Business Travel News Online (BTN Online) reports in their 2008 business travel survey that buyers’ prospects are rising after  hotels registered a strong 2007. Photo credit & copyrights - Nielsen Business Media, Inc. / BTN Online

The typical hotel industry cycle is a period of profitability, which leads to rapid development and more competition that results in a decline in occupancy levels, then room rates and finally development levels, said PKF’s Mandelbaum. Now, the industry appears to be on the cusp of a decline, he said. A few factors are changing the cycle, however. Inbound international travelers are one such factor. Those seeking bargains from the falling dollar will boost occupancy levels in gateway U.S. cities, said Mark Williams, Advito’s vice president of global business development. “Any weakening of domestic demand is going to be made up by international,” he said. “With the weak dollar, people are coming with empty suitcases just to shop.” - By Michael B. Baker, BTNOnline, June 9 2008

What I get from the report is that the hotel industry is due for a cyclic downturn, but due to extenuating circumstances, the downturn might be offset by a few factors, like the falling dollar bringing in international tourists, and hotels opting to add-on freebies and additional amenities to existing rates, instead of reducing rates. Businesses are also not cutting down on travel, but creatively tweaking services availed of, so that the same amount of travel will cost less. 

New York Times report says that a recent Orbitz survey conducted with Business Traveler magazine found that more than two-thirds of over 600 business travelers said they were now staying at less expensive hotels or, when possible, leaving and returning the same day to avoid a hotel altogether.

When I land up on the East Coast, first thing I usually do is look up all the new things to do in New York, then book in at a hotel, and then start planning to accomodate my work related ‘visits’ around my sight-seeing plans. It would take all the fun out of job if I had to do an interview and then skip town on the same day. Darn. Hope my editor doesn’t bump into these new business travel statistics.

Anyway, there’s way too much data in there for me to analyze, with seperate reports for domestic and international airlines, hotel companies, car rentals, corporate agencies, etc. So if you want to read up on it, just visit the 24th annual Business Travel Survey home page. You can download the entire report in pdf format here.

In other news, there’s a new travel guidebook listing America’s Best Zoos, by Allen W. Nyhuis and Jon Wassner (320 page paperback published by The Intrepid Traveler, May 16 2008 $15.95). The book includes descriptions of 60 zoos, with emphasis on rare animals and interactive exhibits.

The authors note in the Amazon review section that “Together, we have visited all sixty of the “Best” zoos featured in this book, many of them more than once. We have visited these zoos as tourists, often with family members (including children) accompanying us, and we have been careful to notice what would interest the typical visitor. Our hope is that this book will inspire you to visit more zoos around our nation, and that it will make your experience of these zoos even more rewarding.”

Moving on, Jonathon Gold, the LA Weekly’s food critic, dumps on Gordon Ramsey’s new restaurant at the London West Hollywood. But most of Ramsay’s food is not just timid but timid in a specifically Californian way, as if he were convinced that Angelenos were incapable of facing a meal without half a dozen raw-fish preparations… as the mastermind behind Kitchen Nightmares, Ramsay might want to take a look at what’s happening in the restaurant that bears his name. 

Lastly and saucily, there’s a picture from the NY Daily News via HotelChatter of former Gov Eliot Spitzer’s call girl friend Kristen aka Ashley Dupre at a New Jersey beach using a towel from the Auberge Du Soleil Napa Valley resort. Seems you have to go in person if you want to pick up one of those neat towels. New York’s hottest call girl was in Napa and we didn’t even know about it?

Posted on June 10th, 2008 by PLing
Filed under: Travel News