Landlords Are A Tenacious Lot

The centrepiece of a R66-billion complex intended to redefine the Las Vegas resort experience, opened Monday 17th May 2010 with a lavish private party and fireworks.
Aria is the glass-sheathed Cesar Pelli-designed 4,004 room hotel at the heart of CityCenter, a 67 acre complex of hotels, condominiums and retail on the Las Vegas Strip.
President Barack Obama is tentatively scheduled to tour the complex on December 23 en route to his Christmas holiday in Hawaii.
Still, MGM Mirage faces other challenges with CityCenter, which adds about 6,000 new hotel rooms to a market that already has 141,000 and has seen occupancy reside in the low 80% range for most of 2009.
The Las Vegas economy has suffered its worst downturn since gambling was legalized in the 1930s. Visitation slumped to 35 million in 2009, down from a record 39,2 million in 2007 and the destination's lowest count since 1999.
Room rates now average R718 per night, 23% lower than the 2008 average, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. And 2008 was 10% below 2007.

So, it is quite evident that the hospitality industry is taking strain, and South Africa is no exception. All the more reason to have a profesional marketing campaign up your sleeve.

Talking to a few local guesthouse owners and hotel managers recently, it is evident that they are a tenacious lot and are optimistic about occupancy rates for the near future.

"Bring them on, I say."