Radisson aims to double portfolio in francophone Africa by 2022

Radisson Hotel Group, which today has 96 hotels and more than 18,500 rooms in operation or under development across 31 countries in Africa, is now seeking to double its portfolio there by the year 2022. If all goes according to plan, the hotel company will operate more than 130 hotels with 23,000 rooms by that time, putting it at the forefront of hospitality growth in French-speaking Africa over the next five years. The group currently has 28 hotels in operation and under development in francophone Africa across 13 countries. This includes six hotel deals signed during 2018 in markets such as Morocco, Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Niger and Republic of Guinea. Key people for a key team In order to drive the rapid growth of its African portfolio, Radisson Hotel Group has reinforced its development team, doing so via the introduction of Ramsay Rankoussi, Vice President, Development, Middle East, Turkey & French Speaking Africa. Rankoussi has been with Radisson Hotel Group for over 5 years, initially overseeing the growth of the company in the Middle East & Turkey and now leading development activities across French-speaking Africa. He is supported by Erwan Garnier, Director, Development French & Portuguese Speaking Africa. Together, they seek to accelerate the introduction of all Radisson brands in the region with a focus on key capital and economic cities. The new organizational structure follows the recent appointment of Frederic Feijs, who leads operations as Regional Director Africa – French Speaking Countries for Radisson Hotel Group, and who will play a significant role in strengthening the group’s network in the region and increasing operational synergies, for the greater benefit of owners. Rankoussi in a statement said: “I am thrilled to be expanding my geographical focus, to include French-speaking Africa. We have ambitious plans for this important market and it is imperative that we have the right resources in place to support our growth. This means communicating effectively with owners and investors, as well as providing first class levels of expertise as we establish long-term relationships with our business partners in this market. We are proud that each of our development team members fits this criterion for success.” “We are rapidly growing our francophone Africa portfolio with hotel deals strategically aligned to deliver our five-year development plan across the continent, the introduction of new brands and a scaled growth in Africa’s key destinations. We plan to continue this accelerated growth through further expansion in our focus markets across this flourishing continent. With our new brand architecture, countries like Morocco, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Mauritius have the potential for a critical mass strategy across all our brands to be implemented with,” he added.

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai named as best hotel in the United States

U.S. News & World Report is considered by many to be a global authority for rankings and consumer advice, especially as it pertains to the best hotels in the world. In fact, the publication recently released its 2019 Best Hotels report, which essentially marks a thorough evaluation of more than 30,000 luxury hotels and resorts from throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. The Best Hotels in the U.S. In the Best Hotels in the USA rankings, Hawaii’s Four Seasons Resort Hualalai took the No. 1 spot, followed by The Peninsula Chicago at No. 2 and the Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, Surfside, Florida at third place. These high-ranking hotels are known for outstanding service, ample on-site amenities and elegant accommodations. U.S. News awards the top 10 percent of ranked hotels with a Gold badge. These five destinations are home to the highest number of gold badge-winning hotels in the U.S. for 2019: •New York City has 39 gold badge winners •Las Vegas has 14 gold badge winners •Los Angeles has 14 gold badge winners Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club •Washington, D.C. has 12 gold badge winners •Chicago has 12 gold badge winners U.S. News has also introduced additional destination-specific rankings to the Best Hotels in the USA portfolio, ranging from vacation spots like Lake Placid, New York, to smaller cities like Carlsbad, California, to college towns like State College, Pennsylvania, and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. New this year, the rankings include 3.5-star hotels on select U.S. ranking lists to help a wider variety of travelers find the right hotel for them. The Best Hotels in Mexico, the Caribbean and Beyond For the Best Hotels in Mexico, Esperanza, an Auberge Resort in Cabo San Lucas takes the top spot, while Le Blanc Spa Resort in Cancun is the Best All-Inclusive Resort in Mexico. La Réserve Paris Jade Mountain in St. Lucia is the Best Hotel in the Caribbean and snags the top spot as the Best All-Inclusive Resort in the Caribbean, thanks to its various dining package options. The Rosewood Hotel Georgia earns recognition as the Best Hotel in Canada for the second year running, and The Loren at Pink Beach ranks No. 1 on this year’s Best Hotels in Bermuda list. La Réserve Paris – Hotel and Spa is the No. 1 Best Hotel in Europe, followed by Copenhagen’s Hotel Sanders at No. 2 and Rome’s Hotel Eden at No 3.

The second specialized and international exhibition of hotel and hospitality industry

The fires of the 57th Centra Grand Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand

Luxor Las Vegas is a 30-story hotel and casino situated on the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada.

The hotel is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International and has a 120,000-square-foot (11,000 m2) casino with over 2,000 slot machines and 87 table games. After the 2008–2009 renovation work, the hotel's management modernized the property in its design to contain a total of 4,407 rooms (including 442 suites). The hotel's rooms line the interior walls of the main tower, which has a pyramid shape, and other recent 22-story twin ziggurat towers. The hotel is named for the city of Luxor (ancient Thebes) in Egypt. As of 2010, the Luxor was designated as a 4 Key rating from the Green Key Eco-Rating Program, which evaluates what is known as "sustainable hotel operations." The hotel features inclined elevators. Facilities Luxor Las Vegas includes 20,000 sq ft (1,900 m2) of convention space, four swimming pools and whirlpools, a wedding chapel, Nurture Spa and Salon, and 29 retail stores Luxor Las Vegas has the largest atrium in the world (by volume) at 29 million cubic feet (820,000 m3). At 42.3 billion candela, the Luxor Sky Beam is the strongest beam of light in the world, using curved mirrors to collect the light from 39 xenon lamps and focus them into one intense, narrow beam. On a clear night, the Sky Beam is visible up to 275 miles (443 km) away by aircraft at cruising altitude, such as over Los Angeles. Each of the 39 lamps is a 7,000 watt[33] Xenotech fixture costing about $1,200. When at full power, the system costs $51 an hour to operate, with $20 per hour of that just for its 315,000 watts of electricity. The beam has operated reliably since first enabled on October 15, 1993. The lamp room is about 50 feet (15 m) below the top of the building and serviced by a staff of two workers during the day. The room's temperature is about 300 °F (150 °C) while the lights are operating. Since 2008, only half the lamps are lit as a cost and energy saving measure.

A joint Nowruz Celebration by Iran and Turkmenistan in the border of Bajgiran

21% decrease in the average occupancy rate of hotels across the country

New partnership: Manchester United & Marriott launch joint loyalty initiative

A multi-year marketing partnership will give members of the Marriott Bonvoy travel programme a chance to have a once-in-a-lifetime football experience with Manchester United F.C. Marriott International, the world’s largest hotel company, and Manchester United, one of the most popular football clubs in the world, have announced a new multi-year, global marketing partnership. The deal will see the two entities teaming up on a new programme that will give members of Marriott’s vaunted Marriott Bonvoy programme a chance to have what are being billed as once-in-a-lifetime football experiences with Manchester United. Those experiences include—but are not limited to—the chance to be the club’s stadium announcer or kit manager, if only for a day. The new partnership has now officially launched via a film featuring the faces of the team and management, and the involved stakeholders are excited to talk about it.    Manchester United’s group managing director, Richard Arnold, had this to say, “Marriott International is the leader in its field and we’re excited to be partnering with them as Marriott launches its new travel programme, Marriott Bonvoy. Together we look forward to creating some unforgettable moments for Marriott Bonvoy members, inspired by the thrill and excitement that only Manchester United can create for fans around the world.” Marriott International global marketing officer Karin Timpone added, “We are thrilled to offer compelling benefits to Marriott Bonvoy members, now expanded to include unique Manchester United experiences. This marketing partnership enables our members to access special VIP game experiences by using the points they’ve accumulated during hotel stays for unprecedented, exclusive experiences.” UNIQUE EXPERIENCES UNLOCKED There are, of course, many more details of note about the new programme, as well as about Marriott Bonvoy. With the Marriott Bonvoy travel programme, members have access to its extraordinary portfolio of global brands and properties in 130 countries and territories, as well as unmatched member benefits and exclusive Marriott Bonvoy Moments’ experiences. Marriott Bonvoy Moments enables members to redeem points to purchase any of 8,000 lifestyle, entertainment, sport and culinary experiences globally. Exclusive Manchester United Moments members can bid points for include: ‘Stadium Announcer’ Experience – Marriott Bonvoy members will have the chance to go behind the scenes at the iconic ‘Theatre of Dreams,’ shadowing the stadium announcer during their pre-match preparations. Prior to the game, the member and a guest will soak up the atmosphere pitchside, before enjoying VIP hospitality, including match tickets and a meet and greet with a former player. Welcome the Team on arrival at Old Trafford – Members and their guest will head pitchside at Old Trafford on matchday to meet a Manchester United legend before making their way to the player’s tunnel to be in prime position to welcome the team as they step off the coach and head into the dressing room to prepare for the game. ‘Kit Manager’ Experience – Members will be able to add a final finesse to the home dressing room at Old Trafford pre-game as they shadow the first team Kit Manager. The member and a guest will help prepare the match kit ahead of the players’ arrival before heading pitchside to be met by a Manchester United legend.

InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) acquires Six Senses for $300 million

IHG buys luxury hotel operator Six Senses Hotels Resorts & Spas from Pegasus Capital Advisors for $300 million. Revealing a move which increases IHG’s global presence and adds a hefty number of luxurious properties in some of the world’s most desirable and exotic destinations, the purchase of Six Senses by the hospitality goliath has been announced. Huge acquisitions are always a hot topic in the hospitality industry, and the latest news that industry giant InterContinental Hotel Group has bought luxury hotel group Six Senses from  Pegasus Capital Advisors certainly falls into that category. For the cool price of $300m, IHG now takes control of all of Six Senses’ 16 hotels, 18 management contracts in the pipeline and more than 50 deals currently in negotiation. The move reflects IHG’s ambition to expand further into the luxury market, and Six Senses’ portfolio of idyllic properties in the Maldives, Thailand, Oman and Portugal, to name but a few, fully cements this intention. Six Senses will sit above IHG’s other luxury acquisitions of late, including Regent Hotels and Kimpton Hotels. Keith Barr, Chief Executive Officer of IHG, said, “Six Senses is an outstanding brand in the top-tier of luxury and one we’ve admired for some time. You only have to look at its iconic hotels and resorts to see how this acquisition will further round out our luxury offer. With a focus on wellness and sustainability, Six Senses has been voted the world’s top hotel brand for the past two years, which is a testament to its impressive management team who bring deep experience to IHG’s luxury operations.” The acquisition was conducted for $300m in cash and involves the sale of the Six Senses brand and its management business. While Six Senses has been operating as an asset-light business, IHG intends to grow Six Senses substantially over the next 10 years to reach a total of approximately 60 properties. The purchase does not include any real estate assets, but focuses on incorporating Six Senses spas, which total 37 under the Six Senses and LivNordic brands. The process of acquisition is a complex one, further complicated by the spa element, so no doubt both IHG and Six Senses were grateful that consultancy firm Horwath HTL Health and Wellness were on hand to advise. The company’s experience in wellness undoubtedly proved invaluable, and Ingo Schweder, Managing Director of Horwath HTL Health and Wellness, spoke of the trajectory of the wellness industry, saying, “With IHG’s acquisition of Six Senses, we see yet another major hospitality group making a large, strategic investment in wellness, signalling that wellness is not a fad but, in fact, the new reality and a necessary component of the hospitality business. People are becoming increasingly concerned about their health and wellbeing and investing in themselves to ensure an optimal status of health whether at home or while traveling.”

Mr Pung; A useful tool for fixing pipes in the hotel

The first European underwater restaurant located in the North Sea

Istanbul new airport