Successful Meetings - December 2009 - (Page 12)

NEWS UPDATEIMEX Announces Association Day 2010 Details Site International Foundation Releases Industry Research NBTA’s First Certification Course Sells Out World Travel Market Short-term outlook still bleak, long-term still bright Marriott Launches New Brand Autograph Collection to feature luxury hotels lthough the recession will cause the contribution of travel and tourism to the world’s economy to decline by 5.5 percent in 2009, the industry will continue to produce long-term growth of 4 percent per annum over the coming decade, according to new projections from the London-based World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). “In the aftermath of the financial crisis that started last summer, the global economy contracted at its steepest rate in post-war history,” said Adrian Cooper, managing director of Oxford Economics, WTTC’s research partner. “However, recent indicators suggest that the global economy has passed its trough and some forecasts for 2010 are now being upwardly revised.” Key recovery drivers, according to Cooper, are unprecedented monetary and fiscal stimuli, reviving credit markets, and recovering asset prices. “But there are good reasons for caution,” he continued, “and a second dip into recession early in 2010—what we call the double-dip scenario— cannot yet be ruled out.” Travel and tourism economic growth slowed to 1 percent in 2008 and deteriorated further in 2009, according to WTTC, which reported a 6 percent year-over-year decline in both international air passenger traffic and global overnight visitor arrivals. “Travel and tourism clearly continues to face challenging times,” said JeanClaude Baumgarten, president and CEO of WTTC. “If the challenging times facing travel and tourism are ignored by governments, then its role in employment creation and poverty reduction could be seriously undermined.” —Matt Alderton M arriott has launched a new independent hotel brand, known as The Autograph Collection, within its portfolio of upper-upscale and luxury hotels. Comprised of independent hotels with “distinctive personalities” in major cities worldwide, The Autograph Collection will add approximately 25 hotels in 2010; the concept is intended to allow Marriott to capture a broader audience of travelers who do not normally stay in branded hotel properties. “The Autograph Collection will take the innovative approach of grouping these iconic hotels according to the unique experience that guests are seeking, whether it’s a resort, historic hotel, boutique arts, or urban edge hotel in a dynamic gateway city,” said Don Semmler, Marriott’s executive vice president of brand management, in a statement. Member hotels will be required to meet Autograph Collection standards and will have to continually demonstrate high guest satisfaction and quality assurance scores in order to retain their Autograph Collection membership. I SM I December 2009 I SuccessfulMeetings.com http://www.SuccessfulMeetings.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - December 2009

Successful Meetings - December 2009
Contents
Editor's Letter
World Travel Market: Short-Term Outlook Still Bleak, Long-Term Still Bright
Food & Beverage
Incentive Insights
Personal Success
Management Matters
Visionaries
Trade Show Report
Sales & Marketing Meetings

Successful Meetings - December 2009