12 Ways to use Xmas to Grow in 2009

Don't just pull out last year's decorations and play the same old music...
This year, the Christmas spirit won't come easily to many people. But there are many thoughtful, personal ways to use the season to build stronger links with customers. For some, it could be the start of a valuable, long-term relationship with your business. Make this the season of list building. Call it your database or Christmas card list - it doesn't matter so long as you grab a name, email, mobile number and basic preferences - do they want to hear about new wines, new bands, new food or football nights? Spam is when people are sent information that doesn't interest them - taking care with how you gather data at the beginning avoids this and will make your list much more responsive. Constant Contact makes it easy to run. Chase down previous bookings. If you haven't heard from them, phone, fax or write - this year needs much more assertive promotion. If you don't have someone on staff who is confident on the phone, ask a wine rep to do it - they know how! Write and Send a Card - almost any card will do, and who said it has to be your handwriting? This is SO powerful, because it's usually unexpected. Use your booking list and some spare waiter time to get it done before

Promote Gift Hampers: for corporate customers and for 'friends who have everything'. Raffle one every week to bring it to everyone's attention - the profit margins can be excellent if you include a 'secret ingredient'. Sell Gift Vouchers as a low-cost gift - even a $10 voucher will end up as part of a larger sale when redeemed. These are also an ideal gift for the office 'Kris Kringle' party, and of course, you also have $50 and $100 vouchers available! Sell your clothing and merchandise like a real gift shop. So many lost opportunities when the display, pricing and packaging is last-minute or stuffed in a corner. These are great gifts for last-minute giving - do you have a stylish t-shirt available?Poke some fun at the economic gloom: a low-cost wine becomes the Recession Red, or design a Banker's Banquet package that looks flash but keeps the cost affordable. Better this than the Discount Desperation Deal. Promote community spirit with a charity donation. Groups such as World Vision and Oxfam have 'gifts' that builds lives - school books, a goat or a water pump. You may like to organise a group donation from your business. Create a Wishing Tree. Make it out of cardboard and ask customers to write a Christmas wish on it - a home-made feel makes it more genuine. Customers have an opportunity to share their thoughts, and you show that the business is about more than just sales and money [hat tip to Mark Fletcher]. Consider your non-Christian customers. Depending on where you are, there may be a large number who don't celebrate the religious festival, but want to enjoy time with friends.Share your Top 10 Best and Worst Lists for the year - '10 life & death excuses why customers were late for a reservation', '10 Best Selling Cocktails' etc - keep it fun. Be firm about deposits: the booking is only confirmed when the money is paid. Many groups will also accept having to pre-pay for the entire group which cuts down on no-shows. Offer the best value in town, then make sure customers show you respect.

Travel Industry Shaken by Economic Downturn

The travel industry has been hit hard by the economic slowdown, particularly in the last few weeks.
Airlines reported sharp declines in passenger traffic for September. Hotel occupancy rates are down, and corporate travel managers are demanding new concessions on previously negotiated deals. Cancellations are starting to rise even at four- and five-star hotels, which previously seemed immune to the economy’s travails.
Months ago, the nation’s airlines, which are grounding some of their older jets, announced plans to cut 8 to 10 percent of their domestic flights after Labor Day, so traffic was expected to be down. At the same time, the airlines planned to raise fares on their remaining flights.
But passenger traffic is down beyond the cuts already planned. To be sure, fall is usually a slower season for air travel than spring and summer. Until the holiday season begins at Thanksgiving, flights are dominated by business travelers. So the slower traffic reflects the impact the business crisis is having on the airlines. In September, the top seven airlines averaged a 9.47 drop in domestic passenger miles traveled compared with September 2007. Domestically and internationally, the major airlines carried 9.2 percent fewer passengers than in September 2007.
Fares are 15 to 25 percent higher on many routes than they were a year ago. But that portion of the strategy seems to have stalled.
“After 21 increases, almost one a week for the last year, we didn’t see any after July 4,” said Rick Seaney, whose booking site, Farecompare.com, closely tracks airfares. “There is a consensus in the industry that they pretty much have hit the end of the rope on fare increases.”
Hotels are also feeling the slowdown. In September, domestic hotel occupancy was down 5 percent from the previous September, according to Smith Travel Research. And the higher-price segment of the hotel industry, which had been holding its own, now also seems to be feeling the pain.
“For the last two weeks, cancellations of existing reservations are running about 50 percent above normal” at full-service hotels, said Bjorn Hanson, an associate professor at the Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management at New York University.
That niche — including five-star hotels and four-star hotels that do major business in conventions and meetings — has been propped up by corporate deals negotiated last spring, when “the balance of power was still on the side of the sellers,” Mr. Hanson said. While rates remain high, Mr. Hanson said, corporations locked into hotel contracts are intensely “negotiating for concessions — free breakfasts, free use of fitness rooms, no charge for business center services, free late checkout.”
Third-quarter profit fell 28 percent at Marriott International, which is considered an industry bellwether because of its big global presence and its wide range of hotel brands, from midlevel lodgings like Courtyard by Marriott to five-star luxury hotels like Ritz-Carlton.
“At the Ritz-Carlton Central Park, normally filled with investment bankers and their clients, the entertainment industry and diplomats are filling rooms and restaurants now,” Arne Sorensen, Marriott’s chief financial officer, said.
Other full-service Marriott hotels are marketing more heavily to travel discount programs like those of the AARP and AAA and to government travelers on per-diem allowances.
Fare sales are even proliferating in the most lucrative segment of the airline market, international premium travel, where the walkup round-trip fare for a business-class seat between New York and London has been in the $9,000 range.
Mr. Seaney recently read off some recent business-class sales and promotions, all with various advance purchase and other restrictions, from his site’s premium-class section. (Some are no longer available, but the airlines keep adding new ones.) “Delta, business-class to Europe, 50-day advance purchase, $1,700,” he said. “Lufthansa on Sept. 16 had a business-class deal to England from New York and Chicago, a little over $1,000 each way.”
Last Friday, British Airways, one of the major players on the intensely competitive trans-Atlantic market, said that its full-year financial projections were at risk because long-haul premium traffic declined 8.6 percent in September from September 2007.
So far, the niche at the top end of the premium market, boutique business-class service by a handful of airlines, has apparently not been seriously affected by the turndown. But even there, discounts are showing up.
The new British Airways subsidiary OpenSkies, which flies 757s configured with two classes between New York and Paris, is starting a new route between New York and Amsterdam next week. Round-trip promotional fares for the top-niche business class are $1,776 and about $1,000 for the other cabin, called Prem+, which OpenSkies says is similar in quality to business class on other airlines, but priced and coded to accommodate increasing corporate travel prohibitions against flying on business-class tickets.
Singapore Airlines, which started all-business-class daily service between Newark and Singapore last May in luxurious long-range Airbus A345s, recently began a daily route between Los Angeles and Singapore. The usual round-trip fare is around $8,500, but last week Singapore introduced a discount fare — $5,999 — available on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
The standard fare remains in effect for the peak travel days, Thursday through Sunday, when flights are often sold out, said Eugene Lee, the vice president for Singapore’s East Coast operations. The flight is more resistant to downturns than some other premium routes because of the length of the trip — 18 hours or more each way — and the fact that the flight depends as heavily on passengers in the energy, mining and pharmaceuticals industries as those in financial services, Mr. Lee said.

The New York Times

Food & Beverage - Your Strengths in 2009

If you're tired of all the talk about 'tough times' (even if sales are down), let's focus on the many advantages you have...
Whether you're an independent or part of a chain, check this list of strengths and opportunities. Some may be rusty through lack of use, but most of them can be active within a few days. Winners are flexible, and losers will be waiting (and waiting) for the waves to subside... Always Flexible - when you notice a shift in customer purchasing or preferences, you can adapt within days. Two likely challenges: 2008 menus and pricing may be out of date, and the closure of nearby businesses will eliminate customers. Work on new food, drinks, pricing deals, ways to order and deliver - always offering better value and convenience. Tightly Focused - there's more fame and profit to be made by concentrating on a narrow market segment and offering an excellent product. The best coffee, coolest cocktails, tenderest steak, richest chocolate cake or the friendliest with children. Have you fallen into the trap of trying to please too many people?

Personal Service - your smaller size and flexibility allows you to adapt and provide personal services without consulting the rulebook or head office. A special dessert, menu changes for a function, BYO wine for a large party or flexible hours - no problem! Happy Surprises - notice that someone is having a birthday, or celebrating a win with their team? Thrill them with a Gift Voucher, T-shirt or whatever your specialty. Don't make this something that always needs manager approval - set up a system that can be run and enjoyed by all the staff. Open to Partnerships - small operators often find this difficult, as it takes time to build relationships. The hairdresser or gym may want to swap promotions, or the marketing company needs somewhere informal for meetings. The better your own customer list , the more sort-after you will by other complimentary businesses. You have what they all want - good food and drink! Reduce the Tedious Work - better POS systems, online booking & ordering, smarter payroll management, automated coffee machines. Automation helps to eliminate expensive labour and brings new accuracy to routine tasks. It also gives more information, faster, about what's really happening with sales and costs. Use Information to Build Trust - have plenty of detail on your menu or website about food & beverage origins and flavour, your passion for food safety, function facilities (including photos and downloads), customer testimonials and management qualifications. Local Connections - share personal information about the staff (with a group photo) and start an online diary to share the life of the business (some excellent new ones added to the cafe blog list). Name tags are important, as is more support for local 'good causes'. Play up local product origins and suppliers on menus and wine lists. People Love What You Do! - even if you work long hours for low money, there are many people who envy your job...the food, drinks, people, bustle & laughter! There will be scary moments in 2009, but when you're 'on stage' with customers, keep smiling and share a positive message. They've come to escape hard times, not hear about yours!

Will 2009 be the year green issues are forgotten?

As the credit crunch bites and the travel industry looks to cut costs, Business Traveller asks if environmental initiatives may be quietly dropped.
2008 was billed as the year of travelling green, with airlines offering carbon offsetting and hotels plying guests with Fairtrade and free bikes, but as the year drew on it was the credit crisis that was grabbing headlines, along with the soaring cost of oil and airlines going bust. As 2008 draws to a close, many in the industry are taking stock after heavy losses.
Cost will be the driving factor that will make or break the green revolution, experts agreed at a round-table discussion on corporate social responsibility (CSR), organised by Carlson Wagonlit. While some initiatives may mean spending plenty of money with little return, others will bring in the cash in the long term. In 2009, going green will be all about money.
“CSR needs to reinvent itself,” said Alexandra Hammond, responsible business manager, UK, for the Rezidor Hotel Group. “We need to look at how CSR can address the bottom line – how it pays for itself and then some. For example, the lighting in Park Inn hotels is being changed to use less power and be more environmentally friendly, so there is that initial outlay, but in the long term we will save money. The economic viability is crucial.”
Savvy business travellers being more demanding will also drive the agenda. Hammond said people are asking for more from their hotel stays, which is fuelling change. “The CSR questions are getting more intense and guests are asking for fair trade food and drink. They are looking for it and have come to expect it,” she said.
David Tibbles, global product director for online booking and environment at travel management company Carlson Wagonlit, agreed. “Customers want to know about the green measures they can take. They are asking more questions, with many still needing answers,” he said.
In response, the travel industry is introducing green measures to reduce the impact of business travel, but travellers will need to ask themselves whether the trip is really necessary.
“It really depends on the nature of the trip,” said Caroline Allen, regional director for northern and east central Europe and Russia at the Association of Corporate Travel Executives. “For example, training is necessary and has to be done in person, so you have to travel. It’s also important to be more forward-thinking when you travel, such as organising more meetings for the one trip.”
People should not lose sight of the importance of CSR, believes Frauke Spottka, a co-ordinator for VCD, the Transport Club of Germany. She suggested that face-to-face meetings requiring travel should be replaced by web conferences. “What is important is avoiding business travel, only making trips that are vital for the business,” she said. “The economic crisis will go away, but the environmental crisis will not.”
Using carbon offsetting to reduce the impact of travel was also a point of debate. While Spottka said carbon offsetting should be a “last resort”, Allen said it was “a first step”. Jonathan Shopley, executive director of the CarbonNeutral Company, suggested “offset and reduce strategies” were the way to go. “You can offset by investing in growing economies that have plenty of opportunities to reduce carbon,” he said.
The CSR mantra isn’t simply about being green, it’s about the welfare and well-being of staff, guests and the local community. But it’s not about charity, Shopley pointed out. “I think CSR has become fuzzy,” he said. “There are a range of things we can control directly and those we cannot. CSR and philanthropy are different things.”
Overall the future for CSR looks bright despite the downturn, especially as many green initiatives can bring economic benefits. Even so, there should be no complacency, said Hammond from Rezidor: “I think we are all aware that if we decide not to do anything we are going nowhere. With the economic crisis it may slip a little as companies get their house in order, but we can’t regress. Progress may be slower than we would have hoped for.”
Report by Sara Turner

Müşteri Kral Devri Başlıyor

Ekonomide yaşanacak fırtınaya hazırlanmak için tedbirinizi şimdiden alın. İşte zor geçecek 2009'da dikkat etmeniz gerekenler Deloitte’un “Ekonomide Yaşanacak Fırtınaya Hazırlanmak" başlıklı raporunda, “Müşterinin istemediği hiçbir şeyi yapmayın" uyarısında bulunularak, “Perakendecilik sektöründe müşteri her zaman çok önemli olmasına rağmen, kriz ve durgunluk dönemlerinde daha da büyük önem kazanıyor. Böyle dönemlerde müşterilerin gerçekten ne istediğini iyi anlamak, onların taleplerine odaklanmak ve müşterinin istemediği hiçbir şeyi yapmamak gerekiyor" denildi. Deloitte tarafından hazırlanan “Ekonomide Yaşanacak Fırtınaya Hazırlanmak" başlıklı raporda, “Perakendeciler Zor Zamanlarda Nasıl Başarılı Olur?" sorusuna yanıt arandı. Raporda, enerji ve gıda maliyetlerindeki artışla birlikte azalan tüketici talebine karşısında perakende sektörünün yaşadığı sorunlara dikkat çekilerek, müşteri taleplerine odaklanmanın önemi vurgulandı. Gıda ve enerji fiyatlarındaki artışın diğer sektörlerde tüketimi azalttığına dikkat çekilen Raporda, dünya genelindeki likidite daralmasının da sektörü ağır şekilde etkilediğini bildirildi. PERAKENDE SEKTÖRÜNE ÖNERİLER Raporda perakendecilere bir dizi önerilerde bulunuldu, bu öneriler şöyle sıralandı: “-Arz ve talep değişimlerinin ürün portföyünüzü nasıl etkileyeceğini anlayın. -Ürün portföyünüzü ve fiyatlama stratejilerini tüketici talebindeki değişikliklere göre değerlendirin. -Ürün kategorilerinizin hangilerinin konjonktüre ters olduğunu ve hangilerinin durgunluk döneminde...

Associated Luxury Hotels.

Sure, luxury hotels and destinations offer meeting participants comfortable surroundings. But it's more than that. These properties specialize in delivering a meeting experience that is beyond compare. An array of amenities from golf courses and spas to award-winning restaurants and shopping await you, and there is always something for everyone. Staff committed to smooth meeting operations and personalized service will take great care of your members while they soak in the beautiful surroundings. Luxury hotels host board meetings, educational conferences, committee meetings, and even trade shows. Their flexibility and high standards ensure productive meetings and appreciative attendees. Book your next meeting at one of these luxurious properties and give your members an experience that they will never forget. For more than 17 years, meeting planners have turned to the national sales network of Associated Luxury Hotels. This is because the company has assembled what may be the number one collection of meeting and convention hotels and resorts in North America. Its portfolio includes a diverse array of meeting and convention venues that are noted industry leaders. The mix of options has made Associated Luxury Hotels a convenient, one-stop shop, with regional offices across America for meeting planners, and a trusted resource to effectively service planners' ongoing needs. With options including myriad city-center hotels, historic and landmark hotels, island and golf resorts, and unique and regarded meeting venues, Associated Luxury Hotels delivers site-specific solutions for planners' needs with its prestigious collection of more than 70 four- and five-star, diamond-quality hotels and resorts in North America, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. Its city-center hotels are ideal for planners who prefer the convenient proximity to airports, attractions, and business districts. In total, the company's portfolio of city-center hotels spans 24 cities, coast-to-coast, providing a thorough mix of options to consider. As meeting participants spend more time in their convention cities, golf becomes an important component. It's an ideal option for attendees who wish to celebrate the success of their business meetings. Associated Luxury Hotels has assembled a fascinating array of hotels and resorts featuring golf, with an impressive collection of 999 holes in some of the most highly regarded golf regions. Historic and landmark hotels are regarded for offering a tradition of exceptional service and facilities that continue to be modernized for today's meeting needs. This consistent excellence ranks them high as options for meeting programs. Associated Luxury Hotels' collection of historic and landmark hotels and resorts includes some of the most sought-after destinations across North America, providing the finest accommodations and meeting facilities. Island venues continue to be popular locations for meeting and convention programs as well, and Associated Luxury Hotels meets this need with island venues that provide everything from mainland locations, such as Miami Beach and Amelia Island, Florida, to offshore islands, such as Bermuda and St. Martin. In total, Associated Luxury Hotels delivers a collection of 16 island venues--from Maui to Manhattan. According to David Gabri, president and CEO of Associated Luxury Hotels, "Meeting planners are looking for site-specific solutions--easy national access with fast, experienced responses. The diverse nature of our portfolio helps meet their needs in total. We are proud to offer such an amazing collection of meeting venues on one call. We are advocates for our planners with a commitment to performance by our members. That's an incredible feature that our meeting planner colleagues have come to expect from us over the past 17 years." Associated Luxury Hotels' vast variety of first-class hotels and resorts allows it to take a planner's specific needs and culture and measure them against a portfolio of options. All in one stop, Associated Luxury Hotels can deliver virtually every type of meeting program imaginable. Best of all, meeting planners are assured of years of excellence, consistency of product, and some of the industry's best meeting venues.

Tough times spur innovations in local hotels

While a slower economy and post 9/11 reality continue to impact the hotel and corporate meeting business in Fairfield County, hoteliers and event planners have counteracted the fall out in business in this sector with new creative approaches.
Many hotels, including the Hyatt Regency in Greenwich,
focused on beefing up their marketing to nonprofit groups, weddings and bar mitzvah parties. As a result, Anne Farb, director of sales and marketing of Hyatt, said the hotel's bookings for meeting rooms are running ahead of last year and that it even expects a stronger July than the previous year.
"We've built up our wedding, nonprofit fund-raisers and social-season special event business so much that our only slow time now is traditionally the last two weeks in August, when most of the world is on vacation. And, I just booked the fourth bar mitzvah for the same family," Farb said.
The Hyatt is one of the few places in the county with the ability to hold large events of up to 1000 people in its 10,000-square-foot ballroom. It also has the capacity to hold smaller meetings with an additional 30,000 square feet of small meeting room space. The upscale property is poised to begin a major addition to its hotel, which will become another selling point, she added.
At the Stamford Marriott, Peter Griffith, director of marketing, said that while the corporate meeting business has remained pretty flat and almost unchanged in the past year, his hotel has done much more business with family reunions, along with a strong wedding and bar mitzvah-party clientele.
"We will try to build upon the family reunion type of business," Griffith said.
The Stamford Marriott, which offers two ballrooms, the largest 9,000-square-foot room, can accommodate up to 1,000 people. Every spring, the national crossword puzzle championship is held here. The Marriott has just finished renovating the smaller junior ballroom on the lower level for smaller parties, used for 150 to 500 people. It also has several smaller rooms for meetings of 25 to 75 people.
"One big difference in the past two years is the demand for wireless high-speed Internet access in the lobby, hallrooms, restaurants and bar. We have included this," Griffith said.
Other creative additions to the Stamford Marriott include an indoor golf range with instruction by Jon Cote, an in-house PGA golf professional. Cote offers guests golf swing and stance instruction on a small indoor course, along with a DVD on-screen analysis during six days a week. In addition, by mid-to-late summer, the Marriott plans to unveil a new full-service spa.
"We hope the spa will have a major impact on increasing our leisure business," Griffith said.
When the corporate event business experienced a sharp downturn after 9/11 and with the slower economy, Hilary Shapiro, owner of Scenario, a special-event planning service in Stamford, started concentrating on a different client: the nonprofit organization. The strategic move paid off.
"While business fell off from the corporate sector, I experienced much more business from the nonprofit sector. Nonprofit organizations can't rely so much on corporate donations anymore, so they have decided to spend more their fundraising dollars on events," Shapiro said.
The typical corporate meeting season follows a school-year calendar from roughly September to June, with time out for the holiday period in December. However, Shapiro said that now many companies and nonprofits are sponsoring special events.
Shapiro's company, Scenario, has always prided itself on a customized approach nothing is packaged, everything is customized to fit the individual customer's needs.
Another trend in the special-events field is the varied venues for the events. Susan Enrique, director of sales and marketing for the Coastal Fairfield County Tourism District, said she has been promoting Fairfield County as a destination with unique meeting venues to out-of state event planners.
"Every major city around the country may have several hotels with meeting facilities, but we try to market Connecticut and the county as a unique destination with its New England charm and special attractions as an alternative to event planners," Enrique said.
For example, in Fairfield Country, a company, non-profit or private Party can hold a meeting in Bridgeport's Arena or Harbor Yard, at the Maritime Aquarium, at Beardsley Zoo, one of its many museums, or even on a cruise to Sheffield Island with its lighthouse and have a picnic or typical New England clambake or lobster bake, Enrique said.
For example, special-event business at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk has almost doubled in the past six years, said Ali Bernardi, director of marketing for CulinArt, the independent contractor which runs the special-event parties at the popular aquarium, which averages annually more than 500,000 visitors to its aquarium and Imax theaters. The aquarium can hold a sit-down dinner event for up to 300 people, or a cocktail party for up to 500 people, Bernardi said.
"Our busiest time for corporate parties is usually around the holidays from November to January and then special parties, weddings and bar mitzvahs all year round. It's a unique location - people love it," Bernardi said.
One new trend in event planning is that advance planning time between the start of the idea to the actual event has become quite short. Companies are demanding special events with planning time in as little as six weeks, Enrique said.
"Short lead times have become the norm," agreed Farb of the Greenwich Hyatt. "Of course, if they are booking the large ballroom, they have to plan way ahead, as much as a year ahead, as that is typically where our repeat annual business is."
"The window for planning the event, getting the space blocked on the calendar continues to shrink," agreed Griffith of the Stamford Marriott.
And, all of the companies and even the nonprofit organizations are asking for events that don't appear extravagant, even though they may have spent more dollars on the event than in the past, the hotel managers and event planners agreed.
"There is a greater sensitivity to not look extravagant," Shapiro said.
The Coastal Fairfield County Tourism District has just released a new revised meeting and event planning guide. The 44-page booklet provides crucial information for any company or organization that is planning to hold a meeting in Fairfield County.
"This time, we explained the meeting facilities in far more detail, providing not only information on lodging and location, but also detailed charts on the dimensions of the meeting rooms, their seating grids and capabilities, so they can get a better sense of what each property offers," Enrique said.
Finally, as hotels and unique attractions offer themselves as venues for special events and corporate meetings, all of them in Fairfield County have one advantage. "Being in the back yard of New York City, we have less expensive hotel prices, and we are the gateway to New England attractions," Enrique said.

Hilton Hotels Corporation Signs Agreement to Develop 25 New Hotels in Turkey.

Expansion of the Hilton Garden Inn([R]) Brand Continues Across the Country
LONDON & BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Hilton Hotels Corporation has today announced that it has entered into a non-exclusive Strategic Development Agreement (SDA) with the Kosifler Group to develop approximately 25 new properties (comprising 3,500 rooms) in key regional locations across Turkey. Over the next five years, Hilton and Kosifler expect to introduce mainly Hilton Garden Inn hotels across the country, all of which Hilton plans to manage. "Hilton has enjoyed a longstanding and successful relationship with Turkey, having gained a foothold some 53 years ago when we opened Hilton Istanbul, but even today the country still represents an exciting growth opportunity for us," said Wolfgang M. Neumann, President of Hilton Hotels - Europe. "We are confident that this alliance with Kosifler will help us accelerate our expansion plans through the introduction of additional brands from the Hilton Family of Hotels to enable us to meet rising demands for quality accommodation, as well as providing a hotel product to suit all sectors and budgets." Welcoming this announcement, Hasan Kosif, President of the Kosifler Group, commented, "We are delighted to be working with Hilton in our first major hotel venture in Turkey. As a leading hospitality company, their global presence and experience give us the confidence to be sure that this alliance will be a huge success."
In addition to this agreement, both companies have also signed a management agreement for the development of their first property - a 121-room Hilton Garden Inn which is expected to open in the city of Kutahya in October 2010.
"This announcement further demonstrates the global interest to grow the Hilton Garden Inn brand," said Adrian Kurre, senior vice president - brand management, Hilton Garden Inn. "We look forward to introducing our award-winning brand that offers exceptional product consistency and value to both business and leisure travellers in Turkey."
This hotel is the fourth Turkish Hilton Garden Inn management contract to be signed in the past six months and continues to strengthen the company's plans to expand rapidly in the country. Under another non-exclusive Strategic Development Agreement signed last December, Hilton has already inked deals with another Turkish company to manage new properties in Bursa, Manisa and Diyarbakir.
Hilton has named Turkey as one of its key development regions, joining Russia, the UK & Ireland, Italy, the Iberian Peninsula, Germany and Poland as core strategic areas for the introduction of the Hilton Family of hotels in Europe. Today's announcement further consolidates Hilton's plans to concentrate on multi-unit deals in key emerging markets and is the company's second major Turkish hotel development announcement with a leading property partner in the country. In December last year Hilton revealed plans to develop 15 new hotels (2,500 rooms) over the next five years. "The scale of this multi-unit agreement is indicative of the significant potential that exists to develop the hotel sector further across Turkey," added Neumann. "Through this partnership we hope to be able to triple our presence in Turkey in just five years, and at the same time fulfil the demand for quality mid-market hotels through the introduction of our Hilton Garden Inn hotel brand."
Today's news reflects the dynamic growth of the innovative Hilton Garden Inn brand across continental Europe, with plans to open properties in nine other new locations (Bari, Lecce and Bologna in Italy; Rzeszow in Poland; Frankfurt in Germany; Perm in Russia; Bursa, Manisa and Diyarbakir in Turkey) over the next 24 months.
Hilton currently operates eight properties - seven Hilton([R]) hotels and one Conrad([R]) hotel - across six locations in Turkey. Over the next five years, the company anticipates it will introduce more than 40 Hilton Family hotels across the country and has recently appointed a dedicated development manager, Pogda Demircan for the region to spearhead this growth. The company has also just opened a development office in Ankara.
Notes to Editors
About Kosifler Group
Kosifler Group was established in 1945 and operates in a wide range of sectors extending from domestic trade and imports to manufacture and construction. The company first entered the automotive sector with the founding of Kosifler Oto in 1985. Pioneering a brand new level of service in automobile sales and aftersales in keeping with the Group's commitment to excellence in all its endeavors, Kosifler Oto has built its success and steady growth on a basis of quality and reliability. The Group has an annual turnover of US$100m (2006) and total employees of 300.
About Hilton Garden Inn Hilton Garden Inn is the award-winning, mid-priced brand that continually strives to ensure today's busy travelers have everything they need to be most productive on the road -- from complimentary wired and Wi-Fi Internet access in all guestrooms and PrintSpots(TM) mobile printing to the hotel's complimentary 24-hour business centre to one of the most comfortable beds with the Garden Sleep System([R]). So whether on the road for personal or business reasons, Hilton Garden Inn offers the amenities and services for travellers to sleep deep, stay fit, eat well and work smart while on the road.
To find out more about Hilton Garden Inn locations throughout Europe and North America, visit www.HGI.com.
About Hilton Hotels Corporation Hilton Hotels Corporation is the leading global hospitality company, with more than 3,000 hotels and 500,000 rooms in more than 80 countries, including 100,000 team members worldwide. The company owns, manages or franchises a hotel portfolio of some of the best known and highly regarded brands, including Hilton([R]), Conrad([R]) Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree([R]), Embassy Suites Hotels([R]), Hampton Inn([R]), Hampton Inn & Suites([R]), Hilton Garden Inn([R]), Hilton Grand Vacations([R]), Homewood Suites by Hilton([R]) and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection([TM]).
The Hilton Family of Hotels adheres to founder Conrad Hilton's philosophy that, "It has been, and continues to be, our responsibility to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality." The company put a name to its unique brand of service that has made it the best known and most highly regarded hotel company: be hospitable[R]. The philosophy is shared by all nine brands in the Hilton Family of Hotels, and is the inspiration for its overarching message of kindness and generosity.

Road Test - Audi S4

"Now," says the serene Audi chassis engineer sitting alongside me in the S4, pressing a button on the dash, "you shall understeer."

Through the rain, we pile into a tight left-hander on the drenched Mallorcan race circuit. Sure enough, the S4's nose pushes wide, resisting any effort to be wrestled into oversteer. Sensible. Locked down. Audi-ish.

"See?" continues the engineer in impassive Teutonic monotone. He presses the button a couple more times. "Now you shall oversteer."

We hit a similarly tight-radius right-hander, and the S4 launches sideways into a lurid, tail-happy drift. A fraction before we reach that critical backwards-into-barrier moment, the rear end catches, and the S4 barrels out on to the straight. Most un-Audi.
It's quite a party trick, and one that rapidly dispels TG's biggest criticism of the old S4: that it simply wasn't engaging enough to justify the premium over a top-spec diesel A4.
But this is the all-new S4, and that magical button is controlling Audi's new 'drive select' system which adjusts the steering, dampers and, most importantly, the quattro's new 'sport differential'. Similar to the torque vectoring on the BMW X6, it varies the amount of torque distributed to each driven wheel. Audi calls it 'inverse ESP' - instead of braking a spinning wheel, the diff pumps more power to the wheel that can use it best.
In 'Comfort' mode, it's set to safety-first understeer, but in 'Dynamic' mode - and in the right road conditions - it'll let you get quite spectacularly crossed up before deciding to put a halt to all the fun.
It's a similarly bipolar story with the engine: Audi has ditched its tried-and-tested V8 in favour of an all-new supercharged 3.0-litre V6. Power is fractionally down on the old S4 - 328bhp plays 339bhp - but torque is up by 22lb ft to a mighty respectable 324lb ft. That's good news for acceleration - the S4's 0-62mph time is down to 5.1 seconds, a full half-second quicker than the previous generation - and even better news for economy, up to 29.1mpg from 21.2mpg. That's nigh-on BMW M3 pace with 40 per cent more economy, and vital ammunition against those who feel it might not be in the best taste to launch a big new petrol supersaloon into the current climate.
Sadly, the new V6 just isn't as visceral as an M3's V8 - or, for that matter, the V8 it replaces. Despite a pleasingly off-beat thrum at idle, the engine is subtle and muted at any revs, the supercharger whine registering as little more than a whispering hiss.
That's in keeping with the performance, though. There's a silky smooth delivery of power throughout the rev range - no hammer-blow of torque, but instead a flat, urgent, linear wave of acceleration. It's the sort of engine that lulls you unwarily into triple figures rather than scares the bejesus out of you.
More engaging, though, is the S4's optional S-Tronic transmission - quite possibly the best application of VAG's double-clutch gearbox yet. Mounted longitudinally for the first time, it copes admirably with all the power, convincingly thumping the upshifts and giving a satisfying blip on the way down.
Even so, despite being significantly quicker than the 335i, the S4 isn't quite as instinctive, as stirring as its rear-drive BMW rival. But as a stealth cruiser, an understated Q-car with the ability to go just a bit ballistic when you need it, the S4 is right on the mark.
All of which raises an interesting little question: just how quick will the rumoured RS4 be, if and when it arrives? Quick enough to show a clean pair of heels to a BMW M3, say Audi insiders. Let's see the chassis engineers stay serene about that one.

Sam Philip

Five Major Innovations for Your Hotel's Performance

Five Major Innovations for Your Hotel's Performance

Technology innovations designed to positively impact your hotel's bottom line
Over the last 10 to 15 years, technology has changed dramatically in the hotel industry. Let's take a closer look at five different innovations and their impact on hospitality. These five innovations offer solutions that leverage the power of the Internet and software technologies.

They also create opportunities for new revenue, reduced costs, improved productivity, heightened guest service, and a more holistic view of your hotel and its customers. While it is always difficult to know when to make technology investments, these opportunities offer higher than average returns for most hotels.Five Major Innovations 1) Web Site Reservations with an Internet Booking Engine (IBE): There are many solutions available that enable your customers to make reservations at your hotel right on your own web site. These solutions can be stand-alone software packages, optional modules available with various Property Management Systems (PMS), or extensions to Central Reservation Systems (CRS). There are inexpensive solutions available to Inns, Bed & Breakfasts, and Motels. Most Property Management System vendors now offer integrated modules to extend their software and handle your online web reservations. Finally, most CRS companies offer solutions that can handle web site reservations as well as integrate with your PMS.

The statistics on web reservations are impressive. Roughly one quarter of all reservations occur online, and the channel continues to grow rapidly. For those hoteliers still wondering whether they need to put their hotel online, the answer is easy - get online fast. Listing your hotel online is more important than being in the phone book in today's electronic world.Getting your hotel online will drive a return, but you may need to test various marketing and advertising opportunities to see what works for your hotel and your customer base. Don't expect to put reservation capabilities on your web site and start counting money. There is a significant learning curve to driving consumers to your web site. Get started as soon as possible and get familiar with the online environment. It is a lot more complex than buying a listing in the phone book.

There are completely new tactics you will need to use to get your hotel exposure, drive the consumer to your hotel's site, and convert them into a guest.2) Web Site Marketing In becoming a significant channel for reservations, the Internet has lived up to most hotels' expectations, and the industry continues to work hard to create an infrastructure to support this rapidly changing channel. Now more than ever, a hotel has numerous ways to reach the individual consumer. In fact, an entire industry built around Search Engines has grown to help businesses market their services directly to consumers more cost effectively.So with a web site and a Hotel Internet Booking Engine in place, what is next? Well, it is time to attract consumers to your web site. You should partner with a company with specific experience in Hospitality Internet Marketing. There are a number of good companies out there designed specifically to help you achieve this goal. They typically offer a number of services that range from marketing your web site in search engines with search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per click advertising (PPC), to using a linking strategy and e-mail marketing. Each of these tools attempts to expand the visibility of your web site and get you in front of all those consumers researching their travel options online.

Once you find a partner, get involved with them and actively manage the work they do for your hotel. This level of involvement will maximize the value of your partnership and enable your hotel's employees to learn about this new type of marketing.Since about a quarter of all hotel reservations occur online, you should be looking for ways to increase your hotel's exposure in online channels while minimizing your distribution costs. Driving potential guests to your hotel's web site will do just this. You may pay more for marketing out of your own budget, but your overall distribution costs will be lower. In addition, you can engage your customers on many levels, since you control the content they experience on your web site. For example, you can foster a relationship with your customers by sending them a newsletter, marketing to them through e-mail, or even allowing them to customize their upcoming stay with you through online tools. This relationship can start with a visit to your web site and grow over time.Using solid online marketing techniques will drive traffic to your site, and then it is up to your hotel's team to maximize the conversion rate of your visitors. As volume grows and your marketing costs decrease per reservation, your overall distribution costs will drop below most other channels.

You will never move all traffic to your web site, but building a stronger relationship with your more loyal customers will prove valuable.3) Software with Multi-Function Support: The amenities offered at many hotels continue to change to meet new consumer demands and wishes. Systems to support these services are transforming business processes and operations, making it more feasible to deliver additional services without large investments in labor.Many Property Management Systems have expanded the number of functions they can support across your hotel operation. There are now multiple examples of systems that offer modules for managing core reservations, Point-of-Sale, Sales and Catering, Spa, and more. These solutions enable you to tie together previously disparate systems and sets of customer information. With this power, you are able to understand more about your guests and what they want from a stay at your hotel.If your hotel has adjusted its services or amenities over recent years to keep pace with its guests, you may want to revisit how well your hotel's systems can help you meet the needs of your guests. Property Management System vendors have worked to streamline activities that used to take multiple steps. Cancellations of rooms reservations at the hotel may impact reservations at other locations across your property - like the spa or health club. Linking these transactions can help productivity, ensure processes are followed, and seamlessly tie together all of a guest's requests.Saving time and improving how well you understand your guests are natural outcomes from upgrading or replacing your core systems. If it has been more than five years since your last system investment, now might be a good time for both productivity and economic reasons.4) Improved Productivity & Guest Service: Just about every system in the hotel impacts the service delivered to guests. For example, Property Management Systems are responsible for a number of guest interaction points. The software companies that deliver these solutions continue to enhance their ability to support best practices in customer service.

Over recent years, user interfaces have changed to leverage the graphic abilities of the Windows operating systems. Drag and drop features now exist to handle many processes that previously required multiple steps. Even hotels upgrading from an earlier PMS version on Windows can benefit from these more recent advancements. Those hotels still waiting to upgrade from a DOS system are in for an enormous improvement in both productivity as well as the service level they can deliver to their guests.These functionality improvements can shorten the front desk experience, when the hotel's service capabilities impact the customer's time. They can help track messages or special requests that previously required more manual processes. They can help simplify the splitting, merging, or reassigning of folio charges, which historically required multiple steps. Most of today's systems offer simplified processes to improve productivity.An investment in this area will help you keep your labor costs in check, as well as allow you to keep pace with new services offered by competing hotels in your local market. By using a system that is five years old or more, you are likely sacrificing a level of productivity that is impacting your success in the marketplace.5) CRM & Guest Centric Systems: First, let's define CRM. Customer or Guest Relationship Management is the art of understanding your guests across pre-sale, sale, stay, and post-stay related interactions, and applying this new knowledge to improve your overall business.

A combination of technology and processes are used to execute these improvements.Each of the above technology advancements supports the concept of Guest Relationship Management on some level. As you put more of these tools in place for your hotel and tie them together, the better your understanding of your customer will be.While marketing to these customers, your hotel will create a better understanding of their travel research and shopping habits. With customers booking directly on your web site, you will see more about their actual buying preferences and thus learn how you can adjust your offerings. Tracking a guest's activities and buying behavior while at your property gives you a better perspective on their service requirements. Tying all of this information together will help you enhance all business processes from initial marketing to post-stay interactions.

Tim Henthorn