As we come to the end of a busy summer, fall off-season family travel accounts for 24% of all travel in the United States.    Off-season family travel encompasses Cultural, Historical and Cruise Vacations.    This is the time of year when many hotels start offering great deals to travelers due a significant decrease in travel until the holiday season starts up for leisure travel. 

This fall keep your eyes open for some great deals from European boutique hotels.  These individual properties sometimes offer special rates or promotions to travel agents and their guests.  They’re perfect if you are looking for great hospitality at a personalized level and luxurious themes. In this issue we show you great places to escape to in Paris, Prague and Rome using CCRA Net Rates.   
 
Read on about new 4 and 5 star hotel openings in worldwide locations.    Look for CCRA Net Rates at the world’s best hotels and resorts for the best rates. We took the time to find out where your fellow travel agents are booking Net Rates in top cities around the world for their corporate and leisure clients. Maybe they will give you some new travel ideas.

Very shortly, you will be receiving an email from Global Membership Services that will allow you to update your GDS and Pseudo City Code or Office ID information.  If you are booking hotels via the GDS you will want access to CCRA Preferred Rates at over 16,000 hotels worldwide. Click here for more information.
We want to hear about your experiences booking big chains or individual boutiques on the CCRAtravel.com Booking Portal. We might feature you in our next case study!

A review of IHG financial reporting results for the first half of 2007 demonstrates the brand’s focus on growth and quality.  IHG has set a goal of 50,000 - 60,000 room additions by the end of 2008.  In the first half of 2007, a record 54,246 rooms were signed, giving IHG confidence they will exceed their goal. Here are more highlights from the chain’s interim report for 2007.

Focus on Quality and Growth

IHG maintains its focus on enhancing the quality of its portfolio, in conjunction with growth.

• 20,713 rooms opened; 14,727 in the Americas, 3,181 in EMEA and 2,805 in Asia Pacific.
• 13,283 rooms exited; 9,574 in the Americas, 2,672 in EMEA and 1,037 in Asia Pacific.
• The room count at the end of the period increased by 7,430 rooms to 563,676.

Revenue Performance in America

RevPAR increased 6.3% with rate generating all of the increase. InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express each outperformed their market segments, with RevPAR up 9.5%, 7.4%, 4.9% and 7.8% respectively. Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites also showed continued growth, with RevPAR up 4.0% and 2.0% respectively.

Revenue Performance in EMEA

RevPAR increased 8.1%, driven by increased occupancy and 5.4% rate growth. The Middle East continued to perform strongly, growing RevPAR by 15.7%. Continental Europe delivered a RevPAR increase of 6.5%, with slower growth in Germany due to the benefit of the football World Cup last year. In the UK, Holiday Inn and Express by Holiday Inn outperformed their market segment, recording RevPAR growth of 7.9%.

Revenue Performance in Asia

IHG’s market leading positions in the region have led to further strong growth. RevPAR increased 9.1%, mainly driven by rate. InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn all performed strongly, with RevPAR up 11.1%, 7.9% and 8.4% respectively. Greater China RevPAR increased 6.2%, driven by rate increases.

IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through subsidiaries, over 3,800 hotels and almost 564,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. IHG owns a portfolio of well respected brands including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites and Hotel Indigo, and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty programme, Priority Club Rewards with over 33 million members worldwide.

IHG offers information for the Priority Club Rewards programme at www.priorityclub.com.

To locate all the best rates for IHG properties, including Net Rates, visit CCRAtravel.com.  For the best value in GDS-published rates, book the CCRA rate by selecting CCR in Amadeus, Sabre and Worldspan or CCRA in Galileo.

The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas opened in August. It will be Ritz-Carlton's first hotel to open in the U.S. in four years. The property will have 218 guest rooms and 70 residences.

The hotel's Fearing's Restaurant will be headed by Chef Dean Fearing, who specializes in Southwest cuisine. There will be seven additional dining and gathering venues, including the Sendoro open-air pavilion, the fine dining Gallery, an interactive display kitchen in "Dean's Kitchen," the Rattlesnake Bar, the Wine Cellar, the outdoor Live Oak Bar and the Ocaso.

The Ritz-Carlton will have a 9,500-square-foot ballroom and a 12,000-square-foot Ritz-Carlton Spa. The hotel will also provide 14,000 square feet of meeting space, including board and meeting rooms, pre-function areas and two hospitality suites.

To locate all the best rates at Ritz-Carlton hotels, including Net Rates, visit CCRAtravel.com.  For the best value in GDS-published rates, book the CCRA rate by selecting CCR in Amadeus, Sabre and Worldspan or CCRA in Galileo.

Hilton Hotels is signing its first property in Ghana, West Africa - the Hilton Accra Airport City.

The 186-room hotel scheduled to open in early 2010, is owned by Grand Real Estates and Company Limited and will be managed by Hilton Hotels Corporation.

“The new property will become one of the first upscale international brands to operate in the capital Accra. This gives us a tremendous opportunity to establish our brand in an African country that is experiencing strong growth. Accra itself is a key commercial and tourism hub for the country, with a real and growing requirement for upscale hotels. Expansion in Africa is key to our development strategy,” said Jean-Paul Herzog, President, Hilton Hotels, Middle East & Africa.

Hilton Accra Airport City will become Hilton's ninth property in Africa and has a prime gateway location at Airport City, a new mixed-use development in the heart of 'upscale' Accra. The contemporary hotel space will include a160-seat restaurant serving a full array of continental and international cuisine, a main bar with garden terrace, eight meeting rooms and a ballroom. The hotel will also feature an outdoor swimming pool, and a health club and gym.

Hilton currently operates eight hotels in Morocco, Algeria, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Cameroon and South Africa. Additional Hilton properties are under development in Africa in Equatorial Guinea (Malabo) and Uganda (Kampala).

In the U.A.E, properties under development are the Residence, Beach Club and Conrad - all in Dubai, two Worldwide Resorts in Ras Al Khaimah, and in Abu Dhabi with the first Conrad. The signed development pipeline also extends to Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon and Jordan (Amman & Aqaba). Furthermore, the new-look Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa is scheduled to open after a complete facelift in 2008.

To locate all the best rates at Hilton hotels, including Net Rates, visit CCRAtravel.com.  For the best value in GDS-published rates, book the CCRA rate by selecting CCR in Amadeus, Sabre and Worldspan or CCRA in Galileo.

Corporate Travel Just Got More Rewarding.  Earn Triple Miles with Select Guest®

Your job is managing travel that’s personal, pleasant and value-oriented. Our job is to help you make it all possible! We call it our Select Guest program, although your road warriors might just call it their new favorite way to travel. Omni Select Guest will assist you in controlling costs while offering your business travelers a sensational stay and an opportunity to earn triple miles.

So don’t let another check-in go by without checking out the exceptional advantages of the Omni Select Guest program:

From September 4 through November 16, 2007, Select Guest members can earn triple miles from any of Omni’s preferred travel partners after completing their second qualified stay.

• 500 frequent flyer miles per qualifying business stay
• Complimentary Wi-Fi service
• Complimentary morning beverage program
• Express check-in and check-out
• Choice of newspaper: The Wall Street Journal, USA Today or local paper
• All future stays tailored to your personal preferences, including room type, pillow type and many other details to meet your specific requests
• Evening turndown service
• Dedicated Select Guest Coordinator at every Omni Hotel to ensure members’ requests are fulfilled during every stay

All of these perks are available in addition to guest rooms and public spaces that have been thoughtfully designed to enhance all five senses.

Select Guest membership is free, and signing up is simple.  For more information, call your professional travel agent.

Omni Hotels “Spoils the Senses” of Their Young Guests through our New Program Just for Kids

A complimentary gift bag full of sensory trinkets, cookies and milk each night and a suitcase full of books and games – what more could a kid ask for?  Omni Hotels’ kids program has received an extensive childlike makeover designed to create a memorable stay for its youngest travelers. 

The centerpiece of the recently redesigned Omni Sensational Kids program is a complimentary, out-of-this-world backpack bag filled with sensory items intended to entertain and engage kids as they are welcomed to Omni Hotels.  Upon arrival at the front desk, kids will open their bag to find:

A Kaleidoscope for Sight
A Kazoo for Sound
Candy lightening bugs for Taste
Oversized jacks for Touch
A scented bracelet for Smell
A colorful plastic

Named one of the top 10 "best hotels for families" by Child magazine, Omni Hotels offers special children’s menus, milk and cookies each night and a rolling backpack suitcase available at the front desk, with books and board games for added entertainment during the stay.  The Omni Sensational Kids program is valid at any of the 40 Omni Hotels’ properties across North America.

Omni Hotels offers luxury accommodations at 45 hotels and resorts in leading business gateways and leisure destinations across North America.  Omni Hotels was ranked “Highest in Guest Satisfaction Among Upscale Hotel Chains” in the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study(SM) for the second year in a row.  Consumer Reports rated Omni Hotels as the No. 3 luxury hotel brand in the July 2004 report. The luxury brand creates compelling, memorable guest experiences by tempting the senses in innovative ways, surrounding them with a balanced blend of scents, sounds, sights, textures and tastes.  From exceptional golf and spa retreats to dynamic business settings, each location features four-diamond services, including award-winning signature restaurants, Wi-Fi connectivity and unique fitness options.

To locate all the best rates at Omni Hotels, including Net Rates, visit CCRAtravel.com.  For the best value in GDS-published rates, book the CCRA rate by selecting CCR in Amadeus, Sabre and Worldspan or CCRA in Galileo.

Terms and Conditions: Guests must pay a qualifying business rate on at least one night of each stay in order to earn triple miles (1,500 miles). The first stay must occur between 9/4/07 – 11/16/07 with a departure on or before 11/16/07. Additional stays must be completed by 11/16/07. Guests must complete a minimum of two qualifying stays in order to earn triple miles for the first and second stays. Guests may earn triple miles on up to six stays for a total of 9,000 miles during the promotional period. Guests will earn 500 base miles for any additional qualifying stays beyond six stays during the promotional period. Guests must be a member of the Omni Select Guest program prior to arrival for the first stay. An active frequent traveler membership number must be entered on the Select Guest member’s profile prior to arrival for the first stay. Please allow 6-8 weeks after the hotel stay for mileage postings to occur. Amtrak Guest Rewards currency is points, not miles. All standard program rules and conditions apply. Miles and points accrued and awards issued are subject to the terms and conditions of each participating carrier’s reward program, as applicable. To review the rules, please visit www.aa.com/aadvantage, www.delta.com/skymiles, www.united.com/mileageplus or www.amtrakguestrewards.com. Omni Hotels reserves the right to make the final determination regarding stay qualifications and awarding triple miles.