Travel Technology
Hyatt Hotels | September 22, 2023
Hyatt Hotels Corporation embarks on a strategic expansion journey with over 30 luxury and lifestyle hotels planned for the Americas by 2025.
The brand's rapid growth includes doubling luxury room inventory and increasing lifestyle rooms, making it a premier choice for high-end travelers.
The strategic acquisitions of Mr & Mrs Smith and Dream Hotel Group enhance Hyatt's offerings for members of the World of Hyatt.
The Hyatt Hotels Corporation has strengthened the brand with ambitious plans to expand its luxury and lifestyle presence throughout the Americas. With a robust development pipeline encompassing more than 30 planned hotels and resorts slated for completion by 2025, Hyatt is poised to make a significant impact. This strategic initiative includes venturing into new markets, reflecting the company's unwavering commitment to enhancing its brand offerings. Over the past half-decade, Hyatt has achieved remarkable milestones on a global scale, including doubling luxury room inventory, tripling the number of resort rooms, and quadrupling the availability of lifestyle rooms. The momentum behind this growth shows no signs of abating. Hyatt now proudly stands as the fastest-growing luxury portfolio, with luxury, lifestyle, and resort properties constituting over 40% of its extensive portfolio. This success solidifies Hyatt's position as the ultimate choice for discerning high-end travelers seeking unparalleled experiences.
This brand expansion has new properties in sought-after destinations, including the Hyatt Centric Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Cas en Bas Beach Resort in Saint Lucia, and Hyatt Centric Querétaro in Mexico. Additionally, Hyatt is introducing Boundless Collection hotels, featuring Thompson Hotels in various U.S. and Mexican locations. Timeless Collection hotels will offer a home away from home experience, with Park Hyatt Los Cabos in Mexico and Grand Hyatt Scottsdale in Arizona among the highlights. The Inclusive Collection will welcome new resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico, including Secrets St. Lucia Resort & Spa and more. Several luxury and lifestyle Hyatt hotels have recently opened in the Americas, with exciting additions like Andaz Mexico City Condesa and Dreams Flora Resort & Spa in Punta Cana. The Fordson Hotel in Oklahoma City will soon join The Unbound Collection by Hyatt.
Hyatt's transformative growth journey extends further through strategic acquisitions that enhance the offerings for its valued guests and members. The recent acquisition of Mr & Mrs Smith, a global travel platform renowned for its curated collection of boutique and luxury properties, is a testament to Hyatt's commitment to delivering exceptional experiences. This move significantly enriches the choices available to World of Hyatt members, providing them with an even more comprehensive array of rewarding stays and memorable experiences. In addition to this, Hyatt's earlier acquisition of Dream Hotel Group in early 2023 has opened up new horizons for World of Hyatt members, enabling them to access an expanded portfolio of stay options and lifestyle experiences in vibrant destinations like Nashville, Hollywood, South Beach, and New York City.
Additionally, this acquisition catalyzes Hyatt's brand expansion into an emerging leisure market in Mexico, with the upcoming Dream Valle de Guadalupe (slated for 2024). Nestled across 35 sprawling acres in the picturesque Baja California region, this property will feature a sprawling vineyard, 61 well-appointed guestrooms and villas, a luxurious spa and wellness facility, and a trio of vibrant dining and nightlife venues, including an exclusive tasting room and pool bar.
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Travel Technology, Hospitality Management
Holland America Line | September 27, 2023
Holland America Line is bringing the Great Land to Phoenix, Arizona, with the all-day Alaska Cruise and Travel Show Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort and Villas. The free-to-attend, action-packed expo runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and invites Arizonans who are dreaming about an Alaska cruise vacation to come learn, engage and see the best ways to experience this incredible destination with Holland America Line.
Celebrating more than 75 years of Alaska exploration, Holland America Line is rolling out the red carpet with an immersive display of all-things Alaska for the event. Attendees will be able to meet the people who bring Alaska to life, make s'mores, take part in gold panning (and keep what they find!), try their hand at axe throwing, and enjoy live presentations and culinary demonstrations.
"Our Alaska cruises are ranked number one for the most Alaska glacier, wildlife and wilderness viewing opportunities," said Bill Fletcher, senior director of destination marketing for Holland America Line. "We're bringing our Alaska travel experts to Phoenix to connect with people who want to check this destination off their bucket-list but aren't sure where to start. Even travelers who have previously explored Alaska can gain insights for future visits, meet tour operators, enjoy family-friendly activities and enter to win prizes."
Those who register and attend will have a chance to win one of six $500 Holland America Line gift cards or the grand prize of an Alaska cruise for two.
Scheduled for the Alaska Cruise and Travel Show presented by Holland America Line:
Attendees can meet an Alaskan Lumberjack from the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show in Ketchikan, Alaska, who will demonstrate axe throwing, and attendees will have the opportunity to test their own skills.
Just like the prospectors of the Klondike Gold Rush of the 1800s, attendees can pan for real gold and perhaps take home an authentic nugget.
Attendees will feel like they are at McKinley Chalet Resort's Denali Square as they roast marshmallows and make s'mores around a faux firepit.
Fleet Executive Chef Sinu Pillai will provide culinary demos featuring fresh, sustainable Alaska seafood served on Holland America Line's Alaska cruises.
Attendees will learn more about Holland America Line's enrichment and entertainment programming that brings Alaska on board through authentic experiences that focus on culture, cuisine and adventures ashore.
All who attend will enjoy live presentations from Alaska operators to see and hear about the wildlife, scenery, adventure and culture they can experience in Alaska.
Shore excursion operators — from the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway in Skagway to the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show in Ketchikan — and Holland America Line representatives will be on hand to share more about what to expect when traveling to Alaska with the only cruise line that ventures into the Yukon Territory (hint: it involves river rafting, zip-lining and going deep into the wilderness to spot grizzlies and caribou).
The Alaska Cruise and Travel Show is presented by Holland America Line and co-presented by Expedia Cruises in North Scottsdale. Other sponsors include Allen Marine Tours, a family-owned company based in Southeast Alaska.
Cruising to Alaska in 2024
From April through September 2024, guests can embark on Holland America Line's cruises to Alaska aboard Eurodam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, Westerdam and Zaandam. The cruise line is debuting a new 28-day Arctic Circle itinerary in 2024 that includes 12 Alaska ports, longer 14-day voyages and 117 weeklong journeys, enhancing its position as the leader in Alaska cruising.
Every Alaska cruise includes a visit to one or more of Alaska's iconic glacier destinations: Glacier Bay National Park, College Fjord, Dawes Glacier, Hubbard Glacier and Twin Sawyer Glaciers of Tracy Arm. Holland America Line has more visits to Glacier Bay than any other cruise line.
Exclusive Cruisetours Explore Denali and Yukon
The Alaska landscape is one of the few places in the world that is best seen by combining a cruise with an overland adventure, and Holland America Line's award-winning Cruisetours offer guests 16 options that showcase remote and off-the-beaten path regions. Holland America Line is the only cruise company to weave must-see sites such as Denali National Park — the centerpiece of every Cruisetour — with the unspoiled reaches of Canada's Yukon Territory.
About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc
Holland America Line has been exploring the world for 150 years with expertly crafted itineraries, extraordinary service and genuine connections to the destinations. Offering an ideal mid-sized ship experience, its fleet visits nearly 400 ports in 114 countries around the world and has shared the thrill of Alaska for 75 years — longer than any other cruise line. Holland America Line's 11 vessels feature a diverse range of enriching activities and amenities focused on destination immersion and personalized travel. Guests enjoy the best entertainment at sea each evening and dining venues featuring exclusive dishes by world-famous chefs. A new global fresh fish program brings more than 80 types of fresh fish on board, sourced and served locally in regions around the world.
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Hospitality Management
prnewswire | August 31, 2023
Cendyn, a catalyst for digital transformation in the hospitality industry, proudly announces the strategic acquisition of WIHP, an industry leader in hotel digital marketing services and technology. The acquisition signifies a key milestone in Cendyn's quest to facilitate profitable revenue growth for the hospitality industry through continued investment in driving direct bookings.
For close to 30 years, Cendyn has established itself as a pioneer in empowering people to excel in hospitality through world-class technology and services. This commitment enables hoteliers to foster deeper guest relationships, increase direct bookings, and enhance overall bottom-line results.
The merger between Cendyn and WIHP represents a leap for Cendyn, reinforcing its EMEA and global footprint at a time when the industry is focused on driving more profitable revenue. By joining forces, the two entities create a digital ecosystem that empowers clients of both Cendyn and WIHP to generate profitable revenue growth driven through their direct booking channels.
"We are thrilled to embark on this transformative journey with WIHP," said Jack Blaha, CEO at Cendyn, "The synergy between both companies is remarkable, and with WIHP's metasearch prowess, this merger reaffirms our commitment to driving more demand for our customers' most profitable direct booking channel."
"At the core of this transformative acquisition lies two true digital leaders in the industry," said Vincent Ramelli, CEO at WIHP. "Marrying Cendyn's rich heritage with WIHP's state-of-the-art metasearch expertise establishes a new epoch in the hospitality industry. We are incredibly excited to see what we can achieve together for our industry."
As Cendyn and WIHP unite under this acquisition, hoteliers can expect a revolutionized approach to hotel digital marketing services, setting an elevated standard for the future of hospitality technology.
About Cendyn
Cendyn is a catalyst for digital transformation in the hospitality industry. We help hotels around the globe drive profitability and guest loyalty through an integrated technology platform that aligns revenue, eCommerce, distribution, marketing and sales teams with centralized data, applications, and analytics, so they can capture more demand and accelerate growth. With offices located across the globe, in the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Singapore, Bangkok, and India, Cendyn serves tens of thousands of customers across 143 countries.
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