Between the private beach and butler service, a new resort on Rhode Island's shore promises to be among New England's most luxurious when it opens in June.
The original Ocean House was a post-Civil War resort destination for the rich. The 1916 silent movie "American Aristocracy" with Douglas Fairbanks was filmed at the towering Victorian hotel, known for its yellow facade and striking ocean views. But the 135-year old hotel, in need of extensive repairs and upgrades, was closed in 2003 and razed.
Now a group of sentimentally attached investors — led by mutual fund magnate Charles Royce — is taking a $140 million gamble, building an upscale replica of the hotel in the seaside enclave of Watch Hill. They want the new Ocean House — with its 49 rooms and 23 condos — to compete with rival destinations in places like Newport, Nantucket and the Hamptons.
Royce, who owns a summer home in Watch Hill, said he was dismayed by the prospect of losing the hotel, where guests, socialites and local residents converged for grand celebrations or simply drinks at the bar.
He bought the property from a developer who planned to build large homes on the site.
"The world doesn't need more McMansions, especially in (place of) something that was such an important part of the community," Royce said. "The sole purpose was to make certain that this very important community asset could be preserved."
Royce, founder and president of the Royce Funds, assembled about a dozen investors with ties to Watch Hill. The investors received a short-term $60 million construction loan and expect to repay it by the time the project opens, and say the balance is their own money.
Of course it's a risky time to open a luxury boutique hotel with $600-a-night rooms, especially in Rhode Island. The state has among the highest unemployment and foreclosure rates in the country. The local economy has been hammered by the credit crisis and vanishing manufacturing jobs. Ocean House will also be competing for visitors against East Coast destinations with instant name recognition.
Nationally, room occupancy at luxury hotels is forecast to fall to 61 percent this year, down from about 68 percent last year, with the average daily room rate sliding to $240 from $289, according to estimates from PKF Hospitality Research.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Northwest pilots appeal license revocation
The Northwest Airlines pilots who overshot Minneapolis by 150 miles are appealing their license revocations with the National Transportation Safety Board.
The appeals were filed late Wednesday, said board spokesman Ted Lopatkiewicz. He said that appeals typically are heard by an administrative law judge with the board within 120 days.
The Federal Aviation Administration revoked the licenses of Capt. Timothy Cheney of Gig Harbor, Wash., and First Officer Richard Cole of Salem, Ore., last week. The agency said the pilots put the 144 passengers of Northwest Flight 188 in serious danger on Oct. 21 when they failed to communicate with anyone on the ground for 91 minutes despite repeated attempts by air traffic controllers and their own airline to reach them.
Cheney and Cole told investigators they lost track of time and place while working on crew scheduling on their laptops. They said they didn't realize their situation until a flight attendant contacted them on the intercom to ask when the plane would be landing. By then, the Airbus A320 was over Wisconsin at 37,000 feet. The pilots turned the plane around and landed safely in Minneapolis.
Attorneys for the pilots declined to comment.
The incident raised national security concerns. Senior White House officials were notified by the White House situation room during the incident. Fighter jets in two locations were moments away from taking off to track down the errant airliner when contact was re-established.
FAA and NTSB investigators were in Colorado Wednesday, where they interviewed controllers at FAA's en route center in Longmont. FAA investigators also spoke with military officials at the North American Aerospace Defense Command, spokeswoman Laura Brown said.
The U.S. military would have launched fighters if it had been notified sooner. Gen. Gene Renuart, who heads U.S. Northern Command, has said he learned of the incident just four or five minutes before FAA regained contact with the pilots. The delay has raised questions about whether controllers complied with procedures put in place after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Two bills were introduced in the Senate Thursday to ban nonessential electronics, including personal laptops, from the cockpit.
"We simply want to ensure that, with all of the electronic distractions available these days, flying the plane remains the one and only focus," Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., the author of one of the bills, said in a statement.
£2.4 million to drive tourism to England’s Northwest
The Northwest European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Programme is pleased to announce £2.4 million of funding to support a unique programme of marketing activity to boost the region’s visitor economy over the next three years.The campaign aims to increase visitor spend across the Northwest through focused promotion based on the key themes of Industrial Powerhouse (industrial heritage-based), Adventure Capital (outdoor activity) and Gardens of Distinction (horticultural heritage).
The total value of the programme is £4.8 million, with match funding being provided through the region’s tourist boards, museums and attractions.Each theme will focus on a particular sub-region and will be led by one of the region’s tourist boards; Marketing Manchester will steer the Industrial Powerhouse theme, Cumbria Tourism will lead on Adventure Capital and Visit Chester and Cheshire will coordinate the Gardens of Distinction theme. All three campaigns will build on the success of previous work by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and the tourist boards to drive up visitor numbers from national and international markets.
The marketing activity will be supported by three full-time coordinators who will work alongside industry partners to deliver the programme and aims to provide a significant economic boost for the Northwest’s tourism industry.Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive of the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), said:“Building on our work with the tourist boards in these areas, this marketing activity will highlight some of the region’s key strengths and will raise awareness of the Northwest as a world-class visitor destination.
The three themes of industrial heritage, horticulture and outdoor activities appeal to a wide range of people and with targeted marketing we can boost their economic impact on the region.”Cllr Flo Clucas, member of the ERDF Programme Monitoring Committee, added:“The Northwest has so much to offer the visitor and we have learned how important it is to market our attractions to the world to attract people to our fantastic region. This project, with funding from the European Community will enable us to attract visitors and bring jobs and investment. It is a most welcome initiative.”
Space hotel ready for 2012
Galactic Suite have revealed that plans to open the first hotel in space are on schedule and The Galactic Suite Space Resort will be open for business and accepting tourists by 2012.
The news follows hard on the revelation that an anonymous billionaire space enthusiast has granted $3billion to finance the project.
But it’s not a bargain stay. The Barcelona-based architects of space resort say it will cost 3 million euro ($4.4 million) for a three-night stay at the hotel, with this price including an eight-week training course on a tropical island before the trip.
There are considerable doubts about the cost and time frame of the project but more than 200 people have expressed an interest in the trip and 43 have already made a reservation.
Xavier Claramunt, CEO of Galactic Suite believes space tourism will become common place, “If you find out about the technology that already exists and the advances that have been made, it’s quite normal to think that your children, possibly within 15 years, could spend a weekend in space.”
“When the passengers arrive in the rocket, they will join it for 3 days, rocket and capsule. With this we create in the tourist a confidence that he hasn’t been abandoned. After 3 days the passenger returns to the transport rocket and returns to earth,” he said.
Galactic Suite hopes to start its project with a single pod in orbit 450 km (280 miles) above the earth, traveling at 30,000 km per hour, with the capacity to hold four guests and two astronaut-pilots. It will take a day and a half to get there and there will be no staff.
The news follows hard on the revelation that an anonymous billionaire space enthusiast has granted $3billion to finance the project.
But it’s not a bargain stay. The Barcelona-based architects of space resort say it will cost 3 million euro ($4.4 million) for a three-night stay at the hotel, with this price including an eight-week training course on a tropical island before the trip.
There are considerable doubts about the cost and time frame of the project but more than 200 people have expressed an interest in the trip and 43 have already made a reservation.
Xavier Claramunt, CEO of Galactic Suite believes space tourism will become common place, “If you find out about the technology that already exists and the advances that have been made, it’s quite normal to think that your children, possibly within 15 years, could spend a weekend in space.”
“When the passengers arrive in the rocket, they will join it for 3 days, rocket and capsule. With this we create in the tourist a confidence that he hasn’t been abandoned. After 3 days the passenger returns to the transport rocket and returns to earth,” he said.
Galactic Suite hopes to start its project with a single pod in orbit 450 km (280 miles) above the earth, traveling at 30,000 km per hour, with the capacity to hold four guests and two astronaut-pilots. It will take a day and a half to get there and there will be no staff.
Miss World wows at Abu Dhabi F1
Miss World met participants and performers at the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix ahead of her appearance at the Grand Final of the World Travel Awards in London on Sunday.
She will be joined by 120 Miss World contestants at the Awards, before flying back out to Abu Dhabi for a fashion show at the Yas Hotel.
All 120 Miss World finalists will also be making a special guest appearance on the second day of World Travel Market, which takes place in London next week.
The Etihad Airways-sponsored F1 event saw world champion Jenson Button secure third place to Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettell, on Sunday.
The three-day event, which began on Friday, included a host of celebrities and Middle Eastern royalty and US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton.
Beyonce returned to Formula 1 after her appearance in Singapore, and was joined over the next few days with performances from Kings of Leon, Aerosmith, the Wailers, Jamiroquai and Timbaland.
Sports stars included England cricketer Andrew Flintoff and American basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, as well as F1 legends Damon Hill and Sir Jackie Stewart.
The final fixture of the F1 calendar took place at the purpose-built Yas Marina Circuit, in Abu Dhabi, over the weekend.
New 21c Museum Hotel to open in Cincinnati, Ohio
Building on its mission of engaging the public with contemporary art and supporting the revitalization of American downtowns, 21c Museum Hotels will renovate and restore the former Metropole Hotel—an historic landmark in downtown Cincinnati—to its original purpose as a hotel and a centerpiece of the city. 21c Museum Hotels was launched in 2006 by Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, philanthropists and arts patrons with a vision for bringing contemporary art into daily life and fostering urban vitality. The 21c Museum Hotel in Louisville was recently selected as the #1 hotel in the United States and #6 hotel in the world in the prestigious Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards for 2009.
The new 21c Museum Hotel in Cincinnati will be located adjacent to the Contemporary Arts Center and across the street from the Aronoff Center for the Arts. 21c Museum Hotels is working with the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation on the restoration, scheduled to begin next fall. The total expected cost for the project is $45 million.
21c Museum Hotel in Cincinnati will offer 160 rooms, an 8,000 square-foot contemporary art museum open to the public free of charge, and a Proof restaurant and bar serving contemporary cuisine made with locally grown ingredients. The 21c team will restore the Metropole building, recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places, following federal standards for historic rehabilitation.
Presenting a full range of changing special exhibitions and arts programming, 21c Museum Hotel in Louisville is located in the West Main Street Historic District and plays a key role in the life of the city and has helped to further raise national recognition for Louisville’s arts and theater district.
“With the success of 21c Museum Hotel in Louisville, we saw the opportunity to enliven the cultural and civic life in urban centers across the country,” said Steve Wilson, Founder and Chairman of 21c Museum Hotels. “21c is a catalyst for art and civic programming and the response from the public has been tremendous. We look forward to being part of Cincinnati’s downtown revitalization.”
M&C sees change in fortunes
Despite a third-quarter, pre-tax profit slump, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels has suggested that the worst of the downturn in the hospitality sector may be over as its decline in revPAR slows and bookings show some positive momentum.
The chain is opening a hotel in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and is looking for sites in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. The company was the first to announce hotel plans for Iraq.
M&C, which operates 120 hotels across the world, revealed revPAR dropped by 17.7 percent in the third quarter compared with a fall of 21.3 percent in the second quarter. That trend continued into October, with RevPAR down by 12.8 percent on last year.
Pre-tax profit fell to £21.9 million in the quarter, down from £30 million at the same time last year.
“I believe that the industry is moving in the right direction. The rate of decline of our global RevPAR has slowed quarter-on-quarter and this trend has continued into October,” said Chairman Kwek Leng Beng.
“While it is too early to predict with accuracy how markets will behave in 2010 we are encouraged by these improving trends which suggest that the worst may be behind us,” he added.
U.S. Travel Industry to Add 90,000 American Jobs in 2010
The U.S. Travel Associationtoday announced that projected modest 2010 increases in leisure, business andinternational inbound travel will enable the industry to add nearly 90,000American jobs. Leisure travel is expected to rise 2.0 percent, business travelis projected to increase by 2.5 percent and international inbound travel willincrease by nearly 3.0 percent. These job gains come on the heels of 400,000combined travel industry job losses in 2008 and 2009.
"The travel industry shares President Obama's goal of putting Americans backto work. Our industry is uniquely capable of adapting to economic upswings andquickly adding tens of thousands of jobs," said Roger Dow, president and CEOof the U.S. Travel Association. "What we announce today is based upon modestincreases in travel. Given its immense potential, we call on theAdministration and Members of Congress to build a plan for economic recoverythat drives significant increases in travel."
"The travel industry shares President Obama's goal of putting Americans backto work. Our industry is uniquely capable of adapting to economic upswings andquickly adding tens of thousands of jobs," said Roger Dow, president and CEOof the U.S. Travel Association. "What we announce today is based upon modestincreases in travel. Given its immense potential, we call on theAdministration and Members of Congress to build a plan for economic recoverythat drives significant increases in travel."
United States Claims #1 Spot For First Time as World's Top Country Brand
The United States earned the coveted spot as the world’s top country brand for the first time in the fifth annual Country Brand Index (CBI), rising from the third spot in 2008. Canada, host to the 2010 Winter Olympics, held on to the second ranking as Australia, always a perennial favorite, slipped from the premier ranking to number three. Other countries making the top 10 of the global 2009 CBI study include New Zealand, France, and Italy. CBI is a comprehensive study of approximately 3,000 international business and leisure travelers from nine countries.
It examines how countries are branded and ranked, and identifies emerging global trends in the world’s fastest growing economic sector - travel and tourism, which accounted for US$944 billion in international tourism receipts in 2008.This year’s index, conducted by FutureBrand, a leading global brand consultancy, in conjunction with public relations firm Weber Shandwick’s Global Travel & Lifestyle Practice, includes rankings and trends, themes in nation building and marketing issues, as well as more in-depth analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the Top 10 country brands and a look at the "Next 10," those top country brands ranking 11-20.
Additionally, research was expanded to cover 102 country brands, which allowed a breakdown of regional rankings to be included. Other new topics include: the political and economic sides of country branding; discrepancies between perception and reality of a country brand; and "A New Focus on Value," which speaks to one of the chief motivators in travel and tourism this year.
"This is the fifth year we have been able to continue to innovate around country brand thinking, methodology and findings. This category remains one with tremendous potential not only for tourism but investment, trade and policy. Even with the global economic circumstances facing many nations, the need to maximize opportunity and present a cohesive identity is critical," said Rina Plapler, senior executive director, FutureBrand.
"It is interesting to note that America has risen to the number one country brand this year. It’s logical to assume that the shift in the political climate and renewed optimism surrounding the election of President Obama was a key influencer in the U.S. topping the list," said Rene A. Mack, president, Weber Shandwick’s Travel & Lifestyle Global Practice. "It will be very interesting to see the U.S.’s performance next year and understand if this was a halo effect of a new president, or if the country can actually capitalize on this opportunity to better create a strong brand."
This year’s CBI also touches on a variety of topics relevant to travelers and tourism professionals including: how small nations can compete with much larger countries; the different ways destinations can communicate value; and the year’s best and worst country brand marketing. Other notable topics focus on the use of social media in country branding and how icons, national companies and sports drive the development of country brand image.
It examines how countries are branded and ranked, and identifies emerging global trends in the world’s fastest growing economic sector - travel and tourism, which accounted for US$944 billion in international tourism receipts in 2008.This year’s index, conducted by FutureBrand, a leading global brand consultancy, in conjunction with public relations firm Weber Shandwick’s Global Travel & Lifestyle Practice, includes rankings and trends, themes in nation building and marketing issues, as well as more in-depth analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the Top 10 country brands and a look at the "Next 10," those top country brands ranking 11-20.
Additionally, research was expanded to cover 102 country brands, which allowed a breakdown of regional rankings to be included. Other new topics include: the political and economic sides of country branding; discrepancies between perception and reality of a country brand; and "A New Focus on Value," which speaks to one of the chief motivators in travel and tourism this year.
"This is the fifth year we have been able to continue to innovate around country brand thinking, methodology and findings. This category remains one with tremendous potential not only for tourism but investment, trade and policy. Even with the global economic circumstances facing many nations, the need to maximize opportunity and present a cohesive identity is critical," said Rina Plapler, senior executive director, FutureBrand.
"It is interesting to note that America has risen to the number one country brand this year. It’s logical to assume that the shift in the political climate and renewed optimism surrounding the election of President Obama was a key influencer in the U.S. topping the list," said Rene A. Mack, president, Weber Shandwick’s Travel & Lifestyle Global Practice. "It will be very interesting to see the U.S.’s performance next year and understand if this was a halo effect of a new president, or if the country can actually capitalize on this opportunity to better create a strong brand."
This year’s CBI also touches on a variety of topics relevant to travelers and tourism professionals including: how small nations can compete with much larger countries; the different ways destinations can communicate value; and the year’s best and worst country brand marketing. Other notable topics focus on the use of social media in country branding and how icons, national companies and sports drive the development of country brand image.
Expedia.com Eliminates Travel Booking Fees for Phone Orders
The world’s leading online travel agency, today announced that it has eliminated all phone-based booking fees. Expedia.com will not charge phone booking fees for any flight, car rental, hotel or cruise reservation booked by phone (1-800-EXPEDIA). The change to Expedia.com’s service policy is immediate.
This is the latest example of the meaningful steps Expedia.com is taking to drive down the cost of travel and to put travelers first in everything the company does. Expedia.com is now the only major online travel agency to offer fee-free telephone booking for air travel. By comparison, some online travel agencies charge as much as $25 per ticket to book via phone. Many airlines also apply as much as $25 in fees, per ticket, to book by phone.
The company eliminated online air booking fees and change fees and cancel fees on all hotel and car rental reservations in May 2009. Cruise change and cancel fees were also eliminated in May 2009 and cruise booking fees were eliminated in October 2009.
"Expedia.com is proud to stand up for the rights of phone-using Americans," said Tim MacDonald, senior vice president and general manager, Expedia.com. "In recent years, travel fees -- for baggage, gas, parking and the like -- have had a tendency to rise in unexpected and unpleasant ways. Expedia.com has chosen to move in a different direction. We expect that this decision will be well received by the millions of travelers we serve."
More travelers trust Expedia.com than any other travel site. Expedia.com delivers the most travel options in the world, which allows travelers to mix and match those options to book the trip they desire for a great price.
Expedia.com also provides an easy and convenient booking experience with features including the Fare Alert tool that delivers bargain fares for flights directly to a computer desktop, a Seat Guru service offering expert advice on the best airplane seats, the Deal Finder tool that delivers attractive destination deals to a Google home page, and a Traveler Opinions feature that provides the inside scoop and user ratings on hotels from people who have actually stayed there, and more.
SC high court says gov's ethics probe is public
South Carolina's Supreme Court ruled Thursday that an ethics investigation into Gov. Mark Sanford's travel must be made public, clearing the way for lawmakers considering impeachment to review a report on the probe.
Sanford's lawyers had tried keep a report on a criminal investigation by the State Ethics Commission from being released to the House of Representatives as leaders there decide whether to move forward with impeachment efforts.
The commission's investigation was launched after Sanford returned from a five-day rendezvous with an Argentine lover in June that prompted investigations by The Associated Press into his travel practices. The AP found Sanford used state airplanes for personal and political purposes; used pricey commercial travel despite a state low-cost travel requirement; and didn't report private plane trips given by friends and donors.
Sanford's spokesman and lawyers, as well as Ethics Commission Director Herb Hayden, did not immediately respond to questions.
The governor said shortly after the investigation began that he would waive confidentiality rights, but his lawyers later argued he only intended to allow the scope of the investigation to be released. Attorneys wanted Sanford to have a chance to respond to the report before lawmakers saw it.
However, the court found the Republican governor had waived rights to confidentiality unconditionally in an Aug. 28 letter to the Legislature. The letter also said Sanford was "fighting for transparency," and that travel documents would support his frugal record.
That indicated "his intent was to waive confidentiality without limitation," the high court said. The court said Sanford's confidentiality waiver means nearly everything generated by the commission will be public.
House Speaker Bobby Harrell has said lawmakers will not move forward with impeachment discussions until they review the investigative report.
"It looks like now we will have access to this reporting of the facts," Harrell spokesman Greg Foster said.
Sanford's lawyers had tried keep a report on a criminal investigation by the State Ethics Commission from being released to the House of Representatives as leaders there decide whether to move forward with impeachment efforts.
The commission's investigation was launched after Sanford returned from a five-day rendezvous with an Argentine lover in June that prompted investigations by The Associated Press into his travel practices. The AP found Sanford used state airplanes for personal and political purposes; used pricey commercial travel despite a state low-cost travel requirement; and didn't report private plane trips given by friends and donors.
Sanford's spokesman and lawyers, as well as Ethics Commission Director Herb Hayden, did not immediately respond to questions.
The governor said shortly after the investigation began that he would waive confidentiality rights, but his lawyers later argued he only intended to allow the scope of the investigation to be released. Attorneys wanted Sanford to have a chance to respond to the report before lawmakers saw it.
However, the court found the Republican governor had waived rights to confidentiality unconditionally in an Aug. 28 letter to the Legislature. The letter also said Sanford was "fighting for transparency," and that travel documents would support his frugal record.
That indicated "his intent was to waive confidentiality without limitation," the high court said. The court said Sanford's confidentiality waiver means nearly everything generated by the commission will be public.
House Speaker Bobby Harrell has said lawmakers will not move forward with impeachment discussions until they review the investigative report.
"It looks like now we will have access to this reporting of the facts," Harrell spokesman Greg Foster said.
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