 |
Sign up for the Free Opportunities Newsletter! Recent Issues: Dec 05, 2007 Dec 11, 2007 Dec 18, 2007 Jan 08, 2008 Jan 15, 2008 Jan 22, 2008 Jan 29, 2008 Feb 12, 2008 |
|
|
||
|
The Travel Career Connexxions Opportunities Newsletter
02/19/08 The only weekly newsletter detailing essential trends, news and top executive moves in travel. Opportunities is a free newsletter that provides you with the vision to "see" travel industry opportunities in the making. Whether you are in sales, business development, guiding your company's growth or managing your career, reading opportunities will give you the advantage to succeed. Opportunities is another innovative tool brought to you by Travel Career Connexxions. For more information, visit http://www.TravelExecutive.com This week in Opportunities:
Survey Reveals Likely Targets for Hospitality Investment in 2008 To ensure that you always receive this newsletter and other communications from Travel Career Connexxions, please add our address to your Address Book (newsletter@travelexecutive.com). This will keep most email filters from misinterpreting and discarding these emails. Did you know? As of 02/19/08 there are 201 executive-level travel jobs published in the Travel Career Connexxions employment report. Positions include Vice President of Market Strategy (02/18), Director Brand Communications (02/18), Director of Client Services (02/13), Vice President Investment Analysis (02/18), Director of Management Systems (02/14), Director Corporate Communications (02/18) and more. It only takes one person to fill the job of a lifetime - and that someone could be you! http://www.TravelExecutive.com OPPORTUNITIES NEWS & TRENDS Survey Reveals Likely Targets for Hospitality Investment in 2008 Emerging markets in Asia are unseating Europe as the epicenter of new hospitality investment and development while investors in the United States are switching their focus from the acquisition of existing hotels to developing new properties, according to a survey conducted by Ernst & Young. According to the Ernst & Young Hospitality Investment Survey, which surveyed more than 300 investors and industry executives worldwide, capitalization rates for hotel properties are expected to stabilize and possibly even increase over the short-to-mid-term in the US. "Even with the dramatic shift in the debt markets over the last few months, hotel industry sector fundamentals continue to be strong," said Brian Tress of Ernst & Young's Hospitality Advisory Services Group. "But there is a general perception among those we surveyed that hospitality real estate -- at least in the US -- is overvalued." Target segments Respondents predicted that overall hotel investment strategy would be dominated by those creating new facilities for the luxury and "upper-upscale" segment that is supported worldwide by corporate, convention and leisure users. Midscale hotels that do not offer food or beverage amenities -- but do have relatively low construction costs, high franchise appeal and good margins will also continue to garner investor dollars. Global hospitality investment According to the survey, Asia far surpassed all other regions as having the greatest potential for hospitality investment. With both China and India opening their markets to foreign investment, a growing scarcity of higher quality of facilities in the region and double-digit returns, the stage is set for Asia to become a major investment center in coming years. Also of interest, Latin America edged out Europe in the investor popularity poll. On the other hand, respondents believe the biggest downside for investment globally remains the potential for political instability in developing markets. However, some of this concern is also being mitigated by the enormous growth potential perceived to exist in key markets outside the US. Economic stability ranked second in potential downsides followed closely by currency instability/inflation. US hospitality investment Driven by a significant revitalization program that is creating new viable lodging markets, Washington D.C. is the US city where respondents are most inclined to invest in 2008, followed closely by New York City and Los Angeles. The three lowest ranking cities on the list were Dallas, Orlando and New Orleans. Dallas -- the top performing hospitality market in last year's survey -- dropped to near the bottom of the list with respondents citing "dramatic" increases in hotel property tax rates and fears of overbuilding as a critical dampener on performance projections. Despite much publicity about the need for new investment, post-Katrina, New Orleans ranked lowest on the list of preferred markets for investment. The full survey and Ernst & Young's analysis of the results is available online at www.ey.com/realestate. PhoCusWright Releases 2008 Travel Industry Trends Each January, PhoCusWright analysts assess the global travel marketplace to produce a list of predictions about anticipated changes in market dynamics, technology innovation and traveler behavior worldwide. The most frequently cited trends this year: travel metasearch and the development of mobile travel applications. The traditional walled garden that has long plagued the telecommunications industry is finally being penetrated, which will make application development highly appealing. And as global travel companies expand into Europe and Asia, mobile is likely to become an increasingly important differentiator. Mobile ad spend is expected to skyrocket in the coming years—a phenomenon that many travelers will welcome. The PhoCusWright Travel 2.0 Consumer Technology Survey indicates that 30% of travelers would like to receive special offers about local restaurants and activities via their mobile devices during their trips. This interest is expected to grow as more appealing, media-rich offerings become available. Travel metasearch looks promising in 2008 due to the twin forces of consolidation and innovation. New entrants such as Farecast and the planned merger of Kayak and Sidestep are likely to provide the increased press and consolidated consumer power that metasearch needs to go mainstream. As more consumers become aware of and start using travel search engines, the overall efficiency of the travel market will increase. The end result for travel suppliers will be continued pricing pressure on airfares and hotel rates. Other 2008 trends include:
Visitors to Las Vegas Break Records in '07, Still Growing The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) has announced that Las Vegas' visitation grew to 39.2 million in 2007. It marked the fourth consecutive year Las Vegas set a new visitation record. Last year's visitation count represents a 0.7 percent increase over the 2006 figure of 38.9 million. Las Vegas also matched its highest occupancy level in history, reaching 90.4 percent for the year, tying its previous record set in 1996. The destination's average occupancy level now stands at 27 percentage points above the national average. Clark County's gaming revenue also broke the previously set record, rising 2.2 percent to $10.9 billion. In addition to releasing 2007 visitation statistics, the LVCVA issued a projection that 39.8 million people will visit the destination in 2008, noting more than 9,000 new guest rooms are slated to be added to Las Vegas' hotel inventory this year. Nearly $40 billion in new development is planned or under way between now and 2012, including more than 40,000 hotel and motel rooms and 5 million square feet of convention space citywide. OPPORTUNITIES EXECUTIVE MOVERS! HOTELS & RESORTS: Ameristar Casinos, Inc. has announced that Reginald Fullwood, Jr. has been appointed Senior Vice President and General Manager of Ameristar Black Hawk, effective today. Fullwood joins Ameristar from Harrah's Entertainment, Inc., where he served as Vice President and Operations Controller of Harrah's Atlantic City. In that position, he was responsible for business planning and forecasting, financial analysis and cash management for the $553 million gaming operation. Fullwood also has served as Vice President of Table Games at Harrah's Atlantic City and Vice President of Service Strategy for Harrah's Atlantic City region. He was Director of Customer Service at Harrah's Atlantic City and Showboat Atlantic City prior to that. This background shaped Fullwood's belief that exceptional guest service must be a key differentiator between industry competitors and every team member should serve as a marketing agent by enhancing each guest interaction. Prior to entering the gaming industry, Fullwood served in Credit Suisse First Boston's investment banking division and as a Captain and Company Commander in the United States Army. Fullwood earned an MBA at the University of Virginia's Darden Graduate School of Business Administration and a M.S. in Systems and Project Management at Golden Gate University in San Francisco. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy. Fullwood currently serves on the Finance Advisory Committee of the United Way of Atlantic County and the Diversity and Equity Advisory Committee of Atlantic Cape Community College... Barcelo Hotels & Resorts has announced the appointment of Michael L. Karr to Director of Meeting & Incentive Sales specializing in the insurance industry and association markets. Karr joins Barcelo Hotels & Resorts from The Greenbrier where he was Director of National Sales headquartered in Chicago. He brings 25 years of hospitality industry sales experience to his new position having also held senior positions with the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel in Maui, Hyatt International Hotels, as well as Hotel Group Marketing a division of World Marketing Group. Karr holds a B.A. in Clinical Psychology from Oklahoma State University and is a graduate of Northwestern University - Integrated Marketing Communications Course, developed for Hyatt International Hotels. He is a member of Psi Chi, National Honor Society of Psychology and was an instructor for a Hotel Communications Course at Tulsa Junior College... FelCor Lodging Trust Incorporated has announced Donald J. Falgoust as Vice President Food & Beverage, a newly created position. Falgoust was most recently with Remington Hotel Corporation as Corporate Director of Food & Beverage. Prior to Remington, Falgoust was with Wyndham International from 1998 to 2005 in various management roles, including Regional Director of Food & Beverage. A 20-year hospitality veteran, Falgoust has served in many capacities throughout his career including management positions with Global Hyatt Corporation and InterContinental Hotels and Resorts. Falgoust will work with FelCor’s asset management group to improve the quality, revenue and profit margins of food and beverage operations in the company’s hotels. He will continue the efforts to work with the brand operators to seek opportunities to enhance the value of the company’s food and beverage operations including developing new concepts, identifying potential return on investment projects, improving purchasing programs and implementing best practices. Falgoust received a Bachelors Degree in Hotel & Restaurant Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi... Red Lion Hotels Corporation's board of directors has announced that President, Chief Executive Officer and Director Arthur M. Coffey will retire. Anupam Narayan, currently Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, has been named by the Board to succeed Coffey as President and CEO. This change is effective immediately. Narayan has also been appointed to the company's board of directors and will be a director nominee at the annual shareholders' meeting this May. As CFO, Narayan has successfully navigated Red Lion through several significant milestones including a five million share public offering in 2006, a substantial restructuring of debt and a new $50 million revolving credit facility. In addition, he has been an integral part of the management team that embarked upon and completed a total revitalization of the Red Lion hotel portfolio. Narayan was employed by Doubletree Corporation and Red Lion Hotels, Inc. from 1985 to 1998, serving as Senior Vice President and Treasurer before joining Best Western International in 1998. At Best Western, he served in various capacities as an executive officer until 2004, including Senior Vice President, Global Brand Management, Chief Financial Officer and, in 2002, Acting President and Chief Executive Officer... Omni Hotels has announced that Tom Walker has joined the organization as vice president of revenue management. Walker will head the revenue management team to analyze data trends and use that information and his experience to further Omni's performance in the luxury marketplace. Walker previously served as executive vice president of The Rainmaker Group, Omni's partner in CRM management systems, where he focused on revenue management strategies, processes and tools across various hospitality environments. Prior to his employment at The Rainmaker Group, Walker held the position of vice president of alliances at Passkey International. Before his tenure at Passkey, he served as senior manager of solutions marketing at Manugistics, Inc. in Atlanta. Walker also served as president of Muni Financial Services, Inc. and held positions such as regional director of rooms, national account manager and director of sales and marketing for ITT Sheraton Corporation. Walker graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and completed two years of graduate study in speech communications from the University of Utah and earned an MBA from UCLA. TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY: TRX, Inc. has announced the appointment of Scott Gillespie to Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, to focus on major new business opportunities in travel data for TRX. Gillespie will be leading the market research and business modeling efforts for the TRX data-related products. The market research is underway with outreach to travel suppliers, travel agencies, corporate buyers, payment providers, and industry groups. Gillespie is joined in his market outreach efforts by Susan Hopley, Executive Vice President, Emerging Markets, and Greeley Koch, Vice President, Corporate Solutions. To succeed Gillespie, Kristie Beck has been promoted to Senior Director, TRX Travel Analytics. Beck joined TRX in July 2007 as a Director in the Travel Analytics group. She gains general management responsibility for the strategic development and client delivery to ensure continued innovation, consistency, and growth in TRX's corporate travel analytics business. Beck brings strong leadership skills and industry expertise, having served in procurement roles at American Airlines, and at Aeroexchange, an airline IT and sourcing consultancy. TRX Travel Analytics is an independent, unbiased, and objective service provider focused solely on the client's best interests, providing clients tangible value. World class savings results are achieved by using deep category expertise, patent-pending analytical methods and powerful modeling tools... LodgeNet Interactive Corporation, a provider of media and connectivity solutions to hospitality, healthcare and other guest-based businesses, has announced that Derek S. White has joined the Company as President of The Hotel Networks, its wholly-owned subsidiary focused on generating advertising-based media revenues from within its hospitality media and connectivity business. White, who has a 25-year track record building high performance teams and businesses, joins LodgeNet from Alloy, Inc., one of the country's largest providers of targeted media and marketing services. At Alloy, White was Executive Vice President, most recently overseeing corporate development and general management of the company's out-of-home, sampling and promotions business units. White originally served as the architect and managing executive responsible for Alloy's $200 million media and marketing division employing more than 700 people, overseeing multiple companies and business groups including AMP Agency (named the 2004 Promotion Agency of the Year by PROMO Magazine). Prior to joining Alloy, White was the President of 360 Youth Corporation, later acquired by Alloy, and served as Executive Vice President of MarketSource Corporation, where he founded and led the development of its Internet and interactive business. He also held roles as President of Graphic Connexions, Inc., a creative agency, and Director for Computerware, Inc.
Looking for more? Do you see Opportunities? Tell us! Please send all travel news and top executive changes to: opportunities@travelcareerconnexxions.com. |
|
|
||
About Us Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Contact Us© 2008 The Weekly Executive Employment Report is a publication of Travel Career Connexxions, Inc.