Property Improvement Plans or PIPS, are a reality to today’s hotel owners and management groups. If a property is part of a franchised system, dealing with PIPS can be an expensive proposition both at the time of sale as well as in continuing operations. The purpose of PIPs is to keep properties in compliance with all existing and new brand standards, as franchisors strive to maintain brand standards to protect their brands as well as the investments of all the other franchisees.

Somehow, despite nervous CFOs and minimal investment, brave marketing and distribution professionals have continued to innovate in the online and mobile channels with phenomenal success.

The World Travel Awards (WTA) today unveiled at ITB Berlin the nominations for its 2010 awards, as well as a number of new categories to reflect the changing face of travel and tourism. Over 5,000 organizations spanning 162 countries have been nominated by industry peers for a chance to win the most coveted prize in travel and tourism.

As one of the largest international luxury hotel brands, The Leading Hotels of the World enjoys access to the most internationally renowned and prestigious golf courses in the world. For the first time in its 80-plus year history, The Leading Hotels of the World is capitalizing on its “green” assets with the inauguration of Leading Golf, a dedicated program for golf enthusiasts and corporate clients seeking fulfilling, one-of-a-kind golf vacations.

World's leading trade fair for the international travel industry benefits from the strength of the markets - Travel sector represented in its entirety on Berlin's Exhibition Grounds - Exhibitors have invested in new stands and two-storey structures - Driving innovation: Travel Technology and Mobile Travel Services presenting a sophisticated range - Added value for exhibitors and visitors: ITB Social Media Lounge – Partner country Turkey the largest individual exhibitor - Innovations, expansion and new exhibitors - Compact knowledge free of charge at ITB Berlin Convention: approx. 100 papers and 250 speakers and discussion partners revealing trends in demographics, climate change, technology and consumer behaviour

JULIE KEYSER-SQUIRES is the CEO of SOFTSCRIBE Inc., a digital marketing and PR firm in Atlanta. Here she looks at the social media scene and explains how to stay on the leading edge of these increasingly influential – and quick-changing – marketing tools.

The Boutique & Lifestyle segment has emerged through a maze of big brands and frequent guest programs to become a prominent lodging category, highly sought after by consumers and investors alike. We recently met with FRANCES KIRADJIAN, Founder & Chair of the BOUTIQUE & LIFESTYLE LODGING ASSOCIATION, who answers some basic questions and then takes us on an extended tour of the segment.

Hyatt Hotels and Resorts® is proud to announce the launch of a standalone Web site for Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa. Designed to appeal to the savvy traveler, this secondary Web site offers improved graphic functionality, a unique left-side navigation bar and increased Web 2.0 integration.

When Nokia introduced a free map and navigation service for its handsets earlier this year, it aptly described it as a landmark move.

VFM Leonardo, the leader in online visual content distribution for hotels, has launched a new episode on VTV Channel: Page Position: How to Optimize Conversions Online Using OTAs with Jean Francois Mourier, Founder and CEO of RevPAR Guru. This first episode in a series of three about how to optimize conversions online explores OTA page positioning.

Property Improvement Plans or PIPS, are a reality to today’s hotel owners and management groups. If a property is part of a franchised system, dealing with PIPS can be an expensive proposition both at the time of sale as well as in continuing operations. The purpose of PIPs is to keep properties in compliance with all existing and new brand standards, as franchisors strive to maintain brand standards to protect their brands as well as the investments of all the other franchisees.

For IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Somehow, despite nervous CFOs and minimal investment, brave marketing and distribution professionals have continued to innovate in the online and mobile channels with phenomenal success.

Marriott International plans to open its third stylish Renaissance-branded hotel and first upscale Marriott Executive Apartments property for extended stay travelers in Tianjin, China later this year, under a management agreement with Tianjin Tianbin Real Estate Development Co., Ltd.

The World Travel Awards (WTA) today unveiled at ITB Berlin the nominations for its 2010 awards, as well as a number of new categories to reflect the changing face of travel and tourism. Over 5,000 organizations spanning 162 countries have been nominated by industry peers for a chance to win the most coveted prize in travel and tourism.

Great Hotels Organisation () is pleased to welcome a number of impressive new members into its alliances (Great Hotels of the World, Special Hotels of the World and Metro Hotels).

As part of a global reorganization aimed at accelerating worldwide growth, Marriott International, Inc. plans to double its portfolio in Europe by 2015. Amy McPherson, president and managing director of Marriott International Europe, made the announcement today at the International Hotel Investment Forum.

As one of the largest international luxury hotel brands, The Leading Hotels of the World enjoys access to the most internationally renowned and prestigious golf courses in the world. For the first time in its 80-plus year history, The Leading Hotels of the World is capitalizing on its “green” assets with the inauguration of Leading Golf, a dedicated program for golf enthusiasts and corporate clients seeking fulfilling, one-of-a-kind golf vacations.

World's leading trade fair for the international travel industry benefits from the strength of the markets - Travel sector represented in its entirety on Berlin's Exhibition Grounds - Exhibitors have invested in new stands and two-storey structures - Driving innovation: Travel Technology and Mobile Travel Services presenting a sophisticated range - Added value for exhibitors and visitors: ITB Social Media Lounge – Partner country Turkey the largest individual exhibitor - Innovations, expansion and new exhibitors - Compact knowledge free of charge at ITB Berlin Convention: approx. 100 papers and 250 speakers and discussion partners revealing trends in demographics, climate change, technology and consumer behaviour

A survey of 417 European hotel executives by international law firm DLA Piper has revealed weak industry confidence and dealt a blow to hopes of recovery this year. Only two per cent of respondents expect a sustained upturn this year, despite 37 per cent predicting one year ago that 2010 would bring solid growth. These worse-than-expected results are compounded by fears from over half of hoteliers (55 per cent) that room rates will not return to pre-financial crisis levels until after 2012.

When the data wranglers are getting optimistic, that’s something to talk about. “It’s the first time in 18 months when I have a genuine sense that things are going to get better,” said Mark Lomanno during Tuesday’s general session at the International Hotel Investment Forum at the InterContinental Berlin.

Worldwide lodging franchisor Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) is proud to announce that Brian Parker, vice president of emerging markets and new business development, was named to SaVoy Magazine's "Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America."

Red Lion Hotels Corporation (NYSE: RLH) announced the appointment of Richard P. Carlson as Vice President – Lodging Development. The newly created position is central to the company’s plan for franchise growth in 2010 and beyond. Carlson will lead Red Lion’s lodging development and franchise business in addition to overseeing existing franchisee relations.

STR Global, the leading provider of market information to the global hotel industry, now reports on 25 new destinations following significant growth in the number of participating hotels.

The world's largest and most experienced hotel representation service, Utell® Hotels & Resorts, is celebrating 80 years of innovation for customers in 2010. This unprecedented anniversary is marked in the first two months of 2010 by the addition of several distinguished international hotels to the Utell portfolio, which portend another 80 years of leadership success to be enjoyed by Utell's customers.

JULIE KEYSER-SQUIRES is the CEO of SOFTSCRIBE Inc., a digital marketing and PR firm in Atlanta. Here she looks at the social media scene and explains how to stay on the leading edge of these increasingly influential – and quick-changing – marketing tools.

The Boutique & Lifestyle segment has emerged through a maze of big brands and frequent guest programs to become a prominent lodging category, highly sought after by consumers and investors alike. We recently met with FRANCES KIRADJIAN, Founder & Chair of the BOUTIQUE & LIFESTYLE LODGING ASSOCIATION, who answers some basic questions and then takes us on an extended tour of the segment.

While many in the hospitality industry have been eager to usher out 2009 and hope for a better 2010, newly-formed Sabre Hospitality Solutions continues to build upon the momentum it gathered in 2009 and has started 2010 by helping customers experience further growth in bookings and revenues.

Libra OnDemand, the first on-demand CRM solution built specifically for the worldwide hospitality industry on the Force.com platform, today announced that its SaaS-based technology solution has been certified as compliant with the Safe Harbor privacy framework, as defined by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Swiss Government and the European Commission.

W Hotels Worldwide, the hotel category buster and industry innovator, today celebrates the official unveiling of W Barcelona which opened its doors on October 1, 2009. Over the course of the next three days, W Barcelona will highlight the W brand’s passion points of fashion, design, architecture, music and “B&F” (beverage & food) through a new event series called “W Premiere.”