The infamous “Hanoi Hilton,” where Senator John McCain spent five and a half years during the Vietnam War, has been largely demolished. Only a small museum remains of the Hoa Lo prison, involuntary housing for 300 American pilots captured in the conflict. The Hilton Hanoi Opera, open since 1999, takes pains to not celebrate a connection to Hoa Lo, even if the hotel’s Web site is  hanoi.hilton.com.  Tourists still drop in to ask if the prison was located there, or at least nearby — but none of the guests, the concierge assured during a recent stay, confuse the hotel with a prison.

Pata Travel Mart 2004 (PTM 04) opened in Bangkok, Thailand today with a total of 345 global buyers, representing 309 organisations from 45 countries on hand  to meet 720 seller delegates representing 342 Asia Pacific travel and tourism organization from 37 countries. The numbers represent a 70% larger turnout of total delegates than at PATA Travel Mart 2003 in Singapore, which attracted 190 buyer delegates from 46 countries, and 213 seller organizations from 33 Asia Pacific countries.

Chosen from over 600 hotels across Europe, Middle East & Africa, InterContinental Dubai has been awarded as an outstanding performer, winning an award for best “Market Performance Achievement”, reflecting the excellent market leading results for the year 2004. The hotel had an increase in occupancy level of 5% in 2004 compared to the previous year, over 45% increase in average rate and 52% raise in RevPar.  

With as many as 45 new 5- and 4-star hotels opening across the Arabian Gulf region in the next three years, suppliers to the hospitality industry are  looking forward to a bumper sales year.

The Hilton chain is pulling out of Bahrain after 30 years, it was revealed yesterday. As of next month, the Hilton in Manama will be managed by another international chain called Golden Tulip Hospitality.

A 17-member advisory council to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), which held a two-day meeting here last week, has ‘unanimously supported’ the development of an integrated casino facility, the STB said in a statement yesterday. ‘The members of the International Advisory Council for Tourism (IACT) unanimously supported the development of an integrated resort housing facilities for gaming, conventions, entertainment, luxury hotel, F&B and retail outlets,’ the STB said.

Meeting and conferences are key revenue drivers for so much of the hotel industry. Here's a look at the current state of the meetings market and what it now takes to drive bookings success in this segment.

By Stacy Collett: One of Hyatt's most successful ideas emerged from the business side and was put to the test in a lab hotel. Hyatt International's president announced that the company needed to change the way guests check in. The lab trial was so successful that the company decided to expand the mobile solution even further.

Remember your eagerness at the start of your hospitality career to "make your mark"? Your enthusiasm for working in your chosen field was high along with your confidence in all the possibilities of the future. Your drive to succeed was strong. That enthusiasm, confidence and drive were and still are your internal motivators. By Kathleen Hogan

By Rochelle Castillejos: Hotels should focus attention on corporate clients that are booking them during off peak seasons, as they can help you when you need them most.