Bargain hunters eye hospitality sector - 2001-11-05 -... -
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Published on: 4/30/2001
Last Visited: 11/5/2001
The Dallas hotel market was already feeling the sting of economic slowdown before the acts of terrorism in New York , Washington , D.C. , and Shanksville , Pa. , brought predictions of a further 25% dip in business , says Sandi Bailey , executive director of the Hotel/Motel Association of Greater Dallas.
These events transpiring are a significant hit on the hospitality and travel industry , she says.They've had a direct impact on us..
The Dallas hotel industry is no stranger to slowdowns.Bailey says renovation of the Dallas Convention Center , slated for completion in 2002 , had already derailed some of the city's business traffic before the September attacks.
The local hotel industry had been hoping that once the convention center reopened next year , with 1 million square feet of meeting space , it would attract large-scale meetings to the Metroplex and create critical mass for hotels.
Some meeting planners , however , believe the economic difficulties could make their services more attractive to companies looking for cost-effective meeting locations -- especially if businesses can choose from an assortment of suitable meeting venues at negotiable prices.
In the past three years , Dallas added more hotels than Austin has in total , according to the Hotel/Motel Association.Continuing rate reductions to fill Dallas' 60 , 000 rooms and numerous meeting centers are more than likely , the association says.
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