We talk to Claire Steiner, a wonderfully personable and energetic person and a Director at the ITT UK, and find out about the Institute, her professional journey and the travel & tourism industry in the United Kingdom today.

Name: Claire Steiner
Current Company and Title: Director of Education and Training at The Institute of Travel and Tourism

[JJ] Please tell us a little about the Institute of Travel and Tourism

[Claire] The ITT is the largest professional membership organization in the UK for Travel and Tourism. The ITT is dedicated to raising standards for its members by working closely with employers to ensure the development of professionalism. In addition, the ITT provides members with a forum for the exchange of information as well as networking opportunities and member benefits.

TIME Magazine recently released an article, titled “25 Sites We Can’t Live Without” - some obvious choices and great finds in there, no doubt, however again a little disappointing since some of the choices are very USA focused. The rest of the world seems to be on the backburner again… in response here is a list of Top 20 websites that are making waves in the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East, based on traffic and popularity:



Yahoo!
www.yahoo.com
According to web traffic analysis companies (including Alexa Internet and Netcraft), Yahoo! has been the most visited website on the Internet, with more than 412 million unique users. Yahoo provides a wide array of internet services that cater to most online activities. It operates the web portal http://www.yahoo.com which provides contents including the latest news, Yahoo Finance and gives users quick access to other Yahoo services like Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo Maps, Yahoo! Groups and Yahoo! Messenger. Over 50% of the users on network visit to use their Yahoo! email. View the complete list of products and services offered by Yahoo!
Traffic Rank: 1 | Sites that Link here: 76,894 | Speed: Average (2.2 seconds) | Online Since: 18-Jan-1995

Read the full Top 20 UAE (Middle East) Website list here

I had the chance to catch up with someone special that I worked with not very long ago, in the field of online marketing & distribution. Her dazzling energy, charm and brains are quite a mix...and her adventurous spirit has taken her places on the globe and in business, where most would never dream of. I'm happy to introduce Noha Rizk, in a special Talent Jungle 'People' feature... JJ

Name: Noha Rizk

Current Company and Title: Asset Management Technologies - Managing Director

[JJ] Please tell us more about the company / projects you are currently working on?

[Noha] I'm currently working with banks on technologies that help them secure their loans, reduce delinquencies and cost of retention.

Spectacular carnival unveils the multi-million dollar transformation of Le Meridien Amman, Jordan: After a year and a half of renovations and approximately $15 million dollars investment, Le Meridien Amman lit up its façade and held a spectacular carnival to unveil the luxuriously renovated guest rooms and suites of one of Amman’s long established and most popular hotels.

With the discussion raging about Web 2.0 applications in the hospitality, travel & tourism industry (with hotels slowing catching on), the subject of much enthusiasm in the Travel 2.0 game now seems to be Video! Moving beyond the original Travel 2.0 phenomenon (e.g.TripAdvisor, which now features over 6 million user reviews on hotels, destinations and local attractions), new sites are now focusing on the logical next step...combining reviews & ratings with videos of the actual hotel product.

Starwood has become the latest company in the hospitality & food industry to ban Trans-Fats - a superb move forward in terms of health for it's guests. Unlike other fats, trans fats are neither required nor beneficial for health.[1] Eating trans fats increases the risk of coronary heart disease.[2] For these reasons, health authorities worldwide recommend that consumption of trans fat be reduced to trace amounts. Trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils are generally considered to be more of a health risk than those occurring naturally (learn more).

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Moves Forward to Eliminate Artificial Trans-Fats from More Than 400 Hotels in North America - June 19, 2007 - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced today its goal to eliminate all artificial trans-fats from the food and beverage operations at more than 400 hotels in the U. S., Canada and the Caribbean by the end of 2007. This includes food served at Starwood-operated restaurants, banquets, catering, room service, bars and lounges. Starwood's efforts to eliminate artificial trans-fats in its food service is a result of a two-year process at its hotels in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean, including Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Le Meridien, and W brands. Research on the direct link between heart disease and the consumption of artificial trans-fats has been well documented, creating a growing national health issue. "We are committed to offering our guests healthier options when they travel," said Paul Scott, vice president, Food and Beverage, North America for Starwood Hotels. "Our goal is to offer healthier, high-quality food selections by eliminating artificial trans-fats from our food and beverage operations."

Some videos posted on YouTube - an ad campaign series from Holiday Inn (InterContinental Hotels Group) to promote the brand...a couple of funny ones and others that don't quite get there.



Funny Holiday Inn Commercial - Room Service

Guests Experience the Art of Living With Three Varietals of Canvas Available at Hyatt Properties in the U.S.

Today, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts announced the launch of its new signature wine brand, Canvas, developed in partnership with Folio Fine Wine Partners, a Napa Valley, Calif.-based company owned by the Michael Mondavi family. To celebrate the launch, Hyatt debuted the wine last night during a tasting event with celebrated winemaker Michael Mondavi at the Grand Hyatt New York. Guests sampled the wine amidst original canvas artworks provided by the New York Academy of Art. Recognized as a leading innovator in hotel food and beverage, Hyatt is delighted to offer its guests three new handcrafted, artisan varietals – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay – bringing added variety and excellence to the Hyatt dining experience.

aloha! aloft hotels worldwide announced the reopening of its newly renovated virtual hotel, aloft SL., based on important feedback from Second Life® residents, underscoring aloft’s commitment to responding to consumer feedback and to building the world’s best select service hotel brand.

Since it first opened in the virtual world in September 2006, aloft has actively solicited input from Second Life residents on such design features as public spaces, guest rooms and exteriors – everything from color palette to space planning. After reviewing all of the comments, several changes to the design are a direct result of consumer feedback, and were reflected in the “real-life” aloft hotels. Some of these changes include adding radios in the guest room showers, providing additional seating in the re:mix lobby, and incorporating artwork created by local artists on the walls in the public areas.

The Sheraton brand, which has been taken on a fresh new look since last year and led the way in terms of some key branding and web 2.0 initiatives, is in the news again...Sheraton's brand manager, Hoyt Harper and Sheraton's vice president of marketing, Brian Povinelli recently revealed some of the other key initiatives that will comprise Sheraton's "makeover". These include 'redefining the lobby space with the attributes of a park', launch of Microsoft's newly released coffee table "surface computer, bed furnishing upgrades, fitness center programs guests can continue with even after checkout and meeting space extras, including a novel vibrating machine to revive drowsy attendees!

Eric Peterson reports...

"The Lightstone Group...has closed on its acquisition of Extended Stay Hotels from affiliates of the Blackstone Group for $8 billion...For that $8 billion, the Lightstone affiliate is getting the largest owner of mid-price extended-stay hotels in the US, with 687 hotels and approximately 76,000 rooms in 44 states and Canada. The company currently operates under five brands in the extended-stay segment: Extended Stay Deluxe, Extended Stay America, Homestead Studio Suites, StudioPlus and Crossland."

More Than 50 of the Finest Spas From Around the World Grace Collection Today Starwood Hotels & Resorts EAME announces that 10 additional properties have joined The Starwood Spa Collection, one of the world’s largest collections of premier spas. The Starwood Spa Collection comprises of more than 50 hotels and resorts from all corners of the globe that are renowned for their incomparable service, luxurious treatments and unwavering standards of excellence. Le Méridien Lav, Split Croatia; Hotel Schloss Fuschl, Austria; Sheraton Salobre Golf Resort & Spa, Canary Islands and Le Royal Méridien Beach Dubai are some of the new spas to join the Starwood Spa Collection this year, representing an impressive 40% growth in its award-winning portfolio of spas.

Article Permalinks: 1 | 2

By Jitendra Jain

If you’ve always loved computers and the internet, have worked in the travel industry and have a flair for the creative and a passion for marketing…then a career in online marketing & distribution in a hotel may be just the thing for you!

The role, often referred to as e-commerce, e-business or online marketing & distribution (though these are quite disparate terms) usually pertains to a growing niche in the hospitality industry. It’s often confused with revenue management, public relations and worse still…IT, but the focus is really quite simple…and it isn’t rocket science. Online marketing & distribution would be best described as a combination of traditional marketing, PR and sales taken to a whole new level on the Internet platform.

A new article titled “Carbon Monoxide Poisoning at Motels, Hotels, and Resorts” by Lindell K. Weaver, MD, and Kayla Deru, BA in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Volume 32, Issue 7 (July 2007) states:
"Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning kills over 200 people every year in the United States...researchers found 68 incidents of CO poisoning occurring at hotels, motels, and resorts between 1989 and 2004. In these incidents, 711 guests, 41 employees or owners and 20 rescue personnel were accidentally poisoned. Of those poisoned, 27 died, 66 developed pathological conditions, and 6 had conditions resulting in a jury verdict....The number of reported incidents of poisoning per year has not decreased over this 15-year interval…While the risk of CO poisoning from a one-night stay to an individual guest is small, the accumulated lifetime risk to individuals who travel frequently would be higher. This risk could approach zero with effective CO prevention measures.”

It would be interesting to learn just how Carbon Monoxide poisoning commonly develops in hotels and if this issue has been considered outside the United States. The study mentions CO alarms and cheap detectors that can be used to measure CO levels...do we know of any hotels that actually use these? An interesting issue to be sure - though the risk of serious poisoning seems small in terms of overall numbers, this does seem to pose risks for frequent travellers, specially if hotels haven't really considered / planned to tackle this risk. Any thoughts / experiences / comments from anyone who's aware of this?

The Talent Jungle Insider Network has just launched the very first 'Top 20 Hotel Jobs UAE' newsletter, an extension of the monthly TJ Insider Newsletter that reaches hundreds of hospitality managers and professionals. This list features a selection of the best open hotel positions (junior management and above only) in the United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, etc) and is picked on various criteria like reputation of hotel / hotel project, popularity of the job, job package and insider info on the position.

Nepal will soon be the host of the first CHE (Certified Hospitality Educator) Workshop in the country. The certification workshop will be conducted by Dr.Marc Clark (PhD, CHE, CHA, CHRE) and will be conducted at GATE (Global Academy of Tourism & Hospitality Education) in Kathmandu. This workshop is being held in in conjunction with the Association of Hospitality Management Educators (AHME -Nepal)

The award-winning CHE program, the only professional development opportunity designed for hospitality educators around the world, enables educators to strengthen students' critical thinking and motivation to learn, share ideas with peers and receive recognition for their teaching abilities from students, colleagues, and the industry.

Dr. Marc Clark is President & CEO, author, professional speaker, business consultant, and entrepreneur, M. Douglas Clark & Associates / SmartBizzOnline.com. Marc has also spent 7 years in restaurant operations, 5 years as Director of Human Resources, 7 years Director of Training-Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tenn USA and 7 years American Hotel & Lodging Association (Director of Account Development & Regional Vice President.

On Saturday, May 5, 2007 the Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality opened its doors for the 5th annual Food Festival open to the public. The school campus was transformed into a world of specialities, and over 2000 guests were able to taste a variety of national dishes from 18 different countries. The delicious food and the nicely decorated stands spread an exotic feeling and a relaxing atmosphere around the school campus of Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality.

In their ongoing commitment to bring unique and stimulating experiences to their guests, Le Méridien is transforming arrival experiences that will enhance all of the guests’ senses. This curated experience will commence from the moment the guest arrives at the hotel until they have opened the door to their guest room. “Le Méridien is committed to transforming the functional and transactional elements of the hotel into experiences that emotionally connect with our guests. We aim to inspire our guests at every turn. Through strategic relationships, Le Méridien is accelerating to bring alive its core values – CHIC, CULTURED, DISCOVERY.” commented Eva Ziegler, Senior Vice President, Le Méridien Brand.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts in the Middle East are currently on the lookout for qualified e-commerce / online marketing & distribution specialists. The e-commerce or online marketing role is mainly marketing-focused with a internet / technology edge. This is not to be confused with IT Management / support, Revenue Management, Public Relations or Sales, though the online marketing executive does co-ordinate and work with these specialists. The e-commerce role and teams are also quite dynamic and these roles are superb launch-pads, esp for savvy grads and those looking to make a mark in the hospitality industry + marketing. As of begn June 2007, the open positions include these hotels:

> Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel
> W Doha - Opening January 1, 2008
> Sheraton Khalidiya Hotel, Abu Dhabi
> Four Points by Sheraton Sheikh Zayed Road (Opening September 15, 2007) and Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai (Opening August 1, 2007)
> Grosvenor House West Marina Beach by Le Méridien and Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa
> Sheraton Deira Hotel, Dubai

Hilton Hotels Corporation Announces Three Major Development Alliances Deals Will Facilitate Opening Approximately 55 New Hotels in Key Markets Through 2012

LONDON & BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 4, 2007--Hilton Hotels Corporation (NYSE:HLT) today announced that the company will form three major development alliances with the intention to introduce more than 15 new hotels in the Caribbean and Central America, 25 hotels in Russia and at least 15 hotels in the U.K. throughout the next five years.

PR Newswire and Hotels Magazine report that "New York City's First Environmentally Friendly Five-Star Hotel to Debut at Bryant Park;
"1" Hotel and Residences to Open in a New, Mixed-Use "Green" Building Across from One of NYC's Most Cherished Public Spaces in 2010"

Starwood Capital Group today announced that the recently launched "1" Hotel and Residences, the world's first luxury, eco-friendly global hotel brand, will open New York City's first five-star green hotel on West 40th Street in Manhattan, across from Bryant Park. The "1" Hotel and Residences will be part of a proposed 31-story mixed-use green tower being developed by 40th Street Development, LLC, an affiliate of Ascent Real Estate Advisors, LLC, of New York. The new luxury project, which will also feature condominium residences and dining concepts developed by restaurateur Stephen Hanson, will be a green project built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Standards.

Read more

"MENAFN Press) Dubai, 3rd June 2007 - The Middle East Hotel Outlook 2020, an update of the groundbreaking Global Futures and Foresight (GFF) research study on the Future of Travel and Tourism in the Middle East, was unveiled during The Hotel Show, today. According to the study, which covers 13 Middle Eastern countries, over US$3.39 trillion will be invested in regional hotels and supporting infrastructure by 2020. The study, which is taking a 'futures' perspective on the trends and drivers shaping travel and tourism in the region to 2020 and beyond has identified plans to add at least 750,000 hotel rooms to the hospitality landscape from Egypt to Iran. They found projected construction costs for the most recent announcements from over 30 developers, investors and operators vary from US$100,000 to US$2.3m per room. "The research draws on a range of methods to explore potential scenarios, challenges and opportunities for regional travel and tourism and provides practical advice on how players in the sector can factor these insights into their planning," said Rohit Talwar, Joint CEO of GFF and co-author of the study."

Source: HOTELS magazine

Starwood Hotels Leads the Hospitality Industry with Its Record-Setting Global Hotel Pipeline:
Ramping Up Its International Expansion, Starwood Announces Plans to Open 420 Hotels Around the World

Hot on the heels of its record-breaking success in 2006, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announces that it anticipates executing 200 new deals and opening more than 80 new hotels in 2007, almost doubling the number of properties the company opened last year. Underscoring the company's aggressive portfolio expansion across all nine of its brands, Starwood currently boasts a global pipeline of approximately 420 hotels and more than 100,000 rooms. Starwood has also taken the lead in the upper upscale and luxury segments, with 38 percent of the hotels and rooms in the industry pipeline, according to Smith Travel Report.

According to iPerceptions' Hospitality Industry Visitor Satisfaction Report for Q4, visitors to the InterContinental Hotel Group's website are more satisfied than the hospitality industry average.

Across all IHG brands, the content dimension was a prominent area of strength. Visitors resoundingly applauded the relevancy, level of detail, and breadth of the information and content in the IHG sites. Moreover, visitors to the IHG sites indicated the site(s) were easy to use and very well structured. This led to an adoption rating that was close to half an iPSI point higher than the industry average, which is predictive of site referral and likelihood to return. The three attributes included in the adoption index are key barometers of a site's ability to foster brand loyalty, cement its status as a starting point for hotel research, and encourage repeat visits

The release does not state which hotel chains are ranked with or above the InterContinental Hotels Group though.

Grosvenor House, Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa, Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort and Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel were clearly the best in class when they scooped most of the much sought after accolades at the dazzling 2007 MENA travel awards ceremony, held in Dubai recently.

Grosvenor House was named Best Corporate Hotel, taking the platinum award, while Retreat Health & Spa took the platinum award for Best Spa. Mezzanine was awarded gold for Best Fine Dining Restaurant in the UAE with Indego close behind, winning the silver award for Best Fine Dining Restaurant in the UAE

"May 30, 2007 is your day, and you are definitely going to enjoy it!" With these words 103 students of SSTH Swiss School of Tourism were welcomed to the 2007 graduation ceremony. After 1 ½ or 3 years of study, happy but impatient faces waiting for the moment to arrive when they become a professional in hotel operations or hotel management. 47 students of the German speaking department HTF Hotel- und Touristikfachschule, and 55 from the English speaking division of the school, thrilled to be awarded their diploma.