News in Brief: Tuesday June 10
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has announced that the Survey of Tourist Accommodation will be cut, proving a major setback for the hospitality sector, according to Tourism Accommodation Australia.
The ABS announced the cessation of the survey after cuts to its funding, which they estimate to be $50 million over the next three years.
“If we are to continue attracting foreign investment into hotel and tourism infrastructure development in Australia, we require the most up to date and thorough statistics,” TAA managing director Rodger Powell said.
Heritage Queenstown has appointed Jaco Uys, most recently of Millennium Knightsbridge and the Copthorne Tara Hotel, as its new conference and events manager.
The hotel’s award-winning Icon Conference Centre caters for conferences of up to 200 delegates with uninterrupted views of Lake Wakatipu and surrounding mountains and a range of smaller meeting and breakout spaces on site.
Queenstown’s boutique The Spire Hotel has been acquired by the Imperium Group, led by Melbourne-based New Zealander Andrew Cox.
The 10-room property is located in central Queenstown’s Church Lane overlooking St Patricks Church with views to Lake Wakatipu. It has an in-house bar and restaurant known as No.5 Church Lane, and boardroom conferencing facilities.
“The Spire Hotel acquisition is a strategic opportunity to expand the product range of the Imperium Collection in Queenstown,” Cox said. He is also the owner of the nearby Eichardt’s Private Hotel on the Wakatipu shoreline
The acquisition comes at a time of major expansion for the Imperium Group, which has plans to open a luxury boutique hotel similar to the Eichardt’s experience in the tightly held Auckland waterfront area.
The new purpose-built home of Star Alliance at Heathrow, Terminal 2, officially opened its doors yesterday afternoon.
Star Alliance member airline United is the first to move in to the new facility, with all 23 Star Alliance airlines operating Heathrow will move over the next six months.
The company reports that in its first eight hours of operation, more than 4000 passengers experienced the new terminal, marking a smooth start to operations in the facility.
Outrigger Enterprises Group has appointed John Gerrard to the dual positions of area general manager Australia and general manager of Outrigger Surfers Paradise.
Gerrard will manage the operational and strategic direction of four Outrigger resorts in addition to the Surfers Paradise resort, including locations such as Noosa and Airlie Beach.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
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