June 14, 2010 at 11:48 a.m.
Filed under:
Environment,
Tourism,
Travel
By Julie Johnsson | Online travel agency Orbitz is offering to refund lodging costs for
Florida travelers with standalone hotel reservations if a beach at their
destination is closed due to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
The “Open Beach Guarantee,” rolled out Monday by Chicago-based Orbitz
Worldwide, is one of the first broad initiatives aimed at addressing the
steep drop-off in tourism to the gulf region as a result of the BP
environmental disaster.
The guarantee applies to about 100 coastal hotels in Florida, but may be
expanded to other states, and is aimed providing some assurance to
travelers hesitant to vacation along Florida’s coasts, said Orbitz
spokesman Brian Hoyt.
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June 11, 2010 at 5:37 a.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Food,
Travel
From Crain’s Chicago Business | Baltimore-based Westfield Concessions Management wrested the contract for concessions in O’Hare International Airport’s international terminal from Chicago Aviation Partners, formed by McDonald’s and Duty Free Americas, which has run concessions since the terminal opened in 1993.
Get the full story: chicagobusiness.com
June 8, 2010 at 4:13 p.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Chicago executives,
Internet,
Travel
By Julie Johnsson
| Marsha Williams, 59, plans to retire by years’ end as chief financial
officer at Orbitz Worldwide Inc., the global online travel company
announced Tuesday.
Williams joined Orbitz in 2007 as it prepared to go public, spinning out
from parent company Travelport. As Orbitz restructured amid a rocky
travel market over the past 18 months, she led efforts to trim $45
million in operating and capital costs and to attract new capital to
shore up its capital structure, said Barney Harford, president and CEO
of Orbitz Worldwide.
Williams held key financial positions at many iconic Chicago companies
over a 37-year-career that began with First National Bank of Chicago,
where she worked from 1973 to 1988. She served as treasurer of Amoco
Corp., which she left in 1998; chief administrative officer at Crate and
Barrel until 2002, and executive vice-president and chief financial
officer at Equity Office Properties Trust.
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June 3, 2010 at 10:18 a.m.
Filed under:
Hotels,
Tourism,
Travel
By Ameet Sachdev |
Embassy Suites at 600 N. State St is scheduled to undergo a complete
renovation of all 367 rooms in the fourth quarter, the hotel’s new
management company said Thursday. Davidson Hotel Co. said the upgrade
will include bathrooms, corridors, lobby and public space. The cost of
the renovations was not disclosed.
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May 24, 2010 at 5:04 p.m.
Filed under:
Earnings,
Manufacturing,
Travel
Dow Jones Newswires | AAR Corp. predicted fiscal fourth-quarter earnings below Wall Street’s
expectations, but forecast higher revenue, citing a slower-than-expected
recovery in demand in its commercial aviation business.
Shares dropped 9 percent to $20.05 in after-hours trading. The stock is flat
this year.
The aircraft-leasing and maintenance company expects earnings of 25
cents to 30 cents on revenue of $355 million to $365 million, while
analysts estimated 38 cents and $340 million, respectively, according to
a poll by Thomson Reuters.
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May 20, 2010 at 10:14 a.m.
Filed under:
Economy,
Transportation,
Travel
More Americans will hit the highways and airports over the 2010 Memorial Day holiday weekend, but they’ll probably spend much less than last year, according to a study released Thursday by AAA. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, file)
Associated Press | More Americans will hit the highways and airports over the Memorial Day
holiday weekend, but they’ll probably spend much less than last year,
according to a study released Thursday by AAA.
The travel group said about 32.1 million people are expected to take
trips during the final weekend in May. About 30.5 million Americans
traveled during the same weekend last year.
Glen MacDonell, AAA’s travel services director, said the improving
economy will convince more people to get out of the house this year.
“AAA travel agents are reporting double-digit increases in the
percentage of travelers making advanced bookings for tours and cruises,
hotel bookings,” MacDonell said.
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May 13, 2010 at 8:49 a.m.
Filed under:
Advertising/Marketing,
Tourism,
Travel
McClatchy-Tribune Newspapers | Indianapolis’ call for Chicago summer leisure travelers will be much stronger than it was the past two years.
Indianapolis tourism officials have ramped up marketing threefold in
Chicago, the highlight of an eight-city advertisement blitz that began
this week and runs through August. The blitz is $1.34 million, which
equals what Indianapolis spent in 2008 and 2009 combined for summer
promotions, the association said.
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May 12, 2010 at 12:14 p.m.
Filed under:
Conventions,
Hotels,
Real estate,
Tourism,
Travel
Associated Press | Radisson is writing one of the biggest checks
in company history for 18 floors in downtown Chicago’s Aqua Tower
high-rise. Carlson Hotels Worldwide announced Wednesday it would spend
$125 million on the first American property in its upscale Radisson Blu
line.
It’s one of the most expensive purchases in a busy shopping season for
hotel investors searching for distressed properties. But credits
markets are still so tight Carlson is paying half upfront in cash.
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May 11, 2010 at 11:21 a.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Transportation,
Travel
Dow Jones Newswires | U.S. airlines’ average fuel cost per gallon for scheduled flights jumped 34 percent in March from last year’s low levels, and increased 1.9 percent from February, according to the Department of Transportation.
The DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics said airlines spent an average $2.19 a gallon on fuel in March, up from $1.64 a year earlier and $2.15 in February. Fuel costs for international flights rose one percent on the month and climbed 1.9 percent for domestic flights.
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May 6, 2010 at 7:32 a.m.
Filed under:
Earnings,
Hotels,
Tourism,
Travel
Dow Jones Newswires | Hyatt Hotels Corp. posted a surprise
profit in the first quarter, though earnings fell 64 percent as the
hotelier benefited from an $8 million settlement and the company was
the latest to report signs of a travel and tourism industry rebound.
President and Chief Executive Mark Hoplamazian said room rates remain
under pressure, but the company is encouraged by year-to-year occupancy
increases in most of its markets. Group bookings also have begun to
rise, but continue to have limited visibility owing to short lead times
and smaller bookings.
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May 5, 2010 at 6:35 a.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Earnings,
Internet,
Tourism,
Travel
Dow Jones Newswires | Orbitz Worldwide Inc. significantly
narrowed its loss in the first quarter — its second-straight period in
the red — absent $331.5 million in 2009 write-downs partly related to
declines in the online travel company’s stock price. The results beat
analysts’ expectations, and Orbitz also reported significantly stronger
bookings.
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May 3, 2010 at 12:20 p.m.
Filed under:
Hotels,
Tourism,
Travel
New lobby of the Ritz-Carlton Chicago. (Handout)
By Julie Wernau |
The Ritz-Carlton Chicago is unveiling a $25 million renovation today at
its Four Seasons Hotel at Water Tower Place that includes a new
restaurant and bar, new presidential suite that includes daily in-room
massages and an updated promenade, ballroom and lobby.
The renovation included few structural changes and focused on updating
the decor of the 435-room hotel, which has been ranked one of the best
hotels in the world by Travel + Leisure.
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April 30, 2010 at 12:13 p.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Travel
From Bloomberg | Continental Airlines and UAL Corp.’s United Airlines have tentatively agreed on an exchange ratio in their all-stock merger, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The ratio would be 1.05 shares of United stock for each Continental share.
Get the full story: businessweek.com.
April 26, 2010 at 11:35 a.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
China,
International,
Travel
By Julie Johnsson | American Airlines postponed the launch of its Chicago-to-Beijing service hours before the first flight was due to depart Monday because of a dispute with the Chinese government over landing slots.
The Texas-based carrier, which operates a major international hub at O’Hare, said it had postponed the start of service until May 4, and would rebook or provide refunds to passengers who had purchased tickets for the Monday flight.
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April 26, 2010 at 6:31 a.m.
Filed under:
Airports,
Autos,
Tourism,
Travel
Associated Press | Hertz Global Holdings Inc., the world’s
largest car rental company, said Monday it has agreed to buy rival
Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group for about $1.17 billion in cash and
stock. Hertz said the deal will give it an additional 1,550 additional
locations, boosting its total to 9,800. It said it will boost its
leisure rental business in Europe and elsewhere.
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