ACTE UPDATE IN BRIEF
• PREMIER Inn has secured eight new sites across the UK – a mixture of offi ce-to-hotel conversions and new build schemes – which will 774 guest rooms to the group's portfolio. The new sites are in Bromley, Beverley, Catterick, London, Eastbourne, Longbridge, Redditch and Sutton. The new London property is 183-bedroom offi ce-to-hotel conversion in EC3, close to Monument underground station.
• PARK Plaza Hotels has announced a new company name, PPHE Hotel Group Limited. The new names seeks to distinguish the company from its hotel brands – Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, art’otel and Arenaturist – which the company operates under licence or full or part ownership. The majority of the company’s hotels are located in major gateway cities and regional centres in Europe, new hotels under development in Germany, The Netherlands, the UK and Thailand, adding approximately a further 900 rooms by the end of 2014.
• HILTON has announced plans for a landmark 433-room property at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. The new hotel will replace the current Hilton property and is expected to open in 2015, with construction set to begin later this year. Facilities will include a ballroom and 23 meeting rooms, speciality restaurant and bar, executive lounge, spa and fi tness centre, light- fi lled atrium lobby and underground parking. A new sheltered walkway will also connect hotel guests directly to the airport terminal.
• BEST Western Milford Hotel, located in Peckfi eld, Leeds, has become one of the fi rst hotels worldwide to be awarded the group's ‘PLUS’ status. The accolade coincides with the hotel’s completion of a £150,000 upgrade. The privately- owned, three-star hotel joins 16 other hotels to have achieved PLUS status in the UK, a new tier launched in 2011 that sits between regular Best Westerns and Best Western Premier properties.
• KIMPTON Hotels & Restaurants has added Donovan House, a boutique hotel in downtown Washington DC, to its portfolio. It now operates 11 hotels in the city and metropolitan area, and over 50 properties in 23 cities across the US.
➔ DoubleTree growth T
THERE'S now a fifth DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in the capital city following the conversion of what was previously the Hesperia London Victoria, located adjacent to the train station. The new-look hotel offers 225
guestrooms including an executive floor and lounge with private check- in and check-out, complimentary breakfast in the morning and snacks and beverages throughout the day. There are eight meeting rooms and
boardrooms with capacity for between ten and 160 delegates, and a new restaurant called 2 Bridge Place. The upscale, full-service brand
now has 16 UK locations – including Aberdeen, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield – and a presence in 11 countries across Europe since its introduction in 2008. There are more than 280 DoubleTree by Hilton hotels across the world.
INDIGO'S DOUBLE ADDITION
RON DILEO Executive Director, Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE)
he advancement of interactive technology has ushered in a dichotomous
wave of increased, efficient communication. Along with the forward movement, however, comes the often complicated challenge of how to monitor and implement mobile technology services. As the industry continues to
advance, the phenomenon of mobile technology poses a few setbacks for travel management companies, not least the discrepancy between TMC programmes and travel policy. One struggle for TMCs is over-
coming the obstacles of company policy and staying ahead of the curve on emerging technology. While mobile travel services have been available to independent travellers for years, there often is a lack of coordination among corporate travellers and the mobile service providers within a company. A workable mobile technology
solution must satisfy multiple needs for the traveller, the corporation and the TMC. Given that a corporate travel manager is responsible for administering travel plans within the guidelines set forth by a corporation, it makes sense that there should be room for negotiation on policy that infringes on a TMC’s ability to fully service its clients. From flight changes to local dining
information, mobile updates, apps and alerts create a smoother, more enjoyable travel experience. The service of automated alternate flight suggestions, for example, not only makes the decision easier for the traveller, but also saves money for all parties in the end. April’s ACTE Global Education
INTERCONTINENTAL Hotels Group adds to its Hotel Indigo line-up with two new UK properties this spring. The Hotel Indigo Edinburgh (pictured) is the latest in the group's boutique range, with the Hotel Indigo Newcastle set to open for business in June. Scotland's second Hotel Indigo is
a 60-room property set within a listed building dating back to the late 18th century. Originally five residential properties, the hotel has a number of striking architectural features such as decorative stairwells and a cupola.
The Hotel Indigo Newcastle,
meanwhile, will feature 148 guest- rooms – some with balconies and impressive city views – and a Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill. The Hotel Indigo brand was
launched in the United States in 2004 making it one of IHG’s youngest brands. There are 39 Hotel Indigo hotels around the world with a further 59 in the development pipeline and due to open in the next two to three years. Its UK locations also include
Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool and two in London.
Conference in San Francisco offered education sessions informing travel buyers and suppliers how to best understand, utilise and build mobile technology advancements into their travel programmes. And as ACTE looks to continually
educate the industry, our upcoming 2012 Global Education Conference in Rome will also deliver practical solutions on the convergence of technology and travel, as these issues continue to reshape the way we meet, work, and collaborate with our colleagues, acquaintances and clients around the globe.
THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE 55
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