Lodging News

BC/Alberta Tourism comparison’s surprising results

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:50:26 PST

The idea for this Spotlight arose following a surprising conversation with friends who live in Victoria and had just returned from a road trip to Alberta.

Best Western celebrates its 65th in Orlando

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:53:02 PST

Best Western may have just turned 65, but it’s far from retiring.

At its Orlando convention, David Kong, president and CEO stressed that the theme for 2012 “isn’t a celebration of the past, but prospective view of the future.”

Extreme Makeover Mongolian style showcases trends

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:23:51 PST

An extreme makeover for a derelict Soviet-era resort in Mongolia is not the sort of request (or challenge) that a designer often gets. Louis de Araujo, interior design consultant for Vancouver-based LDA Design, saw the opportunity in the assignment.

News Briefs ~ January 2012

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:20:06 PST

ST. PAUL’S, NL—Fire has destroyed Gros Morne Resort, located just outside the national park of the same name. A release from the local RCMP detachment said the fire call came in Dec. 20 at 10:30.

Toronto’s unique European hotel

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 06:43:46 PST

TORONTO—You find them in London and Edinburgh, New York, Chicago and San Francisco—private clubs with overnight accommodation—but not until 2009 in Toronto. It was then that Verity, a club for women, opened The Ivy, a small boutique hotel.

A Sutton Place with three types of skiing

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 06:33:42 PST

REVELSTOKE, BC—Salim Kassam, vice president of marketing for Northland Properties, is brimming with enthusiasm as he describes the latest in the Sutton Place Hotel portfolio.

TRYPing in Quebec City

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 06:21:47 PST

QUEBEC, QC—TRYP by Wyndham, a cosmopolitan, select-service hotel brand, made its debut in North America last month with the opening of the 242- room TRYP Quebec Hotel PUR in Quebec City, Quebec, formerly the award-winning Hotel PUR.

Best Western approaches 200-unit mark

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 06:04:11 PST

PHOENIX—Sometime during the middle months of 2012, Best Western should pass the 200-hotel mark in Canada.

Red Roof’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire quiz

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:17:15 PST

Red Roof Inns presented this quiz in a “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” game show format at their annual conference. See how you score. Answers at end of article.

Pros and cons of flash sales for 2012

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:45:56 PST

You see them on sites like Jetsetters, Living Social Escapes, Hotel Tonight, Groupon and several others: “Deluxe Vacation in Paradise, Regularly $2,000, Book Now for Only $1,000, Save 50 per cent.” The promotional text is crisp; the offers relatively straightforward. The question is, should you as a hotelier participate in these programs? And importantly, what role will flash sales play in 2012?

People - January 2012

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 07:49:25 PST

Joe Couto has joined Ishcom Publications, publishers of Canadian Lodging News, as a new senior account manager. Couto’s most recent position was account executive with Ironstone Media, providing magazine publishers with a platform of print and digital solutions for their readers and advertisers.

Association News

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:17:27 PST

MONTREAL—Travel Gay Canada, Canada’s national lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) tourism industry association, honoured The Honourable Charles Lapointe with the 2011 LGBT Tourism Leadership Award on November 18, at the 2nd Annual Travel Gay Canada LGBT Tourism Conference in Montreal.

Destination transformation

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:53:54 PST

TORONTO—Shyam Ranganathan is proud to say that Centennial College’s Culture and Heritage Institute (CHI) is committed to environmental and community sustainability by embracing the principles outlined in the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, The ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Charter, and The National Geographic Society’s Geotourism Charter.

Award-winning Holiday Inn Express Kelowna

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:27:45 PST

KELOWNA, BC—The Holiday Inn Express Kelowna Conference Centre has been recognized by the InterContinental Hotels Group for its extensive renovation and modernization of the hotel. The award was presented to the hotel’s management team at the 2011 InterContinental Hotels Group Americas Investors & Leadership Conference in Las Vegas.

Cdn. Hotel Transactions Surge in 2011

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:14:35 PST

TORONTO—In 2011 the Canadian hotel investment market registered the highest transaction volume since the record years of 2006 and 2007, according to CBRE Hotels.

Openings, Sales & Renos ~ January 2012

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:58:39 PST

CALGARY—Travelodge Canada has a new address, fax number and main office phone number as of December 15. The head office address is: Suite 201, 609 14th Street NW, Calgary, AB T2N 2A1. The main head office phone number is 413-270-9000, and the fax number is 413-270-9029.

Travelodge Brand Conference attracts record numbers

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:40:50 PST

CALGARY—A record 140 delegates representing 80 Travelodge & Thriftlodge Canada hotel owners, general managers and front line staff gathered in Calgary late last year at the brand’s 11th Annual Canadian Conference.

“Dusting off the drawings” for 2012

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:31:55 PST

BURLINGTON—The lenders are lending, the economy is improving, and it’s time for hotel builders to “dust off the drawing plans and move forward,” says Adrian Mauro, president of Chamberlain Architectural Construction Management.

Sheraton Niagara reaps many awards this year

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:46:12 PST

NIAGARA FALLS—Awards keep rolling in for the 4-Diamond Sheraton on the Falls in Niagara Falls Ontario. Late last year, the hotel was awarded the highest score of all Starwood Hotel & Resorts in Canada on the Meeting Planners Satisfaction Index (MPSI) for the second consecutive quarter.

Conference trio targets tough issues

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:09:35 PST

TORONTO—An upcoming trio of business conferences on March 5, 6 and 7, 2012 at Toronto’s Sheraton Centre Hotel, will target the tough issues facing tourism and hospitality – how to build business in turbulent times.