Prime Hospitality Corp. Launches New Hotel Brand 

/PRNewswire/ -- Prime Hospitality Corp. today unveiled its new hotel brand, Prime Hotels & Resorts, with the launch of the Sheraton Hotel Saratoga Springs as the Prime Hotel and Conference Center, Saratoga Springs.

Saratoga Springs is the first re-branded property in the company's plans to develop under the Prime Hotels & Resorts flag a portfolio of upscale, full- service hotels. Acquisitions from other chains or ownership groups will provide the foundation for brand expansion. Names and locations of additional properties in targeted suburban/commercial locations will not be announced until later in the first quarter 2003. Potential city center locations are also under consideration.

Features of a Prime-branded hotel will include 200-500 guest rooms and suites, a selection of dining and entertainment venues, concierge-level services, automated check-in kiosks, swimming pool and fitness center, business center, and 10,000-50,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space. Prospective amenities include high-speed Internet access, in-room cordless phones, and expanded cable television offerings including on-demand viewing services. The kiosks, along with planned amenities, such as high-speed Internet access, in-room cordless phones, wireless booking and expanded cable television offerings including on-demand viewing services are designed to provide the guest with timesaving conveniences.

"Introducing a new proprietary hotel brand into the market is the strategic next-step for Prime," said A.F Petrocelli, Chairman and CEO. "We enjoy a successful track record as owners/operators of both upscale full- service and limited service properties, as well as the management expertise and our reputation in the hospitality industry. The Prime brand will allow us to explore innumerable innovative service strategies in the competitive upscale lodging industry."

"Our key target is the business traveler. The travel trade, particularly meeting planners, along with major corporations will provide our business base. The Prime brand will compete with Sheraton, Hilton, Radisson and Marriott brands for travel commerce," said Steve Kronick, Prime's Senior Vice President of Operations for full service hotels. "The scope of the Prime Rewards frequent guest loyalty program will expand to include Prime Hotels, awarding points and miles to guests for qualified stays nationwide at Prime Hotels, AmeriSuites or Wellesley Inns & Suites," he added.

Prime Hospitality presently owns and operates two proprietary brands, AmeriSuites(R) (all-suites) and Wellesley Inns & Suites(R) (limited-service) and owns and/or manages hotels operated under franchise agreements with national hotel chains as well. The Prime Hotels & Resorts brand will benefit by its parent company's existing infrastructure and support services.

Prime Hospitality Corp.(R), one of the nation's premiere lodging companies, owns, manages, develops and franchises over 240 hotels throughout the United States.

Accor to launch Mercure brand in Japan at Narita

One of the world's largest and best-known hotel brands, Mercure, will launch in Japan mid-year with the rebranding of the Hotel Lets Narita to Mercure Hotel Narita. The hotel signals the first step in Mercure's long-term plans to establish itself in Japan as it continues its expansion throughout the Asia Pacific region.

The 250-room hotel, owned by private equity fund Lone Star group, has been closed for some time and will undergo a multi-million dollar renovation program to meet Mercure's international standards and create a hotel that capitalises on its unique environment.

"Narita was chosen as the perfect launch city for Mercure in Japan because it is the key gateway to the country," said Michael Issenberg, Accor's Managing Director for Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and Japan. "More than 65,000 people fly in and out of Narita every day, making this the busiest airport in the country with more than 25 million passenger movements per year. It is on par with Orly Paris and Changi Singapore airports.

"Accor now offers the full range of hotel accommodation in Japan, including Formule 1, Mercure, Novotel and Sofitel and over the next few years we expect strong growth across all brands," he said. "We are very happy to be returning this important hotel to Narita's tourism infrastructure and to be bringing an affordable international hotel to Japan's busiest airport.

"In addition to leisure and corporate guests, Mercure Narita looks forward to becoming the preferred hotel for airline crews, with more than 50 airlines operating out of Narita," he said.

Mercure Hotel Narita, located next to the train station, provides easy access to Narita Airport and is just an hour from Tokyo, facilitating easy day excursions into the city for international travellers transiting at Narita. Facilities include a restaurant and bar, gymnasium, parking and conference rooms. The hotel is also centrally located for Narita Temple and the ubiquitous golf courses in Chiba.

Mercure Hotel Narita joins a vast network of over 720 Mercures in 45 countries. Mercure hotels are renown for being the 'keys to the city' and provide a true taste of the region in which they are based.

With 147,000 associates in 140 countries, Accor is the European leader and one of the world's largest groups in travel, tourism and corporate services.  

Outrigger's President and CEO David Carey Named Hotel Person of the Year by Travel Agent Magazine

Travel Agent magazine, the nation's leading publication serving travel professionals across the United States, has named Outrigger's President and CEO David Carey its Person of the Year for 2002 in the Hotels and Resorts category.
        
For the past 14 years, Travel Agent magazine has asked its editors and reporters in their respective beats to nominate worthy individuals who have made significant contributions to the travel industry and to their industry segment, as well as for their support of travel agents. The nominations are then reviewed by the magazine's managing editors and publishers, who select the final winners.
        
"David Carey was chosen as our hotel person of the year for 2002 for his innovative leadership and his support of travel agents," said James Shillinglaw, editor-in-chief of Travel Agent magazine. "He exemplifies creative leadership and is a true visionary in the hotels and resort industry segment."
        
"This is a terrific honor for David and well deserved, too," said Tony Vericella, President and CEO of the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau. "Hawaii benefits a great deal when one of its executives is recognized as being one of the best in the industry. This is a ringing endorsement for Hawaii's hotel industry as having some of the finest leadership in the world."
        
Carey's award is featured in the magazine's January 6, 2003, issue.  In it, Hawaii Bureau Chief Camie Foster comments on how David Carey has guided family-owned Outrigger Enterprises to an expanded presence and heightened profile in Hawaii and the Pacific. She highlights Carey's many accomplishments over the past year, including Outrigger's announced $300 million Waikiki Beach Walk project, which is slated to begin in April 2004, the company's aggressive expansion in Hawaii and across the Pacific, and Outrigger's recent strategic partnerships with two key hospitality operators - Fairfield Resorts and Marriott International.
        
Carey has been associated with Outrigger Enterprises since 1982 when he joined Carlsmith Wichman Case Mukai and Ichiki as an attorney specializing in corporate and real estate law. Outrigger Hotels was one of his major clients and he handled several hotel and real estate acquisitions as well as overall corporate restructuring while with the law firm. Carey subsequently went to work directly for Outrigger as executive vice president and general counsel in 1986. He was named president of the company in 1988, and chief executive officer in 1994.
        
Outrigger Enterprises, Inc, is the largest independent and locally-controlled lodging company in Hawaii and one of the fastest-growing lodging companies in the Pacific. Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, a division of Outrigger Enterprises, Inc., operates two hotel brands - Outrigger Hotels & Resorts and OHANA Hotels & Resorts - as well as a portfolio of Outrigger Resort Condominiums, and it recently launched the Outrigger Resort Club in the timeshare segment. The company currently employs 3,000 and operates or has under development 48 hotels, resorts and condominiums throughout the Pacific region, representing more than 12,000 hotel rooms and condominium units in Hawaii, Micronesia, Australia and the South Pacific. Outrigger's affiliate, Outrigger Lodging Services, operates nearly two-dozen hotels and resorts throughout the continental U.S.

Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel & Spa debuts this month

(menareport.com) -  The Ritz-Carlton opened its fourth hotel in the Middle East on January 1, when it assumed management of Le Royal Meridien Bahrain. While enhancement to guest rooms and public space is completed during a 24-month restoration project, the hotel will remain fully operational.

The seven-story, 264-room hotel, open since 1994, includes several restaurants and more than 24,000 square feet of meeting space. Construction will soon be completed on 23 deluxe, three-bedroom villas, each with their own private swimming pool. Also being completed is the 15-story Sail Tower, offering a condominium lifestyle. When these projects are complete, the hotel's room count will reach 307.

The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa is owned by the International Hotel Establishment. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, 50 luxury hotels in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and North America. — (menareport.com)

Bali tourism in November down by 60pc  

The Mercury  -  The number of foreign tourists visiting Bali dropped by 60 per cent in November compared with October, following the deadly bombings on the resort island, according to statistics released yesterday.

The Central Bureau of Statistics said in a statement 86,901 people visited Bali in October.

That number dropped to 35,107 in November, it said.

Nationwide, tourist arrivals in Indonesia slumped by 21 per cent to 239,774 in November from 304,806 a month earlier and compared with a peak of 421,400 arrivals in August, the bureau said.

More than 190 people, most of them Western tourists, were killed in the October 12 attacks, dealing a serious blow to the country's $8.8 billion-a-year tourism industry.

Tourist arrivals later picked up as hotels and airlines offered cheap packages for year-end holidays.

However, official figures weren't yet available, said hoteliers in Bali, Indonesia's most popular tourist destination.

The bombings sent aftershocks through Indonesia's struggling travel industry, forcing travellers and tour operators to temporarily cancel trips.

Travel agents also had to find suitable alternatives

BHA and Restaurant Association join forces

Caterer.com -  The Restaurant Association and British Hospitality Association (BHA) have finally reached an agreement to join forces.

The Restaurant Association is merging its government lobbying interests with those of the BHA, which will carry out this work for both associations. The BHA’s restaurant panel will be merged into the Restaurant Association’s national committee. The merger will take effect immediately.

Under the new agreement the Restaurant Association will take up two places on the BHA National Executive.

Nick Scade, chairman of the Restaurant Association, said: “The BHA has had a wealth of experience and success in lobbying on behalf of the industry and it makes common sense for the two associations to work together much more closely in this area.”

He added: “The Government had also made it clear that it felt that there were too many disparate groups lobbying individually and that it would prefer to be dealing with one body that could speak for the whole hospitality industry.”

Both associations will now be based at the BHA’s headquarters in central London.

Source:  Caterer.com

Accor's Appoints To Management Board & Senior Management

/PRNewswire/ -- Accor's Supervisory Board has nominated the Management Board, for a term of three years, pursuant to the Company's Articles of Incorporation. Except Sven Boinet about whom Accor had informed in September 2002 that he would be leaving upon expiry of his term of office, the members of the former Management Board have been reconfirmed.

Jean-Marc Espalioux has been reappointed Chairman of the Management Board and CEO. In this capacity he shall preside over the Management Board and coordinate its activity. He shall also be directly responsible for those activities and duties not expressly assigned to the members of the Management Board.

At the proposal of Jean-Marc Espalioux, the Supervisory Board made the following appointments:

- Benjamin Cohen has been appointed Executive Vice-Chairman of the Management Board, in charge of Finance and hotel development, Leisure, Tourism, Casinos and Brazil.

- John Du Monceau has been appointed Senior Vice-Chairman of the Management Board, in charge of Services, Human Resources and Sustainable Development. His responsibilities also include on-board train services of La Compagnie des Wagons-Lits.

- Andre Martinez has been appointed to the Management Board and shall be responsible for Economy Hotels in Europe. In the course of 2003, his duties shall be extended to include responsibility for Accor hotel operations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Jean-Marc Espalioux, Benjamin Cohen and John Du Monceau were respectively Chairman of the Accor Management Board and Management Board members since January 1997. Prior to this appointment, Andre Martinez was Managing Director of Economy hotel operations.

Jean-Marc Espalioux also made the following appointments:

-- Claude Moscheni was made Hotel Operations Advisor to the Chairman of the Management Board. He shall retain his current duties as General Manager Business and Leisure hotel operations, until the reorganization of European, African and Middle-East hotel operations described above.

-- Serge Ragozin is the new Managing Director of Accor Hotel Global Services. He shall be responsible for marketing, sales, purchasing, construction, maintenance, the Internet, information technology and new technologies. He will report to the Chairman of the management Board.

-- Jacques Stern, who was previously Deputy Chief Financial Officer, was appointed Group Chief Financial Officer and will report to Benjamin Cohen, Executive Vice-Chairman of the Management Board.

With 147,000 associates in 140 countries, Accor is the European leader and one of the world's largest groups in travel, tourism and corporate services, with two major international activities:

-- hotels: 3,833 hotels (441,203 rooms) in 90 countries, casinos, travel agencies, and restaurants;

-- services to corporate clients and public institutions: each day, 13 million people in 32 countries use a broad range of services (food vouchers, people care and services, incentive, loyalty programs, events) engineered and managed by Accor.

Jurys courts hotel expansion moves

Teletext  -  Hotel group Jurys Doyle is set to open a new Jurys Inn "budget plus" hotel in Dublin and plans to build a further four Jurys Inn by mid 2004.

The group, which revealed a 6% rise in half-year pre-tax profits to £19m, said the new 253 bedroom Dublin hotel will create 120 jobs. Hotels in Newcastle, Glasgow, Leeds and Chelsea are planned.

"We are in a very active period for the group. We will continue to seek out further development opportunities in prime locations," suggested chief executive Pat McCann.

The expansion comes despite Jurys warning the market remains challenging. Interim sales edged up 0.5% to £86m.

Tibet goes FIT?

TravelWeeklyEast.com  -  A report from China’s state media organisation has suggested that visitors to Tibet are no longer required to be part of a group or obtain an Alien Travel Permit.

According to Xinhua, the new policy came into effect at the end of 2002, and also applies to visitors from Hong Kong and Macau. Xinhua said the Tibetan Tourism Bureau which issued the permits, had welcome some 130,000 foreign visitors in 2002, about 2.4 percent more than in 2001.

The news comes on the back of another Xinhua report stating that tourism to neighbouring Nepal fell 28 percent in 2002 over the previous year.

Many in Nepal’s lucrative trekking industry have made do with running Tibet tours during the country’s tourism downturn.

Tibet has been under Chinese rule since 1951.

PATA to award four EDIT scholarships

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is offering four partial scholarships to the Executive Development Institute for Tourism (EDIT) programme, held in Hawaii, June 9-27, 2003.

The EDIT programme is offered by the School of Travel Industry Management, University of Hawaii at Manoa, to serve the educational needs of executives and professionals in private and public sectors of international tourism.

The three-week programme features lectures, class discussions, case studies, group presentations and field visits. EDIT aims to foster innovative ideas, addressing problems faced by destinations globally. Learning is facilitated through classroom exchanges between the international EDIT faculty and participants representing diverse tourism destinations.

EDIT is designed for individuals with managerial responsibilities in their respective tourism or travel-related organisations. Entry prerequisite is a college degree or its equivalent in terms of experience in the tourism industry. Enrollment is limited to 24 participants.

For information, visit www.tim.hawaii.edu/edit or contact aye@pata.th.com.

Entries close March 15

Durban reaps its tourism rewards

The Mercury  -  While  Durban business owners will be smiling all the way to the bank after a booming festive season, Durban Africa and the eThekweni council will receive accolades for their successful efforts in drawing multitudes of tourists from all corners of the world.

It is estimated more than 300 000 tourists converged on the Durban beachfront on New Year's Day alone, exceeding turnouts in previous years.

Durban Africa tourist service manager Thandi Rasenyalo said: "What we achieved this festive season has been long overdue. Durban offers a world-class African experience and all we needed to do was market it properly.

"Last year we embarked on a vigorous marketing campaign and showcased the beauty of the city to the entire world. Our campaign paid off as we now receive an average of 1 500 calls a day and nearly 500 tourists walk into our offices each day. Our hotels were fully booked a month before the festive season kicked off."

Rasenyalo acknowledges the support of Durban residents and the role played by the police. "Our people have been outstanding hosts and treated tourists in a way that made them feel welcome. Locals are now beginning to realise tourists are an integral necessity for the economic and cultural development of the city.

"The police played a very important role in ensuring the safety of tourists. We didn't even hear of a single mugging incident against our tourists this festive season and if the trend continues like this, then Durban is well on its way to become a world's must-visit city," said Rasenyalo.

Unicity manager Michael Sutcliffe said the current festive season tourism boom did not come cheaply. "In today's world, every success comes at a price. We had to ensure we had enough manpower, state of the art communication infrastructure and put together many other facilities that will enhance the image of our city. We had to be ready to clean about 30 tons of rubbish a day and we managed to do this well.

"The current tourist boom is a result of proper planning, flexibility and the willingness to learn from previous mistakes. Today every Durbanite can walk tall because we have given the world what it could not get anywhere else," he said.

Beware nudes at 36,000 feet

US travel agency Castaways Travel has chartered a Boeing 727-200 for a round-trip Miami-Cancun flight, departing May 3 and returning May 10, for 170 passengers, most of whom will be headed to the El Dorado Resort & Spa for a nude vacation.

The Castaways contingent must wait until the flight is under way to disrobe and must dress before de-planing. The captain and crew will remain dressed for the flight, which costs US$499 round-trip and is believed to be the first of its kind.

The crew will adjust for the nudist passengers. Airline cabins are notoriously cold but will be kept at a warm temperature. To avoid dangerous spills, no coffee will be served. Clothing must be kept in the overhead bins or underneath a seat.

In the interests of privacy, Castaways is providing the flight information and name of the charter provider only to registered passengers.

Otherwise, it's known as "Naked-Air."

For more information, visit www.castawaystravel.com or www.naked-air.com