Some current conversation starters…
A final report from an Italian safety agency on the Costa Concordia accident last year said the "unconventional behaviour" of its captain, Francesco Schettino, was the immediate cause of the shipwreck.
The 181-page report from the Marine Casualties Investigative Body goes on to say "the human element," including poor general emergency management, was the "root cause" of the casualty. The report found that the Concordia complied with all of the relevant SOLAS (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea) requirements for safety, but that standards in several areas should be reviewed or upgraded. It said the immediate flooding of five watertight compartments put the accident beyond the ship's survivability standard, which calls for no more than two compartments to be flooded. The report made some recommendations to further isolate and segregate components key to the ship, including propulsion, steering and navigation systems. And authorities should consider a double hull area around certain vital components, it said. It also said that "there is a need for verifying the actuality of provisions contained in international instruments," such as SOLAS and the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping convention, so that crews actually do what the standards say they can do in an emergency.
Read more at Travel Weekly
Hilton Worldwide has firmed up its expansion plans for India, with 21 hotels planned in the next five years across five brands.
The hospitality chain is also planning to bring its luxury brand Waldorf Astoria to India. “We are very keen to bring the brand to at least one of India’s key cities. We are yet to find the right location or partner,” said Guy Hutchinson, Vice President, Operations-India, Hilton Worldwide. There are 15 Waldorf Astoria hotels globally, with another 20 in the pipeline.
Read more at Business Standard
Hyatt, which said in February that it would reflag four hotels in France, has taken over the properties.
The former Concorde Lafayette is now the Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile, while the Hotel Martinez in Cannes has been renamed the Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez. The Palais de la Mediterranee Hotel and Casino in Nice is now the Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Mediterranee, while the Hotel du Louvre will be rebranded as an Andaz hotel after a renovation. Hyatt in February reached a management and rebranding agreement with Constellation Hotels Holding for the four properties, which total more than 1,700 rooms.
Read more at Travel Weekly
