Cathay Pacific acquires LCC rival, creative hotels killing it online, why hotel bathroom design is a big deal and the boutique hotel sector is booming.

Cathay Pacific acquires LCC rival HK Express from HNA Group
Thursday, 28th March 2019

The flagship carrier announced on Wednesday that it has entered into a Share Purchase Agreement for the acquisition of 100 per cent of Hong Kong Express, the transaction is expected to be completed on – or before – the end of December, upon which the city’s only low-cost airline will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Cathay Pacific.

The flag carrier added that the transaction is expected to be good for public travel and the Cathay Group as Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Express’s respective business models are largely complementary >>

Marginal revenue growth expected for UK hotels in 2019
28 Mar 2019 : PwC's forecast for UK hotels in 2019 anticipates slower growth reflecting uncertainty, softer economic and demand trends, and the impact of high levels of new hotel room additions, particularly in London but also in other UK cities >>

Tokyo promotes itself as a luxury travel destination
28 Mar 2019 : Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau, on behalf of Tokyo Metropolitan Government, has launched the Timeless Tokyo website as a planning tool for luxury travel specialists outside of Japan, with the aim of increasing the allure of Tokyo as a luxury travel destination >>

Dusit continues Philippines expansion with new hotels
28 Mar 2019 : With two properties currently in operation (namely Dusit Thani Manila and The Beach Club at Lubi Plantation Island, Managed by Dusit), 12 signed and another seven in the pipeline, the Philippines promises to become Dusit's largest cluster country by 2021. This also puts Dusit on course to become one of the largest international hotel operators in the Philippines >>

HIGHLIGHT ARTICLE

Why Hotel Bathroom Design is a Big Deal
Thursday, 28th March 2019

A study on reviews written by hotel guest wanted to locate the pressure points – the key factors that cause guests to write the kind of reviews they do and not surprisingly, comfort came first. Service also had an important influence on the tone and content of a review, while location was less of a factor.

One of the many other interesting finds from this study is the prevalence of the word 'bathroom' in negative reviews >>

Creative Hotels Killing It Online: Loyalty Programs From Accor and Marriott
Coming up with fresh and creative marketing initiatives is no walk in the park: In destinations big and small, hotels all over the world face fierce competition when it comes to creativity, but uncovering a truly unique idea that will attract guests and help your hotel stand out in the crowd can drive big results >>

Recovering From Paris’ Price War
Cyril Guersan joined Warwick Hotels & Resorts in Paris in 2014 as a revenue analyst and has managed revenue through some of the most difficult times in Paris’s recent history. Here, he talks to us about the challenges the market has faced, how dropping price is never the right solution, and the growing importance of guest reviews >>

Nobody Goes There Anymore, It’s Too Crowded
The other day I was driving by a Chick-fil-A restaurant at lunchtime, I was blown away by how many people were in the drive-through lane, there had to be at least 20 cars, so I thought to myself, 'That’s a long line, you really have to love Chick-fil-A to brave that line at lunchtime' >>

Why the Boutique Hotel Sector Is Booming

With the average cost to build a hotel room ranging from nearly $80,000 for budget/economy to over $600,000 for luxury, there’s little room for misjudging guest preferences and remaining profitable. Even redevelopment projects can have a per-room cost of more than $270,000.

Such high costs rule out chasing fads, which is why many in the hospitality industry have watched the continued rise of boutique hotels so closely. Is it to be a short-lived fad, or does the design trend have legs? >>