Best Holiday Lettings

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  • Miami set for record visitors in 2012

    Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) President & CEO William D. Talbert, III, CDME announced today that overnight visitors to larger Miami and the Beaches increased +3.5% to a record-breaking 13.9 million overnight visitors in 2012, fueled by a +5.2% increase to a record 6.8 million international visitors and a rise of +1.8% to a record 7.1 million domestic visitors. 

    This marks the third consecutive year of record overnight visitors to the destination.         

    A record $21.8 billion in visitor expenditures was generated in 2012, a rise of +5.1% over the former year with international expenditures representing 70% of the entire vs domestic. 2012 marked the fourth consecutive year of records on records for visitor spending. 

    “For the third year in a row, the strength of the Miami brand continued to draw record overnight visitors, generating record employment within the leisure and hospitality industry,” says Steven Haas, Chairman of the GMCVB Board of Directors. 

    “With a brand new record high of 112,300 industry jobs in 2012, Travel and Tourism continued to set the pace for the community’s recovery from the recession with three consecutive years of increased employment.”     

    In July 2012, the GMCVB unveiled its new branding campaign to capture its evolution by launching the “It’s So Miami” program in top global markets, including Big apple, Brazil and Germany. 

    The new tagline and eye-catching imagery showcases contrasting visuals of iconic destination scenes juxtaposed with people cashing in on cultural attractions.  The brand new campaign captures the vibe and diversity of lifestyle in Greater Miami and The Beaches.  “

    The Bureau’s aggressive marketing and expansion of the preferred summer and shoulder season promotions, including Miami Museum Month, Miami Romance Month, Miami Spice Restaurant Month, Miami Spa Month, Miami Attractions Month and Miami Live Music Month were enjoyed by more visitors and residents than ever in 2012,” says Talbert.       

    During 2012, the GMCVB continued its international expansion to 40 locations in 30 countries, which included extensive expansion within the Brazil market.  Cities/countries added to the worldwide network in 2012 included The big apple, San Francisco, Jamaica, Bahamas and extra cities in Brazil. 

    Among the pinnacle 25 hotel markets within the U.S., Greater Miami and the Beaches’ ranked #4 for revenue per available room (RevPar), a rise of +7.9% in 2012 to a record $124.92.  Hotel room occupancy also ranked #4 with a rise of +1.3% to a record annual average of 76.4%, and average daily room rate (ADR) ranked #4 with a rise of +6.6% to an all time high of $163.59. 

    A record 13.4 million hotel room nights were sold in 2012, representing a +2.5% increase over the former year.  These sales generated a record $60.4 million in Convention Development Tax (CDT), a +8.5% increase over 2011 CDT collections.

    A record 19.8 million passengers were welcomed on the new Miami International Airport (MIA) in 2012, a +3.0% increase over 2011, which incorporates a record 9.8 million international passengers up +5.3% over 2011 and a record 10 million domestic passengers up +0.9% over 2011. 

    With 96%of overnight visitors to bigger Miami and the Beaches arriving by air in 2012, Miami International Airport is very important to the success and growth of the travel and tourism industry.

    “Both MIA and the PortMiami are pillars of our travel and tourism industry,” states Talbert.  Inside the last quarter of 2012, PortMiami welcomed an unprecedented seven new cruise ships in eight weeks further solidifying the port’s ranking as Cruise Capital of the area.

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  • Hilton continues Egypt growth

    Hilton Worldwide is adding to its programme of growth in Egypt following a massive joint announcement with prominent investor, Saudi Egyptian Real Estate Development, to introduce the company’s sixth property to Cairo.

    The 257-room Hilton Cairo Nile Maadi may be strategically located inside the upscale residential and diplomatic district of Maadi and revel in direct access to the favored Corniche El Nile. The 23-storey property, that is forecast to open early 2016, may also boast views of the legendary River Nile in addition to Egypt’s world famous ancient heritage sites, museums and popular tourist attractions.

    Rudi Jagersbacher, president, Hilton Worldwide, Middle East & Africa said: “As the longest serving and most recognised hospitality brand in Egypt, we’re committed to offering tangible and sustainable hospitality to the country’s business and leisure industry.

    “Our Egyptian expansion strategy and determined pipeline growth reflects our unwavering faith within the viability of Egypt, it’s people, business and community as we continue the tradition of providing hospitality and luxury to discerning travellers.” Jagersbacher added.

    Designed to entice both the leisure and business traveller, Hilton Cairo Nile Maadi will feature a business centre, a 400-square-metre function room, two boardrooms and 3 meeting rooms. Leisure facilities will include a massive cutting-edge gymnasium and spa, an outside swimming pool, two restaurants, including speciality dining, a lobby lounge and an executive lounge.

    Rob Palleschi, global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts said: “Hilton Hotels & Resorts is immensely pleased with its heritage and primary class reputation in Egypt and we’re delighted to bring another quality property to our growing portfolio of excellence.”

    Hilton Cairo Nile Maadi is a noteworthy addition to Hilton Worldwide’s growing development programme for Egypt and joins a property pipeline inclusive of the 635-room Hilton Heliopolis; the 660-room Hilton Makadi Resort; the 390-room Hilton Giza Pyramids and for Egypt’s second city of Alexandria, the 158-room Hilton Alexandria Corniche and the 195-room Hilton King’s Ranch Resort.

    As the pre-eminent hospitality provider, Hilton Worldwide’s properties in Egypt incorporate many styles and offerings but all share the well-defined, distinctive company hallmarks of high quality facilities and high standards of service. A favorite portfolio, Hilton Worldwide properties offer urban luxury and class in cities equivalent to Cairo and Alexandria to stunning resorts and spas in relaxing holiday areas of Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh, Taba, Nuweiba, Marsa Alam in addition to the traditional city of Luxor.

    Engineer Darwish Ahmed Hassnin, Chief Executive Officer from owners Saudi Egyptian Real Estate Development said: “Hilton Worldwide is a recognised hospitality leader with extensive knowledge and experience of Egypt.

    “Together, we’re committed to making a global-class property with outstanding and welcoming facilities and repair.

    “This property is the primary hotel in Egypt owned by both the Egyptian and Saudi governments and is anticipated to become among the flagships of the joint investments between both countries.” Hassnin concluded.

  • News: IHIF: Akkeron signs UK treat Choice Hotels

    Choice Hotels International has announced a strategic relationship with Akkeron Hotels Group, a well-known regional hotel operator within the Uk.

    The deal will initially lead to nine Akkeron hotels operating under Choice Hotels franchise agreements inside the UK, representing a virtually 25 per cent increase within the Choice Hotels UK hotel portfolio and an extra 611 rooms.

    This agreement forms a critical portion of Choice Hotels’ growth solution to offer financial support to raise development in key international markets, which includes Europe, via the company’s capital as a targeted incentive to hotel developers and operators to go into into franchise agreements located in strategic locations and markets.

    Under the agreement, five Akkeron hotels in Bristol, Bury St. Edmunds, Colchester,
    Peterborough and Kings Lynn may be rebranded under the standard brand and another four hotels located in Winchester, Darlington, Ringwood and Stevenage will operate under the Clarion Collection brand.

    The newly branded Choice hotels, Quality Hotel Bury St. Edmunds, Quality Hotel Peterborough and Clarion Collection Cromwell Stevenage, are anticipated to return online throughout the Choice Hotels Europe system by the tip of February.

    The remaining Quality and Clarion Collection brand hotels are expected to come back online throughout 2013.

    “We are delighted to have entered into this relationship with Akkeron Hotels Group.

    “Akkeron is a sturdy hotel operator and an amazing company for Choice Hotels Europe to work with and grow its presence inside the UK. The agreement initially will talk about rebranding nine hotels with the chance to debate rebranding further Akkeron hotels at some point,” commented Duncan Berry, UK chief executive, Choice Hotels Europe.

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  • News: IHIF: Worldhotels expands portfolio of branded hotels

    Worldhotels, a number one global group for independent upscale hotels, is growing its branded soft franchise solution because the ideal alternative to standard franchising.

    The offer is amazingly competitive, as costs to owners are based purely on brand performance in total net room revenue delivery.

    Since introducing the brand new business model in 2011, Worldhotels has already branded 15 hotels and plans so as to add another 20 by 2014.

    Ingo Guerges, vp global hotel development at Worldhotels explained why the brand new model was created:

    He said: “Hotels kept asking us for a better level of partnership – without the high operational interference of traditional upscale franchises.

    “So we prepare an answer that follows our motto of ‘If you own a hotel, it can feel such as you own a hotel.’”

    Worldhotels’ soft franchise solution focuses purely at the commercial side of the business, to generate and capture opportunities for room revenue growth from all segments and all distribution channels.

    The model would not require any hardware standards, as Robert van der Graaf, Worldhotels’ newly appointed regional vp full licence Europe, Middle East and Africa, illustrates.

    “We’ve always said that standards don’t need to mean standardisation,” he stated.

    “Our role is only to confirm the emblem and supporting systems deliver the absolute best results for our hotels, without interfering within the actual delivery of an authentic upscale hotel experience.”

    The model is built on over 40 years of successes of Worldhotels’ affiliation model and makes a speciality of three areas – firstly full commercial support to maximize the hotel’s exposure under a world brand, secondly increase hotel market share through total brand performance, system delivery and at last distribution cost control to ultimately achieve a particularly healthy return on investment for hotel owners.

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  • VisitEngland teams with Blacks for brand spanking new campaign

    VisitEngland and outdoor specialists Blacks have announced an exhilarating partnership to advertise outdoor breaks in rural England.

    Domestic overnight holiday trips to rural locations in England were worth £2.2bn in 2011, with day trips contributing a further £8.7 billion.

    To boost rural tourism this year, the national tourist board and Blacks have today launched a £1.2million multimedia campaign, aimed toward inspiring Britons to explore England’s breath-taking countryside with a quick break within the great outdoors.

    The campaign will run throughout March, ranging from today, with a 30” television advertisement filmed in Cumbria, highlighting the several outdoor activities that may be enjoyed off the beaten track in England’s countryside – including walking, camping, trail and fell running, and wild swimming.

    Consumers are encouraged to go to www.blacks.co.uk/visitengland, where they’ll enter a contest to win a terrific adventure break in Cumbria.

    The website also contains destination details about the filming locations, and advice on the way to become involved in outdoor pursuits around the country.

    James Berresford, VisitEngland’s chief executive, commented: “England’s stunning countryside is a big draw for visitors from both home and abroad, and provides experiences to be found nowhere else on the earth!

    “We’re delighted to be working with Blacks in this campaign, which showcases England’s dramatic landscapes to inspire Britons to explore what’s all alone doorstep with a thrilling outdoor break.”