Who is in and who is out… Global Staff Movements

Edited by Benoit Gateau-Cumin, President, The Boutique Search Firm

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New hotels planned as Permira buys Travelodge/ Little Chef for £712m

e-Tid.com  - Catering group Compass has sold its budget hotel chain Travelodge and roadside restaurant business Little Chef to venture capitalists Permira for £712m.

Compass said the new owner will ‘accelerate’ the new hotel openings planned for Travelodge, already the UK’s second biggest budget hotel chain offering 12,000 rooms.

Carl Parker, Permira Partner commented: ‘Travelodge is the most highly recognised brand in the budget hotel sector, which is the fastest growing sector in the industry, and we look forward to playing a part in that continued growth.’ 

For the year to end-Sept02, Travelodge and Little Chef made an operating profit before goodwill amortisation and after £15m-worth of depreciation on turnover of £368m. Capex for the year was £51m with net assets of £707m. The sale was announced this June.

Source:  e-Tid.com

NBTA Predicts Corporate Travel Expenditures Will Remain Flat in 2003; Full Recovery in Corporate Travel Not Expected Before 2004

/Business Wire/  -  Corporate travel expenditures dipped in 2002 and will most likely remain flat in 2003, according to a recent survey conducted by the National Business Travel Association (NBTA) and underwritten by Merrill Lynch.

Travel managers do not anticipate full recovery of business travel before 2004, saying their companies' travel will remain down as long as the economy remains unstable.

In a survey of 200 corporate travel managers conducted November 20 - November 26, over one-third (34.4%) of all participants reported flat 2003 budgets with no changes over 2002, while almost 11% predict a decrease of 2 - 4%. Overall, 37.9% of all responding companies will be decreasing their T&E budget for 2003 up to approximately 8%. Travel managers have become less optimistic about full recovery of corporate travel.

A mere 3.8% anticipates recovery within the first quarter of 2003, while almost one-third (27.5%) of all respondents do not foresee recovery in business travel until the latter half of 2004 or beyond. For comparison, a survey in March 2002 showed travel managers expected a recovery within 6 to 12 months.

"Corporations will remain prudent in 2003 regarding their travel budgets," said NBTA President Kevin Iwamoto. "While travel is still an essential part of doing business, economic conditions must improve before corporations are willing to return to previous spending levels."

One-third (33.8%) of those surveyed stated that air travel expenditures in 2002 fell by 10% or more. Also, approximately one third (31.4%) point to flat air expenditures for 2003. Survey respondents indicated that business airfares may be on the rise, as 57% of travel managers expect 2003 rates to increase between of 1% and 10% based on proposals received from airlines.

To offset expected increase in rates travel managers plan to use more low fare carriers: 66% of respondents indicated they would use discount airlines more frequently in 2003 compared to 2002. Interest in low cost carriers is growing, as a September 2002 survey showed only 22% of travel managers having increased negotiations with low-cost carriers.

On the hotel market, the picture looks similar. Almost one-third (29.3%) of all participants agreed that expenditures in 2002 fell by 5% or more. For 2003, 31.4% point to flat hotel expenditures in comparison with 2002. In evaluating the proposals from hotel vendors, 32.4% of travel managers foresee largely flat prices.

A slight majority (50.7%) notes an increase in utilization of lower-end hotels in 2003 in comparison to 2002. Again, the number reveals an increasing importance of alternative suppliers. In September 2002, only about one third of survey respondents reported they had negotiated with lower-end hotel properties or fewer luxury properties.

"Overall travel spending will remain flat in the coming year as corporations continue to focus on the bottom line," said NBTA President Kevin Iwamoto. "Some corporations are rethinking buyer-supplier relationships and are using alternative suppliers that can help them meet their travel needs while recognizing cost-saving objectives."

The National Business Travel Association, established in 1968, represents over 2,400 corporate travel managers and travel service providers. NBTA members manage and direct more than 70% of expenditures within the business travel industry.

NBTA is committed to the professional development of its members and offers educational and training opportunities. It is the source for critical information on the business travel industry.

Travelocity joins booking-fee trend

Travelocity plans to initiate a $5 booking fee for airline tickets purchased on its North American Web sites, company officials said Friday.

CNET News.com  -   Travelocity's move comes within days of competitor Expedia's announcement that it would institute a similar fee. Travelocity was the final holdout in the online travel business in regard to charging such fees.

Travelocity, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sabre Holdings, will begin charging the fee sometime in January, company spokesman Al Comeaux said. Comeaux said he could not yet provide the exact date on which the new fees will go into effect. He also said he couldn't give details on why the company decided on a $5 fee as opposed to a smaller one.

"We have done a lot of benchmarking, and even with this $5 fee, our pricing is still better than our competitors'. We believe we'll maintain our price competitiveness," Comeaux said.

This industrywide move toward booking fees comes at a time when the airline carriers are cutting back on the commissions they pay brick-and-mortar and online travel agents.

Analysts applaud the fees, saying they bolster profitability for the companies without discouraging a significant number of people from using their services.

Orbitz initiated a $5 booking fee last year. Priceline kicked off its program a couple of years ago and now charges a $5.95 fee.

Analysts perceived Expedia and Travelocity to be slow to the game in charging such fees, but Comeaux demurred.

"Clearly the economics of our industry, and commissions being cut, made it more logical to do this at this point in time," Comeaux said.

Comeaux said the threat of bankruptcy by United Airlines' parent company was not a factor in the timing of Travelocity's decision.

Source:  Hotelmarketing.com

UK Hotels could be in the dock for failing to comply with environmental regulations

Leisure/hospitality companies must register with the Environment Agency by 31 December; Companies could risk fines of up to 2.5% of turnover

Hotels, pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants with a turnover of more than £2 million per annum which handle over 50 tonnes of packaging in a calendar year have a  financial obligation towards recycling and recovering the packaging under the 1997 Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations legislation. 

According to packaging waste advisers at KPMG,  if these businesses fail to register with the Environment Agency (EA) by 31 December 2002 and declare their handling of packaging they could risk criminal prosecution by the authorities for failing to comply.  If found guilty, fines of up to £5,000 per offence could be handed out or, for serial-offenders, they could be liable to pay up to 2.5 per cent of turnover.

Packaging includes anything used for the carriage, protection or presentation of goods.  This can range from wooden pallets and cardboard boxes to sticky tape and adhesive labels. 

If a company is obligated,  it must register with the EA, or through an accredited compliance scheme, in respect of the packaging it handled in the previous calendar year.  The deadline for registration is 7 April every year.  However, a court ruling back in May 2002 has extended this deadline to 31 December 2002 giving leisure/hospitality businesses time "to get their house in order".   

The ruling centred around the sale of beer bottles and who "owned" the bottle when it was sold to a customer.   The court clarified, and the EA accepted, that the licensed premises, and not the breweries, were now obligated under the regulations.    This decision means the pub, restaurant, hotel and leisure industries are likely to be hit by the new deadline.  

Steve Simmonite, head of KPMG's packaging waste practice, said:  "Packaging from goods such as guest room toiletries, packaged condiments like milk and ketchup, wine/beer/mixer bottles as well as packaging from the contents of mini bars will fall under the regulations for recovery and recycling.

Companies need to be aware of their obligations to register with the EA. Awareness among companies is still low with regards to compliance with these regulations."

Companies not previously registered  could be liable under the EA ruling. Businesses will be obliged to submit annual returns detailing types and tonnage of packaging handled during the previous year.

Steve Simmonite continued:  "It has never been so important for companies to be seen as environmentally friendly and a prosecution by the Agencies could cause substantial damage to a company's name, reputation and consequently profitability.  Even belonging to a compliance scheme does not guarantee immunity from investigation and prosecution.

"It is important for companies to consider the tonnage of packaging handled as the Environment Agency expects them to have carried out an exercise to confirm whether it exceeds the thresholds rather than assuming it will not handle the threshold of 50 tonnes each year," he added.

About KPMG

KPMG is the global network of professional services firms whose aim is to turn knowledge into value for the benefit of its clients, its people and its communities.

KPMG LLP operates from 24 offices across the UK with more than 9,500 partners and staff.  KPMG recorded a UK fee income of £1,373 million in year ended September 2001.

KPMG LLP is a UK limited liability partnership and the UK member of KPMG International, a Swiss non operating association.

Brighter outlook for business travel

The downturn in the global economy has been especially harsh on the travel industry, but things may be picking up for hotels and airlines, particularly in Germany.

According to a new survey from Accenture of Germany-based corporate travelers, 85 percent of the 420 respondents say they expect to increase their business travel within the next six months. The survey also reveals that it's necessary to focus on the complete customer experience to get a leg up on the competition.

Almost one-half of respondents (45 percent) book their travel online or by calling an airline and/or hotel directly, and that number will only grow as more Europeans use the Internet. Customer interaction strategies are becoming a necessary business element.

Competition for the revenue-generating business traveler is steep among hotels and airlines. Hotel chains such as Marriott, Hilton and Starwood, among others, are implementing strategies that address client preferences to build loyalty. Rewards-program members can earn a free night's stay or frequent-flier miles by staying at their hotels, and some hotels are even doubling the miles to gain competitive advantage.

Such strategies will make a difference only if those rewards are based on business customers' specific travel needs and individual value. Travel firms that treat all business customers the same will wind up being viewed as a commodity service.

Source:  Hotelmarketing.com

Six Senses Spas plans expansion

TravelWeeklyEast.com   -  Six Senses Spas, a subsidiary of the Bangkok-based hotel and resort operator Six Senses Group, is talking to a third-party international hotel chain to open spa facilities in its Thai hotel properties, said Anna Keen the company’s area spa manager for Asia.

She said the group was also planning to open stand-alone day spa facilities in other Asian and Middle Eastern countries in the near future, however, there were no immediate plans to open stand-alone spa facilities in Thailand.

Keen said strong competition among stand-alone spa facilities in the Thai market would make it difficult for a newcomer to survive. Hotel spa facilities, she said, were more competitive in Thailand, since they could rely on in-house hotel guests.

Six Sense Spas already has a strong presence in Thailand with two spa facilities at its hotels, the Evason Phuket and Evason Hua Hin. A third in-house spa is scheduled to open next year in its new Koh Samui hotel property.

Meanwhile, the company has announced a joint branding agreement with the Australian skin-care specialists Sodashi, whose products will be marketed under the new brand Six Senses Spas Sodashi.

Top 40 rankings in Austria's tourism

Schmoll & Partner (S&P Tourism Consulting) a tourism specialist consulting company in Austria, operating for over 20 years, has evaluated again the Austrian hospitality industry. The survey covering a Top 40 ranking was conducted on behalf of Austria´s tourism magazine "Hotel & Touristik". Over 150 tourism related operators have been asked for their operating results concerning annual revenues, number of fulltime employees, annual occupied rooms and GOP.

Top 5 Overall ranking:

        1. K+K Hotels (Salzburg)

        2. Starlight Suites Hotels

        3. Marriott Vienna

        4. Grand Hotel Vienna

        5. Airest Restaurant- und HotelbetriebsgmbH.

For further details visit the website: http://www.schmoll.at

Marriott International Opens 2,500th Hotel

/PR Newswire/ - Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) announced today that the company has opened its 2,500th hotel worldwide, with the completion of the 950-room JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, in Phoenix, Ariz. The milestone marks a year that has seen Marriott open 128 hotels and more than 20,000 rooms through the third quarter of 2002. This is in line with previously announced plans to add 25,000 to 30,000 rooms per year in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

"We've experienced tremendous growth since opening our first hotel in 1957, and I'm very proud to officially recognize this spectacular resort as our 2,500th hotel," said J.W. Marriott, Jr., chairman and CEO, Marriott International. "Reaching such an important milestone would not have been possible without the dedication and support of our associates, investors, owners and franchisees. Most importantly, we thank the millions of guests who choose Marriott every day."

Over the past decade, Marriott's total share of the overall U.S. lodging market has doubled from approximately 4 percent to 8 percent. With a worldwide development pipeline that exceeded 50,000 rooms at the end of the third quarter (nearly 25 percent are outside the U.S.), Marriott is well- positioned to maintain its leadership role as the world's largest hospitality company.

The JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, owned by CNL Hospitality Properties, Inc. of Orlando, Fla., and managed by Marriott, is the largest luxury resort in Arizona. The property is CNL's 45th Marriott hotel and has exceeded expectations, with pre-opening sales of more than 450,000 room nights and approximately $ 150 million in projected revenue.

"On behalf of everyone at CNL, I would like to congratulate the Marriott team for reaching this important milestone. As a co-developer of this project, we enjoyed creating this magnificent resort, and it is a wonderful addition to our portfolio," said James M. Seneff, Jr., chairman and CEO, CNL. "We value our relationship with Marriott and look forward to working with them on many projects in the future."

CNL is among the many owners and franchisees that have invested billions of dollars in Marriott brand hotels worldwide. Marriott continues to be a favorite among hotel developers because the company's lodging brands enjoy strong customer preference, RevPAR premiums and solid profitability. Major properties scheduled to open in 2003 include the 916-room Renaissance Grand Hotel in St. Louis; the 237-room St. Kitts Marriott Royal Beach Resort; the 342-room JW Marriott Shanghai; and Grande Lakes Resort in Orlando, which consists of a 584-room Ritz-Carlton and a 1,000-room JW Marriott Hotel.

In addition to being Marriott's 2,500th hotel, the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa is also the 25th property to fly the JW Marriott flag. The most elegant and luxurious hotels carrying the Marriott name, JW Marriott Hotels and Resorts cater to discerning upscale travelers who seek a lodging experience of high comfort and prestige.

Set on 316 acres in the Sonoran Desert, where Phoenix meets Scottsdale, the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa boasts the two largest ballrooms of any resort in the Southwest. Roy's by Roy Yamaguchi and Blue Sage, inspired by Mark Miller, top the list of nine unique dining experiences, and leisure amenities include elaborately landscaped pools, eight tennis courts and the Wildfire Golf Club, with two 18-hole championship golf courses -- the Arnold Palmer Signature Course and the Nick Faldo Championship Course. The hotel is also home to Marriott's first "Revive Spa," a two-story, 28,000-square-foot facility that offers 41 elegantly appointed treatment rooms.

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE: MAR), a leading worldwide hospitality company celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2002, has over 2,600 operating units in the United States and 65 other countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Ramada International brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club International, Horizons, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Marriott Grand Residence Club brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. Other Marriott businesses include senior living communities and services, and wholesale food distribution. The company is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has approximately 144,000 employees. In fiscal year 2001, Marriott International reported systemwide sales of $ 20 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit the web site at http://www.marriott.com .

Note: This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws, including statements concerning expected future room additions and hotel openings and projected revenue at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, that are not historical facts. We caution you that these statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including the duration and severity of the current economic slowdown and the pace of the lodging industry's recovery from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; competitive conditions in the lodging industry; and relationships with clients and property owners, any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the statements herein. These statements are made as of the date of this press release, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Australia: New hotels squeeze room rates

The Age  -  Hotel operators are braced for tough times in Victoria as room supply rises an estimated 8.5 per cent by 2004 and overall demand and rates continue to slide.

Despite tight trading conditions throughout the year, four hotels have opened since May in the CBD and Southbank, and at least four are due to open in the next 12 months.

Research from Jones Lang LaSalle shows that developments due to come on to the market next year include two Pacific International hotels totalling 367 rooms, the 465-room Crown Promenade Hotel and the 135-room Ascot Serviced Apartments in Elizabeth Street.

Several projects are mooted for Southbank, the CBD, Clayton, and in coastal areas including Phillip Island and Portsea.

JLLS estimates that 1149 rooms are being built and will hit the market by 2004. At last count, no other east-coast market apart from Cairns had new rooms under construction.

Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the extra supply, coupled with international unrest and uncertainty in the local business market, pulled Melbourne's rates down by 3.7 per cent in the June quarter compared with the same period last year. In that period, occupancy levels fell 4.4 per cent - by far the biggest fall of any state.

Although big operators such as Accor maintain that their prospects are healthy, the wider market is expected to suffer.

Accor managing director Michael Issenberg said: "We have 14 hotels in greater Melbourne that range from the Sofitel to Formule 1 and we are holding up fairly well.

"That number of hotels allows us to do a lot of different things in the market cooperatively with some players," Mr Issenberg said. "We are not unhappy with where we've gone but needless to say we are concerned about the future."

He said the chain had to offer discounts in the lead-up to Christmas, and it now viewed Melbourne as a trouble spot rather than one of its most secure markets.

JLLS Hotels senior vice-president Mark Durran said Melbourne's solid trading history was likely to save the day.

"Up until 2001, Melbourne exceeded expectations and absorbed continued supply increases in hotel and serviced apartment accommodation," Mr Durran said.

"Despite the continued development of hotels and serviced apartments in Melbourne, the city's medium to long-term prospects for hotel investment are solid. Melbourne benefits from a strong economy, and as a tourist destination with its multitude of special events and conventions."

BIS Shrapnel director Robert Mellor was also relatively upbeat.

Mr Mellor believed that the forecasts for tourism were robust enough to support the extra supply, and short-term pain would be replaced quickly with rates growth. "I think we will have 12 to 18 months of a strengthening in demand and then you will see an improvement in room rates."

The Taj Mahal Mumbai Hotel Completes 100 Eventful Years

Financial Express  -  From the hallowed halls of the grand old lady of Indian hospitality, stories of suicides, back-to-front facades, defiance towards the British and social slights by the Yatch Club have circulated, grown and taken root. But Monday was a day of breaking myths — myths about the centenarian’s history and myths about her high-flying amour.

The Taj Mahal Mumbai — flagship of the Taj group, Jamshetji Nusserwanji Tata’s symbol for a ‘grand India’ and a world recognised icon turned 100-years-old — and was wished in grand style.

One of the first myths to be destroyed was that Taj Mahal architect WA Stevens did not commit suicide after discovering a back-to-front Taj after his return from an 8 month holiday. “There was no suicide as reported. He completed the project before leaving and his plans were always the way the hotel looks now,” said an employee in the know.

As the morning sunlight streamed into the iconic hotel, smiling faces flooded the passages, rooms and stairwells of the Taj. This was the first day of her centenary celebrations and it was devoted to the people keeping the icon alive — her staff. Not wanting to leave anything to chance, the prayers of Muslim, Hindu, Parsee and Christian priests, marked the start of the year long festivities, for the crown jewel of the Tata group.

Myths about a shy and retiring chairman were broken with Ratan Tata, glowing with excitement, taking part in the prayer ceremonies, mingling with retired staff jubilant to be able to witness ‘humara Taj’ turning 100. “I’m not 100 years old yet, but it feels really nice to be here,” said a smiling Mr Tata.

It was day to make the Taj Mahal staff feel special — whether it be distributing sweets to an ecstatic crowd of old-timers, to breaking protocol — with senior corporate staff donning aprons and chef hats over their crisp business suits, to serve 1,300 Taj and corporate employees the birthday lunch. 

The corporate honchos of the Taj including Mr Tata, managing director RK Krishna Kumar, executive director Zubin Dubash, and heads of various divisions of the Indian hospitality major — took most of the day off, relaxed and sat for lunch with the backbone of their hotel — the busboys, waiters, chefs, housekeeping, corporate staff and valets. Hugs, smiles and birthday wishes did the rounds, as the image of untouchability crashed around the Taj head honchos. “I’m just here to be a part of the celebrations,” said a visibly happy Mr Tata

Discounts Flow as Hotels Vie for Corporate Clients

New York Times  -  In negotiations with the big hotel chains for next year's rate packages, corporations are playing hardball — and winning.

Desperate for business in a buyer's market, many hotels are offering reductions of 1 percent to 5 percent from this year's rates — sometimes without even being asked. And as the bargaining intensifies in the final weeks of 2002, they are throwing in all sorts of concessions, from providing free newspapers and breakfasts and even chauffeurs to waiving fees for health clubs and other amenities.

"Until last year, the preponderance of power was on the side of the hotels, but the balance has changed," said Bjorn Hanson, a PricewaterhouseCoopers analyst who tracks corporate lodging. "More and more are decreasing rates and eliminating phone and fax charges. It's unprecedented."

The continuing downward pressure on room rates, which have now fallen two years in a row, is good news for businesses that are struggling their way out of lean economic times and are squeezing budgets for what is typically their No. 2 expense, business travel.

They are in no mood to be overly sympathetic to the hotels' financial plight, either. "Hotels expect corporations to feel sorry for them," said Clive Armitage, the director of purchasing for AstraZeneca, the Wilmington, Del., pharmaceutical giant, who oversees its negotiations with hotels. "But corporations have long memories, and know that they've been gouged when life was good for the hotel business."

Ruth Philpott, a manager for American Express who handles hotel negotiations for corporate clients, says she is seeing initial bids from hotels that are either flat or 1 to 5 percent lower than last year in the United States, and 15 to 25 percent lower in Latin America. 

"Hotels are pulling out all the stops," Ms. Philpott said. Her advice to corporations? "Understand your value in the marketplace and communicate that to the vendor."

Corporations apparently are doing that rather forcefully in the annual negotiating period known in the industry as R.F.P., for "request for proposal," that will draw to a close in January. "It's an extremely rigorous season, and much more competitive, as everyone is vying for a piece of 2003," said Katie Callahan-Giobbi, area director of sales and marketing for the five W hotels in New York City that are owned by Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. 

Ms. Callahan-Giobbi declined to discuss rates. As for extras, she said, the W hotels would keep their $25 to $35 fee for a package of high-speed Internet access, a wired mousepad and free local and domestic phone calls, but would be flexible about waiving the $15 fitness-center fee and charges for breakfasts and dry-cleaning.

Daren Kingi, the marketing director of sales for New York City Marriott Hotels, says his main concern in dealing with "very aggressive" corporations is to keep rates high enough to protect employees' jobs. He says the Marriott Marquis in Manhattan has not laid off any workers since the Sept. 11 attacks.

"Corporations actually want us to reduce rates, but we're trying to stay in business and meet the needs of our employees," Mr. Kingi said. He said the Marriott is willing to negotiate Internet access and health club fees. And, he says, it is offering a bonus that other chains do not, giving guest-loyalty rewards points to business travelers in corporate-discounted rooms.

Besides demands for lower prices, another problem for many hotels is the move by corporations to switch at least some of their business to cheaper rivals. Tom McCabe, the global director for travel services at PerkinElmer Inc., a maker of electronics and laboratory equipment in Boston, says he is moving business from high-end to midrange properties so he can save his company $30 to $50 per room night.

And that is despite the low bids that hotels have come in with this year. "We hadn't even asked for them, but we're seeing cuts of $10 to $15 a night," he said. The chain that offers the lowest rate gets the most volume, he says.

Hotels have already given up on early check-out fees, the penalty for leaving before the agreed-upon checkout day, Mr. McCabe says, and he is also asking for free local calls and free breakfasts and for waivers of health club fees. But he does try to keep his "hardballing" in check, he says. "We want the hotel to be there next year and not go out of business," he said.

Many hotels are also surrendering in their annual battle with corporate clients over the so-called last-room- availability clause, or L.R.A. Much like seats on an airplane, hotel rooms get more expensive as they become more scarce, but corporations always try to get a commitment from hotels to keep rates at the contracted price until the last room in its class is sold out.

"In the past, it's been close to standard for a hotel to refuse to offer the L.R.A.," said Ms. Philpott of American Express. Now, however, she said, hotels are increasingly giving ground in that area.  

The Grand Hotel Wien is the "Austrian Hotel of the Year 2003"

The Grand Hotel Wien has been awarded “Austrian Hotel of the Year 2003” by “Der große Restaurant and Hotel Guide”, one of the most prestigious and well-known German hotel and restaurant guides.

According to the guide’s editors, the Grand Hotel Wien is a “traditional hotel, which has excellently mastered the leap into the new millenium”, and which is “inspired by the flair of the monarchy and the music of Johann Strauss”.

A team of independent and experienced testers evaluated approximately 2500 hotels and 1500 restaurants in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The criteria for the selection and the evaluation of the hotels were the quality of the equipment, performance and service. The jury presented 21 awards overall to hotels and restaurants in the three countries.

Time to go forward, says Bali  tourism director

TravelWeeklyEast.com  -  The director of the Bali Tourism Authority, IG Pitana, has promised that the Bali government and the Balinese community will use the October 12 bombings as a spur to build a better Bali.

"The tragedy of the Kuta bombings will be used as a turning point to improve the safety and security of visitors to Bali," he said.

"We are committed to giving meaning on the other side of the blast in positive ways. At least we now realise that we were too relaxed with security measures."

Pitana said the security had been beefed up considerably post October 12 at all access points to Bali. Until the end of November, more than 2,900 people had been refused entry to Bali via the Gilimanuk seaport.

"On December 10 alone, more than 175 people were sent back to Java by the Denpasar municipality."

Pitana said that security was now more visible. "In the past it was done in a disguised manner." The market now demanded that security be seen, he said.

"We should not be mourning for too long," he added.

"We cannot cry all the time. We have to take a step forward for a better future."

The Bali Tourist Authority, he promised, would introduce a security criteria in the rating system for starred hotels next year.

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