Gaylord Entertainment
Co. decided, as a result of the economic downturn, to
postpone its $252 million purchase of the Westin La Cantera Resort
in San Antonio while seeking a capital partner for the
investment.
Houston officials
insist another downtown convention center hotel is needed if the
city hopes to attract more convention business. Two possible sites
are being discussed for the property as the project proceeds
through the early planning stages.
Beijing aims to
increase the number of the city’s smoke-free hotel rooms to 70
percent by the start of the Olympic Games this August. Legislation
currently is being crafted to ban smoking in all hotels, except for
specifically designated smoking rooms. Last October, as part of its
antismoking initiative, the city banned smoking in all taxis.
Jet Airways, India’s largest domestic carrier,
announced that to meet growing business demand, it will launch
service between San Francisco International Airport and Mumbai,
India’s financial center, via Shanghai, by the end of this
year.