Karisma Hotels & Resorts has launched Allure Hotels by Karisma and will convert two boutique hotels in Colombia to a new brand.
Allure Bonbon, formerly the Arsenal Hotel, and Allure Chocolat, formerly the Arsenal Hotel Boutique, are officially open, according to a news release. Both properties are owned by the Char Muvdi family, Colombian-based real estate developers, and managed by Karisma Hotels & Resorts.
The hotels are the first for Karisma in South America. The company plans to open five Allure Hotels in Latin America over the next five years, as well as new beach properties in the Caribbean and Europe. Karisma has grown its portfolio from 10 to 15 properties during the past year.
A year-over-year shift of Thanksgiving’s date this year caused a flux in weekly results for the weeks of 17-23 November and 24-30 November, according to STR, parent company of Hotel News Now.
This year Thanksgiving fell on 28 November, which was the 48th week of the year. Last year, the holiday fell on 22 November, the 47th week of the year.
During the week of 24-30 November, the U.S. hotel industry’s occupancy was down 9.9% to 47%; average daily rate decreased 5.5% to $97.36; and revenue per available room decreased 14.8% to $45.73. Among the chain-scale segments, the economy segment reported the only occupancy increase, rising 0.9% to 45.8%.
Inclusive meeting packages must become more customizable to fulfill the needs and perspectives of today’s meeting customers, according to a survey of executives at 26 conference facilities by PHG Research, a division of Pompan Hospitality Global.
Dedicated conference facilities plan to continue offering packages that include several meeting-related elements in order to simplify the planning process for clients and to deliver maximum value. But research shows that the managers who operate these properties see the need to be more flexible and creative in crafting those packages, responding to customer desires.
Almost half of responding properties reported the complete meeting package represents less than 10% of the packages they sell.
Travel industry-related exports rose four times faster than other exports in 2013, according to the U.S. Travel Association, citing data released by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Up for the seventh time in the past 10 months, travel exports rose to $15.2 billion in October 2013, up 10% from October of last year.
“The October rise in travel exports continues a watershed year for international travel spending in the United States,” said David Huether, senior VP of research and economics at the U.S. Travel Association. “Through the first 10 months of this year, travel exports have surged 9.1% compared to same period in 2012.”
Ratings agency Moody's has raised its outlook for Spain's economy from "negative" to "stable," according to the BBC.
Moody's said there had been a real improvement in the economy and government finances.
Last week, the Standard and Poor's ratings firms also raised its outlook for Spain on signs of economic improvement.
Despite Portugal and Spain seemingly squeezed by recession, their hotel industries remain upbeat, as sources told HNN that growth will derive from asset repositioning and increased demand from sun-starved northern Europeans.
Compiled by Jason Q. Freed.