Hilton expanding to Skopje

World-renowned brand "Hilton" has signed a franchise agreement with "Stone Bridge Hotel" over the construction of "Double Tree by Hilton Skopje" along the river Vardar in Aerodrom municipality.

The investment in the hotel is worth EUR 30 million, including 170 rooms, four conference halls, wellness and spa centers, business center etc.

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said at Monday's cornerstone-laying ceremony that the arrival of "Hilton" confirmed that the efforts for attraction of investments in Macedonia yielded results.

"The hotel, which is to be completed next fall, will put Skopje on the map of cities that have this global hotel brand", said Gruevski.

According to him, the "Hilton" brand would have an enormous significance in the support of tourism in Skopje and Macedonia in general.

"Besides tourism, the construction industry will also benefit. Many construction workers will built the hotel, with numerous other companies from Macedonia to be indirectly involved. Following its construction, over 100 jobs will open, giving the investment additional value", added PM Gruevski.

Ulrich Widmer, Hilton Worldwide Senior Vice President Development Central Europe, said the brand suited Macedonia, offering exceptional capacities.

"We have enormous confidence in Macedonia's future and we are certain in Hilton's success", said Widmer.

Investor Ajdovan Ademoski said he was proud of bringing "Hilton" to Macedonia with the Government's support.

"Besides the hotel's capacities, we will also have educated staff in line with Hilton standards", stressed Ademoski.

Kempinski Hotels delegation visits Macedonia

High officials from the Kempinski hotel group today and Thursday are paying a working visit to Macedonia, which is organised by the Agency for Foreign Investments and Export Promotion.

Kempinski officials will meet potential partners for mutual investment. Kempinski hotel group has shown interest for opening a five star hotel in Skopje and Ohrid.

Award for Hotel Makpetrol Struga

The yearly magazine of tourist agency "Corendon" from the Netherlands that began bringing tourists to Ohrid Lake last year unveiled the evaluations of tourists regarding the hotel capacities on the Ohrid Riviera. 

From all the hotels the tourists stayed in, they gave the best grade - 8,7 to hotel "Makpetrol" in Struga. The grades for the hotels are result of different, good and bad experiences of Dutch and Belgian guests that visited Macedonia through tour operator "Corendon" and they look like this: Ineks Gorica 7,0; Sileks 7,0; Beograd 7,0; Turist 7,2; Metropol 7,3; Diplomat 7,8; Donco 7,9 and Belvedere 8,3. 

The tourist arrangements of "Corendon" and other tour operators will offer Macedonia this year as well. It is expected for the number of Dutch and Belgian tourists, who visit Ohrid Lake in the period from May to October, to exceed last year's number of 10,000 guests.

Mak Hotels get a new ranking system

Macedonian hotel owners will face stiff new rules if they wish to keep their stars/ratings.
The Macedonian Ministry of Economy has created a rigorous set of rules that will apply for categorization and rankings for hotels to follow. For instance the new rules will mean some of the hotels will have to expand their rooms, others to have educated employees, pools, to accept credit cards etc.
The new law is already moving quickly through Parliament and will soon be passed.
According to the new rules, hotels with one star must have a minimum of 10 rooms. Those with three stars must have minimum of 15 rooms, while those with four and five stars must have a minimum of 20 rooms.
Each four star hotel must have a pool, and to earn the five stars ranking they must have at the very least a spa and a fitness center.
Regardless whether hotels are one or five stars, all must accept credit cards, while each employee must speak at least one foreign language.
Because Macedonia has many large hotels (more than 50 rooms), the law instructs each hotel to have at least one room designed for handicapped individuals for every 30 rooms. In the past it was for every 50 rooms.
According to the Ministry of Economy, out of the 200 hotels in the country, 190 are ranked. Eleven hotels have 5 stars.
All hotels will have two years after the passing of the law to meet the new requirements.

Numbers of Hotels in Macedonia Increased by 51.2%

In the period of 12 years, from 1999 to 2010, the number of hotels in Macedonia increased by 51.2 percent, from 82 to 124 hotels.
On the other hand, the number of hotel rooms dropped by 4.5 percent, from 5,916 to 5,651, in the same period, while the number of beds decreased by 13 percent, from 14,564 to 12,734, show the data of the analysis on Macedonian hotels in terms of change, which was carried out by Mitre Avramovski of Ohrid Tourism Faculty.
Reasons for such a situation are a chaotic transition and shutting down of numerous hotels built during the period of former Yugoslavia as well as construction and opening of smaller hotels.

Construction of an elite hotel in Ohrid

Macedonian Ministry of Transport has invited a tender for the sale of a building lot owned by the Republic of Macedonia in Ohrid. A five-star hotel is envisaged to be built at the location.

The initial auction price for the lot of the total surface of 15,878 sqm is MKD 61 sqm. All interested parties can apply for the auction by October 26. The auction will be held on November 2, 2010

VISA FREE REGIME NEGATIVE FOR HOTELIERS

The EU's decision to scrap the visa obligations for citizens of Macedonia, Serbia, and Montenegro had a negative impact on hoteliers in Macedonia given the cancellations of travel arrangements, hotel association president said. Donco Tanevski, the Chairman of Hotel Association of Macedonia, said no reservations were made for Macedonian resorts and travel arrangements were cancelled after introduction of visa-free travel to EU countries.
"Serbian holidaymakers were the most numerous travelers to Macedonia. There is an imminent risk that Serbian holidaymakers' presence in Macedonia drops by 30%-40% during the New Year's holidays," Tanevski said. He added that airlines' announcements of low-priced flights from Skopje to European destinations - two-way ticket for 29-99 euros - would make potential domestic tourists to book tickets at affordable rates and spend the New Year's holidays abroad.
Furthermore, the announced rise in electricity price and the upcoming smoking ban will additionally hit tourism workers. Tanevski slammed the programme of the Agency for Promotion of Tourism, saying that programme was inadequate and drawn up with minimum funds. Tanevski urged the government to cut the value-added tax (VAT) to hotelier, an incentive that has been put in motion in the neighboring countries. "The planned flights to Ukraine, announced by the government earlier this year, were not put in motion. And for the next year, there is no announcement of new flights except for the charter flight to Israel," Tanevski said.
He called on the government to make sure that road infrastructure is improved as soon as possible. He also complained that there are no long-term credit lines (spanning 15-25 years) with interest rates not higher than 4%-6%. This would help hoteliers and resorts improve their offers.
"We are facing a hardship unless immediate measures are taken. There has to be more aggressive marketing. Otherwise, Macedonia's tourism will face tough times." MD: Well, those tourists who want to come to Macedonia, still will come. You can't force people. If someone really wants to visit Ohrid, that person will do so, no matter what. Macedonia will have more profit of these tourists than any massive tourist groups from Serbia who come just because they cant go anywhere else. This will also make Ohrid a more exclusive destination, like it should be.