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  • NYC & Company releases industry overview

    Emily K. Rafferty, Chairman of the Board of NYC & Company and President of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Company, have announced the discharge of “New York City Tourism: A Model for achievement,” the 1st-ever official report on Long island City’s tourism industry.

    The report highlights the phenomenal growth of the tourism industry after the 2006 merger of NYC & Company, NYC Big Events and NYC Marketing to form a revolutionary public-private municipal marketing and tourism model that was emulated by destinations all over the world.

    Since the creation of the re-envisioned NYC & Company, town has seen a record 52 million visitors, an all-time high of $55.3 billion in economic impact and a 27 per cent increase in leisure and hospitality jobs—the most of any industry over the past seven years. The report was released to key local media and the leading 2013 mayoral candidates. 

    “Tourism’s robust growth since 2006 is not any accident—it was the results of an innovative model and deliberate method to target emerging international markets and promote the variety of tourism activities across all five boroughs,” said NYC & Company Chairman Emily Rafferty.

    “In order to keep this momentum and reach our goal of 55 million visitors and $70 billion in economic impact by 2015, the industry may be on the lookout for continued investment and support from the following administration.” Rafferty added.

    “New York City Tourism: A Model for Success” was distributed to key local print and broadcast media and to campaign headquarters of all eleven 2013 mayoral candidates. With the report, NYC & Company aims to begin a dialogue in regards to the importance of the tourism industry and highlight NYC & Company’s accomplishments because the official marketing, partnership and tourism organization for town of latest York. 

    “The story of recent York City tourism’s unprecedented success is one who we should always all be pleased with,” said NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta. “Over the past six years we have got welcomed more visitors than ever before and feature generated billions of greenbacks in economic impact for the town. We plan to continue our efforts and “New York City Tourism: A Model for Success” marks the primary-step in an industry-wide effort to make sure that the 2013 mayoral candidates and other elected officials acknowledge and support Ny City’s fastest growing industry.” 

    Since 2006, the town has set new visitation records in six out of 7 years while the tourism industry created 78,200 new leisure and hospitality jobs. Over the last seven years numerous industry sectors experienced exponential growth including hotels, cultural institutions, the conventions and tradeshows market, dining, retail, Broadway and entertainment.

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  • GTA renews partnership with Accor at Arabian Travel Market

    GTA has renewed its distribution handle the leading hotel operator Accor ensuring businesses selling leisure travel can book greater than 3,500 hotels in 92 countries available under its brands.

    Together Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure, Ibis, Ibis Styles, Ibis budget and hotelF1 serve the wishes of a wide variety of travellers with a wide range of accommodation options.

    Accor continues to learn from GTA’s growing business and unrivalled global footprint, which brings tens of thousands of travel bookings day by day.

    Martin Jones, GTA senior vice chairman for global sourcing & product development, said: “Thanks to the continuing strength of our longstanding relationship with Accor, customers can book an excellent greater number of accommodation for his or her clients.

    “Some 85 per cent of Accor’s hotels are inside the Europe and the Asia-Pacific regions which are key to GTA’s longevity and success.

    “The deal further extends the diversity of rate options for accommodation which we sell in over 190 countries.”

    GTA provides dynamic inventory and rates to reinforce its connections with people that sell fully independent travel.

    Its fast, flexible and reliable technology saves partners money and time and supports year-round business by helping them comply with seasonal fluctuations and market forces.

    “I am delighted to resume our strong partnership with GTA.

    “This agreement is completely according to our technique to develop connectivity solutions with major partners and may help us reinforce and optimise outbound flows from key emerging feeder markets into our European hotels, in addition to in Accor’s other high-growth countries, comparable to the Asia Pacific region,” said Carlo Olejniczak, senior vp, global sales, Accor.

    By sourcing global product with selective focus, GTA is engineering greater success for tourism businesses and giving consumers a much broader choice when booking through travel retailers.

    “It implies that retailers can provide customers the appropriate prices within the most effective destinations, but additionally access to a chain’s full portfolio of properties including the ‘long tail’ of less renowned accommodation.

    “Accor’s hotels further enhance GTA’s portfolio of 60,000 accommodation options, services and experiences, which pulls over 21,000 bookings day-to-day, selling 12 million room nights in additional than 25 languages online and inside the world.”

  • News: Grand Hyatt Hotel announced for Changsha China

    Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered right into a management agreement with an affiliate of Huayuan Property Co., Ltd for a Grand Hyatt hotel in Changsha, Hunan Province in central China.

    “Changsha has established itself as a chief hub for global business and entertainment, and we’re honored to be able to bring the Grand Hyatt brand to one of these great city,” said Mark Hoplamazian, president and chief executive officer of Hyatt Hotels Corporation on the agreement signing in Changsha earlier today. “Throughout our 40 years in China, now we have showed thousands of guests how our associates can meet and exceed their needs, and we glance forward to bringing Hyatt’s signature authentic hospitality to one of these dynamic and historic city.”

    Grand Hyatt Changsha can be centrally located within the most prestigious commercial and business areas along the Xiangjiang River in downtown Changsha. The hotel may be portion of “The Central,” a mega mixed use complex with a view to incorporate high-end residential buildings, office spaces, and comfort shopping facilities. Situated at the upper floors of an iconic 268-meter-high skyscraper, Grand Hyatt Changsha will enjoy unobstructed views over town and the river, and is anticipated to become the brand new landmark of Changsha. The 324-room hotel will feature an array of restaurants and bars, multi-purpose meeting and banquet facilities, a gymnasium, a pool and a spa, and is predicted to create over 500 new jobs.

    “We are more than happy to work with Hyatt on such a thrilling and important project. We glance forward to our collaboration with Hyatt in further developing the high-end hotel market in Changsha,” said Ren Zhiqiang, Chairman of Huayuan Property Co., Ltd.

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  • ITP launches guidance for hotels on addressing human trafficking

    Green Globe Certification associate, the International Tourism Partnership (ITP), has produced a guide to assist hoteliers understand human trafficking and compelled labor – what it truly is, the way it may affect them and what actions they may take to minimize the danger of trafficking of their businesses.

    Human trafficking is the purchase of folks by improper means resembling force, fraud or deception, aiming at exploiting them. It often – but not always – involves people being taken from one country to a different, where they’re subject to sexual exploitation, forced labor or other forms of servitude. Briefly – it’s modern-day slavery. It is a relevant topic for hoteliers, since it can be guests or staff on the hotel who’re victims of this abuse.

    Human trafficking is, by nature, a ‘hidden’ crime, however the scale is large. In accordance with the International Labor Organization (ILO) human trafficking is the third-largest illicit moneymaking venture on the earth, after drug dealing and arms trading, and over 30 million people worldwide are victims of trafficking. Figures at the impact at the hotel industry specifically are hard to come back by. However, government and law enforcement agencies pinpoint the hospitality industry as being ‘high risk’, and the increasing variety of national initiatives in lots of countries highlights the growing center around this issue as one that is especially relevant for hotels. Whether statistics can be found or not, there ought to be no threshold of interest and engagement with this issue – no level of human trafficking is appropriate.

    Human trafficking has to forestall, and we as an industry use every power we need to end this scourge. The International Tourism Partnership (ITP) and its members were active at the issue for some years now. Today, they may be proud to launch their Understand how Guide to addressing human trafficking to tell, encourage and support others inside the industry to sign up for the fight.

  • ONYX brings Amari brand to Indonesia with Bali property

    Thailand-based ONYX Hospitality Group was appointed to function a 435-room property at the Indonesian island of Bali.

    Amari Pecatu is a three way partnership between STA Group Property Division and PR Bali Pecatu Graha.

    This can be ONYX’s first step for expansion into Indonesia for the Amari brand.

    The property is scheduled to open in 2015.

    Located at the southern peninsula of Bali, Pecatu is easily-called a surfer’s paradise with limestone cliffs and lovely, secluded beaches.

    Amari Pecatu might be portion of the 400-hectare Pecatu Indah Resort, an integrated development with planned facilities including a shopping center and conference venues that may accommodate as much as 12,000 people.

    It is already home to an 18-hole golf course, designed by famous golf architect Ronald Fream.

    ONYX president Peter Henley said: “We are very excited to be interested by this massive-scale venture inside the Pecatu Indah Resort project.

    “This could be the first Amari property in Indonesia, and as such, a major milestone for us.

    “We look ahead to the exciting times ahead as we work closely with our partners to support the on-going development of Pecatu as a colourful tourism destination in Bali.”

    Amari Pecatu will feature 385 deluxe rooms, ten junior suites and 40 villas starting from 54 to 400 square metres in size.

    All accommodation options offer the decision between two breath-taking views, the luxurious green of the golf green or the panoramic vista of the Indian Ocean.

    The design concept for Amari Pecatu is a collaboration between Bangkok based Outdoor Studio and Broadway Malyan, both companies have a wealth of expertise designing notable hotels and resorts all over the world.

    The resort will offer a ramification of dining options, including two destination restaurants, a lounge and bar, sea view swimming pool, Breeze Spa, gymnasium, in addition to a retail area throughout the central reception area.

    For those wishing to plot a special day, the resort may also provide various options for weddings and events.

    Amari Pecatu may even offer investment opportunities for those wishing to buy a vacation home.

    In return for an initial investment, owners will then receive a number of privileges including annual rights of stay and warranted rental returns.