News

Chinese Tourists Spend More In Germany | tourism-review.com

Chinese tourists in Germany spend on average 513 euros per day in Munich, which is more than the Arab visitors (367 euros), according to a recent survey by the Bavarian Trade Association. Visitors from China do not look for luxury goods only, but also cover medium-sized shops and department stores.

The Bavarian Trade Association examined the purchasing behavior of the Chinese tourists in Munich for the first time and included only 153 Chinese visitors. The results however correspond to the experience of the local sellers, according to the association spokesman Bern Ohlmann.

tourism-review.com

Germany

UNWTO Seminar addresses tourism development in the Russian regions of the Silk Road

The potential of tourism itineraries and products in the Russian regions of Silk Road has centred the debates of a Seminar conducted last 12 March in Moscow by UNWTO. The Seminar was held in the framework of the UNWTO Silk Road Programme in cooperation with the Russian Federal Agency for Tourism and the Intourmarket Tourism Fair.

UN Tourism

Russian Federation

Winter Tourism Destroying The Alpine Landscapes | tourism-review.com

Alpine winter tourism is one of Austria’s most important economic sectors, but it is also one of the largest drivers of natural disasters in the countries’ mountainous landscapes. Reaching 30,000 kilometers in length, the ski slopes of the Alps cover almost three quarters of the earth’s circumference. 11,000 lifts and cableways are already available. Nevertheless, 164 new facilities are planned in the Alps, 82 of them in Austria. This will lead to further overload of the natural areas and increased ecological footprint.

tourism-review.com

Austria

France Is Under-exploiting Its Cultural Heritage | tourism-review.com

A report delivered to the government pointed out that France's cultural heritage was often “too distant from important tourist routes” and calls on all players in the French tourism sector to work together for the common good.

France's cultural heritage, its museums and monuments, is still often too far away from the main tourist routes. With more than 14 000 monuments classified as historic and 42 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, France has at its disposal treasures which arouse great interest, but which often “suffer from a lack of notoriety”, was the summary given by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Marc Ayrault.

tourism-review.com

France

Open The Gates: Spend A ‘Night At’ The Home Of Guinness

The Guinness Storehouse has partnered with Airbnb to unveil Ireland's first "Night At" competition airbnb.com/night-at/guinnessstorehouse by listing the seven-story visitor attraction as a unique residence on its website. One lucky beer fan and a friend will get the first ever opportunity to spend a night at the Home of the Black Stuff - for free! The competition sees the iconic Gravity Bar converted into a loft and the Guinness Gates opened for a once in a lifetime experience. To be in with a chance to win, would-be residents are invited to answer the following question: 'What makes you the world's biggest Guinness fan?'

GUINNESS STOREHOUSE

Dublin, Ireland

'Crane treehouse' rises above Bristol docks | theguardian.com

Bookings open for listed crane offering visitors a room with a harbourside view. Spending the night in “alternative” locations has become a travel trend in recent years (hotel rooms = boring, remember), with guests getting the chance to stay in unusual digs such as an Ikea store, a bookshop, up the Eiffel tower and, now, suspended from a crane.

theguardian.com

Bristol, United Kingdom

Global Lodging Forum – Round Table on the Franchise model | hospitality-on.com

On Monday, April 10, the 21st edition of the Global Lodging Forum will begin. this year it will adopt a more participatory format through presentations, round tables and workshops. The global theme will be: "Where will you be the day after? Actor or victim of the restructuring of the Hospitality Industry?", a specific round table will cover the economic model of the franchise, early afternoon in the rooms of the Pullman Paris Montparnasse.

Hospitality ON

Paris, France

Working Group progresses on the Convention on the Protection of Tourists

The continuous growth of the tourism sector and its current trends and challenges, including those related to safety and security and the expansion of new businesses models, require an adaptation of the global legal framework. In this regard, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has been working since 2011 on the development of an international convention to protect tourists and ensure confidence in the tourism sector, an initiative now in its final phase.

UN Tourism

Madrid, Spain

French 'bubble hotel' allows guests to sleep under the stars, with all the luxuries of a proper hotel room | dailymail.co.uk

A French hotel is making a name for itself among travellers who want to spend the night under the stars, but in comfort. The Attrap'Rjves family hotel, in the heart of woodland in Allauch, gives adventurous guests the chance to spend a night in the wild without resorting to tents. From £100 a night, outdoor lovers can enjoy a stay in a two-person bubble room, made from transparent plastic that gives 360-degree views of mother nature.

dailymail.co.uk

France

UNWTO welcomes 5-day visa-free policy by Belarus to citizens of 80 states

UNWTO has expressed its full support to the decision of the Government of Belarus to launch the 5-day visa-free policy that will be applicable to travelers from 80 countries. The measure aims at advancing seamless travel and attracting visitors, particularly those on business trips.

UN Tourism

Belarus

UNWTO congress to discuss the links between cultural heritage and creative tourism

The World Tourism Organization and the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria will jointly host the International Congress on World Civilizations and Creative Tourism on 29 November - 1 December 2016 in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Congress will discuss how creative tourism can play a significant role in safeguarding and promoting tangible and intangible heritage as well as in generating socio-economic benefits.

UN Tourism

Sofia, Bulgaria

Rezidor and prizeotel sign their first joint hotel project in Bern, Switzerland

The Rezidor Hotel Group and prizeotel, are proud to announce their first joint hotel project in Bern, Switzerland. This will be the largest hotel in Bern and is scheduled to open its doors in late 2019. The 188 room hotel will be located at the former Swiss Post headquarters at Viktoriastrasse in Bern. Since March 2016, Rezidor now owns a 49 percent stake in prizeotel; the Bern project is the first landmark step towards long-term and ambitious expansion plans in the economy hotel sector by Rezidor. In these plans, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and the Benelux countries, have been identified as the priority target markets for short-to-medium term brand development. prizeotel, the German economy design chain, currently operates three city-center properties in Hamburg, Bremen and Hanover totaling 555 rooms.

Radisson Hotel Group

Bern, Switzerland

25hours Hotels and AccorHotels announce strategic partnership

25hours Hotels today announces that AccorHotels is acquiring a 30% stake in its capital, with the objective of accelerating the global expansion of the 25hours brand. 25hours is also expanding its internal development structures and establishing a creative laboratory for this purpose. AccorHotels will be a strategic partner of 25hours supporting its long-term growth.

Accor

Germany

Is hidden cash in hotel rooms a sign of changing payment demands from customers?

The way that British holidaymakers like to pay has been changing for many years, but it's become clear that Brits simply don't like having to bring large quantities of foreign currency on their travels. They worry about taking it out with them for fear of being a victim of a crime in a potentially unfamiliar city, but they also worry about leaving any in their hotel rooms. Research that we carried out in association with CensusWide this summer found that 1 in 8 Brits opted to keep all of their foreign currency with them at all times so that they didn't have to leave any in their room, while 1 in 3 said that they made a conscious effort to keep the amount of cash taken on holiday to an absolute minimum.

By Jennifer Conneely, Board Member of the DCC Forum, DCC Forum

United Kingdom

HotelREZ partners with media industry experts Access Bookings

HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts (HotelREZ), a leading global hotel representation company, announced today a new partnership with Access Bookings, a travel management company specialising in the particular accommodation needs of the media industry.

HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts

United Kingdom

Living in fear, but keeping a smile

The debates that are stirring up the French population and are being fed by the beginning of the presidential campaign have cast a pall over the image of a welcoming country. Any demonstration of cultural diversity seems to purposefully goad the perfect model of a secular republic.

By Georges Panayotis, President & Founder of MKG Group & Hospitality ON, Hospitality ON

France

Top UK Hotel Chain Appoints Straight-Talking Kids As Junior Hotel Inspectors

Following a nationwide search, seven children aged between five and nine years old have taken on the role of Junior Hotel Inspector at the UK's top-rated travel brand*, Premier Inn. Known for their endless question-asking and refreshingly honest opinions, the lucky youngsters were selected from almost two thousand applicants to take on the role, offering their opinions to help improve Premier Inn's family offering.

Whitbread PLC

London, United Kingdom

Peach Property Group and NOVUM Hotel Group conclude 20-year lease agreement: former Hoesch headquarters in Dortmund will be transformed into a 4-star hotel with 210 rooms

Peach Property Group, an investor specialising in portfolio management in Germany with a focus on residential property and selected development projects, has achieved further progress in transforming the former Hoesch headquarters in Dortmund. Planning permission to convert the historic building was obtained last year, and Peach has now concluded a 20-year lease agreement with Hamburg-based NOVUM Hotel Group, which is enjoying dynamic growth. The NOVUM Hotel Group will start operating the hotel with 210 rooms and space of around 15,500 m2 (gross floor space) under the "NOVUM Select" brand in spring 2019. The NOVUM Hotel Group currently holds 84 hotels in Germany and other European countries. The hotel group already operates a "NOVUM Hotel Unique" and a "NOVUM Hotel Excelsior" in Dortmund, and is thus well acquainted with the local market.

NOVUM Hospitality

Dortmund, Germany

How hotels can protect 1 Mln EURO 2016 tourists against online threats?

After months of preparations EURO 2016 has started. With 24 countries participating, it is the largest EURO Tournament both in terms of teams and in terms of foreign visitors expected to come for the event: over 1 million tourists.

By Mihai Enache, Marketing Director

France

Clear Sailing Forecast for Europe’s Business Travel Market

Western Europe's business travel spending is projected to increase to $211.2 billion USD in 2016 and top out at $225.6 billion USD in 2017, 6.3% and 6.8% growth respectively. Those figures are among the key findings in the most recent GBTA BTI™ Outlook – Western Europe report, conducted by the GBTA Foundation, the education and research arm of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), and sponsored by Visa, Inc.

GBTA

Germany