The relative strength of the global hotel sector can be seen as an indicator of a potential turnaround in the economic outlook with the average price of a room around the world rising 4% in 2011, according to the latest Hotels.com® Hotel Price Index™ (HPI®). The continuing strength in corporate travel, in particular, helped to push up demand and room rates, although prices were still generally lower than in 2005.
The HPI looks at prices that people actually paid for their hotel room around the world. Last year, prices fell 2% in Asia year-on-year but rose in all other areas: 8% in the Pacific, 5% in North America, 4% in Latin America, 3% in the Caribbean and 2% in Europe and the Middle East. The overall increase reflected a continuing trend of steady recovery after a 13% tumble in 2009.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53785-hotels
The St. Patrick’s Festival is one of the highlights of Ireland’s cultural calendar — a week-long celebration of music, dance, outdoor spectaculars and of course, on March 17th, the stunning St. Patrick’s Day parade through the historic streets of Dublin. The festival is the traditional starting point of the holiday season and what a year 2012 is going to be.
2012 is the year when Northern Ireland will take center stage with a series of spectacular occasions. Titanic Belfast, the largest Titanic visitor experience in the world, will open its doors in April. The new visitors centre at the UNESCO world heritage site at the Giant’s Causeway will open in the fall and the European Tour’s Irish Open golf tournament will return to Royal Portrush in June. These events and many more come under the banner ‘Northern Ireland 2012 –Your time, our place.’
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/55131-tourism-ireland-st-patrick-s-day-dublin-the-gathering-welcome-vacation
Hotels.com®, the expert in online hotel booking and home to more than 20,000 hotel destinations worldwide, released its biannual Hotel Price Index™ (HPI®), reporting on the most popular travel destinations and the average price paid by travelers while visiting those destinations.
The HPI is a regular survey of hotel prices in major city destinations across the world, based on hotels.com bookings. Prices reported are those actually paid by customers (rather than advertised rates) during the calendar year of 2011. On a global scale, hotel prices increased by 4 percent on average in 2011 over 2010, while average prices in North America increased 5 percent year-over-year, continuing the process of steady recovery from the lows of 2008. Entering the third consecutive year of moderate price rises for guests, the global average price is still lower than it was in 2005, such was the depth of the financial crash-inspired trough.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52873-hotels-com-price-index-five-percent-rise-in-2011-in-north-america
In the afternoon of Wednesday 21 March, Mrs Anna Komorowska, First Lady of Poland, will open the Keukenhof International Flower Exhibition in Lisse accompanied by Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of The Netherlands.
In the period from 22 March to 20 May 2012, a colourful tribute will be paid to Poland, an important export market for flowering bulbs. Poland-Heart of Europe is the theme for Keukenhof 2012. Highlights this year are the exhibition Surprising Poland, the flowering bulb mosaic of Frederic Chopin and a special theme route.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53795-keukenhof
CEOs remain optimistic about prospects for the economy as well as the outlook for their own firm’s performance in the midst of persistent economic and political uncertainties. The Vistage CEO Confidence Index was 105.1 in the 1st quarter 2012 survey, up from 98.8 in Q4 and 83.5 in Q3 of last year. Confidence is at its highest level since 105.2 was recorded at the start of 2011. Expected economic gains have prompted CEOs to continue to slowly expand employment in anticipation of higher sales; nonetheless, 84% of the CEOs surveyed said they’ve learned to be more productive with fewer employees. The Q1 2012 results reflect the sentiments of 1,854 small business CEOs surveyed from March 5-16, 2012.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/vistage/51157/
Even the panel of “odor specialists” resisted the urge to cover their noses as pungent smells emanated from the smelliest sneakers in this year’s Annual National Odor-Eaters Rotten Sneaker Contest. Ready to be judged, seven kids, ages seven to sixteen, from across the country have arrived in Montpelier today, selected as national finalists, wearing the decrepit and odorous rubber-soles that won them regional recognition.
In its 37th year, the National Odor-Eaters Rotten Sneaker Contest is the ultimate test of just how dirty and stinky sneakers can get when they’re part of an active kid’s life, going where they go, through puddles, mud and all. Sneakers are judged on the conditions of the sole, tongue, heel, toe, laces or velcro, eyelets/grommets, overall condition and most important ODOR, by a panel that includes NASA “Master Sniffer” George Aldrich, Chemical Specialist for NASA space missions, and Rachel Herz, Ph.D., a professor at Brown University and author of The Scent of Desire and That’s Disgusting.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/55027-37-th-annual-odor-eaters-rotten-sneaker-contest
As the United States and Europe grapple with economic uncertainty, the Canton Fair has become an even more essential platform for foreign businesses seeking trade opportunity and new territory for business.
The Canton Fair is the largest trade fair in China, drawing the best of Chinese manufacturers and more than 2,000 foreign companies from over 50 countries every year, including the US, Japan, Germany, Italy and the UK. In response to the global economic crisis, the fair had adapted in recent years to present new opportunities for foreign and Chinese businesses, as well as buyers.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/55419-tap-into-the-china-opportunity-at-the-canton-fair
Food Network’s long-running hit primetime series Food Network Star returns to New York City this May with fifteen talented hopefuls and completely new twists for season eight – this year, returning stars Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis move from behind the judge’s table to square off with culinary favorite Alton Brown for a three-way team competition to find the next Food Network Star, beginning with a special two-hour premiere episode on Sunday, May 13th at 9pm ET/PT. Bobby, Giada and Alton, all television producers in addition to being culinary superstars, lead the charge to find and develop the new talent by each hand-selecting a team of five finalists, who they will produce and mentor through the ‘Star’ experience to find one winner who possesses personality and kitchen chops. Viewers can also glance into the ‘Star’ finalist selection process, with a casting special airing on May 12th and in another turn to the series plot, viewers will vote online before the July 22nd finale to determine who will receive the ultimate prize: their own Food Network show, to be produced by their ‘Star’ team leader.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/51725-food-network-star-season-eight-2012/
If sustainability is a journey, Frei Brothers Reserve has covered quite a bit of ground over the past year, expanding its sustainability focus from what’s in the bottle to the bottle itself. New earth-friendly packaging is showing up in stores now, just as the winery releases its first-ever “Earth Day Report.” The report shares how far Frei Brothers has come — and how far it wants to go — in its pursuit of “preserving natural resources without compromising the integrity of the wine.”
The line-up of eco-upgrades for the brand includes bottles that use less glass, corks that use more of the tree, and capsules and labels that create less waste.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/55463-frei-brothers-reserve-sustainable-packaging-earth-day-activities
VISTAKON® Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., and the makers of ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses, today revealed the 2012 celebrity ensemble for this year’s “ACUVUE® 1-DAYContest.” The roster of celebrity mentors includes inspirational pop star Demi Lovato, musician Joe Jonas, breakout television star Tyler Blackburn, all-American actress Meaghan Martin and world champion sprinter Allyson Felix. The contest, now in its second year, will give five winners the chance to meet and be mentored for a day by one of the five teen icons.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/55568-acuvue-brand-contact-lenses-launches-the-2012-acuvue-1-day-contest
Based on its recent analysis of the retail carrier Ethernet services market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes tw telecom with the 2011 North American Frost & Sullivan Award for Growth Leadership. Each year, this award is presented to the company that demonstrates excellence in capturing the highest compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the last three years. tw telecom’s Ethernet services revenue grew at a CAGR of 28 percent from 2008 to 2010, which is commendable considering the relatively weak economic situation during that period.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/frostsullivan/54703
Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) officially opens its new manufacturing facility in Cleveland, Tenn., for production of premium cooking products. The $200 million project includes a state-of-the-art production facility and distribution center and will be the largest premium cooking plant in the world. Whirlpool expects the project will add about 130 new jobs to its existing Cleveland workforce. Each year Whirlpool Corporation spends more than $7.4 billion to operate its nine U.S. plants and keep its approximately 15,000 manufacturing employees at work.
Whirlpool Corporation Chairman and CEO, Jeff M. Fettig, and U.S. Secretary of Commerce, John Bryson, were key speakers at today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony which began at 11:30 a.m. EDT. Federal, state and local officials, including Deputy Governor Claude Ramsey and Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty, also attended.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/54880-whirlpool-corporation-opens-new-state-of-the-art-manufacturing-facility
