| 11 Oct 2009 |
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Global hotel chains take advantage of crisis by rebranding
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Major international hotel chains are taking advantage of the slack in business to rebrand, senior hotel executives said.
Renaissance Hotels & Resorts, a Marriott business which relaunched itself as a "global lifestyle brand", offers business guests the extra option of an experience of the neighbourhood and its culture.
Tina Edmundson, senior vice-president, lifestyle brands and Renaissance operations, said: "We know the Renaissance experience appeals to guests who want to discover something new with each stay, so our new identity, property design standards and services are all geared to our core customer."
"Our guests are current and in-the-know. They are passionate about travel, architecture and history, and they want a hotel experience that allows them to get the most from a trip."
Intercontinental Group has also relaunched its Holiday Inn unit. "Despite the tough economic climate, we've relaunched, on average, four hotels a day for the past six months and we're committed to completing the global relaunch by the end of 2010," Andy Cosslett, IHG's CEO said at the relaunch of the 1,000th Holiday Inn in July this year.
Hilton Worldwide (formerly Hilton Hotels Corporation), recently announced the launch of its new corporate name and logo. Hilton's new name, Hilton Worldwide, signifies the company's global breadth and reach, and the logo incorporates key design elements that reflect Hilton's heritage, vision for the future and commitment to service. "This is an incredible time in our company's history. We're excited to launch our corporate identity that better represents who we are today and our aspirations for the company going forward," said Christopher J Nassetta, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hilton Worldwide.
Hilton Worldwide's portfolio of 10 brands comprises more than 3,300 hotels in 77 countries around the world. The company will open more than 300 hotels this year.
"The new corporate identity and Hilton HHonors branding enables our individual hotel brands to further build their distinctive identities, while also communicating their common connections and the strong value proposition of the HHonors programme," said Paul Brown, President of Hilton's Global Brands and Commercial Services.
The $1 billion (Dh3.67bn) relaunch of Holiday Inn is one of the largest in the history of the hospitality industry, with more than 3,200 hotels around the world being updated.
This includes improving quality and consistency at Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels from Boston to Beijing.
The relaunch programme, combining new openings with removal of lower quality hotels, is expected to rejuvenate the Holiday Inn estate over the next few years.
IHG's CEO Cosslett said: "Relaunched hotels are benefiting from improved guest satisfaction and an average RevPar [revenue per available room] outperformance of more than five per cent. And the feedback we're getting from our guests and hotel owners tell us, it's the right time to be doing this. The economic environment has changed since we started the programme, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to show people that the Holiday Inn they came to know and love over the past 50 years is still a hotel that's right for them today."
The Holiday Inn relaunch focuses on the things research shows matter most to guests - a modern, contemporary hotel with efficient, friendly service and a great night's sleep. Relaunched hotels feature upgraded and decluttered lobby areas, a Holiday Inn scent and sound, new bedding, upgraded showers and bathroom amenities, new exterior lighting and landscaping and finally a new signage with the redesigned logo.
Hotel owners and franchisees are investing in renovations of Renaissance hotels globally. To date, more than $2bn has been invested, this includes the $128 million renovation of the historic Renaissance Blackstone in Chicago, the €125 million (Dh675m) renovation of the Renaissance Shelbourne in Dublin and the $40m makeover of the Renaissance Hamburg Hotel.
Renaissance Hotels & Resorts has a worldwide development pipeline of 24 hotels due to hit the market between now and 2012, Rene Mooren, Marriott's Regional Vice-President, Sales and Marketing for Continental Europe, told Emirates Business. The hotels in the Middle East are all new builds.
The 257-room Renaissance Doha will open later this year and will be followed next year by three more properties - two in Dubai and one in Bahrain. The 411-room Renaissance Abu Dhabi will welcome its first guests in 2012.
Besides a new logo, Renaissance's new website uses storytelling as a marketing tool and offers experiential packages and promotions to highlight the difference at each hotel and location.
By Nina Varghese
© Emirates Business 24/7 2009
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