and accountability of compensation committees. The NYSE has already approved new guidelines for how companies should approach this key area of corporate governance, and we predict that more regulation from all exchanges will be seen in the coming months and years. Gaming companies might be particularly well advised to evaluate whether best practices are being observed in their own boardrooms, as this is sure to be a topic that will stay in the public eye for the foreseeable future.

Contacts:

Stephen Goebel  Vice President       Michael J. Wurster Vice President   
 
HVS Executive Search

News@PATA

DETTER TO LEAVE PATA

In order to explore new professional opportunities, PATA Director-Chapter Relations and Sustainable Tourism, Ms. Leslie Detter, has announced her resignation, effective January 18, 2003. During her six years with PATA, Ms. Detter served as Assistant to the CEO, Director-Board and Sponsor Relations, Director-Membership Development, and Chief Administrative Officer. PATA President & CEO, Mr. Peter de Jong, said: "Leslie has shown genuine dedication and professionalism, even during this difficult past year of organisational transition and management change. She always carried out her assignments with great responsibility and maturity. We wish her well as she explores new professional horizons."

BALI TASK FORCE RESULTS BEING DELIVERED

Today and tomorrow, senior PATA executives are delivering the recommendations of the PATA Bali Recovery Task Force to top-level government officials, police officers and parliamentarians in Jakarta, Indonesia. Following the six-member Task Force site survey in December, PATA Vice President, Mr. Peter Semone and PATA Managing Director-Strategic Intelligence Centre, Mr. John Koldowski, are delivering the key recommendations in a series of face-to-face meetings with the Indonesian government. The report will be made public by the end of January. For further information e-mail communications@pata.th.com.

ITB 2003 IN BERLIN - "A MUST"

PATA has again organised a stand at ITB in Berlin (March 7-11, 2003). The PATA stand, in a prominent location in the world's biggest travel show, will once again be the focal point for buyers interested in Pacific Asia. Exhibitors will be provided with fully-furnished booths and a reception and hospitality service. Some space is still available. For more information and to register, please contact PATA Europe at europe@pata.mc.

GARUDA BOOST FOR LOCAL CONFERENCE DELEGATES

PATA is pleased to announce that Garuda Indonesia is offering 25 percent off business class domestic air fares for local delegates attending PATA Annual Conference and 50 per cent off for local delegates and spouses in economy class. PATA Annual Conference takes place in Bali, April 13-17, 2003. For further information e-mail: events@pata.th.com. Or visit www.pata.org for registration.

PATA STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE CENTRE WORLDWATCH

** As it moves to reduce its dependence on agriculture, Vietnam recorded the fastest economic growth in Southeast Asia in 2002. According to the country's General Statistics Office, gross domestic product grew an estimated seven percent, compared with 6.9 percent in 2001. Vietnam's GDP was 536 trillion dong (US$35 billion), or US$435 per person.

** Budget airline Easyjet has signed a deal with Airbus to purchase 120 new A319 aircraft, with options for price protection on another 120 of the same aircraft.

** A British tourist was jailed for three months in Australia last week under the country's tough new anti-terrorism laws. The passenger was making threatening comments aboard a Qantas Airways aircraft while drunk.

** The UK’s economy is set for accelerated growth next year as it continues to outperform the US and Europe, according to economists. The City expects GDP growth in 2003 to come close to government predictions of about 2.5 percent, compared with 1.5-1.7 percent for 2002. The anticipated growth is being underpinned by an increase in government spending of between three and four percent

UAE hospitality industry boom continues

Gulf News  -  The UAE has witnessed remarkable growth in the hospitality industry in terms of availability and quality, says a report published in the Economic Report, a quarterly publication of National Bank of Dubai.

The hotel and accommodation industry is an important element and driver of the tourism sector, which also includes the travel industry, catering, leisure and entertainment facilities and support services, says the report.

Globally, tourism has expanded much faster than the expansion in commodity trade, or any other services.

Although recent political events on the international arena reduced such expansion in 2001, tourism is expected to flourish in the coming years.

While travel and tourism might be negatively affected in certain areas by operators reducing capacity, recovery will be most visible in intra-regional travel and in the Pacific, Europe and Africa, says the report.

The report, which reviews the performance of the hotel industry in the UAE from 1993 to 2001, has been put together with analysis based on information from the Ministry of Planning from 1995 to 2001.

Growth and Expansion: The hotel industry in the UAE grew at an annual average of 6.1 per cent from 1993 to 2001, says the report.

The level of growth has affected both the lodging capacity of the hotel sector and the quality of its services.

The number of hotels in the UAE (from two-star to five-star) grew at a declining rate over the past decade.

While the number of operating hotels grew by 10.9 per cent in 1994 and 14.6 per cent in 1995, it declined to 3.2 per cent in 1999 and shrunk by 0.3 per cent in 2001.

The average number of rooms per hotel grew though from 71 rooms in 1993 to 83 in 1999 and 90 in 2001.

At the end of 2001, the UAE had 364 hotels with around 33,000 rooms that were equipped with 54,000 beds.

When focusing on quality, the report says, there are three main points: That the market was dominated in the past decade by two-star hotels.

This dominance has significantly dropped in recent times. The level of two-star hotels declined from 50 per cent in 1994 to 37.4 per cent in 2001.

Secondly, the number of three-star hotels in the market increased from 17 per cent in 1993 to 26.4 per cent in 2001.

And thirdly, the report says there is a "relatively stagnant" share of the five-star hotels with an average of 14 per cent.

More than 90 per cent of the country's hotels are concentrated in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.

Dubai dominates the industry in the UAE by having nearly 75 per cent of the operating hotels.

However, Dubai's share of hotels has declined slightly. In 1996, Dubai had 76.6 per cent, this dropped to 72.5 per cent in 2001.

Sharjah also witnessed significant decline in its share in total hotels from 7.2 per cent in 1996 to 5.8 per cent in 2001.

Over the same period, Abu Dhabi's share gained slightly from 12.8 per cent in 1996 to 13.5 per cent in 2001.

Room occupancy rates at five and four-star hotels jumped from 65 per cent and 52 per cent in 1995 to 71 per cent and 65 per cent respectively, in 2000.

Occupancy rates in three-star and two-star hotels dropped from 62 per cent and 59 per cent in 1996 to 53 per cent and 47 per cent respectively in 2000.

Revenues: Revenues generated from hotel lodgings in the UAE grew from Dh2.3 billion in 1995 to Dh3.9 billion in 2001.

This increase resulted from an average annual increase of 9.2 per cent in hotels' total revenues during 1995-2001, says the report.

The revenues are generated from lodging services (rooms), and, other services including catering, conferences and business services. Income generated from room rental charges make up about 48 per cent of the industry's revenues.

The lodging revenues of five-star hotels grew by 15.7 per cent 1999 and 11.5 per cent in 2000. It then dropped by 6.4 per cent in 2001.

Revenues from room rentals in luxury hotels dominate the industry's lodging revenues, where they make up more than 60 per cent of such income.

The report points out that the most noticeable development in 2001 was the decline in lodging revenues of the three star hotels (-10.7 per cent) and two star hotels (-11.1 per cent).

From 1995 to 2001, lodging revenues witnessed the fastest growth in Dubai, averaging 11.8 per cent annually.

In comparison, room charges income in Abu Dhabi grew at an annual average of 6.1 per cent.

Due to changes in hotel regulations and policies in Sharjah, lodging revenues in the emirate suffered a steep decline in 2001, dropping by more than 10 per cent.

While the share of revenues generated from non-lodging services declined slightly in recent years, it remains to be the source of more than half of the industry's income.

Five-star hotels take in on average about 70 per cent of non-lodging revenues because of the quality of their hotel services, says the report.

In 2001, Dubai generated 69.5 per cent of the country's Dh2 billion total revenues from hotel (non-room rental) services.

Nature of market demand: GCC visitors made up 32.8 per cent of the 413,000 guests that used UAE's hotels services during 2001, says the report.

European guests formed 27 per cent of the demand and guest from other Asian and African countries made up 24.8 per cent of the market.

The report predicts that the low share of guests from other Arab countries (10.7 per cent) could be because many of these visitors stay with resident relatives.

Guests from American countries and Australia make up just 3.6 per cent and 1.1 per cent respectively.

Europeans stay in the UAE for the longest for an average of 3.4 nights. GCC nationals stay the shortest averaging 1.8 nights. In general, guests visiting the UAE stay for 2.4 nights.

Tourist arrivals in Nepal decrease sharply in 2002

(Xinhua) --The total number of tourists visiting Nepal in 2002 decreased by 28 percent compared with that in 2001, according to statistics of Nepal Tourism Board.

Altogether 215,922 visitors from different parts of the world came to Nepal by air in 2002, while the figure in the previous year stood at 298,456, showed the statistics quoted Thursday by The Rising Nepal newspaper.

Nepali tourist industry's traditional markets such as the United States, Britain, Germany and the Netherlands got declines of 4 percent, 18 percent, 40 percent and 20 percent respectively. The number of tourists from China also decreased by 21 percent.

The total third country tourists, that is tourist arrivals from countries other than India, recorded a heavy decline of 36 percent from 234,256 to 150,293, the sharpest decline in recent years.

Indian visitors grew by 2 percent from 64,200 to 65,629 in 2002 compared with the previous year. The Indian market, which covered 22 percent of total arrivals in 2001, took a 30 percent share in 2002.

Tourist arrivals from some non-traditional markets such as Australia, Austria, Italy and Spain increased by 14 percent, 27 percent, 43 percent and 53 percent respectively.

The factors responsible for the decline in tourist arrivals include the anti-government insurgents' violence and political instability in the Himalayan kingdom as well as the general slackness in the tourism internationally, the state-run English daily analyzed.

Nepali tourist industry recorded a similar decline in the total tourist arrivals during the previous year also. The number of total tourists plunged by 20.7 percent in 2001 compared with the figure in 2000

Soft Rock Hotel  - Hotel Derek in Houston
By Christina Valhouli   Forbes.com  

When Dayna Lee was commissioned to design the new Hotel Derek in Houston, she got her inspiration in an unusual place. She imagined the hotel to be the home of an imaginary aging British rock star named Derek, and designed everything to his taste and standards. "I didn't want to create a Texan Disneyland," says Lee, principal designer at Los Angeles-based firm Powerstrip. "I wanted to do something different." While Lee says she did not have a specific person in mind, she concedes that Derek has a dose of Bryan Ferry and Mick Jagger in him, among others.

While this sounds as if it could be hokey theme hotel (mini bars stocked with Jack Daniels and leather pants instead of terry bathrobes the closet), it's not the case at Hotel Derek.

Lee's background is in film and entertainment--she has produced concerts for Sting and did set design for Ridley Scott and Kevin Costner films--and her long hours on the road, not to mention having to deal with the ah, exacting taste of celebrities, made her think about what her ideal hotel would look like. She didn't want the guests of Hotel Derek to wake up and feel that they could be in any hotel, but she also did not want to sacrifice comfort for design.

The result? A stylish hotel where the rooms feel like loft apartments, the furniture is custom made and there's also a sense of humor to the design. For example, guests are shuttled around town in a six-door SUV called the "Derek Mobile."

While the design is cheeky, Hotel Derek also appeals to the business traveler. Lee says that there are few differences between a rock star and a business person--both have eccentric needs. All rooms are fully-wired, and stocked with FedEx envelopes, and the suites have full working stations, with desks, faxes, and photocopiers. There's also plenty of meetings space.

The look of the suites is tailored and crisp. The platform beds have pin-striped duvets with camel-colored mohair blankets, and floor to ceiling windows for plenty of light. The bathrooms are modern, with granite and glass features (and, thankfully, no fluorescent lights).

The rest of Hotel Derek is meant to look as if it were somebody's home, with objects that have been collected over time and through many travels. The lobby has cowhide rugs, black granite floors and a plasma television depicting a burning log where a fireplace should be. There's also a huge chessboard with Lucite pieces.

The in-house restaurant, Maverick, serves Southwest cuisine, because even rock stars have to eat sometime.

Rates start at $215. For more information, call (713) 961-3000.

Forbes Fact

Rock stars have a hard-earned reputation for being less than responsible with their hotel rooms. Although many acts today still might chuck the occasional television out the window or set fire to the curtains, few musicians were as famous for their destructive talents off-stage as for their musical abilities on-stage as The Who's Keith Moon. Moon, who died of a drug overdose in 1978, was banned from many hotels during The Who's tours--and with good reason. The drummer, who served as the inspiration for the Muppet character "Animal," consumed an average of a bottle of whiskey a day and each night after destroying his drum set on stage would invariably do the same to his hotel room.

No regrets becoming a hotelier

The Star   -  Alexander Jovanovic, who studied to be a registered nurse in Australia, ended up instead working as a hotelier. But the Hyatt Regency Saujana general manager has no regrets and sees many similarities between the hotel and hospital businesses. 

“There's not a lot of difference between hotels and hospitals,” he told StarBiz. 

“You're accommodating them (the guests or patients), you're feeding them, and you're caring for them. The only difference is that for hospitals, they don't want to be there; but for hotels, they want to.”

The 41-year-old Australian, whose parents hailed from Yugoslavia, spent four years (1979-82) at Royal Adelaide Hospital pursuing a nursing degree (specialising in intensive and coronary care).  

However, after obtaining the degree, he got sidetracked into small business management. Jovanovic ran a roadhouse – comprising a restaurant, a merchandise shop and a workshop – in Northern Territory.  

It was the biggest roadhouse in Darwin at the time.  

“The only reason I did this job was because I was waiting to set up a first aid office on an industrial site,” he said.  

Then he got headhunted to go into the hotel industry, marking the start of a long career in the hotel line. 

At Sheraton Darwin Hotel, Jovanovic had to start at the bottom. 

“I went from being a manager who was running a huge organisation to carrying people's bags,” he recalled with amusement. 

So what made him join the hotel industry? 

“I wanted to try one more profession while I was still young – I was in my mid-20s,” he said. 

He recalled the general manager of Sheraton Darwin at the time telling him: “You'll probably move up very quickly because you know how to manage people and you understand computers, but you still must start at the bottom for a short time.” 

His boss' prediction did come true. “Every six to 12 months I was promoted to a higher level,” Jovanovic noted. 

Jovanovic, who obtained a hotel management degree while working at Sheraton Darwin, eventually became the front office manager at the hotel, and later assumed the same position at Hyatt Regency Adelaide. 

It was May 1988 when he joined the Hyatt group and he has never left it since, though he did work in many different locations, including Tokyo, Osaka, Taipei and Beijing. Jovanovic's last post before moving to Hyatt Regency Saujana, Selangor, in September last year was resident manager of Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. 

He does not regret the choice he made – forgoing the hospital route.  

“No, I think it has been a great bal¬ ance. It is not always good to come out of school and work only in one industry,” he said. 

Jovanovic said he preferred the hotel line much more. “You know, the food is better; hospital food is lousy!” he quipped.  

“And there's nothing worse than when you are having lunch in the hospital cafeteria and the doctors there are talking about who they're cutting up and the nurses are talk¬ ing about what they have to clean up. At least with hotels we can say things like, 'This beautiful supermodel came in and I had to greet her.” 

His most memorable experience in the hospitality industry took place in 1997 when he was Grand Hyatt Hong Kong resident manag¬ er. It was during the Hong Kong handover from British rule to China. 

“We had more heads of state, more security and more protection than you could ever imagine,” he reminisced. 

“There were so many influential people who were staying with us because our hotel was located next door to the convention centre where the flag-changing ceremony for the handover occurred. 

“From the security point of view, it was a bit scary because anything could happen. And security was very, very tight, it was just like an airport. 

No one could just come into the hotel. You had to get everything X-rayed, and people had to be body-checked.” 

It is quite a change from the fast-paced city hotel operation in Hong Kong to the resort-like environment of Hyatt Regency Saujana, but Jovanovic isn't complaining.  

He said he would enjoy Malaysia because of his sporting background – he loves to run (he has participated in marathons), play tennis and mountain-bike. 

Jovanovic, who owns a Harley-Davidson motorbike, said: “The open road is something I'm looking forward to, whereas in Hong Kong you're very restricted when you go riding.” 

He has been working outside Australia for 10 years now. So, does he miss home? 

“I suppose home is where I make home rather than where I originate from,” Jovanovic answered.  

“Australia will always be there for me, but while I'm still young and not married, it's easier to integrate into different cultures and make them your home.” 

Radisson SAS beefs up its regional office to serve new growth following multi-property deal

Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts, which operates 12 Middle Eastern and African properties with eight more under development in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, has appointed three new senior management personnel to its regional office in Dubai to service planned growth.

Shawki Khairallah, a British/Lebanese national, joins the regional office as Regional Director Business Development, Middle East, while Briton David Barbour takes up the reins as Regional Director, Design & Technical Services, Middle East. Another Briton, David Kerr, becomes Regional Engineering Service Manager, Middle East. All three join Radisson SAS from the Kuwait Commercial Real Estate Company (KCREC).

"These new appointments will facilitate our brand's extensive regional growth and ensure our award-winning best practices are in place throughout every property we operate in the Middle East," explained Jean-Marc Busato, Vice President, Middle East, Rezidor SAS Hospitality, the parent company of Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts.

Shawki Khairallah, who holds a BA in Business Administration from the USA's University of South Western Louisiana and who is fluent in English, Arabic and French, was Director of Operations and Development of KCREC’s Hotel Division.  He has previously held development positions with Holiday Inn Worldwide both in the Middle East and Europe.

A qualified architect, David Barbour was Director of Design and Technical Services at KCREC. His previous architectural and design posts including positions with Holiday Inn Worldwide in the Middle East and Belgium.

David Kerr, who was Engineering Services Manager of KCREC’s Hotel Division, has held various engineering posts in the Middle East having been heavily involved in project management positions in Jordan and Saudi Arabia. He also has extensive engineering experience in the UK and Africa.

The appointments follow the recent reorganisation of Rezidor SAS Hospitality to boost the projected growth of the Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts brand in the region. Following the recent addition of properties in Sharjah, in the UAE, Beirut in Lebanon and Yanbu in Saudi Arabia, two more hotels in the Saudi Kingdom are shortly to fly the Radisson SAS flag.

Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts also appoints its first District Manager, Saudi Arabia

Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts, which last month entered the Saudi Arabian market with the opening of the 183-roomed Al-Hayat hotel in Yanbu, has appointed Dutch national, Maarten van den Nieuwenhuysen, takes up the new post from the Radisson SAS Hotel in Beijing, China where he was General Manager. He will now be responsible for the new Radisson SAS properties in Yanbu, Jeddah and Riyadh, as well as further development of the brand in Saudi Arabia.

"Maarten has extensive hospitality industry experience, which also includes relevant experience in the Middle East," said Jean-Marc Busato, Vice President, Middle East, Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts. "Having worked for Radisson SAS for almost ten years across a variety of management positions and throughout Europe, the Middle East and China, he is ideally qualified to introduce our valued brand to the important Saudi market."

A graduate of the Hogere Hotelschool in The Hague, Maarten van den Nieuwenhuysen speaks Dutch, German, French and English.

Thailand projects 10.7 million visitors for 2002

AsiaTravelTips.com   -  Thailand is projecting total visitor arrivals of 10.7 million in 2002, a growth of 6% over 2001, well above the targeted growth of 4%.

Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Mrs Juthamas Siriwan said the projection was based on total arrivals of 8.75 million in January-October 2002, an increase of 7.22% over the same period of 2001. Strong growth has continued in both November and December, final figures for both those months have not yet been finalised.

“In 2001, we had conservatively forecast a growth of 4% for 2002, which would have given us arrivals of 10.5 million for the whole year. However, the real growth has been higher than forecast, and we can safely project to close 2002 with about 10.7 million arrivals,” she said.

The total arrivals target for 2003 is 11.13 million, which will be an approximate six per cent increase over 2002. Earnings are projected at 360,600 million Baht, up 11.5% over 2002. Domestic visitors in 2002 are projected at 63.07 million, up 2.5%, with earnings of 323,000 million Baht, up an estimated 4.87%. On each of the markets, Mrs Juthamas offered the following performance analysis, based on the figures tabulated so far:

East Asia: In Jan-Oct 2002, the rate of growth was 8.31% with total arrivals of 5.35 million. Arrivals from Malaysia, China and Korea were up strongly though arrivals from Japan and Taiwan declined due to internal economic problems. Overall growth from the region is expected to remain strong, especially to popular Thai beach resorts.

Europe: The Jan-Oct period saw a good growth rate of 5.40% to190,000. Countries that reported higher than 4% growth were the UK, France, Switzerland, Denmark, Russia, Spain, Austria and Eastern Europe. Markets that are still cause of concern are Germany and Norway, due to poor economic conditions. Travel advisories issued in some European countries have affected arrivals to some degree. 

While the market is expected to grow in 2003, much will depend on local economic conditions, the impact of a potential conflict in Iraq and any advisories that may be issued in future if problems related to terrorism occur in Asia.

The Americas: Arrivals in Jan-Oct 2002 saw a small increase of 2.5% to 560,510. The main market, the US, increased by 1.55% to 403,381, a slow growth attributed to the lingering effects of the September 11 terrorist attacks. The first half of 2002 saw a decline in US arrivals but recovered in the third quarter as economic conditions improved and the psychological impact of the attacks abated. Meanwhile, arrivals from both Brazil and Canada have moved back strongly into positive growth. Thailand’s image of neutrality and a peaceful place with good value for money remains a powerful magnet that continues to attract tourists.

South Asia: Arrivals in Jan-Oct 2002 grew by a strong 16.06% to 322,428 with all markets doing well, except Pakistan which has been affected by domestic political issues and the conflict in neighbouring Afghanistan. India, however, has become a primary market with arrivals up by 24.09% to 210,184, making it the region’s fastest growing market. Thailand is receiving increasing attention in the Indian market, especially among tour groups which have experienced significant growth. Many other groups are also coming for health and medical check-ups. It is expected that this market will remain strong and show growth until early 2003.

Oceania: Arrivals in Jan-Oct 2002 dropped by 2.14% to 350,000 visitors. Arrivals have been dropping since the second quarter of 2000 due to the relocation of the Qantas/British Airways aviation hub from Thailand to Singapore. This was compounded by the Bali attacks in October 2002 and the subsequent travel advisories that were issued about travel to southeast Asia. Even though the second largest market, New Zealand, has risen, total arrivals from the region are expected to continue to show a decline.

Middle East: Arrivals in Jan-Oct 2002 grew by a strong 15.66% to 236,532 with all markets showing a positive growth, overcoming the impact of the 9/11 attacks in the US as well as the conflict in Afghanistan. Main markets like Israel and secondary markets like the UAE and Kuwait have continued to do well. Some of this growth can be attributed to the indirect impact of immigration controls for citizens of Arab countries imposed by certain countries in Europe, America and Asia. Thailand has maintained a strict neutrality and has no problems with the Islamic world, which along with its value for money has made it very attractive to visitors from Arab countries. From Israel, even though there are problems related to the conflict in Palestine, the market began declining in the second quarter of 2002 due to the growing fears of a war in Iraq. That will certainly affect flow of visitor arrivals from this region, at least into early 2003.

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