| October 13, 2009 | News for hotel and lodging professionals |
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- Disney resort starts to take shape in Hawaii
Work is moving ahead on a new Disney Resort in Hawaii, offering residents a visual confirmation of Disney's commitment to the project, despite Hawaii's struggling tourism industry. The first phase of the $800 million project is expected to be complete by late 2011, and the resort will eventually employ about 1,000 workers. The Honolulu Advertiser
(10/11)      
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- Whitbread earnings for first half exceed expectations
An increase in sales at its Costa Coffee chain helped British hotel operator Whitbread exceed analysts' expectations in its first-half profit. The company, which operates the Premier Inn budget hotel chain, saw its net income for the 26 weeks ending Aug. 27 increase 81% to $116 million compared with the same period a year earlier. Bloomberg
(10/13)
- Starwood strategy brings social media into loyalty program
With statistics showing that 50% of its loyalty members are active social-media users, Starwood Preferred Guest is launching a social-media strategy that will make use of Twitter and Facebook. Members will be able to use any Twitter application they want to share tips on restaurants, bars and entertainment, and the tip will then be uploaded to a map showing the latitude and longitude from which the tip was sent. USA TODAY/Hotel Check-In blog
(10/12)
- Sky bridge that would link Atlanta Marriott, Hyatt moves ahead
Plans for a pedestrian sky bridge crossing Atlanta's Peachtree Center Avenue to link two of the city's massive hotels is finally moving ahead. Plans for the bridge, which would link the 1,318-room Hyatt Regency Atlanta and the 1,757-room Atlanta Marriott Marquis, originated in 1995, and with the opening of a $5.5 million pedestrian sky bridge between the Atlanta Hilton Hotel and the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, the plans are gaining steam again. American City Business Journals/Atlanta
(10/9)
| Market Trends | | |
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- In booking sites, there's more to life than Expedia
There are plenty of hotel-booking players beyond major names such as Expedia or Priceline. Among the lesser-known sites are Jetsetter.com, a members-only site specializing in luxury travel; LuxuryLink.com, also for luxury travel; and the Sherman Meter, which tabulates hotel reviews from around the world to produce a score for things such as the best balcony view in Copenhagen or best spa in Barbados. ABC News/The Associated Press
(10/12)
- 100 best European hotel bargains for less than $150 a night
Using reader comments on their favorite hotels, The New York Times selects 100 hotels in 14 European cities that offer great bargains for less than $150 a night. The prices are for a double room for a weekend in October or November and are based on rates found on the hotels' Web sites or travel sites such as Expedia. NYTimes.com
(10/11)
| Best Practices | | |
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- A single simple idea can be a big deal for a small business
The surprising success of a user-generated Web site called ICanHasCheezburger.com demonstrates how simple a good idea can be, writes branding expert Lisa Barone of Outspoken Media. The site, which lets users post silly cat photos, has generated a billion page views in two years and inspired a best-selling book. "I think a lot of small-business owners forget to be simple," writes Barone. "They think that in order to compete with the guy down the street that they have to be bigger and more impressive." Small Business Trends
(10/6)
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- Harrah's to build casino-hotel in Slovakia
Harrah's Entertainment has announced plans to build a $2.22 billion resort-casino near the city of Bratislava, in Slovakia. The project, known as Metropolis, is being built in partnership with Hungary's TriGranit, and it will feature a five-star hotel, casino, shopping mall and entertainment park. Reuters
(10/13)
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