Hotels are seeing strong growth in group commitments for 2012, according to TravelClick’s January 2012 North American Hospitality Review (NAHR).  The January NAHR is based on group sales and reservations for hotel stays in 2012.

Group committed occupancy on the books for 2012 is up 5.4 percent compared to this time last year.  Moreover, group pace, or new group sales booked over the prior 30 days, was up 6.2 percent compared to the same period a year ago.  The group outlook for the second half of 2012 is particularly strong, with committed occupancy up 8 percent in the third quarter and 10.9 percent in the fourth quarter.

The transient segment, which consists of individual leisure and business travelers, is growing slightly slower than group. Transient room nights on the books for 2012 are up 4.8 percent versus the same time last year.

Overall, committed occupancy, group and transient combined, is up 3 percent year-over-year. Average daily rate (ADR) is up 3.6 percent, and revenue per available room (RevPAR) is tracking ahead by 5.3 percent, based on reservations currently on the books for 2012. 

Chicago (up 12.0%)  
New York (up 6.9%)
San Francisco (up 3.5%)

As for Florida destinations, below are occupancy forecasts for three major Florida markets:

Miami (up 4.2%)  
Orlando (down 7.5%)
Tampa (down 9.0%)

TravelClick is the only hotel data provider that provides forward-looking booking data based on actual reservations on the books.

Travelocity's annual "Traveler Confidence Report" reveals a majority of consumers, 53 percent, plan to travel more in 2012 than they did in 2011 despite a lack of confidence in the state of the economy. This is an 18 percentage point year-over-year increase from 2011. Of those respondents who planned on increasing their travel this year, about two-thirds plan to increase their travel budget in 2012, while slightly more than one-third will travel more without allocating more dollars to travel, indicating they plan to stretch their dollars further.

"The travel industry should be encouraged by our findings and take this as a vote of confidence," said Carl Sparks, President and CEO, Travelocity Global.  "While increases in spending are being driven by higher prices, travelers are taking more vacations and trips that are longer and farther away this year compared to last."

How Respondents Plan to Spend and Save in 2012:
In 2012, there is a six percentage point increase in people (compared to last year) who plan to increase their travel budget. Only slightly more than half actually have a predetermined travel budget this year.

In order to save money, nearly 50 percent of respondents will increase their comparison shopping, date flexibility and begin booking further in advance. About 70 percent of respondents intend to book vacation packages (flight + hotel) or book hotels via flash sales, while 40 percent are likely to consider booking an opaque hotel such as Top Secret Hotels.

(Above) Eric Danziger, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotel Group (far left) and Jurgen Schafers, general manager, Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek (far right) celebrate the resort’s presence in the Orlando community by presenting a $20,000 donation check to the Starlight Children’s Foundation’s director of brand and alliances, Dvorah Waldman.

(Above) Eric Danziger, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotel Group (far left) and Jurgen Schafers, general manager, Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek (far right) celebrated the resort’s grand opening and connection with the Orlando community with families and members of the Starlight Children’s Foundation.

(Above) Guests of the Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek’s Grand Opening Gala enjoyed aerial entertainment from hanging waitresses, courtesy of Lee Peyton Productions and the resort’s event staff.

For a full biography, read the December/January 2012 of the FR&L Magazine.

• Clean the World is the largest global recycler of hotel amenities and, in just two years of operation, has distributed more than 8 million bars of soap to children and families in the United States and more than 40 countries worldwide, including Haiti, Japan, Zimbabwe, Uganda, India, Honduras, Mexico and Albania.
• Using a proprietary and patent pending sanitization process, Clean the World soaks the soap in a sanitizing solution and then treats it with a steam/pressure combination.  Clean the World then tests the soap’s pH level and cools it for packaging.
• Each day, 9,000 children around the world die from diseases such as acute respiratory illness and diarrheal diseases that can be prevented by washing with bar soap. Clean the World Foundation has a mission to put soap in the hands of people who need it most -- to improve hygiene and sanitation conditions, to lessen the impact of disease, and to promote better hygiene and living conditions worldwide.

Local restaurants will be firing up their grills for a good time and a great cause at the 4th annual Blues, Brews & BBQ on Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 12 to 4 p.m. at HarborWalk Village in Destin, Florida. The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association's Northwest Florida Chapter will host a creative and spirited BBQ competition. Tasting wristbands will be sold for $20 for guests to sample the all the award winning savory BBQ and over 20 cold craft beers. Proceeds from the event benefit FRLA's Prostart educational program which supports the next generation of hospitality professionals.

Brews and BBQ
Some of the restaurants participating in this year's culinary challenge include Harry T's Lighthouse, The Fish House, Great Southern Café, McGuire's Irish Pub, Fish Out of Water, The Shed BBQ & Blues Joint, Poppy's Crazy Lobster Bar & Grill, Hard Rock Café, Emerald Grande, and Sandcastles at Hilton Sandestin. Blues, Brews & BBQ is sponsored by Emerald Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau, Pepsi and Miller Lite, Goldring Gulf Distributing, Skyy Vodka and Southern Wine and Spirits.

Last year's winners who took home the trophy and the bragging rights were Great Southern Café for Best Seafood BBQ; The Pensacola Fish House for most Unique/Creative/Originality; Legendary Emerald Grande for Best Traditional Taste/Flavor, and The Shed Barbeque and Blues Joint for Best Booth and People's Choice.

Blues
Don't miss the amazing Bill Wharton, "The Sauce Boss", performing on the main stage at HarborWalk Village. Since 1990, the Sauce Boss has cooked fresh gumbo on stage for his audiences, all for free, while simultaneously playing his own brand of swampy Florida's blues. A Sauce Boss event transcends a musical performance. It's a soul-shouting picnic of rock & roll brotherhood. And at the end of the show, everyone eats his homemade gumbo.