While the surging U.S. dollar is a prime inducement to travel beyond our borders, perhaps a better measure of how far a group's cash will go in a foreign destination is the cost of lodging. As tracked by travel research firm STR, hotel rates are affected by more than currency; occupancy levels and other factors are at play as well.
Following are some global meeting destinations where hotels' average daily rate has fallen in the past year; figures in parentheses following the August 2016 rate (the most recent tallied by STR) show percentage change from August 2015.
Brussels, Belgium
August 2016 ADR: US$86.91 (-1.2)
Group business has returned here since the shocking March 2016 terrorist attacks on Brussels Airport, just outside the Belgian capital, and the Maelbeek metro station on Rue de la Loi. "We suffered in spring, but since summer everything has come back to normal," says Hugo Slimbrouck, director of strategic partnerships at Ovation Global DMC. In particular, he cites improved incentive interest from North America.
Two trendy hotels have opened in the city. Near the Grand Palace, the 149-room Radisson Red Hotel Brussels features three event "studios" totaling 1,200 square feet. Seasonal local fare is served at the OUIBar + KTCHN; an on-site food truck offers grab-and-go eats.
Also new is the 187-room Tangla Hotel Brussels, part of China's HNA Group, with its 4,800-square-foot Imperial Ballroom and 3,700-square-foot Royal Ballroom. Guests dine at Le Cinq, a "reinvention of the classic buffet."
Dubai
August 2016 ADR: US$106.16 (-9.5)
This Persian Gulf city continues to grow its meetings offerings. Last November saw the opening of the elegant 234-room St. Regis Dubai, which offers various rooftop pools, eight restaurants and bars, the Iridium Spa and 20,000 square feet of meeting space.
This past summer, the 356-room W Dubai-Al Habtoor City debuted with a 7,800-square-foot Great Room, while the 1,004-room Westin Dubai Al Habtoor City opened with its own 15,400-square-foot Al Joud ballroom.
The iconic 202-room Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, shaped like a fully opened sail, remains the architectural jewel of the city, offering five pools, nine restaurants and bars, and the two-floor Talise Spa. Meeting space includes the open-air Assawan Amphitheater.
London
August 2016 ADR: US$182.29 (-15.8)
As new Prime Minister Theresa May wrangles with pulling Great Britain out of the European Union, the British pound has taken a nosedive against the dollar, and the ADR has tanked. Perhaps that's why destination marketing organization London & Partners reports a 66 percent jump in inquiries from U.S. buyers in the two months following the June Brexit vote, year-over-year.
Just opened in October is the 253-room Montcalm Royal London House, with the Burdock restaurant (complete with a craft-beer bar) and the Aviary rooftop restaurant and bar, along with seven event spaces and a spa.
The Sheraton Grand London Park Lane unveiled a refresh in October as the property achieved Grand status. The 303-room art deco hotel now sports an upgraded Palm Court Lounge and the new Mercante Italian eatery.
Milan, Italy
August 2016 ADR: US$125.39 (-11.4)
While hotel rates in sister city Rome have jumped by 12.6 percent year-over-year, Milan has gone in the opposite direction, as occupancy dropped below 50 percent in August.
In the center of town, the 235-room Excelsior Gallia Hotel, part of Starwood's Luxury Collection, underwent a full renovation in 2015 and features about 11,000 square feet of meeting space and four dining options.
The 104-room Mandarin Oriental Milan opened in October 2015, taking over four 18th-century buildings. Chef Antonio Guida has created Seta, a contemporary Italian restaurant with alfresco dining; the hotel's spa features six treatment rooms, and two meeting rooms host up to 160 for receptions.Panama City, Panama
August 2016 ADR: US$90.62 (-6.9)
South of the border, Panama City has become an attractive destination, according to Jan Freitag, senior vice president of Lodging Insights for STR, as it's a short flight from Houston and Miami, and hotel occupancy as of this past August stood at just 57.1 percent.
In June, Sheraton's Grand designation was granted to the 356-room Sheraton Grand Panama, which overlooks the eponymous bay. The hotel has 46,000 square feet of event space, three restaurants and a stylish lobby bar.
In the financial center, the 285-room Hotel Las Américas Golden Tower Panamá just opened with seven meeting rooms, including a 3,600-square-foot ballroom that can host up to 490 people for a reception. The property will soon debut a 29th-floor restaurant from famed chef Erre de Ramón Freixa.
Paris
August 2016 ADR: US$226.20 (-8.8)
According to the BBC, a million fewer people came to the City of Light between January and June 2016 compared with the same period in 2015, deterred by terrorism, strikes and floods. On the plus side, that leads to shorter lines at the Louvre and Notre Dame.
Among hotel news in the French capital (go here for extensive details), the fabled vintage 1898 Ritz Paris reopened in June following a four-year refurbishment. The property now has 142 guest rooms whose bathrooms have heated floors, eight meeting "salons" and the first Chanel Spa.
New in the city is the 121-room Renaissance Paris République, with contemporary décor by interior designer Didier Gomez. Three meeting rooms span a total of 1,582 square feet.
Santiago, Chile
August 2016 ADR: US$119.13 (-6.2)
Plenty of hotels have opened in Chile's capital city. In August, following renovations, the 105-room Radisson Santiago La Dehesa was upgraded to Radisson Blu status. Features include meeting space for up to 200, the Zafràn restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine, and a spa featuring treatments such as mud hydrotherapy.
Opening in March 2017 is the AC Santiago Costanera Center, offering 239 guest rooms and the Santa Brasa steak house. Also new is the 226-room DoubleTree by Hilton Santiago-Vitacura, the brand's first in Chile, with more than 15,000 square feet of meeting space and the Quotidien Bistro's menu of French-Mediterranean fare and Chilean wines.
Vienna, Austria
August 2016 ADR: US$96.90 (-5.3)
Citing personal safety as a key factor, this European city once again was ranked No. 1 in this year's 18th annual Quality of Living survey from consulting firm Mercer (No. 2 is Zurich, which follows).
More old-style elegance came online last November when the 188-room Grand Ferdinand from Weitzer Hotels debuted. "Comfort" rooms are decorated with leather chaise lounges and champagne bars, and bunk beds in an eight-bed dormitory can be booked individually through Airbnb. Regional cuisine is served at the Grand Ferdinand Restaurant, while bistro fare is on the menu at Gulasch & Champagne. The property has one 700-square-foot meeting room.
Even newer is the Ruby Marie Hotel Wien, with 186 rooms, including several women-only "Girls' Rooms." While the property has no meeting space of its own, it has partnered with nearby Your Office in Albert Hall, which has seven conference rooms and a 2,200-square-foot ballroom.
Zürich, Switzerland
August 2016 ADR: US$226.33 (-7)
Some online sites show travelers to Switzerland split on the merits of Geneva vs. Zürich, both of which have seen hotel rates fall. Zürich's have gone down a little farther (-7 percent vs. -2.6 percent), and its average daily rate is about $40 lower than Geneva's. Zürich also is home to the new Swiss National Museum, and is a great jumping-off spot for visits to Lucerne and Bern.
Opening this month is the 87-room Placid Hotel Zurich, with five meeting rooms and three rooftop patios. Buckhuser, a combination lounge/bistro/full-service restaurant, serves local fare. Locally made Zweiradgeber touring bicycles are available for guests to work off the calories.
Last December, Design Hotels' 95-room Atlantis by Giardino debuted, a redesign of a former hotel built in a three-wing Y shape. The restaurant Ecco Zürich features tasting menus of five or eight courses. More casual fare is served at Hide & Seek. Six meeting rooms are on-site, as well as the Dipiù Day Spa.