The 3rd Annual Cornell/Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne Reception at IHIF/ITB in Berlin, a principal networking event in Europe, attracted over 300 senior leaders in the hospitality industry. The event was held Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at the Hotel Adlon Kempinski - Berlin.
Now in its 14th year, the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) had an impressive showing of 1,600 attendees from 62 countries, a strong indicator of an improving economy this year. As the largest international grouping of senior business decision-makers in the hotel investment industry in one place, IHIF shed light on many key issues including future brand strategies and how global economic stimuli has affected the industry.
A trip into the past with a party on the pulse of the times: the andel's Hotel Berlin recently dedicated an entire evening to the soul sounds of the legendary Detroit-based Motown record label. More than 1,750 guests were on hand to enjoy the musical journey through time. The event centred on the new soul compilation from Vienna International Hotels & Resorts, with the high point of the evening being the live concert with Motown legend Leroy Emmanuel. The performance blew away guests and organisers alike.
A native Austrian, Schroecker has most recently been managing the hotel and catering consulting company which he founded; the G7 Hospitality Group INC, based in Toronto. In Armin Schroecker, the Frankfurt-based hotel company Steigenberger Hotels AG has been able to appoint a hotel manager with extensive international experience to be the new Director of the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof. Schroecker, who has amassed 35 years of experience in the hotel trade, has spent the vast majority of his professional life with Hilton International. Most recently he was both General Manager and Regional Manager for the Hilton Toronto in Canada. In 2009 he founded the Toronto-based hotel and catering consulting company G7 Hospitality Group INC, and he continues to manage that company today. Armin Schroecker's professional career has taken him all over the world. After working in Hilton establishments in London, Vienna, Hong Kong and Nagoya, his first role as Director was in the Kyon-Ju Hilton in South Korea. This was followed by more directorships in Hilton Hotels, including Cairo, Johannesburg, Moscow and the famous Grandhotel The Langham in London. He then moved to Frankfurt, where as Project Manager EMEA he was responsible for the incorporation of the Scandic brand in the Hilton portfolio. In taking on the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof, the Austrian hotelier will be running the company’s flagship hotel, which is about to undergo extensive renovation. He succeeds Spiridon Sarantopoulos, who after three successful years in Frankfurt is moving to take on the Steigenberger Grandhotel Petersberg in Bonn-Königswinter.
experienced hotel manager, his most recent position was as Director of the Grandhotel Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof in Frankfurt.
Approx. 170,000 visitors at the world's leading trade show for the international travel industry – Orders with a volume in excess of six billion euros and a good mood among exhibitors – Over 40 per cent of buyers from abroad – Record attendance at ITB Berlin Convention – Some 7,000 journalists from 94 countries accredited
Dobbelaere joins Pegasus from Design Hotels, where he served as the director of revenue and distribution, working with a portfolio of nearly 200 hotels in Europe, ASPAC and the Americas. In his role managing a global team at Design Hotels, Dobbelaere was responsible for nearly 60% of the company’s total revenue, helping achieve positive results and drive growth during the recent economic downturn. He has also worked in similar capacities with Le Meridien Hotels and Resorts in London, Grupo Real in Latin America, the Hotel Royal Windsor in Belgium and the Hotel Bogota Royal in Colombia. A native of Belgium, Dobbelaere is a graduate of hotel management from ISGH, the Superior Institute of Hotel Management in Namur, Belgium. He has also completed a postgraduate study in finance from Ibague University in Colombia. He will be based out of Pegasus’ Frankfurt office.
Best Western Hotels of Germany continues to expand their portfolio. Since 2010, 17 new hotels have been added to the portfolio and four more have already joined The World's Biggest Hotel FamilySM in 2011. Of the 21 new properties, three have been named BEST WESTERN PREMIER, which is the premium category for Best Western. Best Western now provides 189 independently owned and operated hotels in all main touristic spots and key cities in Germany.
SoftBrands an Infor affiliate, today announced that the company will exhibit at the International Tourism Exchange (ITB) in Berlin, the world's largest tourism trade fair, from 9 to 13 March 2011. Infor-SoftBrands will highlight its Property Management Systems (PMS) product enhancements: The PMS version 7.2.0, recently launched in October 2010, offers a number of new functionalities that support hoteliers to make more profitable decisions and deliver better customer service. Among other improvements, the new PMS is now able to show different seasonal room rates and the prorated price per person for multiple occupancy rooms. Infor-SoftBrands will be represented in hall 8.1 at booth 113th.
The International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) is proud to announce Amy Carter-James, as the 2011 Young Leader award recipient. Co-sponsored by the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC), the award is given each year to a young and emerging leader who has great potential.
Hotel markets in Eastern Europe, CSR programmes, social media networking and the hotels of the future – senior executives from the international hotel industry to discuss current trends and visions for the future at the ITB Hospitality Day on 10 March 2011
With leading new names participating and innovative topics on the agenda the Mobile Travel Services section is repositioning itself with the eTravel World Forum at ITB Berlin from 9 to 13 March 2011 as a trend-setting platform for mobile travel services and social media. In Hall 7.1c trade visitors at the ITB representing the business travel and tourism industry can find out about the latest mobile computing, augmented reality und social media trends from lectures due to be held on the eTravel stage. At the eTravel Lab opinion-formers and practitioners will invite visitors to workshops and seminars for an in-depth exchange of views about the mobile solutions of tomorrow.
A spokesman of Neue Dorint GmbH in Cologne issued the following statement in response to media reports that Intercontinental Hotels wish to withdraw from management of the hotels in Berlin, Cologne and Duesseldorf:
The global travel industry is at a turning point. On 9 March 2011 the leading travel technology conference PhoCusWright@ITB will examine the unique forces that are transforming travel, tourism and hospitality. The conference theme, "Marketplace Chaos: Spotlight on Technology and Innovation" challenges and motivates travel industry leaders to exploit chaos in the travel marketplace: new economic realities, a burgeoning mobile social Web, disparate devices and channels, high-growth emerging markets and more. Opinion-formers, e-business experts and senior executives will explain how companies can reposition themselves and utilize the interplay of forces on the market to gain a competitive edge.
NBTA Europe and the German buyer-led business travel association VDR (Verband Deutsches Reisemanagement e.V.) have announced their partnership to build a stronger European buyer-led network. The deal, based on an initial one year partnership commencing in Spring 2011, will see VDR bring their more than 500 members and market intelligence from Germany to the network which started in January 2010. VDR members will join a European network of 2,700 buyers and suppliers and gain access to over 70 resources, research papers and benchmark tools through the network.
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts announced today the opening of Hyatt Regency Dusseldorf located in the heart of the trendy Media Harbour area in the capital of the state North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. Hyatt Regency Dusseldorf is located in one of two newly built 19-story towers at the tip of Media Harbour's peninsula. A pedestrian bridge connects the hotel with the opposite side of the harbor. With its central location close to the city's international airport, and the most important exhibition and conference centers in the city, the hotel will attract business and leisure travelers.
From 9 to 11 March 2011 the ITB Berlin Convention will provide a current and in-depth overview of the trends and key issues affecting the world’s tourism industry. This is the eighth time the convention will be addressing key topics such as hospitality, destination marketing, CSR and futurology. On Friday, 11 March 2011 the convention will also discuss the topical issue of eco-mobility.
The International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) is now calling for nominations for the third annual IHIF Young Leader Award. Held in conjunction with the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC), the award is given each year to a young and emerging leader who has great potential.
Wyndham Hotel Group, part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE: WYN), today announced the opening of the 229-room TRYP Berlin, to be managed by Sol Meliá. It is the first TRYP by Wyndham hotel to open in Germany’s capital city and the eleventh property in the country to join the brand.
From January 2011 Olivier Harnisch, Vice President International Operations Germany & Switzerland of Hilton Worldwide will be in charge of 27 hotels of four brands in eight countries. Under his leadership Hilton Worldwide will see some exciting development in Germany over the next two years. The introduction of the luxury brand Waldorf Astoria in Berlin, the positioning of the economy brand Hampton by Hilton, also in Berlin and the opening of two hotels within THE SQUAIRE - Hilton Frankfurt Airport and Hilton Garden Inn Frankfurt Airport.