THE MAGAZINE OF THE WORLDWIDE HOTEL INDUSTRY
EDITORIAL Jeff Weinstein , Editor In Chief 1.312.274.2226 E-mail : jweinstein @ hotelsmag . com
Ann Bagel Storck , Managing Editor 1.312.274.2209 E-mail : astorck @ hotelsmag . com
Nathan Greenhalgh , Associate Editor 1.312.274.2229 E-mail : ngreenhalgh @ hotelsmag . com
Dani Friedland , New Media Editor 1.312.274.2223 E-mail : dfriedland @ mtgmediagroup . com
Queenie Burns , Vice President , Design 1.312.274.2216 E-mail : qburns @ mtgmediagroup . com
Bert Ganzon , Senior Art Director 1.312.274.2227 E-mail : bganzon @ mtgmediagroup . com
Steve Vanden Heuvel , Senior Art Director 1.312.274.2218 E-mail : svandenheuvel @ mtgmediagroup . com
Michelle Villadolid , Freelance Design E-mail : mvilladolid @ mtgmediagroup . com
Bill McDowell , Vice President , Editorial Director 1.312.274.2201 bmcdowell @ mtgmediagroup . com
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Mary Gostelow , Adam Kirby , Oriana Lerner
PUBLISHING Dan Hogan , Vice President , Publisher 1.312.274.2221 dhogan @ hotelsmag . com
INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD
Nakul Anand Executive Director , ITC Ltd ., Gurgaon , India
Stephen Bartolin Chairman and CEO , The Broadmoor , Colorado Springs , Colorado
Eric Danziger President and CEO , Wyndham Hotel Group , Parsippany , New Jersey
Geoffrey Gelardi Managing Director , The Lanesborough , London
Kirk Kinsell President , the Americas , IHG , Atlanta
Alex Kyriakidis President and Managing Director , Middle East and Africa , Marriott International , Dubai
Christopher Nassetta President and CEO , Hilton Worldwide , McLean , Virginia
Monika Nerger Chief Information Officer , Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group , Atlanta
Paul Sistare President and CEO , Atlantica Hotels International , São Paulo
Susan Terry Vice President Culinary Operations , Hyatt Hotels North American Operations , Chicago
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UNWAVERING DETERMINATION
HOTELS has been ranking the industry ’ s giants for more than 30 years . And as difficult and admittedly imperfect an editorial exercise as this is because we must sometimes scratch , claw , manually count and beg for the data we seek , we are also very proud of this one-of-a-kind , always anticipated collection of the top 325 .
With its rich history , it is also fun to look back and see from where the industry has come , so this year we decided to look back — in 10-year increments starting in 1983 — for interesting trend data . We only looked at the top 20 companies in our ranking and found a very consistent story . In fact , between 1983 and 2013 the global top 20 have grown to approximately 48,450 hotels and 5.9 million guestrooms from a mere 7,450 hotels and 1.3 million guestrooms — all in relatively equal 10-year increments .
Even through difficult economic and socio-political moments in recent world history , it is comforting to know the hotel industry has persevered , reflecting the determination of the consumers it serves — unwavering in their desire , and their need , to travel and consume experiences . It bodes well for the future of the business , and when you stop to consider the emerging economies and middle classes around the globe , perhaps the next 10 years will show even stronger growth among the giants and the would-be giants who are not afraid to compete with new concepts and approaches to service . A golden age of travel is undoubtedly coming , but like everything else , there are so many variables that make it hard to predict exactly when it will occur .
So for the moment , look back at 1983 , when Holiday Inns Inc ., Memphis , Tennessee , was at the top of our ranking with 312,426 rooms and 1,740 hotels . The Sheraton Corp . was listed second
with 118,584 rooms and 447 hotels . Balkantourist from Sofia , Bulgaria , was sixth with some 61,000 rooms , and rounding out the top 10 were Marriott Corp . with 48,408 rooms and Club Mediterranee with 46,871 rooms . Brands , not management companies , littered the remainder of the top 20 , with number 20 listed as Rodeway Inns International , Dallas .
It is good to see brands like Holiday Inn , Sheraton , Marriott and even Club Med have stood the test of time — even though several of the top 20 from 1983 are now in different hands . It was a year when Marriott completed a 1,200-room hotel in Cairo , Holiday Inn launched Crowne Plaza “ for the frequent traveler who wants a high level of service ” and Trusthouse Forte forged ahead with its U . S . expansion in Garden City , Long Island , New York . Of course , the story has changed from year to year , and this year , again , we cannot help but notice the Chinese companies starting to spread their wings beyond their home countries . At the same time , there always appears to be room for newcomers to join the rankings , so please don ’ t let the size of the industry ’ s giants intimidate you .
So please immerse yourselves in data this month that we worked tirelessly to bring together knowing you work just as hard to make this an aspirational business . Now , if the industry can only figure out how to manage yield as well as it grows hotel and room numbers .
Editor In Chief www . hotelsmag . com July / August 2013 HOTELS 5