The long awaited Región de Murcia International Airport has opened on 15th January by King Felipe VI of Spain. It will operate flights to four London airports as well as Manchester, East Midlands, Birmingham, Leeds-Bradford, Bristol, Dublin, Brussels and Antwerp.
The airport is likely to see British passengers passing through, with Ryanair, Air City Grupo, Easyjet, and Tui listed as the airlines currently operating out of it. The new airport at Corvera will provide easy access to Costa Calida, Southern Costa Blanca & Murcia City
The region’s main airport was previously Murcia-San Javier, which has closed to the public and transferred its schedule to Murcia International.
The 115-bedroom Arbor City hotel in London, located in Whitechapel, close to Aldgate East tube station, is to be re-branded as a Hampton by Hilton property following its acquisition by real estate and private equity company Dominvs Group.
The owners will operate the hotel under a franchise agreement with Hilton and will explore plans to expand the property, including the addition of 150 bedrooms on an adjacent car park to the rear of the property.
The group’s collection of hotels includes properties in partnership with InterContinental Hotels Group at Aberdeen Airport (Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn Express); the Dixon, Tower Bridge, operating under Marriott Hotel’s Autograph Collection; and three under development in the City of London, Oxford and Bath.
New research by SAP Concur has revealed that 31% of UK businesses consider growth during 2019 to be critical.
In addition, 96% reported that their company is planning to grow, with it being 25 months, on average, until they anticipate to reach their fastest rate of growth.
Importantly, companies demonstrated notable optimism about growth with 76% saying that they were very or extremely optimistic that their business would grow in the next two years, despite uncertainty surrounding Brexit.
Dafydd Llewellyn, managing director SMB UK and France, SAP Concur said: “That UK decision makers are so positive about their growth prospects makes for encouraging reading.
“To prosper in the midst of so much uncertainty will require resilience, determination and an adaptable mindset, in order to create a nimbleness to their operations that doesn’t hinder growth, stifle innovation or negatively impact their ability to retain and hire staff.
“Rather than fearing the unknown, UK businesses are up for the challenge. In line with this, they’re increasingly seeing finance as an innovative role that can equip them with the data and insight they need to make informed decisions that enable the growth by protecting their bottom line, investments and employees.”
Indeed, 96% said that finance was imperative to their organisation achieving its growth goals. 3 in 10 of those surveyed said that finance reporting and insights are critical to setting growth priorities, suggesting a clear link between finance and company ambition.
Llewellyn continued: “2019 is going to be a year where the ability to quickly change course is key to survival. With the right processes, transparency and tech in place, UK firms can give themselves the best chance of adapting to changing market conditions and realising those growth ambitions – because if they do the boost to society and the wider economy will be most welcome.”
Katharine Jordan, Director of Marketing, Trinity Event Solutions
Over the years, I’ve been to many exhibitions, forums, workshops, networking events and educational trips and now I’m quite selective about the ones that I attend. It’s important to use my time well and I need to make sure that my clients will benefit from the places I visit and people that I meet.
Last year, I went to and M&I Forum in Sorrento, IMEX America and The Meetings Show in London. I attend a different event every year to get a wide view of the conference industry, make new connections, catch up with old contacts and keep in touch with what’s going on.
Industry Forums
There are several organisers of forums and I feel that these events give us three main benefits:
• One-to-one meetings with a selection of hotels and venues who really want to do business with you. There’s time to talk about my clients’ events and how they will match the venues. • Introduction to a destination, to see how it can work for your clients. You’ll experience a hotel, offsite dining options and activities in the area, so by the end you’ll understand what that destination can offer, and the logistics involved. • Networking opportunities, with venues, agents and corporate organisers. It’s a great way of learning what’s going on in the industry, sharing experiences and benefiting from other people’s knowledge.
You’ll might have some free time during the event and be able to visit another venue or just explore the area and get a personal perspective of the destination.
Exhibitions
IMEX in Frankfurt, IBTM in Barcelona, IMEX in Las Vegas, The Meetings Show in London and many more … there are plenty to choose from.
I hadn’t been to IMEX America for years and went specifically to talk to North American venues for a client who regularly holds events there. I attend to the European shows for European destinations and The Meetings Show for the UK venues, but usually only go to one every couple of years.
The exhibitions are great to meet everyone in one place, although there is very little time to explore the destination whilst you’re there. You’re committed to pre-booked appointments and it’s worth keeping some time free to walk the show, see what’s new, catch up with old contacts and attend educational sessions. IMEX is well organized and the appointment booking system is flexible, so that if you get a last-minute brief it’s possible to change your diary to suit.
What I hate
• Wasting time, but I think that applies to all of us. I don’t want to leave home in the early hours, to catch a plane which arrives at the destination at 10am for an event that starts in the evening. If that’s necessary because of the flight times, then I arrange site visits myself, during the day at competitors’ venues, which is probably not what the host venue wants. • A packed diary of appointments at an exhibition. I’ve been allocated meetings at times before I arrive at the event and with exhibitors of no interest. How is that of benefit to either of us? A couple of breaks during the day are essential to eat and collect your thoughts before the next session.
Knowledge is key to us all and when I attend an industry event I always learn something unexpected. The forums and exhibitions are constantly evolving and for me, these are about keeping in touch with what’s going on, finding out about new venues and experiencing something different.
Summer 2019 will see the launch of new hotel brand, Inhabit Hotels, in London. Set in six Georgian townhouses just off Paddington mews, Inhabit London will offer a restorative townhouse experience to guests and the local community alike.
The hotel’s 90 rooms have been carefully considered and offer a soft and minimal style, enabling guests to declutter their minds and enjoy a restful night’s sleep.
Inhabit London will offer a café, a space for both guests and the local community, serving up quality coffee, cold-pressed juices and a delicious all-day menu.
Hotel guests will also have 24-hour access to a pantry, stocked with smart snacks sourced from small businesses and suppliers.
Deloitte’s US report could mean greater options for meetings and event bookers.
2019 US Travel and Hospitality Industry
Outlook talks of key trends powering growth in a technology-driven industry.
A strong economy, rising global consumer purchasing power, and digital
innovation have all fuelled record growth in the travel and hospitality
industry. But there are still several challenges that could throw the industry
off course in 2019.
So Deloitte’s report looks at the biggest trends likely to
shape hospitality, airlines, cruises, and ground transportation in the year
ahead. And in a section titled ‘Hospitality: Sustaining momentum’, it’s made
clear that hoteliers need to plan for the longer term and be prepared for any
potential downturns, even if they’re short-lived.
The report claims that those [hoteliers] able to weather any
potential storm without drastic reductions in service quality and rates will be
better positioned for profitability when the bull market returns. How hoteliers
and venue operators achieve the balance will be for their strategists to
decide!
And while competition is always good news on rates for
meetings and event bookers, it could be positive for unusual venue and accommodation
choices too…
“Hotels will likely continue to introduce innovative
concepts, products, and loyalty strategies to cut through the noise of the more
than 270 trademarked brands (and virtually innumerable independents) that
currently exist worldwide. The rollout of new lifestyle, boutique, and
contemporary brands in recent years demonstrates the sector’s unrelenting
willingness to adapt to an evolving traveler. However, given that traveler
preferences are ever-changing, opportunities will always remain.”
Spring 2019 will bring a new luxury addition to the Eternal City, when Rocco Forte’s highly anticipated Hotel de la Ville debuts on top of the Spanish Steps. An 18th-century palazzo is being transformed into an elegant hideaway with sky-high views over Via Sistina and Rome’s rooftops. To decorate the Hotel de la Ville, Olga Polizzi, Rocco Forte’s director of design, teamed up with Tommaso Ziffer, an Italian designer/architect who has a longtime relationship with Rocco Forte Hotels. The design duo took inspiration from the era of the Grand European Tour, and the result is art-filled spaces that blend plush contemporary decor with classical influences. The 104 rooms and suites are billed as some of the most spacious in Rome.
Facilities will include restaurants overseen by Michelin-starred chef Fulvio Pierangelini, and a rooftop bar with an emphasis on creative craft cocktails. A highlight will be the two-level spa and wellness facility, where guests can work out with personal trainers, take a yoga or Pilates class, or get pampered at the spa. The exclusive product line is made with botanical ingredients (like Sicilian orange blossom) harvested at Rocco Forte’s Verdura Resort in Sicily. In the nearly-6,000-square-foot spa, there’s also a Mediterranean salt room, sauna and steam room.
Bless Hotel Madrid has opened its doors to guests with the hotel becoming the first to open under the Bless Collection Hotels brand from Palladium Hotel Group. Further hotels will be rolled out in cosmopolitan cities and international beachfront destinations starting with Ibiza this summer.
Bless Hotel Madrid is located on Calle de Velázquez in the heart of the city’s fashionable Salamanca district and features 111 rooms, rooftop pool, bowling alley, spa and gym, gourmet destination restaurant, three bars and conference spaces.
Newcastle City Council has approved planning for 46 Sandhill to be transformed into No.46 Boutique Hotel & Bistro, home to 10 bedrooms, a bar, three secret gardens, a café and meeting room. The bar will be on the lower ground floor of the building, with the bistro and kitchen on the ground floor and 10 bedrooms spread across three floors.
The former merchants house built in the 1700s has been empty for two years after the closure of the interior design store Whosit & Whatsit.
DoubleTree by Hilton La Torre Golf & Spa Resort has opened its doors, boasting lake-front views, the largest ballroom in the region and four unique restaurants. The Hotel La is located inside the La Torre Golf Resort complex in Torre-Pacheco, Murcia – a region in the southeast area of Spain with a temperate climate and with more than 300 days of sunshine a year. It is the perfect place for those who are looking for a vacation practising their favourite sport, those who wish to rest from the stress of everyday life or to organise a congress or an event.
The new hotel joins four other DoubleTree by Hilton properties within Spain, which will be managed by T3 Hospitality Management. The 133-room property is located less than 30 minutes from the city of Murcia, surrounded by 20 of Spain’s best golf courses, a range of tapas bars and restaurants, and a convention centre. Murcia is emerging as one of Spain’s leading destinations as the number of travellers continues to increase. Receiving over 600,000 visitors last year, tourism in the region is set to rise with the completion of Murcia International Airport this year, making it more accessible than ever. The Hotel La Torre Golf Resort & Spa has a Congress Center of more than 1000m2 of surface with option to become 4 lounges. The La Torre Congress Centre has an independent entrance that brings the participants of each event to two large lobbies with natural light and boast the largest ballroom in the area which can accommodate up to 700. The facilities are the perfect venue for organising a business meeting, a conference or a family celebration. A magnificent 600m2 terrace next to the hotel’s outdoor pool, with spectacular views of the golf course, is the ideal place for outdoor events.
