Bridge over troubled hotel waters

by Yeoh Siew Hoon  TravelWeeklyEast.com

SPECIAL HICAP 2002 REPORT    Share prices down. Rate pressure up. Brands blurring. Customers dwindling. Fears of terrorism rising. What’s a CEO to do? Yeoh Siew Hoon reports from the sidelines as six of the world’s most powerful hoteliers got together to share their views and insights into their industry.

It is not often that six of the world’s most powerful hoteliers locked in battle in one of the most competitive businesses can get together and agree on something, but agree on one thing they did – times are tough and could get tougher.

Barry Sternlicht, chairman and chief executive officer of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, set the tone in his keynote address at the Hotel Investment Conference Asia/Pacific 2002 (HICAP) when he said, “We have a perfect storm.”

Escalating fear of terrorism, a troubled global economy and threat of a war have produced a business climate in the US the likes of which has never been seen before, he said. “Traditional stimuli have not worked. Lower interest rates, tax cuts, increased military spending – they have not worked.”

He said after the horrific events of September 11, there was a campaign to celebrate life and people went out to spend money. “I am not sure that will translate to a good fourth quarter; people no longer have a patriotic need to spend money.”

He called it the deepest recession in the last 70 years. “Everybody’s planning for slower growth.”

AYE, WE AGREE
The next morning, five of Sternlicht’s peers sat at a Global Leaders Roundtable and agreed that times were difficult, to say the least.

Thomas Oliver, chairman and CEO of Six Continents Hotels, made no bones about the struggle his company was having with the City since the decision to split up the pubs and hotels division.

Responding to the question “what is the single biggest challenge facing your company”, Oliver said, “At the moment, we’re trying to convince the city that we’re worth something. We are splitting up the company and effectively allowing the hotel business to become a fully-flegded business. The city has had a different reaction.”

John Wilson, chief executive, Millennium & Copthorne International, echoed the feelings of many corporate CEOs operating in today’s turbulent stock market, when he said, “Our shares are trading at 60 percent discount. This is a big challenge. There is uncertainty across the globe. Nobody likes uncertainty; financial institutions hate it. The shortfall in profit expectations because of September 11 is a serious challenge facing us all.”

Even as they struggle to hold on to the value of their companies, these chief executives have to worry about the growing threat of terrorism, plus they have to continue to grow, grapple for marketshare, struggle to hold on to rates which are slip sliding away, push and differentiate their brands and keep a tight rein on costs which are escalating all the time.

BUT GROW WE MUST
Is it any wonder they get any sleep? But push on they must as was demonstrated by Edwin Fuller, president and managing director, Marriott Lodging International, in his answer to his biggest challenge.

Fuller was single-minded about his purpose. “Growth is the number one imperative. We will continue to look for opportunities. We have 2,500 hotels and are opening 155 this year. We have 15 brands and we will continue to expand them.”

Anthony Harris, chief executive, Hilton International, in a similar vein, added, “We have been through a period of acquisitions with Scandic and Starkies. We are looking for organic growth, pushing forward on the Hilton and Conrad brands and working with Hilton Hotels Corporation to give the brands the full opportunities the world can provide.”

For Jay Witzel, president, Carlson Hotels Worldwide, his biggest challenge was “engaging employees, promoting travel and mobilising resources to engage customers so that we repeat and retain them, and move them through our five brands and travel marketing company”.

The issue, he said, was more the demand side than the supply side. In other words, not enough customers to go round.

DON’T SLEEP ON SECURITY
Given all their worries, the CEOs were asked if there was anything that kept them awake at night? A question shrugged off by all except Harris who responded, “We should always look positively at the world. This (terrorism) is not going to stop travel, not going to stop holidays.

“Security is the issue. That’s not going to go away, and how our industry responds is important.

The WTTC (World Travel & Tourism Council) must get the travel industry to work together and align itself so that security is taken more seriously, not just in the air but so that the customer, from the moment he leaves his home and returns to his home, feels safe.”

THE GOOD NEWS SURPRISES
Yet amid the bad news, there were some good surprises for the CEOs.

Wilson cited a few surprises – the bounce back of New York City where M&C has 2,500 rooms and revenues fell 65 percent at the end of 2001 but occupancies this year exceed last year’s although there is pressure on rates – and London, although not as sharp; and M&C’s performance across Asia in general where “RevPAR in the region is ahead of last year,” he said.

But the star performer, he said, was New Zealand which was seeing double digit growth, “driven by perception of security aspects”.

Oliver cited the resilience of the Holiday Inn Express business, aided by the drive business in the US as more people took to the roads.

For Fuller, it was the stronger than anticipated comeback of the leisure business. “The business market has been slower than we expected, more due to the economy than the security. Asia has outperformed expectations and Europe is showing dramatic shifts, and we are trying to see where that goes.”

Witzel highlighted the growth in the three-star segment and below. “That segment did well. I was also surprised by the leisure business to the Caribbean and resort destinations. Europe held up stronger than the US.”

Harris meanwhile said it was the dramatic shift to domestic and regional markets which caught his attention. “Business travel will still be global but leisure travel is reflecting the domestic environment. This will underscore the importance of brands to local markets. Local business will drive business to our brands.”

2003 budgets. SPOOKY!
As for 2003 budgets and what spooks and concerns the chief executives, Witzel said he had not budgeted for a return of commercial travel. “I don’t think there will be enough demand to offset the rates we’ve lost.”

Wilson was candid, saying, “We have not completed our budget. We have great difficulty forecasting even a week out. The most cause for concern is the US with the exception of New York City. The big conventions and meetings business is under serious pressure, and we don’t see it rebounding in 2003.”

Fuller said he was equally concerned about business travel but these were short-term concerns. “Group business – we can see the bookings coming in for 2004. 2003 is encouraging but there are question marks. Asia looks the strongest with some growth in China and other markets.”

IS SIZE WHAT MATTERS?
With the five CEOs representing multi-brand companies, it was clear they would also agree on the fact that size mattered in today’s market.

Harris said brands were an advantage in today’s marketplace. The key is distribution and those who play it the right way will win, he said.

“There is lots of room for the entrepreneurs but they will have to latch onto branded distribution systems. We would be fooling ourselves if we think our unique hotel in this unique location can do it without distribution.

“If we take companies such as Marriott, Six Continents and Starwood, they own between them two to 15 million customers. Their customers are going to prefer their brands. They may be promiscuous but they will have a preference.”  

Source:  TravelWeeklyEast.com

De Vere confirms marketing alliance with comparable US chain

e-Tid.com   -  De Vere Hotels has signed a marketing alliance with Colorado-based Destination Hotels & Resorts, hoping to take advantage of its association with the Ryder Cup to ‘leverage the [De Vere] brand in the important North American market.’

De Vere manages 21 four- and five-star properties in the UK providing 3,300 rooms, while DH&R operates 27 properties offering 7,000 rooms. All DH&R’s interests are in the US, save the 35-room Cliveden Town House in London SW3.

As well as breaking into North America, De Vere is looking for more meeting and convention bookings coming through from the DH&R sales force who will cross-sell.

De Vere’s chief exec Paul Dermody said that DH&R had a ‘customer base and product offering similar to our own’ while DH&R’s COO Charles Peck said the deal gave the Americans ‘exposure across the Atlantic in an extremely cost-effective manner.

DH&R is part of privately-owned Lowe Enterprises.
Click here to read the release on De Vere’s web site.

World Tourism Experts confident of 2003 recovery in international Travel & Tourism

The tragic events of 11 September in the USA and more recent terrorist attacks in Bali and Moscow have had, and will continue to have, a severe impact on travel and tourism demand. Yet there are clear signs of a recovery, reflecting the resilience of the industry and consumers' demand for travel after one of the biggest confidence crises in the history of tourism. Pre-11 September growth levels should start to resume from 2003, and growth from some key source markets will even be positive in 2002. This was the main message to come out of three days of intensive discussions between world tourism experts gathered in Pisa from 6-9 November for the ninth World Travel Monitor Forum. 

The meeting was organised by IPK International in co-operation with the World Tourism Organization (WTO), the European Travel Commission (ETC), the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) and the US Department of Commerce. The forum comprised some 50 heads of research and/or marketing representing national tourism organisations, research institutes, industry associations and individual corporations from over 30 different countries. These included all major European outbound travel markets, the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries and Morocco. "After a decline of 1% in international tourism in 2001, we now expect a 1% increase for 2002," said Rolf Freitag, President of IPK and founder of the World Travel Monitor. 

"This forecast, which is based on the results of the World Travel Monitor - as well as the findings of our partners and other tourism experts from around the world - would mean a return to the record level achieved in 2000." World growth should start to return to pre-11 September rates by 2003, confirmed WTO's Rok Klancnik. Next year should see a 2-3% rise and growth will pick up slowly to around 3-4% by 2004. As predicted 12 months ago at the last Pisa Forum, the USA has been one of the source markets and destinations hardest hit by the events of 11 September 2001, the continuing threat of terrorism in 2002 and the economic recession. Outbound trip volume fell by 12% in the first half of this year

Nevertheless, according to Suzanne Cook and Helen Marano, representing the Travel Industry Association of America and the US Department of Commerce at the Pisa Forum, US outbound travel demand expressed in terms of total spending is forecast to fall by a relatively modest 2% for the full 12 months of 2002, after a decrease of 5% in 2001. As a destination, the Americas overall are expected to suffer a 6% drop in demand this year.   

The outlook for Europe is much less pessimistic, although international arrivals in the region will probably show little change over last year's level. "In terms of outbound volume, however, Europe should record a 1% increase, following a 1.2% decline in the first eight months of 2002," said IPK's Dennis Pyka. "This compares with our original forecast of a 2% rise for the year immediately after the events of 11 September 2001. The growth in demand for outbound travel by Europeans should accelerate in 2003." In terms of percentage growth the best performers among European outbound travel markets in the first eight months of this year were Hungary, Norway and Slovakia - all with increases of between 5-10% over the same period in 2001. 

But there was also relatively healthy growth from some of the region's leading source markets such as the UK, Netherlands and Austria. Germany, France, Sweden, Denmark and Switzerland, on the other hand, recorded declines of -2% or more. Leisure travel has fared much better than business travel but, as predicted, price has continued to be a key factor influencing Europeans' holiday decisions. This is reflected in the sharp increase in popularity of lower-cost destinations such as Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovakia, Leslie Vella explained to participants at the Pisa Forum, quoting European Travel Commission data. Short-haul destinations have generally benefited at the expense of long-haul destinations, with demand for North America (-13%) showing the greatest fall in demand. 

"The main long-haul destination to buck the trend has been China, as seen by both the results of the European Travel Monitor and data gathered by PATA," John Koldowski off the Pacific Asia Travel Association said. "But a number of other Asian destinations and South Africa have similarly recorded double-digit growth out of Europe this year." China has also been a major contributor to world tourism growth as a source market this year, outranking all other world markets in terms of percentage growth. If its rapid rate of expansion continues it will soon overtake Japan which, according to the JTB Foundation's Hidetoshi Kobayashi, is currently forecast to record modest growth in 2002 (of a maximum 1-2%) after a 9% decline in 2001.  

India is another Asian source that appears to have recorded strong double-digit growth in 2002, and IPK has plans to add it to the list of markets surveyed on a regular basis by the World Travel Monitor. Australian outbound travel is predicted to show a very modest increase in 2001, said Stephen O'Neill of the Australia Tourist Commission - down from the 4% forecast one year ago - but the overall annual growth forecast for the market over the next ten years is as high as 6-7%. During this period there will be a continuing shift towards shorter-haul Asian destinations. Not surprisingly, there has also been a marked change in the preferred destinations of travellers from Gulf Co- operation Council countries, said Gautam Sengupta of Market Vision, the World Travel Monitor partner in Dubai. Demand for Turkey, the USA, Spain, the UK and Greece has shifted to destinations within the Middle East region, Southeast and South Asia, Australia and New Zealand. 

Even when/if the threat of war with Iraq subsides the traditionally popular destinations may find they are competing with these new favourites, which have made concerted efforts to understand the markets' needs and to facilitate access through the abolition or simplification of visa procedures. Not all Arab destinations have suffered declines out of Western markets, either. Dubai is one example of a destination that continues to sustain its appeal, and Morocco expects to end 2002 only 2-3% down on last year's level, according to Jamal Kilito of the Moroccan National Tourist Office. "This compares with a projected (WTO estimate) 20% decline in arrivals for Tunisia," he said. Interestingly, the exchange of market intelligence among the participants of the Pisa World Travel Monitor Forum highlighted the fact that current trends are remarkably similar in key markets around the world. Among the trends identified, the most important are:

Continuing, and possibly even growing, concerns over safety and security · Shorter and more frequent holidays, but fewer short/weekend breaks of 1-3 nights long · A shift to domestic and intra-regional travel · A shift from air to ground transport, despite a parallel increase in demand for low-cost airlines · A continued trend towards late booking and increased use of the internet to buy travel 

Increased demand for partly packaged, or customised/independently tailored, holidays at the expense of traditional inclusive tour packages · Greater interest in holidays offering an experience rather than a preference for a specific destination or product · Increased demand for authentic experiences including local culture and closeness to nature Participants representing the leading travel and tourism operators at the Pisa Forum - TUI, Thomas Cook and the ACCOR Group - also expressed their concerns about the rising gap between travel demand and supply. 

Tourism products do not provide sufficient added value to meet today's customer needs and more attention needs to be paid to new holiday programmes and new accommodation products. Whether or not the trends identified in Pisa are temporary, or are part of a more fundamental change in the overall structure of travel demand from maturing markets, is as yet unclear. These trends will be the focus of research by the Pisa Forum participants over the next 12 months. But the single most important factor expected to influence demand for outbound travel in the future is the changing demographic profile of key source markets, and notably the rapid ageing of the population in Europe and Japan. 

IPK International expects to release the preliminary results of its Generation project in March 2003, highlighting the impact of ageing populations on international travel and tourism demand over the next 20 years. A complete overview of the presentations made at the Pisa Forum, as well as a summary of conclusions from the discussions, will be available in a 200-page report from IPK International at a cost of EUR 490 from early December.

Hotel Security Workshop announced for Bali and Jakarta

Three leading hotel groups – Six Continents Hotels, Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts – have joined forces to sponsor hotel security workshops in Bali and Jakarta.

The one-day events, organised by HOTEL Asia Pacific magazine and Bali Discovery Tours, take place in Bali on December 16 and Jakarta on January 9. Full details of venues, topics and speakers will be announced shortly.

The HOTEL Asia Pacific Hotel Security Workshops are aimed at presenting the latest thinking in both technical and human approaches to improve hotel security, and will showcase top speakers in the field as well as demonstrations of the latest equipment available in the field of hotel security.

Discussions will also be held on how to deal with security issues in marketing a specific destination to the conference and meeting markets.

Through the generous support of its sponsors, the HOTEL Asia Pacific Hotel Security Workshops will cost Bali participants only Rp. 100,000 (approx US$11) and Jakarta workshop participants a tentative US$50. The fee will cover lunches, coffee breaks, bi-lingual course materials and a certificate of participation.

The Rp. 100,000 paid by the Bali workshop participants will be contributed entirely to the Casa Grande Hotel Association Bali Relief Fund .

Similar workshops are also being planned in other countries, including Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore.

HOTEL Asia Pacific publisher/editor Steve Shellum commented: “The Bali bombings should serve as a wake-up call to the hotel industry. The workshops will provide a valuable platform for sharing essential knowledge, experience and resources to help prevent the unthinkable happening at hotels, whether resort or city properties.

“The commitment of Six Continents, Starwood and Shangri-La towards these workshops is highly encouraging and commendable. Security is the one issue that hotel groups must be prepared to discuss openly, and share information and expertise.”

More information: Hotel Asia Pacific Hotel Security Workshop  

Short Distance Tourism New Industry Focus in Asia Pacific

German Porras, president and chairman of the European Travel Commission, said that the economic recession and terrorism will have a negative impact on the recovery of long-distance tourism in the long run. He agreed that cooperation in short-distance tourism will become a new growth focus for Asia. To woo short- distance tourists, he said, host countries or regions should create a fine image, continuously develop and promote new products and coordinate with intermediate agencies. It will take time for travelers to regain confidence in long- distance tourism, he said. Porras also suggested that forum participants take advantage of the opportunities provided by the forum to discuss concrete cooperation in short-distance tourism, such as information sharing and training for senior travel executives.

Gloria International expands portfolio in China

AsiaTravelTips.com   -  Gloria International Hotels recently signed on two more Gloria Plaza Hotels to its management portfolio.

The 2 new properties are located in Shenzhen and Inner Mongolia's Hohhot 
respectively, and brings the total collection of Gloria Plaza Hotels to 7 properties 
within the brand, and 14 properties within the group's total portfolio of hotels.

GLORIA PLAZA HOTEL HOHHOT

Gloria Plaza Hotel Hohhot will be positioned as the first hotel in Hohhot city to be managed by an international chain. With 200 modern guest rooms and suites in its inventory, the hotel is being developed as a 4-star hotel that will feature the latest in standard in-room facilities such as TV with satellite channels, IDD telephones, safe and mini-bar. All rooms will also be outfitted with in-room internet access facility. An executive floor (Plaza Floor) with an executive lounge (Plaza Lounge) will also be available to cater to those who require the benefits and offerings of true business accommodation and hospitality.

The hotel's function facilities will be capable of accommodating up to 500 persons for an event whilst food & beverage outlets will also include a coffee shop (Atrium Café), a Chinese restaurant, lobby lounge and a bar. Other hotel facilities will include a concierge, health club, a kiosk, business centre, foreign exchange, safe-deposit services, laundry & valet, room service, tour desk and car park facilities. 

"We are delighted to have been selected by Inner Mongolia Yellow River Wanjiazhai Ltd Indusrial Company in managing this important project. With Gloria International Hotels' brand and expertise in hotel management, our entry into Hohhot and Inner Mongolia will only serve to raise tourism and hospitality standards in the city significantly," says Mr Wang Jinjun, President of Gloria International Hotels.

Gloria Plaza Hotel Hohhot's location is ideally situated in the shopping district, and is only a 30-minute drive away from the airport. Adjacent to the city's business and commercial area, Hohhot's international airport serves more than 47 air routes to major cities in Mongolia, Russia and boasts efficient connections to China's main cities that include Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Wuhan and more. Chartered flights to Hong Kong are also available.

Hohhot (meaning " blue city" in Mongolian), is one of China's sunniest cities and is famous for a well known D.I.Y. gourmet affair of the Mongolian Hot Pot. As a region, Inner Mongolia is rich in non-ferrous mineral reserves including oil, coal and rare earth. This region is a valuable economic resource and is an important producer of livestock, wool and dairy products.

Hohhot's famous tourist offerings include the Xilin Gol League Prairie, Genghis Khan's Mausoleum, the tomb of Wang Zhaojun, the Temple of Five Pagodas, the murals in the Han Tombs at Horinger County, Haozhao Monastery, Dazhao Lamasery and more.

The opening of the Gloria Plaza Hotel Hohhot is scheduled for 3rd quarter of 2003 and will serve needs of the leisure and business travellers, as well as the MICE market.

GLORIA PLAZA HOTEL SHENZHEN

After operating for 12 years under the name of Fengyuan Hotel, this establishment is now undergoing renovations costing approximately RMB50million and the refurbished property will soon re-open in 2003 as the Gloria Plaza Hotel Shenzhen.

Managed by Gloria International Hotels, this property will feature 220 guest rooms and suites, an executive floor and function facilities for 300 persons. Food & beverage facilities will include a coffee shop (Atrium Café), a Chinese restaurant, a karaoke and disco (Hurricane) and a lobby lounge.

Guest rooms and suites promise comfort and features 4-star offerings that include TV with satellite channels, IDD telephones, safe, mini-bar and in-room internet access facility. Other hotel facilities and services include a business centre, a kiosk, foreign exchange, safe deposit facility, room service, gym, sauna, tour desk, transportation and car park facilities.

Partnering Shenzhen Hua Lian Grains and Oils Trading Company, Gloria International Hotels' expansion plan in general and along the Pearl River remains on track with the signing of this hotel management contract.

" A presence in the south is crucial to our development plan. With Shenzhen's unique economic role and strength, the opening of the 220-room Gloria Plaza Hotel Shenzhen in 3rd quarter of 2003 will leverage well, our group's position and profile," says Mr Wang Jinjun, President of Gloria International Hotels.

Gloria Plaza Hotel Shenzhen's location is centrally situated close to the bustling shopping haven of the city and only an hour's drive from Shenzhen's airport or a 20-minute walk away from Luohu train station. Shenzhen as a city also boasts convenient links with neighbouring cities of Hong Kong and Macau, via ferry and rail.

Designated as China's special economic zone in 1980 and governed under the jurisdiction of Guangdong Province of China, Shenzhen neighbors Daya Bay in the east, the mouth of the Zhujiang (Pearl) River in the west, and Hong Kong in the south, covering an area of 2,020 sq km. Just its coastline alone, stretches 229.96 km long and its total population stands at 3.8 million people. Today, Shenzhen is also home to one tenth of the world's top 500 multinational corporations.

The six districts of Shenzhen City include Luohu (where the Gloria Plaza Hotel Shenzhen is situated), Futian, Nanshan, Baoan, Longgang and Yantian. Ranking 5th amongst all Chinese cities in terms of economic strength, Shenzhen boasts good city planning, convenient transportation and communication, adequate power and water supply, sound financial system, mature educational and medical services sector and a strong tourism network.

The city is probably most famous among avid shoppers with its popular shopping haunts that include Lo Wu Commercial Center, Shenzhen Seibu Department Store, MOI Department Store, Friendship Store and Book City.

Nightlife is also another of Shenzhen's specialities and its cityscape is dotted with numerous entertainment venues throughout. In recent years, Shenzhen Bay has also added three new tourist attractions (Splendid China, the China Folk Culture Village, and Windows of the World) that have become extremely popular with both domestic and international tourists. 

ABOUT GLORIA PLAZA HOTELS - THE BRAND

Located in China's gateway cities, Gloria Plaza Hotels are four-star properties that offer international service standards and facilities without charging the premium rates that most international four-star hospitality brands do in China.

All Gloria Plaza Hotels are committed to presenting and preserving a common identity and product. Each hotel has an Atrium Cafe that serves international fare and daily buffets, a Sampan Seafood Restaurant serving the freshest seafood, dim sum and the finest in Cantonese cuisine; and a Lobby Lounge for relaxing cocktails.

Gloria Plaza Hotels are designed for a cost-conscious clientele who at the same time, require the facilities and services of an international standard four-star hotel. As the hotel market in China matures and as travellers grow to become more discerning, the need for such hotels will increase.

With this focus, Gloria Plaza Hotels has developed and continues to maintain its strong position as a leader in the mid-market category in China, effectively posing as a strong home-grown hotel brand set to rival and compete with other regional hotel chains.

Presently and aside new management contracts acquired (above), Gloria Plaza Hotels are presently located in Beijing (423 rooms), Dalian (240 rooms), Shenyang (283 rooms), Suzhou (269 rooms); and Nanchang (328 rooms).

Gloria International Hotels is a rapidly expanding regional hotel group with representative offices in Hong Kong and Beijing. The group currently manages 11 hotels throughout the People's Republic of China, with Gloria Plaza Hotels in Beijing, Suzhou, Nanchang, Shenyang and Dalian; Gloria Inns in Harbin, Qingdao and Shenyang; Gloria Resort and Cactus Resort in Sanya, Hainan and Gloria Holiday Villas in Qinhuangdao.

The opening of the two 4-star Gloria Plaza Hotels in Hohhot and Shenzhen will bring its total portfolio of hotels to 13 properties, by 3rd quarter of 2003. Its total room count will then reach an inventory in excess of 3,800 guestrooms all over China, hence even more firmly establishing the group as a leading hotel operator in China and one of the top ranking hotel management companies in all Asia.

Source:   ASIA Travel Tips.com  

AIME organisers say travel advisories no impact on show

Recent warnings regarding travel to Asia have not affected AIME 2003, according to Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), organisers of the show.

Responding to queries by AIME exhibitors from Asia, AIME Sales Manager, Rosemarie Sama, said the situation has had no impact on AIME 2003, which will be held on February 18 and 19 in Melbourne.

“While we are concerned about events in the region, and we are monitoring travel warnings, AIME is strongly supported by the industry and we have had no cancellations. Bali is still exhibiting at AIME and we are assisting them in whatever way we can,” Rosemarie Sama said.

“Exhibitor numbers are expected to top the 600 mark and in terms of floorspace, we expect the exhibition to be 10 percent larger than AIME 2002.”

AIME 2003 will also include two industry forums organised by ICCA and Reed Business Information Asia.

Key industry associations such as MIAA , IMA and EEAA will run seminars in the new AIME Theatre, within the exhibition.

AIME 2003 is at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre on 18 & 19 February. To register to attend AIME visit the AIME website at www.aime.com.au.

AAA Names 16 New Five Diamond Lodgings, Restaurants for 2003

Business Wire  -  AAA's list of Five Diamond Award winners for 2003 includes Miami's first Five Diamond properties in nearly a decade and two new hotels in New York City. The 11 lodgings and 5 restaurants new to the list bring the total number of Five Diamond properties in North America to 130.

The Mandarin Oriental, Miami hotel and its Azul restaurant have both been added to the coveted ranks of properties receiving AAA's highest award. The last time Miami had a Five Diamond hotel was in 1994, and Azul is its first Five Diamond restaurant.

In New York City, two new hotels -- The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park and The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park -- bring that city's total of Five Diamond properties to 11, 5 hotels and 6 restaurants. New York City has the most Five Diamond hotels in any one city.

"The 130 Five Diamond properties represent a select group," said Michael Petrone, director, AAA Tourism Information Development. "Their staffs have worked hard to create a truly pleasurable travel or dining experience and they deserve special recognition for meeting such high standards."

In addition to the lodgings previously mentioned, there are eight others added to the list this year bringing the total number of hotels on the list to 77: The St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa, Dana Point, The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, La Jolla, all in California; Ponte Vedra Inn and Club, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.; Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii; Peninsula Hotel, Chicago, Ill.; Stein Eriksen Lodge, Park City, Utah; and Four Seasons Nevis, Charlestown, Nevis.

In addition to Azul, four other restaurants have been added to the list this year raising the number of restaurants to 53: Arun's, Chicago, Ill.; Victor's, New Orleans, La.; The 1913 Room, Grand Rapids, Mich.; The Herbfarm Restaurant, Woodinville, Wash.

AAA is hosting its annual Five Diamond Awards celebration at the Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco tonight. Each property will be honored individually and presented with a plaque.

Other notable facts about the 2003 list include:

-- The Herbfarm Restaurant is Washington's first Five Diamond restaurant.

-- Michigan and Utah have their first Five Diamond properties since 1985.

-- Florida and Illinois are the only states to gain both a Five Diamond restaurant and lodging.

-- California and Florida both added three Five Diamond properties to the list this year while Illinois and New York added two each. Other new winners are in Hawaii, Utah, Louisiana, Michigan and Washington.

-- The only international property added to the list this year is in the Caribbean.

More than 42,000 properties are evaluated by AAA each year and less than one-third of 1 percent attain Five Diamond status. Each property undergoes an unannounced evaluation and properties receiving a Five Diamond for the first time are generally reviewed at least twice.

AAA began field inspections of hotels and restaurant in 1937. In 1963, a rating system was created which later became the Diamond Ratings in 1976. Restaurants have been rated using the Diamond Ratings since 1989.

As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 45 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.

Note: A listing of the 2003 Five Diamond Restaurants and the 2003 Five Diamond Lodgings is available on the AAA newsroom website at http://www.aaa.com/news