The UK’s tourist agency VisitBritain has released preliminary figures from a marketing study from the Royal Wedding, and has said it hopes to continue to engage the additional international web users who joined its online communities during the event.
Hoteliers across the UK say business is looking up, with the majority of general managers expecting an increase in sales of both corporate and leisure hotel stays in the second quarter of this year.
The UK hotel industry is continuing to turn around a steady performance despite continuing market pressures, although experts predict the rest of the year will be “less settled” as a result of global issues.
Hotel chain Premier Inn says that after just three months of launching a smartphone application it is now seeing over 5 per cent of all hotel bookings made on mobile phones, a figure it expects will double in the near future.
International visitors to London spent close to £9bn in the capital last year, with tourist numbers at a four-year high compared to the gloomier picture in the rest of the country.
IHG, Hilton, Wyndham and Marriott are the top four global hotel groups based on number of rooms, with all of them operating over 600,000 rooms throughout the world.
The UK’s major pub and restaurant groups have recorded a slight increase in sales last month, demonstrating that consumers are still eating out despite spending less at the supermarket.
Consumption of cider in the UK has increased marginally over the past year, although volumes were down for beer, wine and spirits, according to the latest data from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
Average weekly salaries in the UK hospitality industry were just under £300 a week in February 2011, while the number of jobs available in the last quarter have remained stable, according to data released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Hilton Worldwide received over 100,000 room bookings via its mobile applications in 2010, demonstrating the revenue-generating potential of a rounded social media strategy for hotels, the brand has said.
YO! Sushi and Pizza Hut are to display calorie counts on menus across their nationwide estates, a move that suggests the branded restaurant sector is edging towards acceptance of Government recommendations on publicising nutritional information.
The modern British palate is becoming increasingly European, with the majority of consumers in the country saying they like to try British dishes that incorporate European ingredients, finds a new survey.
London is the top European destination for US travellers this year, although the Royal Wedding is not one of the attractions drawing the extra tourists, according to a survey by TripAdvisor.
UK hotels saw a significant recovery in 2010 following a challenging environment the year before, but the road ahead remains uncertain, according to an annual hotelier survey from PKF.
The food and drink operation at budget hotels has been named the biggest disappointment when it comes to meeting customer expectations, with many consumers believing it should meet the quality of a midmarket hotel.
February has been the hardest month for business in hotels outside of London since the bout of bad weather in January last year, according to the latest data from HotStats.
Only seven per cent of consumers trust companies’ claims to be actively reducing their carbon emissions, although more than half admit they would be more loyal to a brand if action was clearly demonstrated to them.
Hospitality employers have been criticised for the lack of support and motivation they lend to their staff, after research revealed over a third of restaurant, pub and hotel workers don’t respect or even like their manager.
Wetherspoons, Punch Taverns and Hungry Horse Pubs have been criticised for using too much salt in their pie dishes, after research revealed levels exceeded the recommended daily allowance.
The rate of pub closures has slowed to 25 per week, although government plans for a 7 per cent rise in beer tax in next week’s budget could prolong damage to the sector.
Pub and restaurant groups reported a rise in like-for-like sales in February against a strong comparative period in 2010, helped by a month of fair weather and families eating out during half term.
The Accor hotel group is by far the market leader in the European chain hotel sector, although Carlson was the chain to see most growth over the past year, according to the latest data from MKG Hospitality.
Most UK hoteliers don’t plan to increase room rates in 2011, but a more competitive landscape is prompting them to invest in renovation, mobile marketing and social media, according to a new survey by TripAdvisor.
People in the UK are consuming less beer and more strong spirits and wine, according to new consumption figures, prompting renewed calls for a beer duty freeze.
TV show Michel Roux’s Service may have inspired a growth in student and graduate interest in hospitality jobs of almost 200 per cent, signalling a shift in the perception of the industry as a worthwhile career route.
Scottish restaurants Restaurant Martin Wishart and Piccolo Mondo have led a list of the UK’s Top 100 restaurants, based on the ratings of Toptable users.
Leading casual dining and pub brands plan to invest more in marketing, branding and customer feedback in an effort to gain market share in 2011, reveals a survey of top CEOs in the sector.
The restaurant sector is showing some signs of recovery, although full service restaurants continue to suffer in favour of fast food options, finds a new study.
Hotels throughout the country are expecting to see more growth in their food and beverage offering than in their overall business, but asset managers Vision warn that the landscape ahead is not so rosy for the non-room side of hotel business.
Hotels in London were faced with lower demand for their rooms in January, indicating that even the resilience of the capital is impacted by the traditionally tough trading month.
Restaurants across England and Wales are using false ‘local’ claims on some of their products, a Local Government Regulation investigation has revealed.
A new survey has found that the social networking site Facebook has a powerful influence over people’s holiday plans, with over half of users saying that photos on the site inspire them to travel.
A quarter of UK hoteliers have decided not to pass on the VAT increase to their customers, while another 27 per cent are only passing on portion of the rate hike, according to a new HotStats report.
Vouchers and discounts have meant big business for restaurants over the last year, but with consumers increasingly looking for value in more than just their wallets, and with warnings that vouchers could permanently damage brands, restaurants will need...
A worrying number of restaurants are not embracing technology and the internet to promote their businesses, research from online reservations and marketing service Livebookings has found.
Restaurant, hotel and pub property prices have stabilised over the past year, although the restaurants sector was the only one of the three to show any significant increase in average prices, according to Christie + Co.
Pub and restaurant operators have seen sales plummet in December compared to last year, after the heavy snow encouraged consumers to stay indoors at home.
