Accor Leisure and Tourism
The French hotel giant’s core objective at World Travel Market is to raise trade awareness of its brands – Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure, Ibis, Coralia and Thalassa.
The group will also emphasise to agents its commitment to developing its presence in the UK with information about its expanded sales office in London. Development plans for 2000 in Morocco, Cuba, Tunisia, Israel and Egypt will also be discussed.
Bass Hotels and Resorts
This year Inter-Continental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Express by Holiday Inn will all be exhibiting together at the Bass stand. Details on all brands as well as new marketing and technology initiatives will be available.
Bass intends to announce details of its first ever multi-brand deal in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
In addition, a new benefit for Six Continents’ Club members will be launched which, the group claims, will be a first in hotel loyalty schemes.
Concorde Hotels
Visitors to the Concorde Hotels’ stand will be treated to Taittinger champagne as the French hotel group unveils its new corporate identity.
The group, which has hotels in 18 countries worldwide, says the new identity will represent traditional values and high quality and symbolise the evolution of the company.
The new look will be featured in Concorde’s new corporate directory for 2000, which features the portfolio of 70 hotels.
Elegant Hotels and Resorts
The luxury hotel group, based in Barbados, invites the trade along to its stand to talk through its imminent expansion plans. As well as looking to double its portfolio of five, it is casting an eye further afield in the Caribbean.
Elegant’s Turtle Beach resort will also be getting a push towards the family market now that its kids’ club, Tommy Turtle, is firmly established. A strong contingent from Barbados will be at the stand including general managers from each hotel.
Fairmont Hotels and Resorts
The newly created hotel management company, which follows Canadian Pacific Hotels’ acquisition of Fairmont Hotels and Princess Hotels, will be making its debut at WTM with the purpose of launching itself and raising awareness within the trade. The group has 35 hotels around the world and will compete in the luxury segment of the market. The show also coincides with the opening of the group’s new Fairmont Vancouver Hotel.
Forte Hotel Group
Travelodge, Posthouse, Heritage and Le Meridien will all be present on Forte’s stand this year. The new worldwide directory for 2000, featuring more than 400 properties, will be promoted alongside the second edition of the agents’ leisure brochure, Forte Worldwide Collection, which for the first time includes all Travelodge properties.
Details on Posthouse rolling out its new branded restaurants and superior rooms will be available and the brand will be launching its new interactive Internet site.
Heritage Hotels will be discussing the changes it has undergone following its multi-million pound investment plan and Le Meridien will be updating the industry on its rapidly increasing international network.
Hyatt Hotels and Resorts
Celebrating the opening of what it calls its ‘Millennium Babies’, the group will be showcasing its new resorts in St Lucia, Lake Las Vegas, Nevada and Sharm El Sheikh.
The Hyatt Regency in Kathmandu, which is due to open in April 2000, the Grand Hyatt in Bali and two Hyatt properties in Orlando will also be highlighted.
Around 30 representatives will be at its stand including staff from its recently opened properties such as the Grand Hyatt Amman in Jordan, the Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki in Greece and the Grand Hyatt Muscat in Oman.
n Accor plans to open its first Sofitel property in the UK – the 190-room Sofitel London Pall Mall – inJanuary 2001. The move is characteristic of the French hotel giant’s determination to increase its profile in the UK. It has just expanded its UK sales office and moved into bigger premises inHammersmith.
n Radisson SAS is set to announce plans for at least three new hotels in the UK at WTM as it homes in on the UK market.
n Concorde Hotels has added a third UK property to its portfolio after signing a deal with the Thai-owned Royal Lancaster Hotel, located opposite HydePark in Bayswater, London. The group already ownsThe Berners and TheWestbury, also in thecapital.