GLOBAL UPDATE
SATIRICAL SPIN
It ’ s no secret that work can be stressful , but Hilton Hotels & Resorts — working with Onion Labs , the creative services division of U . S . news satire organization The Onion — has come up with a cure for “ vacationitis .” Via the Hilton Urgent Vacation Care Center at vacationcarecenter . hilton . com , Hilton Worldwide ’ s flagship brand and Onion Labs have identified vacationitis symptoms such as “ Yellow Post-It Fever ” — contracted from writing too many sticky reminders — to “ Replyallgia ,” the result of a flood of “ reply all ” emails . Visitors to the site can download and share humorous cartoon memes or explore a “ recovery room ” dedicated to special travel offers .
“ We thought of partnering with Onion Labs as they are not only known for their witty humor , but for helping brands grow through a number of platforms , such as social media and custom editorial content ,” explains Rob Palleschi , global head , Hilton Hotels & Resorts . “ We thought this unexpected partnership would generate buzz and excitement .”
Hilton Hotels & Resorts used Facebook and Twitter ad campaigns as well as a humorous “ health alert ” video airing on its in-room television network to promote the campaign , which continues through the end of the year . Through late February , Palleschi says the Urgent Vacation Care site had been shared more than 1,000 times across social media platforms and had received more than 3,660 click-throughs . “ As a result of the site and other social media efforts , we ’ ve seen our social media reach and interactions increase significantly ,” Palleschi adds .
CEO
NEIL
JACOBS
HOPES TO GROW THE SIX SENSES AND EVASON BRANDS TO 40 HOTELS OPEN OR UNDER DEVELOPMENT WITHIN FIVE YEARS .
SIX SENSES RENEWED
Under new ownership and new leadership that includes high-profile industry veterans Neil Jacobs as CEO , Wolf Hengst as executive chairman and Anna Bjurstam as vice president of spa and wellness , Six Senses Hotels Resorts & Spas has been “ reborn .”
Having been acquired last April by U . S-based private equity fund manager Pegasus Capital Advisors , Jacobs and company have five new projects to add to the brand ’ s nine existing properties . In fact , long-time Four Seasons executive Jacobs hopes to grow the Six Senses and Evason brands to 40 hotels open or under development within five years , as well as better integrate the company ’ s spa business , which manages 29 assets around the world .
Five new hotels are scheduled for completion by 2016 . The additions will include the brand ’ s Western Hemisphere debut , with properties under development in St . Lucia , the Dominican Republic and Colombia . It also announced a project in Bhutan and the opening of Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain , China , at the end of 2013 .
“ Our timing is good ,” Jacobs says . “ We don ’ t owe any money and have capital , so we are in a position to springboard . The company grew up in Asia , but a huge goal is to take it out of Asia . We are looking in Costa Rica , Panama and Ecuador , as well . Asia continues to be on our radar , as does China , but we want to go everywhere .”
Jacobs says there will be no changes to the brand ’ s emphasis on wellness and sustainability , as well as the operational leadership under President Bernhard Bohnenberger . However , Jacobs adds , “ We will see a little more designed , more contemporary look , and aesthetically we will lose a bit of the roughness and become more refined . That is what customers — and those who are not our customers — are telling us .”
10 HOTELS April 2013 www . hotelsmag . com