 |
||
|
The Travel Career Connexxions Opportunities Newsletter
12/14/04 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:
Hyatt's AmeriSuites Buy Brings Back Hotel Vets 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 12/14/04 there are 113 executive-level travel jobs published in the Travel Career Connexxions employment report. Positions include Technology Director (12/10), Sr. Director Marketing (12/08), Vice President of Leisure (12/04), Vice President of Destination Services (12/02), Regional Director of Business Development (12/08), CEO, Chief Marketing Officer 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 Hyatt's AmeriSuites Buy Brings Back Hotel Vets Hyatt Corporation, the worldwide hotel management and real estate development company, last week said it will purchase the 143-unit AmeriSuites hotel chain from affiliates of The Blackstone Group for a reported $600 million. Definitive agreements have been concluded and the transaction is expected to close in early January. The move is a strategic component of the process resulting in the formation of Global Hyatt Corporation, a new parent company over Hyatt Hotels Corporation (domestic US, Canada and Caribbean hotel operations), Hyatt International Corporation (international hotel operations), Hyatt Equities (hotel ownership) and Hyatt Vacation Club, Inc. (timeshare). According to Thomas Pritzker, chairman and CEO of Hyatt Corp., it is Hyatt's intention that the AmeriSuites chain will become the upscale limited service leader in performance and profitability by means of new segment-appropriate product and service standards. Doug Geoga, Hyatt's president, who will also serve as president of Global Hyatt Corp., said the addition of the AmeriSuites product will also extend Hyatt's distribution. Even more interesting from an executive perspective, a senior management team led by industry veterans Jim Abrahamson and Mike Leven will implement the AmeriSuites strategy for Hyatt. Abrahamson will be responsible for all aspects of the AmeriSuites business. Before joining Hyatt, he was president of Baymont Inns and Woodfield Suites, and also spent 13 years with Hilton in its franchising, development and operating groups. Leven is founder, CEO and president of U.S. Franchise Systems (USFS), a Hyatt subsidiary with nearly 500 hotel franchises currently open or under construction. Leven, who has become an industry icon during his 44-year hospitality career, previously served as president and chief operating officer of Holiday Inn Worldwide and as president of Days Inn of America. Cruises Stay Strong with 9.72% Boost in Passengers The cruise industry's strong growth continued in the third quarter, as the member fleets of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) carried 2.873 million worldwide guests in the third quarter of 2004, a 9.72 percent increase over the same period in 2003. North American passengers grew by 9 percent during the same period, to 2.351 million guests, up from 2.140 million third-quarter guests one year ago. The 2004 third-quarter passenger figures are new statistics released by CLIA, whose member lines represent over 95 percent of the cruise capacity marketed in North America. In addition to the growing passenger totals, CLIA cruise lines also posted impressive occupancy figures, with a 109.4 percent occupancy factor in the third quarter of 2004 compared with 107.2 percent for the year prior. Overall, statistics for the first three quarters of 2004 show nearly a 10 percent increase in worldwide passengers to 7.897 million guests, up from 7.187 million for the same period in 2003. North American guest totals for the period grew 10.33 percent to 6.679 million, up from 6.054 million in 2003, while foreign-sourced passengers climbed to 1.219 million guests, up from 1.133 million in 2003. For more information, visit www.cruising.org. Survey Shows Hotels Boost Gross Operating Profits Hotels continue to another strong segment of the industry. The Hospitality Research Group (HRG), the research affiliate of PKF Consulting, said that a "typical" full-service hotel achieved an 8.4 percent improvement in gross operating profits in the first half of 2004, compared to the same period a year earlier. The results are based on an in-depth analysis of more than 700 full-service hotels across the United States. Based on the strong hotel improvements in occupancy and average daily rate already reported in the second half of 2004, HRG expects profit growth to be even higher for the second half and full year 2004. On the other hand, despite these positive trends, the industry still lags far behind its past peak performance in 1998. The firm said that it doesn't expect unit level hotel profits and profit margins to reach 1999-2000 levels until 2006 or 2007. PATA Projects 300 Million Arrivals to Asia Pacific Tourism in the Pacific Asia region is still surging, if a recent survey is any indicator. The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), in the December edition of its Issues & Trends newsletter, is forecasting more than 300 million international visitor arrivals (IVAs) to Asia Pacific in 2004, about 10 percent more than the previous record of 274.8 million in 2002. PATA Managing Director-Strategic Intelligence Centre John Koldowski said: "If we can get through December with no new external shocks to travel and tourism, I am confident that we will break 300 million this year." Koldowski said the main drivers for the record-breaking growth were pent-up demand from last year, competitive fares by low-cost carriers, the further easing of outbound regulations by China (PRC), the strong euro, and robust economic performances in Asia Pacific source markets. The year 2003 was one of the worst ever for travel and tourism in Asia Pacific, largely due to four external shocks--SARS, terrorism, global economic doldrums and conflict in Iraq. "With all the pent-up demand carried over from 2003, we were expecting a bounce-back year," said Koldowski. "However, this is much more than a bounce back--this is aggressive, strong growth." For more information, visit www.pata.org. Holland America's Lanterman Gets Consulting Package What happens after a legendary leader of one of the world's largest cruise brands steps down? Seatrade last week reported that Kirk Lanterman, former chairman and CEO of Holland America Line, will provide consulting services and other assistance as needed to the company for annual compensation of $788,000 under an agreement with Carnival Corp. & plc. Lanterman gave up his executive positions at Holland America and its affiliates last week and took the title of non-executive chairman. Under an agreement with Carnival, Lanterman will provide consulting and other assistance as may be required by Holland America President and CEO Stein Kruse "on strategic, financial and historical analyses and other various services" up to a maximum of 1,000 hours annually. The consulting agreement will start Jan. 1 and run through Nov. 30, 2005. It renews automatically for one additional year unless earlier terminated by either party, "but in no event will the consulting agreement be extended beyond Nov. 30, 2006," according to a Carnival filing. Lanterman's annual compensation of $788,000 will be payable in monthly installments. He will retain his position as a director of Carnival Corp. & plc. Carnival Floats Out New Carnival Liberty Ship Echoing the strong results for the cruise industry, Carnival Cruise Lines is introducing even more new ships. The new 110,000-ton Carnival Liberty was floated out of its outfitting dock at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, last week. Following this significant milestone in Carnival Liberty's construction, interior outfitting has begun in preparation for the line's first-ever Mediterranean cruises beginning July 20, 2005. The 2,974-passenger Carnival Liberty will be the largest ship in the contemporary market sailing in Europe. Carnival Liberty's Mediterranean cruises will run through October 2005, after which the vessel will sail on a 16-day trans-Atlantic crossing then launch year-round six- and eight-day Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., beginning in November 2005. Carnival Valor, another new ship, will be introduced to the U.S. market next week. Princess Set to Name New Ship Crown Princess Princess Cruises will name the next new vessel to join its fleet Crown Princess. A sister ship to the highly praised Caribbean Princess, it will debut in May 2006. Like her sibling, Crown Princess will also offer a year-round Caribbean deployment. But Crown Princess will not be an identical twin. Similar to Caribbean Princess, Crown Princess will feature a number of innovations designed for cruising the Caribbean, but the ship will also offer a number of new design evolutions to create additional options for passengers, including a piazza-style atrium, even more dining venues and redesigned public spaces. Holland America's Noordam to Sail from New York Holland America Line said that in 2006 it will deploy the 1,848-passenger Noordam for its inaugural Caribbean season sailing from New York City, the line's former headquarters. The premium cruise line will sail 13 Caribbean cruises from its new North American homeport beginning with the Noordam's inaugural cruise on Feb. 22. Two trans-Atlantic sailings also include New York as a gateway. The addition of New York completes Holland America Line's Caribbean homeports in 2006 with Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Norfolk, and, now, New York. Kerzner to Expand Atlantis-Paradise Island Resort Kerzner International Limited, a leading international developer and operator of destination resorts, casinos and luxury hotels, has entered into supplemental agreement to its original deal with the Government of The Bahamas enabling the company to proceed with the next major phase of development at its flagship property, Atlantis, Paradise Island. The amended Phase III project will include the following components: A 600-room luxury all-suite hotel in lieu of the 1,500-room hotel tower contemplated in the supplement to the 2003 Heads of Agreement. The company anticipates it will commence development of this project during the second quarter of 2005. The proposed all-suite hotel will be situated west of the Royal Towers, adjacent to one of the best available beach sites in the Caribbean. Also included is a 400-unit condo-hotel. The company expects to partner with Turnberry Associates, one of the premier real estate development and property management companies in the United States. The development cost associated with this project is expected to be $200 million. Outrigger Adds New Resorts in Australia, New Zealand Yet another lodging company in expansion mode is Outrigger Hotels & Resorts. Outrigger has been awarded the management rights for its tenth resort in the Australian state of Queensland, and for its third resort in New Zealand. Both properties join the company's growing portfolio of accommodations within the Pacific, which now include 53 properties across the Pacific with more than 12,000 rooms in Hawaii, Australia, Micronesia, Fiji, Tahiti and New Zealand. The first of Outrigger Hotels & Resorts' newest projects is the Outrigger Port Douglas Beach Club Resort. Construction of the $39 million upscale boutique resort will begin in December 2004, with its opening scheduled for October 2005. The hotel will be Outrigger's fourth property within the popular tourist town of Port Douglas, located in Tropical North Queensland. Outrigger also announced another property would be joining its portfolio in New Zealand. In February 2005, Outrigger Hotels & Resorts will assume management of the historic Terraces Hotel, near the world-renowned hot springs district of Taupo on New Zealand's North Island. At that time, the property will be re-branded the Outrigger Terraces Resort, Lake Taupo. This latest announcement comes just a few months after Outrigger secured its second resort in New Zealand, the five-star Outrigger at Clearwater, which joins its flagship New Zealand property, Outrigger at the Beacon in Queenstown. Hawaii-based Outrigger Hotels & Resorts established its Australian headquarters on the Gold Coast in 1998 with the specific intent of developing a network of quality holiday destinations in and around the Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific region. It currently has 12 properties open or under construction in Australia, three in New Zealand, one in Fiji, and another on Huahine Island in French Polynesia. InterContinental Opens 42 Hotels in Four Months InterContinental Hotels Group announced it opened 42 hotels (5,658 rooms) from July through October 2004 across the Americas. These 42 openings include: Crowne Plaza opened five properties located in Oklahoma City, Okla.; Tulsa, Okla.; King of Prussia, Pa.; Arlington, Texas and San Antonio, Texas. InterContinental also opened the industry's first lifestyle brand, Hotel Indigo in Atlanta--in the heart of its revitalizing Midtown area. Holiday Inn opened 12 hotels located in Thousand Oaks, Calif.; Lake City, Fla.; Baton Rouge, La.; Brooklyn Center, Minn.; Saint Joseph, Miss.; Columbus, Ohio; Gresham, Ore.; Addison, Texas; Marshfield, Wis.; Santa Fe, Argentina; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; and Irapuato, Mexico Holiday Inn Express opened 21 hotels located in Magnolia, Ark.; Parachute, Colo.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Carter Lake, Ill.; Chanhassen, Minn.; Dickinson, N.D.; Bernalillo, N.M.; Holiday City, Ohio; King of Prussia, Pa.; West Mifflin, Pa.; Hot Springs, S.D.; Austin, Texas; Humble, Texas; Cedar City, Utah; Woodbridge, Va.; White River Junction, Vt.; Everett, Wash.; Douglas, Wyo.; Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada and Santiago, Chile. Staybridge Suites, an upscale extended-stay brand, opened a property in Mount Laurel, N.J. Candlewood Suites, the fastest growing mid priced extended-stay brand, opened two properties located in Tulsa, Okla. and Sterling, Va. Find Hotels & Restaurants Info at IH&RA Web Site Want a good informational web site that details what's going on in the international hotel and restaurant industries. The International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA) is the only international trade association exclusively devoted to promoting and defending the interests of the hotel and restaurant industry worldwide. It is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to helping members achieve their business objectives and prepare for the future. Members include international and national hotel and/or restaurant chains, and national hotel and/or restaurant associations. Paris-based IH&RA acts as an industry Watchdog protecting business interests, helps to build your business network, and keeps you informed about timely news events. Best of all, even if you're not a member, IH&RA's web site (www.ih-ra.com) provides a great resource for anyone interested in the hotel and restaurant industry. The web site includes an update on IH@RA news and events, a compendium of IH&RA positions on key industry issues, list of the association's partners and affiliates, a directory of IH&RA publications, an explanation of membership guidelines, a members-only section, and a free career center that lists jobs by sector, position, location and keyword. For more information, visit www.ih-ra.com. OPPORTUNITIES EXECUTIVE MOVERS! AIRLINES: Delta Air Lines, Inc. announced two personnel changes in its finance organization. Gail Grimmett, previously managing director of investor relations, has been named managing director and assistant treasurer-business analytics and treasury development. Laura Fuselier has been named director of Investor Relations. Effective immediately, Grimmett will report to Todd Helvie, senior vice president and treasurer. In support of Delta's transformation plan, Grimmett will have primary responsibility for the execution of Delta mergers, acquisitions and asset dispositions to include financial evaluation, negotiation and execution of capital market activities. She will also be responsible for all cash forecasting, liquidity analysis and hedging programs. Grimmett is charged with implementation of best-practice methodologies and processes within all aspects of this new role. In addition to her role in investor relations, Grimmett has previously been Delta's chief economist as well as director of financing planning...American Eagle announced the appointment of Captain Jim Winkley as vice president-safety for the airline, effective Dec. 17. In his new role, Winkley will have responsibility for the carrier's flight and ground safety programs, maintenance safety and compliance, regulatory affairs and dangerous goods program. Winkley started his career in the airline business with Simmons Airlines, first flying as a line pilot, then serving as assistant chief pilot. He served as the carrier's director of safety from 1995 to 1998. Most recently, he has held the role of director of flight operations-line for American Eagle with oversight of the airline's chief pilots and administration of the company and departmental policies for the company's 2,675 pilots...Caroline Boren joined Alaska Airlines as managing director of corporate and strategic communications with responsibility for the company's corporate and internal communications as well as media relations. A 15-year communications veteran, Boren comes to Alaska Airlines from public relations consultant Waggener Edstrom, where she spent eight years advising clients, including Microsoft and Texas Instruments, on a variety of business and communications initiatives. CRUISE LINES: Holland America Line has named Jim McHugh as vice president, marketing and sales for Windstar Cruises. The appointment was made by Richard Meadows, CTC, senior vice president, marketing and sales, Holland America Line, and is effective Dec. 13, 2004. Windstar Cruises is a wholly owned unit of Holland America Line. McHugh will be responsible for the planning and implementation of all marketing and sales initiatives for the lines three luxury sailing vessels. McHugh brings more than 10 years of luxury cruise experience to his new position. He was a founding member of the team that launched the ultra-luxury line, Silversea. He most recently served as Silversea's vice president, national accounts and sales development. HOTELS & RESORTS: Hilton Group plc named Ian Carter as chief executive of Hilton International Hotels. He will take up the appointment, previously held by the late Anthony Harris, on Feb. 1, 2005 reporting to David Michels, chief executive of Hilton Group plc. He will also have a seat on Hilton Group's board...Aztar Corporation said that Paul Rubeli has informed the board of directors of his intention to retire from his positions as chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors, effective March 1, 2005. Aztar's board selected Robert Haddock, president and chief financial officer, to succeed Rubeli as chairman and CEO, also effective March 1, 2005. Haddock, 59, has been a senior executive of the company since its incorporation in 1989, serving as president and CFO since 2002 and previously as executive vice president and CFO. Aztar is a publicly traded company that operates Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City, N.J.; Tropicana Resort and Casino in Las Vegas; Ramada Express Hotel and Casino in Laughlin, Nev.; Casino Aztar in Caruthersville, Mo.; and Casino Aztar in Evansville, Ind....In connection with the sale of Ramada International Hotels & Resorts by Marriott International Inc. to Cendant Corporation's Hotel Group, Cendant announced the appointment of Reas Kondraschow as senior vice president and managing director, international, responsible for development of the Ramada International, Days Inn, Howard Johnson and Super 8 and Wingate brands outside of the United States, Canada, Caribbean and Mexico...Choice Hotels International, Inc. promoted and elected David Goldberg to the position of senior vice president, corporate and brand strategy, and David Pepper to the position of senior vice president, franchise development, effective Jan. 1, 2005. Both will continue to report to Joe Squeri, executive vice president and chief financial officer. Goldberg previously was vice president, corporate and brand Strategy, and treasurer. Pepper has been vice president, franchise sales and development, with responsibility for franchise sales for the company's new construction brands...David McMillan has been named to the post of chief executive officer of the International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA) effective Jan. 3, 2005. This appointment received unanimous approval by IH&RA members at the Association's Annual General Assembly held in Istanbul alongside the IH&RA 41st Annual Congress, Nov. 19-22, 2004. British-born McMillan has had many years of international hotel and resort management and development experience with Hilton Hotels Corp. and Hilton International, Hyatt International, Commonwealth Hospitality, Holiday Inn Hotels, Four Seasons Hotels and several independent properties including the Hotel Meurice in Paris, the Waldorf Astoria in New York and most recently with Cirque du Soleil. Outgoing CEO Alain-Philippe FeutrÈ will continue the main role of advocacy for the industry before the UN and its international agencies as a special advisor to the president. McMillan will assume his role as the CEO of IH&RA as of Jan. 3 January and will be based in Paris... Marshall Management, Inc., a leading mid-sized hotel management company, said David Lutz has joined its management team as vice president of finance. A 25-year hospitality industry veteran, Lutz began his hotel career as an assistant regional controller for Guest Quarters. Lutz grew with the company during its merger with Doubletree and its subsequent merger with Promus, which was acquired by Hilton Hotels Corporation...Norman Jenkins, vice president of owner and franchise services for Marriott International, Inc. has been named senior vice president of North American lodging development for the company. In his new role, Jenkins will lead all development efforts related to minority ownership. He will oversee Marriott's recently enhanced Diversity Ownership Initiative, which has been designed to build on Marriott's outstanding track record of attracting top tier minority owners and franchisees...Arthur Nathan has been appointed senior vice president-chief human resources officer for Wynn Las Vegas, the highly anticipated luxury resort opening on the Las Vegas Strip in April 2005. In his new role, Nathan will oversee the process of hiring the 9,000-person workforce and develop and supervise all pre- and post-opening human resources plans, programs and processes. Nathan has had an extensive career working for Wynn in the human resources and gaming industries. TOUR OPERATORS: Central Holidays named James Zitani as a new regional sales manager. Zitani has assumed responsibility for increasing overall and group sales by leading, planning and directing sales for the company's New York, New Jersey and Connecticut regions, as well as for supporting sales services on a national level. Zitani, who has 23 years of travel industry experience, began his career at Central Holidays, where he worked for 18 years. Zitani will be based out of Central Holidays' Moonachie, N.J., office, reporting to Fabio Sembiante, director of sales and operations. TRAVEL AGENCIES: American Express has named Andy McGraw as senior vice president and general manager for American Express Business Travel North America. McGraw succeeds Pam Arway, who has accepted the position of country manager for Australia--leading the consumer card business. McGraw will assume his new role on Jan. 2, 2005 and will be based in New York. He will be responsible for leading the growth of Amex's business travel sector across all segments and markets. As the current vice president for Global Travel Sales, McGraw had and will continue to have responsibility for leading all North American, multi-regional and global business development activities. TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY: Amadeus, a leading global distribution system and technology provider to the travel industry, appointed Albert Pozo as managing director of the newly created global Travel Services & Leisure unit resulting from the merger of Amadeus Tours and Travel Service Partners. The new unit has been set up to realize the potential, and build on the current and growing success, of Amadeus beyond air travel reservations. It will drive travel agency and online adoption of the Amadeus GDS for non-air bookings, developing the depth of Amadeus services and strengthening partnership with travel providers. Effective Jan. 1, 2005, Pozo will be responsible for Amadeus' commercial strategy for all non-air travel providers: hotels, car rental companies, rail, ferry and cruise operators, insurance providers and tour operators...Sabre Airline Solutions has named Murray Smyth as its new vice president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Smyth will be responsible for the sales and account management division of Sabre Airline Solutions across the region, in more than 50 countries and including virtually every major European airline. Working closely with Sabre Travel Network and Travelocity, Smyth is charged with helping to expand Sabre's presence in the region with the provision of consulting, technology solutions and services to the airline and travel industries. Smyth takes over from Vinay Dube, who will be returning back to Southlake, Texas, to become vice president of Product Portfolio Management...Martin Cowley will take over as CEO of Sabre Pacific in mid-January. Cowley will replace Michael Keating, who joined the company in December 2002. Keating said he would continue in a consulting role for Sabre Pacific, while dedicating more time to a variety of other business interests, including his corporate agency LTM (formerly Leggett World Travel). Cowley began working as a consultant for Sabre Pacific in 2003 and officially joined the company last month as chief operating officer.
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© 2003 The Weekly Executive Employment Report is a publication of Travel Career Connexxions, Inc.