An ordinance that would require guests at Mesa hotels and motels to prove their identities came closer to reality Thursday.
The final wording is still in progress, however, and Thursday's discussion by the City Council's public-safety committee showed how complex such a seemingly simple idea can be.
The proposed ordinance, already in the works for a year, springs from the police department's concerns over crime at hotels and motels, some of which are used by career criminals as their bases of operations.
Last year, Mesa's lodging industry generated more than 4,600 calls for police service, and the worst 10 properties accounted for 49 percent of the warrant arrests and 64 percent of the drug arrests made at hotels and motels.
The ordinance's most basic provision would require guests to show a valid government-issued photo ID including address, date of birth, physical description and a signature. Guests also would need to provide vehicle information.
The property would not be required to record all that information, however. The person's name, address and signature would be kept on file for a year and be made available to public-safety officers if needed for investigations.
Properties could be fined $250 to $2,500 for failing to obey the law.
Councilman Dennis Kavanaugh noted, however, that technology is changing the way some properties register their guests, with some going to paperless systems.
Robert Brinton, president of the Mesa Convention and Visitors Bureau, agreed. He said his group just received a letter from the Hilton hotel chain stating that those properties will no longer require guests who have preregistered and pay with a credit card to show a photo ID when they arrive.
"Those aren't the people we're looking for," Police Chief Frank Milstead said. Many problem customers at hotels and motels pay with cash, and the places where they generally stay are lax when it comes to verifying IDs.
Noting that the quality of hotels is defined by national ratings systems, Brinton said low-end properties might be held to tougher rules than more expensive ones.
"Certain levels of properties, because that's where most of the crime occurs and the calls for service occur - that level of property may need to have a tougher set of regulations than those who aren't operating that way," Brinton said.
He also said a large hotel may be operating properly but have numerous calls for police service simply because they have far more guests than smaller, more seedy operations.
One new proposal that emerged Thursday is a hotel-motel review board, which would be established by the ordinance and join Mesa's other public-advisory panels.
Brinton said the board would have five members, four of whom would be recommended by the visitors bureau and one by the police department. The council would have the final say on appointments.
There probably would be at least two hoteliers on the board, Brinton said. Others would have experience in the hospitality industry. Their job would be to help the industry police itself and stay in compliance with the ordinance.
A property cited under the ordinance, for example, could be given 60 days to comply, Brinton said, the aim being to "help a property that wants to get better, to get better."Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/10/14/20101014mesa-city-council-hotel-motel-rules1015.html#ixzz12RzGeV8M
Friday, October 15, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Phoenix to welcome 1st Westin in February
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. announced Monday the 2011 opening of its first Westin hotel in Phoenix.
The 242-room hotel is slated to open in February and will take up nine of 26 floors at the Freeport-McMoRan Center in downtown Phoenix. The remaining floors are occupied by the building's namesake.
The nine floors the Westin Phoenix Downtown will occupy have been vacant since the building opened in November at Central Avenue and Van Buren Street, said Debra Barton, general manager for the Westin.
Central Park East Associates LLC, a subsidiary of the current owners, did not return calls Monday about how much was spent to build the hotel rooms, a hotel entrance and a pool deck. However, a 2009 study conducted by the National Electrical Benefit Fund, the building's majority owner, indicated it planned to spend $30 million to $40 million.
The announcement comes at a time when Arizona's tourism industry is attempting to recover from the economic slump. Arizona has been hit especially hard by travel boycotts brought on by the passage of SB 1070, said Debbie Johnson, president and CEO of the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association.
According to data provided by Smith Travel Research, Arizona's revenue per available room, a key industry measure that takes into account room rates and occupancy, was down 4 percent in August from the year before. The rest of the U.S. fared much better, up 8.1 percent from a year earlier.
Despite that, Mark Vinciguerra, area managing director for Starwood Arizona, said he's confident the Westin will attract business and leisure travelers because of its proximity to the Phoenix Convention Center and downtown sports venues.
The Westin will be the second hotel Starwood opens in downtown Phoenix within the past three years. The company also manages the state's largest hotel, the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel, which has 1,000 rooms and is owned by the city.
The Westin will have 9,000 square feet of meeting space, compared to the Sheraton's 80,000 square feet.
A study by the National Electrical Benefit Fund in 2009 estimates the Westin hotel will have a $32 million economic impact in the Valley.
The Westin has begun to hire managers for its staff of about 150 people, Barton said. Hiring for regular staffers will take place in January. Read more:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/2010/10/04/20101004phoenix-westin-hotel-opening.html#ixzz11VlB2Fbv
The 242-room hotel is slated to open in February and will take up nine of 26 floors at the Freeport-McMoRan Center in downtown Phoenix. The remaining floors are occupied by the building's namesake.
The nine floors the Westin Phoenix Downtown will occupy have been vacant since the building opened in November at Central Avenue and Van Buren Street, said Debra Barton, general manager for the Westin.
Central Park East Associates LLC, a subsidiary of the current owners, did not return calls Monday about how much was spent to build the hotel rooms, a hotel entrance and a pool deck. However, a 2009 study conducted by the National Electrical Benefit Fund, the building's majority owner, indicated it planned to spend $30 million to $40 million.
The announcement comes at a time when Arizona's tourism industry is attempting to recover from the economic slump. Arizona has been hit especially hard by travel boycotts brought on by the passage of SB 1070, said Debbie Johnson, president and CEO of the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association.
According to data provided by Smith Travel Research, Arizona's revenue per available room, a key industry measure that takes into account room rates and occupancy, was down 4 percent in August from the year before. The rest of the U.S. fared much better, up 8.1 percent from a year earlier.
Despite that, Mark Vinciguerra, area managing director for Starwood Arizona, said he's confident the Westin will attract business and leisure travelers because of its proximity to the Phoenix Convention Center and downtown sports venues.
The Westin will be the second hotel Starwood opens in downtown Phoenix within the past three years. The company also manages the state's largest hotel, the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel, which has 1,000 rooms and is owned by the city.
The Westin will have 9,000 square feet of meeting space, compared to the Sheraton's 80,000 square feet.
A study by the National Electrical Benefit Fund in 2009 estimates the Westin hotel will have a $32 million economic impact in the Valley.
The Westin has begun to hire managers for its staff of about 150 people, Barton said. Hiring for regular staffers will take place in January. Read more:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/2010/10/04/20101004phoenix-westin-hotel-opening.html#ixzz11VlB2Fbv
Monday, October 4, 2010
Arizona hotels, resorts ramp up hiring for tourism season
Several high-end hotels and resorts in Arizona are ramping up hiring for the 2011 tourism season, a welcome respite from the hiring freezes instituted last year because of the dour economy.
The InterContinental Montelucia Resort and Spa in Paradise Valley, the Phoenician in Phoenix, the Wigwam Resort and Spa in Litchfield Park and the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix report they have jobs openings now or will in the near future.
Variety of hospitality-industry jobs available
It's a welcome turnaround for the hard-hit hospitality industry that curtailed most hiring in 2009 and the beginning of 2010, as hotels and resorts cut back in response to the significant dip in travel.
Arizona hotels and resorts attribute job listings to the upcoming leisure and convention travel season, a time when hotels historically increase employee numbers by as much as 50 percent, says Debbie Johnson, president and chief executive officer for the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association. Arizona's tourism season typically begins in September and ends in late May.
Most of the new jobs are full-time posts with the possibility of significant hourly cutbacks during the slower summer months. "Hotels try to maintain their staff annually," Johnson says.
While the recent hiring spurtwon't be as significant as during the travel industry's golden years in 2006 and 2007, many front-of-the-house jobs, such as valet, hostess, cooks, servers and housekeepers, will be filled.
Also new positions likely will be added for the Insight Bowl in December, and the Fiesta Bowl and BCS National Championship game, both in January. "It couldn't come at a better time for our industry," Johnson says. "Those games are held at a time when traditionally there are very low occupancy rates because of the holiday season." Several high-end hotels and resorts in Arizona have or intend to post job openings in the coming months in anticipation of the upcoming tourism season. Some potential employers:
• Montelucia, a resort that hosts one of the Fiesta Bowl teams, will hire additional employees in the next few months to prepare for the football games and the upcoming convention season, says Greg Hanss, director of sales and marketing. Openings are in cosmetology, room service, banquet management, housekeeping and group-reservation bookings.
Many of the positions are seasonal through May but could be extended indefinitely, Hanss says.
Hanss says Montelucia will increase its staff by 20 percent by the end of the year.
The resort's hiring campaign began this month, less than a year after it emerged from foreclosure with a new owner, the property's original lender, German bank Eurohypo AG.
With better convention bookings and a much larger staff for the upcoming tourism season, Hanss says the resort expects to see significant revenue growth in 2011 to support the new hiring.
• The Arizona Biltmore began listing job openings on its website three months ago, anticipating an improved tourism season, says Andrew Stegen, the resort's general manager.
"For the last 11 to 12 weeks, we've had between 20 and 30 open positions per week," Stegen says.
The openings listed on Biltmore's website are for housekeepers and cooks.
Although Stegen says positions fill quickly, some spill over from week to week.
All job openings are full time and employees may be eligible for benefits, Stegen says.
• The Phoenician filled nearly all of its 70 positions in August and September to prepare for the launch of its second ballroom, which opened Friday.
While most positions are filled, the Phoenician still needs to hire additional banquet servers, says Denise Seomin, spokeswoman for the Phoenician.
• The Wigwam is currently undergoing a $7 million renovation which will lead to retraining of current staff members and a need for new employees.
While no jobs are posted yet, Frank Ashmore, director of sales and marketing, says various positions, such as bartenders, servers and room attendants,will be available in December.
New hires could be placed at the resort's outdoor bar, pools, restaurants and renovated outdoor spaces.
"We have not changed the square footage of the resort, but we've increased its useable space," Ashmore says. "We'll need to hire new employees and existing employees are going to be busier, working more than last year."Read more:
http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2010/10/02/20101002arizona-hotels-resorts-jobs.html#ixzz11PqSEYy5
The InterContinental Montelucia Resort and Spa in Paradise Valley, the Phoenician in Phoenix, the Wigwam Resort and Spa in Litchfield Park and the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix report they have jobs openings now or will in the near future.
Variety of hospitality-industry jobs available
It's a welcome turnaround for the hard-hit hospitality industry that curtailed most hiring in 2009 and the beginning of 2010, as hotels and resorts cut back in response to the significant dip in travel.
Arizona hotels and resorts attribute job listings to the upcoming leisure and convention travel season, a time when hotels historically increase employee numbers by as much as 50 percent, says Debbie Johnson, president and chief executive officer for the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association. Arizona's tourism season typically begins in September and ends in late May.
Most of the new jobs are full-time posts with the possibility of significant hourly cutbacks during the slower summer months. "Hotels try to maintain their staff annually," Johnson says.
While the recent hiring spurtwon't be as significant as during the travel industry's golden years in 2006 and 2007, many front-of-the-house jobs, such as valet, hostess, cooks, servers and housekeepers, will be filled.
Also new positions likely will be added for the Insight Bowl in December, and the Fiesta Bowl and BCS National Championship game, both in January. "It couldn't come at a better time for our industry," Johnson says. "Those games are held at a time when traditionally there are very low occupancy rates because of the holiday season." Several high-end hotels and resorts in Arizona have or intend to post job openings in the coming months in anticipation of the upcoming tourism season. Some potential employers:
• Montelucia, a resort that hosts one of the Fiesta Bowl teams, will hire additional employees in the next few months to prepare for the football games and the upcoming convention season, says Greg Hanss, director of sales and marketing. Openings are in cosmetology, room service, banquet management, housekeeping and group-reservation bookings.
Many of the positions are seasonal through May but could be extended indefinitely, Hanss says.
Hanss says Montelucia will increase its staff by 20 percent by the end of the year.
The resort's hiring campaign began this month, less than a year after it emerged from foreclosure with a new owner, the property's original lender, German bank Eurohypo AG.
With better convention bookings and a much larger staff for the upcoming tourism season, Hanss says the resort expects to see significant revenue growth in 2011 to support the new hiring.
• The Arizona Biltmore began listing job openings on its website three months ago, anticipating an improved tourism season, says Andrew Stegen, the resort's general manager.
"For the last 11 to 12 weeks, we've had between 20 and 30 open positions per week," Stegen says.
The openings listed on Biltmore's website are for housekeepers and cooks.
Although Stegen says positions fill quickly, some spill over from week to week.
All job openings are full time and employees may be eligible for benefits, Stegen says.
• The Phoenician filled nearly all of its 70 positions in August and September to prepare for the launch of its second ballroom, which opened Friday.
While most positions are filled, the Phoenician still needs to hire additional banquet servers, says Denise Seomin, spokeswoman for the Phoenician.
• The Wigwam is currently undergoing a $7 million renovation which will lead to retraining of current staff members and a need for new employees.
While no jobs are posted yet, Frank Ashmore, director of sales and marketing, says various positions, such as bartenders, servers and room attendants,will be available in December.
New hires could be placed at the resort's outdoor bar, pools, restaurants and renovated outdoor spaces.
"We have not changed the square footage of the resort, but we've increased its useable space," Ashmore says. "We'll need to hire new employees and existing employees are going to be busier, working more than last year."Read more:
http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2010/10/02/20101002arizona-hotels-resorts-jobs.html#ixzz11PqSEYy5
Monday, September 27, 2010
Toasting holiday cheer
It’s party time, again.
After two years in which the Great Recession reined in holiday parties, companies are more spirited about their celebrations for the coming season.
Early bookings are on the rebound and, while companies remain cautious, they’ve loosened the purse strings and are less price-sensitive than in 2008 and 2009.
“This year it’s much more relaxed,” said Ron Leduc, chief operating officer of DePasquale Ventures, which hosts employee holiday parties at its Umbria Prime restaurant for financial companies, including Liberty Mutual, and law firms such as Ropes & Gray. “The economy is coming around a little bit, and we’re finding out that people are getting back into the way it was a couple of years ago.”
The financial collapse of Wall Street proved to be a party pooper for holiday celebrations in 2008. Companies scaled back their events - and in some cases even canceled them to show fiscal restraint and avoid appearances of extravagance.
Companies were in a better mood to celebrate last year, when holiday bookings picked up, even while a more economical and last-minute approach to parties prevailed.
Last year, Umbria managers had to come up with creative menus to accommodate shrinking budgets for customers that still wanted to host holiday gatherings, but didn’t have a ton of money to foot the bills. They cut back on courses, served hors d’oeuvres instead of meals and eliminated open bars. Holiday parties became more like holiday socials.
“They did want to do something, but they didn’t want to spend $55 to $85 per person for a four-course, sit-down meal,” Leduc said. “Last year, it was more, ‘Hey, appreciate that we’re having the party, and if you want to drink, it’s all on you.’ This year we’re not seeing that.”
And this year, companies are planning parties that celebrate their employees rather than their revenue, according to Catherine Chaulet, senior vice president of Best of Boston, an event planning firm.
“It’s not lavish, it’s conservative, but it’s definitely focused on employee recognition,” Chaulet said. “There’s a lot of effort to thank employees.”
Many venues, meanwhile, are saying thank-yous to companies, offering incentives if they reserve space for holiday parties early or just to entice business.
The Lyons Group-run Towne Stove and Spirits, Scampo and Sonsie are offering 10 percent off room rentals and 10 percent rebates in the form of gift cards for contracts signed before Oct. 8. And all Summer Shack locations are cutting $100 from final food and beverage bills for every $1,000 spent for parties in December and January.
“This year we’re seeing people book with a little more confidence,” said Adam Sperling, general manager of Hotel Commonwealth in Kenmore Square. “I’ve had bookings in September, which is great for us. It’s still on sort of a downscaled mode, but not quite as cautious as it was in 2008.”
Bakers’ Best catering in Newton last year got late bookings and saw clients forgoing extravagant parties in hotels in favor of office parties with hors d’oeuvres. The catering company also did a lot of food drop-offs for companies who passed on hiring chefs and servers.
This year, though, Bakers’ Best is getting earlier bookings and already has closed out some days.
“We’ve seen a couple of recessions, and this one has lasted a little bit longer, but things seem to be on the uptick,” owner Michael Baker said. “It definitely seems like things are loosening up in the corporate world a bit. People are paying attention to what they’re ordering, but they’re a little freer about ordering higher-end food compared to last year.”
It’s party time, again.
After two years in which the Great Recession reined in holiday parties, companies are more spirited about their celebrations for the coming season.
Early bookings are on the rebound and, while companies remain cautious, they’ve loosened the purse strings and are less price-sensitive than in 2008 and 2009.
“This year it’s much more relaxed,” said Ron Leduc, chief operating officer of DePasquale Ventures, which hosts employee holiday parties at its Umbria Prime restaurant for financial companies, including Liberty Mutual, and law firms such as Ropes & Gray. “The economy is coming around a little bit, and we’re finding out that people are getting back into the way it was a couple of years ago.”
The financial collapse of Wall Street proved to be a party pooper for holiday celebrations in 2008. Companies scaled back their events - and in some cases even canceled them to show fiscal restraint and avoid appearances of extravagance.
Companies were in a better mood to celebrate last year, when holiday bookings picked up, even while a more economical and last-minute approach to parties prevailed.
Last year, Umbria managers had to come up with creative menus to accommodate shrinking budgets for customers that still wanted to host holiday gatherings, but didn’t have a ton of money to foot the bills. They cut back on courses, served hors d’oeuvres instead of meals and eliminated open bars. Holiday parties became more like holiday socials.
“They did want to do something, but they didn’t want to spend $55 to $85 per person for a four-course, sit-down meal,” Leduc said. “Last year, it was more, ‘Hey, appreciate that we’re having the party, and if you want to drink, it’s all on you.’ This year we’re not seeing that.”
And this year, companies are planning parties that celebrate their employees rather than their revenue, according to Catherine Chaulet, senior vice president of Best of Boston, an event planning firm.
“It’s not lavish, it’s conservative, but it’s definitely focused on employee recognition,” Chaulet said. “There’s a lot of effort to thank employees.”
Many venues, meanwhile, are saying thank-yous to companies, offering incentives if they reserve space for holiday parties early or just to entice business.
The Lyons Group-run Towne Stove and Spirits, Scampo and Sonsie are offering 10 percent off room rentals and 10 percent rebates in the form of gift cards for contracts signed before Oct. 8. And all Summer Shack locations are cutting $100 from final food and beverage bills for every $1,000 spent for parties in December and January.
“This year we’re seeing people book with a little more confidence,” said Adam Sperling, general manager of Hotel Commonwealth in Kenmore Square. “I’ve had bookings in September, which is great for us. It’s still on sort of a downscaled mode, but not quite as cautious as it was in 2008.”
Bakers’ Best catering in Newton last year got late bookings and saw clients forgoing extravagant parties in hotels in favor of office parties with hors d’oeuvres. The catering company also did a lot of food drop-offs for companies who passed on hiring chefs and servers.
This year, though, Bakers’ Best is getting earlier bookings and already has closed out some days.
“We’ve seen a couple of recessions, and this one has lasted a little bit longer, but things seem to be on the uptick,” owner Michael Baker said. “It definitely seems like things are loosening up in the corporate world a bit. People are paying attention to what they’re ordering, but they’re a little freer about ordering higher-end food compared to last year.”
http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view.bg?articleid=1284498
By Donna Goodison The Boston Harold
After two years in which the Great Recession reined in holiday parties, companies are more spirited about their celebrations for the coming season.
Early bookings are on the rebound and, while companies remain cautious, they’ve loosened the purse strings and are less price-sensitive than in 2008 and 2009.
“This year it’s much more relaxed,” said Ron Leduc, chief operating officer of DePasquale Ventures, which hosts employee holiday parties at its Umbria Prime restaurant for financial companies, including Liberty Mutual, and law firms such as Ropes & Gray. “The economy is coming around a little bit, and we’re finding out that people are getting back into the way it was a couple of years ago.”
The financial collapse of Wall Street proved to be a party pooper for holiday celebrations in 2008. Companies scaled back their events - and in some cases even canceled them to show fiscal restraint and avoid appearances of extravagance.
Companies were in a better mood to celebrate last year, when holiday bookings picked up, even while a more economical and last-minute approach to parties prevailed.
Last year, Umbria managers had to come up with creative menus to accommodate shrinking budgets for customers that still wanted to host holiday gatherings, but didn’t have a ton of money to foot the bills. They cut back on courses, served hors d’oeuvres instead of meals and eliminated open bars. Holiday parties became more like holiday socials.
“They did want to do something, but they didn’t want to spend $55 to $85 per person for a four-course, sit-down meal,” Leduc said. “Last year, it was more, ‘Hey, appreciate that we’re having the party, and if you want to drink, it’s all on you.’ This year we’re not seeing that.”
And this year, companies are planning parties that celebrate their employees rather than their revenue, according to Catherine Chaulet, senior vice president of Best of Boston, an event planning firm.
“It’s not lavish, it’s conservative, but it’s definitely focused on employee recognition,” Chaulet said. “There’s a lot of effort to thank employees.”
Many venues, meanwhile, are saying thank-yous to companies, offering incentives if they reserve space for holiday parties early or just to entice business.
The Lyons Group-run Towne Stove and Spirits, Scampo and Sonsie are offering 10 percent off room rentals and 10 percent rebates in the form of gift cards for contracts signed before Oct. 8. And all Summer Shack locations are cutting $100 from final food and beverage bills for every $1,000 spent for parties in December and January.
“This year we’re seeing people book with a little more confidence,” said Adam Sperling, general manager of Hotel Commonwealth in Kenmore Square. “I’ve had bookings in September, which is great for us. It’s still on sort of a downscaled mode, but not quite as cautious as it was in 2008.”
Bakers’ Best catering in Newton last year got late bookings and saw clients forgoing extravagant parties in hotels in favor of office parties with hors d’oeuvres. The catering company also did a lot of food drop-offs for companies who passed on hiring chefs and servers.
This year, though, Bakers’ Best is getting earlier bookings and already has closed out some days.
“We’ve seen a couple of recessions, and this one has lasted a little bit longer, but things seem to be on the uptick,” owner Michael Baker said. “It definitely seems like things are loosening up in the corporate world a bit. People are paying attention to what they’re ordering, but they’re a little freer about ordering higher-end food compared to last year.”
It’s party time, again.
After two years in which the Great Recession reined in holiday parties, companies are more spirited about their celebrations for the coming season.
Early bookings are on the rebound and, while companies remain cautious, they’ve loosened the purse strings and are less price-sensitive than in 2008 and 2009.
“This year it’s much more relaxed,” said Ron Leduc, chief operating officer of DePasquale Ventures, which hosts employee holiday parties at its Umbria Prime restaurant for financial companies, including Liberty Mutual, and law firms such as Ropes & Gray. “The economy is coming around a little bit, and we’re finding out that people are getting back into the way it was a couple of years ago.”
The financial collapse of Wall Street proved to be a party pooper for holiday celebrations in 2008. Companies scaled back their events - and in some cases even canceled them to show fiscal restraint and avoid appearances of extravagance.
Companies were in a better mood to celebrate last year, when holiday bookings picked up, even while a more economical and last-minute approach to parties prevailed.
Last year, Umbria managers had to come up with creative menus to accommodate shrinking budgets for customers that still wanted to host holiday gatherings, but didn’t have a ton of money to foot the bills. They cut back on courses, served hors d’oeuvres instead of meals and eliminated open bars. Holiday parties became more like holiday socials.
“They did want to do something, but they didn’t want to spend $55 to $85 per person for a four-course, sit-down meal,” Leduc said. “Last year, it was more, ‘Hey, appreciate that we’re having the party, and if you want to drink, it’s all on you.’ This year we’re not seeing that.”
And this year, companies are planning parties that celebrate their employees rather than their revenue, according to Catherine Chaulet, senior vice president of Best of Boston, an event planning firm.
“It’s not lavish, it’s conservative, but it’s definitely focused on employee recognition,” Chaulet said. “There’s a lot of effort to thank employees.”
Many venues, meanwhile, are saying thank-yous to companies, offering incentives if they reserve space for holiday parties early or just to entice business.
The Lyons Group-run Towne Stove and Spirits, Scampo and Sonsie are offering 10 percent off room rentals and 10 percent rebates in the form of gift cards for contracts signed before Oct. 8. And all Summer Shack locations are cutting $100 from final food and beverage bills for every $1,000 spent for parties in December and January.
“This year we’re seeing people book with a little more confidence,” said Adam Sperling, general manager of Hotel Commonwealth in Kenmore Square. “I’ve had bookings in September, which is great for us. It’s still on sort of a downscaled mode, but not quite as cautious as it was in 2008.”
Bakers’ Best catering in Newton last year got late bookings and saw clients forgoing extravagant parties in hotels in favor of office parties with hors d’oeuvres. The catering company also did a lot of food drop-offs for companies who passed on hiring chefs and servers.
This year, though, Bakers’ Best is getting earlier bookings and already has closed out some days.
“We’ve seen a couple of recessions, and this one has lasted a little bit longer, but things seem to be on the uptick,” owner Michael Baker said. “It definitely seems like things are loosening up in the corporate world a bit. People are paying attention to what they’re ordering, but they’re a little freer about ordering higher-end food compared to last year.”
http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view.bg?articleid=1284498
By Donna Goodison The Boston Harold
Monday, September 13, 2010
ONE IN EVERY NINE JOBS IN AMERICA DEPENDS ON TOURISM
ONE IN EVERY NINE JOBS IN AMERICA DEPENDS ON TOURISM
Travel and tourism is one of the largest private employers in the United States, ranking in the top 10 industries in 48 states and the District of Columbia in terms of employment. In 2009, 7.4 million American workers (including both full-time and seasonal/part-time positions) were directly employed in travel-related jobs. This accounted for 5.6 percent of total non-farm employment in the United States. But, the number of travel-related jobs created directly and indirectly by the spending of domestic and international travelers equaled 10.1 million. Given the total employment picture created by the industry (direct, indirect and induced), 1 out of every 9 jobs in the United States depends on travel and tourism. (U.S. Travel Association’s Travel and Tourism Works for America 2010-11)
Travel and tourism is one of the largest private employers in the United States, ranking in the top 10 industries in 48 states and the District of Columbia in terms of employment. In 2009, 7.4 million American workers (including both full-time and seasonal/part-time positions) were directly employed in travel-related jobs. This accounted for 5.6 percent of total non-farm employment in the United States. But, the number of travel-related jobs created directly and indirectly by the spending of domestic and international travelers equaled 10.1 million. Given the total employment picture created by the industry (direct, indirect and induced), 1 out of every 9 jobs in the United States depends on travel and tourism. (U.S. Travel Association’s Travel and Tourism Works for America 2010-11)
Monday, August 30, 2010
CSI etc welcomes new employee Rhonda MacKenzie
We are happy to announce our newest addition to the team Rhonda MacKenzie. Rhonda joins us from an illustrious career (21) years with GES Exposition Services and Concept Convention Services prior to that.Rhonda's career started with Concept Convention Services in the early 80s and continued on with GES Exposition services 21 years! As Operations
Coordinator and Exhibitor Services Coordinator she helps exhibitors get their services ordered and processed. In her career she has run a few serious Marshalling Yards for such shows as:WIRA,PPA, National Indian Gaming and the International Auto Show.
Welcome Rhonda we are sooo very excited to have you on the CSI team!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
CSI etc hires Kelly Wall
We have a new fabulous employee at CSI etc please welcome Kelly Wall.Kelly was previously with Concept Convention Services in the 90s where he learned the business from the ground up. Kelly comes to us now from GES he will be our Head Foreman here at CSI etc... Kelly has had the honor to work on such shows as International Auto Show, NFL Experience, and the NBA All Star weekend in multiple cities.
Welcome Kelly Wall!!!
Monday, August 23, 2010
GROUP BUSINESS REBOUNDING
Hotels are reporting a rebound in business from group customers, a key segment that includes companies, associations, sports teams, religious groups, social organizations and the military. The U.S. Travel Association forecasts a 7 percent increase in meeting and convention spending this year, to $90.7 billion. That follows a 15 percent decline in 2009, when organizations canceled meetings, sent fewer employees to trade shows and insisted on bare-minimum amenities. Hotels and convention bureaus responded with aggressive deals and packages, such as providing free coffee breaks or discounts on audiovisual equipment. Groups are responding now, spurring an optimistic mood in the meeting planning and convention industry. (USA Today; Travel Advance, Aug. 17)
Friday, August 20, 2010
Tourism proposal gets cool reception
Tourism proposal gets cool reception
Arizona's hotel operators want families to take an end-of-summer vacation and, hopefully, fill their empty rooms.
Kristen Jarnigan, spokeswoman for the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association, said her industry is weighing legislation that would require public schools to start their academic year at the same time. The law would forbid schools from starting before Labor Day.
"It extends the holiday season," she said. "You get in that Labor Day weekend where everyone does that one last hurrah getaway that pumps millions of dollars of tax revenues into the budget in tourism tax dollars."
It also would fill empty rooms and the cash registers of resorts, hotels and motels.
But the idea is getting a decidedly icy reception on various fronts.
Lucy Messing, president of the Tucson Education Association, said Arizona schools used to start after Labor Day. But she said that was "based on the fields and people returning from vacation."
"But we're about education," she said. "We certainly should not be run by the hotel lobby."
Messing said the current calendar, put together by a committee of school administrators, educators and parents, seems to best suit the needs of those involved.
That's also the assessment of Filbert Barrera. He is the president of the Parent Teacher Organization for the Marshall Elementary School in Tucson.
"Changing the school year would have to be based on an education benefit, rather than spending money and planning on trips," he said, adding he opposes pushing change to accommodate tourism.
Tom Horne, the state school superintendent, also said the idea makes no sense.
Jarnigan, however, said there are lots of good reasons to consider adjusting the school year.
She said there is evidence that August, when most schools start up now, is at least marginally hotter than June. She cited figures showing the average high in August at 102.4 degrees, versus just 102 degrees for June.
Cooler temperatures, even by a fraction of a degree, means lower utility costs, she said.
But Jarnigan said the proposal doesn't necessarily mean extending the school year into the entire month of June. She said districts could get in the required 180 days of education by omitting week-long breaks many now have in the fall.
One complicating factor is some schools run on a year-round calendar, based at least in part on the educational theory that students lose too much ground when they've got too much time between classes.
"They would also need to be included in the discussion," Jarnigan said, before the Legislature mandates a universal start date.
But Messing said much more is involved.
She said one reason for the current calendar is they run parallel to the academic year at state universities. Messing said that makes it easier for teachers who also are taking courses to coordinate their schedules.
Horne said the push by Jarnigan's group is based on the presumption that Arizonans vacation within the state and would spend their cash at Arizona hotels, something he said should not be taken for granted.
Even if that were the case, he said, there are all sorts of problems with what is being proposed. And he said his experience comes not from his current job but his 24 years as a member of the school board of the Paradise Valley Unified School District.
He pointed out, as did Messing, that the calendars in most districts generally are the product of a committee, with the final result generally ratified by the school board. And, in each district, Horne explained, the views, needs and concerns of all involved become the basis for when the school year starts and ends.
Having a uniform, state-mandated start date, he said, overrules any local control. What it also would do, Horne said, is provoke anger.
"You learn from bitter experience not to mess with the calendar committee," he said.
"One year we changed it," Horne recalled of his board. "And we got so much hostility for that, that we learned never to change that again.
"Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/business/abg/articles/2010/08/19/20100819abg-tourism0819.html#ixzz0xAmCSbQD
Arizona's hotel operators want families to take an end-of-summer vacation and, hopefully, fill their empty rooms.
Kristen Jarnigan, spokeswoman for the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association, said her industry is weighing legislation that would require public schools to start their academic year at the same time. The law would forbid schools from starting before Labor Day.
"It extends the holiday season," she said. "You get in that Labor Day weekend where everyone does that one last hurrah getaway that pumps millions of dollars of tax revenues into the budget in tourism tax dollars."
It also would fill empty rooms and the cash registers of resorts, hotels and motels.
But the idea is getting a decidedly icy reception on various fronts.
Lucy Messing, president of the Tucson Education Association, said Arizona schools used to start after Labor Day. But she said that was "based on the fields and people returning from vacation."
"But we're about education," she said. "We certainly should not be run by the hotel lobby."
Messing said the current calendar, put together by a committee of school administrators, educators and parents, seems to best suit the needs of those involved.
That's also the assessment of Filbert Barrera. He is the president of the Parent Teacher Organization for the Marshall Elementary School in Tucson.
"Changing the school year would have to be based on an education benefit, rather than spending money and planning on trips," he said, adding he opposes pushing change to accommodate tourism.
Tom Horne, the state school superintendent, also said the idea makes no sense.
Jarnigan, however, said there are lots of good reasons to consider adjusting the school year.
She said there is evidence that August, when most schools start up now, is at least marginally hotter than June. She cited figures showing the average high in August at 102.4 degrees, versus just 102 degrees for June.
Cooler temperatures, even by a fraction of a degree, means lower utility costs, she said.
But Jarnigan said the proposal doesn't necessarily mean extending the school year into the entire month of June. She said districts could get in the required 180 days of education by omitting week-long breaks many now have in the fall.
One complicating factor is some schools run on a year-round calendar, based at least in part on the educational theory that students lose too much ground when they've got too much time between classes.
"They would also need to be included in the discussion," Jarnigan said, before the Legislature mandates a universal start date.
But Messing said much more is involved.
She said one reason for the current calendar is they run parallel to the academic year at state universities. Messing said that makes it easier for teachers who also are taking courses to coordinate their schedules.
Horne said the push by Jarnigan's group is based on the presumption that Arizonans vacation within the state and would spend their cash at Arizona hotels, something he said should not be taken for granted.
Even if that were the case, he said, there are all sorts of problems with what is being proposed. And he said his experience comes not from his current job but his 24 years as a member of the school board of the Paradise Valley Unified School District.
He pointed out, as did Messing, that the calendars in most districts generally are the product of a committee, with the final result generally ratified by the school board. And, in each district, Horne explained, the views, needs and concerns of all involved become the basis for when the school year starts and ends.
Having a uniform, state-mandated start date, he said, overrules any local control. What it also would do, Horne said, is provoke anger.
"You learn from bitter experience not to mess with the calendar committee," he said.
"One year we changed it," Horne recalled of his board. "And we got so much hostility for that, that we learned never to change that again.
"Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/business/abg/articles/2010/08/19/20100819abg-tourism0819.html#ixzz0xAmCSbQD
San Diego sees the steepest hotel rate declines in the nation
HEY THATS A FIRST IT WASN'T PHOENIX!!!
As reported by AH&LA
San Diego takes the No.1 spot in the nation for the steepest declines in hotel rates, according to a report from Hotwire.com. The declines come as the city sees reductions in business and group travel. Richmond, Va., came in second, with a 6% decline in rates, followed by Omaha, Neb., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Las Vegas. Anchorage, Alaska, took the top spot for rate increases, with a 40% increase compared with last year.
As reported by AH&LA
San Diego takes the No.1 spot in the nation for the steepest declines in hotel rates, according to a report from Hotwire.com. The declines come as the city sees reductions in business and group travel. Richmond, Va., came in second, with a 6% decline in rates, followed by Omaha, Neb., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Las Vegas. Anchorage, Alaska, took the top spot for rate increases, with a 40% increase compared with last year.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Prabhu: Multihotel deals are on the horizon; business travel is strong
Multihotel deals will resume when the credit markets start to loosen and the global economy is in full recovery mode, says Starwood Hotels & Resorts Chief Financial Officer Vasant Prabhu at the New York Stock Exchange, where he and other Starwood executives rang the closing bell Wednesday. Starwood's long-term plan is to sell its real estate assets and focus on management. Prabhu says the company is not in a rush to sell its assets and sales will occur if they deliver "good values on long-term basis." Meanwhile, business has been very good for the firm because corporate travel has been on the upswing, he says.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
CSI etc is happy to announce our newest arrival.... no not another Mascot but Ms Diana Rocha!!!
Having graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Tourism Development and Management and a certification in Convention Sales and Meeting Planning, Diana Rocha now launches her career as the new Administrative Receptionist at CSI, etc. Diana started organizing yard sales and birthday parties at the age of 5. Just jesting! Although she was no child prodigy, she did serve as Vice President for the MPI Student Club at Arizona State University from 2008 to 2009. She received industry awards such as the 2009 James Fausel Student of the Year award, and had the opportunity to intern with the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as well as the Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau. During her intern years, Diana assisted her team with the chamber’s Black and White Ball, and the cvb’s first green publication. Web design, culture, sports and events, sustainability, family, and spoken words are among her interests. Diana aspires to become a successful Hispanic Entrepreneur, a great Chef, and a philanthropist. The one valuable thing about her is that she does not see you as a business prospect or client, rather a member of the family.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Meeting market picks up steam
By Roger Yu, USA TODAY
Americans are meeting again on the road.
Hotels are reporting a rebound in business from group customers, a key segment that includes companies, associations, sports teams, religious groups, social organizations and the military.
The U.S. Travel Association forecasts a 7% increase in meeting and convention spending this year, to $90.7 billion. That follows a 15% decline in 2009, when organizations canceled meetings, sent fewer employees to trade shows and insisted on bare-minimum amenities.
Hotels and convention bureaus responded with aggressive deals and packages, such as providing free coffee breaks or discounts on audiovisual equipment. Groups are responding now, spurring an optimistic mood in the meeting planning and convention industry.
"It's been crazy, great crazy," says Andrea Strauss, owner of the meeting planning firm Classic Conferences. "It's coming back quick and strong."
In a June survey of members by Meeting Professionals International, which represents meeting planners, 61% responded that they're seeing more favorable business conditions, including attendance, budgets and number of meetings. In August last year, only 15% responded the same way. Others reporting a rebound:
•InterContinental Hotels Group says its group and corporate business rose 10% in the first half of this year vs. 2009.
•Eight New York City hotels run by Denihan Hospitality Group, including Affinia Manhattan and The Benjamin, are reporting a 26% increase in revenue from a year ago from group customers.
•JW Marriott in Grand Rapids, Mich., has sold 1,500 more group nights this year, a 20% increase from 2009, resulting from a resurgence in meeting bookings tied to the city's medical industry, says George Aquino, hotel general manager.
•Revenue from group customers is 30% higher so far this year than a year ago at Harbor Beach Marriott in Fort Lauderdale. While corporate business is still trailing last year, associations and other groups are booking more meetings and rooms, says Jay Marsella, the hotel's sales director.
Still, it remains a buyer's market. At JW Marriott Grand Rapids, group room rates are down about 5%, while Harbor Beach Marriott's rates are flat from a year ago.
"The message we're told is, 'Continue to be aggressive.' Everyone's felt the turmoil of 2009. We don't want that to happen again," Aquino says
Americans are meeting again on the road.
Hotels are reporting a rebound in business from group customers, a key segment that includes companies, associations, sports teams, religious groups, social organizations and the military.
The U.S. Travel Association forecasts a 7% increase in meeting and convention spending this year, to $90.7 billion. That follows a 15% decline in 2009, when organizations canceled meetings, sent fewer employees to trade shows and insisted on bare-minimum amenities.
Hotels and convention bureaus responded with aggressive deals and packages, such as providing free coffee breaks or discounts on audiovisual equipment. Groups are responding now, spurring an optimistic mood in the meeting planning and convention industry.
"It's been crazy, great crazy," says Andrea Strauss, owner of the meeting planning firm Classic Conferences. "It's coming back quick and strong."
In a June survey of members by Meeting Professionals International, which represents meeting planners, 61% responded that they're seeing more favorable business conditions, including attendance, budgets and number of meetings. In August last year, only 15% responded the same way. Others reporting a rebound:
•InterContinental Hotels Group says its group and corporate business rose 10% in the first half of this year vs. 2009.
•Eight New York City hotels run by Denihan Hospitality Group, including Affinia Manhattan and The Benjamin, are reporting a 26% increase in revenue from a year ago from group customers.
•JW Marriott in Grand Rapids, Mich., has sold 1,500 more group nights this year, a 20% increase from 2009, resulting from a resurgence in meeting bookings tied to the city's medical industry, says George Aquino, hotel general manager.
•Revenue from group customers is 30% higher so far this year than a year ago at Harbor Beach Marriott in Fort Lauderdale. While corporate business is still trailing last year, associations and other groups are booking more meetings and rooms, says Jay Marsella, the hotel's sales director.
Still, it remains a buyer's market. At JW Marriott Grand Rapids, group room rates are down about 5%, while Harbor Beach Marriott's rates are flat from a year ago.
"The message we're told is, 'Continue to be aggressive.' Everyone's felt the turmoil of 2009. We don't want that to happen again," Aquino says
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Arizona hotels consider push for bill requiring schools to start after Labor Day
Arizona hotel operators want families to take an end-of-summer vacation - and, hopefully, fill their empty rooms.
Kristen Jarnigan, spokeswoman for the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association, said her industry is weighing legislation that would require all public schools to start their academic year at the same time. More to the point, the law would forbid schools from starting back up before Labor Day.
"It extends the holiday season," she said. "You get in that Labor Day weekend where everyone does that one last hurrah getaway that pumps millions of dollars of tax revenues into the budget in tourism tax dollars."More to the point for her industry, it also would fill empty rooms and the cash registers of resorts, hotels and motels.
But the idea is getting a decidedly icy reception on various fronts.Lucy Messing, president of the Tucson Education Association, said Arizona schools used to start after Labor Day. That was "based on the fields and people returning from vacation."
"But we're about education," she said. "We certainly should not be run by the hotel lobby."
Messing said the current calendar, put together by a committee of school administrators, educators and parents, seems to best suit the needs of those involved.
That's the case in the Mesa Unified School District as well. Mesa, where classes resume Wednesday, just recently completed its calendar process and now has calendars scheduled out through May 2013.
District spokeswoman Kathy Bareiss said a calendar option that would start classes after Labor Day was considered, but was not as popular among parents as the calendar with an earlier start date and a one-week break in October. Bareiss said that, in theory, a statewide uniform start date might sound like a great idea because it can be difficult for families when they have students in multiple schools with different start dates, or when teachers with children live in one district but work in another district that starts on a different day.
"However, this is a very personal issue to parents, and in every district, every family is going to feel differently about the calendar," she said, adding that's why the decision about calendars is best made at the local level by districts and school boards.
Even Tom Horne, the state superintendent of public instruction, said the idea makes no sense.
Jarnigan, however, said there are lots of good reasons to consider adjusting the school year.
She said there is evidence that August, when most schools start up now, is at least marginally hotter than June. She cited figures showing the average high in August at 102.4 degrees, versus just 102 degrees for June.
But Jarnigan said the proposal doesn't mean extending the school year into the entire month of June. She said districts could get in the required number of days by omitting breaks some have now in the fall. One complicating factor is some schools - like Chandler and Queen Creek unified school districts and a number of charter schools - run on a year-round calendar, based at least in part on the educational theory that students lose too much ground when they've got too much time between classes.
"They would also need to be included in the discussion," Jarnigan said, before the Legislature mandates a universal start date. Terry Locke, spokesman for the Chandler district, said the calendar proposed by the hotel association would be very unpopular in Chandler, where the current modified year-round calendar has a 93 percent approval rating from parents.
He said the year-round schedule has attracted families and quality teachers to Chandler schools, and has proven successful in helping kids to retain what they learn.
Horne said having a uniform, state-mandated start date would overrule such local control. What it also would do, Horne said, is provoke anger.
"You learn from bitter experience not to mess with the calendar committee," said Horne, who served on the Paradise Valley Unified School District governing board for 24 years.
"One year we changed it," Horne recalled of his board. "And we got so much hostility for that, that we learned never to change that again."
Tribune news editor CeCe Todd contributed to this report.
Kristen Jarnigan, spokeswoman for the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association, said her industry is weighing legislation that would require all public schools to start their academic year at the same time. More to the point, the law would forbid schools from starting back up before Labor Day.
"It extends the holiday season," she said. "You get in that Labor Day weekend where everyone does that one last hurrah getaway that pumps millions of dollars of tax revenues into the budget in tourism tax dollars."More to the point for her industry, it also would fill empty rooms and the cash registers of resorts, hotels and motels.
But the idea is getting a decidedly icy reception on various fronts.Lucy Messing, president of the Tucson Education Association, said Arizona schools used to start after Labor Day. That was "based on the fields and people returning from vacation."
"But we're about education," she said. "We certainly should not be run by the hotel lobby."
Messing said the current calendar, put together by a committee of school administrators, educators and parents, seems to best suit the needs of those involved.
That's the case in the Mesa Unified School District as well. Mesa, where classes resume Wednesday, just recently completed its calendar process and now has calendars scheduled out through May 2013.
District spokeswoman Kathy Bareiss said a calendar option that would start classes after Labor Day was considered, but was not as popular among parents as the calendar with an earlier start date and a one-week break in October. Bareiss said that, in theory, a statewide uniform start date might sound like a great idea because it can be difficult for families when they have students in multiple schools with different start dates, or when teachers with children live in one district but work in another district that starts on a different day.
"However, this is a very personal issue to parents, and in every district, every family is going to feel differently about the calendar," she said, adding that's why the decision about calendars is best made at the local level by districts and school boards.
Even Tom Horne, the state superintendent of public instruction, said the idea makes no sense.
Jarnigan, however, said there are lots of good reasons to consider adjusting the school year.
She said there is evidence that August, when most schools start up now, is at least marginally hotter than June. She cited figures showing the average high in August at 102.4 degrees, versus just 102 degrees for June.
But Jarnigan said the proposal doesn't mean extending the school year into the entire month of June. She said districts could get in the required number of days by omitting breaks some have now in the fall. One complicating factor is some schools - like Chandler and Queen Creek unified school districts and a number of charter schools - run on a year-round calendar, based at least in part on the educational theory that students lose too much ground when they've got too much time between classes.
"They would also need to be included in the discussion," Jarnigan said, before the Legislature mandates a universal start date. Terry Locke, spokesman for the Chandler district, said the calendar proposed by the hotel association would be very unpopular in Chandler, where the current modified year-round calendar has a 93 percent approval rating from parents.
He said the year-round schedule has attracted families and quality teachers to Chandler schools, and has proven successful in helping kids to retain what they learn.
Horne said having a uniform, state-mandated start date would overrule such local control. What it also would do, Horne said, is provoke anger.
"You learn from bitter experience not to mess with the calendar committee," said Horne, who served on the Paradise Valley Unified School District governing board for 24 years.
"One year we changed it," Horne recalled of his board. "And we got so much hostility for that, that we learned never to change that again."
Tribune news editor CeCe Todd contributed to this report.
TRAVEL EXECUTIVES WORRY ABOUT FRAGILE ECONOMIC RECOVERY
By TERRY MAXON / The Dallas Morning News tmaxon@dallasnews.com
HOUSTON – The travel industry took a tremendous hit in 2008 and 2009 as the Great Recession took hold in the United States, Europe and elsewhere and kept travelers at home.
While airlines, hotels and other providers have since recovered much of the lost business, travel executives worried Monday that the recovery could hit some bumps and sink into a second recession.
"We have to be very cautious about a potential double dip for regions around the world that show some softening," said Gordon Wilson, president and chief executive of the Travelport global distribution system. "Nobody can be complacent at this point."
Carlson Wagonlit Travel president and CEO Doug Anderson said the U.S. economy grew in the first half of 2010, but the rate of growth slowed from late 2009.
"The biggest risk is that we slip back into something like what we've come out of, maybe something not as severe," said Anderson, speaking on a CEO panel at the annual National Business Travel Association meeting in downtown Houston.
Southwest Airlines Co. chairman and CEO Gary Kelly said energy prices and their volatility could sidetrack the airline industry's recent profitability. Extremely high oil prices, particularly at the July 2008 peak of $147 a barrel, can wreck any carrier's finances.
"At $147 crude oil in 2008, no airline made money on any ticket it sold. At least in recessions, one can adjust the capacity," Kelly said.
In addition, he said, "we're concerned about the lack of an energy policy. The BP oil spill in the gulf doesn't help that. In fact, I think it sets us backwards."
All that worrying didn't obscure the fact that the executives were pretty upbeat about the state of their companies, at least at present. Frits van Paasschen, president and CEO of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. called himself "cautiously optimistic."
The recovery has been stronger than expected, and occupancies are growing in New York, Europe and other places, but "the economic picture looking out further is a little less certain," he said. "We don't have great visibility."
Anderson said that companies "are cautious. They're getting back into spending. They're getting back to growing and developing their business."
The U.S. decline started much earlier but was more gradual than in Europe, Anderson said.
"Europe was much more sudden," he said. "It'll probably take a couple of quarters to work its way through."
HOUSTON – The travel industry took a tremendous hit in 2008 and 2009 as the Great Recession took hold in the United States, Europe and elsewhere and kept travelers at home.
While airlines, hotels and other providers have since recovered much of the lost business, travel executives worried Monday that the recovery could hit some bumps and sink into a second recession.
"We have to be very cautious about a potential double dip for regions around the world that show some softening," said Gordon Wilson, president and chief executive of the Travelport global distribution system. "Nobody can be complacent at this point."
Carlson Wagonlit Travel president and CEO Doug Anderson said the U.S. economy grew in the first half of 2010, but the rate of growth slowed from late 2009.
"The biggest risk is that we slip back into something like what we've come out of, maybe something not as severe," said Anderson, speaking on a CEO panel at the annual National Business Travel Association meeting in downtown Houston.
Southwest Airlines Co. chairman and CEO Gary Kelly said energy prices and their volatility could sidetrack the airline industry's recent profitability. Extremely high oil prices, particularly at the July 2008 peak of $147 a barrel, can wreck any carrier's finances.
"At $147 crude oil in 2008, no airline made money on any ticket it sold. At least in recessions, one can adjust the capacity," Kelly said.
In addition, he said, "we're concerned about the lack of an energy policy. The BP oil spill in the gulf doesn't help that. In fact, I think it sets us backwards."
All that worrying didn't obscure the fact that the executives were pretty upbeat about the state of their companies, at least at present. Frits van Paasschen, president and CEO of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. called himself "cautiously optimistic."
The recovery has been stronger than expected, and occupancies are growing in New York, Europe and other places, but "the economic picture looking out further is a little less certain," he said. "We don't have great visibility."
Anderson said that companies "are cautious. They're getting back into spending. They're getting back to growing and developing their business."
The U.S. decline started much earlier but was more gradual than in Europe, Anderson said.
"Europe was much more sudden," he said. "It'll probably take a couple of quarters to work its way through."
Monday, August 9, 2010
A Second Chance ???
"There are no second chances to make a first impression."
Even though none of us remember exactly who said this for the first time, it's still good advice when it comes to trade show "booth etiquette".
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, remember that food and drink (of any kind) have no place in your booth, your cozy little "home away from home for a few days". And do I really need to say it? cell phones/blackberrys should be in the off position. And even if your feet are hurting (why on earth did you where those tribal stilettos/new loafers?) you should never be sitting. Or, for that matter, standing with your back to the aisle. That man with the funny little hat that just passed you by was your new best customer on his way elsewhere.
So straighten up your booth, pop in a breath mint (not that wad of gum in your pocket) and stop channeling Sean Penn before you miss your next golden opportunity to make a new friend. And remember to open with an engaging question (not the standard we've-heard-it-a-million-times-before: "can I help you, sir? ") Begin the sentence with a who/what/where/how. . . "how familiar are you, with our product?" Be prepared, like a good scout. This is your merit badge supreme, your time to shine.
Look for success, it's there, you're ready, and you are about to find it.
Even though none of us remember exactly who said this for the first time, it's still good advice when it comes to trade show "booth etiquette".
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, remember that food and drink (of any kind) have no place in your booth, your cozy little "home away from home for a few days". And do I really need to say it? cell phones/blackberrys should be in the off position. And even if your feet are hurting (why on earth did you where those tribal stilettos/new loafers?) you should never be sitting. Or, for that matter, standing with your back to the aisle. That man with the funny little hat that just passed you by was your new best customer on his way elsewhere.
So straighten up your booth, pop in a breath mint (not that wad of gum in your pocket) and stop channeling Sean Penn before you miss your next golden opportunity to make a new friend. And remember to open with an engaging question (not the standard we've-heard-it-a-million-times-before: "can I help you, sir? ") Begin the sentence with a who/what/where/how. . . "how familiar are you, with our product?" Be prepared, like a good scout. This is your merit badge supreme, your time to shine.
Look for success, it's there, you're ready, and you are about to find it.
SB 1070
Another one bits the dust! yet another cancellation for a large 2011 February show in Az when will this craziness end?
STATE LEGISLATURE CANDIDATES SUPPORTING ARIZONA TOURISM
Over the last few months, the Arizona Tourism Alliance has conducted state legislature candidate interviews in order to find out if candidates are inclined towards support of the tourism industry. Support of tourism was determined based upon responses to the following: Do they have general understanding of the tourism industry and its contribution to the states economy, jobs and employment, and contribution to tax revenue? Would they be supportive of restoring formula funding to the Arizona Office of Tourism? Would they support Prop 302 funds being returned in full to their intended use, to promote tourism in Maricopa County? Would they support re-enacting the “Media Production Jobs Act,” also known as the Motion Picture Tax Credit? Click here for the complete list of candidates who were interviewed and have shown support for the tourism industry. (ATA Update, August 2010)
Over the last few months, the Arizona Tourism Alliance has conducted state legislature candidate interviews in order to find out if candidates are inclined towards support of the tourism industry. Support of tourism was determined based upon responses to the following: Do they have general understanding of the tourism industry and its contribution to the states economy, jobs and employment, and contribution to tax revenue? Would they be supportive of restoring formula funding to the Arizona Office of Tourism? Would they support Prop 302 funds being returned in full to their intended use, to promote tourism in Maricopa County? Would they support re-enacting the “Media Production Jobs Act,” also known as the Motion Picture Tax Credit? Click here for the complete list of candidates who were interviewed and have shown support for the tourism industry. (ATA Update, August 2010)
Friday, August 6, 2010
Legendary Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa Joins Destination Hotels & Resorts Collection
Legendary Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa Joins Destination Hotels & Resorts CollectionDestination Adds Third Phoenix Property to its Portfolio
Charlie Peck, president and chief operating officer for Destination Hotels & Resorts, recently announced that the Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa in Phoenix joined the company’s exceptional portfolio of properties. Destination is working closely with new owners JDM Partners, LLC to make significant improvements to the property. As previously reported, Destination was hired as the interim management company for the Wigwam in 2009 between owners.
“It’s our goal to turn these short term management opportunities into long-term relationships,” said Peck. “We were happy that JDM Partners, LLC, was pleased with the work we did for the Wigwam as an interim management company and saw the potential we had for managing the property into the future.”
Destination has had a presence in the Phoenix area for more than 30 years managing the award-winning Royal Palms Resort and Spa, as well as the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel and Conference Center. Destination has tapped a number of long-time Phoenix area hoteliers to lead the property with Greg Miller as the vice president; Miller oversaw operations at Royal Palms for more than a decade including the property’s successful restoration. Charles Naberhaus returns to Phoenix as the hotel’s managing director; he held the same title at Pointe South Mountain Resort for seven years. And, Director of Sales & Marketing Frank Ashmore joins the Wigwam team after a recent assignment in Italy and 15 years in the valley at The Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix and Montelucia.
The AAA Four Diamond-rated Wigwam joins Destination as the property celebrates its 80th anniversary as one of Phoenix’s first iconic resorts. The Wigwam features 331 rooms and 72 suites on more than 440 acres of lush green grass with winding walkways lined with vibrant floral landscaping. The authentic Arizona resort offers amenities such as the AAA Four Diamond-rated Red’s Steakhouse, a Signature Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa and the regions only 54 holes of on-site resort championship golf.
Rich in golf traditions and legacies, the Wigwam’s three golf courses are recognized internationally as top golf experiences in the Southwest. The first 18 holes were created by then golf pro V.O. “Red” Allen in 1935 who was later inducted into the Arizona PGA Golf Hall of Fame. In 1964, Allen later worked closely with Robert Trent Jones, Sr. to expand the golf experience with newly designed courses featuring expansive, lush green fairways, cascading canals, streams, spectacular views and landing strip tee boxes the iconic Jones was known for.
With a rich history that dates back to the early 1900s, the Wigwam resort is one of the last standing developments of Arizona’s early cotton ranch development. Built in 1918 as a guest ranch retreat for Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company executives visiting area ranchers, the original accommodations featured guest rooms for just six people and upon check-in guests received a horse with their room key. As the noted retreat expanded, amenities were added and the grounds were polished with trees and shrubs and popularity amongst guests ballooned with several returning to the resort with their families for winter vacations. On Thanksgiving Day 1929, the Resort opened its doors as a guest ranch fit for up to 24 guests and just one year later the legacy of golf was born at the Wigwam with the addition of a nine-hole golf course.
For more information on the Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa, please visit http://www.wigwamresort.com/.
Charlie Peck, president and chief operating officer for Destination Hotels & Resorts, recently announced that the Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa in Phoenix joined the company’s exceptional portfolio of properties. Destination is working closely with new owners JDM Partners, LLC to make significant improvements to the property. As previously reported, Destination was hired as the interim management company for the Wigwam in 2009 between owners.
“It’s our goal to turn these short term management opportunities into long-term relationships,” said Peck. “We were happy that JDM Partners, LLC, was pleased with the work we did for the Wigwam as an interim management company and saw the potential we had for managing the property into the future.”
Destination has had a presence in the Phoenix area for more than 30 years managing the award-winning Royal Palms Resort and Spa, as well as the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel and Conference Center. Destination has tapped a number of long-time Phoenix area hoteliers to lead the property with Greg Miller as the vice president; Miller oversaw operations at Royal Palms for more than a decade including the property’s successful restoration. Charles Naberhaus returns to Phoenix as the hotel’s managing director; he held the same title at Pointe South Mountain Resort for seven years. And, Director of Sales & Marketing Frank Ashmore joins the Wigwam team after a recent assignment in Italy and 15 years in the valley at The Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix and Montelucia.
The AAA Four Diamond-rated Wigwam joins Destination as the property celebrates its 80th anniversary as one of Phoenix’s first iconic resorts. The Wigwam features 331 rooms and 72 suites on more than 440 acres of lush green grass with winding walkways lined with vibrant floral landscaping. The authentic Arizona resort offers amenities such as the AAA Four Diamond-rated Red’s Steakhouse, a Signature Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa and the regions only 54 holes of on-site resort championship golf.
Rich in golf traditions and legacies, the Wigwam’s three golf courses are recognized internationally as top golf experiences in the Southwest. The first 18 holes were created by then golf pro V.O. “Red” Allen in 1935 who was later inducted into the Arizona PGA Golf Hall of Fame. In 1964, Allen later worked closely with Robert Trent Jones, Sr. to expand the golf experience with newly designed courses featuring expansive, lush green fairways, cascading canals, streams, spectacular views and landing strip tee boxes the iconic Jones was known for.
With a rich history that dates back to the early 1900s, the Wigwam resort is one of the last standing developments of Arizona’s early cotton ranch development. Built in 1918 as a guest ranch retreat for Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company executives visiting area ranchers, the original accommodations featured guest rooms for just six people and upon check-in guests received a horse with their room key. As the noted retreat expanded, amenities were added and the grounds were polished with trees and shrubs and popularity amongst guests ballooned with several returning to the resort with their families for winter vacations. On Thanksgiving Day 1929, the Resort opened its doors as a guest ranch fit for up to 24 guests and just one year later the legacy of golf was born at the Wigwam with the addition of a nine-hole golf course.
For more information on the Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa, please visit http://www.wigwamresort.com/.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
A Blogger and a Reader
A company blog is an opportune place to let down your hair and get to know your customers. Think of it as a conversation between people, not between a brand and one person. In order to have a conversation, you need two people -- a blogger and a reader.
So readers drop me a note give me some ammo?
So readers drop me a note give me some ammo?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
