ΔΙΕΘΝΗΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΗΛΕΚΤΡΟΝΙΚΗ ΕΦΗΜΕΡΙΔΑ ΠΟΙΚΙΛΗΣ ΥΛΗΣ - ΕΔΡΑ: ΑΘΗΝΑ

Ει βούλει καλώς ακούειν, μάθε καλώς λέγειν, μαθών δε καλώς λέγειν, πειρώ καλώς πράττειν, και ούτω καρπώση το καλώς ακούειν. (Επίκτητος)

(Αν θέλεις να σε επαινούν, μάθε πρώτα να λες καλά λόγια, και αφού μάθεις να λες καλά λόγια, να κάνεις καλές πράξεις, και τότε θα ακούς καλά λόγια για εσένα).

Πέμπτη 31 Ιανουαρίου 2013

Starwood Sees Strong Growth Momentum in North America in 2013


Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. opened 23 hotels in North America in 2012 and signed more new deals than in the previous two years, including 21 conversions.
Looking ahead to 2013, Starwood anticipates itsstrongest year of openings in North America since before the global economic crisis with 28 scheduled openings. Conversions will continue to fuel growth with in-the-year conversions expected to result in additional new hotel openings this year.
North America remains our largest market with 576hotels and saw more hotels signed in 2012 than any other region in our vast network,” said Simon Turner, President of Global Development. “We have opened over 135 new hotels in North America since theglobal economic crisis and expect pent up demand and limited new supply to continue to drive our growth in 2013.”
There are a number of positive trends in the North American hospitality market and we expect more than one-third of Starwood’s hotel openings around the world to be in the U.S. and Canada in 2013,” said Allison Reid, Senior Vice President of North America Development, Starwood. “Our strong brands, global scale and presence, powerful systems and growing base of loyal customers continue to set Starwood apart from our competition. We are seeing increased interest among owners in initiating new hotels with Starwood especially around conversions.”
Starwood’s “Specialty Select” or Mid-Market brands, Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft and Element, will continue charging across North America in 2013. Fast-growing Four Points by Sheraton, with its popular positioning around comfort, style, and affordability, is expected to surpass 120 hotels in North America and 190 globally in 2013. Over the past five years, the Four Points by Sheraton portfolio has surged by 15% in North America and the brand is now Starwood’s third largest with the second-biggest global pipeline.
Aloft, Starwood’s sizzling “style at a steal” brand, continues conquering markets wherever it plants a flag. This year, the brand will open its milestone 50th property in North America and 75th globally – and is on track to open nearly three times as many rooms this year as in 2012. Over the past three years, Aloft has grown its global portfolio by 67%, and expects to expand by another 25% in 2013. Aloft also signed eight deals in North America and an additional 17 globally during 2012 – the highest number since 2008.
Starwood’s stronger-than-ever upper-upscale brands, Le Méridien, Westin and Sheraton, will also see sustained North America expansion in 2013. After significant brand investment and transformation, Le Méridien is experiencing strong growth momentum, with eight new hotel openings globally slated for 2013.
Westin, whose singular positioning around wellness continues powering global growth, will open four hotels in 2013 in the U.S.: The Westin Birmingham, The Westin San Jose, The Westin Sacramento, and The Westin Houston Downtown – the 4th Westin in that city.
Starwood continues to have, and build on, one of the strongest North America luxury portfolios in the industry with its St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, and W Hotels brands. In 2012, the company signed The St. Anthony, A Luxury Collection Hotel, San Antonio – an external conversion set to open in 2014 as the second Luxury Collection property in Texas. With 85 hotels in nearly 30 countries, The Luxury Collection remains Starwood’s largest luxury brand, and with its appeal to independent hotel owners it continues to grow, increasing its global footprint by 70% since 2007.