There's no place like a hotel

'Hotels like to have a touch of class. They like to give their guests high-class wood hangers. It makes them feel good about themselves'

by Miles Kington  independent.co.uk

Yesterday I brought you part of an extraordinary High Court case in which Mr Arnold Chrysler stands accused of stealing thousands of hotel clothes hangers. His defence is that he manufactures wardrobes that can only take hotel clothes hangers, and he can only get hotel hangers from hotels. As a service to any of us who have ever taken anything home from a hotel, I bring you a further extract from this trial today.

Counsel: Now, Mr Chrysler, am I right in saying that hotel clothes hangers do not have hooks on top but little studs that will only work on special racks?

Chrysler: That is correct.

Counsel: This design arose because so many hotel hangers were

Chrysler: That is correct.

Counsel: And they had no option but to change the design to stop them being stolen?

Chrysler: That is not correct.

Counsel: That is not correct?

Chrysler: No. The world of hotels had not one, but two options. They could change the design of the way they were hung, yes, but they could also cheapen the hangers. They could very easily have given guests inexpensive plastic or metal hangers they would never have missed when they were stolen. But that would have lowered the tone of the hotel. Hotels, even hotels in a chain, like to have a touch of class. They like giving guests high-class solid wood hangers. It makes them feel good about themselves. It also makes them worth stealing.

Counsel: And people come to you, do they, asking you to make special wardrobes so that they can use stolen clothes hangers?

Chrysler: It isn't so much the fact that they are stolen that makes them attractive. You have to remember that many top businessmen spend more of their time in hotels than in their own home. They become used to hotel life. They think of hotels as home. Therefore they become used to hotel hangers and think of them as normal, and on the rare occasions when they spend some time at home they can't stand these fiddly things with hooks which you and I may think of as normal but which the business traveller thinks of as loose-fitting and badly designed. So they come to me and get me to make a hotel-style wardrobe.

Counsel: Are you seriously suggesting that there are people who prefer hotel life to home life?

Chrysler: Certainly. A lot of businessmen would never go home if they had the chance. So when they get home they like to recreate the hotel experience in their own house. Many of my clients have their own mini-bars in their bedrooms. They have TV sets at the end of the bed on a raised shelf, often with an adult sex channel on it. All their bathroom products come in wrappers and are thrown away each day. I have even known people in their own home put out "Do Not Disturb" notices on the door of their own bedroom.

Counsel: Stolen, presumably, from some hapless hotel.

Chrysler: Never call a hotel hapless. They know what they are doing. No hotel loses money willingly. They may have things taken from them, but the stuff that guests leave behind is just as valuable.

Counsel: Are you serious when you say that clients of yours drink from their own minibars in their own bedrooms in their own homes?

Chrysler: Certainly. And just as in a hotel, they grumble about the price and size of the bottles, and the absence of ice.

Counsel: So why don't they get a proper fridge in their bedroom?

Chrysler : Because then it wouldn't be like a hotel.

Judge: Tell me, Mr Chrysler, do these businessmen of yours also have Gideon Bibles by their bedside at home?

Chrysler: Many of them, sir.

Judge: And where do you get the Gideon Bibles from?

Chrysler: Alas, they, too, have to be taken from hotels.

Judge: Then why are you not also up on a charge of Bible-stealing?

Chrysler: Because the Bibles do not belong to the hotels. They belong to the Gideon Society. And the Gideon Society has decided not to prosecute me, but to forgive me and tell me to go and sin no more.

Judge: And have you sinned no more?

Chrysler: Alas, no.

This case continues, though not in this column. Those who are interested in a hotel ambiance for your home should contact Arthur Chrysler's World of Hotel Decor

Macdonald Hotels boss hits out at VisitScotland

SundayHerald.com  -  LEADING Scottish hotelier Gerry Smith, group managing director of Macdonald Hotels, has accused Scotland's tourist authority VisitScotland and the Scottish Executive of failing to provide adequate support for the industry.

'The tourist board should start with Holyrood, by getting it to recognise the value of tourism to Scotland,' said Smith, whose Bathgate-based company ranks as the eighth-largest hotel group in the UK.

'They need to promote the industry far more pro-actively by encouraging investment,' said Smith, who co-founded Macdonald Hotels with chief executive Donald Macdonald in 1990.

Smith, whose company has invested heavily in setting up a new finance and call centre at Bathgate, criticised the system of financial support (regional selective assistance) which discriminates against indigenous employers.

'They are willing to give money to multinationals to come here -- but how long do they stay? In Bathgate we've created 150 jobs and we got no assistance of any form,' he said.

The tourism industry is a major source of employment in Scotland, providing work for some 193,000 people. Smith said the Executive should look at other nations which have a successful tourist industry .

'Spain has a minister for tourism. We need tourism to be given a similarly high priority in Scotland,' Smith said.

Macdonald Hotels, which was founded in 1990 with just two hotels, has grown rapidly and now owns or operates over 100 hotels and resorts in the UK and Spain, controlling a business with annual sales in excess of £240 million.

The company is currently looking at creating a timeshare operation in the Lake District, where it already runs three hotels. Smith said there are also good opportunities for further expansion of the company's timeshare business in Spain

Bali: a glimmer of hope

TravelWeeklyEast.com  -  Four days after the devastating bomb blast in Bali, some glimmer of hope is starting to emerge, said Willem Loots, managing director of Asian Trails, Bali.

"First of all, as far as our on guests are concerned, only 10 percent have opted to interrupt their holiday and return home early. Since Monday, we did have a total of 39 forward bookings cancelled but these are all for reservations for the next three to four weeks.

"It appears that people travelling in the medium and long term are adopt a waiting and see attitude.

Added Loots, "Talking to my own guests, I also found that people understand that we now live in a world where terrorist acts can happen anywhere. Quite a few said that they would not let themselves be influenced by terrorists!"

The other piece of good news is that the Dutch government decided Monday that it would not impose a negative travel advisory for Bali, "just a recommendation to stay away from Kuta", said Loots.

"While the German and Swiss operators, on the advice of their respective governments, have decided to temporarily suspend any further departures to Indonesia for a week, there is no travel ban in France, nor in Belgium.

"The Jakarta Post reported Tuesday that most Japanese tourists scheduled to leave for Bali on Monday decided to go ahead and come, although they were all given the option to cancel without any penalties."

Said Loots, "I have always been a smiling pessimist rather than a serious optimist but all this leads me to believe that the one thing these cowardly bastards did not succeed in destroying is the GOOD KARMA of Bali nor its legendary elasticity. Bali may just bounce back a lot quicker than many expect."

Loots also shared another piece of good news. "I am proud to report that there is an abundance of volunteers at the crisis centre in Sanglah Hospital. I hope that in due time that this particular story will be told properly.

"Afterwards we shall have to hone our survival skills again and no doubt, just over the horizon we shall find opportunities...."

Source:  TraveWeeklyEast.com

IT&CMA 2002 a crucial show at a crucial  time

Early next week, between 23 - 25 October,  the first ever IT&CMA, in its successful 10 year history, shall open its doors in Bangkok, Thailand.

Following the appalling massacre of October 12 in Bali, there is no better time for the travel industry from within Asia and around the world to meet, share ideas and discuss what is the best way forward, not only in light of recent terrorist attacks, but also the uncertain future of a war in Iraq, and other potential events which could damage the industry as a whole.

The IT&CMA first started in Hong Kong in 1993, and has since become viewed by many as the most rewarding MICE exhibition and conference in Asia Pacific. This years theme is ‘Celebrating Asia’s Fascinating World of MICE’.

The organising committee have organised an exciting itinerary for the 2002 IT&CMA even going as far as having a Thai boxing ring in the exhibition hall with daily entertainment (although we are assured that this cannot be used by sellers or buyers to beat up / down contracted rates !!). Apart from the pre-scheduled business sessions, exciting familiarisation tours around Thailand,  fruitful networking opportunities, and lively educational seminars, you can expect the IT&CMA to offer you  an important open door into the fascinating world of MICE in Asia.

This years event has 5,000 square metres of exhibition area with 262 exhibiting companies and organisations from 26 countries, with Spain exhibiting for the first time. Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand will all have a larger presence at the show than before.

The IT&CMA 2002 will have 300 pre-registered hosted and non-hosted trade buyers from 37 countries, of which the largest numbers are from Germany, Australia, UK, France, and US - which make up almost  56 per cent of the total. There is also a significant number of buyers from smaller markets e.g. Belgium, Italy and Poland, with Asia, also making up a sizeable representation especially from India, Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

We put some questions to IT&CMA's, Project Executive, Ms Tee Yen Ching :

Q1) Are you still accepting late buyer, seller and or media registrations ?

A1 - We are now accepting only trade buyer registration and not hosted buyers. Trade buyers may also come onsite to register. Sellers on the other hand will only be accepted selectively. Media registrations are accepted, but only accreditation is given, no hosted status. 

Q2) Do you allow travel industry visitors who have not registered to enter the show ? 

A2 - Our exhibition is open for Trade Visitors on all 3 days. Pre-registration is available online at www.itcma.com.sg and there is a nominal charge of US$10 per visitor.

Q3) Have you had any cancellations of buyers and / or sellers since the Bali explosion ?

A3 - As at today, we have not had any cancellations from either buyers or sellers due to the Bali bomb blasts. In fact, the Bali MICE pavilion just confirmed their participation following the explosions.

Following the Bali bomb blasts security has become even more of a major concern and TAT and TTG Media Asia issued the following statement:

"The Land of Smiles (ed-Thailand) has always been known as a peaceful country with no incident of terrorism reported so far. The country enjoys political and economic stability and the Thais have always shown respect for people of all races and religions.

Notwithstanding, the organisers of IT&CMA will be working closely with the Thailand host committee to take all measures to ensure the event runs smoothly.

Steps to heighten vigilance and increase security during the three-day event will be taken."

The IT&CMA 2002 an important show for the travel and MICE industry, comes at a crucial time, and one that should not be missed. 

Source:  AsiaTravelTips.com  

Hoteliers Conference Combines Best of Both European and U.S. Conferences

Hoteliers will discuss the latest global industry trends in a casual, networking atmosphere at the first International Hotel Conference to be held September 17- 19, 2003 at the Le Meridien Beach Plaza Hotel in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Themed "Managing and Financing Strategies for the Global Hotel Industry," the three-day event will combine the best features of European, Asian and American conferences, according to Morris Lasky, conference founder. "We have researched the need for this conference for more than three years," he said. "We have talked to more than 1,000 senior hotel leaders around the world, and the consensus is that the industry needed an upscale global conference that would attract the world's most influential hoteliers, provide cutting-edge information, all in a highly casual atmosphere to enhance the networking process, which is so important at these events."

Topics will include updates and analysis of breaking global and major industry trends in development, financing, management, technology and marketing. The event will begin with an opening reception on Wednesday night, September 17, 2003, which will be followed up over the next two days with a combination of general sessions, panel discussions, roundtable meetings, one-on-one sessions and networking.

The conference content and concept is designed to appeal to senior level executives in the hotel industry, including owners, operators, brands, lending institutions, architects/designers, brokers, attorneys and others involved in the decision-making process. Cost of the event will be EUR 1395, or approximately $1,375 at recent conversion rates.

Bali’s Rival Destinations Enjoy Increased Demand

Korea Times  -  While travelers are taking Bali off their list of destinations, the impact of the weekend terrorist bombing on the Indonesian resort island has not resonated through neighboring Southeast Asian nations.

In fact, rival vacation spots are enjoying unexpected demand as more Korean vacationers change their travel plans.

''Bali has traditionally been more popular among honeymooners than group tourists, said yesterday Oh Chang-bae, director of the Nana Tour Agency, specializing in Southeast Asian trips.

''In the wake of the bombing attack, honeymooners are shifting their destinations to such resort areas as Phuket in Thailand and Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia.

Local airlines echoed the remarks, saying a majority of seats were occupied for flights to Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.

''For the past couple of days, we have seen a 10-percent increase in the number of passengers to Southeast Asia, with the exception of Bali, compared to the same period last year, said Lim Yoon-sang, a spokesman at Korean Air.

Asiana officials also said that more than 80 percent of its seats have already been booked this month for flights to Bangkok and Manila, with no significant cancellations.

However, tourism experts remained cautious about a possible long-term impact on the industry, which has recently been recovering from the big downturn following the Sept. 11 attacks.

''The impact could resonate beyond Bali, considering the vulnerability of the tourism sector, said Kim Yong-mi, an official at the Korea National Tourism Organization.

The Bali tragedy has affected not only local tour operators, but ethnic Koreans residing in the island, whose main income sources are tourism-related businesses targeting Korean visitors.

''It is a major blow to the livelihood of some 200 Koreans here, Jung Dong-il, who is running a hotel in Bali, told The Korea Times. ''Terrorism turned the long-time island paradise into a island of horror.

''People will link Bali with horrendous bombings, not scenic beaches for the time being, he deplored.

Amid continuous media coverage of the bombings, local airline companies and travel agencies have been flooded with inquiries and cancellations of bookings. The government has been quick to advise people to stay away from Bali, which has some 3,000 Korean visitors per month.

Korean Air has decided to halt the operation of two weekly non-stop chartered flights to Bali.

Mexico's Tourism Income Up

After receiving the information on tourism income up to August from the Bank of Mexico, Tourism Secretary Leticia Navarro Ochoa now believes that results for the sector this year will be slightly better than last year.

Navarro Ochoa met Francesco Frangialli, secretary general of the World Tourism Organization (WTO) who makes up the new Marketing Committee of the WTO along with representatives of Algeria, Botswana, Colombia, Spain, India, Jordan, the Maldives and Thailand. Mexico will obtain the presidency of this committee, which will be merged with the committee formed to follow the effects of last year's terrorist attacks in the United States on the industry.

After analyzing the tourism industry in the wake of the attacks, three coincident factors were found in those countries suffering most from the ripple effects. It was found that the countries most affected were dependent on tourists from the United States; they were generally far from the principal sources of tourists; Arabic countries are suffering from serious image problems.

Mexico is clearly a member of the first group of countries in that it is dependent on the flow of tourists from the United States - some 90% of Mexico's tourists come from its northern neighbor.The per capita spending of tourists from January to August rose 5.5% and the accumulated total climbed to US$6.05 billion. However, the number of tourists dropped 5.6% in the period to 13.5 million.

Thai Tourism Industry Braces for New Slump Following Bomb Blasts in Bali

Bangkok Post  -  The Asia-Pacific travel and tourism industry is in a state of shock as it tries to assess the wide-ranging impact of the devastating bomb blasts in Bali at the weekend. 

"There is no such thing as a safe place in the travel and tourism industry any more," said Alwin Zecha, the managing director of the Pacific Leisure group, as cancellations poured in and hundreds of tourists began to leave what has long been considered a peaceful, tranquil Island of the Gods. 

Indonesia received 5,153,620 arrivals in 2001, a slight increase on 5,064,416 arrivals in 2000. Of the 2001 total, 1,422,714 arrivals went to Bali as the first point of entry. Arrivals in the first half of this year totalled 2,058,809. 

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (Pata) was the first to respond. Its senior management executives and a number of board members, including Mr Zecha, had been having dinner at a restaurant just a few hundred metres away when the blast occurred. 

The association's vice-president for development, Peter Semone, had married a Balinese woman on the island just hours earlier. 

Pata president and chief executive Peter de Jong said: "To strike at innocent civilians, many of them young people, is a barbaric act of cowardice which defies the morality of all civilised people. Our condolences go out to the families and friends of the dead and injured and to the peace-loving people of Bali and Indonesia who, like us, are in deep shock today." 

Pata has two events pending in Indonesia, a Sustainable Tourism Conference to be held in Banten, Western Java, between Oct 23 and 26 and the 52nd annual conference in Bali between April 13 and 17. 

As of today, both events remained in place, Mr de Jong said. 

He said that Pata, in co-ordination with the International Air Transport Association (Iata) and other partner organisations, was ready to set up a crisis task force to help the country address the major challenges which its tourism industry was likely to face in the weeks and months ahead. 

Mr Semone, meanwhile, has stayed on in Bali to help Indonesian tourism authorities. 

A Tourism Authority of Thailand spokesman declined specific comment on whether the incident would lead to any spillover business for Thailand. 

She said: "The attack in Bali should not be looked at from the perspective of whether it is good or bad for the Thai tourism industry. It is a horrendous, despicable attack that is bad for the tourism industry worldwide. It will exacerbate the current downturn the global industry is already experiencing." 

Conveying the TAT's sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, the spokesman said that Indonesia was "a friend and colleague under the Asean tourism fraternity. In the spirit of Asean, the TAT is ready and willing to work with the Indonesian tourism authorities to see what we can do to help revive tourism to that country". 

Ajva Taulananda, the chairman of Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the attacks would increase anxiety among tourists about travel to the region. The incident may not benefit Thailand, though the country was still a safe tourism destination and far from Indonesia, he said. 

"We may have less impact from the incident but we should not take advantage of such a disaster," he said. 

Tom Racette, the regional director of communications for Accor Asia-Pacific, which has 26 properties in Indonesia, including two in Bali, said the attack was a further blow to the island which had enjoyed a one-year recovery following the October 2001 riots in Lombok and the sweeping out of foreigners in Solo. 

"For the short term, we are expecting there will be cancellations as the Australian market is key to Bali. However, in the long term, we believe strongly in Indonesia because we are the largest management group there." 

Mr Zecha said he thought the blast would put a real dampener on the travel and tourism worldwide. "Let's just pray and hope that nothing happens in Thailand."